Sometimes you might prefer to hire professionals to paint your home’s interior, but you also could do it yourself if you’re careful and pay attention to detail. If you observe the following tips, you can do a fantastic job painting your family room.
Select a Proper Color
Whether it’s a DIY job or you hire professional painters Brisbane, choosing the right color for your family room is critical. It’s one of the most-used spaces in the house, so getting it right will have lasting effects.
Should you opt for a light or dark hue? Something that will stand out or will be more muted? Will you add crown molding or an accent wall?
Many homeowners have difficulty making such decisions, so the wise move is to take plenty of time. One thing you might do is visit multiple paint or hardware stores to study color swatches and decide which will work in your space.
Decide on a Paint Finish
There are several paint finishes to consider, depending on the look you want. They include:
- Gloss, which reflects the maximum amount of light and is easy to clean. It’s often preferred for trim, doors, and cabinets.
- Semi-gloss, which is less reflective and can be a better choice for areas that see a lot of traffic, such as kitchens, closet doors, and utility rooms.
- Satin, which features a small amount of shine and is easy to clean. It’s popular for living rooms, family rooms, and hallways.
- Matte or flat finish, which absorbs light, so you might find it best for walls that have cracks or other imperfections.
Test the Paint
Let’s say you’ve chosen a paint color that speaks to you. Now you need to obtain a paint sample and see how it would look on your family room walls.
The problem with just going with a paint without trying it at home is that it may appear rather different on the wall in your specific room than on the color wheel in the store. Many homeowners underestimate the dramatic impact that lighting, either natural or electric, can have on how a paint looks on the wall.
For example, you might buy a light-green color you think would be perfect for the family room. But when it’s on the walls in the afternoon, it may look closer to gray. That’s why you ought to purchase a small sample and try the paint at home before going all in.
You can account for changes of light in the room by selecting three shades of the same color. Then try the varying shades in different parts of the room, and see how they look in the morning, afternoon, and evening.
You’re more likely to settle on a paint you’ll love for years if you do this kind of testing in advance.
Safeguard the Floor and Furniture
Now you have the perfect paint, so slap it on the walls. But not so fast!
Next, you have to tape down masking paper on the floors. And cover furniture with drop cloths. Many professional painters recommend fabric instead of plastic drop clothes, so you won’t slip.
Tape Trim
Use blue painter’s tape to cover the trim around doorways as well as the baseboards.
Paint the Ceiling First
It is usually best to start with the ceiling, so you don’t splatter the walls with paint, especially if you plan to use different colors.
You should use a ⅜-inch nap roller to apply paint to the ceiling and always apply the roller in the same direction while painting a slight overlap across the preceding row by an inch or so.
Paint the Walls
After the ceiling dries, you can start painting the walls. But cut in a wall, then paint it when the cut-in paint isn’t dry yet. The cut-in color will blend a lot better.
Painting the family room yourself can save a lot of money, and if you use these guidelines, you should do a great job.
