I admit it. Sometimes, I can be daunted with big tasks that need doing around the house. What I do love though are quick and fun things I can do to make my home a little prettier than before. For those of you who are like me, here’s a blog post you might appreciate! Add a little more life and joy to your home with small DIY paint projects that won’t take up your whole week.
Look at a room and see if it could benefit from a pop of color. With a can or two of paint, you can already make a striking difference in your space. Express your creative side and embark on these easy DIY paint projects.
DIY Paint Project #1: Adding Color to Small Furniture
Gather your supplies! Here’s something that may get you excited. Revive and find new ways to love old pieces by transforming them using color. For this, pick a small wooden or metal home item you think could use a little color—a chair, side table, plant pot, or picture frame, for example. You can also purchase an item specifically for this DIY paint project if you are yet to feel entirely confident with your painting skills.
A handy tip to find which paint color to choose is to see which colors are already in your space and go from there. Using the photo above as an example, notice how the curtains and vases are all in a beautiful blue color. Painting the chair in a similar shade would ensure it goes well with the room.
For the green chair, we know that blue, green, and blue-green create a natural harmony together (as they are part of a trio that makes up an analogous color scheme). So, painting the chair green makes a lot of sense too.
The photo above is another example of a trio of colors that are in harmony: green, yellow-green, and yellow. Don’t you love how the yellow side table seems to both pop and blend well with other colors in the room?
If this is the DIY paint project for you, head on over to the Let It B Youtube channel for step-by-step tutorials on painting smaller wooden furniture such as stools and metal furniture such as chairs.
DIY Paint Project #2: Painting a Portion of Your Wall as an Accent
If you’re feeling a little more confident, how about trying your hand at painting a portion of your wall? This DIY paint project will uplift any space and can easily transform dull rooms if done well.
As seen in the examples above and below, you can go for a monochromatic color scheme (meaning the same hue, just a different shade) or go wild and adventurous and choose a different color altogether. Get creative!
Now for a few painting tips. First, if the paint on your wall is still in good condition—meaning you don’t see any cracking, peeling, or any other paint problems occurring—you can paint over it, so no need to peel off the paint where you’re painting over.
But wait! Before jumping into this DIY paint project, there are a few things you should know and do. You do have to make sure the surface is clean and dry before painting. You will also want to sand the area lightly (using sandpaper, of course) where you’re painting over for better adhesion. Remove excess dust and then apply two coats of your new paint color.
If the existing paint is a darker color than the new paint, it‘s best to apply one coat of primer first such as the Boysen Permacoat B-701 Flat White for concrete walls.
Because you’re painting over existing paint, it’s essential to know the type of base of your existing wall paint as well. Some types include water-based, oil-based, and epoxy-based. It’s highly recommended you use compatible paints to ensure your new accent wall doesn’t encounter any paint problems such as peeling. An easy way to do this whenever you’re layering over an already painted surface is to use the same type of base. More on paint problems and paint compatibility here.
Good luck and have fun!
We’re always eager to see your painting skills and how you play around with color in your home! Show off your DIY paint projects and tag us on Instagram (@boysenpaintsphilippines). For more DIY inspiration, check out the DIY section of Let It B.