Home Decor Basics: Painting Tips & Tricks

We all want our homes to be warm and inviting. Painting the walls is the single most dramatic way to refresh the interior. You can easily change the look of a room in a single day with a fresh coat of new color. Painting is one of the primary layers of home decor and should be done before updating furniture and accessories. So let's get to it!

Painting doesn't have to be difficult. Planning and preparation are key. Let's assume you have chosen your color and, with the help of your local paint or hardware store, purchased the correct type of paint for your walls (flat, satin, eggshell, high gloss, enamel). Don't be afraid to ask the paint experts for help.

Now, here are some tips that will have you painting like a pro in no time, with admirable results.

Assemble Your Tools

The supplies needed may vary from job to job, and depend on what you have on hand, but the basics remain the same.

• Rollers, roller covers of the correct nap for your wall texture, and an extension pole
• 1"- 2" brush for cutting in and small spaces - slightly angled brushes work best
• Paint tray and liners
• Drop cloths and rags
• Painter's tape (the blue tape)
• Spackle paste and a putty knife to fill in holes

Prepare the Room

Doing this will protect furniture and floors, plus ensure the finished product looks great and lasts long.

• Remove small furniture, wall hangings, drapes, etc.  
• Remove switch plates and hardware, if possible
• Use masking tape or plastic to cover anything you can't remove 
• Small items (like screws) can be covered with vaseline or chapstick (easy to wipe off later)
• Move large furniture items to the center of the room and cover with a drop cloth 
• Tape off woodwork and make sure plastic dropcloths are taped down
• Clean surfaces as needed (dust and remove loose items or particles) 
• Spackle holes as needed and let dry per directions on container

Paint! 

The typical order of painting starts with "cutting in" (painting the edges about 2" deep), then the ceiling (if you are painting it), then painting walls, and finally painting the woodwork.

• If you have a steady hand while using a stiff 2" brush, you can forego the tape for cutting in; just make sure to have a damp cloth available for quick wipe-ups
• Use short back-and-forth strokes to apply paint, but always finish with long, smooth strokes 
• Dip your brush about halfway into the paint to avoid clumping up the brush and ruining it
• When using a roller, work in 3 foot sections at a time, rolling a "W" on the wall, then filling in
• Almost any color looks better with a second coat, even if the can says one-coat coverage 
• Make sure the paint is dry before applying the second coat 

Here's a great video with more details on painting a room:

And for even more tips on painting click on this link:
47 Tips and Tricks for a Perfect Paint Job 

Clean-up 

It may be the least fun part, but once you've put everything back, you can enjoy the results!

Remember to let a newly painted room dry or cure for at least 2 weeks before applying any Wall Stickers. Wall decals are such a fun way to add "art" to any room. They come in 30 different colors and, when the time comes to change them, are easy to remove without ruining your wonderful new paint job!

~Sallianne