The question I had was, “how often should you paint your interior walls”? I bet the paint salespeople recommend that you should repaint more than EVERY 15 YEARS. The painting experts and designers recommend every 5 to 7 years for rooms that don’t have a lot of traffic or activity. Kid’s rooms, bathrooms, and halls need to be painted every 2 to 3 years.
Needless to say when I decided to tackle this project I was a little behind said expert recommendations! 15-18 years is too long.
Some makeovers can be very pricey depending on the square footage. A fresh coat of paint is usually the fastest and most inexpensive way to make a refreshing change in a space.
Paint is an easy and inexpensive way to refresh your space.
I have created a Painting Supply Checklist just for you to help you get organized before you start your paint project. It’s at the bottom of this post.
When I did an online search asking how often to paint my interior walls. 3 to 5 years was the most common answer. Of all the research I did, none suggested more than a decade before adding a fresh coat of paint. My den has been yellow for at least 15 years. It was white or cream when we moved in in the early ‘90s. But at some point, we decided to paint it a “happy” yellow.
In 2016 the hubby and I decided to paint our bedroom and the guest bedroom a soft gray, like just about almost every other family in the nation!!! We used Kelly Moore MUDPOTS.
Fixer Upper made a huge design trend impact, didn’t they? I really like the soft gray, but I just haven’t been able to do white upholstered furniture. You might wonder why is that? Let me just say two words!!!
If you are a DIY-er, paint one room at a time so that it’s not so overwhelming.
By the first of July 2018, all my rooms were freshly painted except for my studio, which is white on purpose and the den which of course was yellow.
I hired my youngest son and his new wife to paint the hall, the KITCHEN,
and the LAUNDRY ROOM.
It was time (past time) to put a fresh coat of paint on these walls. But my yellow den was going to be a monumental task! My den is basically where we live. Look at the guys!!! And look at all those bookshelves!!! This space is full of STUFF!!!
The den is where we watch TV and where I sew. We often eat in here. I know, shame on me!!!
How do you determine how often you should paint or if it’s time to paint?
- Are the walls dingy and dirty?
- Are you tired of the color?
- Has the function of the room changed?
- Is the paint cracking and peeling?
- Is there mold? That is another issue altogether
The desk is also in the den. My son helped me put sliders under the desk and the buffet so that I could move them when I was ready. You should see the amazing TRANSFORMATION of this desk. There are 4 videos on my YouTube Channel. Check out the first TUTORIAL HERE.
Sliders or Gliders? Slider for wood floors and tile. Gliders for carpet.
Use furniture sliders to help move the heavy pieces.
After some consideration, I decided to take on the den by myself. The furniture pieces in here are large and heavy.
When we laid the Luxury Vinyl Click Lock flooring in the den and in the bedroom, we would move the furniture over a little bit, work on a section of flooring, move the furniture back and then repeat the process.
At that time, Hubby’s health was declining and so was his strength. I did most of the “heavy lifting” or more like heavy scooting. Sliders!!!
Because the den is 400 square foot room, I knew this would be a large task for me. It worked for the flooring and I would do the same thing again. And like I do so many of my large and overwhelming tasks, I approach it like eating an elephant – one bite at a time.
I determined that I would take my time, be easy on my back, and not hurry.
I have done some rearranging and have changed the way the desk looks, changed the curtains, and made a lot of other updates. Just be sure to come back and see what other touches have been added.
This color has such a calming effect on me. It is soft and peaceful, and I love the way my den looks and feels. But, I don’t think that it is just the color of the that causes this room to feel so peaceful. Clearing the clutter helps to quell that anxious feeling. But the main reason for the sense of peace is the presence of the Holy Spirit.
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! “May they be secure who love you! Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!” For my brothers and companions’ sake, I will say, “Peace be within you!” Psalm 122:6-8 ESV
’til next time,
Nathalie
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