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Most painters charge by the square footage of the project rather than an hourly rate. However, painters who do charge by the hour typically charge $20 to $60 per hour for a standard job. More complex or physically demanding jobs may be able to go for $100 per hour in labor costs. 

If your popcorn ceiling is asbestos-free and you are ready for a new look, painting is an option. As long as there is no flaking or other wear, a new coat of paint might be just the thing to refresh the old ceiling. The best way to paint a popcorn ceiling is to use either a paint sprayer or a thick roller to cover the popcorn texture fully. (Do not forget to dust it off beforehand!)

“Note that if you eventually want to remove the popcorn ceiling, a painted ceiling is a labor-intensive job to remove and will cost more,” says Bob Tschudi. “Once painted, the process of removing the popcorn ceiling requires physical scraping as opposed to a spray-and-scrape approach. It’s very labor-intensive, and thus more costly.”

Mid-century modern design is quite colorful and often includes striking reds, ochre, bright yellows, and retro colors like aqua and mint greens and pinks. In many cases, the design uses these bolder colors to create contrast with a neutral palette that includes earthy browns, whites, and grays. The degree to which you include bold colors in your mid-century modern design is all about personal preference. It gives you the freedom to stay mostly muted and use accent walls or pillow covers to bring pops of colors, or go all in and cover your walls with bright, loud colors.

Professional painters often use microfiber rollers since they hold more paint and allow the pros to cover a bigger surface area without having to stop frequently to reload the roller with more paint. Painters also use extension poles for a wider reach from one position, giving them more coverage with less moving around.