Need-to-Know Paint Tips From Your Fave HGTV Stars

If you’re new to the paint game, start with a solid color or a single stripe. Ready to get adventurous? David Bromstad of My Lottery Dream Home has ideas. “I’ve been dying to do something freehand or geometric. They’re all the rage right now because they bring a level of personality we haven’t seen on feature walls before,” David says.

“Whatever your skill level, plan for a room to take the better part of a day,” says Drew Scott of Property Brothers: Forever Home. “Figure two to three hours per coat, and the same amount of time between coats. A good-quality roller helps speed things up, so don’t cheap out — and avoid overloading the roller with paint or you’ll have to smooth globs.” Roll out excess paint on the raised part of the tray before hitting your wall.

First-timers, don’t be intimidated: painting furniture is actually pretty simple. “Just prepare it properly so the paint sticks well to the surface and lasts over time,” says David Bromstad of My Lottery Dream Home. “Sand it, fill holes with putty, and prime it before painting. You can also change the pulls to give it the bling it deserves.” Advanced painters, consider stenciling the drawer fronts for an especially impressive update.

“Even for someone like me who’s picked countless paint colors, it can be tricky,” says Christina Anstead of Christina on the Coast. “Paint a few coats of different shades on poster board and move the board around the room at different times of day and at night to see how they look in different light. Then go for it!” If you have paint chips in hand, keep in mind that flat and eggshell finishes more closely resemble their chips, while glossier finishes can appear darker.