Tag: Color
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Calming and Energizing Paint Colors
April 1, 2020Changing the color of your walls can not only make a big impact on the overall look and feel of your space, but it can also affect your mood. Color theory is at the core of most interior design education programs and speaks to how different colors have the ability to evoke feelings of happiness, calm, excitement and even hunger. This month we’re showcasing two beautiful paint color palettes, each curated to suit a specific mood.
The colors for our two palettes were chosen from KILZ Tribute® line of a paint, a premium acrylic paint with excellent hide that is durable, scrubbable and resistant to fading. With the start of the spring season signaling fresh beginnings and longer days, our first featured palette is all about bright, happy and energizing colors. Including a vibrant teal-blue, sunny orange and yellow, and a sweet-sangria red – this palette is all about happy hues that bring about a sense of vitality and energy.
True Teal is a medium blue with a yellow undertone.
Jazz Age Yellow is a bright daisy yellow with a gold undertone.
BEHR’s Midori is a green pepper with a cheery granny smith apple undertone.
Haute Red is a deep red that evokes the color of a sweet red sangria in certain light.
Bright Marigold is a tangerine with a ginger orange undertone.
Our second palette is a breath of fresh air – comprised of soft blues, subtle greens and graceful grays. These lighter hues can instantly soften a space and evoke feelings of peace and relaxation. Including slightly brighter light blues and greens, along with cool gray tones with the subtlest hints of purple or gray, this palette is instantly calming.
Pale Emerald is a light blue with a gray undertone that is reminiscent of a cool rain cloud.
Brushed Metal is a grayed light purple with a slight red undertone.
Tender Shoots is a mossy lime with a sage undertone, a perfectly relaxed green.
Alaskan Mist is a white with a blue gray undertone, like a cool cloudy day.
Resful Retreat is a light green with a yellow undertone.
It’s easy to see that color choice can have a big impact not only on how your space looks, but how it feels too. If you’re interested to try on different paint colors in different spaces (or even in your own space virtually!) check out KILZ Color Perfect™ where you can upload and virtually paint digital photos.
RELATED ARTICLES
get inspired:
FOLLOw us:
@kilzbrand
SHOP
PRODUCTS
Truer Color Starts Here
March 30, 2020Imagine that you’ve spent hours scrolling through social media sites and flipping through magazines, on the hunt for the perfect paint color. Eventually, you zero in on a color family and visit a home improvement store to select a few paint chips or samples to take home. And finally, you’ve done it! You have your perfect paint color chosen and you’re ready to transform your space. But what if, when it’s finally on your walls, it doesn’t appear to be the color you selected? If you don’t use the right primer before painting, this could happen to you.
When painting a light color over an existing dark color, a primer with a high-hiding formula is recommended. KILZ® 3 Premium primer is a water-based primer that has a thicker formula with enhanced hiding. Priming a dark wall with KILZ 3 Premium before you paint over it with a lighter color will assist in a truer and richer color from your topcoat.
Specific surface types you might be painting can also affect how the final paint color turns out if the right primer isn’t applied first. If not properly sealed, porous surface like brick can soak up a lot of paint and cost you valuable time and money. Not to mention that if not properly primed, the typical red color of most brick can change the appearance of your paint color if the brick is not primed before it’s painted. For brick surfaces, we often recommend KILZ 2 All-Purpose or KILZ 3 Premium, depending on the color and current state of the brick surface.
New drywall is another porous surface on which the right primer can make a big difference. When painting over new drywall, we recommend priming first with KILZ® PVA Drywall Primer – a fast-drying, interior water-based primer formulated to prime and seal new, uncoated drywall. KILZ 1 Standard primer is another great primer to use on drywall.
For almost any surface you’re working with, priming before painting is key to ensure that the paint color you selected will show up in its truest state
Always remember to refer to our website kilz.com or product back labels for additional information on which primer is right for your project and detailed instructions on how to apply our products.
RELATED ARTICLES
get inspired:
FOLLOw us:
@kilzbrand
Find a Color That Speaks to You
March 6, 2020Choosing a paint color can sometimes feel like a daunting task. Whether you’re DIY’ing or hiring a professional painter, the investment of time and money in a painting project is enough to make you want to get it right the first time. Now finding a color you love just got easier with KILZ® Color Perfect Tool™, an easy-to-use new online tool that allows you preview paint colors in different rooms and even in your own space!
If you have a hue in mind, you can start by picking a few colors and then previewing them in one of our sample room images. You can even upload an image to see the color in your own space! You can also start by choosing a room type and then selecting colors as the next step. Either way, you’ll have the option to try on colors from the KILZ® Tribute® paint line, a 100% acrylic and low VOC paint that offers both excellent stain-blocking performance and exceptional durability.
Our team loves color just as much as we love proper preparation (don’t forget to prime!) and know that finding a color that speaks to you can truly transform your space. Ready to try on colors in your own space or in one of our sample rooms? Try the KILZ Color Perfect Tool today!
RELATED ARTICLES
get inspired:
FOLLOw us:
@kilzbrand
SHOP
PRODUCTS
How to Choose the Right Primer for Your Paint Project
January 31, 2020Do your New Year’s resolutions include taking on that painting project you’ve been putting off? Or maybe you have a list of several different DIY home improvement projects on your list to complete in 2020. No matter the size or scope of your project, taking the time to do proper prep work will ensure results that you can be proud of for years to come. Prep can seem like a time-consuming extra step, but trust the pros, it’s worth the time spent.
If your next DIY venture includes painting, the first step is choosing the right primer for your project. The KILZ® brand offers a family of primers to help you complete a wide range of painting projects and tackle a wide variety of common painting problems. With so many primers to choose from, how do you know which is right for your project? To start, assess the type of surface you will be painting.
If you just moved into a new house or completed an addition and you’re painting new drywall, KILZ® PVA Drywall Primer or KILZ® 1 Standard Interior Primer are both made for the job.
Perhaps you’re painting a surface that ordinary paint might not stick to, such as a slick glossy surface, aluminum, vinyl, ceramic tile or glass. In that case, KILZ® Adhesion Interior/Exterior Primer is an excellent choice.
Pro painters and DIYers alike are often in need of a primer that offers multiple surface solutions – which is why KILZ 2® All-Purpose Primer is the choice of many! A fast drying, water-based multi-surface primer-sealer-stain blocker, it offers excellent adhesion, a mildew resistance primer film and can block light to medium stains like felt marker or minor water stains. It’s also a good choice for a simple color change, to ensure the truest color from your new topcoat.
And for projects that require even heavier lifting, KILZ Restoration™ offers the performance of a traditional oil-based primer in a water-based formula and can tackled the toughest odors, stains and even fire damage.
For those taking on more complex projects, including blocking smoke or pet odors, covering dark paint colors or heavy stains, there is a KILZ® Primer for you too! KILZ 3™ Premium is one of our more heavy-duty and high hiding formulas, making it ideally suited for blocking old dark colors or covering substantial stains.
If you’re still unsure what primer to use for your next project, answer these simple questions below and don’t be afraid to ask a friendly pro at your local hardware or home improvement store for help.
Choosing the Right Primer:
- Identify the surface type you will be painting.
- Assess any problems you need to tackle, such as stain or odor blocking, and determine the severity of the issue.
- Take into account any unique scenarios like needing a mildew resistance finish coat (good to keep in mind when painting moisture prone areas like bathrooms and laundry rooms), or if you’re covering a dark paint color with a new lighter hue.
Always remember to refer to our website kilz.com or product back labels for additional information on which primer is right for your project and detailed instructions on how to apply our products.
RELATED ARTICLES
get inspired:
FOLLOw us:
@kilzbrand
Our Favorite 2020 Design Trends
January 7, 2020While the KILZ® brand is known first and foremost for our hardworking primers, color and design are also important to our team! Primer might technically be colorless, but it is a crucial step in adding color to your walls, cabinets and furniture pieces. Primer should often be the first step in achieving a new look for your space, so in a sense you can consider primer a part of the design process just as much as paint.
As we enter a new year, we’re excited to share a few color and design trends to help you along the way to completing your painting and renovation projects. Color and design trends are everywhere, and there is no one size fits all in terms of the hottest hue or best design style – but we’ve rounded up a few of our 2020 favorites to help inspire your project planning process in this new year.
Kitchens Are King:
In 2020, you’re going to see kitchen renovations and remodels popping like corn at the movies! (Translation: they’re everywhere and on everyone’s minds). In 2020, we’ll be exploring more kitchen color trends and design hacks on the blog to help you renovate your kitchen on budgets both big and small. 
Not Over Navy:
Blues and grays have been popular paint colors in recent years and we’re nowhere near done with them. From kitchens to bedrooms and cabinets to walls, navy can often act as a “dark neutral” to give a pop of color to a space while also keeping it classic. And we’re not alone in our love for navy, Pantone named Classic Blue the Color of 2020. Look out for some of our favorite shades of Navy in upcoming How-To posts later this year (spoiler alert – we’re painting everything from living room walls to dining room chairs in this easy to love shade!). 
Fireplaces that Pop:
Who doesn’t love the crackling of a warm fire on a cold winter’s day? And for a fireplace design that pops both inside and out, we’re loving bright white bricks against colored walls and monochrome fireplaces in unexpected shades. 
Full Circle Design:
Patterns and shapes are easy ways to add fun and unexpected touches to any room, and for 2020 we’re loving circles! From painting round pops of color on an accent wall to circular inspired décor items like mirrors, fabric and lighting, curved shapes and lines bring a nice softness to any design style. 
Color Blocking Children’s Spaces:
A little one’s room is the perfect place to play with pops of colors and interesting patterns or color placement. In 2019 we showcased a nursery makeover with a sweet striped wall, and we’re excited to explore more color blocking in 2020 for kid’s rooms.
RELATED ARTICLES
get inspired:
FOLLOw us:
@kilzbrand
SHOP
PRODUCTS
Cover Crayon Stains & Paint a Colorful Accent Wall
December 9, 2019Children love bringing their artwork home from school. But when the actual home becomes the artwork, what can you do to restore crayoned stained walls? In this sweet bedroom makeover, the walls are primed and painted as the first step to a total room refresh that includes a striking honey-hued accent wall and vivid pink and yellow furniture.
Crayon stained walls don’t stand a chance against KILZ 2® All-Purpose primer, used at the first step to create a sunny yellow accent wall in a little one’s dream bedroom. To begin, wipe down the chosen accent wall with a damp cloth to ensure it is clean and free of dust then allow the surface to dry. Next, tape around the baseboards, trim and moldings.
To block the light crayon stains and ensure a perfect finish, apply 1 coat of KILZ 2® All-Purpose primer using a brush first to “cut in” around the edges, then use a roller to fill in. Allow 1 hour of dry time. Finally, apply KILZ Tribute® in Jazz Age Yellow using the same method as the primer. Remove tape prior to paint drying, and the accent wall is complete!
To match the yellow accent wall, paint the vanity in the same sunny yellow shade! Similar to the accent wall, start with KILZ 2® All-Purpose primer before painting. The fast drying, water-based primer offers enhanced hiding, making it ideal for changing colors on both walls and furniture. To begin, remove the vanity’s drawer and hardware. Next, sand the surfaces of the vanity. Do a first pass with 100-150 grit sandpaper then finish with a second pass of 180-220 grit sandpaper, always moving in the direction of the wood grain. After sanding, wipe down the surface with a damp cloth to remove any dust or residue and allow the surface to dry before moving on to primer.
Now it’s time to prime. Apply KILZ 2® All-Purpose primer, moving in the same direction as the wood grain and allow to dry for 1-hour. Next, apply KILZ Tribute® in Jazz Age Yellow using a nylon or polyester blend brush, moving in smooth strokes that go the same direction as the wood grain. Once the paint is dry, reattached your hardware and the transformation is complete!
The final step in this child’s bedroom makeover is a pretty-in-pink dresser. Add a fun pop of color to a child’s dresser by painting the drawers a bright accent shade! Follow the same directions as outlined for the vanity, priming with KILZ 2® All-Purpose and then using BEHR Premium Plus® in Heart Breaker for the drawers and a favorite neutral for the dresser’s body.
Step 1:
Remove drawers and hardware.
Step 2:
Wipe down the entire surface with a damp cloth to ensure it is clean and free of dust. Allow the surface to dry.
Pro-tip:
Put the screws back into the hardware, then seal the hardware and screws in painter’s tape and label it. It’s always best to put every screw back exactly where it came from. That will put the least amount of stress on the wood.
Step 3:
Apply KILZ 2® All-Purpose primer, moving in the same direction as the wood grain for best results. Allow primer to dry for 1-hour.
Step 4:
Topcoat with BEHR Premium Plus® Semi-Gloss Paint in Heart Breaker.
RELATED ARTICLES
get inspired:
FOLLOw us:
@kilzbrand
SHOP
PRODUCTS
Light and Bright Living Room Makeover
September 24, 2019A lackluster living room gets a fresh facelift in this light and bright living room makeover. It’s no secret that white is a classic paint hue and when done right, new white walls can really open up a space. Alaskan Mist, a bright white with soft green undertones, was the perfect neutral shade to breathe new life into this dark and drab room.
Taking the walls from a heavy olive green to a soft and subtle white might seem like a painting project that would require extra coats to cover the old color. But think again! We know something the professional painters know – that starting with a coat of primer before painting that new hue on your walls will ensure the truest color from your topcoat, with less coats required. When painting over a dark color with a lighter shade, KILZ 3™ Premium primer is the product pros often choose. The fast drying, water-based primer has a thicker, high hiding formula that hides surfaces imperfections and leaves you with a clean slate for your chosen paint color.
In this living room makeover one coat of KILZ 3™ Premium primer did the trick, covering up the previous dark green paint color and leaving the walls ready for paint. Once the primer was dry, we applied KILZ® Tribute® paint in Alaskan Mist, and the results were stunning! The living room instantly appears larger and more inviting with the soft white walls. Next, we added two floating shelves above the sofa and few new décor items, bringing in natural tones like greens and greiges with accessories and plants, and adding a pop of rose gold metallic with a chic table lamp. A plush off-white rug brought a bit of extra warmth to the space, leaving us with a totally transformed living room – no new furniture required!
This living room makeover just goes to show that a fresh coat of paint and primer can go a long way in refreshing the overall look and feel of a space. If you’re ready to tackle a color change paint project, continue on below for step by step instructions.
WALL COLOR CHANGE DARK TO LIGHT:
*Make sure to read and follow all application instructions on your chosen primer and paint products, including ensuring adequate ventilation in your project area and adherence to all noted safety precautions.
Step 1:
Wipe down the walls with a damp cloth to ensure they are clean and free of dust. Allow the surface to dry.
Step 2:
Tape around the baseboards, trim and moldings.
Step 3:
To ensure full coverage of the existing dark color, apply 1 coat of KILZ 3™ Premium primer – stirring thoroughly before and occasionally during use. Apply primer using a brush first to “cut in” around the edges, then use a roller to fill in. Allow 1-hour dry time.
Step 4:
Next, apply KILZ® Tribute® paint in Alaskan Mist. Use a brush first to cut in around the edges 4 to 6 feet at a time, then use a roller to fill in those sections before moving along.
Alaskan Mist
Step 5:
Remove tape prior to paint drying.
RELATED ARTICLES
get inspired:
FOLLOw us:
@kilzbrand
SHOP
PRODUCTS
Styled by Color – One Kitchen, Three Ways
September 18, 2019One of the most searched for and sought-after room makeovers is the kitchen – and we’re not surprised! The heart of the home and a typical gathering, hosting and everyday living area, the kitchen is a space people typically spend a lot of time. If your kitchen is crying for a makeover, one simple and fairly low cost change you can make in a weekend is painting the cabinets. A fresh coat of primer and paint can completely transform your kitchen, whether you want an airy and light feel or an intimate and stylish look.
The first place to start when refreshing your kitchen cabinets is with proper prep work. Primer is key in a kitchen painting project, and the professionals often use a mildew resistant primer like KILZ® Kitchen & Bath or KILZ® 3 Premium. Once you’ve prepped and primed, it’s time for color! Kitchen cabinets are a great canvas for a wide range of colors, from light to dark neutrals to pops of color like blues and greens. With so many options it was a challenge to narrow down our top picks, but we landed on three different color combinations that are a winning recipe for a beautiful kitchen cabinet makeover.
Our first pick is a timeless neutral, Contemporary White. A white with a hint of gray undertone, Contemporary White can appear as the color of fresh winter snow depending on the light and time of day. It is classic kitchen cabinet color, and makes the space feel bright and open.
On the other end of the color spectrum, we picked an almost-black color that adds sophistication and subtle drama to a kitchen. Behr’s Nocturne Blue is a deep gray with a dark blue undertone and is consistently one of our favorite color picks. In some lighting it will appear as black, but with a softer feel.
If you can’t choose between classic white or another color, why not use both! We chose two colors for our last pick to showcase stylish two-toned kitchen cabinets. For the uppers, Alaskan Mist, a bright white with soft green undertones, brought a perfect airiness to the space. We grounded the kitchen with December Nights, a stormy blue-gray, on the lower cabinets.
Contemporary White
Behr’s Nocturne Blue
Alaskan Mist
December Nights
Whether you prefer kitchen cabinets in crisp white, moody black or something in between, this home renovation project is one that makes a big impact in a short amount of time.
A fresh coat of primer and paint can completely transform your kitchen, whether you want an airy and light feel or an intimate and stylish look.
RELATED ARTICLES
get inspired:
FOLLOw us:
@kilzbrand
Colorful Kitchen Cabinet Transformation
August 1, 2019Have you been cooking up ideas for your dream kitchen but don’t know exactly where to start? While the cabinets might seem like a daunting place to begin, a fresh coat of paint and primer on this area of your kitchen can result in a dramatic transformation. The kitchen cabinets are also an area of the home where you can have fun with color – from bold blues to moody blacks, colorful cabinets can be as on-trend as they are timeless.
This month we’re bringing you a dash of inspiration and a pinch of proper prep work, served up in a stunning kitchen cabinet transformation. To take this sunny space from boring to brilliant, we chose Oceans Deep for the kitchen cabinets. The dark bluish green with gray tones is subdued enough to cover a large area but still results in a space with a ton of personality. Oceans Deep is available in the KILZ® Tribute® paint line, a low VOC paint that offers excellent stain-blocking performance and durability – both necessary qualities for an area where sticky fingers and spills are inevitable!
Equally important as color choice in this kitchen cabinet makeover was the primer selection. Since kitchens are prone to excess moisture and humidity, that also means that mildew can quickly become an issue. To ensure our cabinets would stay fresh for years to come we chose KILZ 3™ Premium primer, a fast drying, low odor and very low VOC primer that provides a mildew resistant coating.
Any professional painter will tell you that proper prep is key to the success of your project, and cabinets are no exception. If you’re ready to get started on your own kitchen transformation, below are instructions detailing how-to prime and paint your kitchen cabinets.
Step 1:
Use a screwdriver to remove the cabinet doors and drawers from the cabinet frame.
Step 2:
Remove all door handles and hardware. It’s always best to put each screw back exactly where it came from to ensure the least amount of stress on the wood.
Pro-tip: Put the screws back into the hardware, then seal the hardware and screws in painter’s tape and label it.
Sand the surfaces of the doors, drawer faces and cabinet frame. Do a first pass with 100-150 grit sandpaper then finish with a second pass of 180-220 grit sandpaper, always moving the sandpaper in the direction of the wood grain. After sanding, wipe down the surface with a damp cloth to remove any dust or residue and allow the surface to dry before moving on to primer.
Step 4:
Apply KILZ 3™ Premium using a brush or roller to ensure a mildew resistant finish. Stir thoroughly before and occasionally during use. Allow 1-hour dry time.
Step 5:
Apply KILZ® Tribute® in Oceans Deep (a satin or semi-gloss finish is recommended) with a brush or roller, moving in smooth strokes in the same direction as the wood grain.
Step 6:
Once paint is dry, reattach hardware to doors and then reattach doors to cabinets.
Oceans Deep
RELATED ARTICLES
get inspired:
FOLLOw us:
@kilzbrand
SHOP
join the conversation:
SHARE this post: