Welcome to "My Projects"
I am always working on some project around my house because I love to always be changing and redoing. So, I thought that I would share some of these projects with you to perhaps guide you, inspire you or just entertain you. I have done many projects lately including painting my kitchen cabinets (which I still have one section to go). It was not possible for me to do them all at one time with two small boys and everything that is going on so I didn't worry about that and just painted them section by section. I have also painted my brick fireplace in my living room. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a before picture before I started priming, so the only photo I have is from Christmas but it lets you see the change.
My fireplace had dark brick that was quite textured and a hearth. I first primed the bricks with primer from Benjamin Moore and then I painted it the same as my trim which is Benjamin Moore Super White in Semi Gloss. The end result is so dramatic and I am so in love with it!
My latest project that I just finished is painting my kitchen table. I really wanted to get a new table, however, my friend convinced me that the newer tables are not as hard as this great old oak antique table and with two boys, I need a hard table as it will take lots of beating. So I decided to keep it and update it with creamy white paint. I will admit that it was a little hard for me to actually decide to paint it because I do love antique oak wood, but it just wasn't working for me anymore, so I went for it!
Since it was a nice day, I took the table outside to sand so that all the dust from the sander and sanding would not get all other my house. I sanded the top of the table with an electric sander and sanded the legs and sides by hand with sandpaper. Most pieces of furniture I paint, I do not even worry with the sanding, but since this was the kitchen table that gets lots of abuse, I thought I better. I usually just use liquid sander or nothing at all if I am going to distress it anyway. After sanding, I wiped the table down with a damp cloth to remove all the dust and applied a coat of primer.
I used to worry about how the primer look because primer dries quick and leaves lots of different marks. However, I have learned from doing so much painting that it really does not make a difference and it comes out smooth after the coats of paint. I painted two coats of creamy white paint to the table and I didn't distress it which I normally do because I figured it would get beat up on its own from its use. The final step I did was put several coats of polyurethane on the top to protect it from spills and use/abuse and just one coat on the sides and legs. I usually only use a bowling wax on my pieces for protection, but again because this is the kitchen table, I opted to use poly instead.
Well, here is the end result!
The chairs at my kitchen table are chairs that I have had for many years that are not old and were a light pine color. To update them as well, I took them outside and lightly sanded them and then painted two of them white and used a tea glaze for that aged look. The other two chairs I spray painted a perfect pink and then put wax on all of them to give them a more smooth, uniform look. I now love the way this table looks and with my cabinets painted white and the table painted white and the new aqua wall color, my kitchen is much brighter and I love it!!
My thoughts are that it doesn't have to be a lot of work and don't stress out about getting it all done at one time. I painted this kitchen table over about a three week period when I had the time (usually late at night). If there is something in your home that you are not happy with, then consider painting it. Paint makes a huge difference and is fairly cheap and is basically easy to do....and you do not have to a professional painter!
I would love to hear your thoughts on this project, so please e-mail me if you have somthing to share!
Thanks for visiting....Angie