Whether you’ve just moved in or you’ve decided to give you living room a brand new look and feel, red paint is a simple and easy way to bring a splash of vibrant color into your home.We wanted to paint our home’s living room and dining room the same exact shade of red that Joey’s mom had in her house growing up. In four easy steps, you can have the red living room that you’ve been dreaming about.
Step 1: Choose Your Red
You already know that you want to paint your living room red. However, you’ll need to decide color red you want. Some reds are darker, some have more of an orange tint, and some are more muted. Wall paint also comes in a number of finishes, so you’ll need to decide whether you want a flat, satin, semi-gloss or gloss finish.
There are many ways to choose your exact red color. Your local paint store will have swatches of all the options that each paint brand has for your desired color that you can bring home. Attach the swatches to your wall with painters tape and take a step back to make sure that the color works with your room. You can even test the swatches against your furniture to make sure that it doesn’t clash.
Many paint companies have small sample cans that can be purchased once you’ve narrowed down your paint choices. These give you enough paint to test out the color on a portion of your wall so you can get an idea of what the room will look like.
Step 2: Prep the Room
Once you’ve chosen your red, you’ll need to prep the room for painting. Remove all the furniture that can be moved, and cover any remaining pieces with drop cloths. You’ll also want to put a tarp down that covers your entire carpet to keep any paint from getting all over the floor.
If you are painting walls that have been previously painted, you’ll need to wash them and remove any loose paint with a piece of sandpaper. Next, you’ll need to remove any dust resulting from sanding with a cloth. If your walls have any holes or dents, these can be filled with spackle. Once walls are dry, excess spackle can be removed with another round of sanding and dust-removal.
Apply painters tape around the edges of the ceiling, door and window frames, and any crown molding or trim. The tape will help you maintain a straight paint edge without accidentally getting paint where it shouldn’t go.
Step 3: Apply Primer
Adding paint primer will create a watertight seal on your wall. Primer will also create an even surface for the paint to bind to, which will let the paint dry properly and will give your wall a professional look when dry.
Step 4: Time to Paint
When painting, always make sure that the room is well-ventilated.
First, paint a two-inch strip of red on a single wall where it meets the ceiling and any trim. With a roller, immediately paint over this strip to keep the paint from drying. In order to keep your walls from having a “striped” look when the paint dries, run the roller both up and down and from side to side to give the wall an even look. Paint one wall at a time continuing in this fashion. If you need to give your wall a second coat of paint, make sure that the first coat is completely dry before continuing.
Enjoy Your Vibrant Living Room
Whether the color red that you’ve chosen is a rich, comfy burgundy or a bright, vibrant fire-engine red, your new living room will offer and inviting space both for your family and your guests.