HOW TO Paint A Room Of Color Without Over-Thinking It! (Craft Project 3)
You've finally decided to take that plunge out of the "black and white" realm into the "color" world that we see so prevalent around us!
I'm a DIYer....and also happen to be one of those people who hate white walls!!! All that space....so much that could be done with it! Color on your walls just adds so much to your furnishings. If you have a particular furniture piece that you really love...it just "pops" if it sits against a wall with color! Kinda like having a nice mat around a picture.
So how do you go about picking a color for your walls? If your like most people that just have white walls....and you're really scared to try anything new...but would love to give it a try....pick your favorite color. I don't care what that color is....just pick it. Now, go to your local hardware/home builder/paint store, with that color in mind. Look through their color swatches, with "your" color in mind. Pick a color from their swatches that appeals to you, from the color you most like.
Have the store mix the paint color you chose and don't forget to also pick up the other necessities you'll need to apply it....roller, paint pan, paint brush. DO NOT go cheap on the roller and paint brush....it does make a difference. If you have to wait for these items to go on sale...so be it, but at least get a medium quality/price brush and roller. These will not be disposable...so you'll be able to use them again on other projects (which I'm sure that after your done with this first project, you'll end up wanting to do more....now you'll already have the tools...you'll just need the paint).
Take your paint and supplies home and go into the room that you want to apply the color. I want you to pick just one wall to paint. And you're going to paint the whole wall before you stop! Why just one wall? Remember we're taking baby steps to getting some color into your home. So pick the one wall that you're going to paint. This is going to be the focal point in your room......if it's a bedroom, it could be the wall that has the bed against it....if it's the living room, it could be the wall that has your art displayed on it. Get the idea?
Be sure your wall is clean and that any holes are filled in with spackle (also found at hardware store, directions included on the product). You need to also be sure any patching you've done is sanded smooth and than painted the same color as what's already on the wall (surely, you kept some "touch up" paint, didn't you? Shame, shame if you didn't. If not....just use the color that you're going to be putting on the wall....but paint these spots first....and give it a day to dry before proceeding to the next step).
Take your paint and after stirring it, pore it into the paint pan. Use your brush to "cut-in" around the perimeter of the wall. What's that? It means painting around all edges of the wall first with a paint brush because your roller is not going to reach into the corners, up by the ceiling (without getting paint on the ceiling), or along the molding (without getting paint on the molding or floor). I, personally, still use painters tape applied at the ceiling and over the molding on the bottom of the wall, to prevent any "uh ohs" from happening. I don't have the greatest steady hand (too much coffee)!!
Once you have done the "cutting-in", you now can use the roller to paint the entire wall. Try doing it in a "W" pattern instead of just straight up and down so that you don't have any lines showing in the paint when it dries from where one "straight line" lapped over another. DO NOT STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS PROCESS thinking that you don't like the color! I don't think anyone can tell from a few strokes of a paint brush or roller....how the whole wall is going to look!
Now give the paint up to 48 hours to dry and become the color that it's going to be! Put a piece of furniture in front of it during the drying process so that you get the hang of how it's going to look....remember....most walls are not totally bare...therefore, the color might have seemed bold when you started, but once everything is back in place...not all of that color is going to be showing!
Now....after waiting 2-3 days, if you like the color....go ahead and paint the other walls....leave just the one wall painted...or paint two more walls (total of 3 walls)....it's totally up to you.
IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE COLOR....you have a few options....
You can repaint the wall white (no, no, no.....surely you're more creative than that!).
You can do a color-wash over the color in order to lighten or darken it (the choice I think you should make....anyone can do this!)
Okay....what's a color wash? Well, I happen to have experimented with this because I ended up with a color on my walls that I didn't like at all....once I had lived with it for 3 days just to be sure. I thought, geez, I don't want to repaint all these walls again! So I started reading up on color-washing...it's a really simple process...and takes a lot less time and paint...than having to repaint everything! (And I've purposely planned some of my rooms paint colors using this technique.)
Whatever color you painted the wall (that you don't like), go back to your paint supplier and get either two shades lighter of the same color OR..... if the color was in the pastel/lighter color family....go with white! (If you happen to have some white paint at home, leftover from something else....latex only please.....feel free to just use that. You're not going to need much.) For the color you've now chosen....you only need a "quart" of paint (and believe me...you'll use very little of the quart)!! Don't forget to get your free stir stick (a couple of them...they come in handy).
You'll need a household sponge. Not the scrubber kind....just a plain old sponge....similar to those car wash sponges....just smaller. You can usually pick them up for $1-$2 for a package of them. And a container/pail of some sort. I used one of those large empty margarine containers....worked perfect and no additional cost! Or how about an empty coffee can....just make sure it's one that you can get your hand into easily. You'll want to pick up a package of rubber gloves...you're actually going to use your hands for this part of painting!! Also, be sure to have a roll of paper towel handy!
Now down to the actual process. You'll want to mix 1 part paint to 3 parts water into your container. If you're only doing one wall...1/3 cup of paint to 1 cup of water is more than enough!!! (See...I told you that you wouldn't be using much paint!) Be sure to put your gloves on, have a drop cloth on the floor in front of the wall, and have your stir stick handy....the paint tends to settle to the bottom of your container pretty quick.
Stir your paint and water well, immerse your sponge into the mixture, and squeeze the sponge out...but not tightly!!! Start applying the color to the wall in a small circular motion....occasionally changing the direction of your circles and flipping/rotating your sponge regularly. DO NOT STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS PROCESS....not even for a phone call! This is only going to take you about 15-20 mins. to complete a wall that is 8' x 16'.....so whoever it is that is calling....can wait for you to call them back! You will know when to redip your sponge (hard to get color out of it)....just be sure to stir what's in your container before doing so. You might have to also rinse your sponge in clean water, once or twice through this process. How will you know? The paint begins to cling/dry onto the sponge....rinse it in water and you're good to go again.
What I like about this technique is there's no cutting-in that needs to be done! You can pretty easily "squish" the sponge into the corners and at the edge of the ceiling....without taping it off. You still have to be a little careful...but it still goes quicker than the paint brush/roller thingy!
Once you're done with the whole wall with this technique....do not throw out what's left of the paint in your container....yet! Again....you're going to wait for this process to dry....though not as long....since you've added water to the paint, it's going to take very little time for this to dry. Usually by the time you're on the last part of the wall....the part where you started is dry to the touch but you will still want to wait a couple of hours to insure that it is thoroughly dry.
Now step back and look at the result....not only have you lighten the color you originally had, with less expense and less labor, but you've also added "interest" to the wall. Still too dark for you? Do the process again....remember, you didn't throw out that extra you had left, right?.....which will lighten the wall even more and give it even more of a textured look (still very little labor and cost). I'm willing to bet that once you've lived with this for a few days, you'll fall in love with the process. Just make sure that you've put you're furniture back in place, hung any pictures, etc., in order to get the total effect.
I know that I started out with this process, liked it so well, that now I can't leave a wall just plain white! It might have white in it....but it definitely has some other interesting colors also.
Get out of the humdrums....and get some color in your life....it sure can change your mood!
I'm a DIYer....and also happen to be one of those people who hate white walls!!! All that space....so much that could be done with it! Color on your walls just adds so much to your furnishings. If you have a particular furniture piece that you really love...it just "pops" if it sits against a wall with color! Kinda like having a nice mat around a picture.
So how do you go about picking a color for your walls? If your like most people that just have white walls....and you're really scared to try anything new...but would love to give it a try....pick your favorite color. I don't care what that color is....just pick it. Now, go to your local hardware/home builder/paint store, with that color in mind. Look through their color swatches, with "your" color in mind. Pick a color from their swatches that appeals to you, from the color you most like.
Have the store mix the paint color you chose and don't forget to also pick up the other necessities you'll need to apply it....roller, paint pan, paint brush. DO NOT go cheap on the roller and paint brush....it does make a difference. If you have to wait for these items to go on sale...so be it, but at least get a medium quality/price brush and roller. These will not be disposable...so you'll be able to use them again on other projects (which I'm sure that after your done with this first project, you'll end up wanting to do more....now you'll already have the tools...you'll just need the paint).
Take your paint and supplies home and go into the room that you want to apply the color. I want you to pick just one wall to paint. And you're going to paint the whole wall before you stop! Why just one wall? Remember we're taking baby steps to getting some color into your home. So pick the one wall that you're going to paint. This is going to be the focal point in your room......if it's a bedroom, it could be the wall that has the bed against it....if it's the living room, it could be the wall that has your art displayed on it. Get the idea?
Be sure your wall is clean and that any holes are filled in with spackle (also found at hardware store, directions included on the product). You need to also be sure any patching you've done is sanded smooth and than painted the same color as what's already on the wall (surely, you kept some "touch up" paint, didn't you? Shame, shame if you didn't. If not....just use the color that you're going to be putting on the wall....but paint these spots first....and give it a day to dry before proceeding to the next step).
Take your paint and after stirring it, pore it into the paint pan. Use your brush to "cut-in" around the perimeter of the wall. What's that? It means painting around all edges of the wall first with a paint brush because your roller is not going to reach into the corners, up by the ceiling (without getting paint on the ceiling), or along the molding (without getting paint on the molding or floor). I, personally, still use painters tape applied at the ceiling and over the molding on the bottom of the wall, to prevent any "uh ohs" from happening. I don't have the greatest steady hand (too much coffee)!!
Once you have done the "cutting-in", you now can use the roller to paint the entire wall. Try doing it in a "W" pattern instead of just straight up and down so that you don't have any lines showing in the paint when it dries from where one "straight line" lapped over another. DO NOT STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS PROCESS thinking that you don't like the color! I don't think anyone can tell from a few strokes of a paint brush or roller....how the whole wall is going to look!
Now give the paint up to 48 hours to dry and become the color that it's going to be! Put a piece of furniture in front of it during the drying process so that you get the hang of how it's going to look....remember....most walls are not totally bare...therefore, the color might have seemed bold when you started, but once everything is back in place...not all of that color is going to be showing!
Now....after waiting 2-3 days, if you like the color....go ahead and paint the other walls....leave just the one wall painted...or paint two more walls (total of 3 walls)....it's totally up to you.
IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE COLOR....you have a few options....
You can repaint the wall white (no, no, no.....surely you're more creative than that!).
You can do a color-wash over the color in order to lighten or darken it (the choice I think you should make....anyone can do this!)
Okay....what's a color wash? Well, I happen to have experimented with this because I ended up with a color on my walls that I didn't like at all....once I had lived with it for 3 days just to be sure. I thought, geez, I don't want to repaint all these walls again! So I started reading up on color-washing...it's a really simple process...and takes a lot less time and paint...than having to repaint everything! (And I've purposely planned some of my rooms paint colors using this technique.)
Whatever color you painted the wall (that you don't like), go back to your paint supplier and get either two shades lighter of the same color OR..... if the color was in the pastel/lighter color family....go with white! (If you happen to have some white paint at home, leftover from something else....latex only please.....feel free to just use that. You're not going to need much.) For the color you've now chosen....you only need a "quart" of paint (and believe me...you'll use very little of the quart)!! Don't forget to get your free stir stick (a couple of them...they come in handy).
You'll need a household sponge. Not the scrubber kind....just a plain old sponge....similar to those car wash sponges....just smaller. You can usually pick them up for $1-$2 for a package of them. And a container/pail of some sort. I used one of those large empty margarine containers....worked perfect and no additional cost! Or how about an empty coffee can....just make sure it's one that you can get your hand into easily. You'll want to pick up a package of rubber gloves...you're actually going to use your hands for this part of painting!! Also, be sure to have a roll of paper towel handy!
Now down to the actual process. You'll want to mix 1 part paint to 3 parts water into your container. If you're only doing one wall...1/3 cup of paint to 1 cup of water is more than enough!!! (See...I told you that you wouldn't be using much paint!) Be sure to put your gloves on, have a drop cloth on the floor in front of the wall, and have your stir stick handy....the paint tends to settle to the bottom of your container pretty quick.
Stir your paint and water well, immerse your sponge into the mixture, and squeeze the sponge out...but not tightly!!! Start applying the color to the wall in a small circular motion....occasionally changing the direction of your circles and flipping/rotating your sponge regularly. DO NOT STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS PROCESS....not even for a phone call! This is only going to take you about 15-20 mins. to complete a wall that is 8' x 16'.....so whoever it is that is calling....can wait for you to call them back! You will know when to redip your sponge (hard to get color out of it)....just be sure to stir what's in your container before doing so. You might have to also rinse your sponge in clean water, once or twice through this process. How will you know? The paint begins to cling/dry onto the sponge....rinse it in water and you're good to go again.
What I like about this technique is there's no cutting-in that needs to be done! You can pretty easily "squish" the sponge into the corners and at the edge of the ceiling....without taping it off. You still have to be a little careful...but it still goes quicker than the paint brush/roller thingy!
Once you're done with the whole wall with this technique....do not throw out what's left of the paint in your container....yet! Again....you're going to wait for this process to dry....though not as long....since you've added water to the paint, it's going to take very little time for this to dry. Usually by the time you're on the last part of the wall....the part where you started is dry to the touch but you will still want to wait a couple of hours to insure that it is thoroughly dry.
Now step back and look at the result....not only have you lighten the color you originally had, with less expense and less labor, but you've also added "interest" to the wall. Still too dark for you? Do the process again....remember, you didn't throw out that extra you had left, right?.....which will lighten the wall even more and give it even more of a textured look (still very little labor and cost). I'm willing to bet that once you've lived with this for a few days, you'll fall in love with the process. Just make sure that you've put you're furniture back in place, hung any pictures, etc., in order to get the total effect.
I know that I started out with this process, liked it so well, that now I can't leave a wall just plain white! It might have white in it....but it definitely has some other interesting colors also.
Get out of the humdrums....and get some color in your life....it sure can change your mood!
posted by J. Martin @ Tuesday, January 10, 2006
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