Art of Clean

Thursday, 3 March 2016

Top tips for choosing paint colour | Art of Clean

Thursday, March 03, 2016 – by Art of Clean

I'm currently at a very exciting stage of decorating my home (if you can get excited about decorating) where I've started to choose the paint colour for my very plain and boring white walls. All the rooms were undercoated months ago, so it really is time to finally get around to adding some colour.

There is a wide range of paint colours to choose from

One thing I discovered when I was looking for paint was that there is so much choice out there and making sure that I was choosing the right paint for the job. Not only are there emulsions, there's also wood and metal paints and other more specialist paints. And even when choosing a white emulsion for walls and ceilings there are going to be a few for you to choose from. there is the standard emulsion in pure brilliant white or ultra white

A modern painted interior with muted colour palette

My approach was to look at my budget and keep an eye on the interior magazines to see what the latest colour in wall paint were. Although I'm not really a fashionista (a fashionista being someone who follows trends, or I hope I'm not) at the moment, it seems to be pure white skirting, coving, ceilings and fireplaces and the main walls being painted in an off white, such as Homebase Lichen. I'm a big fan of Georgian interiors, where the entire room is painted in the same colour, so I have painted the doors and skirting in a darker shade of Lichen. I'm not sure if I like it, but I've gone and painted it now and the paint is expensive so I'm going to have to live with it.

Three Top tips for choosing paint colour

1. Finding inspiration

We have no excuse not to be inspired with the amount of media and images we're bombarded with. Look through magazines or better still Pinterest where you can put together an online mood board.

2. Colour charts and tester pots

DIY stores such as B&Q and Homebase are great for picking up colour charts and tester pots. Colour charts are free, but you will have to purchase tester pots. One thing to remember, are you decorating your home to live in or are you decorating to sell? As the approach is very different. Choosing colour for your home is all about expression, but if your selling your home keep it neutral.

3. Lighting

Get your lighting right before choosing your paint. Natural lighting is the best to see how any colour you choose really looks. Incandescent lighting brings out warm tones while fluorescent lighting brings out blues.

Art of Clean is a specialist cleaning firm in:

Wood Floor Sanding,

Stone floor Cleaning,

Carpet Cleaning,

Rug Cleaning,

Upholstery Cleaning

Leather Furniture Cleaning,

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Working for domestic or commercial clients throughout Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk and Hertfordshire.

For more information on our services contact our friendly team on 01223 863632 or email us at info@artofclean.co.uk

Thursday, 11 February 2016

Top tips for maintaining your home | Art of Clean

Thursday, February 11, 2016 – by Art of Clean

Going away on holiday? Make sure you follow these top tips for keeping your house in order. It might seem a lot of effort but spending time before you go but will reduce the risk of returning and receiving any big nasty surprises.

Heating should be your main priority. First of all, keep the heating ticking over. Leave it on, but turned right down. Many modern thermostats have a frost symbol. By leaving the heating on this will help prevent the pipes from freezing. Alternatively you can set the timer to come on briefly for a couple of times a day. Or have you thought about remotely turning on your heating with a smart controller, such as the Green Energy Options Cosy. This is an internet-connected programmable controller, capable of controlling both your heating and your hot water (please note: you have to have a hot water tank). Cosy is quick and easy to fit and via the app you can set up schedules to turn on your heating and hot water - see http://store.greenenergyoptions.co.uk/dp/B00R65W816

Nobody likes getting the big, heavy ladder out of the garage to clear the gutters (it just makes me exhausted thinking about it). But it is essential to keep gutters cleared. Any small amount of silty build up will reduce water flow and the water will escape in other ways, usually over the top and down the side of your walls and into your house, causing damp. One way to notice if your gutter is blocked, is water falling sharply. An easy solution to stop gutters getting blocked is to fit gutter guards.

And in other local news. It was reported that a drain in Cambridge had become blocked. Of course on the surface, it doesn't sound too serious but further investigation revealed the culprit was in fact a large congealed fat deposit or otherwise known as a fat-berg! Any amount of fat or oil which is poured down the drain, will over time will build up into a much more serious problem and can possibly freeze or harden pipes in winter. One way to depose of oils and fats, is to use kitchen towels to soak them up in or use a jar and put them in the bin.

We would all love to have perfectly maintained external wooden doors and window sills, but unless you live in a new property, which is more than likely to have UPVC windows, then you're okay and you don't have to worry but if you do have wooden windows and they are old, they are more than likely to be in some need of repair. Leaving water to enter through small cracks or flaking paint will eventually lead to wet rot, but with the wide range of products in DIY shops, keeping water out of cracks paint is perfectly possible today with products, such as Polycell Polyfilla for Wood Large Repairs (from £9.99, Homebase)

Exterior walls which are damaged or have missing pointing can lead to casing damp inside. If you've had constant leaking drains, moss or algae will be a tell-tale sign. Take action and scrub off the growth. You can buy a good masonry paint for exterior walls which will provide long-lasting protection.