As we all slowly return to some sort of normality, we can look around us and maybe see all sorts of things that need doing in our homes, things that have been put off whilst we have had other, much more important things on our minds. So, what can we do to brighten up our surroundings as the spring breaks through and the dull winter days give way to sunlight and, dare we say it, some warmth in the air?
Fresh paint and some feature wallpaper can lighten up a room and bring some excitement into a space that has become drab and boring and here’s where quality paint can make an amazing difference. There are quite a few of these high-quality paint manufacturers in the UK, and nowhere is it more appropriate to say that you get what you pay for. I had a customer who was a property developer, working with rather special properties and he said that he always used good paint because if he was paying someone to paint a wall, he only wanted to have to do it once or at the most twice, not three or four times. These quality paints cover so well that this really is true.
Paints include fillers that thicken them and help to enhance the colour and finish. These fillers can be anything from chalk to clay and one British manufacturer even buys up chippings from an Italian marble factory and grinds these up to a very fine powder. The marble gives the paint a depth of finish that is unlike any other. If you want to go even further, I’m told that a German super-luxury car manufacturer actually uses ground-up semi-precious stones in their black paint, giving that extra-special look to the limousines that carry the rich and famous around.
Wallpaper can also make a big difference, and there are some amazing designs available. Have you seen Angel Strawbridge’s French chateau designs on the “Escape to the Chateau” television programmes? These are now available and are surprisingly good value, as are the coordinating fabrics for curtains and blinds. If you want to splash out a bit more there are some dramatic wallpapers and wall murals that really make a statement, turning a boring wall into an artwork in its own right.
So, what are you waiting for? The products are there, and I’m sure we are all ready for a fresh start this spring.