Painting stairs!

If you're like my sister, you live in a darling but old home.  There are many more important things to repair than the finish on the stairs.  Whether you have a casual style and children, or a more formal empty nest, painting stairs is one of the best DIY home improvement projects.  It's easy, fast and inexpensive. You can create a place to highlight color, text, decoupage drawings, custom designs and more...and you can change the look with more paint and time.  Here's a how-to and some cute design ideas:

Supplies: Hand or palm sander, paint, brushes, polyurethane, wood filler, painters tape.

Use porch or floor enamel for the stairs. I use Sherwin Williams no VOC Deckscapes for neutral tones and it's weathered beautifully with lots of use. If it doesn't come in a color that you want, use latex paint and then protect it with non-yellowing water-based polyurethane.

We were removing a drab carpet to get some color into the house.   After taking out all of the pad and carpet (recycled both) and getting all of the tack strip, staples and brads out, all of the holes were filled with wood filler.  You don't have to be very neat yet, and I used a plastic spatula from Home DEPOT. You can hand sand with a block or use a palm sander.  You need to get the surface smooth but some raised grain isn't a negative. The knots will be rougher and take paint differently. If you go lighter in color and coats, you can often see grain. Depends on the look you want. 

I  love FROG tape - green - since it keeps a clean line against risers, the wall, and balustrades that aren't getting painted.  Then it's easy to paint your color - you can also tape off stripes. If you want to add stencils, decoupage on images and text, wait a few days so you don't remove your new color!  Enjoy!

  

Easy ways to update light fixtures.

Many light fixtures can be updated to work with your decor.  Dated colors, shades and details can be modified to create a new look.  One of the first steps is to switch to a compact fluorescent (CF) bulb.  Why?  You'll use 70% less energy and the new CF bulbs have a warm color temperature and are even dimmable.  Next, if you are working with switched fixtures, change the switch to a dimmer. Why?  Mood and ambiance will change as you raise or lower the lighting. Get the right amount of light at the right time.  Take a look at the fixture itself ans see if you can use one of these 5 tips to create a new or updated look.

1) Change the color. Is the old brass chandelier too bright? Try a spray-on metallic finish and make it wrought iron. If nickel is the new color and your fixture is black, try a primer first then one of the new metallic sprays by Rust-Oleum.  Even changing a brass fixture to another color - and moving it to a bedroom - is a great idea and saves on buying new fixtures for every room. Here, an rusted brass entry fixture became a hot new chandelier for the dining room.

2) Update or switch the shade.  The simplest fix is to swap or update the shades...be it for a table lamp or a chandelier. You can purchase a new shade in a different style or color, or dress up the one you have with trim, beads, paint, punch outs and even new fabric.


3) Swap the globes. If your foyer chandelier has cut glass globes, try updating it with a coat of paint and add frosted glass globes in a different shape.


4) Cover naked bulbs. Many chandeliers and bathroom light bars have clear bulbs. Cover the chandelier bulbs with shades and switch your bath bulbs to frosted.

5) Remove or add elements. Have an older fixture with broken crystals, or a newer one with yellow acrylic danglers? Remove them for a new look or replace them with something different.  Hang seashells in a cottage home or glass balls in a contemporary one.  Cover up chains and cords with shirred fabrics.  For fixtures with leaves and other detailed accents, take them off for a cleaner look. Have a plain fixture? Dress it up like this one with crystal beads or items that fit your decor. 

6) Add a ceiling medallion.  Most fixtures look fuller with a medallion or other molding to add to the scale and highlight a chandelier.  If installing one is too difficult, try adding a stencil design around the fixture for a fabulous effect. 

New life for old furniture.

When you have a dated looking curio, table, dresser, hutch or other piece - not an antique - what can you do to update it? The construction is likely very sturdy, with dowels and dove-tail versus staples.  Even if the style isn't what you have in your home but you can't part with it, here are some ideas to re-use and re-purpose.

1) Change the color. Paint and stain are simple ways to change pieces.  This brown oak armoire became dining room curio with an ivory interior (and glass insets may be next in the doors) and a distressed paint finish. Whether you add distressing or paint antiquing is up to you.  Do a finish that works for the style of your home and that you feel comfortable with. Keep in mind that some distressed finishes will hide mistakes you make, and even help make a very damaged piece look fabulous!

2) Decoupage. Don't forget fabric and paper.  They are easy ways to transform furniture. Covering door and drawer fronts with decoupage fabrics and decorative papers create tremendous changes very quickly. Don't do the entire piece; instead, cover the door insets, drawer fronts, or even just the top and sides. 




3) Change the details. Add, remove or change design details like moldings, legs, and embellishments. If you can do it, making the legs larger or smaller can also change the height; you can transform coffee tables into desks that way!  

4) Change the function. Use an old dresser as a sideboard. Take out the drawers and use them as shelves in another way (see previous blogs for examples) and place baskets into the drawer spaces.  Here, a brown and shabby 9 drawer chest becomes a dove gray storage unit for crafts and toys in a family room. 

5) Re-finish. More challenging but the results can be amazing. This piece was a painted dresser with floral embossing.  After stripping and staining, it's a classic chest.

6) Change the hardware. Such a simple way to make a new statement.  Take the painted wooden knobs off and do something dramatic or interesting.

7) Stencil on a design.  It's easy to add a pattern or drawing to a plain piece with stencils. If you're artistic you can even draw your own.