We have just moved into our first home and are keen to decorate our bedroom, but don't know where to start.

The ceiling has been repainted recently, so we were going to leave that, so here's what needs doing:

- Coving, picture rail, skirting boards, door and window frame all currently glossed in off-white - we want to make them all bright white

- want to wallpaper one wall from picture rail down to skirting board.

- painting the rest of the room pale green

(NB: the room is currently all painted magnolia - no paper to remove)

So what do we start with....?! the coving and picture rail? or the painting?

AGH! its so daunting i hope the nice people here can give advice

thanks guys!

I'd do it in this order:

Filling and sanding any holes/cracks and sand woodwork. Caulk gaps.

First coat of green.

Undercoat all woodwork.

Topcoat picture rail and coving.

Second coat of green.

Topcoat rest of woodwork.

Wallpaper.

Start at the top and work down but do your woodwork before any wall papering or wall painting , its easier to get emulsion off gloss than gloss off emulsion

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Paul

Gloss your skirting boards before you paint the wall???

Madness.

Why is it madness ???? like i say its easeier to get emulsion off gloss than the other way round

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Paul

That's not the point.

It's not difficult to cut in skirting, you shouldn't have a problem keeping the gloss of the emulsion.

Unless your going to mask off all the skirts they will have a fine spray of emulsion on them.

If you are going to mask or wipe them then you're just making more work for yourself.

You're more likely to create snags cutting in above the skirting because of gravity.

I wouldnt call running a damp cloth over the skirting hard work if there are splashes etc

Have always done skirting boards with the normal gloss when i have decorated without issues. If your hand slips when doing the skirting board onto 30 quid a roll paper someone isnt going to be happy.

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Paul

ceilings walls paintwork

Not if, there will be spray on the skirting. If you're trying to wipe that off the top edge without damaging the emulsion it's going to be a real pain.



Which is why I left wallpapering to last on the list.

ceiling walls paintwork paper

Definitely walls then woodwork then paper. No pro would do the gloss first. As doze said you could gloss the picture rail before finishing off the second coat on the walls and the woodwork, this would give the gloss plenty of time to properly dry off before you start hanging the paper. Also means you don't have to bother properly cutting in the bottom edge of the rail, just slap the paint on overlapping half an inch onto the wall and when you come to paper give the overlapped gloss a quick sand before you paint to make sure the paste adheres properly. That way you've got a bit of leeway if you have any cutting issues at the top too.

spot on bronz. u wudnt normaly c a pro dec doin gloss 1st. only amatuers do that! soz