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China Cabinet Makeover {Reveal}

It’s done!  What a journey it’s been for this china cabinet.

Upon finding this diamond-in-the-rough on Craigslist and rescuing it from a dilapidated garage that housed chickens, roosters, and a few other unknown animals (I was afraid to even look around), the once trash-bound cabinet now sits beautifully in my dining room with a vibrant new color & a complete designer makeover…

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

It has been quite the task of getting her to this point, but she’s complete!

We can’t appreciate the ‘after’ without looking at the ‘before’.  Remember what she looked like a few short weeks ago…

China Cabinet >>> before - details prior to the makeover

China Cabinet >>> before - details prior to the makeover

>>> read more on The Backstory + Choosing a Color <<<

Like I said, it’s been quite a journey. Let’s reminisce…

I was psyched to bring her home.  Once she landed in our garage, I started the prep work by removing all the hardware, the doors, and the shelves.

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

I cleaned her up a bit + lightly sanded all the surfaces.

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

>>> read more on Prep + Sanding Wood Furniture <<<

Once all the surfaces were ready, it was time to prime!  As I’ve shared over & over, priming is SO IMPORTANT.  The purpose of paint is to provide color, but the purpose of primer is to provide the ideal base for the paint to be applied.  The paint + primer in one is fine for walls, but a true primer like Glidden Gripper (which is what I used) will block the stain from bleeding through and will provide the needed base for the paint to adhere!  If you’re painting furniture, YOU MUST USE PRIMER.

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

>>> read more on Why & How-To Prime Wood Furniture <<<

After the key step of priming all the surfaces, it was time to PAINT!  Finally, right?!  I chose the color Red Red Rose by Glidden using the Glidden’s new simplified color palette.China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!This is a real wow-factor color and even before finding the china cabinet, I knew this rosy, raspberry hue would be perfection.  Typically I have the piece before choosing the color, but not in this case.  The other hues + layers in the dining space are fairly minimal and neutral, so I knew a focal point piece that would be the eye-catcher of the room would make a real impact.  It’s all about the contrast and the balance between neutrals and bolds.

The process of painting this beauty was laborious, but O So Worth the time + effort!

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

>>> read more on How-To Paint Wood Furniture <<<

Once the china cabinet was painted & sealed, I wanted to add a few fun, unexpected details.  I chose to add self-adhesive, contact paper to the back of the cabinet interior which provided a beautiful backdrop for all my dishes, platters, and china.

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

When I couldn’t find the exact hardware I had envisioned, I DIYed it to create exactly what I wanted at a fraction of the cost.

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

Once the jewels hardware was set, it was time to style this gorgeous gal!

It’s now all filled up with our collected plates, glasses, and platters…  Believe me, not one new thing was bought for this revamped beauty.

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

>>> read more on the Details + Hardware + Styling <<<

a recap of the process…

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

And then she was complete!

The ‘after’…

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

Styling Tips: Adding unique, one-of-a-kind details to the finish the china cabinet makeover!

Let’s compare one more time…

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

What do you think?  Pretty major change, right?!

Thank you so much for following along on this Tale of a China Cabinet Makeover!  I’ve received countless emails, comments, and messages on how the multiple posts and step-by-step breakdown of the process has been an inspiration.  From your notes, it sounds like many of you have had the urge to paint that piece of furniture but either didn’t know how, weren’t sure of the process, or didn’t have the inspiration needed to get started.  I hope I’ve pushed you enough to make the move!

Here are the many posts related to this before and after
Backstory + Choosing a Color
Prepping & Sanding Wood Furniture
Why & How to Prime Wood Furniture
Tips + Tricks to Painting Wood Furniture
Accessories, Details, & Styling {China Cabinet Makeover}
China Cabinet Makeover {Reveal}

This post is sponsored by Glidden paint, but all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.  I am so excited about this project & was thrilled to partner with Glidden paint on this furniture makeover.

How-To Paint Wood Furniture

Prep is done.

Sanding is complete. >>> [tutorial here]

Priming is finished. >>> [tutorial here]

Now on to the painting.  This was definitely the longest + most tedious part of the makeover, but absolutely the most important step to focus on.  With all the work that has gone in to prepping this cabinet, or any piece of furniture for that matter, painting it right really makes all the difference in the world to achieve a nice looking end product.

This post is completely dedicated to sharing the steps I took + tips & tricks on how-to successfully paint wood furniture.

DIY Tutorial: tips + tricks on How-To Successfully Paint Wood Furniture. Follow along on this multi-post blog series of transforming a china cabinet. Easy-to-follow directions and all the steps fully explained!

As I’ve explained and stressed in the previous two posts, the prep work + priming is very important before paint is applied.  To achieve a successful end result, a primer is a must.  For this project, I used Glidden Gripper primer (a picture of it + more details can be found in the last post).  Once the primer is dry, which typically takes little time (about a day), painting can begin.

Before Painting.

  • The Magic Formula. One of my secrets for painting wood furniture is to use floetrol (<- affiliate link).  With all furniture painting projects,  I always add my favorite “formula” to eliminate brushstrokes. It works like a charm to achieve a clean, brushstroke-free surface! (And I wasn’t even paid to say that – I truly just love it ;)
  • The Brush.  The brush used for painting really does make a difference.  I always use Purdy brushes because they truly make for an easier, better painting result. Yes they are expensive, but it’s worth the cost.  Most of the time I use a new brush when starting a project. (Again, I wasn’t paid to say that)

DIY Tutorial: tips + tricks on How-To Successfully Paint Wood Furniture. Follow along on this multi-post blog series of transforming a china cabinet. Easy-to-follow directions and all the steps fully explained!

The Color.

The paint color I chose for this cabinet makeover is Red Red Rose by Glidden.

How-To Paint Wood Furniture.

When painting furniture, like this china cabinet, I started on one side of the base cabinet and continued across to the other side while working in small sections.  I always continually look at what was just painted to check for drips, which you want to avoid as much as possible!

Typically I will add paint to the overall surface and then go back to smooth it out so all the strokes are in one direction (usually you want to follow the grain of the wood, but it’s not a must since with paint you don’t see the grain).

DIY Tutorial: tips + tricks on How-To Successfully Paint Wood Furniture. Follow along on this multi-post blog series of transforming a china cabinet. Easy-to-follow directions and all the steps fully explained!

Even if you try to avoid them, drips are normal.  To deal with those nasty, inevitable paint drips, I sand them off once they are completely dry.  Using an orbital sander is easiest, but sanding the spot by hand also works.  If you catch the drip before it’s dry, then go over it with your paint brush to smooth it out.

DIY Tutorial: tips + tricks on How-To Successfully Paint Wood Furniture. Follow along on this multi-post blog series of transforming a china cabinet. Easy-to-follow directions and all the steps fully explained!

I didn’t take a picture of me sanding that drip, but here is one from another section of the cabinet…

Once the paint was dry, I lightly went over the drip to smooth out the section of cabinet.

DIY Tutorial: tips + tricks on How-To Successfully Paint Wood Furniture. Follow along on this multi-post blog series of transforming a china cabinet. Easy-to-follow directions and all the steps fully explained!

Another issue I encountered  which I didn’t like was the result of the buffet top once the first coat of paint was on.  I guess when I added the primer, I didn’t continue my brush stroke from on side to the other, so the top surface looked bumpy.  Once the first coat of paint was dry, I lightly sanded the surface. This left the top very smooth and ready for coat #2.

DIY Tutorial: tips + tricks on How-To Successfully Paint Wood Furniture. Follow along on this multi-post blog series of transforming a china cabinet. Easy-to-follow directions and all the steps fully explained!

Coat #2

DIY Tutorial: tips + tricks on How-To Successfully Paint Wood Furniture. Follow along on this multi-post blog series of transforming a china cabinet. Easy-to-follow directions and all the steps fully explained!

In all the top got about 3-4 coats.  All the other areas of the cabinet got 3 coats.  Because of the intense color 2 coats wasn’t enough.

Here are some more outtakes while painting…

The cabinet fronts.

DIY Tutorial: tips + tricks on How-To Successfully Paint Wood Furniture. Follow along on this multi-post blog series of transforming a china cabinet. Easy-to-follow directions and all the steps fully explained!

The cabinet top.

DIY Tutorial: tips + tricks on How-To Successfully Paint Wood Furniture. Follow along on this multi-post blog series of transforming a china cabinet. Easy-to-follow directions and all the steps fully explained!

The base cabinet after one coat.

DIY Tutorial: tips + tricks on How-To Successfully Paint Wood Furniture. Follow along on this multi-post blog series of transforming a china cabinet. Easy-to-follow directions and all the steps fully explained!

I will tell you, painting the cabinet took a good 3 solid days of off and on work.  It was tiring, but well worth it in the end.  Most of the painting took place at night after the kiddos went to bed which is why the coloring of the cabinet in the pictures looks a bit off.

Here’s a peak at what was my crazy life for a few days.  Just keeping it real…

Once every surface, nook, and cranny were done, it was time to add a coat of polyurethane.

Applying polyurethane is similar to primer… a little goes a long way.  It’s also a lot thinner than paint, so it can easily run creating those annoying drips.  Applying a light coat and fanning it over the surface is best.  It goes on as a white milky liquid, but as you work it into the surface it will be come clear.  And of course it dries clear.

For this cabinet, I used a semi-gloss polyurethane.

DIY Tutorial: tips + tricks on How-To Successfully Paint Wood Furniture. Follow along on this multi-post blog series of transforming a china cabinet. Easy-to-follow directions and all the steps fully explained!

And then it was done.

DIY Tutorial: tips + tricks on How-To Successfully Paint Wood Furniture. Follow along on this multi-post blog series of transforming a china cabinet. Easy-to-follow directions and all the steps fully explained!

Well almost. The painting is complete, but there are still some details that I need to work on, like the hardware and another secret surprise.

But back to the painting result, here are a few closeups…

DIY Tutorial: tips + tricks on How-To Successfully Paint Wood Furniture. Follow along on this multi-post blog series of transforming a china cabinet. Easy-to-follow directions and all the steps fully explained!

DIY Tutorial: tips + tricks on How-To Successfully Paint Wood Furniture. Follow along on this multi-post blog series of transforming a china cabinet. Easy-to-follow directions and all the steps fully explained!

DIY Tutorial: tips + tricks on How-To Successfully Paint Wood Furniture. Follow along on this multi-post blog series of transforming a china cabinet. Easy-to-follow directions and all the steps fully explained!

You see that one piece of hardware on there?  I couldn’t resist giving you a peak at what it will look like once it’s all done.

Next up… styling this pretty gal.  Here’s a peak at the start of the process…

Let’s rewind and take a look at where I started and the progress I’ve made.

DIY Tutorial: tips + tricks on How-To Successfully Paint Wood Furniture. Follow along on this multi-post blog series of transforming a china cabinet. Easy-to-follow directions and all the steps fully explained!

Not too shabby.  More to come.  Stay tuned.

Follow along on this makeover with these other posts
Backstory + Choosing a Color
Prepping & Sanding Wood Furniture
Why & How to Prime Wood Furniture
Tips + Tricks to Painting Wood Furniture
Accessories, Details, & Styling {China Cabinet Makeover}

Check out the  >>> FINAL REVEAL

 

Why + How to Prime Wood Furniture

It’s been a busy few days around my neck of the woods.  With revamping the china cabinet + another BIG project coming down the pipeline (which I can’t wait to share details about), I haven’t had 5 minutes to sit.  No worries though, I’ll sit when I’m old, ha.

So my last post was all about the beginning steps of prepping & sanding a piece of wood furniture.  The next step, which is what this post is dedicated to, is priming.  Primer is SO important!  I can not stress enough that primer is a must when painting something. anything.  YOU NEED PRIMER.

China Cabinet Makeover: PRIMING! An entire post on Why & How-To Prime a Wood Surface. Priming any surface before painting is so important & it can save you money. Come see the result of how what prime can do & follow along on this furniture makeover

Why Prime.

Whether a room or a piece of furniture, paint is truly one of the easiest & most affordable ways to update and/or change the look of something.   It’s amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do to a wall or a surface.  I read once, “Don’t expect paint to do a primer’s job”.   The purpose of paint is to provide color, but the purpose of primer is to provide the ideal base for the paint to be applied.  Without, the result can fall short.

What does Primer Do?

> Blocks Stain  Primers are made to block the natural pigments (tannin) of the wood and/or original stain from bleeding through the new paint.

> Hides Color  Priming the surface before painting hides / blocks the previous color from showing through.  Using a primer will also sometimes eliminate the need for multiple coats (cost savings!)

> Seals the surface  Priming before painting seals the surface so the paint doesn’t get soaked in.  The prime provides the perfect base for the paint to be applied.  Primer also provides the ideal surface for paint to adhere to.  Typically with a stained piece of furniture, like my china cabinet, the original surface is glossy which paint wouldn’t adhere to.  Adding a primer to a glossy surface will give the provide the ideal underlayment for a beautiful new color.  This same technique can be used for tile, glass, vinyl siding, and aluminum – all slick surfaces that wouldn’t be paintable without primer!

Do you recall when I was painting my laminate bookcase?  I failed to prime a spot and the paint just bubbled and didn’t stick to the surface.  Here’s a picture…

Priming is a must before applying paint!

> Lasting Result  Without primer, paint could easily chip or scrape off very easily + quickly.  Using one (thin) coat of primer + two (typically, maybe more) coats of paint you should have a long lasting, durable result!

The Right Primer.

There are many primers on the market and the decision on the right one for the job can be tricky.  When painting over furniture, you want to choose a primer that indicates on the can that it will block the stain and seal the surface.  The primer that I chose for this china cabinet makeover was Glidden Gripper because it truly grips to the surface and seals the stain from coming through.  It also created the perfect base for the new WILD color I chose.

Glidden Gripper

Applying Primer.

a how-to tutorial on applying primer.  Its so easy…

Note: This is the most important tip I can share about priming (told to me by someone – a pro – in the painting world), primer does not need to be applied like paint. A thin coat of primer is fine and actually better than “globbing” it on.  Primer does not need to fully cover the surface underneath, meaning you can still have wood showing through.  As long as the surface area has a thin coat (one coat), you are set to paint!

When painting a piece of furniture, I always start at one end and make my way across. Why?  Paint dries fairly fast and to avoid drips + brush strokes, it’s important to work in small sections and apply thin coats.
China Cabinet Makeover: PRIMING! An entire post on Why & How-To Prime a Wood Surface. Priming any surface before painting is so important & it can save you money. Come see the result of how what prime can do & follow along on this furniture makeover

Typically I apply the paint to the surface.  Then spread it out.  Then go back over it with my brush, using light stokes and following the wood grain.

China Cabinet Makeover: PRIMING! An entire post on Why & How-To Prime a Wood Surface. Priming any surface before painting is so important & it can save you money. Come see the result of how what prime can do & follow along on this furniture makeover

When painting furniture, the piece is typically vertical, so paint could drip.   Around the detailed edges and ornate areas, the less paint the better to avoid paint from dripping.  And once an area is done, always continue to look back to make sure paint isn’t seeping down.

China Cabinet Makeover: PRIMING! An entire post on Why & How-To Prime a Wood Surface. Priming any surface before painting is so important & it can save you money. Come see the result of how what prime can do & follow along on this furniture makeover

For this china cabinet, there were 3 doors, which I removed and are painting laying down.  It’s much easier to paint + drips don’t occur as much.

China Cabinet Makeover: PRIMING! An entire post on Why & How-To Prime a Wood Surface. Priming any surface before painting is so important & it can save you money. Come see the result of how what prime can do & follow along on this furniture makeover

For this piece, it took me about 40 minutes to prime.  To me, it’s very relaxing. This is the result…

China Cabinet Makeover: PRIMING! An entire post on Why & How-To Prime a Wood Surface. Priming any surface before painting is so important & it can save you money. Come see the result of how what prime can do & follow along on this furniture makeover

That’s a wrap… for now.

She’s ready for paint!

Want a peak?  Here you go…

Sneak Peak at the new color for the China Cabinet

I’m off to paint some more…

Follow along on this makeover with these other posts
Backstory + Choosing a Color
Prepping & Sanding Wood Furniture
Why & How to Prime Wood Furniture
Tips + Tricks to Painting Wood Furniture
Accessories, Details, & Styling {China Cabinet Makeover}

Coming up (still to do)
China Cabinet Makeover {Reveal}

China Cabinet Makeover: Prepping + Sanding Wood Furniture {Step 1}

#chinacabinetmakeover

Last week I shared the latest + greatest project that I’m throwing myself into.  Since the baby arrived, I kind of lost my DIY mojo, but this project has me back!  I can not express how excited I am about this project because I’ve been thinking about it for so long.  Have you ever had a moment like that when you are thinking about something so much, but are unsure of how all the details could possibly come together?  Well that was me with this project…  I knew exactly the cabinet I wanted, I knew the color I wanted it to be, but no cabinet.  UNTIL, I found her.

Somehow, someway the stars were aligned and last week she came home!  To be specific, my husband and I went to the seller’s home (it’s a must to always go with someone on a Craigslist excursion!) and thankfully he had a pickup, so for $20 extra he delivered it to our house.  Lesson learned?  It never hurts to ask.  We don’t have a pickup and would have had to rent one.  This was much easier!

Thinking back, I haven’t tackled a large-scale furniture makeover project like this since the painting of the laminate bookcases and that was a LONG time ago.  Whether large or small though, the steps for painting a piece of furniture are typically the same and that’s what I am dedicating my next few posts to… rehabbing a piece of furniture to achieve a dynamic result.

First up, details on how to begin the process of paint a piece of furniture including how-to prep + how-to sand.

China Cabinet Makeover: How-To Prep and Sand Wood Furniture {easy to follow tutorial - multiple blog posts to explain how easy it is}

The china cabinet was in a pretty sad place before landing in my garage.  It was dusty and had lots of grime in the corners, so a good ole’ cleaning was a must!

1. First up… the hardware.  I removed all the hardware using a screwdriver and am still on the fence about reusing or replacing the existing pieces.  Some of the hardware (knobs) were missing, so I’m not sure what I will do.  – TBD –

China Cabinet Makeover: How-To Prep and Sand Wood Furniture {easy to follow tutorial - multiple blog posts to explain how easy it is}

2. Once the hardware was removed, I used a vacuum to clean all the nooks + crannies of the cabinet.  Not only was it dusty, but it was dirty.

China Cabinet Makeover: How-To Prep and Sand Wood Furniture {easy to follow tutorial - multiple blog posts to explain how easy it is}

Then following that, I used a dampened rag and went over all the surfaces.  It was amazing the grime that came off this piece!

China Cabinet Makeover: How-To Prep and Sand Wood Furniture {easy to follow tutorial - multiple blog posts to explain how easy it is}

3. After taking a few minutes to clean the surface, it was time for sanding.

Using my orbital sander (it really is the best tool for sanding large areas – I use it SO MUCH) I went over the areas that I could.  The orbital sander is somewhat large so it worked great for the larger flat surfaces like the top, sides, and doors.  For the more detailed, intricate areas, I used a piece of sandpaper (by hand).  The very detailed areas I just left (without sanding) and will be using a primer that ‘grips’ to the surface so the paint will adhere.  The gripper paint I will be using (more on that in an upcoming post) actually says no sanding is needed, but I like to give a quick sanding for better adhesion.  If I were staining this piece, I would have needed to go down to the original surface.  Since I am painting it though, a quick sanding (+ a good primer) is all that is needed.

China Cabinet Makeover: How-To Prep and Sand Wood Furniture {easy to follow tutorial - multiple blog posts to explain how easy it is}

sanding, sanding, sanding…

China Cabinet Makeover: How-To Prep and Sand Wood Furniture {easy to follow tutorial - multiple blog posts to explain how easy it is}

When sanding wood, it’s important that you do not put too much pressure on the wood surface.  I started with a 120 grit paper and then used a 220 grit paper for a smoother finish.  A light sanding is just enough and always continue to rotate and move the sander so you are not concentrating on one section for a long time.

Sections of the china cabinet where I could not use the orbital sander, I sanded by hand.  Areas like the buffet top and the legs were very worn (natural wear + tear) and needed to be smoothed out.

China Cabinet Makeover: How-To Prep and Sand Wood Furniture {easy to follow tutorial - multiple blog posts to explain how easy it is}

China Cabinet Makeover: How-To Prep and Sand Wood Furniture {easy to follow tutorial - multiple blog posts to explain how easy it is}

4. Sanding took about 10-15 minutes and then I cleaned all the surfaces again.  Lastly before painting this girl of mine, I taped off the glass.  Using painters tape, I taped off the edge where the wood meets the glass.  This will make painting much easier!

China Cabinet Makeover: How-To Prep and Sand Wood Furniture {easy to follow tutorial - multiple blog posts to explain how easy it is}

And that’s it.  For now!

This china cabinet is still in transition mode from blah to pretty.  Next up?  Primer, which is the key to a good paint job.  Stay tuned for my next post on Why & How to Prime Wood Furniture.

Follow along on this makeover with these other posts
Backstory + Choosing a Color
Prepping & Sanding Wood Furniture
Why & How to Prime Wood Furniture
Tips + Tricks to Painting Wood Furniture
Accessories, Details, & Styling {China Cabinet Makeover}

Coming up (still to do)
China Cabinet Makeover {Reveal}

 

China Cabinet Makeover: Backstory + Choosing a Color

Craigslist China Cabinet - Before the makeover: The backstory + the choosing of a color

In the past 2 days, a project that I’ve been dreaming about for months has magically come to fruition! Somehow the stars aligned and I’m freaking excited about this one…

So a long while back, about 5-6 months ago to be specific, I had the itch to spice up the dining room.  At the time, I was in the last weeks of my pregnancy so no real action could take place, but I had lots & lots of thoughts brewing in my brain.  My mind immediately went to changing everything, but I decided to start off slow (truly the best way to makeover a space).  First up, the bench.  I snagged a gorgeous navy Ikat patterned fabric earlier in the year and the bench at our dining table was reupholstered.  Next up, the end chairs.  I ditched the leather matchy-matchy chairs and scored a new wicker style from Target.  They’re actually outdoor seats and perfect for a family with a load of kids – yes, that’s us now.  Here’s a recent shot…Dining Room makeover

What’s next?

The buffet.

We’ve had our current buffet for years (here’s a peak from last years Christmas spread) and remember how I mentioned recently that sometimes it’s difficult for the Mister to let go of things (to sell or to update), well this is one of those pieces.  After some thought, we both agreed the buffet had to go and something else – something new – was needed.  So the search began…

Craigslist.  Local thrift stores.  Garage sales.

And then I found IT.  ‘She’ was perfect and just what I was thinking to spice this space up!

I found her on Craiglist and the “purchase” story is something I won’t forget.  Miraculously, we got it home.  Somehow.  Someway.  She now sits in our garage.

Craigslist China Cabinet - Before the makeover

Check out the details…

Craigslist China Cabinet - Before the makeover

I love that there is a pull-out drawer in the lower cabinet.  What a great spot for storing silverware or cloth napkins!

Craigslist China Cabinet - Before the makeover

Craigslist China Cabinet - Before the makeover

The hardware is so true to the time of this piece.  Not all the hardware came with the piece, so I may have to keep some & find some new…

Craigslist China Cabinet - Before the makeover

So let’s take a few steps back for a moment…

Before I had even acquired her, I had a vision.  A bright + bold + eye popping vision.  A raspberry vision to be exact.   Even before she came home, I knew what color she’d be…

In the midst of my emails & calls to get my china cabinet home, Glidden paint reached out to me about collaborating on a project.  I love Glidden paint colors (my favorite orange wall is a fabulous Glidden hue) & was excited about their new simplified color palette.

Glidden's simplified palette - Choosing color made easy

I jumped on board and found THE PERFECT  COLOR in their red & magenta section.  I knew I wanted a mix of something not too red, but not too pink.  And then I found IT – the perfect shade of raspberry called Red Red Rose.

Glidden's simplified palette - Choosing color made easy

Perfect Cabinet + Perfect Color = Makeover Heaven

I’ve got big plans for this lady of mine.  She’s going to be fabulous and I can’t wait to spice this space up with a pop of color.

Looking for the perfect color for your space or the ideal color for a furniture makeover?  Check out Color My Room where you can preview a space with a color you love.

Color My Room on Glidden paint will help choose the best color for your space

Or are you inspired by a picture and love the colors in it?  Click on over to My Image Inspiration where a color palette will be created using hues from your image.

My Image Inspiration is a Glidden paint tool where a color palette will be created using hues from a picture

There are so many great tools that Glidden paint has to offer to help choose the perfect color!  I’m off to paint.  If you need me, I’ll be in the garage with a paint brush in hand.  I can’t wait to see how this all comes together…

Follow along on this makeover with these other posts
Backstory + Choosing a Color
Prepping & Sanding Wood Furniture
Why & How to Prime Wood Furniture
Tips + Tricks to Painting Wood Furniture
Accessories, Details, & Styling {China Cabinet Makeover}

Coming up (still to do)
China Cabinet Makeover {Reveal}

This post is sponsored by Glidden paint, but all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.  I am so excited about this project & thrilled to be partnering with Glidden paint on this furniture makeover.  I’d love for you to follow along on this new project!

Boy Bedroom Makeover: Reveal

Right before baby #3 arrived only a few short weeks ago, I finished the final touches for my sons new space.  The window treatments had me hung up (no pun intended, hehe) for a while as they were the last item to finish.  I just couldn’t decide what to do, but I finally went simple and I am thrilled with the less is more design decision.

I adore the result of this cool room and honestly, I often walk in, sit down, and stare to soak it all up.  It feels so bright and cheerful.

Come have a look.

This is the view when you walk in to the space… Welcome.

Boy Bedroom {MAKEOVER} - Gray walls, picture frame wallpaper, pops of orange & blue. The perfect space for a young boy to teen. You won't want to miss all the creative DIY ideas in this room!

My son’s room has had many evolutions (take a look what it used to look like here & here) over the past 4 years, but I feel with the creation of this new space, he’ll be able to grow with it through the teen years (unless I change it again…).  It’s versatile, engaging, and a fun place to hang out!

When you step into the room, directly to the right are 2 white leaning shelves filled with books, toys, and important (to my son) keepsakes!  I shared my love for leaning shelves a while back and I think this new element in the room has not only provided a ton of storage, but has introduced height, openness, and color.  The shelves are from Target and were super affordable at around $100/each!

[check out my favorite leaning shelves to decorate with here]

Boy Bedroom {MAKEOVER} - Gray walls, picture frame wallpaper, pops of orange & blue. The perfect space for a young boy to teen. You won't want to miss all the creative DIY ideas in this room!

Most of the artwork in my boy’s room was repurposed from his last space.  The inspirational quotes that used to be above his desk are now lined up over the leaning shelves and some of the artwork – made by him – is above his bed.  I love decorating with items that have beautiful meaning and he loves to wake up seeing things he’s created.

Boy Bedroom {MAKEOVER} - Gray walls, picture frame wallpaper, pops of orange & blue. The perfect space for a young boy to teen. You won't want to miss all the creative DIY ideas in this room!

Even though it took some time to get used to, I’m happy with the decision of the lighter wall hue – Benjamin Moore Hazy Skies.  It really is a beautiful gray tone and provides the perfect backdrop for the layers of colors in the books, toys, and artwork.

The honeycomb shelves… the honeycomb shelves…  The biggest, most difficult, yet THE MOST REWARDING do it yourself endeavour yet.  When creating the design for this new space, my son had his heart set on honeycomb shelves after I showed him the Land of Nod style.  And since this mama can’t let her boy down, I had to pull through.  Instead of buying, what did I do?  DIYed them, of course.  They are absolutely the focal point of the new room…

{click for the tutorial of the honeycomb shelves}

Boy Bedroom {MAKEOVER} - Gray walls, picture frame wallpaper, pops of orange & blue. The perfect space for a young boy to teen. You won't want to miss all the creative DIY ideas in this room!

The bed is actually part of the bunkbeds we had and dismantled a few years ago.  He used to have the other twin in his room too, but to provide more floor space, we took it out.  The bedding is a new addition and was a great score from Target – orange comforter set and blue plaid flannel sheets (similar style).  The arm light on the wall, which I found at Lowe’s, was such a smart solution instead of a table lamp.  There is limited room on his nightstand, so this gives him the light needed for reading yet doesn’t clutter up the table surface.  Speaking of nightstand… it’s actually a side table from West Elm that I “found” in the basement that didn’t have a home.  It might not be the forever nightstand, but it serves the purpose for now.

Boy Bedroom {MAKEOVER} - Gray walls, picture frame wallpaper, pops of orange & blue. The perfect space for a young boy to teen. You won't want to miss all the creative DIY ideas in this room!

One of the ways we’ve resolved toys ALL OVER THE PLACE is with the addition of the new under-the-bed toy storage bins I made. They large wood boxes are on wheelies and easy to roll in and out from under the bed.

{click for the tutorial of the under-the-bed toy storage bins}

Boy Bedroom {MAKEOVER} - Gray walls, picture frame wallpaper, pops of orange & blue. The perfect space for a young boy to teen. You won't want to miss all the creative DIY ideas in this room!

As you make your way around the room, we come to The Book Nook.  We still love the stained pallet shelves that I created a few years ago, so they had to stay.  I removed them from the old location next to the door and repositioned them towards the end of the bed to create our new little ‘reading nook’ spot.  My boy loves to gather his poufs (the colorful one is by MiraJean Designs) and ‘chill’.  It’s his escape and relaxation place (and the spot he can hide from his sister)!

Boy Bedroom {MAKEOVER} - Gray walls, picture frame wallpaper, pops of orange & blue. The perfect space for a young boy to teen. You won't want to miss all the creative DIY ideas in this room!

{click for the tutorial of the pallet shelves}

One of the most exciting additions in the room is the picture frame wallpaper.  I went with a lighter tone wall color – Benjamin Moore Hazy Skies – so the wallpaper could ‘speak’ and have ‘it’s moment’.  An entire room of this wallpaper could have been a bit overwhelming, but one wall of it is fun, unique, and just enough.  Here’s a progress shot of the paper going up…

Boy Bedroom {MAKEOVER} - Gray walls, picture frame wallpaper, pops of orange & blue. The perfect space for a young boy to teen. You won't want to miss all the creative DIY ideas in this room!

{click for the tutorial of how to hang wallpaper like a PRO!}

And here it is complete…

Boy Bedroom {MAKEOVER} - Gray walls, picture frame wallpaper, pops of orange & blue. The perfect space for a young boy to teen. You won't want to miss all the creative DIY ideas in this room!

With the window treatments, I decided to go understated and reuse what was already there.  How much easier can you get?!  To jazz up the existing white drapes that I purchased from Ikea about 8 years ago, I added a woven trim to the leading edge.  The trim that I found at Hobby Lobby is black and is a great contrast to the all-white panels.  I simply sewed the trim onto the panel edge and it was complete.  This is an easy & very inexpensive way to customize window treatments to give them a designer look!

Boy Bedroom {MAKEOVER} - Gray walls, picture frame wallpaper, pops of orange & blue. The perfect space for a young boy to teen. You won't want to miss all the creative DIY ideas in this room!

{click for a similar project tutorial on adding a leading edge}

When rearranging the furniture, I liked the idea of positioning the desk so my boy can look outside the window.  The desk that was in his room was moved out and is now in the garage (I have plans for using it in another room in the future).  Since it was big and clunky, I didn’t want it to hide the new, fun wallpaper.  So in it’s place, I purchased a white, more modern desk from Target and chose to pair it with a clear ghost chair.  Again, letting the wallpaper have “it’s moment”.  A few black storage bins that I found at Lowe’s completed the look.

Boy Bedroom {MAKEOVER} - Gray walls, picture frame wallpaper, pops of orange & blue. The perfect space for a young boy to teen. You won't want to miss all the creative DIY ideas in this room!

On the desk top, I added the most adorable owl lamp that I found at Walmart and paired it with a black shade (again, playing with contrasts).  Also on the desk are a few of my boys favorite books and the cutest metal arrow bookends that I got from The Painted Fox, when I worked with them on creating The Nursery Nook.  A telescope and microscope are a few other favorite, everyday things he loves.

As we continue around the room, we can take a look at the closet and the dresser.  I had some fun with the closet door and chose to give it a splash of color with a deep blue hue.  Because the walls are neutral, adding a pop of color as I did for the door, is a fun way to add depth to a space.

Boy Bedroom {MAKEOVER} - Gray walls, picture frame wallpaper, pops of orange & blue. The perfect space for a young boy to teen. You won't want to miss all the creative DIY ideas in this room!

[click for the tutorial on how to paint a door]

Boy Bedroom {MAKEOVER} - Gray walls, picture frame wallpaper, pops of orange & blue. The perfect space for a young boy to teen. You won't want to miss all the creative DIY ideas in this room!

Opposite of the bed / honeycomb wall is the dresser.  This dresser has had many lives and even though it’s a bold color (red/orange mix) it’s lived through all the room updates.  It’s from Ikea and was purchased about 8 years ago.  For the dresser top I got 2 new lamps – clearance from Target – that flank each end and added some books + a clear jar of Legos… my boys favorite!

The rug.  The rug. From preview pics of this space, many of you have loved & commented on it.  I got it from Joss and Main through one of their flash sales.  Sorry that I don’t have more info to share 🙁  Isn’t it fun though?  I love how it brings all the colors together.

Boy Bedroom {MAKEOVER} - Gray walls, picture frame wallpaper, pops of orange & blue. The perfect space for a young boy to teen. You won't want to miss all the creative DIY ideas in this room!

Above the dresser is an oval mirror (which is from Lowe’s) that I took from the kids bath (which is now mirrorless, hehe – it happens…) and the new instagram picture holders I made.

Boy Bedroom {MAKEOVER} - Gray walls, picture frame wallpaper, pops of orange & blue. The perfect space for a young boy to teen. You won't want to miss all the creative DIY ideas in this room!

{click for the tutorial of the toy animal instagram photo holders}

Boy Bedroom {MAKEOVER} - Gray walls, picture frame wallpaper, pops of orange & blue. The perfect space for a young boy to teen. You won't want to miss all the creative DIY ideas in this room!

And there you have it… an awesome boy bedroom makeover filled with DIY projects & repurposed items.  Thankfully my son loves his new room, as do I.  It’s a keeper (for now, lol).

Boy Bedroom {MAKEOVER} - Gray walls, picture frame wallpaper, pops of orange & blue. The perfect space for a young boy to teen. You won't want to miss all the creative DIY ideas in this room!

Thanks for stopping by for a tour. To see more spaces in my home, along with other room reveals, head on over to my House Tour!

Pop of Color: How-To Paint a Door

I’m still working on my boys room. It’s almost done, but it’s probably been the longest room makeover in history (well maybe not, I think that was the master bedroom which I am happy to say is complete – well 95% complete).  Even though I want to call this latest makeover DONE, a room often does AND should take time to create and come together. The transformation of a space is like a 1000 piece puzzle, it takes time and patience to get all the pieces just right and often, it’s the final stretch that takes the longest.  And that’s okay.

As I am rounding up the room finishing up the final details (the window treatments are the last element which I’m just not feelin’ yet), I wanted to share one element that has really given the space added color + the punch it needed… a newly painted closet door.  It’s amazing how the wall (and actually the overall room) came alive with a new hue.

Take a look…

Add a Pop of COLOR by painting the door. Ditch the typical white (interior or exterior) door and add a splash of color. Check out this great how-to with 5 easy steps to transform a door!

Adding a pop of color was my Lowe’s Challenge for this month and I think I surely succeeded.  Huge difference, wouldn’t you say?!

Updating a door (interior or exterior) is super easy and if a space is fairly neutral, painting the door will make a huge impact.  If you happen to remember, I initially wasn’t overly fond of this very neutral / light wall color, BUT now I am loving it.  WHY?  It’s been able to provide a neutral backdrop for lots of color in all the layers like the red dresser to the left + the fun Frames Wallpaper + the honeycomb shelves on the opposite wall.

Choosing the RIGHT COLOR for the door!

When shopping for a color for the door, choose something that picks up on other colors in the room.  Also a semi-gloss finish is best (so marks can easily be wiped away), but eggshell or satin will also work.

For my boys closet door, I picked up a color from the new rug and chose a deep blue hue (which was leftover paint from my office makeover – Benjamin Moore Van Deusen Blue) in an eggshell finish.

Benjamin Moore Van Deusen Blue HC-156

Inspiration for the new Blue Hue on the closet door!

Along with wanting to add a pop of color to the room, the new trim/moulding color and the old door color were 2 very different and competing whites.  So it was in good reason that this door needed a makeover!

Here’s a closeup:

Steps to take for Painting a Door - Add a Pop of COLOR by painting the door. Ditch the typical white (interior or exterior) door and add a splash of color. Check out this great how-to with 5 easy steps to transform a door!

Here are the easy-peasy steps to adding a pop of color on a door:

Add a Pop of COLOR by painting the door. Ditch the typical white (interior or exterior) door and add a splash of color. Check out this great how-to with 5 easy steps to transform a door!

1. PANELS: No matter what style doore, start off with the crevices / nooks-and-crannies.  Using a quality brush (a 1″ or  1-1/2″ Purdy angled brush is my favorite) start with the panels of the door.

Steps to take for Painting a Door - Add a Pop of COLOR by painting the door. Ditch the typical white (interior or exterior) door and add a splash of color. Check out this great how-to with 5 easy steps to transform a door!

2. HARDWARE: I decided not to remove the hardware before painting (because of pure laziness) and painted around the door knob using my angled brush. The result was great…

Steps to take for Painting a Door - Add a Pop of COLOR by painting the door. Ditch the typical white (interior or exterior) door and add a splash of color. Check out this great how-to with 5 easy steps to transform a door!

3. EDGES: After the panels an the hardware, comes the edges of the door.  Be sure to lay a dropcloth or plastic under the door so paint doesn’t get on the floor.  Also, it’s best to open the door so no paint gets on the door frame.  When painting the side edges, don’t drag the brush, but instead start from the door center and pull away to get a nice clean edge and no paint on the side of the door.

Steps to take for Painting a Door - Add a Pop of COLOR by painting the door. Ditch the typical white (interior or exterior) door and add a splash of color. Check out this great how-to with 5 easy steps to transform a door!

Once all the panels + hardware, and most of the edges were done, here’s how the door looked…

Steps to take for Painting a Door - Add a Pop of COLOR by painting the door. Ditch the typical white (interior or exterior) door and add a splash of color. Check out this great how-to with 5 easy steps to transform a door!

The next  + last steps are the rails…

4 & 5. RAILS: Use a brush or roller for the rails.  If the door has a slight texture to it (like mine) then a brush will do fine because you won’t see brushstrokes, but if the door is smooth, you’ll want to choose a small roller.  You can also use floetrol, an additive that can be mixed with paint to avoid brushstrokes.  I didn’t use it for this project, but I did for my kitchen cabinets.

It’s one of my favorite products.

flood-floetrol-02

Once the first coat of paint was finished, this is how the door looked.

Steps to take for Painting a Door - Add a Pop of COLOR by painting the door. Ditch the typical white (interior or exterior) door and add a splash of color. Check out this great how-to with 5 easy steps to transform a door!

After another coat of paint using the same steps above, the door was done…

Add a Pop of COLOR by painting the door. Ditch the typical white (interior or exterior) door and add a splash of color. Check out this great how-to with 5 easy steps to transform a door!

Pretty big change for no money & very little time.

When looking around the net at other homeowner door makeovers, I found 2 helpful tutorials that you might benefit from if you’re looking to add a pop of color to your door(s)…

Steps to take for Painting a Door - Add a Pop of COLOR by painting the door. Ditch the typical white (interior or exterior) door and add a splash of color. Check out this great how-to with 5 easy steps to transform a door!via

Steps to take for Painting a Door - Add a Pop of COLOR by painting the door. Ditch the typical white (interior or exterior) door and add a splash of color. Check out this great how-to with 5 easy steps to transform a door!via

O, and one more place in my home where I decided to add some color to the doors…  the upstairs hallway.   Just last week, I shared how I updated the space with a new chalkboard wall, but to also add some color in, I chose to paint the doors my favorite Benjamin Moore Texas Leather.

Benjamin Moore Texas LeatherHere’s how the hallway evolved…

Add a Pop of COLOR by painting the door. Ditch the typical white (interior or exterior) door and add a splash of color. Check out this great how-to with 5 easy steps to transform a door!

Add a Pop of COLOR by painting the door. Ditch the typical white (interior or exterior) door and add a splash of color. Check out this great how-to with 5 easy steps to transform a door!

What a huge difference painting a door makes, especially when the walls of a space are neutral.  This was a fun project to work on and once again, it shows that with a little effort, a space can surely be transformed in no time and with little or no money.

Have you ever thought on painting your interior or exterior door(s)?

Lowes Creative Team Member Badge - Spring 2014

To gather even more unique, fun, and creative ideas for your indoor and outdoor Spring spaces, I would definitely suggest downloading the Lowe’s Creative Ideas app on your iphone and/or ipad.  I’m always checking out the FREE app for great seasonal + do-it-yourself inspiration.

Disclosure: I am part of the Lowe’s Creative Team and was provided with a Lowe’s gift card to purchase items for my project.  I was also compensated for my time to use the products.  No one told me what to create, what to buy, how to use the product, or what to write.  All opinions are 100% mine!

Tips + Tricks for Painting the Perfect Stripes

This time last week I was just about to jump into the foyer remodel.  I was picking up the paint + supplies, removing everything from the space, and getting the walls prepped.

A color was chosen.  The walls were spackled, sanded, and painted.  Then last the stripes were added.

Straight Stripes.
Crisp Stripes.
Perfect Stripes.

I am actually really impressed with myself on how straight the stripes turned out.

Here is the result…

Tips + Tricks for painting straight, crisp, perfect stripes

Now a week later, other than the styling + accessories, the space is complete. {big sigh of relief}…

But taking a step back, I learned alot about painting stripes.  There are many tutorials out there – I’m sure if you google it, you will find plenty –  and instead of giving you a step-by-step, I thought I’d simply give you the 411 on what worked and why.  Ready for it???

Trick 1.

The # of stripes.  Start out by determining how wide + how many stripes you want on the wall.   I wanted to go wide (somewhere between 10-12″ wide) + I wanted an odd number of dark stripes (for some reason odd numbered things appeal to the eye better), so I created a simple drawing of my wall.

The paintable wall (excluding the base moulding) measured =  93.5″.  I divided 93.5 by 9 (because I wanted 9 equal stripes) = 10.38. So each stripe resulted about 10-3/8″ wide.

Are you with me?  

Here’s a picture…

How To Determine Stripe Width + Tips  and Tricks for painting straight, crisp, perfect stripesI hope I didn’t lose you. Stick with me.

Trick 2.

So you got your stripe width figured out.

The next step is to make the stripes.  I went with the simplest technique for creating the stripes No nifty gadgets or gizmos were used, but instead just an ordinary, everyday tape measure.  Yup, I’ve got about a half dozen lying around.

Starting at the ceiling (that’s key – don’t start from the floor), I measured down about 10-3/8″ and made a mark with my pencil about every 20″ across the wall.

Then I connected the dots.  I lined up the tape with the first dot at the left wall edge, then continued across the wall meeting each dot.  It was fairly simple.  Once the tape was in place, I checked that the tape read 10-3/8″ all the way across.

When measuring stripes for the wall, always measure from the ceiling down.

Tips + Tricks for painting straight, crisp, perfect stripes

For this project, I used 3M painters tape.  I’ve used it before when painting the stripes in my son’s room & I have also tried FrogTape when creating the chalkboard wall for the CCC.  To be honest, I feel both are equal.  Both have a magical “formula” to keep the paint from supposedly seeping under the tape.  I don’t think that it works incredibly (but I have a another trick for that), so overall, I don’t prefer one more over the other.  Both do the job.  But, I will say, don’t cheap out (like I have in the past) and buy a generic painters tape.  IT. WON’T. STICK. TO. THE. WALL.  Go with the good stuff… 3M or Frogtape!

Trick 3.

So this is the best trick of ALL!!  The true way to achieving the most crisp, perfect striped lines with NO SEEPAGE under the tape is to “seal it”.  It sounds harder than it is.  After you’ve painted, use a brush to paint over the tape edge on the side you plan on painting the striped color (on my wall it was the dark color).   READ: ***Don’t paint the edge of the tape that is staying the background color because you will get a line after the tape is removed.

Then “burnish” (push hard) the tape into the wall so it makes a good seal.

Tips + Tricks for painting straight, crisp, perfect stripes

To help with remembering which side was which, I added a small piece of tape to the stripes that weren’t changing…  the background color.

Tips + Tricks for painting straight, crisp, perfect stripes

Then came the paint.  I’m sure you know how to do that.  No trick there…

Tips + Tricks for painting straight, crisp, perfect stripes

Last and final tip…

Trick 4.

After the second coat of paint remove the tape.  Yes, while the paint is still wet.

Tips + Tricks for painting straight, crisp, perfect stripessorry for the mucky picture, it was late at night when I took these pictures.

And you’re done.  Those are the 4 easy tricks + tips I have for painting stripes on walls.

Tips + Tricks for painting straight, crisp, perfect stripes

Fairly manageable, right?  So do you think you would try stripes now?

Have you ever seen the stripes I painted onto window curtain panels?  They are still my most favorite curtain panel to date…

How to add stripes to a curtain panel using paint

Anyway, let’s get back to my foyer.  Want to see more pictures of the crisp, straight, and incredibly perfect lines?

Tips + Tricks for painting straight, crisp, perfect stripes

Tips + Tricks for painting straight, crisp, perfect stripes

Tips + Tricks for painting straight, crisp, perfect stripes

Tips + Tricks for painting straight, crisp, perfect stripes

Tips + Tricks for painting straight, crisp, perfect stripes

And there you have it.  The crispest lines you’ve ever seen and it was so easy. Are you ready to paint stripes on your walls?  I’m thrilled with the result.

I have a few things I just ordered to finish up this space.  Here’s a peak…

With the new gold gorgeousness, a.k.a. the new gold dresser, these new elements are going to be just right to finish up the space.

Once they arrive, I will share the big reveal.  Until then, be sure to get your stripe on this weekend.

Where are you going to add stripes?  Do you have stripes in your home already?

How-To Paint Laminate Furniture

I recently shared my newly styled bookshelves, but before I added all the colorful books and stylish accessories, I gave the bookcases a much needed makeover.

Since painting the space deep blue, the once faux-wood bookcases got lost in the dark hue of the walls, and they were ready for a transformation. A crisp, fresh coat of white was the perfect solution to make a statement.

I purchased these two bookcases from Walmart about 2 years ago.  Each were around $100 and were not the best of quality (duh, look at the pricetag).  Anyway, they fit the bill at the moment, but recently the shelves started to bow.  Aside from the decision to paint the bookcases, I also needed to make a few updates so they would last a few more years – I’ll get to more on that later in the post.

Before starting the process of painting the laminate, I did a little research on the process and the first article I saw was Lindsay’s post when she transformed her TV cabinet.  It was just what I needed to get me started.

Here’s the bookcase before…

To begin, I gave each bookcase a good sanding with my orbital sander (hands down, my favorite power tool). These bookcases are made of a particle board-like  composite with a faux-wood laminate exterior. It was important NOT to sand too much because otherwise the surface would get ruined (since it’s essentially paper), but at the same time it was important to get them ‘roughed-up’ so the paint would absorb into the surface.

Then the next key step was to prime all the surfaces.  Like usual, I used Kilz Primer which blocks, seals, and preps the surface for the paint to adhere to the surface.  Primer is important, but especially when painting over laminate (as I described above).  Unlike wood, laminate is a smooth, non-porous material, so it really needs something to ‘grab’ on to – primer will do the trick!  It’s suggested that primer takes 7 days to completely dry – you can take that advice if you’d like, but I didn’t (shame, shame on me, I know).  BUT, I did wait about 4 days before painting to really make sure the surface was good-to-go!

My good blogging friend, Diane, recently wrote a post on Gripper Paint.  She uses the Glidden brand (Kilz brand has a similar product), and even though I haven’t tried it, this is another great product to use as a primer.  The name says it all.

Sidetrack Steps…

At this point of the project, I made the decision to make a few much-needed updates to the structure and look of the bookcase.  Instead of moving on to directly painting the bookcase, I decided to replace the shelves and the backing material.

As I mentioned before, the shelves were really bowing – alot – so I took a trip to my hardware store and had a long piece of 2×12 cut into lengths needed for new shelves.

And check out the back of the bookcase…  UGLY!  It was basically paper and when I started to paint the surface, it started warping even more.  Once the decision was made to upgrade the back, I crumbled the paper-backing with one hand…

To fix the backing, I had a thin piece of plywood cut to size.  Then the Mister and I flipped the bookcase onto it’s front and nailed the plywood to the perimeter of the bookcase back. (This step might seem difficult, but please be assured it wasn’t – this was probably one of the easiest steps throughout this project).

Now back on track…

After sanding, priming,and making a few updates, it was time to PAINT!

I used a brush for the corners and a roller for the flat surfaces.  In certain areas, I used a brush first, then went over the same surface with the roller to achieve a smooth, stroke-less surface. Here’s the bookcase with the first coat of paint…

Here’s a tip.  If the surface isn’t sanded or not sanded enough, then the paint will bubble (because it’s not adhering to the surface).  Check this out…

This is a No-No!

I’ll be honest, these bookcases took about 3-4 coats until I felt they were fully covered. And even after they were dry to the surface, I didn’t put anything on the shelves for at least a week.  Paint takes about 30 days to fully cure and with the heavy books and accessories sitting on them, the last thing I would want would be to have them ruined or peel!

And this is the result…

So refreshing!  Then it was time to add the books and accessories.

And here’s a peak at how the bookcases look fully styled with books and accessories.  You can check out more by viewing this post.

Painting laminate wasn’t difficult, but I did find it more time consuming than painting wood.  To sum it up, the most important steps are to sand and prime all the surfaces before painting.  If you were to skip the 2 steps, your paint would have nothing to adhere to and would most likely peel right off.  Going into this project, I wasn’t sure of the result and if the paint would even stay since the surface was so smooth, but with the right preparation, I was thrilled with the outcome.

DIY: How To Paint Stripes and Product Review of U-Stripe It

Not too long ago I wrote an article for Build Direct on adding stripes into your decor.  Ever since, I’ve had the longing urge to add stripes SOMEPLACE in my home.  I recently made some new pillows for my family room and chose a fabric with stripes, but that wasn’t enough.  I truly envisioned making a bold statement, but just wasn’t sure where.  Until…

…I decided to makeover my son’s room which was a home goal of mine for 2012.  It was the perfect spot to make dramatic focal wall with STRIPES!

We started off by taking apart his bunkbeds (which you can see in this post), so he now has two twin beds in his room. We removed the train table, which he was getting a little too old for (his words, not mine) and in the midst of furniture rearranging to create my new office space, I gave him one of the desks that I was no longer using.  ‘This desk’ has been desperately waiting patiently for a makeover for a LONG TIME and now that it finally has a home, it’s time. {sigh}

Thankfully to my generous friends at U-Stripe It, they made my life alot easier to tackle my idea for adding stripes to the wall.  Because the wall was already painted (Benjamin Moore – Puritan Gray), I was able to jump right in and start painting the stripes.  For fun stripes, I used denim blue, rustic deep red, and crisp wintry white. There was no rhyme or reason to my stripe layout, but before I started, I sketched this quick drawing as a vision for what I wanted to create.

From U-Stripe It, I received everything I needed to create my stripes, including their handy-dandy Paint Tool, a roll of 3M Painters tape, two levels, and 3M Command Mounting Strips.

Once I was ready to start my stripes, I added the mounting strip to the back of the U-Stripe It Paint Tool, positioned it horizontally on the wall, and locked it in place.

I then added the painters tape along the edges of the tool and continued it across the wall.

In about 30 minutes, I had completed making my stripes on the wall…

…And I was ready to paint. {WARNING: these pictures aren’t so pretty since I was painting fairly late in the evening once the kiddos were asleep.  And NO, I was NOT painting over my son’s head – he was fast asleep in another room}

Once the painting was complete, it was time to do the unveiling!

What a difference the room looks.  A simply added touch, truly makes for a huge impact.

Over the two beds will be black and white pictures of my little boy (which I still have to do).  I moved the vintage airplanes (which I purchased from Home Goods years ago) over the dresser instead of  over his head (not a good place if one ended up snapping off the fishing line and falling on his head during the night).  I also handmade a sign with his name and traits – this was probably the most difficult project I’ve ever created, but I kept with it and in the end, am really happy with the result. Lastly, the dresser he’s had for a few years and was purchased from Ikea.

There is still some work to be done on this room and I wouldn’t dare show you a picture of the current state that it’s in, but it’s coming along!

Stripes are such a fun and easy way to add some personality to a space. Have you painted stripes in your interiors?

Disclosure: I have a material connection because I received an item of nominal value from a company affiliated with a brand, topic and/or product that is mentioned herein, but all the content and opinions in this post are 100% mine!

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