PAINT Archives

REVERE PEWTER PAINT IS A GO-TO COLOR

July 5, 2022

Benjamin Moore’s Revere Pewter paint is a team player in paint circles.

Do you know that feeling when you see a photo of yourself and your like, “That is not what I look like?” Well, that’s the same reaction I had when I uploaded house photos.

“My family room doesn’t look like that? Oh yes, it does, Laura. Oh, yes it does. And, I remembered the power of paint.

REVERE PEWTER PAINT

I spent months on Pinterest to narrow down my decision on the paint color for our home’s interior.

Here is our family room before Revere Pewter. It was 2005.

I love the Revere Pewter paint by Benjamin Moore, on the family room walls. Revere Pewter is a neutral paint color that shows off the furniture and decor.

Here is a great resource for Benjamin Moore paints.

Check out the Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore. A neutral interior paint that is a team player!

Before our main floor remodel I painted the nook above the fireplace Hale Navy and loved the contrast against the Revere Pewter paint on the walls.

I shared examples of Hale Navy and Revere Pewter’s color palette.

The Revere Pewter paint is carried throughout most of the house.

Our home is an open main level so you can catch glimpse of the Revere Pewter on most walls.

Revere Pewter works well in an open floor plan. It is the neutral backdrop rather than the show stopper (like Hale Navy).

This paint color literally works like a canvas. You can put anything in front of it and it becomes the showstopper of the room.

To keep the space flowing from room to room I painted the kitchen the same color. Shadows and sunsets do not darken the space. It just softens the room and the lighting works well with Revere Pewter.

Years later, through DIY projects and the main floor remodel Revere Pewter stands the test of time for interior paint. Are there other greys out there? Absolutely, but this is a color that is so close to so many that I have never wanted to repaint the interior walls.

Here is my favorite navy paint color. Over a year, I slowly added Hale Navy to a bedroom, home office and dining room.

Looking for a creamy white for accessories and small paint projects! Start here!

HOW TO UPDATE A KITCHEN ISLAND IN MINUTES

June 1, 2022

My kitchen was on the waitlist for a renovation for years.

Every month she moved her way up the list patiently waiting to get her measurements taken, her drawers evaluated and her cooktop lifted and replaced.

But, until the kitchen moved to the top of the waitlist, I found a simple kitchen island update in an hour.

When my family gets wind of a mom project they get nervous.

I think my husband had visions of me adding under cabinet lighting with Christmas lights.

But I played it safe with a quart of paint and a roller.

That’s it. Do not overthink an island update.

KITCHEN ISLAND UPDATE

In the time it took to watch an episode of Frasier, minus the commercials, the kitchen island was updated. Here is how I did it.

STEPS TO UPDATE A KITCHEN ISLAND

quart of paint and a roller brush and a small pan
kitchen island updates do not require a ladder
choose a shade darker than the paint color you think you want

simple-kitchen-island-update-everyday-edits

WHY NOT PAINT THE ENTIRE KITCHEN?

A kitchen island is less of a commitment. It’s why I prefer to grab coffee with friends and not lunch. It is just as much fun but less time and expense. And it does not interrupt my daily workflow.

If I don’t like the paint color or finished look I can repaint it in the time it takes to get through the Starbucks drive-thru on the first mid-day afternoon of a new school year.

5-Ideas-for-Test-Run-Kitchen- Makeover-EverydayEdits

The kitchen island originally was painted with Revere Pewter. The transformation to Kendall Charcoal was in minutes.

Elliott is sitting in front of the cabinets. They look lighter or darker depending on the time of day.

All of a sudden, my baseboards popped against the new paint color. Even my dulled floors look a little less scuffed.

how-to-update-kitchen-island-everyday-edits

A coat of Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal transformed the space.

I love this color because it works seamlessly with colors like Revere Pewter and Hale Navy.

A big part of the kitchen renovation includes the removal and replacement of a larger kitchen island.

So my decision to paint the island was a low risk, low effort to just give her a little tweak.

I love the look!

The unexpected find in this one hour project was it was a great way to “hold me over” until we could update our kitchen.

When we finished our kitchen renovation my lower cabinets and island were almost identical to what I painted them a few years ago.

If you blinked you might have missed the subtle update. The boys in my house missed it… for weeks.

What do you think? Do you have ideas for inexpensive updates that make a huge impact in a space?

POTTERY BARN KITCHEN TABLE KNOCKOFF

March 31, 2022

I was ready to sell my kitchen table when I saw this Pottery Barn kitchen table on their website. I looked at this table online and looked over my shoulder to my World Market clearance kitchen table. It was an instant love connection and inspiration for my Pottery Barn kitchen table knockoff.

It is such a fun, raffle like win when I create a knockoff and save money. I had the same feeling with this Goodwill tray.

BEFORE THE KNOCKOFF

My veneer-ish, shiny black table was screaming to get a makeover.

HOW TO CREATE A POTTERY BARN KNOCKOFF TABLE

Lightly sanded the table
Used a prime + paint with this Benjamin Moore color. It is Mascarpone and it is my favorite creamy white. I use it in most of the accessories in my home.

The hardest part about this creamy white is spelling it correctly.

And, this Pottery Barn kitchen table knockoff is one of my favorites! My kitchen table went from a shiny, veneer-ish finish to a creamy color to brighten the space.

kitchen-table-pottery-barn-knockoff-feature

Taking inspiration from the Pottery Barn table, I added four navy kitchen chairs. The chairs were cheap but functional.

I am looking for a long term relationship with my kitchen chairs. Any suggestions?

Next up I purchased a round sisal rug on sale at Pottery Barn. I had plans to add a rug but waited for Elliott to finish the puppy chewing phase.

Painting the table instantly brightened the dining area. The navy curtains no longer had to fight with the black table. And, the chairs had an instant connection to the window treatments too.

More recently, I added the light fixture above the table. The light fixture updated the space and made it feel lighter and open.

I shared these tips when shopping for light fixtures.

Do you have a fun Pottery Barn knockoff? Here a few favorite Pottery Barn-related posts. Pottery Barn Knockoff Chaise and Where I find decor ideas.

Pottery Barn Kitchen Table Knockoff Inspiration

HOW TO PAINT CABINET HARDWARE

March 16, 2022

I could paint the front door pumpkin orange and the dogs would notice before the rest of the family. And that is how I ended up painting my brand new cabinet hardware in my laundry room.

But let me back it up for a minute. I purchased and installed 14 cabinet pulls before I realized I did not like the oil-rubbed bronze finish.

I thought the finish would be more oil than bronze. Sadly, it was not. And based on my pumpkin orange front door hypothesis I had no concern if anyone would notice (or care). But I knew I was entering the grey zone and needed to figure out how to paint the cabinet hardware. Until I found a solution it would bug me like a mosquito. #wink

The irony is I replaced the original hardware and could have used this tip and saved myself the money of the oil rubbed bronze cabinet pulls.

Here are the original, builder grade cabinet knobs.

But I wanted a different design than the builder grade. I loved the shape of the new hardware knobs. They remind me of petite Easter eggs. They are larger than they appear in the photo. But I wish I had ordered a little larger.

I wanted black cabinet pulls; to pop against my white laundry room cabinets.

Painting over a dozen cabinet pulls without incident (meaning no coverage gaps or drips) sent me on a paint fix search. And, then, with no help from Pinterest or Google, I got an idea on how to paint cabinet pulls with a toothpick.

Yes a toothpick. Never underestimate the power of a toothpick.

Never under underestimate the power of a toothpick.

HOW TO PAINT CABINET HARDWARE IN MINUTES

With an empty Amazon box, 1/2 can of black spray paint + primer and a handful of toothpicks I set up my impromptu paint station outside.
2. I spaced the toothpicks apart making sure to have enough room around each one to spray every crevice.
Once the cabinet pulls were positioned, I poked each toothpick into the box; just enough to hold the cabinet pull.

The toothpick’s sharp point made it easy to press into the cardboard box.

I placed each cabinet pull on top of the toothpicks.
The cabinet pulls were hollow so the toothpicks handled the weight of each cabinet pull.
The cabinet pulls wobbled, but they did not fall down.

RESULTS

A can of black spray paint changed the look of the cabinet hardware in seconds.

The freshly painted cabinet hardware gave a fresh look to a space that is all about lost socks, grass stains and dirty laundry.

After all, the laundry is the most popular room in the house.

how to update the cabinet hardware in minutes — How to paint cabinet pulls in minutes, no mess

After hundreds of loads of laundry, the spray painted cabinet hardware looks brand new.

Love it! And, no one in the family ever knew of my initial disappointment in the finish.

I started and finished and reinstalled the pulls in a matter of a few hours. In fact, NO ONE in the family noticed I had changed the cabinet pulls from the original pulls!

If you are thinking about painting your front door, read this post.

Here is a tip for staining small objects!

HOW TO PAINT EGRESS WINDOW COVERS

September 29, 2021

Sharing how to paint egress window well covers for an egress window well

My family gave me a collective eye roll when I mentioned I wanted to paint the window well covers in our backyard. I never paid attention to the window well grates.

As a Realtor, I check for window well covers and exit ladders on egress windows, but as a homeowner? Not so much. But window well covers are the goalie for egress window wells. They keep the leaves, critters and yard debris from landing at the bottom of a window well!

WHAT ARE WINDOW WELL COVERS?

Window well covers are functional but there is room to make them look better when the aluminum finish looks dull and tired.

After a few seasons, the finish starts to look like my complexion after the long winter.

Window well covers are the goalies for blowing leaves, little critters, and at our house tennis balls. The egress window cover’s job is to catch the debris before it tumbles into the bottom of a basement (cellar) window well.

And, if you have a garden level or walkout basement you may have a few window well covers for your egress windows.

HOW TO PAINT EGRESS WINDOW WELL COVERS

STEPS TO PAINT WINDOW WELL COVERS

Tape the home’s exterior with craft paper or drop cloth to protect the house from paint spray
I covered about 12″ from the ground up and a little wider than the length of the window well.

Remove the debris and give the window well cover a good sweep.

I used a primer + paint black spray paint!

I sprayed over the window well multiple times making sure to spray from different angles of the grate.

This was a one hour project that made the window wells look so fresh and pretty. I love the finished look! This project was inexpensive with the cost of one to two cans of spray paint.

Do you have basements where you live?

You can find more details and code details about egress windows here.

How to Paint Window Well Covers for Egress Window Wells

Looking for other one-hour paint projects? This garage entry door before and after was an easy project! Would love if you joined in for my once a week newsletter.

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MY FAVORITE NAVY PAINT COLOR

June 9, 2021

Paint color is like a great relationship. When you find a good one you trust knowing it’s never going to let you down. And then you start calling each other pet names for each other. My pet name for Benjamin Moore’s Haley Navy is dark and stormy.

I have a gallon of Benjamin Moore’s Hale Navy on hand for when I need a sample board for a navy paint color.

It’s great for rooms with little light like my home office. Dark colors do not make a room feel smaller.

More moody like my mood swings as a Realtor. ##realtorlife

I chose Hale Navy for my son’s college-age bedroom for a more mature look. Of course, with an exception of his teddy bear in his toddler Gap jammies.

I shared the importance of doing this with our kids’ keepsakes.

I used Hale Navy for his feature wall and it blends seamlessly with the Revere Pewter walls.

Judging from my Pinterest boards, and my most popular pin ever I think there are a lot of you crushing on Hale Navy.

When we built this custom library wall for our living room my husband and I both agreed it had to be painted Hale Navy. We love the feel of this room.

The two story wall that library wall is built into is also Revere Pewter.

These sconces pop against the navy paint.

Navy is a timeless color and it looks great when paired with other bold colors or white paint and accessories. It also looks great against stain too!

Tip: Home Depot color matches all Benjamin Moore paint colors

If you are on the fence about painting a room navy check out a few of the details in these posts!

How I paired Revere Pewter with Hale Navy
Curious about painting a stained front door?

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HOW TO CREATE SEASONAL DINNERWARE IN 3 STEPS

April 20, 2021

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How to create seasonal dinnerware for all those tablescape goals

It started with where to find navy plates for my summer tablescapes. The boys (men) in my life have no idea what I am talking about right now. One of them is Googling tablescapes. I wanted seasonal dinnerware that didn’t dip into my Nordstrom semi-annual sale fund. I wanted seasonal dinnerware for my tablescapes.

After Mother’s day, we are pretty much into summer. With three patriotic holidays between May and September, I wanted a dinnerware hack where I could set the dining room (or patio table) and celebrate the summer. My girlfriend keeps her tablescape simple with a red/white/blue table all summer.

Faced with a challenge to find blue plates and not spend Pottery Barn money I found a workaround that might just work for all of dish fanatics. t

HOW TO CREATE SEASONAL DINNERWARE IN 3 STEPS

Before we get to the steps let’s run through the supply list.

SUPPLY LIST

Glass plates. I bought these plates (Made in the USA) years ago. I may have bought them before Amazon. ;0) Or, take a girlfriend and look for glass dinnerware pieces at thrift stores.
Paint. I used Latex paint because I am not using this dinnerware to serve food, but to create seasonal dinnerware.
Foam brush. Do as I suggest not as I did. I used a paintbrush, but a foam brush would eliminate the streaks.

HOW TO CREATE SEASONAL DINNERWARE IN 3 STEPS

Clean the glass plates (obviously).
Paint the backside of the plate. This is to add fun dinnerware and layers to your tablescape. Please don’t serve a salad with a dollop of Hale Navy paint. #wink 3. Let dry. Repeat.

That’s it! Now I know you are probably asking why did Laura use latex paint and not oil-based paint? I used oil-based paint pens when I decorated these plates?

But I knew once I washed these plates the navy paint would wear off and I could either touch them up or paint them a different color.

Tip: Don’t run these in the dishwasher where the acrylic paint might clog your filter. Just wash with soap and water first.

I really had fun with this simple, thrifty idea to create seasonal dinnerware.

For me, it is not practical or budget-friendly to buy eight dinner or salad plates for every season, holiday or color scheme.

Tip: If you layer your plates you can save by my ordering the appetizer size glass plates.

Think of all the fun colors and designs you can create on the appetizer, salad or dinner plates.

This is a fun way to add color to the table and I am limited only by imagination (and skills). #wink

HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER PAINT & WHY

October 15, 2020

how to store leftover paint in mason or recycled jars

Even with three months at home, I found excuses to not organize the gallon size cans of leftover paint in the garage. But I found time to watch 97 episodes of the Gran Hotel with English subtitles.

But after six months with my husband happily working from home I found a reason to spend a few hours in my garage sorting through the leftover paint.

In the garage, staring back at me I had over a dozen gallon size paint cans and just as many quart size cans.

If my right elbow twinged when I picked up the paint I stored it back on the garage shelf. That meant there was more paint than a jar could hold.

If there was no “give” in the paint can the paint had dried up from a lazy paint lid?

But if there was less than 1/4 of a can of paint I gave it a proper mason jar and screwtop lid.

Here is how I store that last 1/8 of a Hale Navy or Kendall Charcoal paint can. You guys some of these (Made in the USA) mason jars have stored paint for more years than the paint color was on the walls.

My daughter’s bedroom was pink for a very hot minute.

Can we agree that everything looks better in a mason jar?

Most of my nearly empty cans or plastic containers looked like this when I pulled them out of the garage shelf.

See below for a quick review of how I store leftover paint.

HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER PAINT

Round up mason jars or recycled glass jars with lids.

Tip: Use the wide mouth and/or shorter mason jars for touchup paint tasks.

Mason or recycled jars work best for that 1″ of paint at the bottom of the can.
Label the color and finish. I include the paint # too because Home Depot color matches the top brands.
I used these labels and it includes a chalk pen.
Store the jars in a cool or temp stable spot. I store my mason jars in this closet.

Tip: I keep a few foam brushes in the closet so I can grab a jar of paint and make a quick touchup.

But a funny thing happened when I transferred the paint into mason jars.

It had nothing to do with paint. It was like when the Grinch realized Christmas wasn’t about packages and bows. Well, neither was the task of how to store leftover paint.

Nope, the best reason was organizing the leftover paint motivated me to clean and tackle those nagging home maintenance tips like the taunting you paint touchups.

Once I sorted through the paint I ended up with empty shelves. Empty!

And, then once I had the leftover paint in mason jars with cute labels it motivated me to tackle those nagging paint touchups. With the leftover paint in jars I no longer postponed touchups because of the thought of sorting thru paint cans and hauling up paint cans for a dozen touchups.

It was liberating!

Mason jars make everything prettier and more manageable. I now keep touch-up paint in mason jars in this closet.

And, for those wondering if that paint “keeps” in a mason jar. The short answer is yes. I found these jars online and sometimes they are on sale at Kroger.

POTTERY BARN KITCHEN TABLE KNOCKOFF

August 3, 2020

My veneer-ish, shiny black table was screaming to get a makeover.

I painted my round table with this Benjamin Moore color. It is Mascarpone and it is my favorite creamy white. I use it in most of the accessories in my home.

The hardest part about this creamy white is spelling it correctly.

And, this Pottery Barn kitchen table knockoff is one of my favorites! My kitchen table went from a shiny, veneer-ish finish to a creamy color to brighten the space.

Taking inspiration from the Pottery Barn table, I added four navy kitchen chairs. The chairs were cheap but functional.

I am looking for a long term relationship with my kitchen chairs. Any suggestions?

Next up I purchased a round sisal rug on sale at Pottery Barn. I had plans to add a rug but waited for Elliott to finish the puppy chewing phase.

Painting the table instantly brightened the dining area. The navy curtains no longer had to fight with the black table. And, the chairs had an instant connection to the window treatments too.

More recently, I added the light fixture above the table. The light fixture updated the space and made it feel lighter and open.

I shared these tips when shopping for light fixtures.

Do you have a fun Pottery Barn knockoff? Here a few favorite Pottery Barn related posts. Pottery Barn Knockoff Chaise and Where I find decor ideas.

How to Paint Glass Jars

June 29, 2020

My dad repurposed pickle jars before there were blogs and Youtube. His parents and grandparents lived during/through the Depression. My dad will appreciate how to paint glass jars. After all, I am a third-generation repurpose enthusiast. Dad here is how to paint glass jars so you can take those pickle jars up a notch.

I know what you might be thinking: everyone knows how to paint glass jars.

That’s what my son told me.

I get it; this is not a faux paint finish back in the late 1990s. It is paint and a glass jar. I can hear my dad reading this right now and asking me, “Laura, you mean people actually NEED to read a story on how to paint glass jars?” #momblogger

How to Paint Glass Jars

Supplies Needed:

glass jars (clean + dry)
spray paint

This is pretty simple. I always use this one with a matte finish and a built-in primer. And, this spray paint finish is a new favorite after I used it on this project. It sells out quickly at Home Depot. Target carries it too, but limited selection and a few dollars more.

When I buy candles I always go for the shape of the candle jar over the scent. I loved this candle’s shape, but unfortunately, the candle did not smell tranquil.

how-to-upcycle-candle-jars-everyday-edits

I bought several because of the cute glass jars. If you zoom in it is a #madeintheusa find from here.

After removing the labels and the waxy film and wick using this technique I was ready to paint the glass jars.

Tip: When I whip out my spray paint I like to set up an assembly line of whatever I plan to paint. In this case, I had a 1/2 dozen glass jars ready to paint.

In the past I always spray painted the exterior of the jar in case I wanted to serve snacks or nibbles. And, until this project I never even thought about spraying the inside of a glass jar.

But on a whim I decided to go crazy and spray the inside of the glass jar.

You guys! It was life changing for this jar. Spraying the inside of the jar was night and day from the previous jars I sprayed on the exterior.

The finished glass jar looks professional grade smooth. The spray paint process is more forgiving when the drips or misses are on the inside of the jar too.

I tried to capture a side by side, but it was hard to show the exterior side version. But the interior spray technique gave the jar this smooth finish. The jar in the background was painted on the outside where you can see it has more of a flat finish.

The only issue is if you plan to use your repurposed painted glass jars for food. I don’t like the idea of my M&M’s next to spray paint.

Tip: If you plan to serve snacks or candy in your freshly painted glass jars add a cupcake liner or coffee filter. They work great and make for easy cleanup!

I love the look! Am I the last to know this technique?

BEFORE + AFTER INTERIOR PAINT COLORS

June 4, 2020

“Do you think we can find paint ideas on Pinterest?” The fact that my husband knew how to use Pinterest in a sentence was enough for me. My mother still struggles with the correct pronunciation. So, “Yes, I think we can find paint ideas on Pinterest.” Which got me thinking about the power of paint in my own house and a look back at a few before and after interior paint colors around my house.

You, ready?

As a Realtor, I remind sellers that paint holds a lot of power in a room.

Paint makes the first impression and has the ability to turn off or engage potential buyers when they walk through the front door.

Realtor Tip: The same can be said for tchotchke and toilet seat covers.

Paint can easily overpower the “bones” or the “energy” of the home.

I speak from personal experience too. Heavy, dated walls make rooms feel dark and cluttered.

Paint can accent a feature wall or an office, but it can also scream the not so great details of a home’s interior.

BEFORE + AFTER INTERIOR PAINT COLORS

You know those details that make funny stories or start a conversation with a buyer. I wonder who talked about our basement bonus room after they left our Christmas party?

Check out this before photo of our basement bonus room.

Then and now … I shared the details of this bonus room here.

Then …

and now…

Our family room then …

and our family room now. Still working on this one.

and now….and that rug.

An upper bedroom then …

and now. With a more sophisticated, college age shade of navy with a side of Revere Pewter.

And, an upper bathroom… before

to a softer shade of silver. Here is the complete before and after of this bathroom remodel.

What do you think? What room won the best before and after contest? Thank you for stopping by! Please follow along on my Instagram.

How to Paint Galvanized Metal

April 30, 2020

Do you ever jump on a trend and a year later you wonder why you have so many chippy candleholders? Two years ago I decided my patio needed galvanized accessories. With visions of a Ralph Lauren meets Pottery Barn backyard, I bought galvanized trays, chargers, and lanterns.

But, with a busy summer real estate season (last summer) my backyard looked more like Kohls meets Homegoods on a Sunday just before close. My lanterns endured all the seasons on our front porch. And, that is the back story to how I figured out how to paint galvanized accessories.

Over time, the lanterns collected leaves and pine needles held together with melted candle wax.

The funniest thing about this project? I had no intention to paint my metal lanterns. I did not even know it was an option until I did something totally out of character. #wink

How to Paint Galvanized Metal

I was working on this project and I did something reckless. I grabbed the Charcoal spray paint and just sprayed it right over the galvanized screen on one of the four panels on one of my two matching galvanized lanterns.

There is no turning back from a painted screen.

And guess what?

I loved it.

It was like that moment when you are set on your go-to nail color (OPI Bubble Bath) and at the very, very last second, you change your mind and go with OPI Red?

And, you are so happy you chose the classic red.

That was my reaction when I painted the galvanized lantern with the Rustoleum Chalked Charcoal spray paint.

This is hands down my new favorite Rustoleum spray paint color (Charcoal) in the Chalked ultra-matte finish.

So let me back up on my how to paint galvanized metal because I had to work backyards from spraying the screen on the first lantern.

Steps to Paint Galvanized Accessories

Clean the galvanized metal with a damp cloth to remove dust or debris. Because I had screened lanterns I sprayed water on both lanterns to remove the dirt and debris.
used a primer + paint spray paint so I didn’t have to prime it

Galvanized metal is designed to be tough. It is very forgiving with spray paint, but make sure you use a primer or have it built-in.

I used a matte finish because I prefer that look. I repeated the process because as you can see I missed a few spots on the first round of spray paint.

The Charcoal Chalked finish maintained the integrity of the galvanized finish. Again, this was the first time to use this product, but I loved the results on my clay pots.

That’s it! This is an hour project and the Charcoal spray paint was forgiving and added a depth that black spray paint doesn’t achieve.

Looking to paint something else? Try this project!

Front Porch Flower Pots

April 28, 2020

Do you know what day it is? Neither do I but my front porch looks like spring. I am super excited about this month’s Pinterest Challenge with Cindy from her blog County Road 407. I loved this challenge because it motivated me to create my front porch flower pots for the spring season.

Front Porch Flower Pots

Our inspiration for this month’s Pinterest challenge came from Leo and Jane’s topsy turvy galvanized buckets. This month’s inspiration was to incorporate pots, buckets, or galvanized containers.

If you are coming from Lora’s blog; welcome to Everyday Edits. My name is Laura too!

Like so many of us this time of year I headed to Home Depot for inspiration.

Apparently, everyone is spray painting this month. Home Depot was nearly out of my go-to paint + primer black flat spray paint. I grabbed one of the last cans. And, on a whim I grabbed two cans of Rust-Oleum Chalked matte spray paint in Charcoal.

Last summer we had wrought iron railings and a new handrail installed on the front porch. I decided Charcoal painted flower pots would pull out the wrought iron railings and add additional contrast to our house colors and stone.

Of course, this image captured neither the railings or the hand rail. #fail

I loved this Rustoleum Charcoal paint color so much I pretty much painted everything but the bench with this Chalked finish.

Seriously, it is my favorite new color and finish.

With spray paint in hand, I headed to the garden center and bought a few small clay flower pots and petunias.

Painted Clay Pots

So with a few detours and compromises, I chose clay pots because:

I could repaint the clay pots if I didn’t love the Chalk finish
repurpose the pots in a dozen ways
justify the clay pots because they were only $1.49
the clay pots were in stock

I had a couple of tub size galvanized barrels but they were too big for my porch.

However, I had galvanized lanterns that I decided to incorporate into the porch. Except, the galvanized finish was washed out on the concrete porch and steps.

So guess what I did?

I took the 2nd can of my favorite new chalked finish spray paint and painted the galvanized lanterns.

I planned to restock the lanterns with fresh(er) candles, but on a whim, I tucked the petunias into the lanterns.

And guess what? The lanterns act like little pergolas for the petunias.

I love the finished look of my painted clay pots. And, the addition of the lanterns just gives the petunias a little protection from the Colorado sun.

Please stop by to check out Barbara’s spring garden here .

Thank you Cindy for coordinating the details.

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Garage Entry Door Makeover in an Hour

November 20, 2019

It’s the week of Thanksgiving. I should focus on mashed potatoes, fresh linens and a vacuum to reign in the dog hair. But that’s not what happened yesterday. In between a quick inventory of the Christmas trees and hauling out bags of clothes to drop off at Goodwill, I painted the garage entry door. That’s right in less than an hour I had a garage entry door makeover. Welcome home…

You know when you reach that point where you have to drop everything because something bugs you so much? Like a mosquito bite; that you can’t reach to scratch? Well, my garage entry door was that mosquito; except it was door and days before Thanksgiving.

This was the door a few years ago before it got a quick update with a coat of black paint and new hardware. But over the years the door got banged up with tennis bags and a 93 pound Bernese Mountain dog covered in mud.

She may also be the reason the updated door hardware tilts.

I switched things up with a couple quick coats of Chelsea Gray. The same paint I used to paint our living room hutch. There is an Instagram account just for Benjamin Moore’s Chelsea Gray.

In our house, the entry door from the garage is the most popular door. The only one who visits the front door is the UPS or Fed Ex guy. So it only made sense that my family members have a door with fresh paint.

In less than an hour, I had a garage entry door makeover. And I added a little something to welcome my family home.

It turns out the crazy, packed schedule is the deadline I needed to haul out a paint tarp. The time spent painted rolled by quickly with thoughts of all three of my children home for a few days. #fullhouse

I plan to make these as these breakfast rolls in the days before Thanksgiving.

Hello there!

MY FAVORITE CREAMY WHITE PAINT

November 11, 2019

What’s your favorite color? Right now I am crushing on shades of navy and gray for interior paint and decor. For clothing, I opt for shades of gray and black. The thought of adding a pop of color to my wardrobe usually results in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. But when I discovered Benjamin Moore’s Mascarpone, I knew I had landed on my favorite creamy white paint. It reminds me of marshmallow fluff.

My Favorite Creamy White Paint Color

The hardest part about this paint color is how to spell it. Is it MAR or MAS? It trips me up every time. The fact that it is the name of a type of Italian cream cheese is not lost on me. It kind of reminds of one of my favorite desserts.

If desserts were a paint color this dessert would be Mascarpone.

My favorite creamy white popped up in my surprise pumpkin patch.

It’s my go-to for little projects and big ceilings. I love it so much I negotiated with my painter to repaint our family room ceiling. By the end of the first day, he agreed with my choice and he picked up the cost of the Benjamin Moore Mascarpone paint color and I paid for the labor.

I keep a mason jar size of this Mascarpone in my hall closet for quick paint touchups or an easy paint project.

I loved the transformation of my yard sale milk can find a few years ago. Everything pops against a shade of creamy white. Right?

Who knew you can paint over glass! This discovery changed how I looked at glass. No surprise here I used my go-to creamy white paint.

There’s a little bit of creamy white in every room and many accessories. Like it’s name suggests it’s creamy like frosting.

Check out this painted pumpkin compared to the real white pumpkins I found in our front yard (after our Aussie played soccer with a pumpkin the summer before the pop-up pumpkin patch.

My favorite creamy white paint is Benjamin Moore’s Mascarpone (AF-20).

Oh and here’s a tip to store leftover paint.

HOW TO PAIR HALE NAVY & REVERE PEWTER PAINT

October 21, 2019

Sharing navy paint colors by Benjamin Moore and coordinating with Revere Pewter paint colors in interior rooms.

After surviving the Tuscany-inspired paint colors of 2005, we painted our walls with Benjamin Moore’s Revere Pewter.

When I got bored with the greige walls I decided the walls, needed a dark and stormy backdrop. I quickly landed on the blue color wheel for Benjamin Moore’s paint colors. Hale Navy was the perfect color pallette for the neutral Revere Pewter!

After eight trips to Guiry’s and samples from the Depot, I went with Benjamin Moore’s Hale Navy. I love it! I hope these images help you navigate the dozens of paint combinations for greige and navy!

HALE NAVY + REVERE PEWTER IN PICTURES

I love, love, love the color combination. The two colors blend seamlessly with no stark contrast.

When making the decision to move away from neutral paint colors there are a few suggestions before you paint your entire main floor interiors navy.

Hale Navy is a bold, confident paint color.

It can be a bit overwhelming to someone with realtor beige walls. #realtorlife.

TIPS TO ADD NAVY PAINT TO REVERE PEWTER

Start with small spaces. I painted a small niche (a popular architectural feature in the 2000s).
Repeat. Paint another small space or 1/2 wall that is easy to repaint if you are not ready for a bold color. And that is okay. Here is a flashback to my first shade of blue in our dining room.
Hale Navy looks great with so many accent colors. I share a few in the images below. Please pin for reference!

EXAMPLES OF HALE NAVY AND REVERE PEWTER

How to pair Benjamin Moore's Hale Navy with Revere Pewter

Before we completed this family room fireplace remodel we had a large niche (inset) above our fireplace.

The addition of Hale Navy transformed the fireplace and centered the room.

Like this little nook sits under the staircase. Here is the before and after. Revere Pewter is the main wall color.

NICHE BEFORE

NICHE AFTER

Painting multiple small spaces gave me the confidence to transition to the dining room.

It was surrounded by a row of windows.

Benjamin Moore Hale Navy paint color, dining room paint color, dark and stormy dining room

A few years ago we removed the half wall between the kitchen and the dining room. The kitchen is Revere Pewter and the extra light from the dining room window gave me the confidence to go all-in on the navy paint in the dining room.

I loved the dining room so much I went around the corner and painted my office Hale Navy.

I purchased these mirrors or the dining room.

With the success of the dining room, I went next door to the main level home office.

Here is a peek at my office. Same color (different lighting).

Hale Navy in the home office, home office paint color, Benjamin Moore Hale Navy, navy walls

One of the unexpected joys of Hale Navy is it looks amazing with so many colors like pinks and greens and my favorite creamy white paint.

Here’s a different wall in the main floor office.

Hale Navy office walls, navy paint color, dark and stormy navy

The interior walls on the main, upper and lower levels are painted with Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter.

Here is our living room with Revere Pewter.

Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter, interior walls, Revere Pewter, interiors

After our main level remodel, we repainted our family room walls with Revere Pewter. I kept the side windows on opposite sides of the remodeled fireplace Hale Navy. It coordinates with the navy window treats.

Hale Navy interior walls paired with Revere Pewter.

I would love it if you pinned this image!

FAVORITE PAINTING SUPPLIES

These Made in USA angled paint brush

This Made in USA angled shortcut brush

This drop cloth!

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