Most of the work we have done on the house has been painting. We are lucky to have bought a house that for now, just needs aesthetic fixes which can all be accomplished with paint–the budget-homeowner’s favorite tool. Eventually, we will have to replace the roof and the cedar siding $$$$ but for now we are focused on saving our pennies and doing the little stuff we can do that doesn’t cost too much.
It makes sense that paint makes the biggest difference–I mean, it literally covers the most surface area; but, I am always flabbergasted by power of a couple of gallons of paint to completely transform a room. Last week, I shared our hallway’s makeover, and this week I want to share how our living room has evolved.
So much brighter! And your eyes don’t stop at the wood trim and they finally go out to the beautiful views outside.
We used Benjamin Moore’s Simply White in semi-gloss (Natura- zero VOC) on the trim and Benjamin Moore’s Balboa Mist on the walls. I always use Zinnsser’s Smart Prime on the trim first (two coats). I have a post in the works all about how to paint oak trim. The paint in this room cost $48 for the semi-gloss for the trim, half a bucket of primer ($19.75 or $10 for half), and $48 for one gallon of paint for the walls. I’d say for $110 it was a great bang-for-your-buck. If you opted to use less expensive paint, you could even save more.
I also switched up the furniture arrangement to open up the space. Although it isn’t as classically pleasing as the symmetry was before, it works better for our lives. Eventually, we might have a piano in there so this new furniture arrangement opens up room for it. (In lieu of a piano for the time being we have a pack n’ play and a firehouse toy. I’d say we are definitely winning in the elegance game 😉 Nothing says formal living room like a diaper changing station and plastic firemen figurines.
But, since switching the furniture configuration we have used the space a ton more. All of the furniture in here was handed down, aside from the Target stools and the marble top which we found at a garage sale for $18 and we retrofitted it to work with a hand-me-down table with a broken top. We have been very fortunate and I think that the warm hues of the furniture go much better with the cooler hues of the walls.
I still need to paint the french doors that go in the large doorway but that has been slated for another day….story of my life.
gold sea urchin size large/ the home book/ elle decor style and substance/ supple leopard (my husband’s version of a coffee table book–I just like the colors!)
DIY gold and lucite tray/ gold dipped bowl (Target old)/ DIY leopard pillows/ domino book/ eames beautiful details
DIY faux malachite/ wes anderson
stools (Target old), sofa hand-me-down, painting- family, leopard DIY pillows
this view looks out from the family room into the front lawn
and this view looks onto the pond and meadow next to the house
Before, the room looked like this:
We couldn’t be happier with the color. Have you painted any rooms lately? I have a post coming up with all the colors we have used in our house so far, and the general process I use in selecting paint colors, and which are my tried-and-true favorites because it is so overwhelming trying to find the right ones. What are your favorite budget-friendly fixes for decorating rooms? Do you like painting or despise it?
I am linking up with the “Get Your DIY On” Link party with Just a Girl and Her Blog, The Happy Housie, The Hankful House, Confessions of a Serial DIYer, and House by Hoff.
Your home is soooo amazing! It’s incredible how the different paint completely changed the feel of the room! Great job!
Wow seriously such a difference with just the paint! It looks so bright and spacious! Love the leopard pillows too 🙂
Your living room looks awesome! it’s so bright and pretty and makes your colors on your couch really pop!
That painting + leopard pillows are to DIE for!! Come decorate my house please 😉 Love that room so much, the paint makes it so much brighter and more welcoming. Great job!
Owen,
You are too cute! It is amazing how much paint can change a room. Thank God! because that’s about all that we can do to this house for a LONG time! Thank you!
xo
Annie
Thank you Amanda!
The whole rooms feels and looks so much better! And finally, the pillows don’t clash with the damn trim!
xo
Annie
Thank you so much Caitlin! Every room needs a little leopard right 😉
xo
Annie
Marie,
You are so sweet! It is SUCH a work in progress! You are so kind! I feel like it is finally starting to shape up!
xo
Annie
I LOVE that painting behind your couch!
Love how you brightened up this space! It’s so true about the windows! Your eye no longer stops at the wood trim. Love all your accents especially the stools and those leopard pillows.
Taffeta & Tulips
Kate,
Thanks so much! It is amazing what some paint can do!
xo
Annie
Christine,
Thank you so much! How funny is that it is totally the family painting that nobody wanted in my husband’s family. I feel like it finally looks like it should with neutral colors around. We are thinking about trying to build a new frame for it since it still is in the original one from 1962 and it has seen better days!
xo
Annie
looks great, i love the new lighter color (wish the hubs would let me change our boring beige walls to a brighter white) but i’m working with it. the trimwork, absolutely, white is the answer!
enjoy your new space!
b
The power of paint amazes me every time! I also like the touches of gold! Gorgeous!
It is the best bang for your buck right?
xo
Annie
Annie, you have done an amazing job in your home! My Mom always told me that paint was my “Best Friend” in home decorating. It makes a world of a difference. Your house looks so good. The colors you have chosen throughout your home has just really given it a more fresh, clean, lively look! I love it!!!
It looks fantastic! I have a similar house with lots of oak (windows and trim and doors). We got an estimate to paint but it is outrageous! Can I ask how long it’s taken you to paint the trim, doors and windows in your whole house?
Hi Angi!
Thanks so much for commenting. It doesn’t take that long. We have lived in our house for 3 years but also have really young kids (3 under 5) so to paint we have to get family to babysit the kids, so we have time. I would say you can do a room in a couple of days. The painting the walls is the easy part. The trim generally takes me two days to do with all the coats of paint (and all the mullions.) Slow and steady we have done all but two of the rooms. But, if you dedicated time to it you could do it much sooner! we just have to take it slow with other obligations and kids…
Good luck! And I hear ya on the outrageous quotes! Yikes! That’s why we DIY it!
Annie