At Home: Fresh coat of paint works wonders

Let's face it, life is tough on everything, and walls are no exception.

If you're in the market to sell your home, or perhaps you'd just like to spruce up your living space, local experts say a fresh coat of paint can do wonders.

"I am in the throes of it now," says homeowner Beth McClintock. "I have painted my whole house, and I am down to the last two rooms — the den and kitchen."

After spending "a small fortune on samples," McClintock says she decided on a gray hue from the Sherwin Williams Cashmere line for every room but the kitchen, which will be a yet-to-be-determined shade of white.

When selecting your paint colors, real estate and design specialists say soft, neutral colors are best for sellers.

"Interior paint colors are very important when selling a home," says Jaclyn Williams, an affiliate broker with Parks in the Boro. "A big portion of the public cannot visualize a house any other way than it is right now."

She recommends Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige and Worldly Gray "for main house colors that pair well with other accent colors."

Shauna Mason, a real estate agent with Benchmark Realty in Murfreesboro, says tan and gray hues also work well.

"Gray is a very popular color right now," says Mason, "and it looks great with blue and yellow accessories, such as vases and pillows."

Williams, a former interior designer, says, "The goal of the seller and seller's agent should be a cohesive feel throughout the house with a main neutral color and a few accent colors. Try not to use really dark colors in larger spaces because it will make the home feel dark and cave-like.

Painting is a popular DIY project that many homeowners like McClintock choose to do in order to save money. Before you begin, however, local professionals say preparation is key.

"If a surface isn't prepared," says Jared Blankenship, assistant manager at Sherwin-Williams Paint Company in Murfreesboro, "the best paint in the world won't make a difference."

Blankenship tells customers to make sure the surfaces they are painting are clean, dull, dry and prepared.

So if your walls are dirty, clean them. If they have nail holes or other damage, spackle them. If they're shiny, sand them down. Make sure there is no moisture on your walls and check with a professional to see if you need a primer.

Tim Bowling, owner of the Hoover Paint Store in Murfreesboro, says some common areas that may need a coat of primer are grease spots, water stains and crayon marks.

"Once you've done all of the necessary prep work, you need to make sure the area you're working in is ready, too," says Bowling, who advises people to cover their floors and furniture with drop cloths and have a rag handy for wiping up any accidental splatters quickly.

Don't feel as though you have to use painters' tape, says Bowling. Professionals use special brushes around the trim work because tape can damage new paint.

Another tip to make your project go smoothly is to use a roller pole.

"They're relatively inexpensive," says Bowling, "and they make the job a lot easier to do."

McClintock says, all in all, she has had fun painting her new home.

"I'm definitely not an expert or anything," she says. "I had never painted anything until I bought this house. I just dove right in, and with a lot of trial and error, figured it all out."