Picking paint for a family home

From the Resene decorating blog

A pristine home quickly becomes a battleground once the kids arrive. Be sure to choose your paint wisely.

When preparing for battle, you need to be ready for anything – and renovating a family home is no different. But how do you know where to start? Which colours will show smudgy finger marks? What are the best washable paints? How can you discourage children from drawing on the walls? Is it possible to eliminate toxins during and after the DIY process?

To ensure all your bases are covered, here’s a basic list of things to think about before picking up a paint brush.

Clean up your act

First up, let’s address the elephant – or baby – in the room. When it comes to choosing paints with babies and toddlers in the picture, body fluid is no joke. Your best bet is to choose a durable, washable paint.

Not so long ago, oil-based paints reigned supreme against waterborne paints when it came to durability; but now, waterborne enamels combine durability with washability.

Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen has an abrasion-resistant finish which means it can be easily cleaned, and the reduced sheen minimises the appearance of marks and scratches. Perfect for little hands, toy-throwing and fluids of any kind. If your existing waterborne paint finish is sound, all it usually needs is a good clean with Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner and you’re ready to repaint. No primer or sealer needed.

Gloss paints are usually reserved for trim and cabinetry. When going for gloss, semi-gloss formulas are less shiny while still offering good stain resistance and are easy to clean. Opt for Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss or Resene Enamacryl gloss when kid-proofing your joinery.

Safety first

Keeping the kiddies safe is a top priority when DIY-ing, so choosing a paint that allows them to stick around during and after the painting process is crucial. Another bonus to using Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen is that it’s low odour. However, it’s still a good idea to keep the space well-ventilated with windows open while you’re working.

The biggest hazard when using waterborne paints around children is their natural curiosity to want to play with the paint. Allocating them a small section if they are big enough, arranging with a friend or family member to take them out for the day or having someone allocated to be on childminding duties is the safest way to keep curious hands out of your paint pot.

To make sure the paint is also eco-friendly, look for the Environmental Choice programme mark on Resene paint containers.

Colour me happy

White might be a popular and easy go-to colour for living areas of the house but keep in mind that you’ll be doing just that – living. Handy hint: grey can hide stains better than white. A neutral tone that goes with just about anything, grey also gives the impression of space and instantly opens up a room. Try Resene Eighth Stonewashed, Resene Quarter Baltic Sea or Resene Silver Chalice. For a modern twist, try painting skirting boards a complementary shade of grey. Go with Resene Grey Seal to keep it light and silvery or Resene Suits for a darker charcoal.

Yellow also pairs well with grey and is perfect for neutral nurseries. Try pairing a faded mustard like Resene Thumbs Up with Resene Grey Area or buttery Resene Chorus Line with purple-toned Resene Sixth Sense.

If you’re into a more feminine look, pale, rosy pinks like Resene Shilo are very on trend right now and add a warm touch to living areas while still hiding smudge marks. Accessorise with some metallic details painted in Resene Rose Gold.

The writing’s on the wall

Anyone with small children will tell you kids, pens and walls don’t mix, but who can bear to deprive a child of the wonder of drawing? That’s where chalk walls come in. Allowing children a set wall space to scribble to their heart’s content will discourage them from taking to walls around the rest of the house, right? Well, let’s hope so.

The best thing about today’s chalkboard paint is that it comes in a whole spectrum of colour choices. Resene FX Chalkboard Paint is a waterborne finish that can be tinted to a range of Resene colours to create a chalkboard. Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen can also be tinted and used as a chalkboard finish or be wiped clean with a wet cloth if your chalk artist happens to wander.

Jackie Jones of Jackie Jones Interior Design says it’s easy to change a chalk wall once your child gets sick of scribbling.

“My daughter had one whole chalk wall she used for studying notes, and friends would write her messages on it or I would write ‘clean your room’,” says Jackie. “Last year, she decided she’d outgrown it. Painting over it meant using a couple of extra coats than usual, but you’d never know it had been under there.”

She suggests using Resene Quick Dry undercoat rather than going straight in with a base coat to get better coverage. Keep in mind that white chalk won’t show up on lighter colours so you need to make sure you have a good contrast between your wall colour and your chalk.

Magnetic attraction

While chalkboards take care of the scribbling, magnetic paint will eliminate the need for pinning and sticking – the culprits that create those pesky holes and tack marks on your nicely painted walls. Even better, you can do it all in one. By using Resene FX Magnetic Magic as the basecoat and two topcoats of Resene FX Chalkboard Paint, you can create a custom, colourful and versatile magnetic chalkboard for your child to get creative with.

February 05, 2019

Visit your local Resene ColorShop for more colour ideas and all the expert advice and products you need for a superb finish on all your decorating projects.

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