Now is the best time of year to spring into action with paint and paintbrush, according Geelong Colourworld’s Brian Inglis.
“People are looking to get things completed before Christmas, when the shopping gets pretty hectic,” the father-of-three said.
“The sun is shining and it’s not raining much. Spring’s a pretty good time for it.”
And with more than 30 years painting Brian has the expertise to help locals renovate, repaint and give their home new life.
“It’s just good to go out onsite and show people how to go about it, so they get off on the right foot,” he said.
“I come out and give them tradesman-style advice.”
Brian has a vast knowledge of paint preparation, interior and exterior painting, restoration, products, accessories, colour selection and wallpaper.
That expertise gives him and colleague Damon Brown an edge over some paint sellers in Geelong.
“They can sell the paint but do they know how to prepare and apply it?” he asks.
“We know how to do that and what paint to use where.”
Brian has seen trends come and go, from the mission brown exteriors of the ’70s, pinks and greys of the ’80s, neutral colours of the ’90s to the metallic paints of modern day.
“The change I’ve noticed in the last five years is wallpaper – it’s going really strong at the moment,” he says.
“We stock an impressive range of wallpaper in bright prints and textures to suit any decor or personal style.
“We’ve got over 100 books of it here – murals, wallpaper, grass weave and everything.
Many Geelong locals are using greys and whites to show off their interior furniture and centre pieces, Brian says.
“They’re decorating their living rooms with paintings, furniture and things like that.”
Not only can Brian devise the right colour scheme for a home, he also knows which type of paint best suits each household.
For example, Colourworld’s water-based enamel paint is perfect for young families, especially those with pets.
“It enables your walls to be washed down rather heavily,” he says.
“It’s really heavy duty for your hallways and wet areas.”
Outside shades of grey with white trims are popular, with bold colours like red, orange or black to contrast the front door, Brian says.
Geelong Colourworld supplies Resene quality paints, which are safer and less hazardous to customers and the environment.
The store also sells marine, industrial, concrete and timber-deck paint.
Damon is an expert in marine and industrial paints, with a sound knowledge in all painting fields.