Different people can react to blue in different ways. For some, blue is the color of optimism, reminding people of a sunny day or a serene lake. For others, blue can imply sadness, as in “singing the blues.” In Western cultures, blue is also considered to be a male color, contrasting with pink for girls.

The shade of blue you choose to work with will be very important. Remember you will be looking at this color for a very long time. Consider factors such as the size of the room, the lighting, and what the room will be used for.

If you choose to work with a dark, bold shade, make sure that the room will be well lit, preferably with a dominant source of natural light. Be sure to use complimentary colors for the trim and baseboards. You can use bright red or yellow to spice the room up, but be warned that this kind of energetic color scheme can grow weary on the eyes with time and is probably best reserved for a game room or something similar. White or lightly tinted greens can be used to keep the mood calm and relaxing. You may also choose to use a lighter or accented shade of blue for a similar effect. If you are working with a dark blue, it will probably be wise to paint the ceiling white or cream to avoid feeling confined.

Lighter shades of blue are perfect for bedrooms, kitchens, and bathrooms. Light yellow, dark blue, and white are good complimentary colors to work with. Alternatively, you might choose to go natural and work with wood trim. For the same reason, blue is also a good color choice for rooms with hard wood flooring.

A final word of advice. Don’t get too crazy. If you choose to work with contrasting colors, make sure that blue remains the dominant one. You should rarely work with more than two contrasting colors. Always bring paint chips into the room, close your eyes, and think about what the room will look like when it is finished. The most common color scheme will be light blue and white. Be cautious if you choose to go with something else.

This post was written by Carter Bowles, owner of AboutBluePaint.com, a website devoted to the subject of blue paint, including its history, the pigments used in its creation, and the discovery of a new kind of blue paint.

We commonly refer to the color that occurs between red and blue, purple.  Purple has long been associated with royalty, nobility, luxury, and ambition stemming from the fact that in ancient times, only the very rich could afford it. The 4th century B.C. historian, Theopompus, reported, “Purple for dyes fetched their weight in silver” at market.  Just as it did in ancient times, purple continues to convey wealth and extravagance. The fact that is is a very rare color in nature adds to its mystique and desirability.

But, use purple with caution.  No matter the intensity you choose, it is not a color that can be thrown into a room with a nonchalant attitude thinking that it will work with anything (like pale yellow).  The lighter hues of purple evoke romantic and nostalgic feelings.  Light purple is a good choice to add a feminine touch, and it works especially well in the design mix of children’s rooms.  I recommend that you use dark purple sparingly as it evokes intense emotions; not necessarily positive.  For a pleasant color marriage,  mix with shades of green.  Both light and dark shades of purple work nicely with the fresh, hopeful hues of green.

Some of my favorite accents to help you lend just the right  touch of purple to your spaces are show below.  Retail prices are shown.  Always contact Carla for a price quote and lead times on all fabrics, rugs, lighting and furniture.

First, you need to determine the scope of your project. This will allow you to look for the right professional to complete it.

If you have a small painting project (for example, one or two bedrooms to repaint), hiring a solo painter-operator could be the best choice. Because owner-operators carry virtually no business overhead (no staff, no office, no commercial vehicles, etc), they can get your small project done for relatively cheaper than a large painting company.

Larger projects, however, are a different story. These need to be done in a time efficient manner and single painter-operators simply do not have the labor or resources to complete such large projects to the industry standards and on time. Such large jobs require the use of a trained painting crew, proper painting equipment, and a good project leader, or foreman. Typically, large painting jobs include multi-room or whole interior painting and exterior painting jobs.

Once you have determined whether you should hire a solo-operator or a full painting conractor firm, there are other things you need to pay attention to.

First, when getting quotes for your house painting job, make sure that each contractor outlines the scope of the work. You want to be sure that the estimates include the same service items from each of the contractors. Things like the type of prep work that will be done, how many coats of paint will be applied, and what brand of products will be used, need to be consistent across all painting estimate that you get. This way, when you are later going over the proposed prices, you are comparing “apples to apples.”

Many times, inexperinced or non-professional painters will quote the same job for a substantially lower price than any of the legitimate contractors who gave you quotes. Homeowners often get very excited about the immediate savings they would incur, and rightly so. However, as the old saying goes, “you get what you pay for.” More often than not, these extremely low bidding painters – in order to save money – skip crucial steps in the prep process, use the cheapest products they can find, and perform shoddy work. In the end, the paint job will not last and the homeowner will have to get their place repainted prematurely.

To determine whether or not you are hiring a legitimate painting company or someone who will ruin a paint job, make sure to check for the folowing items:

1) Business registration. Is this is a real company and will I be able to hold them responsible in a few months time if the paint job fails? Unregistered individuals can take you money and virtually disappear and you would have no recourse options and noone to hold responsible for shoddy workmanship.

2) Insurance. Does this company carry insurance? In case of unfortunate events, you want to be sure that your home is protected. If a ladder accidentally falls on your car or breaks your window, you need to be sure that the company has liability coverage to cover for these unfortunate events.

3) Examples of past work and customer testimonials. Don’t just take the painters‘ word for it, find out for yourself what others have been saying about their painting and look at pictures of work they have done in the past.

4) Lastly, a legitimate painting contractor should never ask you for a substantial amount of money upfront. Typically, 10-15% upfront is considered the norm to cover material costs, but if the painter asks you for anything over that amount, you should be wary.

Let us know how you like it. For more, visit our YouTube Page or SuperPages Local Painters Listing.