He Said, She Shed? Spruce up your Outbuildings with Fresh Paint
Discussions of residential paint jobs often revolve around one’s house. This is only natural, of course, but what about outbuildings? These smaller, detached constructions deserve respect, too, especially when you consider how much you can do with them. People use outbuildings as tool sheds, greenhouses, storage units, recreational rooms, offices, studios, and more. If you’ve neglected your outbuilding, however, you might not even think about these implications. Perhaps it’s time for a change.
Whether you call it the man cave, shedquarters, she shed, or anything else, here’s how to get the most out of your outbuilding with a fresh coat of paint.
How to Spruce up a Shed
Remember to Clean and Prepare Prior to Painting
If you’ve decided to revitalize your outbuilding, you’ve got work to do before you start slathering it with paint. Unless it’s empty, you have to completely clear it out. Next, you’ll want to inspect every inch of your shed for damage and make necessary repairs. Then, you’ve got to thoroughly clean the interior and exterior surfaces themselves. You might want to hire a Raleigh power washing service for this task unless you have a pressure washer and know how to use it. To further prepare your outbuilding for a new coat of paint, it’s a good idea to sand down your surfaces, too, especially if they still contain older, worn down paint. This will help the new coats adhere better.
Coordinate Your Outbuilding’s Exterior with Your Home
As you prepare the shed for painting, think about what you want the final results to look like. If you’re not sure which colors or finishes to choose, you might play it safe and match the colors of your home to create a cohesive aesthetic. It’s important to find an exact paint match (i.e. brand, number/name, finish) if you go this route, or else the outbuilding might draw attention to itself in a bad way. When in doubt, seek help from trusted Raleigh house painters to find the appropriate match for the outside of your outbuilding.
As for the interior, you have more leeway in terms of paint colors. Still, you might go with a similar (or the same) color as the outbuilding’s exterior to keep things simple and coordinated.
Allow Your Shed to Stand Alone
There’s no hard and fast rule dictating that your outbuilding must match your home, of course. In fact, you might want your shed to stand out and express its individuality. If so, consider the purpose of your outbuilding. Is it for work? For fun? Storage? Something else? The function of your outbuilding can help you determine its optimal aesthetic. You might choose more neutral, subdued tones for a workshed or storage space, and brighter, welcoming colors for a game room. Once again, your Raleigh painting partner may be able to help you make this decision.
Create Contrast
Whether you decide to complement or contrast your home’s aesthetic when painting your outbuilding, you can further spruce it up by introducing accents. One of the best ways to go about this is by painting the trim, doors, window frames, etc. with a color that contrasts the color of the siding. If your shed is beige, for instance, you might paint its door a darker brown or black. Or, if your outbuilding is a dark gray, you might paint the trim white or some other lighter shade. You can also create accents by installing and/or painting decorative components, such as light fixtures, plants, hanging signs, and more. Even a little contrast can go a long way toward giving your outbuilding new life.
Your shed may not be attached to your home, but it’s still a part of your property. Therefore, it is worth investing in, even if you don’t plan on getting a lot of use out of it. Of course, if you hire Anderson Painting contractors to help renovate your she shed or man cave, you might find yourself out of the house and inside your outbuilding more than you expected.
To learn more about Anderson Painting and all we do, call today at 919-610-1855 or email us at info@andersonpaintingnc.com!
