Do you want to give your Chicago home a makeover, but you don’t have the budget or the time? You’d be surprised at what a new coat of paint can do. Painting is an easy way to upgrade your home without breaking the bank. Here are some things to keep in mind:

The Walls

This probably seems obvious, but simply painting your walls automatically makes any room feel bright, clean, and new. Before even thinking about color, think about the feel you’re going for. For example, if you want your bedroom to feel calm, consider pale blue or light grey. If want your kitchen to be bright and cheery, think about pale yellow or tangerine. If there’s a room you want to feel cozy and comforting, darker and richer colors help evoke that mood. You can give each room a different feel, but be sure to stay in the same color palette so the colors flow from room to room and form a cohesive whole.

Brick

People have strong opinions about painting exposed brick. One group thinks it’s sacrilege and the other group insists that the end result is a design game-changer. It’s all dependent on your personal design aesthetic. One of the great things about painted brick is that it adds an interesting textual element. Changing the color on a brick fireplace or a wall of exposed brick to a different (but complementary) color to your walls can boost the look and feel of your entire home.

The Cabinets

Living with outdated kitchen cabinets can make you feel like the home is drab and dated. Tearing them out and replacing them is costly. Painting your cabinets takes some time and energy, but the final result will make your home feel modern. Most cabinets have varnish or some kind of factory finish on them, so you’ll need to sand them prior to painting. Start by removing the hardware and clean them thoroughly to remove any grime. Labeling them at the beginning of the project ensures you know where each one goes when it’s time to reinstall.

The Flooring

Painting the flooring is an idea that not everyone would consider. But with the new stencil options available, you can create a floor with paint that would otherwise cost thousands of dollars. This is a task, though. You’ll need to move all of the furniture out of the room for several days in order to let the paint dry fully. Also, you have to use a heavy duty, hardwearing paint that’s suitable for foot traffic. Heavy duty paints have strong fumes, so you’ll need to close the room off, so you don’t breathe them in. Finally, don’t paint yourself into a corner — have an exit plan before getting started. If you’re skittish about painting your floors, maybe start with a small room as a test run.

Using paint is a simple and effective way to refresh your Chicago house on a budget.

If you’d like to talk more about any of these ideas or there’s another issue we can be of assistance with, please reach out. We’re always happy to help.