Let Your Campus Apartment Express Your Individuality

Use the right painting tools to achieve a personalized look

News provided by

Aug 09, 2011, 05:09 ET

BRADENTON, Fla., Aug. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- After a year of mandatory dorm living for college freshmen, most students have the option to choose between dorm living or off-campus apartments for the remainder of their college years. Each has its advantages, but there's one way that apartment living excels: it gives you the chance to express your individuality.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110809/NYFNSJ04 )

Painting walls is often an option if you can prove to the landlord that it will enhance the property or that you will paint them back to their original color before you move out. If that's the case, a little paint can make a world of difference. It can transform "blah beige" walls into a bright, inviting space that will let others know more about the creative you.

Before you start, make sure you have the right tools assembled for the project. Since you're a college student on a limited budget, you'll be tempted to buy the least expensive paint. The reality is that it makes more sense to buy better quality paint right from the start. It'll enable you to get the job completed – and you on your way to self-expression – in just one application.

You'll also need to keep a good painter's tape handy. Just like paint, it makes sense to buy a premium quality tape that lets you get the job done right the first time. Cheap tape can leave residue, tear unevenly, damage the surface, and leave messy paint lines where paint seeps under the tape edges. One brand professional painters prefer is Bloc-it® by IPG. Studies have shown that Bloc-it creates the cleanest, crispest edges on painted drywall surfaces, probably the most common wall surface in homes today.

Quality painter's tape also enables you to try some new and interesting approaches to wall painting. Besides choosing just one color per wall, you can try decorative striped patterns, diamond patterns, checkerboard designs, or a variety of other wall graphics. To learn more about the role of painter's tape and why it's important to apartment redecorating projects, check out the YouTube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jetaxBMwOZE or www.itape.com and select Bloc-it under the Consumer tab. It's also available at Amazon.com.

SOURCE IPG