Any tips for painting the rooms in my new condo?

Question

The downstairs (two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a hallway) are rust-colored. I'd like to paint it a lavendar or peach or something more soothing. I've never painted before... should I do it myself or hire it? Does anybody have any tips if I do paint myself? Any color suggestions?

Answer 1

Hi there!
We've painted four different homes now. This last one we did pay a professional because of the ceiling heights. The very first thing you should do is pick several colors you like and buy the small cans (I think they're pints or quarts). Though you may think you're wasting $5 each can, it's SO worth it! You paint a big 3X3 section of each wall with one of your colors. When it dries, put pillows, fabric, art up near it and see which you like better! This is something we wish we had done early on!

There are no rules with paint and no one says you have to do what's "in." In to who? Do what YOU LOVE because you're the one that's going to live with it every day and you're the one who worked so hard to buy your condo (congrats).

Some tips are: We spent/wasted so much money on trim gadgets over the years. NOTHING works! Taping is definitely a pain in the butt, but if you do it, it's actually 80% of the work! DON'T use masking tape! You'll have to use a razor blade to scrape it off. It's not cheap, but ONLY use the BLUE PAINTERS TAPE!!!! The painting is easy! Also, on the edges by the ceiling, just get a GOOD expensive (not disposable that the hairs come off!) brush and just use your steady hand to paint along the edge nice and straight! You can see videos on DIY network. The worst thing is to walk in to a room and see smudges all around the ceiling. Do always keep your ceilings white unless it's a funky room like a theater or something.

Have fun with it and remember, you can always paint over paint if you don't like it! Good Luck! :-)

Answer 2

Hi there, depends on the funds that you have. I just had some guys come in and do an estimate for my small apartment and it would've cost me $500 for them to come and paint just my small (and I mean small) living & dining areas. I suggest finding some friends and doing it yourself, won't take you long at all. I did 2 walls myself in 2 days without much trouble for about $60. It was fun looking at all the different colors at Home Depot. Just remember that paint dries usually 2 shades darker than what you see on the swatches. Ask the paint mixer wherever you buy the paint for any advice they may have. They can also recommend what materials will be easiest to use for a first time painter. Good luck!

Answer 3

In many areas a 2/2 is functionally obsolete. Many buyers want 3/2. This will limit your market. I presume it's listed with a Realtor. It not your exposure is greatly limited because you don't have access to MLS. However, it's only been on the market 3 weeks, so it's a little soon to panic. I'd give it another month. The old real estate adage of location, location, location has been replaced with price, price, price. Be creative like giving a buyer a credit at closing for a couple months condo fees. realtor.sailor

Answer 4

It is easy and fun to paint. First clean the walls and ceilings you are going to paint.
Cleaning supplies
Clorox cleaner or 409 or simple green
hot water
rags that will not leave lint on the walls and ceilings

latter

Paint supplies:
radio
canvas drop clots
rollers (disposable and good lambswool)
roller frame (pro quality)
paint tray
paint tray liners
brush for cutting in (pro quality for top coat, cheap disposable for primer)
3M Blue tape
bandana to cover your hair w/
dishwashing soap to clean the lambswool roller w/

Then tape off what you do not want to get paint on. Use the blue tape (3M brand). Get a professional quality paint roller and roller frame. I like to use lambs wool for the top coat and a throw away roller for the primer. If you use latex paint, you can use some dish soap and lots of water to clean the roller so it is reusable many many times. Use primer like Kiltz, have it shaken at the paint store or box store that you get it from. Use canvas drop clothes. Less slippery than plastic and reusable. And as far as top coat of paint, I prefer Sherwin Williams Everclean Paint, flat not shiny kind. Get a radio to play loudly when you painting. And a good latter, my favorite is one that you can put the paint tray on to do the ceiling and high parts. Also get a good brush to cut in w/ (to paint the areas that the roller cannot get to). And use throw away brushes for the edges of the primer.

And my favorite paint color is Sherwin William's Nostalgia White, a serene pale peach color that looks good w/ almost everything.

Answer 5

Lavendar and peach are both bold choices to make for an entire wall, so think about staying more neutral and using those as accent colors in your drapes, pillows, or art. I moved into a house with a peach kitchen and it drove me crazy!!!

Pottery barn has a whole color scheme out with paint samples and one is rust colored. You could check that out to get some ideas.

If you do it yourself -- just be neat!!

Answer 6

Always prime first if you are covering a darker colour.
Use masking tape to cover the trim, remove all plug and light switch plates then paint the edges of the room (where the wall meets the trim, ceiling etc). with a brush. When you have gone all the way around, use a roller to cover the wall.
Two coats with the roller will give you a smooth finish.

Answer 7

Interior painting is a very good do-it-yourself project. You will want to gather some tools:

Brushes
Paint Roller & roller pan
Ladder or step stool where you can reach ceiling
Blue masking tape
Plastic drop cloths

Buy latex paint which smells less and can be cleaned up with water. Get good paint and decided if you want semi-gloss or not. (paint store can help with that)

Move your furniture and cover everything to avoid paint spills.

Have fun!

Answer 8

If you have a Home Depot or Lowe's around, ask the people in the paint department. It may be better to go on a weekend bucause even though it's busier, you will have a better chance of getting someone who knows what they're talking about. And, it's sometimes fun to compare ideas with other people standing around waiting for their paint!

Answer 9

Hi...

There's a site I bookmarked the other day with all kinds of interior painting information on it, with tips on everything from regular painting to choosing colors to faux finishing. I found all the information I needed for my painting project there.

http://www.how-to-faux-finish.com

Best of luck.

Answer 10

IF YOU DO IT YOURSELF, BE SURE TO TAPE OFF ANYTHING YOU DO NOT WANT PAINTED AND PUT A DROP CLOTH DOWN SO U DON'T GET IT ON THE FLOOR. YOU SHOULD GO TO THE PAINT STORE AND GET COLOR SWATCHES THAT ARE CLOSE TO WHAT U WANT AND THEN HAND THEM ON THE WALL, SOMETIMES PAINT LOOKS DIFFERENT WHEN ITS NOT IN THE FLO RECENT LIGHTS AND U WANT TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T APPEAR DIFFERENT AT YOUR HOME. DON'T BE AF AID OF COLOR! MAKE SURE YOU SPEND A LITTLE ON A GOOD PAINT BRUSH, PURDY IS A GOOD BRAND, FOR DOING CORNERS AND EDGES. ONE MORE THING DON'T BE AFRAID! HAVE FUN!