I often have homeowners ask about stripping their old wallpaper before I come to install new wallcovering.  I suspect they're trying to save money by doing something that seems easy.  Fair enough. 

If you're planning on stripping your old wallpaper prior to having your room painted or new wallcovering hung, I'd like to warn you ahead of time that wallpaper stripping is not for the faint of heart.  It takes patience, and it's often tedious.  And depending on how the wall was prepped before the old paper was hung, it can also be difficult.  I've periodically run into homes where wallpaper was installed over new drywall without the walls being primed first.  The result?  The top layer of the drywall comes off the with paper.  That means a wall repair before moving on - an additional expense. 

So I've given my warning, but some of you may want to forge ahead anyway.  In that case, I would suggest you check out this video from This Old House on How to Strip Wallpaper.  (If after you've reviewed this you're having second thoughts, I'd like to point out that stripping old paper is going to be the least expensive part of wallpaper hanger's bid.  You may want to get an estimate to see what it's going to cost to have a pro do it, and then evaluate whether the hassle is really worth it for you.)

There's nothing like a fresh coat of paint to freshen up your home.   Now that winter is coming to an end here in the Bellingham WA area, if you haven't thought about giving your home a facelift by having it painted, you may want to give it some consideration. 

We found a helpful article from Angie's List recently, and after you've read it perhaps you'll be in the mood for adding some dramatically different looks to your home, like Sherwin Williams' 2014 Color of the Year, Exclusive Plum.  The gray and blue tones are definitely extremely popular right now, and this luscious color could be at home in just about any room of the house.

If purple tones aren't what you have in mind, pop on over to our Pinterest board on Interior Color Trends for a look at some of the other popular colors.  No matter what your taste is, you'll find a color that could give the inside of your home a refreshing change. 

Or maybe it's the outside of your home that needs some sprucing up.  After all the rain in March already, the greens are bursting out, and here and there spring flowers like crocuses and tulips are emerging.  The blah days are over for the weather; how about for your home?  Our Pinterest Exterior Color Combos board has some inspiration for that, too. 

Still not sure?  Just give us a call - we offer free color consultations in the Bellingham / Whatcom County WA area.  Call us today - 360.594.2430360.594.2430.