If you give a girl a paint chip or two or three….(ROOM MAKEOVER).

Tahlia’s favorite story is: “If you Give a Mouse A Cookie”

Every mom can relate to this story and the reality of how a child can bounce from one thing to the next…..

Well, redo-ing a room in your house is the SAME story !!!

Here’s my short version:

If you give a girl a paint chip…or two, or three…..

She’s GONNA WANNA PAINT….EVERYTHING!

Actually, the LONG version of the story goes something like this:

If you give a girl a paint chip, or two or three…she’s gonna have an idea to cover all the red in the kitchen!

Then, she’ll say to herself…..I WANT TO remove EVERYTHING THAT IS DARK!!!
and, she’ll start thinking some more…..

Then, she’ll say that the kitchen now won’t flow smoothly into the foyer (with that being red). So, she’ll want to paint the foyer.

If she wants to paint the foyer, she’ll need to persuade her awesome hubby into taking down the VERY old bead boarding that is falling apart.

And if he finally agrees to do this (after realizing this would make an awesome b-day gift for me), he’ll have to sand and plaster and get all annoyed. But he’ll do it cause he loves her….

 PAY NOT ATTENTION TO THE AWFUL “under colors” from 10 years ago…(what was I thinking years ago in my McDonalds yellow and red stage) ewwww!

then. If you give a girl inspiration….she’ll ask for stripes.

Then, she’ll think that she should now re-do the living room, because the foyer naturally flows into the living room.

Well, if she starts thinking about painting the living room, she’ll look at the dining room and think to herself that the current color just won’t work with her plans for the living room…..and…..

she’ll want to paint the dining room. Well, if she paints the dining room, she’ll look at that OLD 80’s looking buffet and hutch and think that she’d REALLY love to paint it……REALLY love to paint it white!!!!

But, she’ll be discouraged and intimidated by all the sanding and priming that is ahead of her…..

So, she’ll go on Pinterest.
and she’ll be INSPIRED!!

If she goes on pinterest, then she’ll see this awesome stuff called Annie Sloan Chalk paint which will revolutionize her thinking and her vision for her buffet and hutch! NO SANDING OR PRIMING needed!! It’s a miracle!

Then, she and her AWESOME hubby will get started on painting the downstairs……and what a journey it will be!

So, My self directed MISSION:  BANISH all dark (or as much as was possible) from my downstairs. BRING IN LIGHT, and airy freshness!

See, I love color SO much that I ended up putting too much on my walls over the years and then was restricted by the amount of color I could bring in with accessories and pictures because it was all competing with each other!
So, I decided I need a blank pallet, and neutral background to make my colors POP!

My inspiration collages:

had too see how this would work with my wall hangings….

The project I am most proud of (because I did it all by myself) is my hutch. Here are the before and afters!!!

BEFORE!!!

and…..drum rolll!!!!!
First, some during shots:

So, I decided that I didn’t want it all “old White”….and I got some “Country Grey” for my drawers as an accent. I was nervous about this, but it worked out!

Then, after I painted, I waxed and buffed!

Distressing it was the most fun! I wanted to retain the “aged look” since this was passed down from my mom. I didn’t want to lost the character, so I sanded in some spots to make it look “antique-y”. I didnt’ want that “just off the show-room floor” look, I wanted it to tell a story….

SWOON!!!!

I COULDN”t BE HAPPIER!! I LOVE IT!!!!

And, you can see the doggie is pretty excited too! LOL

Ok, here’s the finished downstairs!!!

BEFORE:

 AFTER (probably should have taken pics in the daytime, but I gotta seize a blogging opportunity when I can, and…with 5 kids, that only happens at night!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

And, we decided to re-do the kids’ table in the dining room….because I just couldn’t get enough of this chalk paint, and I REALLY wanted a reason to use the beautiful “Duck Egg Blue color”

As part of my desire to LIGHTEN UP! I replaced all our “brown curtains” in the family room (which was the only room that did not need to be paited) with off white curtains! ANd, what a difference! I now have so much more light coming into my home!

painted kitchen a “baked scone color” and changed the valance!

OH!!! And, one LAST THING: 4 words that equal my new love= RUSTOLEUM CHALKBOARD SPRAY PAINT!!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE This stuff! I transformed a picture frame and an old “dress me up mirror” (from my Southern Living days) into cute chalkboards that I adore!

Can’t wait to write their daily messages!

I AM SO PLEASED with how it all turned out! I feel like I am in a new home and I feel like we increased our living space by a whole 100 square feet because everything feels more open and airy!

Another shout out for my amazing hubby who worked tirelessly to help me paint (I know it was NOT FUN)! But. I LOVE YOU for it!!!!!

HOT HUBBY!!!!

My next projects: Kitchen cabinets and our piano! Must go buy more Annie Sloan Chalk Paint!!!!!