How should we paint the living room?

Question

Our living room is so gloomy and seems so small when it's actually pretty big. We thought we might would paint it, but it's paneling. Would it still look ok if we painted it? And if it did then what color should we paint it to make it seem brighter and bigger?

Answer 1

Depends on the condition of the paneling as to how it will look. I have done it many times. With proper care and prep, and with the proper paint, it will look great.
I suggest cleaning the paneling with TSP first. Then if the joints are noticeable, fill them with Poly Seam Seal caulking, "suggest clear, it goes on white and dries clear. Use caulking gun. Place a small bead in the joint and press it in, then take a wet rag going cross the seam, clean all off but what is in the joint. Also run a bead along the ceiling and the baseboard. This will eliminate any black/crack lines after it is finished. Wet your finger and slightly concave the caulking, {{It doesn't take much. cut the end of the tube spout with approx. 1/8" hole, cut on an angle of approx. 45 degrees or more.}} Let this try over night.
Prime the wall using a good PVA primer. Use a short napped roller [preferrably a short nap lambs wool roller. Doesn't leave threads of the nap behind] and immediately brush out the paint removing the roller marks. Let this dry overnight. Finish coat. Use a good acrylic latex enamel. Suggest satin for low luster. Apply the same as the sealer. Don't scrimp on the price of paint. The best gives the best results. Paint the walls an off white. May take two coats. I prefer a frost white or Navajo white. Stay in the warm zones, Blue hues are cold red hues are warm. Add the color with your furnishings.
This will make the room appear four feet wider and deeper. Dark colored paneling takes out approx. two feet of depth to the eye.
Also use a good bristle brush, Suggest one flat 3" and one 2 1/2 " cutting brush. These are not cheap however will leave good results. The brushes will last for many years if you clean them properly and put back into their sheaths after each use. Also the roller bonnet will last a long time if cleaned properly. Have fun.
Hisemiester

Answer 2

hisemies has great suggestions if your paneling is in good shape and mostly even. I've dealt with paneling that wasn't so even - one panel being slightly higher than the next and that type of thing. Trying to smooth it all out would've been more work than it was worth.

My sister gave me an idea that she used on some severely damaged drywall at her house. Apply drywall joint compound with a trowel into all of the grooves of the paneling. Let it dry 12-24 hrs and repeat to get them filled well. (As the first application dries it will sink into the groove a bit so it needs to filled again)

Next, apply more joint compound in sort of criss-cross strokes. You don't need to cover all the wall, just enough to give it texture. Let it dry about 24 hrs and prime/paint it. The texture will hide a lot of unevenness and damage.

You can also stir the paint right into the joint compound and trowel it onto the wall a little heavier so it does cover all the wall. Let it dry and it's done.

To decide which color you want I suggest you check out a couple of episodes of Get Color on HGTV. I love the designer, she explains how colors relate to one another and how to pick colors.

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/episode_archive/0,1783,HGTV_21257_496,00.html

Answer 3

I just finished painting my master bedroom. It had 1 long paneled wall, so I painted it the same as the others. Looks fine. Go to lowe's.com & use the virtual painter. You can paint sample rooms hundreds of colors & see what works best for your room before you paint.

Answer 4

paneling looks fine painted, you might consider caulking or mudding your seams and Spackle the nail holes. Prime with an oil primer preferably an odorless, Zinsser makes a good one and get it tinted to your finish color. Greens are coming back again and look nice so a light green and a nice creamy white for your trim, it's not a stark white it's got a yellowish creamy tint to it I think it'll look sweet. Good luck Les the painter

Answer 5

well its always good to paint the panels a great light color something in the light tans and yellows. but make sure it goes with your furniture, then your room will be looking great.

Answer 6

At my parents house they had paneling that was painted like a peach color, so I can personally say, don't paint your living room peach!

Answer 7

yes you can paint paneling and if you did it a light color first use a primer........and yes it would look brighter and bigger

Answer 8

Maybe you should paint it a light blue or yellow. Buy some new furniture, too!

Answer 9

The contractor below is right! Yellow is beautiful the right color yellow and trim in high gloss white. Beautiful!