We’re back with Part Two of our mini-renovation series (Part 1: Holiday Mini-Renovations: Sprucing up Kitchens, Baths, Grout, and Cabinets), helping you spruce up your home before Thanksgiving and Christmas even when there is no time for the full renovation you’ve been planning. Now that you’re counters and cabinets are clean and shining, you may be noticing the scuff marks or dated colors on your walls. Well it may be time for a fresh coat of paint to warm up your home this season. Painting is an easy (and fun) fix that anyone can do without breaking the bank or investing tons of time. Here’s how to get started.

Choose the right room

Creating an accent wall with paint can be a quick way to add life to a room. This wall in an entry adds depth and drama.

If you are hosting Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner this year and want to inject some new life into your home before the guests arrive, consider carefully which room you want to paint. You may not want to spend your time repainting the guest room if your guests are not traveling and staying over. If you plan to host a traditional seated dinner using the best dishes, the dining room might be the right choice. If your family and friends are more casual, congregating in the kitchen or around the TV watching football, repainting your den or kitchen might make more sense.

Consider carefully how you use your spaces throughout the year and at holiday time. If you have narrowed your choices down to a select few, consider the condition of the walls and the intricacy of painting. When choosing between two rooms ask these questions:

• How big are the rooms?
• Are there lots of cabinets and countertops to paint around?
• What is the molding like?
• How easy will it be to move the furniture?

You may decide not to paint an entire room at all, but choose to paint one wall of a room as an accent. This is a great way to inject a little new life into a room without revamping your entire color scheme.

Choose the right color

Once you’ve decided on the room to paint, you’ll need to choose the right color. Perhaps you like the color you originally selected for the room, but just want to clean up the walls with a fresh coat of paint. This is a great solution for a fast fix. Some of my clients have even done this when their children colored on the walls with crayon. They were having a difficult time removing the drawings, so ultimately decided to paint over them. Problem solved.

Color matching can be difficult if you haven’t planned accordingly. I recommend that everyone keep samples of the paint colors in their house. If you don’t want to store old paint cans, simply paint a square of the color on a clean sheet of paper and label it with the color name, paint brand, and number. That way you’ll always have an easy time of matching your colors. Otherwise, if you take a sample chip to the paint store, they can come very close in matching your colors.

If you are in the market for a new color, consider something that blends with your current decorating scheme. Remember, you want to freshen your look in a day, not redecorate your entire house. Miller Paint has great northwest colors to choose from and locations throughout Oregon and Washington. They even sell designer paint like Devine Color. It is a great place to start.

Prep and Paint

When you get ready to paint, remember that preparation is key. You will want to wash all the walls that you are planning to paint, repair and sand any imperfections, and carefully tape off the surrounding areas – molding, ceiling, windows, etc. – with blue painter’s tape. Use drop cloths to protect your floors and furniture, because nothing is worse than starting a quick home project and ending up with accidents and a mess. Send the kids out to play, put the cat out, and clear the deck when you’re ready to paint.

When you begin painting, pay careful attention to the cutting in and roll the walls with smooth, crossing strokes like a “W” until the entire wall is covered. Use a primer first or choose a one-coat paint designed to cover color if you are changing your color scheme.

When you are finished, close the paint cans tightly, clean your brushes thoroughly, and remove the tape carefully. After the paint dries, replace your furniture and enjoy your home’s new look, just in time for the holidays.

*Interested in more painting tips? We’re planning to share more detailed information on painting like a pro in the months to come. What would you like to know? Let us know in the comments below.