Some DYI For Ya

Monday, December 12, 2011

Some DYI For Ya

We recently moved back in to our house (after we were supposed to relocate and then didn't have to).  We are trying to make it the house we WANT to live in instead of the house we HAVE to live in.  We have repainted every room, cleaned like mad people, and purged our lives of tons of unnecessary clutter. 

Next up is furnishing.  If you read my post about Craigslist (read it here) you will know I'm a ruthless hunter of a good deal.  I am also a psycho about not buying something if I can make/do it myself.  So here are a few of the things I have recently refinished/made look better. 

The color pallet for the finished basement/family room is all shades of greens and browns.  We have a big old desk we got for free from friends a few years ago and it was just too ugly for words. It looked like this but "L" shaped and beat to hell.

Here it is now...

It's a mess, but you get the point.  Its a funky avocado green and glossy chocolate brown top.  Here's what I used...

3 cans of Killz spray primer
Painters tape (to tape off the chrome parts.  I wanted to keep them silver)
Rust-Oleum High Proformance Protective Enamel in Dark Brown
Krylon Indoor Outdoor Spray Paint in Avocado
Smooth surface small roller (to roll the top)

That's it! It can be completely finished in 2 days.  The enamel paint take 24 hours before you can do a second coat.  I LOVE it now.

Second project:  my bedroom furniture is all hand me downs from various people.  All really good quality stuff.  All from no later than 1970.    My dresser was the first thing I tackled.  It was all medium colored wood. It was my husband's when he was a kid.  Tarnished brass drawer pulls and lots of scratches and nicks.  I HATED it. Here it is now...

 I wish I had a better camera.  Or knew how to use the one I have.  What I used:

1 can of Killz spray primer

Rust-Oleum High Performance Protective Enamel in Gloss Black

Glass "crystal" drawer pulls from Lowe's

Smooth surface roller

I used a roller for all of the black paint.  Even the nooks and crannies.  I didn't want brush marks.  Two coats and BAM!  Fabulous dresser.

Next up: The end tables.  They were decent Mid Century Modern end tables (the labels on the back said 1963) But the color was like nasty brown and they didn't match anything else.  Well, really, nothing I have matches anything else, hence painting it all the same color.  We did the same primer/gloss black with them.

If you have any questions about refinishing your own stuff, ask away!  I've been studying up and can probably help. 

Thanks for reading!