Painless Painting: Everything You Need to Know to Paint a Room

If you're designing a new room or updating your current dcor, a fresh coat of paint is a simple, yet cost-effective way to liven up your space.With proper planning and execution, painting can be painless. By following some of our steps below, you'll be well on your way to a hassle-free transformation.

Pick Your Paint Color and Design

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First, you need to choose a color scheme. Be sure to choose colors that fit the mood of the space, appeal to your aesthetic and coordinate nicely with your furniture and fixtures.

Next, decide which color(s) to use on each wall. Will you be painting most walls a neutral color and create a single, accent wall in a brighter hue? Are you interested in creating a pattern of some kind? Perhaps, you'd like stripes or even this year's Pantone Colors of the Year? It's important to consider these questions prior to making any supply purchases.

Purchasing Your Paint and Supplies

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To determine how much paint you need to buy, calculate how many square feet you will be painting. Most paints will specify how many square feet it can cover. More often than not, paint applications will require two full coats, so be sure to keep this in mind while you are doing your calculations. And if you are covering a darker color or painting with a new color that is dark or vibrant, you may even need multiple coats beyond that for an even tone throughout the space.

Also, take care to ensure the paint you purchase is appropriate for the application. There are indoor paints, outdoor paints, etc. You will want to be sure you get the paint that fits your unique needs.

Before you head over to the check-out counter, do a mental check to be sure you didn't forget your floor and furniture covers, painter's tape, paint trays, brushes, rollers, sponges and any other supplies necessary to complete your design.

Prepping Your Space

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You will need to protect your room from paint splatter, spills, missteps and other costly, stress-inducing paint mishaps. Be sure to protect your floor, furnishings, awnings, trim, doorways, light switches and anything else likely to fall victim to a painting mistake.

Also, take care to ensure the paint you purchase is appropriate for the application. There are indoor paints, outdoor paints, etc. You will want to be sure you get the paint that fits your unique needs.

• Tape up your trim with painter's tape to create an even stroke and protect it from drips
• Cover your wood, tile, marble or vinyl floor with protective floor covering such as plastic or paper
• Place sheets or furniture covers on all furniture pieces or move your furniture to another room until your project is completed.
• Remove light switches or doorknobs, when necessary. NOTE: Be sure to turn off the breaker before tampering with any electrical outlet. If you'd prefer, you can simply skip this step and place painter's tape over your outlets as well.

Your Last Step: Start Painting

Now, it's time to paint! If you've prepared your room and purchased your supplies, this will be the fun part. Simply paint evenly, allow drying, evaluating for richness and distribution and recoating as many times as necessary to complete your look.

Helping a friend out and noticing he or she could use some new furniture? Refer a friend, and you could receive an in-store credit on your next purchase.