Should I Paint That? Painting Bathrooms
A fresh coat of paint can breathe new life into a room with minimal financial investment or effort on your part. Most of the rooms in a home are simple paint jobs—walls in bedrooms, living rooms, and dining rooms won’t often have anything more complex than a window or two to paint around. Other than that, it’s just a matter of trimming around the molding and closets. Conversely, the bathroom is arguably the most involved room to paint in a typical house, what with its built-ins, medicine chests, wall sconce lighting, shower rods, and more. But, the rewards of a thoughtfully chosen and expertly applied paint color can have more of an impact on the bathroom than any other room in your home. That’s because, in the bathroom, you can take some chances with your color and design scheme that would be overwhelming if you incorporated it into a larger space in the home. In order to use the power of paint to really revamp your bathroom ambiance, it’s important to attain some knowledgeability about the proper techniques for painting around a bathroom’s small fixtures and odd angles, as well as some of today’s most popular color and style options.
Before you begin painting your bathroom, it’s helpful to have project metrics information on the task at hand. In that spirit, you should expect, for a small bathroom, that your total working time will be about six hours. Total time overall, including prepping tools, workspace, and supplies and cleaning them afterward, typically takes about eight hours. Speaking of prep work, remember that your bathroom walls need to be washed prior to applying paint—years of accumulating moisture, mold, and mildew don’t make for a compositionally sound or long-lasting base on which to paint. Once the walls are washed, you’ll need to cover any areas that will not be painted and remove the toilet tank so that you can reach to paint behind it. Your final prep work task is to tape off the bathtub surround, backsplash, trim, ceiling, and any other areas that won’t be painted.
From there, you will first want to cut in with a 2-inch sash brush—paint right up to the painter’s tape. Then, you’re going to fill in the rest of the walls with a roller. Using your roller, paint a 2‘ x 2‘ square area by angling strokes to form a “W,” and using parallel passes to then fill in the blank areas within the “W.” Continue in that way along all wall space to be painted. Finally, wait two to three hours, depending on humidity levels, and paint a second coat the same way. After that, clean up, and you’re done!
Now that you have a basic understanding of your application strategy, let’s look at color and design trends. As mentioned, painting your bathroom can allow for more risk-taking than is typically recommended in other rooms. For example, if you have always wanted to choose a bold paint color for your walls but have been too timid to try it in your living or bedroom, (fair enough) here’s your chance! Paint your bathroom red, and use gold accent pieces to lean into 19th-century Victorian era decorating! Or, choose classic black-and-white to evoke a timeless quality reminiscent of American 40’s and 50’s nostalgia. Bathroom walls can also be texturized, which introduces depth into an often small space. If you’re going with this option, opt for a shade of brown or some other dark color with a warm undertone. This will promote a feeling of earthiness and comfort. Finally, you might try a pastel color if you’re looking to uplift and brighten the space.
A few last pro-tips to note. First, play with your color options by visiting the app or website of a paint manufacturer. They often have software that allows you to upload a picture of your bathroom and sift through all your options, virtually painting your bathroom over and over until you find one with the perfect effect. Also, make sure you choose a semi-gloss or satin finish for the walls as these are much more durable and easier to clean. Lastly, once you’ve painted your walls for a second time, have patience. Let it dry overnight before using your shower again, as water that splashes up or beats down on the walls can cause fresh paint to soften and run.
You’re now armed with knowledge about the bathroom painting process and some of the hottest bathroom paint trends of 2020. If you’re ready to jump into it, go right ahead! But, if you would like some further assistance in choosing the perfect paint color or would even rather opt to hire a professional painting service to complete the job from start to finish, we would love to hear from you! Fill out the contact form on our website, and we will connect you with the resources you require to create your dream bathroom revamp on a budget.
