What To Avoid When Repainting Your Living Room

by Kayla Keena

Whether it's your living room, family room, great room, or den, there's one room of your house that acts as the central gathering place to relax, watch TV, and simply feel at home. That's why making it look its best is so important for quality of life and resale value. When it comes to a task as great as repainting and redecorating, you can't do it fast, you have to do it right. Here's what to avoid when repainting your living room, from the steps you shouldn't skip to the steps you didn't know you had to take.

Don't Cut Corners on Supplies

From brushes to paints and everything in between, buy the best materials when you redecorate your home. Remember, this isn't just a weekend art project, you're working to improve your everyday living space and perhaps even increase the value of your home. Quality paints applied well are an early investment that always pays off.

Don't Trust Your Mind's Eye

You may have envisioned the perfect color for your living room. You may have even taken a picture on your phone, photoshopped the walls to the color you want, and ordered gallons of paint right away. But just as you wouldn't load up a buffet plate with a food you've never tried, you should also not go all in with a full supply of paint. Pick at least three sample colors, paint your wall with them, and then live with them through both natural and artificial light. Only then will you know you've chosen the right color.

Don't Get Sloppy Around the Edges

Paint drips can ruin molding and window treatments, and getting paint off glass can cost time if not money. Most living rooms feature windows, and before you paint around them, make sure to apply extensive painter's tape and remove all window treatments. Be cautious when it comes to applying tape: it's better to go back and paint the details than to not use enough tape.

Don't Paint Over Wallpaper

If you paint over paint, why not paint over wallpaper? Several reasons including, patterns and seams of the original wallpaper will show through in the sun and the walls will bubble and peel. By the time you realize it was a bad move, the wallpaper will be even harder to take off. If you try to take the easy way out here, you'l never be happy. This kind of corner-cutting is chief among what to avoid when repainting your living room. If you'd rather not strip the wallpaper before you paint, special paper is available to cover up old wallpaper first.

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