How to Paint a Room Two Different Colors

Statement walls and two-tone paint jobs have been growing in popularity over the past few years. All-white homes no longer control all of the top trends. These homes now appear washed out and boring, despite the bright light and blank canvas that they provide. Instead, bold, vibrant, and trendy colors that are tastefully and stylishly applied have started to pop up in more and more homes. So, if you’re looking to give your home a new life with a fresh coat of paint, you should consider doing a statement wall or two-tone paint job. These types of painting approaches will give your home a modern, attractive look.

Benefits of Painting Two Different Colors

If you’re not sure about the two-tone trend, here are a few benefits that you should consider. Who knows, this two-tone paint job just might end up being your very favorite room in your house.

• Two-toned walls add more dimension and texture to a blank wall.
• The marriage of two different paint colors can make your room look bigger, wider, or taller.
• Best of all, you can use both of your favorite paint colors on your walls without having to narrow down your options.

Supplies You Will Need

Here are a few supplies you should stock up on to prepare for a successful paint job.

Blue Painter’s Tape

Blue painter’s tape will be essential if you’re trying to get a clean, crisp line dividing your two colors.

A Level

Having a level on hand can help you to make sure that you’re drawing your paint division line straight.

A Pencil

Make sure you use a pencil when you’re drawing your paint division line so you can erase it if needed. Pencil is a lot easier to use than chalk since it doesn’t blur lines or make a mess.

A Tape Measure

You’ll need a tape measure to ensure that the line dividing your two colors is completely even.

Two Colors of Paint

The most enjoyable part of your paint job…choosing the paint! You’ll need to make sure you have two colors of paint that you love and that look good together. Paint colors in the same family or with similar undertones will go together well. Paint colors with differing undertones might clash, making your paint job look unnatural. If you need help choosing your paint colors, you can talk to a paint expert or designer.

A Putty Knife

You won’t actually be using the putty knife for any paint scraping in this job. However, you can use a putty knife to easily and firmly smooth down your painter’s tape, ensuring that you get a good seal on the adhesive. This will help your paint line to be crisp and clean.

A Paintbrush

Having a paintbrush on hand can help you to get into tight corners or cover the small border of the tape.

Paint Rollers and Trays

Paint rollers will help you to cover large portions of your wall easily and evenly. Having two sets of paint rollers and trays can help you to paint more quickly without having to worry about washing your supplies in between.

How to Paint with Two Paint Tones

Prep the Wall

First, you’ll need to decide where in the room or on the span of the wall you want the two tones to meet. Sure, there are some locations that might be easier to paint. For example, if you have some beadboard or shiplap that covers part of the wall, painting that material (or the other portion of the wall) will be pretty straightforward. However, if you have a blank wall without any additional texture or material that you want to transform into a two-tone wall, you’ll need a little more preparation. You’ll need to measure across the wall to make sure that the line of your two-tone paint job will be straight across. Once your color line is accurately measured, and drawn, step back to make sure that the two spaces look right. If everything looks satisfactory, you’ll be ready to start painting.

Paint the First Color

You’ll start off your painting project one color at a time. Generally, the lighter color will be easier to start with. When you’re choosing paint, make sure you choose a brand that is vibrant and easy to use. Vista Paint is always a great option for this type of project since you won’t have to do so many coats. Paint down past the color division line and let the wall dry completely before moving on to the next step. Remember to use a paintbrush to paint around any crown molding, windows, doors, or corners for a professional-looking result that doesn’t have any bleeding.

Prep Tape for the Crisp Line

Draw your paint division line again, and firmly add the painter’s tape on top. Make sure that your painter’s tape is as centered and precise as possible so your paint doesn’t end up looking askew, crooked, or off-balance.

Paint the Second Color

Once your paint is secure in place, you’ll be ready to paint your second color. Add as many coats as you need until you have a thorough, complete coat. This will help the color contrast to really pop. Make sure that you paint over the bottom half of the painter’s tape as you’re working on your color block. This will ensure that you get a complete, thorough paint line without any missing portions. Painting only to the bottom of the tape line might cause you to have some imperfections in your paint line.

Remove Your Painter’s Tape

Make sure to remove your painter’s tape before the paint completely dries. If you don’t, you will risk pulling away portions of the paint that have stuck to the tape, making your line messy and uneven. Peeling the tape away slowly and at an angle can also help you to get crisp results. Once you’re done, you can relax and enjoy your two-tone wall!