Painting Skills & How Tos

Walk into any recently renovated home today and chances are you’ll see a lot of greige—a neutral color that’s the perfect combination of gray and beige. There’s no denying it’s the paint color du jour. It’s funny how, oftentimes, you can instantly pinpoint how modern (or not) a room is just by looking at the color of the walls. Some day our children might look back and wonder why we all plastered our walls in such a boring color!

Before Ashley put her guest house up on Airbnb, she wanted to give the bathroom a fun update. It was simple and sparse in comparison to the rest of the home, so, even though she was working on a tight budget, she was determined to use her DIY tricks and unique style to make it an exciting space for guests. Ashley carved as much time out of her schedule as she could—during nap times, evenings, and weekends—to work on the bathroom.

My fiance and I have spent our last two weekends priming ceilings. It’s hard work, but rewarding. Every night after a few hours’ work, we fastidiously clean out the rollers and brushes, using more water than we’d like—and they’re never up to par the next day. This was our practice until a friend stopped by today and let us in on a painter’s secret.To make the rollers and brushes last much, much longer (and save gallons of water in the meantime!

Make your whole project that much easier.

The fireplace is almost always the centerpiece of the room —all furniture and decor tend to revolve around it. If you don’t happen to be head over heels for yours, chances are you won’t ever really love that room. The most effective and satisfying way to remedy the problem? Update the interior with paint. Cleaning supplies (vinegar + water, nylon scrub brush) Dropcloth Painters tape Paintbrush Small paint roller for textured surfaces Primer Flat or Satin topcoat Clean.

Spray paint is an easy and affordable way to spruce up something you already have or transform a cheap craigslist find. You can spray paint pretty much anything; but a seemingly simple spray paint project can quickly go south if done poorly. Drips, crackling and uneven coverage are all common problems that can be avoided if you take your time and know what you’re doing. Here are some general tips for making your next spray paint project a success.

If you only own one household tool, it’s probably a cordless drill. They’re pretty essential for even the most basic home improvement projects. But it’s not just a matter of grabbing one and getting to work. Drills may seem straightforward, but there are actually a lot of ways to mess up. Here are some common mistakes to watch out for.

But we're so glad it happened.

This bathroom definitely had a look going on: lots of wood, plenty of lace, and baroque lights hung from chain swags. But after one week of hard work, the room is now a pink powerhouse packed full of handmade touches. Racheal Jackson—@banyanbridges on Instagram—did every single bit of this outstanding renovation, laying tile, installing a new sink and faucet, painting, creating a concrete countertop, and refacing the vanity doors and drawers.

This bathroom was pretty nice, with a pleasantly neutral palette, big windows, and all the fixtures and finishes appearing to be in fine shape. But now, thanks to a mind-bending paint job, it is bright, poppy, bold, and fantastically fun. The tile, toilet, and tub are the same (at least so far), but the wall and floor have a dramatically different look.

Three cheers for lenient landlords.

Here's what you should know, before you pick up that paint roller.

While a master bedroom with an adjacent sunroom is a glorious thing to have, this particular one was “dreary and dated”—and not very sunny. It was overwhelmed by comfy but massive furniture and ready for a fresh look. Here’s the sunroom first. Nothing fresher than lush greenery, bright blooms, and a happy bird on a newly bright white wall. Avery Michaels of Holland Avenue Home boldly hand-painted this mural—inspired by Rifle Paper Co.

This is a near-perfect cozy corner—imagine curling up by that fireplace in that chair, warmed both by the fire and the radiator—but its new owner believed it could be totally perfect. And, indeed, perfection was achieved, thanks to about $150 and a summer of hard work. Here’s a little backstory on this house and its dated floor: Our house was built in 1910 and this particular floor was the only one replaced since.

This dining room had a lot going for it—natural light, wood trim, soothing palette, the fact that it exists—but its owner couldn’t get past how “boring and beige” it felt. Paint to the rescue, and no, it’s not all white. Here’s a bit more about the before: This house was as beige and boring as you could get, from brown carpet, brown trim, beige walls, and builder-grade light fixtures.

Painting the bathroom is just like painting any other room, right? Not so much, it turns out. I’ve painted my share over the years and never treated them any differently than any other room, but I’ve been doing it wrong. When it comes to bathrooms, there are a few things that make painting a little trickier than the rest of the house. Sam Ross of Nailed It Contracting was nice enough to pepper him with painting questions when he painted my bathroom recently.

This kitchen has a lot going for it: a dishwashing window, stainless steel appliances, a beautiful hardwood floor, tons of counter space, and tons of cabinet space. I’ll say that the combination of the beigey-pink cupboards and the yellow walls are not for everyone, but they might have looked a lot prettier in natural light. But, here’s what the space looks like now. This kitchen now looks ultra-clean and is a blank slate for however the owners want to decorate.

Here we have a perfectly nice entryway console, adaptable to nearly any style with the right knobs. But its owner had something a bit more special and a lot more specific in mind… This is absolutely delightful and I wish it were available in a dress, or perhaps a dress/shoe combo. Pink and green go so well together, and they both pair wonderfully with gold, so the trio is totally fabulous.

With so many things that really ought to be done by a professional when it comes to home improvement, the temptation—the need if you don’t have deep pockets—to DIY the simple stuff is totally understandable. And first on that list has got to be painting. All you do is grab a brush and go to work, NBD. Right? Well, it’s true that most anyone can do it. Doing it well, on the other hand? Maybe not so much.

This master bedroom was perfectly nice but understandably neglected, having been low on the family’s priority list for years. But it finally got its much-desired makeover, and the hotel-inspired results are totally worth the wait. This is so dreamy and calm! I’ve never stayed at a Four Seasons hotel, but now I want to know if the rooms are anything like this. Stephanie of Olive and Tate is responsible for this excellent bedroom upgrade.

This poor old dresser was dated and unwanted, until one intrepid crafter, armed with only a vision and an impressive drawer pull collection, took it in and made it over. The results are fantastically impressive. I actually squealed a bit when I saw this—and I don’t even really like purple! This is a piece that is 100% practical (storage), while somehow also being 100% fun (tassels!).

This guest room had beautiful wooden floors, a cool old radiator, and some pretty delicious blue paint, but it was gradually becoming “kind of a neglected spot.” This renovation-free redo transformed the room from an accidental storage space to basically a boutique hotel, complete with a commissioned mural.

One of the most fun aspects of these makeover posts is getting to see all the ’80s decor, especially 1980s bathrooms. Here we have a wall-to-wall frameless mirror, wood towel bar and light fixture, orange-y wood in general, and, most importantly, a cream marble seashell sink. Perhaps those will come back into fashion, but for now, it’s gone! Let’s explore how else this bathroom was updated.

Front doors get all the attention, but what about interiors doors? You see the inside just as much as the outside, so why not show yours some love. Brittni of Paper & Stitch holds no punches with her dramatic entryway makeover. The dark charcoal walls make the mint door a focal point instead of an afterthought. She also lays out the best plan for painting the door without removing it, and provides a complete checklist. Is there anything cheerier than a yellow door?

In this photo, this little French bedroom appears to simply be a blank slate, but according to its new owners, “Everything was old and ugly.” Five months of DIY weekends later, this room is now cozy, dramatic… and double-decked! The bedroom has gone from plain white to an incredible blue. This paint—Farrow & Ball’s Hague Blue—is the perfect blue for a bedroom; it’s deep and inky like the night sky, while perfectly white linens pop against it like stars.

Hanging up some wall shelves is one of the best things you can do for a room, and even a shelf you don’t adore is a good thing to have. However, if you can take an ordinary, affordable shelving unit and transform it into something remarkable for just $5, why not?

Don't let these happen on your watch.

Read this before you attempt yours.

Wow. This is one of those makeovers that you can’t believe was done on a budget. The results are so impressive, and the new bathroom looks like a million bucks. We shouldn’t be surprised, however, since Kristine has shared some equally impressive DIY projects in the past, including this gorgeous dresser refresh and jaw-dropping cabinet transformation.

This kitchen has quite a bit of vintage charm, and all that white certainly does a great job reflecting the sunlight pouring in from the window. And there’s nothing better than a window over the dishwashing sink, but the room could definitely use a little something. Fortunately, that certain something was do-able in a single week.

About $100 can make a huge difference.

While most people feel finished after hanging a piece of art — others go one step farther. And it’s a step that you might want to add to your home if you have art that needs enhancing or enlarging. It involves a little paint and time, but the end result is a one-of-a-kind look that will add a ton of personality to your home!

A small investment that will make a big impact.

As kitchens go, this one isn’t too shabby. There are really nice white countertops, classic subway tile on the backsplash, and basic wood cabinets that look perfectly sound and in good condition. There’s no horribly dated light fixtures, no crappy peeling wallpaper, or any odd woodwork that needs to be ripped out. Even the walls are white and ready to go. Not much you can do to improve this space, right? So very, very wrong.

Meet Katherine Freeman Hocke, a Texas-based artist who specializes in mixed media, layering textures and colors to get her signature look. While she primarily practices her art on canvas and paper (check out her shop here), with her recent purchase of a 1930s home she has begun translating her painterly visions and passion for interiors into DIY-able projects in and around her home.

We’ve seen Natalie’s 19th century home before and this time she’s tackling her dining room. Not happy to just strip the floors and replace the chandelier, she put her artistic talents to good use and painted something gorgeous on the walls. From Natalie: My husband and I bought a circa 1870s house in Pittsburgh nearly three years ago. The house has a wonderful lived-in feeling and great bones, but it needed an infusion of style.

Try this over the weekend.

Krys has a totally understandable addiction to thrifted chairs. This lovely lady got a stunning makeover with the help of some chalk paint and a very glamorous upholstery. From Krys: Confession: I’m a little bit of a chair hoarder. If I see a vintage chair at a flea market and it’s under $20 I usually end up coming home with it.

I’ve been on the hunt for an affordable brown leather sofa for a while now, and had just about given up when this one turned up on Craigslist. It wasn’t the color I wanted. I was hoping for something a little less Manhattan and a little more Marfa, but for 50 bucks, I figured I could experiment with changing the color. Can you paint a leather sofa? I did! And I’m in love with the results. Let’s take a closer look… And another close up.

Want to give those plain old IKEA frames a little extra bit of pizazz? Of course you do! Here are seven creative (and very inexpensive!) ways to dress them up using paint, tape, and a variety of creative techniques. Above: All it takes is a little spray paint to add gold corners, and a little touch of glam, to a RIBBA frame. DIY from Repolished.

I was “gifted” this really simple, but classic desk from my boyfriend to use as a makeup table/vanity. While I loved the character, the desk was pretty beat up. There were imprints and scratches on the top and the knobs mismatched. I decided to take on my first larger project in my new apartment and paint the desk an awesome shade of teal gray.

Abigail’s fixer-upper stood out—and not in a good way. Sometime during its 100-year history, someone had slapped putty-hued vinyl siding on the front, which would be less jarring if it wasn’t one of many attached brick rowhouses! See how she and her husband restored the curb appeal: From Abigail: When we bought our hundred-year-old fixer-upper in downtown Frederick, Maryland, the first thing we planned to revitalize was its exterior.

These blah shutter bi-fold doors appear in many a rental, and Jessica’s was no exception. While she decorating her daughter’s room, she had an idea to transform them into something a little more glam: What a difference! From Jessica: While redecorating my girl’s room, I had a big Ah-ha moment.

Reeves wanted to add a touch of visual interest to this vintage dresser that needed a little love. She’s also got a great tip for painting on wood that will prevent color bleeding: From Reeves: I picked up this Dixie dresser from a local furniture sale. While I loved the mid century look and style of the piece, the finish needed some work and I felt that the piece needed a bit of color and a geometric design to add some visual interest.

My apartment’s entryway is an angled, narrow pseudo-hall that opens to my main living space. After searching for a way to create some definition, I decided to do a little painting project, inspired by my coworking space. Here’s the inspiration: I love that I work from a place that makes bold design decisions, so when my WeWork location recently opened up this new common area, I filed away this simple geometric painting technique for future use.

I found myself in the vicinity of my favorite thrift store just before the doors opened recently, and while I wasn’t hardcore enough to stand in the sub-zero cold with the other bargain hunters, I made it in early enough to find this lovely hairpin Frankenstein-ish desk. I saw it in the back of the store and immediately scooped it up! I didn’t really have a need for (or a place to put) it, but I’ve never had the strength to pass up hairpin legs.

Lindsay scored this cool vintage wire chair with the help of her mom. It was destined to be a fluorescent accent in her home office, and it sure pops: From Lindsay: When designing my new home office, I had a very specific thing in mind. Unfortunately, I also had a very small budget for my chair. I scoured thrift stores searching for just the right thing. Ideally, I wanted metal, wire if possible and vintage was a plus.

When Cate spotted this bamboo dresser, it was in bad shape, sporting a dual-finish black paint job and lots of wear and tear. But with elbow grease and a bold new hue, this piece sports a proud new look: From Cate: I found this bamboo dresser hiding behind a clothing rack at Goodwill on a furniture sale day. My first reaction was YIKES.

Lucia found this old wooden cabinet with sliding glass doors, and immediately saw an alternate use for it. Instead of a wall-mounted unit, she transformed it into freestanding furniture that better suits her needs, all for a minimal cost… The transformation wasn’t technically difficult, just time consuming. After sanding off all the varnish, Lucia spray painted the inside white. The exterior got several coats of water-based wood stain.

Nicolette found this old wood chest in a random shop, and viewed it as the perfect opportunity to test some new stencils she recently designed. Which means that wood lovers and purists, you might want to go and rearrange your sock drawer for a few minutes. I can tell you without hesitation that there is hyperventilation in your near future if you click through. You have been duly warned… Nicolette took a couple of days to paint and stencil the trunk.

Makeover by: Stella Location: New York After months of looking for a new place, I came across this semi-attic space covered in wood paneling. I knew I couldn’t sign a lease without thinking first of what my makeover would consist of. After all the makeovers I’ve done in the past, I had to came to terms with the fact that this one would be a whole new deal. It was going to take more than just hanging art or getting new bed linens.

We recently moved into our new (very old) home and the dining room was the only room in the house that was not covered in wallpaper from the 1980s. I couldn’t seem to work up the motivation to start the long and arduous process of ripping everything off the walls in the rest of the house, so I decided to tackle a room that would be easy, quick, and instantly gratifying to help me get going. While the Crimson was nice, it wasn’t “us.

You might remember Lauren’s style from her bedroom before and after; she turned a kind of boring bedroom into an exciting nautical and rustic-themed retreat. Well she’s back on a smaller scale, infusing some serious fun into an inherited desk from the in-laws. From Lauren: This past summer, I made over a roll-top desk we inherited from my in-laws…and it’s my new favorite project!

June’s fireplace had some dated features like fake wood and weird Victorian-esque floral tiles. She would have loved to replace the whole thing with her dream of a wood burning fireplace, but she didn’t have the budget for it right now. So she got creative and made the fireplace over with some paint, stencils and style! From June: I was fed up with my dated fireplace…the fake wood surround and the horrid quasi-Victorian tiles from the 80s made me cringe!

The paint on Jen’s house was peeling in patches, and even non-existent in certain spots. Jen definitely felt her house looked dilapidated and unloved, and wanted to increase its curb appeal. Although she was daunted by the prospect, she and her parents stepped up one weekend, and used a little elbow grease. See what they were able to do for only $125…. In addition to the new paint job, Jen swapped out the door handle, and changed the mailbox.

Renovation by: Mike (you may remember his bathroom renovation) Location: Chicago We live in a typical Chicago apartment with a really long skinny layout. When you enter our apartment the foyer and hallway are the first things you see so they really needed some TLC. When we first moved in to the apartment the foyer and hallway were painted in a yellow glaze and the only light fixtures were flush mounted glass domes from the 80’s.

We often turn to IKEA for cheap storage options, which makes their basic wardrobes a popular item in a lot of homes. Clever DIY projects and hacks pop up as people discover ways to upgrade the units to look more expensive and custom-built in their spaces. Here are 8 great projects to think about yourself: Designer Tommy Smythe updated his PAX doors with molding and vintage knobs. Combined with the sleek black paint, this new storage looks high-end and beautiful.

Bari has been working with a local design firm to decorate her home in Philadelphia, and the most recent space to be completed was her guest bathroom. She loved the original clawfoot tub, but she wanted to make the walls more fun since it’s the bathroom everyone uses when they come over. From Bari: The wallpaper is dark and bold, but the hot pink ceiling really is a great contrast, and plays well off of the black/white striped floor.

With a guest bathroom outfitted in seashell wallpaper, brass fixtures, laminate countertops, vinyl flooring, and “swine beige” finishes, Rita and Cane of This Sorta Old Life could have treated this bathroom as a gut job. But having gutted their master bath not too long ago, they knew what a formidable undertaking that would be, and instead, they figured out a way to make the current space work.

This is Mattie’s old bathroom, pre Style Cure. Even though she was a little off of the usual Cure schedule, due to some conflicts with work and potty training, it doesn’t make her results any less impressive. The best part? The budget for her entire bathroom redo was a low low $49. After: what a difference a little paint makes! The blue walls, with a pattern of little birds and clouds, lend just the right amount of color and whimsy to this previously drab bathroom.

Katja’s entryway was pretty, but plain, and needed a good dose of something. Turns out that something was turquoise paint and a lot of graphic pattern. To create the accent wall, Katja first painted it a light turquoise. Then, strips of painter’s tape were placed vertically every 14 inches. Smaller bits were taped at an angle off those stripes, to create the arrow effect. She then painted over the whole thing with a darker turquoise and removed the tape.

Sometimes “before” pictures aren’t disgusting nightmares that leave you horrified. Sometimes they are perfectly nice, but the owner was just sick and tired of looking at the same layout or piece of furniture. We’ve all been there and so was Bethany, who’d grown weary of seeing this dark brown trellis pattern first thing after walking in the door. She made a few crucial tweaks without spending a dime — including a mini IKEA hack — and wound up refreshed.

Chrissann recently re-did a dresser for her daughter’s room. In its original state, the dresser wasn’t anything special — certainly not an antique — and she wanted something more fun, and brighter than the original boring brown. If you are sick of seeing chalkboard paint everywhere, or hate the dusty mess of the chalk itself, here’s an alternative: try dry erase paint instead.

We love a good, simple IKEA hack. In the hands of Sarah of Smitten Studio, this plain pine Tarva got a coat of paint and a little bling. Check out the results:Fresh white, gold legs, and brass knobs add much needed storage and a dash of style in the bedroom of Sarah’s cabin, after the removal of a bunk bed/closet system. Sarah also sawed a couple inches off of the dresser’s legs for a more contemporary proportion. Check out more photos over at Smitten Studio.

To appease her surfer husband Andrew after they moved to land-locked Colorado Springs, Amy had a creative paint idea and turned the staircase in their live/work loft into an homage to the sea. She painted the risers a cool, ocean-inpired blue and topped off the staircase with an old surfboard. No word on whether their adorable dog is much of a swimmer, but it seems like they’re all enjoying the new look. It came out great! Thank you Amy!

One of the regular readers of Meg’s blog, Radical Possibility, found this little Lane end table at a flea market, and needed her help to transform it. About $30 and three hours of TLC later, this little table had a totally new look. The pattern on top is based on the Forest Flowers iPhone cover by Rifle Paper Company.

The whole project, including the paint, cost $27. If this sounds good to you too, head on over to Chrissann’s blog, Ducklings in a Row Thanks, Chrissann!

Lindsay fell in love with the shape of this vintage record player console from Craigslist, but when she picked it up, it was beyond dirty. A lot of elbow grease and a little paint later, check out the results:From Lindsay: I have a thing for vintage record player cabinets. I found this Mid-Century style record console that had been gutted on Craigslist, and picked it up immediately. It is solid wood, and was in fairly good condition. Except it was FILTHY.

Josh found this dresser, solid and in good condition, but not quite his style, at a Dallas thrift shop. With a few basic updates, he turned lots of laminate into a mid-century style showpiece:From Josh: I found this dresser for $60 at a local thrift shop here in Dallas, Texas. It’s made entirely of laminate particle board, barely used, and very solid. I knew it had great lines and good bones, but lacked any personality.

When I first looked at this piece I thought, “Oh, just a little polishing and it’ll be good as new.” To my surprise, that is not what the after was about to reveal at all. This piece of furniture got a full on Art Deco Makeover. The original style of this piece didn’t fit into the rest of the home’s decor, so it got sanded, painted and pounded. It took 1300 upholstery nails to get it to its final state. That is some serious dedication.

Sarah took her chances on a very typical dresser at Goodwill — you know, the ones that are a dime a dozen and often get passed up by everyone. Follow me after the jump to see the incredible transformation that turned this sad little piece into a unique gem… She first sanded down all the old paint (always test for lead first) and then stained it with a lovely Mahogany Gloss Stain.

To my mind there are two basic types of ‘Before and Afters’: the jaw droppers that leave you amazed at the utter transformation of a thing or place and the less dramatic, but no less inspiring ones that show a vast improvement to something with minimal expense of time and money. The latter is the case with this dated dresser repainted in springy colors as an appealing addition to Lynne and Darren’s guest bedroom where they host their 2-year-old grandson, Nicholas.