Preparation
You'll need a flat paint brush, a small and angled paint brush, a drop cloth, a bucket, painter's tape, rags, a roller with an extension pole, roller tray, and of course, paint.
Take all the furniture out of the room, or move it all to the center of the room, and cover it with a drop cloth. Cover all the floors, too. Remove switch plates and electrical outlet plates from the walls. Finally, use the tape to cover all trims, electrical outlets, light switches, door knobs, door jambs and window frames - in short, anything you don't want to paint.
Painting
If your walls have previously been painted, especially if the color isn't white or off-white, using primer prepares your walls for more paint, and mutes old colors.
Start with the edges. Take your small, angled brush and carefully paint the two-inch strip next to the ceiling, then down along the corners of the room, and along the baseboards. Then, before the paint dries, saturate your roller with paint and begin painting the letter "W" across the wall: up to the left, down to the right, up to the right, down to the left, and so on. Latex-based paints wipe off with water easily, so use damp rags to wipe mistakes away. Work your way across and down the wall, and finish the entire wall before walking away. Don't let paint dry in the middle of a wall before you finish it, as it will show. Paint a second or even a third coat to completely saturate the walls with new color.
Wait 24 hours before removing tape, and voila, it's a whole new room!
About the Author
Jessica Groach, a new homeowner herself, is a freelance writer and writing instructor at the University of Nevada, Reno. Her work has appeared in various lifestyle and business publications, including a Warner Business Book, and she has seven years’ experience in advertising and television production.
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