There is nothing simpler and cost effective then a fresh coat of paint. Whether you are wanting to change the appearance of the room or just freshen things up.
Painting is something I am really good at. I have never hired a painter to come in and paint for us. I have a steady hand so I am able to cut along the ceiling really well and also trim around baseboards, window and door trim. It is something I can do well so I do it often. I am also a decent roller. I think Monte is a little better at rolling then I am but he has a strong dislike for painting so he only does it when he is feeling sorry for me.
When we built our first house in 1994 there were not a lot of TV shows that helped you learn new styles or techniques. There was one show on Canadian television I watched often in the afternoon while my babies slept, CityLine with Marilyn Dennis. We were living on a ranch without cable so we had 3 channels to choose from. One day a week on CityLine they focused on home decor. What I remember learning was the power of paint. They taught me how to sponge paint and rag roll and gave me the courage to be bold with my color choices in the 90’s.
Because money was tight I turned to paint when I was wanting to make a change in the space or spruce it up a little. I painted my living room walls hunter green, I loved it. The more walls I painted the more I loved them. People would come into my home and their either loved it or tried to hide the horrified look on their face.
I even sponge painted my bedroom and add a ‘lovely’ hunter green painted chair rail around the room. I remember planning the colors I wanted to add to our home and how I was going to personalize it. Sponge painting and different painting techniques were very popular in the 90’s as was bold colors. I was all in. I found a couple pictures of the sponge painted wall in our bedroom and some bold stripes I added to our little boys room with individual hand prints to really personalize the space. This was long before we owned a computer or digital camera. Pictures were not taken by the hundreds and deleted you carefully took a picture and when the roll of film was finally used you took it to be developed hoping eyes were open and the shot you were looking for was in focus.
I was so proud of myself and loved these walls for a very long time. Like everything my style has evolved and I have grown in my design choices. But I still love a fresh coat of paint to breathe new life in an old space.
Our son and daughter in law recently purchase a beautiful ranch with barns, corals, and an older home. The house was built in the early 80’s so it is sturdy and well built but a little dated for their style. When we first looked at it before the land deal finalized my mind started running with all the possibilities. The layout is amazing but there was a lot of hidden potential. Just before the holidays they were able to move into their home and just after the new year we were able to visit and give them a hand with a few renovations.
We didn’t have a lot of time and there wasn’t a lot of spare money so we need to use wisdom in the renovations we worked on first. We wanted to get some things done so they were comfortable and know that they have a life time to make all the changes they would like.
The laundry room need some attention. The washer and dryer that remained didn’t have much life left in them so we wanted to get the space cleaned out and painted so we could move their washer and dryer in. The existing laundry room was big but had cupboards lining the room so it made it seem smaller then it was.
I was dying to get those cupboards down and everything hauled out so I could clean and give it a fresh coat of paint. You can see what happens when you move in a hurry, they had cattle needing feed and cows who were going to start calving.
It took Monte and 2 sons to get the cupboards down and hauled out. They were secured to the walls really well and didn’t come down without a bit of effort.
Once they were down and out and the washer and dryer hauled away it was my turn. The walls needed some washing and also some patching. The prep work you need to do before painting is my least favorite part of the process. I always want to get right to the painting but painting without cleaning and patching doesn’t give you the same beautiful results. Since the room was also used as a mud room when you came in the back door there were a lot of dings and scuffs on the walls so washing walls and filling holes was a big job.
There were other renovation projects going on and cows calving so there were tools and farm clothes to work around. Our sweet daughter in law had the guys leave the cupboard under the window for now just because they did need a place to store and stack things. She’s got some super cute ideas of cupboards and cubbies to be built at a future date when things slow down just a little.
After the holes were filled, dried and sanded I was able to start painting. The colors in her farm house are white, black with a touch of red. She is planning white walls through out with black window trim and black doors. The windows in the house do need replaced soon but that wouldn’t be happening for a year or so. Because the windows were staying we decided to just paint them black like she wants. She also decided to paint the baseboards white until they are able to replace them with some pretty flat 5″ baseboards.
It took some time but the transformation is amazing. A fresh coat of paint is the least expensive way to clean up a space until you are ready and able to change the flooring and add the charm you imagine. The fun of a new home that needs some love and charm is taking your time and enjoying the process, coming up with the fun ideas to make it unique and yours. We don’t always have the money necessary to do an extreme renovation but chipping away at it bit by bit is all about enjoying the journey and loving and appreciating your home. It doesn’t need to be perfect from day one, you can make small changes when time and money allow and find appreciation for the strength and goodness of your home and the warmth and comfort it provides.
I am so thankful we were able to lend a hand and help them start the transformation of their new home. The walls were painted in Benjamin Moore simply white and the window trim was black licorice. It cost about $50 to freshen up this space. The cost of a can of paint and a little bit of cleaning and scrubbing, definitely worth the time and effort.
