Chronicles: Infant to Toddler Room Transition Forever Paint

As you know from Part 1 of this series, we are transitioning our daughter's room from being just right

for an infant to being the ultimate toddler destination. Our goal is to keep a basic neutral color palette. Staying away from characters and trends will help keep you from having to remodel every time your child grows out of a fad. Our colors are pastel pink, brown, and tan, with pink and brown covering only the smallest walls. They are the most personal and will be easy to switch should the need arise. Of course, we had this bright idea the first time around, but we didn't clean the walls well enough or use a strong primer. Lesson learned, we'll do it right this time.

We had to begin by clearing just about everything out of the room or pulling everything away from the walls so we could paint.

Painting added $80 and one full day to the overall allotted time and money. This is why it's important to know whether painting will be a part of your project or not. Paint and supplies can be a costly addition to any project.

Before painting: residue is visible

Initially I use "Goof Off" to get rid of the residue left over from the posters and charts on the walls. This was okay, but the chemical faded the color of the wall. This meant that I would absolutely have to prime the walls and repaint completely rather than simply touching up in places.

First, wash the walls and baseboards. This is important because any dust will derail your ability to get a smooth finish. Also, if you use painter's tape it won't stick very well to dusty walls and baseboards. Put down plastic or old rags to cover furniture and floors to avoid getting unwanted paint in those areas.

After repainting the residue is gone.

Second, use a heavy stain blocking, sealing primer on any walls you will cover. This step is especially crucial if the wall is already covered with a darker color. It will also ensure that any residue left after cleaning will be covered. *Many paints have primer built into them, which is very convenient when you use the higher quality versions.

TIP:  Instead of using a flat finish paint, use a satin finish. This is extremely important in homes where there are young children, or homes where you will need to clean the walls for any reason whatsoever. Flat finishes won't forgive smudges and fingerprints, leaving a messy, greasy appearance. Also, some flat finishes wash away or stain when you try to wash them. A satin or semi-gloss finish will prevent these issues.

Third, paint the walls using rollers. When you approach the edges use an edging tool. It works wonders if you follow the directions on the packaging to ensure you don't get paint in areas where you don't want it to go. I've found that painter's tape isn't necessary when using an edger. They are actually effective.

BONUS: Since you're painting anyway, this gives you a chance to fix a décor issue you've been wanting to adjust. We changed the color. Since the walls had a deep, peanutty tan, I chose to lighten this to coffee ice cream. It still blends really well with the pink and brown, but reflects the light better making the room feel larger and brighter.

Fourth, recover all paint supplies so leftovers don't dry out. Avoid removing the rags or plastics you used to cover everything until the walls are completely dry. Once the painted areas are dry, clean up so you can move on with your project.