Painting and decorating walls is a project that can instantly perk up your kitchen. In some ways, the kitchen is one of the easier rooms in the home to paint; cabinetry, windows, and other elements occupy much wall space, leaving less wall space that actually needs to painted. However, painting kitchens does often require a lot of preparation, as walls should be scrubbed of grime, cabinets and other built-in elements need to be taped off to keep lines clean and appliances such as refrigerators and stoves often need to be moved.
1 Clean the walls thoroughly. Kitchen walls tend to be covered with often invisible or unnoticed grease and grime, as they are high-traffic, high-use rooms. It is very important to scrub every inch of a kitchen wall before painting it, as the paint will not adhere properly. Start at the top of the wall and work your down, keeping track of the space you have covered. If your walls are not terribly dirty, a mild dish detergent in hot water will be sufficient. If they have a heavier layer of dirt, a degreaser will help remove it. Make sure to wipe each section thoroughly with a clean rag to remove any leftover residue after you scrub it.
2 Prep the walls for painting. Depending on how old your home is and the shape the walls are in, the preparation project can be fast or slow. If your walls are smooth and even and painted with white or light paint, you may be able to leave them as they are. If the walls are rough or have nail holes, use spackle, a spackle knife and a sanding block to smooth them and patch any holes. If they are covered in marks or dark paint, cover them thoroughly with a primer before painting to keep marks from showing through.
Once the walls are prepped, and any spackle or primer is thoroughly dry, use the painter's tape to tape around anything that will not be painted, including: cabinets; window and door frames; built-in seating; baseboards; crown molding; ceiling. Make sure to create a straight line with tape, using long pieces. The darker your chosen paint is, the more obvious sloppy taping will be when it is removed.
3 Paint the walls. First, "cut in" around the edges, using a paintbrush or small sponge roller. Areas that should be painted using the brush include along any taped edges, in small spaces (such as the area between a countertop and overhead cabinets) and in corners.
Once this is done, paint the rest of the room using the paint roller. Use long, straight strokes, rolling back and forth to make sure roller marks are not showing through. Reapply paint to the roller often.
Allow the paint to dry completely, then determine whether a second coat is needed. Nothing should be seen of the wall beneath the paint, and coverage should be smooth and even.
Remove the tape once the walls have dried completely, using the razor knife to cut a straight line along the edges if the paint is pulling away with the tape.
4 Hang wall decor. Food-themed art is an obvious choice for the kitchen; pictures of wine bottles, coffee mugs or chefs are readily available. For a country kitchen, pictures of flowers are bright and cheery. Welcoming statements are also a popular choice for kitchen wall decor, as are sarcastic, amusing statements about who should do the cooking or dishwashing.
