PAINT Archives - Everyday Edits

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 at less than 1/4 of a can of paint I gave it a proper 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 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 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.

Pottery Barn Kitchen Table Knockoff

August 3, 2020

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.

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.

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.

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 and 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 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 clutter.

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 and 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 Egress Window Covers

May 12, 2020

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? I saw the window well covers as a cosmetic issue. The aluminum finish was dull and tired.

Kind of 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. These are the steps I used to paint the egress window well covers.

How to Paint Egress Window Covers

I used craft paper to tape to the home’s exterior to minimize paint spray on the house. I covered about 12″ from the ground up and a little wider than the length of the window well.

I’m not always the most diligent when it comes to the prep part of a paint project. I always say, “That is why there’s touch up paint.”

2. I removed the debris and gave the window well cover a good spray with the hose.

3. I used a primer + paint black flat spray paint. That’s it!

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.

Looking for other one-hour paint projects? This garage entry door before and after was so fun!

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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).

There are Pinterest boards dedicated to shades of white paint like this one or this one.

How to Pair Hale Navy & Revere Pewter Paint

October 21, 2019

Examples of how to pair Benjamin Moore’s Hale Navy and Revere Pewter paint

Growing up my sister and I got to pick a shade of pink for our Strawberry Shortcake inspired polyester bedspreads. My dad brought home 2 gallons of paint that resembled Benjamin Moore’s Mascarpone. It might explain our mutual love for Pinterest paint boards. After living with Tuscany inspired paint colors from the early 2000’s we painted our walls Revere Pewter. But I got bored with the greige walls and decided to pair Hale Navy & Revere Pewter paint.

HOW TO PAIR HALE NAVY AND REVERE PEWTER

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

I created a Pinterest board filled with pins of Hale Navy and Revere Pewter. I started small with arches and niches; they must have been the architectural thing in the early 2000s.

Like this little nook that sits under the staircase. Here was the Revere Pewter painted niche.

How to Pair Hale Navy & Revere Pewter Paint

I crossed the hall over to the dining room where I followed the trend of painting one more niche.

And, then I ventured into carrying the Hale Navy under the dining room wall around the windows. We had recently removed a half wall between the kitchen and the dining room.

With the additional light, I decided the room could handle a bold, confident. The kitchen transitions to Revere Pewter.

Here is the dining room window ledge after I painted the walls Hale Navy. Full room pictures soon!

I loved the dining room so much I went around the corner and painted my office Hale Navy. Here’s a peek at my office. It is the pantry for the next month during our kitchen demo. I shared how to paint two paint colors in a straight line on corners and ceilings.

Here is a peek of my office. This has been the longest reveal. I binged Bridget Jones when I painted the room on a weekend.

Start here if you are curious about navy and green color pairings.

Thanks for stopping by today! Please pin for reference.

ROOMS WITH HALE NAVY + REVERE PEWTER

Family Room

Living Room

Dining Room

FURNITURE PHOTOGRAPHED IN ROOMS

How to Paint a Stained Door

October 9, 2019

There was no turning back once I started to paint the back side of our front door. The decision to paint the stained front door was a long, agonizing one. Translation? I spent too much time (and coffee) searching Pinterest. Of course, I am obsessed with these doors, but I am pinching pennies as we get ready to demo our kitchen. The difficult decision was based on the fact that once the white paint was in play it was not easily undone.

How to Paint to Stained Front Door

Here is the stained front door from inside the entryway. And, yes, the white trim around the stained door was an existing eyesore.

Steps to Paint a Stained Door

I made the decision not to remove the door from the door’s hinges. With my erratic Realtor schedule, I wanted to be able to lock up the house if needed.
Lightly sand the stained door and remove dust a debris front door’s surface.
Paint the sidelights first. If I hated the paint it would be easier to restain one sidelight than the entire front door.

At this point, I could see the transformation from the oak stain to a bright white to match the adjacent closet door.

You know that moment when you love the decision you agonized over for weeks?

This was that kind of moment for a DIY girl!

New hardware to match the closet door hardware finished the look. If you zoom into you can see we missed a few hinges when we updated the door hardware around the house. I shared that project here.

Painting the interior side of the stained front door made the space brighter.

Look at the before and after side by side photo. Painting the stained doors made a huge difference in a matter of hours and a 1/2 gallon of paint. If you want to do a deep dive on the prep details, check out my go to handyman,

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5 Milk Can Makeover Ideas

October 2, 2019

It was love at first sight when I found this milk can at a garage sale. I loved it so much I stashed in the garage for a year. Questions like, “What color should I paint it?” Or, “Could I pull off a jumper with booties this fall?” kept me up at night? Sound familiar? So I turned to Pinterest to find milk can inspiration. I found 5 milk can makeover ideas and in the end created my own milk can.

Milk Can Inspiration #1

I loved the paint color on this one. You can snag the vinyl decal at this Etsy shop.

Milk Can Inspiration #2

This black milk can looks so much better than mine (see above). You can snag personalized vinyl at this Etsy shop.

Milk Can Inspiration #3

I am not sure what I love more- this dairy graphic on the milk can or the girl (chick) behind Artsy Chicks Rule. If you visit her, please scroll to bottom to see my milk can makeover.

5-milk-can-makeover-ideas-everyday-edits

Source: Artsy Chicks Rule via Pinterest

Milk Can Inspiration #4

Funny story with these vintage creamery cans. That was the description of these cans when I found this on Pinterest. I guess that is what Ma Ingalls would have called these can when she raised a family in the Little House on the Prairie. I loved these creamery cans and then when I clicked on the link via Pinterest I discovered this was a photograph of creamery cans. Maybe I should order the print and skip the milk can makeover. #wink

Milk Can Inspiration #5

Here is one more makeover idea. I love the greenery and the buffalo check ribbon.

Source: DIY Projects

With 5 milk can makeover ideas swirling in my head, I decided to go in a totally different direction.

I painted the milk can this creamy white paint that I used on this table. It is creamy like icing.

I am obsessed with this berry garland I found at Michaels. And, the pumpkin was the perfect way to top off the milk can (my version of a lid).

I used a little bit of a grapevine wreath to wrap around the neck of the milk can. Grapevine garland or wreaths are my go-to for planters and baskets that need a little more weight.

I am so excited about how this milk can makeover turned out. And, the best part…moving it inside gave me more space in the garage for my next garage sale find!

Looking for simple ideas to keep the kitchen sink pretty? Check out this list.

What do you look for at garage sales?

The Painted Hutch

September 30, 2019

If you have been a follower of Everyday Edits you know I am passionate about my furniture. I got a lot love when I published the story behind our dining room table. And, this is hands down our most popular piece of furniture. But, today is about the painted hutch in our living room. The painted hutch is a story about redemption and finding one’s place in a space. It was a lesson in patience and process.

Yes, I am talking about the painted hutch that found its way in a brownstone-ish home in the suburbs of Denver.

What did you think I was talking about?

Today is about the ongoing transformation of the painted hutch in our living room. There is a collective eye roll from my family right about now. Honestly, I do not think anyone in my family noticed the living room hutch had gone from the original finish (black), to a creamy white and settled on a half creamy white and Kendall Charcoal gray combo.

I loved the Kendall Charcoal grey on the exterior and kept the inside a creamy white. But when it came to the fun part of staging the hutch, the accessories got lost.

I don’t have the photo of the combo paint job because that was when my Nikon had a complete camera breakdown. But the light gray walls and the white interior gives you an idea at the bland hutch.

So with a 1/2 gallon of paint in the hall closet and a new camera on order, I finished my vision for the painted hutch 3.0. In about an hour I painted the glass shelves and the interior of the hutch to match the Kendall Charcoal on the exterior. I grabbed a stack of white dishes to give me an idea of the potential in my newly painted hutch.

It was love a first stack.

Here is a quick look at the before an after:

I love this color! I painted my front door the same color too. It gives the hutch warmth against the expansive wall behind it.

Revere Pewter Paint in Family Room

August 29, 2019

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 this page to narrow down my decision on the paint color for our home’s interior.

I love the Revere Pewter paint on the family room walls, but these photos show a little more blah than boom. And, it wasn’t until I took those photos that I realized I have some family room goals this fall. I was on the right track when I added these pillows.

The basket with the pillows is one of my favorite things in the room. I love the contrast between the wicker and the blue & white pillows. See that tennis ball in the background? I have a photo collage of random tennis balls.

When you are a tennis family you find tennis balls just about everywhere. Last spring I painted the nook above the fireplace Hale Navy and loved the contrast against the Revere Pewter paint on the walls.

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.

Here is a glimpse of our new windows from earlier this summer. The new windows transformed the room. We replaced all the windows with clear glass (no grids).

And, then I captured this blank wall and I was like, “Oh, that’s rough Laura.” Now what?

Our dream, okay my dream, is to knock down that wall and add a dual-sided fireplace (the living room is on the opposite side). But until then I need something on those walls.

And, look I spy another tennis ball (and a wandering power cord).

Simple Idea to Update the Kitchen Island

August 19, 2019

My kitchen is on the waitlist for a renovation. Every month she moves up the list patiently waiting to get her measurements taken, her drawers evaluated and her cooktop lifted and replaced. But, until the kitchen moves to the top of the waitlist, I found a simple kitchen island update in an hour.

My family expected me to add under cabinet lighting with Christmas lights.

But I played it safe with a quart of paint and a roller. Seriously, I did not even haul out a roll of painter’s tape!

Simple Kitchen Island Update

In the time it took to watch the BH90210 reboot, minus the commercials, the kitchen island was updated.

Because it was an island I did not need to climb a ladder. Because it had natural stop and start points, I did not take the time to tape the space. I used the trim work to guide my brush.

The kitchen island paint color went from dependable Revere Pewter to Kendall Charcoal in minutes.

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

A coat of Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal transformed the space. Just like Pinterest promised. I love this color because it works seamlessly with colors like Revere Pewter and Hale Navy. I posted sneak peeks of my Hale Navy dining room on Instagram.

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.

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?

How to Stain Small Objects in Minutes

May 30, 2019

I love a good hack! My family would say I hack every time I try a new recipe. It’s true; following a recipe is so conventional. I created this hack on the fly when I had to stain multiple wood embroidery hoops for these orbs. I had a paintbrush, deadline and I needed to find a way how to stain small objects.

There was more stain on my hands than on the embroidery hoops. It was more labor intensive than I anticipated; technically there are four sides to each hoop and the area around the hardware.

It was a messy process and each hoop required additional coats and touchups.

Staining each embroidery hoop one by one was slower than waiting for a load of towels to dry… while standing in front of the dryer. It was a brain drain technique.

This hack shows how to stain lots of objects in minutes.

I loved this hack when I painted dozens of cabinet pulls without incident, meaning they did not wobble and smudge the freshly spray painted cabinet pulls.

I grabbed an aluminum tray from the ~~upcycle bin~~ the stack of take-out trays and I poured just enough of the stain into the shallow aluminum tray. And, then I dunked the embroidery hoops into the tray; like an Oreo cookie into a glass of milk.

I completed this stain hack with a sturdy piece of cardboard under the aluminum tray.

Instant stain…on all sides of the hoop ( interior, exterior, and the narrow sides). The stain reached the nooks and crannies around the hoop’s hardware where the paintbrush just missed those same nooks.

It was a great way to stain small objects.

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