How to Paint a Tiny Kitchen

Choose your colors and paint finishes. A white or cream ceiling will immediately give the kitchen more height. To promote a sense of space, select colors that make the walls visually recede. Paint manufacturers Sherwin Williams suggest blue, green and violet as examples of colors that have this effect. Latex satin and semi-gloss paint finishes are suitable for kitchen walls and ceilings, as both can be washed down. However, semi-gloss will stand more scrubbing. Use oil paint on wood trim, as this provides a hard, durable and washable finish.

Remove everything from your kitchen's work surfaces. Cover them with protective plastic sheets to prevent paint spills. Open your kitchen cupboard doors. Hang protective plastic sheets over them so the front of the cupboards are covered, then close the doors. This will hold the plastic sheets in place while you paint. Cover the floor with a dropcloth, and protect all edges adjoining the areas you are going to paint with masking tape.

Vacuum every wall and piece of trim to be painted using a brush attachment, then wash each surface with a solution of warm water and mild detergent, using a sponge mop and cleaning rags. Rinse thoroughly with clean water, and allow the surfaces to dry thoroughly. Check for holes and cracks. If you find any, apply filler, and level it off with a filler knife. Allow the filler to dry, then sand it smooth and level with the rest of the surface. Vacuum once again to remove all sanding dust.

Apply a coat of primer to the walls and ceiling. Cut in around the edges using a small paint brush, then use a roller on larger areas. Apply oil based primer to the trim. Allow everything to dry before applying a second coat of primer.

Apply the first coat of paint to the kitchen surfaces in the following order: Ceiling, walls and trim. Once again, cut in using a small paintbrush, and use a roller to apply the paint to larger areas. Use a brush on the trim. Allow all the paint to dry, and apply a second coat, using exactly the same method.

Remove paint from your brushes and rollers. Latex washes off under running water. Oil-based paint is removed with paintbrush cleaner, such as acetone. Wash the brushes and rollers in warm soapy water and rinse them. Allow them to air dry before you put them away. Remove all protective covers from your kitchen, once the paint is completely dry.