If you have been stuck inside for the last year during a global lockdown, you’ll be thinking about how you can liven up your home’s interior and make it feel like new again. Well, we’ve got you covered!
Read on for the ultimate guide to picture-perfect interior painting.
Part 1: What Is Interior House Painting?
Interior house painting is the process of painting the inside of a building. This can be done either by applying paint onto the surface or by creating patterns.
Painting the interior of your house is considered one of the most tedious jobs for homeowners. It often involves a lot more attention to detail than exterior or commercial painting jobs.
Why Should I Paint My Home’s Interior?
The benefits of interior house painting are plenty, and it’s what you need to make your home feel like new again. It’s a quick fix for interior decorating, and as long as you know what you are doing, it’s quick and easy to do yourself. The best part is that you can choose whatever colour scheme or design style you want.
Here are some more benefits of painting your interior:
Your Interior Will Be New Again
If you have had a devastating flood or a house fire or want to give your home some “new life”, there is no better way to do it than painting the inside of your home. With professional help from a painter trained in restoring your home interior as close to new as possible, you can enjoy your home in comfort once again.
Add Colour to Your Home
Interior house painting is the perfect way to add colourful accents to your home without spending a lot of money on new decor.
You Get to Choose What Colour Scheme Fits Your Home
It’s crucial to pick a suitable colour scheme for your home because it will make or break your home’s look. This is most true when you want to sell your home.
If you are going to paint the interior but aren’t sure what colour scheme to choose, here are some fun colour combinations that often work well with homes: blues and beige, black and white, reds and yellows, green and pink, and pinks and turquoise.
These schemes are easy on the eyes and fit about any interior design style you could think of!
Change How Your Home Feels for the Better
You can change the feel of your home by changing the colour scheme of your interior. If you have a more modern look, you can choose a colour scheme with that style.
If you want to go with a traditional look, you can use colours to make the space feel cosy and welcoming. This will also make it easier to sell your home. Interior house painting gives your house a refreshing new look and adds value if you are wanting to sell!
It’s an Affordable Option
Interior house painting provides quick and easy decorating without spending large amounts of money on expensive carpet or furniture. It’s a quick and easy fix, and it gives your home a whole new look without breaking the bank.
If you want to mix the look of old with the look of contemporary and avoid spending a lot of money, this is it!
You Can Add a Personal Touch to Your Home
Creating a personal touch to your home by painting it yourself will make your home look like a unique space. This is an inexpensive option and will make your home more inviting and cosy. However, paint with care, or you may end up worse off.
You might want to seek professional advice before beginning so that you do not cause damage to your home. Furthermore, if you are painting a room with a wood floor, be careful not to paint over the wood finish. Cover your flooring before you start painting.
Now you’ve decided your house needs sprucing up, let’s take a look at the paints themselves to make sure you’re getting it right the first time. Don’t waste valuable time and money having to repaint walls over and over again because you’ve chosen the wrong type of paint.
Part 2: What Kind of Paint Do I Need?
In New Zealand, these are the main types of paint you can buy for painting inside your home:
Water-Based Paints: These paints are the standard used in the industry now, and the ones you’ll need for decorating your house. They’re suitable for painting most surfaces. Water-based paints are very durable and long-lasting.
They’re also the easiest to clean up after, which makes the whole process a lot quicker. The paints come in a vast array of colours, so there’s something for everyone.
Here are some more detailed examples of the types of paints and their best use cases:
Low Sheen: This is a water-based paint. It’s ideal for painting walls and other flat surfaces. Low sheen paints are also easy to clean, so they’re suitable for painting kids rooms and kitchens. This paint has a very low lustre, making it perfect for bedrooms and living areas. The low sheen makes them washable, while not being too ‘shiny’ it shows all imperfections.
Semi-Gloss: Despite being water-based, it gives off an oil-like finish that’s slightly shiny. It can be used for painting walls and ceilings, but semi-gloss works best in high-traffic areas and is perfect for skirting boards, door frames, window liners, and doors. Semi-gloss water-based paints make your house look neat, clean and tidy. They are also easier to clean.
Gloss: Gloss is what painters call a high sheen paint. It’s can be used on skirting boards and mantels. Gloss paint works best on skirting boards, windows and doors. Although they offer a slightly better ability to wash, they also show any imperfections clearly, due to the high level of gloss. Also, because of the high levels of sheen, a less is more approach is better with gloss paint.
Matt: Matt paints have no lustre at all. They’re usually used for painting ceilings as light reflects differently from ceilings and they don’t distract from other features in the room. Matt paints are best for walls with imperfections. The lack of reflection from lighting helps disguise any blemishes in the plastering.
Super Hide: Super Hide is a medium-sheen paint that’s also ideal for painting medium to high traffic areas. Some people call it a drop sheet because it can hide imperfections in your floors and surfaces. It’s also effortless to clean up after and dries fast with no sticky residue left behind.
Undercoat: Undercoat is used before painting walls and ceilings. If you are planning on repainting your house, it’s vital to use an undercoat first so that the topcoat applies correctly. While the primer is considered a form of undercoat, other paints are also used as undercoats, especially when you need to paint a wall a different colour. They may need several layers to create an even base coat.
Primer: Primer is used to seal your surfaces so that the paint will stick to textures such as bare timber. It is essential that the correct primer is used for the job.
Blockers: Blockers are used for preventing the spread of stain, smoke, odour and mould in the home. They’re ideal for use around windows and doors. Blockers are great for making sure mould doesn’t spread to other areas of your house.
Choosing Your Interior Paint Colours
There are thousands of different colours to get you started, but you will find it easier to group them based on their uses and looks. This will help you narrow down your choices before you make a final decision.
White: White is the best colour for interior walls and many other colours. White can work with almost anything else as a complementary colour for furniture or artwork. It’s also appropriate for all kinds of rooms and the most neutral choice.
Beige: Beige is a neutral colour that’s often used in smaller rooms instead of white. Beige is less drastic than white and can merge well with most colours, making it the right choice if your room is painted in several different colours. It works well in a modern, minimalist setting.
Purple: Purple is the most popular choice for hallways and creative spaces. The colour looks vibrant and magnificent, but it’s harder to pair with other colours in the room. It can be a little edgy and daring, but purple is one of the best ways you can make a bold statement.
Blue: Blue is an excellent choice for living rooms or kitchens because it can make these rooms look very warm. Many people prefer blue to purple for their interior paint colours. Blue is also a popular colour in bathrooms due to the colour association with the sky and sea.
Green: Darker shades of green are best-suited to larger spaces as they offer a more calming effect on people. Suppose you’re considering painting your interior walls green. In that case, choose a more neutral shade because it can clash with some couches and furniture. It’s the most popular colour for newborns due to its calming effects.
Brown: Brown is not as famous as other paint colours because of how our minds associate the colour with dirt and dust. There are many brown shades available, which can be as decorative as different colours. Still, it’s best to stick to light browns for all-white rooms or dark browns for larger spaces or darker rooms.
Red: Red is a stunning choice for living room walls as it will help improve your mood, and you’ll be more upbeat. However, you must choose an appropriate shade of red because it won’t look good with all furniture or accessories. Darker shades look great with darker furniture, while lighter shades look great paired with more delicate coloured couches and cabinets.
Red can command people’s attention, making it great for any room with activity – Games rooms and personal gyms do well with red walls. In comparison to the other colours, it has a more intense level of dominance and power.
However, this can also be seen as aggressive due to its intuitive association with danger. So don’t overuse reds in your living spaces.
Yellow: Yellow is also another excellent mood uplifter that can make any living room feel very fresh and vibrant. However, to avoid looking too old and dated, choose a light yellow shade for all-white rooms while something more dynamic for darker coloured rooms.
Black: Black isn’t as bad for interior design as most people would have you think. It looks great with any colour and brings life by giving the room a more sleek and sophisticated look. Depending on what type of furniture you choose, black can look great if it is paired with white or white accessories.
Pink: Aside from gender stereotypes, pink is most useful in a busy environment – more subtle pink hues in particular. It is the most comfortable colour to distinguish from others, and pink is known to engage children’s minds. It also works well in a work environment as it does not have the harshness of other colours.
Interior Paint Ideas and Tips
If you’re not a natural interior designer, getting your colour schemes right is very daunting. It can, in fact, deter many people from painting their interior. If you don’t know what colours are best, bring a friend or family member involved along with that you trust to help choose which paints you’ll need.
Or, if you can afford the extra outlay, hire an interior designer to offer professional advice. It may be expensive at first, but if they can reinvent your house on a budget, they’ll be worth every penny. Plus, it takes the pressure off you so you can relax and not have to worry about getting the paint precisely right.
Without further ado, here are some steps for getting your interior paints right the first-time:
Getting the Right Shade: It’s easy to underestimate how much effect changing one shade of colour can have on your interior design, so choose with care! The first thing you should do is try light shades in your room before moving onto darker shades. In the end, you will find that lighter shades will brighten your room up, which in turn makes it look larger and more spacious.
Use a Colour Wheel: Colour wheels aren’t for walls alone, but they’ll also help you pair up your furniture for the most significant impact. For example, if the room’s goal is to provide drama, then opposite colours on the wheel, such as red and green, work well together. Or you might choose to go for analogous colours next to each other, such as blue and green, for a more subtle effect.
Getting the Rooms to Merge: If you have two rooms on the same wall, such as a bedroom and bathroom, then you’ll need to merge their final look for them to fit together. Don’t use two different colours, or one room will look smaller. Choose a soft white shade for both rooms and then use drapes or furniture to give the rooms a softer feel.
Painting Effects: Painting effects such as the Porters Paint range can make a small room appear larger or add an extra touch to your living space. You can use it to hide a door or wall, for example, and give it a more decorative edge. Polka dots are fun and trendy, so they’re great if you want to brighten up your walls with the younger generation.
Mottled is also a practical choice for small spaces. This pattern can give your wall a more organic feel. It also helps to hide imperfections when painting your walls, and it will be sure to stand out when it’s paired with other colours.
Finalising Paint Colours: Here’s an excellent tip for choosing the right paint colour for your rooms. Go to your local paint shop, pick up a few of the same shades you had in mind, and put them on your wall.
Allow these colours to dry before making your final decision. You will find that some colours look better on the walls than others, and you will be more inclined to choose one that looks good in the room rather than looking nice on its own.
Part 3: What Essential Tools Do I Need?
For a paint job in general, all that is required is a brush and roller. This depends on the size of your project, though. Here are some of the many different tools used for interior house painting:
Paint Brushes: Brushes are the most basic and essential tool for interior painting. Generally, they are used to ‘cut’ in around corners and lines, such as walls and ceilings. They can also be used for decorating smaller surfaces such as doors and windows.
You can also get brushes in various types, such as rollers designed to save time on larger areas. They are one item where you should not try to save money, buy quality brushes!
Paint Roller: A roller is an essential part of your kit, it will allow you to apply paint over large areas in an even coat. They come in different sizes, and although getting the biggest may sound quicker, than can be heavy and hard to control once full of paint.
Dropcloth: Dropcloths protect your floor and furnishings from paint. A sheet is all that is needed to protect your surfaces from paint splatters on your valuable furniture.
Paint Sprayer: This is a professional piece of equipment by comparison and works as its name suggests. The paint is sprayed by compressing the paint under very high pressures out of a small tip. This reduces completion time for painting the house’s interior because there is no need to use rollers or brushes to apply paint. It’s swift and easy to use, especially for smaller projects like furniture pieces or intricate walls and ceilings. You do need to spend some time masking up before you start.
Masking Films: While a paint sprayer may be a great time-saver, you will still need to cover the areas that require protection from paint splatters. That’s where masking films are helpful, as they keep the paint job tidy.
Painter’s Tape: Painter’s tape is an excellent tool for creating straight lines on your wall or ceiling. Use painter’s tape and measure the appropriate lines before painting them.
Texture Sprayer: If you need a textured finish, this tool is also known as a “crackle effect” gun. The sprayer uses compressed air to create random cracks in your finished product. You can use the cracks for decorative purposes or create a textured finish by overlapping the spray to give it more of a rustic look.
Knee Pads: These are optional, but they may help make your job easier, especially if you are older or have any underlying health conditions.
Part 4: How to Paint Your Interior
Now you have got all the tools and paints ready; it’s time to begin painting! Here are a few tips before you get stuck in, making sure there is nothing you might have missed:
Keep Stock of Your Tools: The one thing you need to remember when painting your interior is working with a vast surface area. This means that your brushes will need a thorough cleaning after each use. You don’t want your paint to dry on your brush. Otherwise, you’ll have to use a new paintbrush and throw the old one away. Maintain a tidy worksite!
Protecting Your Flooring: You should always make sure floor covering is protected when painting. Even if you don’t think you will make a mess, chances are you’ll knock a tub of paint over instead, and for many, painting the floor isn’t intentional.
Wear Suitable Clothing: If you are painting in the house, wear old clothes you don’t mind getting paint on. Wear long, sturdy trousers rather than jeans or shorts, and make sure there is nothing that will cause you to slip or trip over anything.
Prepare Your Room: You must prepare your surface before painting. Start by making sure all furniture and other items in the room are cleared from the area and that there is no clutter or solid objects nearby. Make sure no dust or dirt will get stuck in your paint as it could scratch the surface.
Keep Your Home Well-Ventilated: Whatever you are painting and at any time of the year, make sure your home is well-ventilated. If you can, paint with the windows open in the individual room and the doors shut to avoid any fume leakage.
Although paints are much less toxic than they used to be, they can still give off an unpleasant smell that makes some homeowners feel ill. So it’s good practice to make sure you’re ventilating the room for everyone’s own health.
Be Mindful of Weather: It might be tempting to paint your house on the hottest day of the year if nobody is inside because it’s the only chance you’ll get. This is no different whether you are painting your roof or inside your house.
But not only are you putting your health at risk, but there is also a good chance the paint will dry too fast, and you’ll find yourself watching paint dry with a patchy wall.
Likewise, suppose you’re painting a room in low temperatures where you can’t open a window (but have an HVAC system to ventilate the space). In that case, you might find that the air circulation affects the drying process and that paint too, will leave a blotchy effect.
Turn off Your Utility Supplies: Depending on the task at hand, it’s good practice to turn off the relevant utility while you’re painting the room. Removing light switches and fixtures instead of painting around them will give you a clean finish to your walls and ceilings.
Still, it will also give you an electric shock if you do not take the correct safety precautions. So be careful and mindful of the task at hand.
Part 5: How to Paint Your Home
As a general rule, work top-down. The laws of gravity mean it’s inevitable you’ll get paint drip. If you paint from the bottom, you’ll have to go back over your paint drips numerous times on the way up to the ceiling, which is inefficient.
Ceiling Painting – Preparation
First, prepare your drop cloths and tape up any outlets. Make sure they’re covered with tape and that you’ve followed any safety procedures necessary if you’ve decided to remove appliances.
Next, you will need to sand the area. Once prepared, wipe off any dirt or dust from the surface of the ceiling. If any cracks are showing, fill them in with a filler mixture and your paint colour.
Ceiling Painting – Technique
Paint your ceiling in neat, clean lines (rather than slapping paint everywhere). Start at the top left of the first wall and work your way to the left until you get to the top, then continue along the next row.
You’ll find this method helps you to get a perfect vertical line on your ceiling without going over it again and again. Continue this way until all of your ceilings are done. You will need to budget time and product to apply two coats of paint.
Wall Painting – Preparation
Find the best way to access the area you are painting. Once you’ve found the best angle to paint the wall, move the furniture out of the way and prepare your drop cloths.
Make sure they overlap each other and rest against the wall. If you have many objects in front of you, use boards or other wood pieces to create a broad base for your drop cloth to sit on.
Before painting each wall, use either painter’s tape or a stencil to mark out square-meter if using a consistent paint pattern. Make sure you pen the edges as well as all four corners. Don’t forget to sand and dust/sponge the wall down for dirt and debris.
Wall Painting – Technique
Now get paint on the roller and begin painting at the top left corner of your wall and work your way down with care until you have finished. Painting the ceiling is very similar to painting the wall, but with one difference.
When working across a row or wall, continue in one direction until you reach the end of that line. Do this before starting on another in that row or wall.
If there are any visible holes or cracks in the wall, fill them in with a filler mixture and your paint colour.
Once you have painted the entire surface with one coat, allow it enough time to dry out (about an hour). Continue this process until you have applied three coats in total.
Interior Floor Painting
Chances are, for the vast majority of people, you won’t be painting floors in your home but instead buying new carpet, tile or laminate flooring.
But there are some situations where painting your floor is an excellent idea. For example, if your hardwood flooring has become chipped and has exposed timber, you are best to apply a fresh coat of paint.
Painting your floor is easier than you would think. Most of the difficulty comes in preparing the surface – for example, removing any old paint, sanding wood, or filling gaps.
There are two methods of the painting you can use: rolling and spraying.
Rolling: Rolling is the more traditional way to paint a floor but requires more effort and time from the painter. Work to a method along one wall, start at the bottom and work your way upwards until you have finished that row of flooring. Then move over to the next one and begin again, working in rows rather than random lines across a room.
You should use at least one paint roller per quart of paint. A roller is much easier than a brush. You can apply multiple coats of paint with it instead of waiting several minutes between each coat.
Spraying: In the spraying method, it is quick and takes less time to paint as you don’t have to worry about where you’ve already applied your last coat.
But the downside is that you cannot do any precision painting. You also need to give your walls a thorough clean and keep them well protected because the overspray will run off and leave marks.
And remember, always start at the furthest point away. Otherwise, you will be decorating your floor with footprints!
Painting Interior Doors – Preparation
Painting your interior doors is often an overlooked task that most homeowners do not often think about until they need to replace their doors. The old ones probably need a new coat!
The key to painting your doors’ interior is making sure they are sanded well and you have a good primer layer first. This helps prevent any future peeling and will help add another layer of protection to the exposed surface. You should also cover up all fixtures, hinges, handles and other hardware with masking tape before starting.
Painting Interior Doors – Technique
Then get painting! Work downwards from the top with care until you reach the bottom, use a roller sleeve with a 4mm nap and a brush to cut around fixtures. If there is a piece of furniture or any other items you want to cover with paint, move them out of the way first.
Check that your doors are dry before removing the tape from the handle, and make sure there are not any paint splatters left where you have been painting. If there are, use a cloth to wipe down the door and clear all residue off it.
Then prime it with another layer of primer paint…and then repaint it! It is essential to leave your door primers long enough so that they dry out. If you wait too long, leaving them in place for too long could leave your door susceptible to cracking or peeling.
Once you have finished priming and painting your door and it looks brand new (you might even change the colour if you were replacing doors to freshen up your home!). All that is left is making sure you give it enough time to dry before replacing any furniture or other items. You can also sand the door a little if there are any rough patches.
Timber Staining
You may decide that you want to keep your internal timber authentic and use it to enhance your interior. For that, you can use a wood stain finishing to bring out the natural properties of the wood. But we recommend a professional decorator for this, especially if it is old timber that’s being treated.
Other Household Items – Home Painting Tips
There is a lot of other household items you can paint, but these are the most common (that aren’t floors, walls, ceilings and doors):
Bunk Beds: Painting your bed to prevent it from getting stained is a great way to add an extra layer of protection. Make sure you use a stain-blocking primer and paint when the bunk bed needs it. You can paint the headboard, footboard, and all sides of the bunk bed using the same technique you use to paint the floor.
Dresser: Painting dressers can give them a fresh, new look without replacing the entire thing. It is also a cheaper alternative to replacing furniture and a great way to brighten up your room. If you are using painted wood, then be sure to make two coats of paint because paint can build up at speed on the unfinished wood.
Kitchen Cabinets: Painting your kitchen cabinets gives a new, fresh look without replacing your cabinet unit altogether. Plus, it is also better for the environment because it uses less plastic! Use a primer and paint when they need it.
Bathroom Cabinets: If you are in the market for a new cabinet, then painting your cabinet unit instead of getting another one is a great way to go! You can remove all the old cabinet hardware and replace them with some new knobs or handles.
Mirrors: Painting your mirrors from scratch is possible if you have got good DIY skills and plenty of time on your hands! The ends of the mirrors will be different colours already but painting around them will help prevent any spills or splashes. Make sure to use a good primer before the first coat of paint.
Picture Frames: Framing your favourite photos and displaying them in your home is a great way to spread some love. Use a good primer before painting so that there is plenty of protection.
Part 6: Cost to Paint Interior of House
The cost of painting inside your house depends on where you live. For the most part, you’ll save yourself money doing the work on your own. And that is great if you have the time or it’s a small job by comparison that might only take up an afternoon at most.
But for the busy working professional, isn’t your time better spent focusing on your talents within your career? By hiring a decorator to do the painting for you, you will get the highest quality finish and free up your time working or spending quality time with your family and friends.
In NZ, painter-decorators can charge between $800 and $2000 for painting a room. Painting a house can take anywhere between 1-4 weeks, depending on the number of rooms that need painting. The price will be dependent on the size of the job, smaller jobs always have a slightly higher price in comparison. This is due to the need to visit multiple times while paint dries.
However, if money is tight, but you still want to redecorate your home, make changes to each room rather than doing everything at once. That way, you can spread your expenses, so it has less impact on your finances.
Interior Painting Adds Value to Your Life
There you have it, the best interior painting tips as well as a range of paint colours to use for each situation. Remember that if your time is precious, it is always best to hire a professional to do the job and make sure you follow their instructions.
If possible, take photos of all your rooms with furniture and items in them before starting so you can remember where they were when you move them back.
If you need someone to paint your house, contact us today and see how much value we can add to your home!