Thankfully, the refrigerator was finally repaired yesterday, it needed a fancy shmancy part, but I lived without it for a week.  Why do I tell you this exciting story?  Because of this minor inconvenience I was forced to use the kitchen in our guest studio.  Yes, we have a little guest studio above our garage with a small but full kitchen.  We’ve had tenants over the years, but right now the studio is used for storage and is available for out of town family and guests. 

Anyway, prepping and cooking in this kitchen made me realize I was not in love with the color of the cabinetry, so I decided while I was up there, I might as well just refinish them.  I also swapped out the light fixture and added a much needed window shade. 

Before:

After:

I swear, it feels twice as big inside with the white cabinets!

The cabinetry you see is actually the same cabinetry that used to be in our kitchen  years ago.  When we added the studio and new kitchen five years ago, we reused the old kitchen cabinets up here which saved us a lot of dough.   We even reused the same sink, faucet, and refrigerator that were still in excellent shape from when the house was first built twelve years ago.  Funny, this refrigerator has never given me trouble, but the fancy shmancy one in my kitchen?  It has needed to be repaired twice now, grrr.

I decided to use the RustOleum Cabinet Transformations Kit that I had a chance to sample last year to see how it would perform on my own cabinets.  This 8’ x 9’ kitchen was the perfect candidate for a quick fix weekend makeover.  I chose the color ‘Linen’.

I also did something unconventional that I’ve never done before, I painted the doors and drawer fronts in place!  I didn’t bother to remove them like I always have in the past.  I just didn’t feel like carrying them up and down to my garage in the July heat!

I only got away with it because of the nifty hinges inside the cabinet, I just painted around them with a smaller brush. 

After the deglossing step, I applied the first layer of the bond coat thin enough that I wasn’t worried about drips, but thick enough to give good coverage, I was really pleased with it. 

The bond coat has the fluidity of paint, but the texture of primer once applied.  It does dry quickly like a primer, but I did not experience the same amount of drag or brush strokes that I have with latex paints (to which I typically add a conditioner like Floetrol to minimize the drag and brush strokes).  

I did notice after two coats there were small brush strokes on the surface, but if you’re careful in your application and use a good angled brush (I like the Purdy brand) brush strokes are minimized, and only noticeable when you get up extremely close to the cabinets.  I also noticed in some areas, I needed to go back over the cabinets or drawer fronts with a third touch up coat in spots. 

The kit also comes with a dark decorative glaze which is optional, but I prefer the clean look without the glaze, so I skipped it.  The bond coat dries very flat, which is why you’ll need to add the UV protective coat at the end for a subtle sheen and to seal the bond coat.  I have two entire quarts of this protective coat left, which I know I’ll use again and again in the future.

The product is low odor, water based, with very easy to follow instructions.  It retails for $79 for the small kit and $149 for the large.  Refinishing cabinets the traditional way, I’d typically purchase a gallon of primer ($25) a gallon of paint ($30), a paint conditioner ($8), brush and sanding wedge ($20) and a quart of protectant ($12) for a total of $95, so I see this kit (if buying the large) as a small splurge for a kitchen project, however the ease of use, easy cleanup, and time savings makes up for the cost difference since there’s no stripping, sanding or priming required.  The kits often go on sale at OSH, Home Depot and Lowes. 

I still stand by my original review of the kit, and I will use this again.  I have 2/3 of a gallon of the bond coat left, enough to redo my hall bathroom and perhaps a piece of furniture or two.  I do recommend the kit as a great solution for a quick fix or weekend makeover. 

I replaced the light fixture and added a new shade as well.  The industrial style fixture was a find from my local ReStore, I picked it up for $12 and gave it a coat of spray paint on top. 

I love the contrast between the matte nickel top and shiny white underside, it’s perfect!

The woven shade is Levolor, cut as an outside mount to a few inches beyond the window.  You can find them at Lowes in five different colors, they cut them for you in the store, so easy!

Here’s a couple more ‘Before’ and ‘After’ shots:

Rug by Dash & Albert.

A fantastic result in one weekend! 

This post is not sponsored or paid for by Rust-Oleum.  It is my honest opinion and evaluation of their Cabinet Transformations Kit based on my personal experience.

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I was switching out my winter and spring wardrobe the other day and pulled out my most favorite pair of summer capris I’ve ever owned.  Ever.  I confess I’ve even fallen asleep in them a few times, they’re that comfortable, and I don’t ever say that about denim.  I’m more of a lover of yoga pants, but these denim capris have the perfect amount of stretch and softness.  They are my favey faves. 

I’ve washed them a zillion times and they were showing it.  Everyone has their preference when it comes to the perfect shade of denim, but for me, these were way too faded to be worn out of the house.  These days as I creep closer to 40, I’m hopelessly devoted to dark wash, it’s just a little more slimming ay?

Meet my beloved crop denim jeans in their saddest state.

Notice the excessively deep crouch lines.

No, I did not say crotch, I said crouch.  I would never use the word crotch in a blog post, I’m too much of a lady.  I’ve earned these crouch lines cleaning up after kids and all those squats I do every day for the benefit of my gluteus maximus.  Actually that last part isn’t true, I can’t remember the last time I did a squat for the sake of exercise alone. 

I simply could never part with these jeans because they fit me so well, but mostly because this pair tells me two things I want to hear every single day of my life and it’s written right on the Jolt tag.  They are my daily affirmation.

“Live Your Own Dream, Follow Your Heart”

and

“You’re a size 5!”

My scale begs to differ.

Must be all that cheese. 

Scales are such Debbie Downers.

Anyway, in a desperate attempt to restore my beloved cropped denim pants, I bought this $2 dollar pack of Rit Dye. 

According to the directions, there are several methods: stovetop, washing machine, or bucket. 

As an amateur, I was too chicken to put dark blue dye in my washer, or in a pot I cook with.  It was then that I had a Lucy moment.  Hey I’ll just use my husband’s car wash bucket, he’ll never know!  I’ll get rid of all the evidence before he comes home! 

I mixed up about 10 cups of boiling water and the dye powder, and then (biting my nails in trepidation) dipped my jeans into the mix. 

Then I stirred and stirred and waited five whole minutes.  Then I couldn’t take it anymore, I could hear my jeans crying out to me to save them from the torture. 

I pulled them out, and wrung the dye out as best as possible with my hands.

Note to self: in the future, wear gloves to avoid Violet Beauregarde hands.

Second note to self: moisturize more often.

After rinsing the jeans till the water ran clear in my bathtub, then drying them in my dryer, I was pleased to discover I had a ‘new’ pair of jeans. 

I was shocked how the threads stayed mostly true to their color too, maybe because I left them in for only 5 minutes?  Anyone know?  I’m just amazed how these jeans came back to life with a cheap dye job.

*Reader update: it’s because the threads are synthetic.  Good to know!

Most importantly, my daily affirmation remains, albeit a little muddied from the dye.

“Live Your Own Dream, Follow Your Heart”

and

“You’re a size 5!”

Thank you beloved jeans, thank you.

How cool to have a new pair of old jeans that fits me to perfection!  And ones that can be worn out of the house and won’t embarrass my husband or children.

So now I just have this little problem called a full bucket of dye that I’m thinking shouldn’t be dumped down the drain or near where it could affect a water source (but then again, you can use this stuff in a washing machine).   

A big bucket of dye.  Sitting in my husband’s weekend carwash bucket.  That I sheepishly hid around the back corner of our house cause I’m worried about dumping it down the drain.* 

Come Saturday afternoon, this conversation will occur. 

Oh wait, he reads my blog. 

I’m thinking the jig is up. 

* YAY, reader update: there is a safe way to dispose, thank you Sarah!

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Tamika and Jamaal were looking to add comfort and style to their bland family room space.  Tamika has been busy pursuing her masters degree so she hasn’t had the time or energy to create the colorful welcoming family room of her dreams.  If you saw the opening segment yesterday, what was clear was their room suffered from two design dilemmas: disproportionate furnishings and lack of color.

Before:

In the questionnaire submitted to the show, Tamika’s revealed her favorite colors were orange and pink, so that became the starting point for adding color to the new space.  As much as Jamaal loved his huge TV, Tamika envisioned a comfortable space that would serve more than just TV viewing.  She wanted a space where her family could gather for not only movie nights, but also a room where she could entertain.

We were in a time crunch because the segment and room design came together mere days before the show was filmed so I had to work with readily available décor, nothing custom or special order this time.  Big props to The Nate Show for their ability to grab these home furnishings in a quick turnaround!

Here’s a clip from the show talking about the new ‘After’ design:

In the ‘Before’ floor plan, the oversized sectional (which was much too large for the space) was blocking the flow of traffic:

In the new design, the smaller sofa was reconfigured to sit under the windows, and colorful versatile furnishings were pulled into the space to allow for better traffic flow and entertaining.

Knowing Tamika loves pink and orange, I found a perfect 8’ x 10’ rug in the most fantastic colors.  Honestly, if nothing else worked, I really wanted this rug seen in my inspiration board below, because it’s just so vibrant and fun, exactly like Jamaal and Tamika.  Thankfully, the resourceful producers over at Nate were able to track it down in Manhattan for me!

Next came the issue of a functional, properly scaled sofa in a family friendly fabric.  Originally, I was thinking about this small scale sectional under the window, but it wasn’t available, so for Plan B, we turned to this loveseat/chaise combo in chocolate brown.  Deep brown is rich but also very forgiving so that was an easy choice, especially because Tamika has pale colored walls, and also because there is that same deep color in the rug.  You really can’t go wrong when you design your room around the colors in a rug or fabric swatch, pulling your hues from that inspiration piece.

Other accessories in this space from top left:  burnt orange tray tables; cream chenille pillows; flower patch pillows; orange alpaca throw; JA Capri lamp (similar version on set); tie dye pillows; tulip leather chair; narrow leg six drawer dresser (media center).

Tamika emailed me this week and asked for suggestions for the walls and window treatments.  The room would truly be complete by removing the white blinds and replacing them with interior mount woven shades on the trio of windows. Layered on top, four of these Turmeric panels to bring in more texture, color, and also elongate the space.  I insist those panels are trimmed in jute along the edges for that extra detail!  {Another great trick for customizing store bought window panels.}

Behind the media center, I’d add one feature wall in this Astek grasscloth wallpaper (gorgeous in person) and then paint the surrounding walls that lead to the dining room and up to the second story in Valspar’s ‘Heavy Cream’ ~ that paint color works perfectly with the tones in the textural wallpaper, plus keeps the space light and bright.

If you’d like to see the segment where the room design is revealed, it is here:

There’s no greater satisfaction than to hear from a happy client at the end of the day.  Here are a few words from Tamika:

“You really have changed the way I see my home, Kate.  Every time I walk in the door and look at the redesigned space I get really emotional because I am just so happy and I can’t believe that I actually live here!  There is a bright and sunny and positive feeling in there now.  The colors you chose really do reflect my personality and outlook on life.  I find myself spending even more time in there and in a better mood whereas before, I would spend as little time as possible because I just felt trapped by all the furniture.

I have a newfound love and appreciation for my home and family room now and it’s all because of you and the Nate Berkus Show!  Words really cannot express just how much this really means to me as it seems that “Thank You” just isn’t enough.  But please know that we are sincerely grateful.”

Even better, Tamika just completed her Masters of Science degree, and picked up her diploma this week.  I’m sending out a huge heartfelt “Congratulations!” to Tamika for her dedication and hard work.  Bravo girl!  Cheers to many happy memories in your new career and your new space!   Also, a huge thank you to Nate Berkus and his producers for this completely amazing opportunity.

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Did you know both Zinsser and Varathane are part of the Rust-Oleum family?  Yes indeedy! 

Rust-Oleum’s motto is ‘a solution for every surface’ and they are serious!  I thought I knew about most every product they had to offer, but I was delighted to discover at the two day event I attended last week that there are so many other specialty products they manufacture, and now am anxious to try several of them.

Last week, I had the opportunity to talk shop with the people at the helm of Rust-Oleum, plus I also got to try out their brand new Cabinet Transformations product, which is a completely new approach to refinishing your old kitchen and bathroom cabinets. 

I’ve refinished kitchen, bath, and laundry room cabinets all the old school way which can often require stripping and sanding, but always requires a good coat of primer, plus two coats of paint and a protectant. 

After much research and development, Rust-Oleum has recently introduced on the market a Cabinet Transformations kit for kitchen and bath.  This refinishing kit eliminates the need to strip, sand, or prime.  Shocking I know, and I admit I was skeptical.  No primer at all?  Seriously?  It sounded too good to be true, and I was very concerned about durability. 

I learned (and asked a lot of questions) about the formula for this new product, and based on the extensive testing in the lab and Rust-Oleum’s reputation for durability, I’m feeling pretty good about this new alternative.  In fact, I plan to use it in my hall bathroom later this year. 

I was able to try it out for myself, and I’m like a kid in a candy story when given the opportunity to try products that transform outdated cabinets.   

The kits come in two sizes for smaller (100 square feet) and larger kitchens (up to 200 square feet).  Rust-Oleum provides an online tool for measuring your kitchen for this DIY project.  This Cabinet Transformations kit approaches refinishing differently than the traditional method of strip + sand + prime + paint + protect.  It also works on surfaces beyond just wood, which includes laminates and melamine surfaces. 

In the shop, we worked with a standard oak cabinet door and all the supplies that come in the kit.

First comes the deglossing step.  For anyone who’s used deglossers or strippers before, you’ll be happy to find this goes on more like a cleanser, and has no harsh chemical smell.  The second step is to cover the cabinets with two coats of the tinted bond coat (akin to a primer+paint combo in one), a water based low odor formula that cleans up with soap and water. 

Third (and completely optional) is the decorative glaze.  Skip the glaze and you’ll have a single color surface (which I prefer), but for those who want to add detail to the ridges or deepen their color, the glaze allows for that.  It’s a wipe on, wipe off method.

The fourth and final step is to apply your clear UV protective coat to the cabinet surface. 

The Pros:  The Cabinet Transformations is the quickest and easiest way to give your cabinets a fresh new look in a weekend.  1) The big plus is the kit avoids the traditional stripping, sanding, and priming involved in the ordinary refinishing method. 2) The kit is extremely user friendly, and comes with everything you need.  The instructions are clearly written and easy to follow, and the step-by-step is one geared for any level of DIYer from novice to experienced.   3) The formula is water based, so clean up is a cinch.  It is also low odor.  4) The kits are very affordable: $79 for the small kitchen or bath kit, $149 for the large kit.  5)  The product has been heavily tested in the lab, and is manufactured by a company with a reputation for long lasting finishes and durability.  6)  Rust-Oleum backs their product with a money back guarantee, and 7)  There are over 30 base colors to choose from, from neutrals to cool blues and greens to warmer tones.

Factor in the optional glazing step, and you can deepen your color more. 

The Cons:  1) As of yet, no paint swatches are available to take home to look at in your home, you have to choose a color on the box.  After a roundtable discussion, several voices including me encouraged Rust-Oleum to provide the consumer some sort fan deck or swatch card to take home and examine in the light of their home before buying the kit. **  2) The bond coat dries quickly (like most latex paints) so there is not a lot of ‘open’ time to work with the paint compared to oil based paints that I’m traditionally inclined to use in a kitchen.  3) The final finish result seems a bit thin compared to traditional primer + 2 coats of paint methods I’ve used in the past.  Expect even after two bonding coats that grainier woods like oak on the underlying cabinet surface will still be felt to the touch.         

** 3/1/11 update:  I’ve heard from my local paint department that you’re not restricted to Rust-Oleum’s colors.  Because the product is tinted like other paints, you can choose whichever color you like from a different swatch.  Rust-Oleum recommends you choose a color among their selections for a color guarantee, but note you do have that option.

I plan to use this product in my hall bathroom cabinet makeover, so I’ll have more details then after I use it in my own home.  The full instructional video is here, in case you want to learn more.  Currently, I’m liking the ‘Linen’ ‘Winter Fog’ and ‘Seaside’ colors!

For an idea of how the Transformations kit would work in your kitchen or bath, you can play around with their virtual tool. 

I also got my hands dirty with their Countertop Transformations kit (charcoal finish shown below), my opinion on that product later, but you can read all about it here. 

I’d like to thank the kind folks at Rust-Oleum for sponsoring the event in New Orleans last week, and giving me the opportunity to ask the million questions I had about this and some of the other products they make.  Browse the Rust-Oleum site to see all the solutions they have to offer! 

**Disclosure:  This post and review is not sponsored or paid for by Rust-Oleum.  It is my honest opinion and evaluation of their Cabinet Transformations kit based on my experience refinishing cabinetry, and with the product thus far.  Rust-Oleum did pay for my flight and hotel to attend the event. 

Are you inclined to buy this Cabinet Transformations kit to makeover your kitchen or bathroom? 

*** Your questions answered in the comments below! 

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This wall space presented that very design dilemma:  how to take this busy family’s unused square footage in their upstairs loft and make it work for their lifestyle.  They wanted to display family photographs, but like most families, also needed extra storage. 

I tackled their dilemma in three simple steps:  first, by adding architectural interest that complemented the style of their home with the addition of a board and batten wall treatment.  Next, I introduced hooks and a storage bench below for added utility.  Finally, I allowed for space above the wall treatment for a mini gallery of family photographs.  Take a peek at the transformation!

Before:

After:

The first step was the addition of the board and batten wall treatment.  My ‘How To’ to follow tomorrow! 

Next, I added some inexpensive hooks found at Lowes, originally brass, but I painted them with espresso colored spray paint to complement the bench beneath.  Perfect for hanging sweaters, jackets, backpacks or handbags!

I found this perfect size storage bench on sale at The Company Store ~ it has a drawer for each of the three girls whose ages range from 1 to 7.  To personalize it, I upholstered it in a girlish floral stapled over some two inch foam trimmed to the size of the bench. The punchy pattern can be switched out later for a more sophisticated fabric as the girls grow older. 

I also sewed some accent pillows to coordinate, and also to add pops of color to the basic white and tan backdrop.  

Recognize that sweet plush owl? 

Find it here! 

I made my semiannual trip to IKEA for frames for this wall gallery.

This family has a one year old, so I find it impossible not to frame that sweet little girl’s feet!   

This entire makeover took about five hours including the installation and painting of the board and batten, plus the addition of the hooks, the bench and a wall gallery.  You can apply these very same concepts to any mud room or foyer.   

Oh yes you can have both style and storage!

All it takes is a weekend’s worth of time. 

My basic board and batten tutorial tomorrow!  

xoxo,

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The most important thing I have learned to make for a better brighter photo has everything to do with light.  And a good camera.  When taking photographs, either for your personal use or for your blog, good natural light and a kick booty camera are your two very best friends. 

Most photographs taken outside on a sunny day with a point-and-shoot turn out pretty well, all because of the natural light present.  Yet with interior shots, it’s tough to be as blessed with natural light unless you’re shooting a room with walls of windows on a sunny day.   When shooting pictures indoors in less than ideal conditions, here are a five tips I shoot by.   

My Five Tips for Better Brighter Blog Photos

1) Use a Good Camera

I think it’s essential to invest in a good SLR digital camera with variable settings (F-stop, shutter speed, ISO sensitivity, white balance, etc.) if you want to have high quality interior photos.  I know there are a lot of comparatively inexpensive point and shoot digital cameras out there, and they are perfectly fine for so many everyday uses, but for high quality blog photography, invest in a good camera.  I use my Nikon D60 that allows for changeable lenses, and I use two kinds of lenses that I mention in my FAQ page. 

2)  Know Your Manual 

When my hub bought me my Nikon D60 three years ago, I always used the auto setting just because it was so darn easy and I was, at first, intimidated by the manual settings.  80% of the time, the ‘Auto’ setting worked fine and produced adequate images. 

However, the ability to manipulate your camera’s light settings makes all the difference in the world in less than perfect light conditions, and when shooting interiors or detail shots.  Here is just one half of one page in my Nikon’s manual but look how much information can be gathered from this quick camera tour.   

Manipulating your camera’s settings to allow for more light requires that you read and know your manual.  Once you do, you will learn that you can manipulate your exposures, and you will gain confidence to stray away from the ‘Auto’ setting.  Once you start experimenting, you will have that ‘Aha!’ moment, I promise!

  Three Simple Ways to Move Beyond ‘Auto’ and Pull More Light into Your Lens: 

1) widen (lower) your aperture; 2)  slow your shutter speed; and 3) increase your ISO sensitivity. 

Quick definitions: 

Aperture: the aperture is the width of the ‘hole’ or opening in your lens and it is measured in what are called F-stops (f/4, f/5.6, f/8, etc). 

A lower F-stop translates to a bigger ‘hole’ or a wider aperture which means more light enters your lens.  You’d think a smaller F-stop would mean a smaller opening, but it works in reverse.  A lower F-stop allows for more light, so make that mental note.  Lowering your F-stop also decreases depth of field (blurring the background) but it will definitely brighten your image.

Shutter Speed:  the amount of time your lens is open to take your picture.

In low light settings, if you slow your shutter speed (ex: from 1/100th of a second to 1/20th of a second) then you allow more light to enter your lens.  A slower (lower) shutter speed (especially below 1/10) can make your shot blurry because your lens is open longer, so it’s best to stabilize your camera with a tripod, or on a still surface.

ISO Sensitivity: your camera’s sensitivity to light which varies from 100, 200, 400, 800, to 1600 and sometimes higher.

The higher the ISO sensitivity, the more sensitive your camera is to light, and the brighter your image will be.  However, higher ISO Sensitivity leads to grainier pictures, so I try to avoid going above 400 if possible.  Most of the time, I shoot in auto ISO sensitivity, but in lower light situations, I often up the ISO sensitivity to 800. 

3)  Shoot Interiors in the Best Light Conditions

I never wait until 8 p.m. to shoot any ‘final’ project pictures.  If you want to show off your project or space in the very best way you must shoot it in the very best light.  Ideally, that’s a sunny day with all your blinds open allowing for the most natural light, but in winter or late afternoon, your light is often compromised.  Knowing your best light conditions is key.  In my home in California, I shoot north and east facing rooms in the morning, and I shoot west and south facing rooms in the early afternoon. 

And for the love of all that is good in this world, please, I beg you, never shoot any interior shots with a flash.  The flash is not your friend. 

Quite frankly, the flash should always always always be off.  Interior shots taken with a flash are awful. 

4)  Manipulate Your Camera Settings

You can make up for mediocre lighting by changing your camera’s settings. This is where Tip #2 becomes crucial.  Once you get to know your camera by reading the manual, you’ll see that you can brighten your photos by allowing more light into your lens.

Take a peek at these three pictures of my holiday mantel taken in the same place on a cloudy day at 3 p.m. in my living room.  The first is shot with a flash, the second is shot on ‘Auto, No Flash’. 

I made four changes to make this interior shot better.  I switched my setting to ‘M’ (Manual) mode, slowed the shutter speed to 1/5, changed the F-stop to f/5, then increased the ISO Sensitivity to 400. 

Result from changes to settings:

All from simply changing the aperture, shutter speed and ISO sensitivity!

I encourage you to experiment with your camera and different lenses.  Start by simply changing the aperture in your ‘A’ mode, then switch over to ‘S’ mode and play with shutter speed.  In ‘M’ mode, you can change both.  Experimenting with your camera can only lead to better interior shots, so go for it!

5)  Simple Photo Editing

You can always boost your pictures with photo editing programs like Picnik, Picasa, and Photoshop (among other countless software programs available).  Most of the time I attempt to significantly brighten a photo with editing software, I end up compromising the resolution.  I lose depth and detail, and my pictures get grainy. 

My latest theory is to simply try as best as I can to get the proper exposure in the original shot to both save time editing, and keep my pictures crisp and clear.  I still use Picasa 95% of the time to edit my photos, and you can read all about my affection for this free software here.

I’m no expert, and often you’ll see far less than perfect pictures around here, but I do keep experimenting every day.  My philosophy with photography is the same as in life.  When you open yourself up to learning new things, and take the time to do the research, when you don’t expect instant gratification, but rather seek to develop your skills over time, you can teach yourself just about anything.  I encourage you to do the same! 

Soon I’ll share more photography tips from some of my favorite bloggers and some favorite photography sites I love that may help you improve along with me!  Until then, happy shooting!

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I can’t quite put my finger on it.  I think my love affair with all things French may have begun when I was younger when I watched Gene Kelly in ‘An American in Paris’.  

Perhaps it was when I lost myself in Peter Mayle’s novel ‘A Year in Provence’ that I devoured many years ago. 

Most certainly, my l’amour was made permanent when I took my first trip to Paris in 1998. 

Whenever it happened, it happened, and my decorating style was forever altered.  I can’t help myself ~ I’m a self professed Francophile.

Despite my love of traditional French decor, I do like to inject a little modern flair, and the new mirror and trellis pattern rug in the living room certainly help.

Here’s what the room looked like last year. 

And now . . .

Still a work in progress, but certainly lightened and brightened with the new paint, new wainscoting, and also a few new accessories. 

The paint color started out as Benjamin Moore’s ‘Tranquility’, but then I had the guys at BM pull two drops of blue out of the Affinity formula to arrive at ‘Tranquility Tweaked’ ~ my custom color ~ the perfect gray blue. 

The mirror was a lucky find . . . I was hunting for new light fixtures for my boy’s room a few weeks ago and found a floor sample of this Casbah mirror ~  I fell in love with the Moroccan shape and the 50% off price !   I was not  in love with the dark coppery bronze color, so what’s a girl to do ?   Spray paint in high gloss white baby !   

Before:

After:

The candlesticks I found at a thrift store last year  ~  the textured raffia pillar candles are from Pottery Barn. 

These sandblasted manzanita branches are leftover from this project  ~  the shell ball I purchased in April at this antique faire.    

I also replaced the twin light fixtures in the room, one hangs over the sitting area and the sister chandy hangs over the piano.   I ordered these inexpensive fixtures from Overstocks thinking they’d be golden, but when they arrived they were too dark bronze, so I spray painted them too, then accented the detail with a little Rub n Buff. 

Here are my new chandeliers, after a coat of Rustoleum’s Heirloom White spray paint, and some antique gold Rub-n-Buff accents.  

The black baby grand piano was a gift from our grandmother when our grandfather passed away.  It’s a family heirloom and classic piece, so there was no way it was leaving the room.  And call me sentimental, but I love to listen to my children learn to play on this incredibly gorgeous instrument  ~  there’s nothing that quite compares to the sounds of a home filled with music. 

Who really cares that some of the keys are chipped  ~  it’s the imperfectly beautiful things that tell a story. 

On the opposite wall, a few minor changes.  

If you follow my tweets on Twitter, you know I found this antique buffet at the local thrift store last week.  I couldn’t pass it up at $300 at 50% off, so I picked it up for $150 dollars.  Solid wood antique with velvet lined drawers.  Love !

I had to slightly rearrange the gallery wall to make room for the new seaside oil painting we picked up on our visit to Carmel-by-the-Sea earlier this year.  We only buy fine art when it’s meaningful  ~  Mr. CG happened to love this painting because it reminded him of the the spot where we played on the beach as a family together.   How fortunate to actually meet the artist who painted it too !  

I love the subtle burled wood and art deco detailing on this antique buffet.  I can’t believe some of the pieces that I find in thrift stores !   This will suit me just fine until someday I save enough for the dream sofa to replace it.   P.S.  Pinch me, but my raspberry hydrangeas are insanely gorg this time of year.     

With all the traditional style furniture, I definitely wanted a modern mirror and graphic patterned rug.   Originally, I was torn between these two patterns by Dash & Albert.  Aren’t they lovely? 

But then the kind folks over at Rugs USA sent me this wool rug for my foyer to review, and I couldn’t help but notice that the trellis pattern would look mega fabulous in the living room. 

You can’t quite tell from the photo, but this particular rug is too small for the space -   it’s only 3.5’ x 5.5’.   The rug’s trellis pattern and large repeat is absolutely fantastic, and for the price, a great way to inject some modern style into your home.  But the rug itself is a little too thin for a high traffic area like the foyer – if I left it there, it would need a rug pad.  So I’m going to exchange it for the larger version in the living room ~ I think it will be the perfect pattern for this space.   

For now, there’s only a few things left to do:

So far, the space feels much better than before.  I consulted with my future stylist-in-training ~ she thought her fluffy friends would enhance the space.

Give a girl some cred  ~  she happens to love soft texture and color!

For now, we’ll stick to the blue/white/gold color palette.    

So that’s the tour so far !  I still need of some fantastic art for above the settee, I’m thinking a series of framed botanicals, and I’m sure in time I will find it somewhere. 

For now, the ‘new’ room is a breath of fresh air compared to what it was, but still a work in progress.  Thanks for following along ~ hope you like it too.  

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What I love about Tony and Mia’s home is that every time you visit, you feel the warmth within, from the spice colors on the walls, to the rich and rustic wood pieces, to their doggie wagging her tail to greet you.  Their house definitely feels like a ‘Home Sweet Home’ and that’s why we love to visit.

So when I was in her family room the other day, Mia asked me what to do with her oak fireplace surround.  She wasn’t sure if she wanted to replace it or stain it, but she knew she didn’t care for the natural oak finish.  The wood’s tone clashed with her dark wood floors and furniture, but overall it had really classic lines and was in great shape.

As I leaned in, I could swear I heard the mantel whisper, “Paint me, I beg you.”  So I recommended we paint it white to coordinate with the trim and lighten up the wall.  Plus, a white fireplace mantel is simply timeless.  So in less than four hours, I gave her fireplace wall a fresh new look with just some primer, paint, and accessories.

Here’s Mia’s Before:

Here’s Mia’s After:

Splendid, right ?

The difference is all in the details !

Here were the three areas we needed to address:

Transforming Mia’s Fireplace:

I’ve refinished natural oak before – I restained and glazed my oak staircase banister last year to give it an espresso finish, and I’ve also primed and painted oak white.

Modernizing Mia’s mantel required one coat of primer and two coats of paint.

The first thing I did was tape off the mantel surround and then I gave it a coat of oil based primer.

I love Zinsser in the brown can because it coats oak pretty well, and fills in a lot of the grainy texture that’s the nature of this kind of wood.

Next, I tackled the brassy doors with some of Rustoleum’s high heat paint, the same paint I used on my fireplace last year.

Two coats of this formula, applied with a small paintbrush changed the look of the doors completely!

So long shiny brass trim.

Hello seamless black !

I primed her mantel on Friday, and then came back on Saturday to lightly sand it, then give the mantel two coats of paint.   The white paint is ‘Swiss Coffee’ in semi-gloss, and her existing wall color is Benjamin Moore’s ‘Butternut Squash’.

I found Mia a new mirror at my latest source for inexpensive home decor, one that pulls in natural light from the opposite wall of windows.

Mia absolutely loves the look of her ‘new’ fireplace !

Don’t you love the spice colors in her home, and the contrast between the white and chocolate ?  Now her granite tiles pull all her colors together, from the gorgeous ‘Butternut Squash’ paint on her walls, to the white fireplace mantle, to the black fireplace box.

From bland to grand, all with a little paint and accessories !

What about you, what’s on your list to refresh right now ?

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Then all of a sudden I just couldn’t take it anymore.  I was staring at the faux maple laminate last week and I decided the day had come.  It was time to paint it!  It’s not that I don’t like blonde wood, I just don’t like faux blonde wood.  It’s the fakeness that bothers me.

So it was time to rid my world of the maple tone and give it a fresh coat of white paint.  This is a relatively sturdy piece, so rather than go out and buy a new system, or build one myself, I determined the best way to save it was to simply paint it.  The best part of all is, I changed the look of this piece in 48 hours!

Here’s the Before:

Here’s the After:

Here’s how I painted my laminate storage center.   

Make sure you invest in the right primer.  This is absolutely key.  You absolutely must prime your laminate surface with a primer designed to adhere to glossy surfaces.  No ordinary primer will do.  There are several options out there, my best piece of advice is to read the back of the can.  Zinsser happens to be my primer of choice.  I’ve worked with others and I’ve been disappointed, so I always return to this product.

Oil based Zinsser grips like glue in my opinion, and without sanding.   You can use the water based version by Zinsser in the blue can, but you really need to sand your surface beforehand, and you also must wait for the water based version to fully cure, which is a recommended 7 days.  Zinsser’s oil based primer dries in two hours, so I was able to apply two coats of primer in one day.

Roll your primer on your piece of furniture, then follow up with a brush in all the crevices.  This primer dries really fast, but if you want a longer time to work with your primer and minimize brush strokes, use an additive called Penetrol that I’ve talked about here and here. 

Many people shy away from oil based products because they require paint thinner or mineral spirits to clean up.  However, if you use a cheap roller and cheap brush (my combo costs less than $2 dollars), you can toss them out when you’re done and not have to worry about cleaning your brush or roller with mineral spirits.  But it’s good to have some on hand anyway just to get any paint off your hands !

Sand your primed piece with medium grade sanding pad to remove any drips, buildup or brush marks.  Follow up with two coats of your paint color of choice.  Use a better quality brush to minimize your brush strokes.  You can go right over oil based primer with latex paint. 

While I was at it, I even painted these inexpensive mini cabinets to hold the kids movies and other toys.  I primed them with the same Zinsser oil based product, then gave them two coats of the new wall color, which is some leftover BM ‘Camouflage’ mixed in with some of the spring green from these chairs. 

Yes, my kids watch movies on a VCR – they’re cheap !  $1 dollar each at the local Goodwill, can’t beat that !

And for those of you who are wondering, yes the giant map is still there, just on the opposite wall ! 

I am loving our ‘new’ storage system !!

Here’s a glimpse of the wall from last year’s post about the map room:

Last year:

Today:

Various bins and baskets from Target, Michaels and Pottery Barn.  I made the pillow cover with some Annie Selke fabric. 

So if you’ve got a laminate piece hanging around your house that you want to freshen, go ahead and paint it!   Got laminate countertops ?  Check out this post on Our Suburban Cottage !  Want to use water based primer instead ?  Visit Lindsay and see how she transformed her laminate armoire.

I’m adding this to Kimba’s DIY Day over at A Soft Place to Land, hop on over and check out all the great DIY links ! 

Oh yes you can paint that laminate !   Yeehaw !

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Here they are Before . . .

. . . and After

All it took was half an hour of sanding and and an hour of painting to give them a fresh new look with some paint and a little distressing !

The chairs were covered in grime when I found them.  Ewww.

Nothing that can’t be solved with some coarse sandpaper . . .

A fresh coat of paint from my stash – this is Dutch Boy #582-03

A little distressing along the edges with more sandpaper . . .

And that’s it !   I plan to give them a coat of Polycrylic this weekend. 

I love the casual cottage look and the distressed edges !

I simply never get tired of spring green and white.

Isn’t the power of paint magically delicious ? 

Welcome Spring !

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