Showing posts with label painting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label painting. Show all posts

Friday, September 27, 2013

DIY: 5 Minute Mantel Makeover

I found THIS picture a few weeks ago thanks to some pinterest browsing and instantly decided it was time for our fireplace to have a mini-makeover.  I have been wanting to spruce up this area of our home for awhile now but was not sure what I wanted to do.  I have all sorts of ideas... and have even been thinking about possibly painting it all white (brick included).  But, that seems like such a big move.

So, with some leftover milk paint and a slab-of-wood-posed-as-a-mantel that needed repainted badly, I made one small and subtle move in the right direction.
The beige/tan tone of this milk paint color really seems to make a difference.  I think it helps make this space feel a little warmer, homier.  I am always impressed what five minutes and a little paint can do.

Our next step will be to construct a mantel similar to the one I found on pinterest... which looks to be on the project list for next summer... or at least my list, anyway.  The hubs will get the memo soon.

Sunday, September 15, 2013

{DIY Saturday} Progress with Painting

So, this half-green-half-grey wall has been in our home for about two summers now (eh).  Call it the result of a busy schedule... new baby... laziness... or whatever you want, but I finally tackled two of the remaining four walls that are visible from downstairs this weekend.  And I'm pretty proud of it.

You see, the above picture was taken from our living room, looking into our entryway.  When you enter our home, you can turn right and go upstairs (see the black handrail in the distance), walk straight down the hall (under the green wall), or turn left into our living room.  So this awkward half-green-half-grey wall has been featured for all to see for the past two years.  Double eh.

And just so you know, this was no easy feat.  I now know why the hubs so lovingly warned me six years ago that if I ever wanted to repaint our entryway, I would be doing it (and not him).  Luckily, we have a pretty great ladder that got me where I needed to be to easily get the job done... but I'm not going to lie... being up that high was not my favorite thing in the world.

Our entryway ceiling vaults all the way to the second floor ceiling.  So with our ladder extended its full 22-foot length, I was able to stand on the third-rung-from-the-top to carefully edge in two walls.  Then, I rolled each wall with a paint roller on an expandable arm.  Pretty great workout if you ask me.

Why did I paint only two walls this weekend you ask?  Because Kingston and Cole were both home when I worked on this project and it all had to be done during one extra-long nap (thank you, Cole!).  Have no fear... I don't plan on waiting as long to paint the remaining two walls.  I also have plans for our hallway off the entryway and our staircase banister, so no finished photos until that is all done.

Thank goodness it is Fall and the start of our rainy season... looks like I'll be busy for awhile.