For a working couple, anything that they could to do with their child becomes an event they look forward to. Depending on the availability of time, they steal a weekend getaway or just stay indoors and strive to make that exciting for their kids. Owing to the growing influence from west, Indian families do not shy away from decorating homes themselves now. In the hustle bustle of their everyday lives, couples find little time to coordinate services from intermediaries and get the job done. This atmosphere has given way to the concept of do-it-yourself — which masq­uerades the chores as fun activities, an impression that layers the drab job with excitement and an idea that Indian consumer is slowly, but surely, warming up to.

Painting your own home is a facet of home decorating that catches the fancy of elders and the creativity of children. Making for a wholesome family activity, every once in a while, a family gets together to do up its walls. However, instances of ‘do-it-yourself’ are still very few. This is because it is still a messy affair, especially considering the smell / noxious fumes and health hazards associated with conventional paints. These could be harmful for kids and older members of the family.

“But lately two critical factors seem to have acted as catalysts to this trend: One, int­roduction of VOC-free paints - odourless paints devoid of volatile organic fumes; two, nuclear families – the trend can be patterned through nuclear families that need not consult a large number of family members to take these decisions,” says Sukhpreet Singh, general manager (marketing) of Kansai Nerolac Paints.

Some things to keep in mind as you begin painting that little nook that you haven't done in a while are: Poor surface preparation is the number-one cause of paint failures. Fill in the cracks and apply primer if need be. Wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from spattering pain. Visit a paint company outlet to pick colours and learn the process. They have trained expertise that’ll guide you from scratch.

Once you are set, remember to choose the right finish as well as purchase the right tool. “People nowadays come up with all sorts of demands. Somebody could want a high gloss finish while for somebody else flat finish could be the number one priority. Remember, flat finishes will be more difficult to maintain than high gloss finish,” says Avantika Sharma, a Delhi-based interior designer. Four litres of paint will cover about 400 square feet of surface. If the area is large, mix all the paints together before you begin. If the area, Sharma adds, is small and you plan to do two coats, you should mix only half the paints to begin with.

Prasanto Roy of Kolkata-based Inte­ri­oresting feels that while power rollers and paint sprayers are good time-savers, they are not practical for smaller rooms. “Painting a small room is better done in the traditional manner — on your own without any machines. But please make sure that you also have the equipment needed to prepare and protect surfaces around the area you plan to paint,” he says.

And a few insider tips from Gokul Seshadri, who owns a paint shop in Bangalore. “Paint one-inch or maximum two-inch border ar­ound any windows and doors where the wall meets the ceiling and floor. Ditto for corners. Try and work in small sections. Hold the handle at the base and press gently so that the bristles bend only slightly. And, brush in both directions to avoid any streaking effect,” says Seshadri.

Have fun painting.

kumarsroy@mydigitalfc.com