Transforming your kitchen or bathroom with just one ingredient may seem impossible. However, there is one versatile ingredient that can make a dramatic impact on the look and feel of these important rooms in your home. This magical ingredient is paint. With the right color choice and application technique, paint can utterly revamp your kitchen or bath. Let’s explore how this one decorating ingredient can create a whole new aesthetic for your home.
Choosing the Perfect Paint Color
Choosing a paint color may seem simple, but it requires careful thought. The shade you select can shift the entire mood and style of your space.
Consider the Room’s Purpose
Keep in mind how you utilize the room when selecting a hue. Kitchens are hubs of activity, so energetic reds, sunny yellows, and playful greens make sense here. Bathrooms are retreats, so soothing blues, tranquil greens, and peaceful grays suit these spaces.
Complement Architectural Features
Take note of special details like ceiling beams, tile backsplashes, or antique hardware. Choose a color that highlights these elements rather than competing with them. Soft neutrals like pale gray allow unique features to take center stage.
Factor in Natural Lighting
The direction your room faces impacts how paint colors appear. North-facing rooms with cool light can handle bold shades without appearing too dark. South-facing rooms with warm light call for cooler hues to prevent a fiery glow.
Consider Adjoining Rooms
View your kitchen or bath as part of a cohesive whole. Coordinate the color palette with adjoining rooms for a harmonious flow. Benjamin Moore’s Affinity paint line includes complementary collections to simplify coordination.
Collect Inspiration Samples
Gather fabric swatches, pottery shards, and photos of hues you love. Bring these to the paint store to narrow the millions of options to a focused selection. Hardware stores also provide free paint sample chips.
Test Samples on Walls
Paint large swatches of your top choices on the walls. Observe how natural and artificial light changes them throughout the day before finalizing your decision. Extra coats on samples will better indicate the real tone.
Paint Sheen for each Space
Paint comes in a variety of sheens suited for different rooms. Here are top sheen recommendations for kitchens and baths:
Kitchen Sheen
Kitchens require wipeable paints that withstand cooking splatters and active kids.
- Eggshell: Provides a soft glow with moderate durability. Great for low-traffic kitchens.
- Satin: Delivers a smooth, pearl-like surface that stands up to messes. Ideal for high-use kitchens.
- Semi-Gloss: Offers a shiny, easy-clean finish. Perfect for accident-prone spaces or kids’ rooms.
Bathroom Sheen
From steamy showers to daily grooming, bathrooms need durable moisture-resistant paints.
- Eggshell: Gives a subtle sheen with some moisture resistance. Useful on vanities or hallways.
- Satin: Provides a scrubbable, velvety finish. Ideal on all bathroom surfaces.
- Semi-Gloss: Creates a glossy water-repellent film. Great for tiled walls and high humidity areas.
Prepping Surfaces for Painting
Proper prep prevents peeling. Follow these key steps to ready your surfaces for paint:
Clean Thoroughly
Remove all grease, soap residue, dust, and grime. Tackle any mold or mildew buildup. Degreasers, TSP substitutes, and bleach cleaners prepare properly.
Repair Imperfections
Fix chips, cracks, holes, and loose caulking. Use spackle or lightweight drywall compound for small repairs. Sand smoothed areas before painting.
Remove Outlets and Switchplates
Taking off outlets and switchplates allows full coverage behind them. Label plates to reinstall correctly. Turn off power before removing.
Fill Any Gaps
Seal gaps where walls meet cabinets, trim, and ceilings with acrylic caulk. Smooth with a wet finger for an invisible look. Let dry completely.
Scuff Glossy Surfaces
De-gloss previously painted walls, cabinets, and trim so new paint adheres well. Lightly sand surfaces or degloss with liquid sandpaper.
Prime Bare Spots
Coat any unpainted drywall patches, repaired spots, or exposed wood with primer before painting. Use stain-blocking primer for covering dark colors.
Application Tips and Tricks
Applying paint skillfully yields polished results. Follow these techniques for a flawless painted finish:
Use High-Quality Supplies
Invest in premium paintbrushes with soft natural or nylon bristles. Choose the right roller nap for your finish; smoother walls need shorter naps.
Prep Brushes and Rollers
New brushes often shed stray bristles, so wash them before starting. Lightly dampen rollers so paint doesn’t get absorbed too fast.
Use Paint Trays and Liners
Pour paint into paint trays then line with plastic to prevent staining. Fold liners over edges for neater painting and disposal.
Load Paint Evenly
Dip just 1/3 of the brush or roller into paint so it’s evenly saturated but not dripping. Tap off excess paint on the tray edges.
Apply Using V- and W-Strokes
Use V strokes when cutting in edges with a brush. Make W strokes when rolling for even coverage without visible lines.
Blend as You Go
Blend each section as you go back over areas where wet and dried paint meet. Roll over trim and overlapping walls to fuse colors.
Paint Ceilings First
Paint ceilings first so drips fall onto walls and are covered as you continue. Use flat paint on ceilings to hide imperfections.
Paint Cabinets by Section
Paint cabinets one section at a time. Do doors and drawers separately to avoid dripped edges. Let each coat dry before adding more.
Give it Time to Dry
Allow at least 2-4 hours drying time between coats. Test paint readiness by touching gently with a knuckle.
Refinishing Kitchen Cabinets
Replacing kitchen cabinets is extremely costly. Luckily a fresh coat of paint allows you to transform the look of your existing cabinetry. Follow this process:
Remove Cabinet Doors and Drawers
Detach all hardware, doors, and drawers. Remove doors/drawers in one frame at a time to prevent mix-ups.
Clean Surfaces Thoroughly
Use TSP substitute to remove grease and grime. For glossy cabinets, scuff surfaces with 220-grit sandpaper so paint adheres.
Fill Any Holes and Dents
Fill indentations and drill holes with wood filler, let dry fully, then sand smooth. Wipe away all dust.
Prime and Paint
Apply 1-2 coats of high-adhesion primer formulated for slick surfaces like cabinets. Let dry then paint with cabinet enamel.
Paint Inside Cabinet Frames
Lay cabinet boxes flat to paint inside surfaces. Use small foam rollers and angled brushes to reach corners.
Reinstall Hardware and Doors
Once fully dry, attach freshly painted doors, drawers, and hardware. Bumpers help doors shut softly. Enjoy the transformation!
Updating Tile in the Bathroom
Retiling a bathroom provides a fast facelift but requires heavy-duty tools and skills. Painting tile offers dramatic results with much less time and money invested. Here’s a DIY guide to paint bathroom tile:
Clean and Dry Tile
Scrub away all soap scum, hard water deposits, and mildew from tile and grout lines using cleansers or bleach. Let dry fully.
Repair Grout Lines
Re-grout any cracked or missing grout. Let dry completely. Use painter’s tape to protect adjacent areas like bathtubs.
Roughen Glossy Tile
For shiny tile, lightly scuff the surface with 150-grit sandpaper. This helps the paint adhere properly. Remove dust.
Apply Adhesion Coat
Brush on a thin layer of primer formulated for tile and glass. This provides extra grip for the paint. Let dry.
Apply Color with Small Roller
Dip a 3/8″ foam mini roller into paint and roll onto tile surface. Apply 2-3 thin coats rather than one thick one.
Remove Tape and Rinse
Carefully remove all painter’s tape before paint fully dries. Rinse the tile well to remove dust nibs after 24 hours drying.
Helpful Painting Tools
Stock your tool kit with these handy gadgets to simplify painting projects:
- Paint Pens: Allow touch-ups on corners and edges without taping off areas.
- Paint Edger: Creates perfectly painted ceilings and trim without taping.
- Paint Tray Liners: Prevent stains and speed cleanup. Dispose rather than wash trays.
- Angled Paint Brushes: Help paint corners and edges in tight spaces like behind cabinets.
- Paint Pour Spouts: Attach to paint cans for neater pouring and roller loading.
- Mini Paint Rollers: Are perfect for painting cabinets, furniture, and trim.
- Painters Pyramids: Keep doors propped open while painting their edges.
- Paint Stir Sticks: Blend paint smoothly without introduing air bubbles.
FAQs
How long does it take paint to dry?
With proper ventilation, most paint dries to the touch in 1-2 hours. Wait at least 24 hours between coats. Allow 2-4 weeks for paint to fully cure and become washable.
What is the difference between satin and semi-gloss paint?
Satin offers a smooth, pearl-like finish with some sheen. Semi-gloss has a high-shine, reflective surface. Satin works well for most rooms while super-glossy semi-gloss suits bathrooms and kitchens.
Should you paint kitchen cabinets before or after installing them?
Paint cabinets before installing for easiest access to all sides. If updating cabinets in an existing kitchen, remove doors and drawers before painting.
How do you paint over existing tile?
Thoroughly clean tile then lightly scuff to help paint adhere. Use a small foam roller and thin coats of tile primer followed by paint formulated for tile, glass and metal.
Should you paint ceilings flat or satin?
Choose flat paint for ceilings as it hides imperfections well. The non-reflective finish keeps shine and imperfections from being noticeable. Use satin, eggshell, or semi-gloss on walls and trim.
Can you use regular wall paint on cabinets?
For best results on cabinets, use paint specifically formulated for cabinetry. Cabinet paints provide extra adhesion and hardness to withstand daily wear.
Conclusion
Though it may seem simple, paint offers transformative potential for kitchens, bathrooms, and entire homes. Strategically selecting complementary hues, proper sheens, and smart applicators allows paint to refresh and invigorate your most important living spaces. With this versatile ingredient on hand, you can reinvent the aesthetic of any room.
