“The blind man’s wife needs no painting” according to the Spanish proverb but this is unfortunately not the case with the typical British home. In times of economic uncertainty, with the housing market plumbing new depths on an almost daily basis, many homeowners are choosing to stay put and invest in what they’ve got rather than move home.

However, nothing signals neglect to a prospective homebuyer more than dull, cracked, exterior paintwork or a tired, worn, interior. Sanding and touching up exterior woodwork, even if there is only a small amount, can add a fresh look to your home without breaking the bank and without taking more than a few hours to complete. Similarly, painting enclosed interior spaces such as hallways or stairwells in bright bold colours can add a sense of space; if you don’t like the result you can always repaint in a more neutral colour at a later date without wasting too much money.

Painting – and wallpapering, for that matter – is also no longer just a question of aesthetics for many people as there are some fairly serious health, and environmental, issues attached to some of the older, traditional materials used. Modern, naturally produced paints provide the same performance as older, chemical based paints without giving off potentially harmful fumes and volatile organic compounds which contribute to the concentration of ground-level ozone, the primary constituent of smog and a contributory factor in hundreds of deaths per year in the United Kingdom. Linseed oil paints, for example, are renowned for their longevity, and weather to an attractive appearance, whilst water based acrylic paints, in gloss or matt finishes, similarly release no harmful chemicals. Both types of paint are obviously also free of white lead a toxic constituent of some traditional paints.

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