I have never done it but my father has done hinges and vent covers (silver) and it has turned out fantastic.

My daughter repainted the black wrought iron hinges on our kitchen cabinets with a metallic paint and it worked well. Take them all off and wash them with a solution of TSP or spic and span to make sure they are good and clean. Spread them out on newspapers or something in the sun to let them dry. Spray one side; let them dry for a couple of hours. Then spray the other. Two coats might be a good idea. Best to do this outside.

What fran said!

I like to strip the old hinges first. Soak them in paint thinner/paint remover. When all the paint is off, wash in soapy water/dry and I use nails pushed into styrofoam to support the hinges from laying flat and collecting drips of paint. ie, I like to have the hinges drying with the edges not touching a flat surface.

Wal Mart or an auto supply store are the best sources for spray paint for me.

Thank you all. I guess I mis-typed in the subject line as the hinges are not presently painted; they are a dark metal color and I want to change the color. So hopefully that means if I just remove them, I dont need to rough them up or anything before painting. (?)
If anyone wants to get more specific with the spray paint (Brand, color) I wouldn't mind. More specific the better.

Drat- the procrastination demons are at it again. Rain and more rain forecast here. I was soooooooo hoping to give this a whirl this weekend.
( I suppose buying the paint would be an appropriate start. And you all suggested spray paint- correct? )

Sheila,

I've done both. Spray and 'normal' paint. Each have their own pros and cons. Spray can sometimes leave drip marks if you're heavy with the trigger. I have repainted my light fixtures with a paint called Sophisticated Finishes (from Michael's)- mine was antiqued bronze and it turned out fantastic IMHO. I used a wet/dry sandpaper that has a grit of about 420 I think, ie very very fine and I used it wet. I just wanted to rough up the brass finish enough that the paint would adhere well. I used a foam sponge paint brush to avoid brush marks.

I have also repainted hinges (previously painted so removed the old paint) using spray paint- I just buy what's cheapest. I've also painted them with foam brushes and using little bottles of acrylic paint and then spraying with a urethane finish. If you use spray paint for metals then you don't need the urethane.

If you have other old hinges or something metal (even tin cans) to practice on till you get the hang of it, that may alleviate some of your worries. I'm 'crafty', so I just plunge in headfirst... :>)

Update here. And thanks for the replies. I went to Michael's last rainy weekend looking for the sophisticated finishes. They did not have anything like chrome or silver or nickel (only gold colored)that I could find. I asked and the woman showed me an acrylic paint ( small plastic bottle) for metal which cost all of $1.99. I decided to try it using a little tiny paint brush ( like what kids would use - a pack of 10 for $1.00)... and went to work yesterday morning. To my amazement, it worked great. I usually do better when I just plunge in and only complicate things when I think too much in detail. This might not win the award for best idea or best job, but these are hinges that are not really a major noticeable part of the bathroom. I just didnt want the brown hinges (yes with some sloppy white paint I got on them) to distract and look tacky. So now they are in the silver family and will "cooperate" with my plan. Now I can look at faucets and light fixtures- and countertops. (though I am 98% sure I am going to go with the prefab marble one at lowe's.)
Whew. Accomplishement. No matter how small, it's a good feeling!

Good for you Sheila!

I was painting little wooden birdhouses yesterday (was selling plants from home, and it was a slow period), and it made me realize how much I miss doing 'crafty' projects. Re-reading stir-fry's response got me thinking- why haven't I repainted the ugly old vent cover in my brand new kitchen floor? (have been meaning to buy an ORB one- and can't believe it's been a year and a half already...)

It's a rainy day here too today- so that vent cover just may end up looking like new... :>)