How To Paint - A Living Room Guide

One of the great ways to transform your living room and give it a new look is to apply a fresh coat of paint on its walls. This method is considered by many people a relatively inexpensive and easy way how to paint a living room. Once you have decided to learn how to paint a room, it is important to consider the feeling you want your living room to bring out. For instance, do you want a casual, fun, or a formal feeling? It is important to establish this to know the kind of color and the right sheen to use.

Here is a guide on how to paint a living room.

Person pouring Glidden Paint

Choose the Right Colors

The first step in painting your living room involves choosing the right colors depending on how you want the living room to look and feel. After choosing the color of the paint, it is important to test it on the wall, to catch a glimpse of the outcome, before you apply it wholly. Once you have settled on the paint color, the next step is to prep the walls. Experts on how to paint say that prepping entails patching cracks and holes on the wall, cleaning, as well as scraping off any bumps.

Person applying painter's tape to wall

Prep the Walls

Wash off the walls to get rid of any accumulated dirt. The dirt robs the paint of its ability to adhere to the wall. Put drop clothes down the walls to prevent the paint from seeping to the floor. Use Painter’s tape around the straight edges such as the baseboards, window casings, ceilings, and door frames. Taping saves you from having to do additional touch-ups by ensuring that the paint doesn’t reach your trims. Experts in how to paint state that it is important to remember to remove the tape after painting, before the paint gets dry, so it does not peel off with some paint.

Person painting wall in living room

Paint!

After you have done your due diligence, gathered all the painting materials you need, and prepped the room, it is now time to do the painting. Begin by cutting in that is painting the edges. This is done by dipping a third of your brush into the paint and applying it smoothly over the edges. Once you are done cutting in your wall or the ceiling, switch to the paint roller. Load the roller with paint and roll it onto the liner to help the paint to even out. Then, start a few inches from the edge and roll the paint on the wall or ceiling in a zigzag outline. For the walls, work from top to bottom.

As you go about painting a living room, always remember to paint one wall at a time. Where your roller can’t access, use a brush or turn the roller sideways to get it closer to the trims. Buildups and runs are an ugly site that you don’t wish to have on your living room. To get rid of this, gently roll the painted area from the top down to the floor. Painting a living room doesn’t have to be a puzzle, good prep and patience is all you need to have a complete makeover to the heart of your home.