Orange and White Dressers

I have been slowly adding pieces to Mason's room over the last year, but there was one thing in his room that was driving me absolutely insane, his dresser! I had done that thing were I needed storage in his room and I needed it now, so I bought crappy new cheap furniture. I went to target and picked up the Room Essentials Dresser in White and started to put it together. I broke a piece in an hour, then couldn't get the back on, then it sagged in the middle. It was sad and doesn't store as many clothes as I hoped. The kids also try to climb the drawers and well... the plastic bottoms popped out :(

So I went to my best friend, Craigslist. I had found a couple things I liked, but then they would be gone before I had a chance to get them. It seems the Birmingham area is full of handy/crafty people because all the good stuff is gone within hours.  So when I came upon two vintage dressers for 100 bucks, I was sure they were gone. So I nervously emailed and then, they were available! The lady was so nice and I picked them up the next week at her yard sale. Mason was incredibly excited about the purchase and posed with his new dressers.

I'm sure when I showed all my friends they thought I was insane and at points I thought I was going a little crazy. I had decided I wanted ORANGE! The brightest orange I could get with crisp white! SO I started by stripping the varnish... it looked like a whole lot of snot all over the place. 

Then I sanded what was left smooth. The varnish was dry and a little chippy so I ended going down to mostly wood so the paint would stick right. Then with a primer and a brush I got stared. If I could go back I'd use a foam roller! I started with a roller half way through and it took so little time. 

ALSO! Sand the primer drips and rough spots before adding a different color of paint! While sanding some of the orange I would sand down to white and realize it was a missed primer drip.

My helpers were out and about in the sun playing and trying to mess up my orange as much as they could.  I used Valspar Paint and Primer in Autumn Blaze. When I posted this picture on Facebook, I was sure the orange shocked everyone.

I was overly excited about the project that even while I was stuck inside while the girls napped, I thought about the dressers. The view from the upstairs, looking down on my project area.

My biggest hurdle while doing the projects is Alaya. Mason and Shila keep busy with chalk and slides, but Alaya has to be contained and that doesn't work for her.  

But after a couple days of paint coats and poly to protect it from my children, I was finished, and so happy! The knobs that came with it even worked great!

So what do you think? Amazing right? I think so!

And I promise to stop using my phone to take all my pictures, but these projects are a couple months old and it's all I had at the time. Instagram has ruined me!

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Step Into the Light

My living room is depressing and sad. My dad thinks it is perfect with it's old paneling but he doesn't spend most of his relaxing time in the dungeon. 

 

So I finally gave in and started to paint the living room, surrounded by 3 kids and a little help from my 14 year old niece. I started with trim and made it sparkling white, well after about 3 coats.

It was crazy how much of a difference just he trim made, so I was so excited about painting the rest. Not to mention, I got lucky... like really lucky! I found 2 gallons of Valspar Gravity paint at Lowe's in the oops paint section! I snatched those suckers ups so quick! 

I had no idea how long it was going to take to paint the paneling. Just to give you a description, it was fuzzy. You could feel the wood and it had a fuzzy/splintery texture. I also had to use a brush to paint all the knots and the very deep lines between the boards. I was still cooking dinner, getting kids to take naps, and referring fights.

But it was so worth it! Alaya is my personal model to show how much more livable the living room is after an airy paint job!

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Shila's Room Part 2: Painting a Little Girl's Room (Not Pink)

I'm in slow motion lately, I start to get things done and then I end up in a dead stop and waiting weeks to finish. I am so happy to be working on Shila's room since she has been stuck in her brother's room for almost a year and it is far from girly.  If it was up to Shila her entire room would be covered in pink and princesses but I know she won't love princess forever and a load of pink might make me a little dizzy when I go in to play.  So I wanted something colorful and bright, which defiantly reminds me of my lively 3 year old. So I went on a trip to Lowe's and looked through the paint samples and came across the perfect color.

It's called Dive In by Valspar and it is beautiful.
I've learned over the years the best thing to do is prep the space before you start painting. File in any holes and sand any rough spots, but our walls were hole free and professionally painted before we moved in so my big step was taping. It takes a little while and is pretty boring, but it is a must! And if you really want a clean line, by the green tape. I've tried all of them and haven't had a better edge than with my frog tape. In fact I still have to redo the dining room from where my beautiful navy blue bled through the blue tape.

So after a lot of tape and plenty of plastic on the floor I started with one wall at a time.  I trim out a wall and then use a roller to paint. This helps keep from a distinctive line around the trim from your paint drying and not blending. I also do it to feel like I completed something since I have to take many breaks checking on, feeding, and giving naps to the kids. This was were I got before my kids decided they were starving.

But withing a couple hours I was done! And I must say I love it so much. It goes great with all the pink things she wants in her room.

Now time to get the bed in!

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