Paint the Hallway

 

After living in this condo for three years, I finally got around to painting the doors and trim in the hallway. Typical of a condo of this age, the skinny baseboards, doors and door trim were painted dark brown. Really good high-gloss oil paint, too. That was fun, but thanks to Karen at the paint store, I got the right primer which made the task easier and it covered in one coat.

You have all heard me natter on about contrast, and how the lack of contrast makes a space feel larger. This hallway is a perfect case in point.  Standing at the end of the hallway and looking down the tunnel from left to right, there are two doors on the left, one at the far end, a large folding door which conceals the washer and dryer on the right side and another door at the near end.  The lighting is not the best in this hallway, either — that’s also on my list. So this hallway looked and felt like the entrance to a mine or a cave. It was all chopped up with brown against the white walls and appeared to be about two feet wide.

The transformation is really quite remarkable. The lighting doesn’t seem so bad, the hall seems wider and the ceiling higher. An unexpected bonus  is that instead of having a dark brown door behind me when I look in the bathroom mirror, I have a white door  behind me, which is much brighter and much more flattering, too.   See before and after pictures on my website, Designsewlutions.ca, go to the Gallery —  Odds and Ends.

August 29, 2008. My first column was published that day. Holy Smoke, five years. In celebration, and to thank you for your continued support, I’d like to offer all my readers a 2 for 1 color consultation if booked by the 15th of September. Get a friend who needs help and we will make an afternoon of it. Send me an e-mail to Linda@Designsewlutions.ca