You’ve just purchased a new home, or rented a new apartment. It’s an exciting time! You want to place your own special stamp on the place right away, and you’ve already picked out a color scheme that will make the neighbors envious. Now comes the big question: do you paint first, and then move in, or do you move in and then paint?
There isn’t a simple right-or-wrong answer here; both decisions have their pros and cons:
Paint First, Move Later
When you paint first, many things are made much simpler. There isn’t all that bulky furniture in the way, for one – you can just go right in and tackle the paint job. You don’t need to worry about where things are going to be stored while the paint is drying or worry about drips getting onto your furniture. And you don’t have to live with a paint smell – you won’t move in until everything’s dry and ready, which is a plus in and of itself.
Plus, painting is an easy thing to put off after you’ve moved in. Let’s face it; moving is a ton of work! It’s easy to put painting on the back burner, swearing you’ll get to it after resting some from the arduous task of moving, and then days become weeks become months and you’re still looking at the same plain white walls your relator had up. Yuck. Painting before you move in, when you’re still in the “do everything” mode, is a great way to guarantee things will get done.
Move First, Paint Later
On the other hand, how paint looks in an empty room is one thing. How it looks with all your furniture and decorations is another thing entirely. You want to pick a color that complements what you have in the room – everything from your upholstery to the tchotchkes on your entertainment unit. You can’t really judge how a color will work until it’s being used in context with all of your stuff. You’d hate to paint your room a lovely shade of blue, only to find that it horribly clashes with your furniture.
Often, people paint a section of wall, and then wait for a bit. This lets you live with the color for a while, seeing how it looks in different lighting and different situations. This is a lot easier to do when you’re already fully moved in to your new home – it gives you the time and context you need to be confident in your choice of color.
Both methods have pluses and minuses, and what’s best for you will depend on your exact situation. The experts at Premier Painters can help you make the right decisions and make your next painting task a snap! Call us today!
