Prudence! I want to paint!

[Nephythys]

Ok- so- the house is bought- the boxes and stuff are in-and I am thinking that I want to paint my daughters room first.

Her room is upstairs-southern exposure- large window. Two closets- one with a door, one I plan to hang ribbons or some kind of hanging curtain in (like beads- something fanciful)- she has a ceiling fan, and likes it.

I want to stay true to the fact that she is girlie, but I don't want to put her in a pink box.

Do you have tips? Color, do I paint the ceiling, trims?

You seemed to be the local expert- so I would like to pick your brain!

Thanks!:D

[Ghoulish Delight]

What type of ceiling: Popcorn? Flat? Slightly Textured? If it's popcorn, painting's a little tricky (pretty much requires a spray gun). Otherwise, go ahead and paint it (first), the end result will look much better.

As for trim, you'll want to paint all the trim and doors with sem-gloss paint (wheras you'll want flat on the walls). You can either match it to the room color or, like we did, pick an accent color for contrast.

Go to your local hardware store, start grabbing fistfulls of paint chips. If you've got anything you know is going in the room (curtains, art work), start seeing what colors go with that. And pick up the myriad brochures that should be sitting on the shelves with the paint chips. They are filled with good examples of what kinds of color combinations work.

Get a good primer, it will make doing the color coat much easier. And if you're painting on a surface that previously had a semi-gloss (the trim, for instance, probably does), be sure to sand that BEFORE you put primer on. And don't bother trying to use the blue tape for edging, more trouble than it's worth. Just take your time, develop a steady hand, and keep a small supply of all paint colors around for touchups.

[Motorboat Cruiser]

Sounds like someone with some recent experience. ;)

And by the way, you really did a great job on the bedroom. I was pretty impressed.

[Prudence]

I vote yes on painting the ceiling. If you're doing a light/neutral color, the easiest way to go is to paint the ceiling and walls the same color. So, of course, this is not what I usually do. I like white ceilings, so the separate rooms have white ceilings. (The main living areas were complicated and I had to pay someone so the walls and ceilings are the same.)

My personal preference for wall paint type is eggshell, but that's a matter of personal taste.

If you don't want to do pink, my recommendation would be a very pale (but bright) yellow. That mixes well with lavender, blues, greens, and even some pinks. This goes double if the room gets a lot of light. I know it's a personal preference, but I love my yellow bedroom. It amplifies whatever sun there is outside - which is a necessity where I live. And seriously, everything goes with it.

As for ceiling line - if the wall color is light enough you don't really notice the slight little blips. At least not if you're short. Otherwise, I'm pretty sure that's the true purpose of crown moulding. However, if you just have one teensy little spot to touch up, secret index card use #257 is to hold the index card edge firmly perpendicular to the surface you're touching up and lightly dab with a small brush.

TMI alert: If you're home alone, painting naked speeds personal cleanup.

Do it all at once - or over one weekend. And do the closets now, not later. I like to paint the closets white if it's feasible because it helps the contents stand out more and doesn't throw oddly tinted shadows on things.

No one will care if you get a little white paint on the base of a white ceiling fixture. No one will see it until you sell and those new owners get on a ladder to paint the ceiling, and by then it will be too late for them to complain.

Colors will be darker than they seem. No matter how much you try to allow for this, they will still be darker. Also, lighting can change the way a color appears on your walls. (One of my bedrooms is green or yellow, depending on whether it's natural light or the overhead light.) *IF* you can get a sample of actual paint, it might be worth it to test what it actually looks like on the wall. Some places will do this.

If you do like they recommend and put some of your left over paint in a jar it will make touch ups easier than if you have to root in the garage through half-empty cans of paint, but I still don't do it.

Do record the color, though.

[Nephythys]

I vote yes on painting the ceiling. If you're doing a light/neutral color, the easiest way to go is to paint the ceiling and walls the same color. So, of course, this is not what I usually do. I like white ceilings, so the separate rooms have white ceilings. (The main living areas were complicated and I had to pay someone so the walls and ceilings are the same.)

LOL- I may leave the ceilings white. Just paint the walls and change it as she gets older.

My personal preference for wall paint type is eggshell, but that's a matter of personal taste.

What is eggshell, and what other kinds are there?

If you don't want to do pink, my recommendation would be a very pale (but bright) yellow. That mixes well with lavender, blues, greens, and even some pinks. This goes double if the room gets a lot of light. I know it's a personal preference, but I love my yellow bedroom. It amplifies whatever sun there is outside - which is a necessity where I live. And seriously, everything goes with it.

Yellow might work- but I lived in yellow rooms for the last 11 years (well, 10, I painted my room cranberry and creme with a double roller) But I will check it out with her-

As for ceiling line - if the wall color is light enough you don't really notice the slight little blips. At least not if you're short. Otherwise, I'm pretty sure that's the true purpose of crown moulding. However, if you just have one teensy little spot to touch up, secret index card use #257 is to hold the index card edge firmly perpendicular to the surface you're touching up and lightly dab with a small brush.

Crown moulding- bit much for the room I am doing. Thanks for the tip though-

TMI alert: If you're home alone, painting naked speeds personal cleanup.

:eek: LOL that's great.

Do it all at once - or over one weekend. And do the closets now, not later. I like to paint the closets white if it's feasible because it helps the contents stand out more and doesn't throw oddly tinted shadows on things.

Her closets are white. I am inclined to a lighter wall color with a darker accent for the trim.

Colors will be darker than they seem. No matter how much you try to allow for this, they will still be darker. Also, lighting can change the way a color appears on your walls. (One of my bedrooms is green or yellow, depending on whether it's natural light or the overhead light.) *IF* you can get a sample of actual paint, it might be worth it to test what it actually looks like on the wall. Some places will do this.

If you do like they recommend and put some of your left over paint in a jar it will make touch ups easier than if you have to root in the garage through half-empty cans of paint, but I still don't do it.

Do record the color, though.

Thanks! I think I am going to go look on Wednesday- maybe paint her room on Saturday. The other rooms may take longer-

Do I always have to prime? Even if someone went through and painted everything a new coat of white?