5 Things to Consider When Planning to Paint Multiple Rooms

Painting, whether on a small or large scale, requires coordination and planning. When painting multiple rooms, the task can become complicated. Homeowners who paint multiple rooms at once must consider which color combinations look best, the kind of tools they need and other logistical concerns.

Consider adjacent rooms to be a pair, especially if one room can be seen from the doorway of the other. Colors between two side-by-side rooms don’t have to be the same, but flow is important and should be strongly considered when selecting colors. Familiarize yourself with color theory and choose colors that have a relationship to one another.

Remember that strong contrasts between paint colors will stand out, often with striking results. Link rooms of different hues with matching trim and accents. If you’re not sure which colors will compliment one another, check out the Benjamin Moore website for color collections that unify spaces.

Unless you’ve never painted a room before, you probably already have some painting supplies on hand in your home. If you’re planning to paint multiple rooms at once, you’ll need double the materials. Take stock of the painting tools you have. At minimum, you should have at least one angled brush, one flat brush and one paint roller per person working on the project, and at least one paint tray per room. Purchase extra painting materials if needed, including brushes, rollers, paint trays, tape and tarps.

Twice the painting can equal twice the work time, unless you’re working with a large group of people. A coat of latex paint needs about 4 to 6 hours to dry between coats. If the first coat is applied in the morning, and the second coat was applied in the afternoon, you can finish one room per day. Give yourself time to complete the task. And if you’re working in a tight time frame, get some friends to help.

In an ideal world, you’ll remove all the furniture from the room before painting. If you’re painting two rooms at one time, understandably, that may not be possible. Plan to move all furniture to the center of the room, and cover each item with a clean tarp. Use painter’s tape to attach tarps to furniture, as this type of tape is safe on most wood finishes and painted surfaces.

Painting can be disruptive. If you’re painting important rooms, like the dining room and kitchen, or kitchen and living room, plan to paint one room at a time. Give thought to how your family or members of your household must flex their behaviors and routines to accommodate the work being done.

Before you start painting, stop at Ace Paint and Unfinished Furniture. With multiple locations in the Pittsburgh area, we’re happy to help you with any painting project, big or small.