Before and after photos
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Mrs Paintbrush makes a start on a living room
The same living room now resplendent in a new coat of paint
Decorating Tips
Ady is keen to share her expertise and with tips and ideas for decorating and interior design. She plans to update these from time to time so why not bookmark this page so you can check for her latest advice and suggestions.
The simple things are the best – don’t they say? Ady is all in favour of helping make things easier, quicker or time saving in some way. She knows that setting up for decorating can take time to get organised and to get started, so check out some of her ideas below and on her Tips Archive page.
To protect light fittings
Try covering over your light fittings by tying a plastic carrier bag around it to avoid having to take the lampshade off. This can save time with tricky light fittings which can also be heavy to handle being up in the air. Please keep the light turned off at all times when you have it covered over.
Easier clearing up
Place a plastic bag in your paint scuttle or paint container before tipping the paint in. To paint straight from the can causes a build up around the tin edge which dries and flakes into the wet paint as you’re working. If you tip the paint out into another container you can avoid this. Try it out when using emulsion, wood stain, all paints – gloss especially. There is no cleaning up involved. You can put any leftover paint back to its original tin by ‘piping’ it back in. Just throw the paint bag away.
A great use for old newspapers
I use sheets of newspaper under door surfaces when I’m painting them to catch any paint drips. I also place newspaper under the door when the paint is drying – a reminder to keep away from it too. Fold up newspaper to be a door wedge to keep the door in position as you paint and then to keep it open to dry out.
Try taping up a sheet of newspaper to your window – if you need to block out the sunlight when painting a window sill for example. This creates a simple screen/ shade to avoid direct sunlight streaming in onto your slow drying gloss paint. Newspaper taped up to a window is also great for security in your room. Often you’ve taken down your curtains for decorating and your whole room is on view. Here are your very stylish (temporary) newspaper curtains instead.
For further tips on a range of decorating topics please visit Ady's Tips Archive page.