by Christyne Butler
Yes, I’m a painting fool. Well, at least least according to my husband. A spray painting fool, that is.
It started a couple of weeks ago, when I decided it was time to do something about the shiny brass lamps that I’ve had in living room for so long I can’t remember where they came from. Between all the decorating magazines and my love of HGTV, I figured I could handle a can of spray paint. I did some research online which recommended cleaning the lamps and rubbing them lightly with sandpaper. Then bought a can of primer and Rust-oleum Satin Finish in Heritage Red, because I love red, and in a matter of a day I had new lamps…yeah!
Of course, I was so happy with the results that I knew I would do more projects.
My mother pointed out that I didn’t have much red in my living room, which is true as its mainly shades of brown, tans, creams and black but that’s why I chose the red…to bring in that pop of color all the professionals say is needed.
But I needed more. So I took one of a matching set of baskets and one of two metal buckets that normally holds candy at Halloween and went back out into the sunshine. Here are the sets back together again, but one of each has been transformed — in red of course!
Now I think my husband is a bit worried about what is going to catch my eye next. The table next to my side of the bed is boring white and just begging for color! I’m thinking maybe orange, which if course goes with nothing in the room, but 1) the room is totally hodge-podge anyway and 2) I just learned this weekend that orange is the color of creativity and 3) if I don’t like it I can always paint it again. I’ve also seen something on Pinterest (of course!) about transforming old tin containers with spray paint, and goodness knows I have more of those tins than I know what to do with, so who knows what’s next!
How about you all? Anyone have any paint transformation stories — maybe ones that came out better than you planned or perhaps ones that stand as a lesson in what not to do? Any helpful hints to pass along? Share and I’ll pick one name to get a box of goodies including some great summer reads from Harlequin!
Chris,
Congrats to you on your painting successes!!!
I must admit to not being very handy around the house. I think I would be more adventurous if my husband wasn’t so super handy…because I just have him do everything.
My hubby is super handy too, Cindy. Yesterday he was on the roof caulking holes from old cable equipment (making me very nervous!) but the creative stuff he leaves to me!
Christyne,
What a great idea! I’m planning a move right now and have a lot of items to get rid of. But maybe they only need a little spray paint to refresh them!
I too was looking for new lamps because those shiny brass ones just weren’t doing it for me anymore, but the prices had me hesitating and then I saw an article about how to look at objects with a new eye and realized I liked the shape of the lamps I had, just not the color, so it was an easy fix! Hope you find something to play with too!
OMG, I am definitely a painting fool too! I bought my house in 2009 and have painted nearly every room since. I just realized (when I painted my dining room yellow) that I now have a room in every color!
My favorite spray-painting project was an antique kitchen scale that belonged to my grandfather. It was covered in rust when I inherited it, so I sandpapered it and taped it, and now it is a beautiful golden yellow to match my dishes. It brightens up my kitchen and I actually use it too!
Oh, that scale sounds wonderful, Laura! I have an old iron lamp that mounts to the wall and swivels from side to side. Its just like one my grandmother used to have over her kitchen sink, but its a boring black color…I think you have just inspired a new project for me!
Christyne, good for you! And I think a few pops of red are a great idea. Maybe you can add a pillow or two, also.:) We acquired a smallish armoire before our daughter was born. The wood was in terrible shape, so we painted the whole thing, inside and out, white, and it served her very well for several years.:) On another note, we’ve had wood panelling (dark, ugly wood panelling) in two of our houses. In the first house, we put Kilz on the panelling and painted it a light cream color. The difference was dramatic. In our second house, we paid painters to paint our dark cabinets in the kitchen and got some other experts to rip out the panelling and replace it with sheet rock. Another dramatic makeover.:)
We have dull gray paneling in our bedroom Leanne and I so want to paint over it. Kilz, huh? Adding that to my list of things to check out!
Can’t say I’m a painting fool. I’m tempted to paint my white bedroom walls a color, but I tell myself if I painted it a certain color then my accessories would have to match. This way if I get tired of blue curtains and the blue blanket I don’t have to worry about clashing with the walls!
I do commend you on your painting frenzy. The lamp looks really cool!
I do see your point, Marcie but there are so many colors that go with other colors than white…maybe a light coffee color, with white trim? And I am loving the lamps as they sit in front of khaki curtains so they really pop!
Chris, we are painting fools around here, too. We moved here in December 2010. By February, 2011, the whole house was repainted. By DH. He’s such a good painter. We’ve also repainted lamps, candelabras, you name. It’s a great way to make something old new again.
Totally agree, Christine! My bathroom was all white for the longest time…white on top, white beaded board on the bottom but last year I convinced hubby to go with a deep green…which to me is like showering in the forest…I love it!
Christyne–
I love the “reused/repurposed” items you’ve painted, and I am right there with you! I always have to have some kind of project going on–painting and tiling are my favs! This past weekend, I painted the posts that are going to hold up a screen/fence in my backyard to block the lovely view of my air conditioner, shed and irrigation valves.
I’m also working on taking the legs off an old stool and using those to be the legs of a new table with Mexican tile on the top. The legs are scuffed up and white right now, but I’m going to sand them down and spray paint them this cool Oil Rubbed Bronze metallic color.
Both projects are still works in progress, but I’ll try to post pics when I’m done.
I figured you for a painter, Stacy seeing how beautiful your gardens are! Can’t wait to see pictures of your projects, especially that Mexican tile table!
thank goodness im not a painting fool lol theres no telling what would be covered lol
I think that’s my hubby fear too Amy! We were sitting in the living room last night and I was looking around at various objects and he kept saying “no…no…” I finally asked what he talking about and he said he was talking to me! LOL!
lol thats sad that all you have to do is look at something and he knows what your thinking and probably what color you want to change it to lol
I’m not a painting fool as far as household projects, but I am crafty and at Christmas I couldn’t figure out what to give my mother, so at the very last minute I bought two small canvases and did quick brightly colored pop art portraits of her Labrador. They’re not museum quality but thankfully they did turn out pretty cute.
What a neat idea, Summer and I bet your mom just loved them!
I may be in way over my head (pardon the pun), but I’m planning on painting my bedroom ceiling this summer with the sky and clouds. Nothing bold, just soft and wispy to enhance the new writer’s nook I’ve created in the bay window.
Oh, that sounds nice Lisa! Just last night my hubby was asking me if I think I could help him put up a new ceiling in our bedroom (sheetrock over what currently there) this summer. Since I’m not known for my upper body strength I told him I would do what I could…hmmm, I wonder what he would think of the a summer sky up there?
I really liked your lamps. I’m jealous because I’m just an all thumbs kind of person. I can paint a walls and ceilings but I’m not good with little stuff.
But Linda…its so easy! Especially with the projects I showed! All I did was make sure the items were clean (free of dirt and dust), rub them lightly with sandpaper, wipe it clean again and then go at it with the spray paint! I did light layers so as not to goop it on too thick and look how nice they came out!
I was in the craft store today looking at plain wooden pieces and spotted a couple of bird houses that would so cool on my front porch painted in bright colors!
I’m an HGTV addict, too
. I recently bought a gently used hutch, very small and old, and I’m going to paint it orange! I heard about a special paint made out of chalk which requires no prep work. So, you paint and then you put on some liquid wax, and voila! I really like the “no prep required,” like no sanding–yay!
Susan
Oh, Susan that sounds wonderful! I remember when my mom found an old Hoosier cabinet while she was pregnant with my younger sister. She painted it bright orange and we all called it the “Jenny” cabinet for years after my sister. That chalk paint sounds really neat…will have to check it out!
A few years back I bought two shelves at a yard sale. My daughter and I painted one white with blue trim. The other one we painted blue. Now I got to redo them due to a grease fire. I need to make myself get the energy to do them.
Wow, a grease fire? Hope the shelves got the worst of it! Here’s wishing you find that energy to tackle the repainting soon, Jane!
Christyne, Great paint jobs! I have a chandelier I got on the clearance rack at home dept for 10.00. I hate the color, but am planning on painting it when we get to that room. I’ll probably need to call for help. I also wanted to just say I loved your pinboard “Creativity on..” It was great! Very orange!!!! I went out and bought an orange scarf to wear when I write.
Thanks Claire!! I learned that orange is the color of creativity at my local RWA meeting so of course I had to come home and create a board on Pinterest!!! Good luck with your chandelier!!
Hi Christyne,
I wasn’t sold on spray-painting before I stopped by your blog, but having seen your before-and-after photos I am now.
It must be like American Restoration in your house!
LOL, Jennifer…oh, we’re not quite as good as AR! But the projects I’ve done are easy, fun and pretty much goof-proof! My favorite kind!
Christyne, everything looks great. I’m a firm believer in the power of spray paint. We bought some used blond rattan chairs for our little courtyard a while back. Thay were fairly shabby and dated. Some brown spray paint and new fabric for the cushions, and they looked brand new. I think I have some metal cracker tins that could use some paint…thanks for the idea!
Tina, your chairs sound wonderful!! I used to have an old plastic outdoor table I had always planned to paint a bright color but then the 20 year old was looking for stuff for her new place and it disappeared! LOL!
In our old home we had flow through grates for the upstairs bedrooms. They were the ugliest things, all rusted looking and just didn’t look nice when you walked in the livingroom and saw them in the ceiling. So my husband took them and had them sandblasted to remove most of the rust and just to clean them up. They looked great, but still kind of boring. So I bought some antique gold spray paint and really took my time painting them. They turned out fabulous! We actually had people visit our home and offer us money for them, so they could replace the old rusted ones in their home. HA! We lost that house in a flood about 4 years ago, but we did take those out and sell them. We made some pretty good money too!
Wow, Rhiannon I bet those grates were beautiful after all your hard work. So sorry about the floor…yikes!
We will soon have ceiling grates too once the major upgrade to our heating/cooling systems is done this summer and I’m sure the hubby will want the grates white so they match the ceilings…I may let him get away with that for a while!
Oh, Christyne – The moment you said you rubbed the lamps, I was hoping for a genie to pop out. Or maybe two. Nice-looking genies, of course.