Painting Tips

• When it comes to choosing a paint color for your room, start at the top—ceilings need color too!

  Ceilings truly are a blank canvas for your creative expression, and as a bonus, you don’t have to worry about smudgy fingerprints or furniture nicks. And painting your ceiling is a budget-friendly way to give any room in your home a new, inviting look. With a stunning ceiling to look at, it’ll be easy to keep your chin up!

  Make a small room or room with a low ceiling feel larger by keeping the color contrast between the walls and ceilings to a minimum.

• Type of Finish is also in consideration.

  Before you begin to paint, consider wall imperfections and other factors. High-gloss paint offers greater durability and is very easy to clean. If your wall is less than perfect, however, high-gloss paint can enhance the imperfections. Flat paint will do a much better job of hiding imperfections, but it's much easier to damage than high-gloss. Eggshell is a great middle-of-the-road option.

• All paints contain chemicals, so wear gloves when tackling large projects to minimize direct skin exposure.


• Keep in mind that darker colors will appear larger and might overwhelm a small room.


• Colors can add depth and texture to your room. Using the right colors can turn an otherwise dull room into a beautiful, warm space. If you get a color you don't like, just paint over it!


• Always consider the surface you're painting, whether you're priming walls and the number of coats you are going to need. All of these things will affect the amount of paint you need to purchase.


• Take the proper steps to make your walls as flat as possible, and make sure you clean them before you start to paint. Any dust or debris left on the wall could cause your new paint to peel.


• Allow about 15 minutes of dry time between coats. Do not try to build color by applying one coat with excess paint. This will lead to seeping and dripping through the stencil.


• Always do brushwork in the corners before you begin rolling. Rolling after brushwork will flatten any brushstrokes left in the wall, giving you an evenly painted surface.


• Use simple masking tape to remove any extra fibers before you paint. If you don't, those fibers will become a permanent fixture on your wall.


• When saving leftover paint, place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the open can. Spray cooking oil over the plastic and tightly secure the lid. Turn the bucket upside down, and you'll have a brand-new seal. Air won't get in, and the paint will last longer.


• When you're painting floors, add traction by putting a bit of sand in the paint to provide grip to the floor.


• Start on top to prevent streaks. Whether indoors or outdoors, always begin painting at the top and work your way down.


• If you're painting a wall or doing some simple effects, reach for latex. If there's wood involved, you may want to consider oil-based paint.


• One of the most rewarding and cost-effective household projects is reviving an old piece of furniture with a fresh coat of paint.

  Painted furniture can freshen up the look of any space—and you can easily change the color to coordinate with a room's color scheme.

• Choosing Color for Furniture and Accessories Is Also important.

  When choosing furniture and accessories, choose the fabrics first. This allows you to take any color from the fabric and use it on the walls. It's a simple matter to take a swatch to the paint store and have any color matched.

• Test Paint Colors Before Painting the Wall.

  There's no way to do it without spending a little money -- those little color chips you can get at the paint store are entirely too small to be of any help. My suggestion is to buy a quart of the color, paint a swatch on a wall and look at it during different times of day. That way you can see how it looks in different types and degrees of light. You can paint fairly large squares on the wall where they'll be hidden under a picture.