Explore Emily’s Pink Transformation

When Emily decided it was time to revamp the exterior of her terraced home near Manchester, she wanted a vibrant and refreshed look that would make her house stand out. With her love for DIY projects and a weekend of good weather on the horizon, Emily and her partner set out on a journey to transform their home!

The Goal: A Much Needed Refresh

Emily’s home had faced ongoing challenges with damp patches on the front exterior that were soaking through onto the internal side of the wall, a common issue for homes with solid walls and older render.

The house was already covered in pre-coloured pink render but it was fading. Emily decided to use Emperor Masonry Paint thanks to its super hydrophobic properties and high breathability—an ideal solution for tackling penetrating damp issues while giving a newly painted finish.

The Plan: Turning Up The Pink

Emily chose the shade ‘Rose Pink’ for the project. The pink shade was a close match to the existing pink render, but came with a slightly brighter hue.

To add a crisp, clean contrast, she picked ‘Light Grey’ for the windows sills and other trim, to provide a tone that would balance out the saturation of the Rose Pink, while matching the lighter, more pastel tone.

Emily’s Tool List:

• 10L of Emperor Masonry Paint in ‘Rose Pink’
• 5L of Emperor Masonry Paint in ‘Light Grey’
• 9” Masonry Roller
• Dust sheet
• 3″ brush
• Extension pole

“We decided not to apply masking tape to the windows as with it being a pre-1900’s terrace, the walls weren’t all straight. We instead used a 3″ paint brush to ‘cut-in’ around the edges and a 9″ long-pile roller for the rest of the walls.”

The Process: A Sunny Weekend of DIY

Waiting for a sunny stretch of weather, Emily and her partner began their project one Saturday morning.

“Truthfully, we were a bit worried about doing a project like this by ourselves, but we love a DIY project and wanted to take on the challenge.

We started by making sure the wall was clean, by hosing it down and apply some of the Emperor Exterior Cleaner. The temperatures meant the wall was dry in a couple of hours which helped us get the first painting done on the same day.”

Over the course of the weekend, Emily and her partner then applied two coats of Emperor Masonry Paint, first tackling the lower elevation of the terraced house, before moving on to the higher elevation. Splitting the project up into bite sized chunks like this can not only make the project easier to carry out, but is also a great way to make it feel a little bit more manageable.

“We would definitely recommend using an extension pole. Even at ground-level it makes applying paint so much easier.

We also found that the second coat was much easier than the first, partly because the surface had already been painted meaning the paint flowed easier, but also because once you have the rhythm it takes no time!

If anything, we actually found it easier than a lot of the interior decorating we have done.”

The Results: A Transformation To Be Proud Of

The results really do speak for themselves. The ‘Light Grey’ painted trim around the windows and drains added the perfect finishing touch, giving the home a playful, yet sophisticated finish.

“It looks so much fresher and has really given the front of the house its shine back. We really love the balance of colours across the front with the red door, green ivy and the balance of the grey.

One thing you will have if you paint the outside of your home, lot’s of neighbours stopping you to say how nice it looks.”

Emily’s Advice:

If your considering a similar project, here’s Emily’s top pieces of advice for doing it ourselves;

“Plan ahead and wait for a good stretch of weather – it makes all the difference to the timescales. We found that with nice warm weather, the wall could be cleaned and painted on the same day, then the second coat could be applied the day after.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions – the technical team at Emperor were really helpful and made sure we had all the information we needed before we started. It really does make you feel better when you can ask someone to confirm what you are doing is correct.

Most importantly, have fun with it! The process is really rewarding and seeing the transformation makes it all worth it. We were already quite house proud, but now every time we see the house it gives us such a nice feeling.”

Ready to start your own transformation? Why not order your sample, or explore our colour inspiration gallery to find your perfect colour.