Painting Tips for the Kitchen

Wall Preparation

• Clean and fix blemishes on kitchen walls before you start to paint. The holes in the wall from where pictures use to hang and small hand prints near light switches may not seem very noticeable before you paint, but they will certainly stand out once you do. Use soap and water to remove as much dirt and grease as you can and fill in holes with a putty knife and caulk before you begin.

Type of Paint

• Use a latex paint in semigloss or eggshell to provide durability and stain resistance for kitchen walls. While an eggshell paint does not have as much of a shine as semigloss, both types of paint are washable and will hold up to the daily activities in a kitchen. Since moisture can also be an issue, select a paint that is specifically made to help prevent moisture and mildew problems.

Primer

• Select a primer that you can mix a color into. Many types of primers are now made where the primary paint color can be mixed right into the primer. This generally means that the wall will require fewer coats of paint to cover the existing color. However, plan to use a primer even if the color you are using is similar to the color already on the wall, since grease can bleed through paint and show up as circular spots on the walls. Primer applied before new paint can help seal the walls and prevent grease spots from appearing.

Color

• Look to floor tiles and countertop colors for inspiration. While almost any color is acceptable for painting a kitchen, select a color that will complement the pattern of the floor or color of the countertop. This can make a kitchen look more pulled together and coordinated. If the floor is white and countertops are neutral, however, consider colors that are thought to stimulate the appetite such as, yellow, green, red or orange.