How to Paint Neutral Over Bright Walls

How to Paint Neutral Over Bright Walls

Do you have a room in your home that has wild, bright or dark color walls? One that needs a new color to update it? In my house I had such a room… with not one, but two tones of neon green! I bet you can tell that this was once the room of a teenager. See the blocks of tan? That was the previous wall color. Bookshelves were mounted to the walls and not moved in these spots when the walls were painted neon green. Looks kind of like a checkerboard – and a nightmare to paint over with a light color.

Before

I wanted to make the unused room into a light and bright fitness room with white walls and trim.

green room

From previous experience of painting over dark walls with a much lighter paint color, I knew I would first need to use a color blocking primer. It is a needed first step to ensure that the previous color does not affect the new paint color.

Since I knew I was going to be removing the carpet, I didn’t need to use painter’s tape or drop cloths. This saved me some time in prep work for the job and I got right to work.

Supplies Needed:

EasyCare Ultra Premium Primer/Sealer in Block-Out White

EasyCare Ultra Premium Primer/Sealer in Block-Out White did the trick. It hid the green color in two coats. You apply it just as you would paint. I used a paint tray and roller. To cut-in around the ceiling and corners, I used a paint brush.

room painted with one coat of primer

Here is how it covers with one coat and….

room painted with two coats of primer

…here it is with two coats.

It preps the walls to neutralize and block the old color before you roll on your new color. When you use it, the old color does not change the way your new color will look on the walls. It saves time and money in the long run. If you don’t use it, you will need many more coats of paint to get full coverage and you run the risk of having the tint from the old color come through your new color.

EasyCare® Ultra Premium Interior Paint

Once the Block-Out White primer was dry, I painted the walls with two coats of EasyCare Interior paint in the color Stability. I used Eggshell on the walls and Semi-Gloss on the trim.

After

room with white walls and trim

What a huge difference a good block-out primer makes when painting over dark walls with a light color.

room with white walls and trim

With the power of paint and a few hours of my time, I now have light and bright walls in the room I am making into a fitness room. Now I have to complete the rest of the room so I can eventually workout in a space that is fresh and airy.

Follow along to see it come together: http://inmyownstyle.com/