How to Paint a Bathroom Two Colors Separated by a Chair Rail

Clean the bathroom walls with a trisodium phosphate cleaning product and a sponge.

Lay a plastic sheet on the bathroom floor to protect against paint drips.

Stick painter's tape to the bathroom's chair rail trim. When using a chair rail to separate two bathroom color palates, the rail itself is typically kept the same color as the room's trim, while the wall portions above and beneath the rail are painted different colors.

Prime the wall surfaces above the chair rail with general purpose primer using a paintbrush and roller.

Prime the lower wall surfaces using a brush and roller. The lower part of the wall separated by the chair rail is called the "skirting board." This is sometimes a decorative piece of wood with a pattern, or sometimes it is just regular drywall, like the rest of the bathroom walls. If the skirting board is wood, prime with wood primer. For drywall skirting boards, use general purpose primer. Wait for the primer to dry before continuing.

Paint the bathroom walls using oil-base paint. Oil-base paint takes longer to dry, but it lasts longer when exposed to common bathroom moisture. Paint above the rail with one color, and use a different color on the lower part. The color scheme is entirely your choice. However, contrasting colors can clash if you don't have a keen eye for interior design. If you're in doubt, stick to colors that are only subtly different.

Apply a second coat of paint after the first coat dries in two to four hours.

Remove the painter's tape and plastic sheet after 24 hours.