Combine multiple buckets of paint If you’re painting a small room and using just one can of paint, you’re good to go. If your project is larger and you’ll be using multiple cans of the same ...

Clean. Wash your walls before painting. Dust, grease, dirt, and anything else clinging to your walls can prevent the paint from bonding with the surface, eventually resulting in bubbling and peeling.

From the paint chips, choose two or three favorites and buy small cans of paint for sampling. “I like to do really large samples on the wall,” Ms. Romanek said, measuring roughly four-by-four ...