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I want to paint my room, where do I start?

27th April 2020

Reading room social post image.

We’ve been overwhelmed with the number of you telling us that you are either continuing a painting project or embarking on your first! It’s time to paint that room…

For those painting and decorating novices – we salute you! You can do it…. pick up that paint brush and give it a go. Okay, we know, it sounds simple in theory, but when you’ve never taken the ‘paint pot plunge’ before it can seem a little daunting.

So where should you start?! Well we’ve put together 5 easy steps to help get you started on your first painting project.

Inspiration

You’ve sat procrastinating from your new home office set up for too long and have decided those walls around you need an update. But you need some inspiration! Thanks to social media platforms, consumer interior magazines and the emergence of online influencers, access to inspiration is at our fingertips. Pinterest is a great starting point for creating your own online moodboard; bringing together ideas that you like in one place.

Pinterest is a great source of inspiration to help you start your decorating project

A great tip is to pick out your favourite piece of furniture or fabric and carry across colours from there. Think about how much colour you want to add when you paint your room and don’t forget about the fifth wall, we’ve got more about that here.

If you’d like more inspiration, we’ve plenty of ideas in our blog, on our social channels and in our dedicated inspo section on our website here.

Tools for the job

  1. 1. You’ll need a good paint brush for cutting in. We recommend a short pile roller for a nice smooth paint finish.
  2. 2. Roller tray to decant the paint into.
  3. 3. Sand paper to prepare any woodwork or uneven surfaces.
  4. 4. Low adhesive tape to create clean lines between different paint colours.
  5. 5. Dust sheets and old clothes (if you are anything like us) to protect from paint splatter.

Paint finish

Do you like an ultra flat matt look on the walls or maybe need something with a bit more of a sheen for high traffic areas? You can follow the same finish from the walls to the woodwork, but the majority of people prefer a different finish for woodwork. Still unsure, you can read more in this handy blog post;

What paint should I use for my decorating project?

Preparation

It is always worth putting in some prep work before you start painting as it really does help with the end results. Start by removing as much as possible from the room, this includes furniture, curtain poles, lights etc. Anything you can’t remove you should cover, including the floor!

Fill any slight cracks or small holes and sand down any lumps and bumps, this will help to make sure you have a nice smooth finish. You can do this to both the walls and woodwork.

Mask skirting with the low adhesive masking tape, you can apply the tape around windows and doors too, plus light switches and plug sockets.

When it comes to painting a room don't forget the dust sheets! This lovely wall colour is Earthborn's Trumpet

Painting

So you have picked your colour, prep’d the area… now for the fun bit…. paint the room!

We’d say paint the ceiling first, this avoids the risk of paint spray on newly painted walls. Use a roller for the majority of the ceiling, followed by a brush around the edges (don’t worry if you overlap onto the walls as this will be painted at the next stage).

For the walls, to avoid ruining your freshly painted ceiling, use a brush when at ceiling level. Use the final bristles on one edge of your brush to get the smooth dividing line you desire. We recommend a short pile roller for the best results on the larger areas. To avoid stripy walls, make sure you use the feathering technique (roll in various directions). Ensure the first coat is fully dry before applying a second coat.

Use the same technique as above to get a smooth line for your woodwork, by using the edge of your brush. If, however, you are a little shaky when it comes to painting a straight line, place low adhesive tape across the top of your woodwork so that paint does not get onto your walls (just make sure your walls are dry first!)

Painting a room is one of the eaisest updates you can make to a space! This cosy living room was painted in our relaxed green Sunday Stroll.

You can now buy our classic range (Claypaint, Lifestyle, Eggshell No.17 & Eco Chic) directly from our online shop.

We love seeing what you have done, so don’t forget to share your end results with us on our social channels.

Happy painting!

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