When to paint?

I keep feeling like I want to paint before we move in-- but there are a few rooms (the main ones-- LR, therefore hallway, etc) that I need to figure out what I am putting in there, and I won't do that before I move.

So-- the paint comes after the furniture is selected-- but I feel like it's so much easier to paint before we move in. ETA-- and also the fumes to deal with for DD.

What did everyone else do??

Message edited 5/25/2010 7:02:47 PM.

Re: When to paint?

We painted the entire house before we moved in. It was much easier that way!

Re: When to paint?

Hey Randella - I also signed my part of the contracts today. Exciting, isn't it?

Anyway, I plan on painting before I move in.. I figure it's easier that way!

Re: When to paint?

Paint anything you can before you move in! We saved a few rooms until we moved in and it was a total PITA!

Re: When to paint?

We painted 2 months after we moved in except for our MB bc we weren't buying furniture for awhile and I wasn't sure what I wanted. We had furniture for most of the other rooms except for the FLR and I ordered most of the stuff after we were in contract so I was able to pick out paint.

If there are rooms you definitely know what you want to do in, I would go ahead and paint. If there are and "ifs" I would wait.

You may also want to see what type of light the rooms get.

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Definitely paint before you move in. Pick neutral colors, then you can accessorize for color once you and your furniture are in. As every is saying, it's soooo much easier to paint before things are in the rooms.

Re: When to paint?

Painting an empty room is always easier.

zero VOC, or very low VOC paint has no toxic fumes, so they won't be an issue with DD.

Re: When to paint?

if you haven't picked colors yet, I would definitely prime before you move in. That way when you are ready, you just have to paint.

It's definitely easier to paint in empty rooms (before you move in), but if you won't have furniture in there anyway, I would wait until you are ready to pick a color. Just have them primed and ready to go

It's really hard to pick out 6+ rooms at one time

Now that I live here for 6 months, I wish I would have waited on some colors. The house we bought was soooo dark and all I wanted was lighten it up. Now that I am here, I could see how one or two rooms could have benefited that 'pop' of color. And I am not repainting at this moment. I have no desire to after all the work we did.

Message edited 5/26/2010 8:29:29 AM.

Re: When to paint?

we painted the entire house before we moved in...then we painted DD's room a different color 2 yrs later..DH was not happy

Re: When to paint?

we're in the middle of this now and we're painting before we move in. Just seems easier than working around the furniture. And we're lucky because we don't have to rush out of our current home into the new one so time is on our side. But if you don't have the time, you could always paint later. It's probably a bit annoying but not a big deal.

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we painted b4 we moved in and before we did the floors

Re: When to paint?

Agree with all the above, paint as many rooms as you can before you move in.

Rooms you may not be using right away or have no furnishings for, can wait. We waited on our guest room & gym b/c we knew we wouldn't be in them every day and night.

Very exciting, good luck!

Re: When to paint?

We are going to paint the rooms we will be using most before we move in. the only room we will not paint will be the living room as we have no furniture for it and it will probably be a playroom until we do.