Whatever Bob says, goes! We don’t make the rules! In all seriousness, painting is pretty awesome. It can be a long, dreaded process, but after you finish and see the results of your paint job, you feel amazing. Without fail. Unless, well... you think you failed. But the best part about a "failed" paint job is that you can just pick up your paintbrush and start over again. That's one of the many reasons why we love painting.
Painting, in our opinion, is the quickest and easiest way to transform a space. Not only is it a therapeutic process, but it can be a transformative experience that evokes emotions through color theory. (Pssst… if you haven’t taken our course on color theory yet, consider checking it out). That means you can see a beautiful color painted on your wall and really feel something. In fact, some designers (ahem, Kelly Wearstler) build their careers off this concept. Who knew that the color you choose could have that much of an impact on your interaction with a space? Spoiler: Now you do!
Whatever Bob says, goes! We don’t make the rules! In all seriousness, painting is pretty awesome. It can be a long, dreaded process, but after you finish and see the results of your paint job, you feel amazing. Without fail. Unless, well... you think you failed. But the best part about a "failed" paint job is that you can just pick up your paintbrush and start over again. That's one of the many reasons why we love painting.
Painting, in our opinion, is the quickest and easiest way to transform a space. Not only is it a therapeutic process, but it can be a transformative experience that evokes emotions through color theory. (Pssst… if you haven’t taken our course on color theory yet, consider checking it out). That means you can see a beautiful color painted on your wall and really feel something. In fact, some designers (ahem, Kelly Wearstler) build their careers off this concept. Who knew that the color you choose could have that much of an impact on your interaction with a space? Spoiler: Now you do!
Whatever Bob says, goes! We don’t make the rules! In all seriousness, painting is pretty awesome. It can be a long, dreaded process, but after you finish and see the results of your paint job, you feel amazing. Without fail. Unless, well... you think you failed. But the best part about a "failed" paint job is that you can just pick up your paintbrush and start over again. That's one of the many reasons why we love painting.
Painting, in our opinion, is the quickest and easiest way to transform a space. Not only is it a therapeutic process, but it can be a transformative experience that evokes emotions through color theory. (Pssst… if you haven’t taken our course on color theory yet, consider checking it out). That means you can see a beautiful color painted on your wall and really feel something. In fact, some designers (ahem, Kelly Wearstler) build their careers off this concept. Who knew that the color you choose could have that much of an impact on your interaction with a space? Spoiler: Now you do!
Whatever Bob says, goes! We don’t make the rules! In all seriousness, painting is pretty awesome. It can be a long, dreaded process, but after you finish and see the results of your paint job, you feel amazing. Without fail. Unless, well... you think you failed. But the best part about a "failed" paint job is that you can just pick up your paintbrush and start over again. That's one of the many reasons why we love painting.
Painting, in our opinion, is the quickest and easiest way to transform a space. Not only is it a therapeutic process, but it can be a transformative experience that evokes emotions through color theory. (Pssst… if you haven’t taken our course on color theory yet, consider checking it out). That means you can see a beautiful color painted on your wall and really feel something. In fact, some designers (ahem, Kelly Wearstler) build their careers off this concept. Who knew that the color you choose could have that much of an impact on your interaction with a space? Spoiler: Now you do!
Your first instinct after deciding you want to paint your space might be to jump straight into the project. We hate to rain on your parade, but you first have to figure out what kind of paint you need for your walls! Trust us, it’ll save you time if you do some research before you step into the paint store and silently panic. With any medium, there are different methods and materials that can be used to accomplish your goals. With paint, in particular, there are many! Let’s get into them all.
Your first instinct after deciding you want to paint your space might be to jump straight into the project. We hate to rain on your parade, but you first have to figure out what kind of paint you need for your walls! Trust us, it’ll save you time if you do some research before you step into the paint store and silently panic. With any medium, there are different methods and materials that can be used to accomplish your goals. With paint, in particular, there are many! Let’s get into them all.
Your first instinct after deciding you want to paint your space might be to jump straight into the project. We hate to rain on your parade, but you first have to figure out what kind of paint you need for your walls! Trust us, it’ll save you time if you do some research before you step into the paint store and silently panic. With any medium, there are different methods and materials that can be used to accomplish your goals. With paint, in particular, there are many! Let’s get into them all.
Your first instinct after deciding you want to paint your space might be to jump straight into the project. We hate to rain on your parade, but you first have to figure out what kind of paint you need for your walls! Trust us, it’ll save you time if you do some research before you step into the paint store and silently panic. With any medium, there are different methods and materials that can be used to accomplish your goals. With paint, in particular, there are many! Let’s get into them all.
Your first instinct after deciding you want to paint your space might be to jump straight into the project. We hate to rain on your parade, but you first have to figure out what kind of paint you need for your walls! Trust us, it’ll save you time if you do some research before you step into the paint store and silently panic. With any medium, there are different methods and materials that can be used to accomplish your goals. With paint, in particular, there are many! Let’s get into them all.
Your first instinct after deciding you want to paint your space might be to jump straight into the project. We hate to rain on your parade, but you first have to figure out what kind of paint you need for your walls! Trust us, it’ll save you time if you do some research before you step into the paint store and silently panic. With any medium, there are different methods and materials that can be used to accomplish your goals. With paint, in particular, there are many! Let’s get into them all.
Where you shop is equally as important as what paint you buy. This step is important because knowing where to go to get as much information for your project can be a make-or-break situation.
There are so many experts that have been working with paint for more years than some of us have been around. Utilize them! As a designer and customer, relying on those industry experts is key to success and can ultimately save you a lot of frustration.
Where you shop is equally as important as what paint you buy. This step is important because knowing where to go to get as much information for your project can be a make-or-break situation.
There are so many experts that have been working with paint for more years than some of us have been around. Utilize them! As a designer and customer, relying on those industry experts is key to success and can ultimately save you a lot of frustration.
Where you shop is equally as important as what paint you buy. This step is important because knowing where to go to get as much information for your project can be a make-or-break situation.
There are so many experts that have been working with paint for more years than some of us have been around. Utilize them! As a designer and customer, relying on those industry experts is key to success and can ultimately save you a lot of frustration.
Where you shop is equally as important as what paint you buy. This step is important because knowing where to go to get as much information for your project can be a make-or-break situation.
There are so many experts that have been working with paint for more years than some of us have been around. Utilize them! As a designer and customer, relying on those industry experts is key to success and can ultimately save you a lot of frustration.
Where you shop is equally as important as what paint you buy. This step is important because knowing where to go to get as much information for your project can be a make-or-break situation.
There are so many experts that have been working with paint for more years than some of us have been around. Utilize them! As a designer and customer, relying on those industry experts is key to success and can ultimately save you a lot of frustration.
Where you shop is equally as important as what paint you buy. This step is important because knowing where to go to get as much information for your project can be a make-or-break situation.
There are so many experts that have been working with paint for more years than some of us have been around. Utilize them! As a designer and customer, relying on those industry experts is key to success and can ultimately save you a lot of frustration.
Anyone else overwhelmed with the thought of finding a paint store, asking the right questions, and picking up all the right painting supplies? Don’t tell us it’s just us!! We asked our designer friends and paint experts in the biz for their best advice on getting started. So here it is! You’re welcome.
Find a local paint store that will allow you to build a relationship with the color specialist there. That relationship can be really helpful in getting you a trade account, access to drawdowns, and large-format color samples. It’s also great to have someone to bounce ideas off of that can help make the selection process easier. Plus, they’re usually a real hoot!
Buying paint online is great, but remember always to order samples first! The worst thing is buying all your paint and then realizing it’s not your intended color. You usually have more options at your fingertips with online vendors, especially for specialty paint like limewash/plaster.
⭐ Spoak Faves: Portola Paint, Farrow & Ball, Backdrop, Clare Paint.
No shame in the big-box game! Remember to build relationships with the teams there, too. Big-box retailers will be the places that you are likely most familiar with and can receive special paint discounts. It’s nice to have a go-to palette from these retailers as well.
⭐ Spoak Faves: Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore, Kelly Moore, Miller Paint, Dunn-Edwards.
Okay, so you now know where to go to buy paint, but what do you do once you get there? Paint stores can be overwhelming for the average person — even designers get a bit intimidated, especially during your first few visits. Here are some helpful tips and things you should ask!
Don’t be shy. Every store is different. Every brand has its own way to label and call things out. Having an associate or a color specialist there to help you will save you a lot of confusion.
Setting up a trade account will track all of your orders, save you money, and give you access to things that normal customers aren’t privileged to like color books and large-format color samples. This can also be equally exciting for the paint store because they know that with most design projects you will end up being a repeat customer, which is great for their business. Don’t walk out of their store without all of the color tools they have!
Drawdown samples are large sample of paint from the actual can of paint being used for a job. They're great if you don’t want to buy sample cans. It allows you to have samples of the color and potentially the finish to show the client in their home and make an informed decision.
Typically, you don’t even need to ask for this because it’s out in the store, but it’s worth calling out! Take as many samples and color chips as you please. There is no rule of thumb on how many color chips you can take. Don’t feel intimidated if you don’t know which color you want. That’s what samples are for!
Color cards have multiple colors on them (up to 5). Those colors are generally in the same palette as one another but the mix is slightly different. This is good because if you like one color but it’s too dark or too light, you generally can choose the shade above or below it as a better option for what you are wanting while still staying in the same undertones. Think of this as a card with a bunch of color cousins on it and they are all related but slightly different!
Trust your instinct and your vision! Seriously. Trust that you’ve taken in all the information provided and have made the right choice on which paint to use and how to use it for your project. Remember, this is the easiest way to transform a space, so enjoy it!
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