Let’s talk about the magic of paint — believe me it is magical. For a fraction of the cost and time invested of other projects you end up with a whole new space.
The best part about paint is the price. It does take time, it creates a little mess but the overall cost is minimal compared to other projects like, flooring, accents walls or lighting. In a short amount of time you can change the look in your space. On occasion I enjoy watching a little HGTV. The part that frustrates me is the budget on some of the projects. WOW!!! $100,000 for a basement refresh?!
Who has $100K just sitting around to add a bathroom and update a family room? They look amazing but it doesn’t have to cost that much.
If you have a big budget, want to hire someone to do the work for you then do it, no judgement from me. That is not my life, maybe one day. Doing the work yourself creates change and costs less. It is also rewarding when you are creative.
The good news, you can create a warm, welcoming, beautiful home without overspending. Higher-end finishes definitely come with a higher price tag, but with a little creativity (and a can of paint!) you can transform your home for a fraction of the cost.
A Love-Hate Relationship with Paint
I have a love-hate relationship with paint.
I absolutely LOVE the transformation it can bring.
You can completely change the look and feel of a room just by updating the wall color. It’s hands-down one of the most budget-friendly and high-impact updates you can make. You can repaint a room for under $100, if that is the only change you make then you have a whole new look and feel to the room.
That is what I love about paint, low cost, decently quick and a whole new look.
But here’s the struggle:
choosing the right color.
If you don’t see undertones it can make picking your color challenging which is important when picking your home color scheme.
Beige? Grey? Warm? Cool?
Figuring out if a color complements your flooring, furniture, and lighting? It can be a challenge.
The struggle is real. You can spend a lot of time trying to pick the right paint color. Trips to the store, purchasing sample after sample trying to find the perfect color. It can be frustrating.
The Paint Journey
It was time for a change, I was ready to do it and I thought I had it all figured out.
We had a grey color throughout our home, I loved it for years but was ready to change the overall look of our home. (And believe me, getting that grey color right in the first place was no easy feat)
This time around, I had a vision:
I wanted a monochromatic feel — meaning the walls, doors, and baseboards would all flow together, with some accent colors and a grounding color woven in.
Sounds easy, right? I mean the doors and baseboards were already painted.
Famous last words.
The first two rooms I tackled looked amazing. I loved the rich, cozy feeling they brought to the space. The monochromatic look I was after.
I was feeling pretty proud of myself.
The next room I tackled was a windowless half bathroom.
This little bathroom has zero natural light. When I painted the walls the same color that worked in the other rooms I realized I had a problem. The walls looked yellow. They were the same color as the trim and door but because there wasn’t any natural like the color wasn’t working.
The yellow undertone was always there, but without any natural light, it stood out big time.
It was not the look I was going for. Yellow is a fine color but if it’s not what you are trying to achieve it can be disappointing.
I felt stuck.
I didn’t want to repaint all the doors and trim throughout the house, that sounded like a total nightmare. (it was the color the builder chose for our home when we had it built)
But every color I tried on the walls either made the trim look more yellow or made the walls look incredibly yellow. Not a beautiful butter yellow but a old dirty color.
Great Advice
Here’s the best advice I can give you if you ever find yourself in a paint struggle like I did:
Ask your paint pro.
Seriously.
At our local Home Depot, the paint pro is an absolute paint wizard. He’s helped me more times than I can count.
This time, when I explained my yellow-trim crisis, he had the perfect solution:
He suggested I pick the color on the paint strip just above the one originally used for my doors and trim.
DUH! Why didn’t I think of that?
Turns out, the slightly lighter version of my original color was exactly what I needed.
It blended beautifully with the doors and trim, without making them look more yellow.
Problem solved.
It took some stress, trial, and error, but we figured it out and the result was worth it. A monochromatic home that is exactly what I envisioned.
Finding a Gorgeous Accent Color
Around the same time, I stumbled across a color suggestion on Instagram.
Someone described a color as a beautiful dark grey with a green undertone, and as a girl who loves green, I knew I had to check it out.
This color has completely stolen my heart. Thunderous by Sherwin Williams
I’ve used it all over our home:
Shiplap accent walls
A shiplap ceiling
A vertical shiplap wall in the Jack-and-Jill bathroom
A Roman Clay accent wall
It’s modern, it’s rich, it’s cozy and it gives the whole house a gorgeous flow.
(Side note: paint colors never look exactly the same in every space. Lighting, angles, and surrounding decor all play a part. But honestly? I love that. It adds depth and character.)
My Go-To Home Color Palette
When it comes to creating flow and cohesion in your home, a simple, thoughtful color palette can make all the difference.
Here’s what I’m using:
A soft white for walls, doors, and trim
A grounding black on the fireplace and some furniture
The rich dark green/grey as an accent
A consistent wood stain across furniture and projects
Keeping the palette simple makes it so much easier to create a home that feels connected, cozy, and peaceful. You’ll notice the beautiful dark gray / green that looks a little different in each space. The other color is the warm white that took some work to figure out. Check out this blog post if you’re wanting more budget friendly diy projects.
Why I’m Always Tweaking and Changing
Confession time:
I’m one of those people who loves change when it comes to my home.
Even as a little girl, I was constantly trying to rearrange the furniture in my tiny bedroom (sorry, Mom!).
There’s just something about refreshing a space that makes me feel energized and inspired.
And the best part?
You don’t have to spend a fortune or gut your house to get that feeling.
Sometimes, a simple can of paint is all you need to bring fresh life to your home.
If you want a simple change but don’t want to knock down walls, rip up flooring or change cupboards think about the changes a can of paint can create.
Does painting seems a little scary, you can paint your home with professional results. This FREE list will help you get everything you need so you can start painting.
Ready to Create Your Own Calm and Beautiful Home?
If you’re craving that feeling of peace, flow, and beauty in your home…
If you want to make your space a true reflection of you without breaking the bank…
Then you are going to love my digital course:
From Chaos to Calm: Cultivate Home and Life One Space and Step at a Time.
Inside, I’ll walk you through the simple, doable steps to transform your spaces one project at a time — without overwhelm, without perfectionism, and definitely without $100,000 budgets!
Because the truth is, you don’t need more chaos in your life.
You deserve calm.
You deserve a home you love.
There are many steps to get the home of your dreams, not just diy projects but organization, editing and cultivating a space you love. One step at a time.
