Elton’s feeling blue. I was feeling blue. And now our kitchen is, too. Yep, we’ve got color on those spackle speckled walls. Well, I sanded the spackle before painting. If you remember, here’s the before.
Yeah, the three-toned wall color wasn’t working for me. So, I busted out my sanding skills to smooth out the walls. I know, this should have been done months ago, but Ben and I both hate sheet rock work. So we procrastinated. The time had come though. After sanding the walls, filling the small imperfections, and sanding again, I was ready to get started.
I prefer to paint trim first, working the paint into the crack by the wall. Once that dries, I get started on the color. Knowing that, I painted the trim Vermont Cream, color-matched to a Glidden satin latex paint. Why Glidden? Ben uses it in the apartments and loves it. I didn’t like the work-ability (or lack of) the Behr. Either I’m a slow painter or Behr dries especially fast. But I also hate the durability (again, the lack of) of Wal-Mart’s paint. Glidden seemed to bridge the gap.
Anyway, two coats of paint on the trim and about 24 hours of dry time later, I was ready for some color.
The same mis-tinted paint used in the dining room and theater room to be exact. I bought another gallon at Wal-Mart (their paints are fine for areas with less traffic and/or use). Rather than hauling the old can to the store, I took a picture of the label. To say the paint gal was confused by this is an understatement. Seriously, she was perplexed that I would do something so strange. Finally, I explained to her what I was looking for and we got the paint mixed.
After spending an hour taping off the trim, I got painting supplies together. Brush? Check. Paint tray? Check. Paint? Check. Roller and cover. Oops. I ran out of roller covers. Gah! Off to the hardware store the boys and I went. We got the foam rollers, did our grocery shopping, and headed home. After unpacking the groceries, I realized the covers were the right length, but the hole for the roller cage was too big. Boo. Luckily, I used the same color for the insides of the upper cabinets, so I searched for my used roller cover. Found it…in the trash, still in the bag. I cleaned the paint boogers off and used it. Yes, I was desperate to start painting without going to the hardware store again.
I started painting, cutting in around the top of the casement. It didn’t have to be perfect because anyone under seven feet tall wouldn’t see it.
Painting a flat wall was a breeze compared to the detailed trim. Rosettes are the most difficult trim to paint.
Shortly after the first coat dried, I started with the second. When I finished the second coat throughout the entire kitchen, I peeled off the tape.
Frog Tape prevented the majority of the paint seepage, but I did have a few peeling issues. I think this was because I didn’t peel the tape off as I was painting, so it was starting to dry.
Touch ups are in my future. Good thing I’ll have the same color out when we repaint the dining room. I had to hold off painting the blue in the dining room because we’ve got to repaint the lower part white.
Here’s where we’re at now. You can see we chose to paint the vent hood like the rest of the walls and door frames. No special treatment.
Crown, casement, and door frames are white.
For better flow, I painted around the back door, too. Now the color wraps from the stairs, around the kitchen, and into the dining room.
Now I need art to fill this blank wall. I like what we had before, but I’d like something larger with more color. Pinterest, here I come!
Up next, another layer of mud on the ceiling. Then sanding, priming, and painting. Again, we’re aware this should have been done long ago.
In addition to the ceiling, Ben has to install a few more trim pieces in the dining room, then more painting. But we are getting another thing crossed off our list as I type this. We took the cabinet doors to a local glass company.
Hopefully you’ll get to read and see more about that on Monday!
Have you been painting any rooms recently? What color(s) did you choose? Do you prefer to paint trim first? Like Ben, do you hate sheet rock work? Who’s excited that we’re almost done with the kitchen? (Quickly raises hand).
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Is that the same color as inside the cabinets? It’s lovely. Just the right color for my new color scheme. But, it’s custom? Bummer! Maybe I can take my computer in to the paint store and show them your pictures!
Hey Dawn! Yep, same color. I figured that was a good way to get a little of the paint on that side of the kitchen. And, you can easily write down this formula (The formula for one gallon is B-37, E-39.5, and T-37) to get the same color. Just ask the paint store to use a light base. They should be able to make something really similar. 🙂
Hi Emily! Aww, thanks lovely lady! It makes us smile. 🙂 Oh, and when I was lying in bed unable to sleep, I thought of a valentine idea for you. What about a Mad Gab style one? Mad Gab combines words to make phrases, so something like this: Eye Mull Of Mush Sheen. Say it quickly. I don’t know if that specific phrase is appropriate for a 14 year old, but something similar might be fun…
Thanks!
Amanda
Lookin’ good, Amanda! I love the paint color, and I think the blue with the crisp white of the trim, and the dark wood countertops is perfection.
Oooh, the color is just beautiful. It looks so nice with the wood countertops.
The blue is beautiful. I love blues. Painting my girls room a really soft blue now. We have a newer builder basic house and I find that when painting, I need to repaint the trim first (just with it’s original paint/color) overlapping onto the wall. Then tape it off and paint the walls for a perfect crisp line. I painted too many walls finding when I was done, I had taped over some the original wall paint that was too close/on the trim. Didn’t look so good. And my hand’s not that steady, so my touch-ups looked just as bad. Taping trim is much easier. Plus, baseboards can always use a touch-up;).
Your kitchen has come together very nicely! I bet no one is more excited about getting closer to the finish line than you.Having finished spaces is so rewarding!
Looking good. I hate prep work too, painting is a breeze. I do find once I get moving, it all comes together really quickly. It’s just getting started that is so hard.
I love that color! It’s all coming together so nicely!
Looks good! I can’t wait to see the glass front doors!
Love the color {it’s SO pretty}, love the cabinet knobs, love the happy giddy feeling I just got in my tummy reading this post!
Lookin’ pree-tty!
The color is great and everything looks amazing. I especially like the picture where you can see the stove (and great hood) along with the dinning room. The color is really similar to the one I used in my laundry room and am waiting to use to repaint the kitchen.
I love the color and I love how your kitchen is turning out.
Beautiful blue! Love how your kitchen is shaping up.
I’ve used Glidden paint and love it. Also, it’s less expensive than its competitors. An associate from a big box store told me that in her opinion, Glidden’s primer was best.
Love the blue. It is my new favorite color.
What a beautiful color. Your kitchen has turned out so well!
Hi Amanda – the blue is gorgeous! Is that color Restoration Hardware’s silver sage? I thought I had read awhile ago that was the color you used quite a bit thruout your house. I just love blues and that is such a pretty one! Love that kitchen by the way!
love how the blue pops against your living room wall colors. May I ask what the two colors you used for the living room and kitchen? i LOVE the combo!
Aww, thanks so much for the love, ladies! You’re all so wonderful and make me smile. 🙂
Kim, The color is a mis-tinted version of RH Silver Sage. The formula for one gallon is B-37, E-39.5, and T-37. It’s the same color we used in the basement and the dining room. Love it! But real RH colors are awesome, too! 🙂 And thanks for your compliments!!
Hey lana! Check out the comment above for the kitchen color. The living room is ‘Wicker Chair’ by Olympic. It’s at least 7 years old, so I don’t know if they still carry it. Hope that helps!
Thanks!
Amanda
seriously, this looks RIDICULOUS amazing! LOVE the color, love the kitchen… awesome!!!!!!!!!! 🙂 Can I have this in my house now?
Thanks for replying Amanda! I’m sorry I made you type out the formula again. I didn’t realize it was the mistinted version of that color. I think I should have painted my office in this color. My husband will want to KILL me if I ask to repaint now!
No worries, Kim! I’m happy to help. 🙂 Yeah, it was funny because we bought a 5 gallon bucket, color matched to RH’s Silver Sage. Got it home (this is when we were finishing the basement) and realized there were HUGE globs in the bottom of the bucket. So we returned it and somehow the paint person switched the formula a little when we got individual gallons. We were literally painting the day before Everett was born, so we didn’t get to be picky and color match it again. Luckily now, we like the color better than the original so it worked out!
Depending on how big your office is, it MIGHT not take too long. But the prep work is the worst. Hopefully everything works out! 🙂
Amanda
That is such a bummer that happened! But happily it all worked out! I can’t believe you had the energy to paint at that point – good for you! And yeah, the office isn’t too big and doesn’t take too long, buuut… I originally picked a blue color out of tons of swatches – we painted the whole room and it looked like a BLUEBERRY! Seriously, the room almost glowed at night 🙂 Sooo, we went one tone down on that color swatch and painted again. When I mentioned the silver sage color (which I had seen on your blog and on RH’s site and SHOULD have gotten a small sample of in the first place and tried but I didn’t), my husband pretty much growled at me – LOL! I think I will get a sample of it soon and just see how it looks. Then I can always convince hubby later 🙂 Love your blog by the way! I’m totally OCD like you with organizing – so I love those posts 🙂
Yeah, we cut it close. I had no option but to paint at that point, unless I wanted to do it while taking care of a newborn, too. Haha.
Ha, I know the bad paint feeling. Our master bedroom had three paint colors before we landed on the green including a dark gray (I LOVED, Ben hated), a blue that I THOUGHT looked nice on the swatch but was baby blue on the walls, burgundy (per Ben’s request-I was never on board with that one) and now the gray-green. Seriously, when in doubt, go with RH colors. They’ve never failed me. They’re pretty and slightly muted so they go with everything. Try a sample and hopefully your hubby will like it more so he’ll want to repaint. Or just do what I do; paint it yourself. That way he had nothing to do with it. Ben loved coming home to the painted kitchen. Win win. 🙂
So glad you’re loving the blog, too! 🙂 Us OCD people have to stick together to explain to the non-OCD people that we are, in fact, normal. Ben has always thought I was crazy for organizing my clothes by sleeve length and in rainbow order. I saw a post today about ROYGBIV being the way to organize clothes. So ha!
Keep me posted on your painting endeavor. 🙂 And have a great weekend!
What a beautiful color! I love it, and the kitchen just looks fabulous!
Ok, Amanda – so now I don’t feel so bad about 2 paint colors for the office since you had 3 for your bedroom – haha! But, paint is so tricky sometimes and you just never know how it’s going to look until you get it up there. And yeah, you’re right – if I paint it myself, hubby can’t complain. Only thing is, we have 3 very heavy bookcases that need moving and I really don’t want to take everything out to move them myself – boo. But like you said, maybe he’ll like the new color 🙂
And yes, totally agree us OCD peeps have to stick together. My clothes are ALSO separated by sleeve length and organized by color – although I never thought to do it by rainbow, but that’s a great idea! My husband also thinks I’m crazy but I’m ok with that 🙂
Definitely will keep you posted if we paint again! Thanks 🙂
I used to not mind painting but I’m kind of burned out now! I’ve been painting white trim for the past few months.
The color in your kitchen is beautiful and I love your wall treatment.
Hi Jae, I totally hear you on painting burn out. I feel the same way, and we still have to do some painting in the dining and living rooms. Ahh, the joys of home ownership. Haha. Thanks for your compliments, too! Good luck with your painting!
Thanks!
Amanda
Just wondering if you remember the drawer front heights in your DIY kitchen remodel. I really love the dimensions and was wondering if you could give me an ideas like top 6″ middle 10″ and bottom 14″. Thanks, I am really impressed with your handy work
Hi Dana!
If I remember correctly, you’re very close. I think the top was 5″, middle 9″ and bottom 13″ for the drawer fronts. I hope that helps!!
Thanks!
Amanda
Great job!
I’m impressed that you use Glidden with success. I’m a thrifty (read: cheap) person when lengthy paint experience. I have tried them all and found Behr not fit to paint dog houses, WM meh, Lowes so bad it had to be returned, and Glidden thin. Your results make me think Glidden must have stepped up their game. (:
I also find Frog Tape to be so overrated. It’s not you – it’s the tape.
Your room looks gorgeous!