It’s my favorite post of the year! Friends, today is the Sherwin-Williams 2023 Color of the Year announcement! Meet Redend Point SW 9081.

Redend Point is like capturing the soul of Southern Utah in a paint color. When I found out what the color was, I was like, this is familiar! It’s so similar to the natural color of the adobe in the Merc!

It’s a warm blush beige that feels like it’s been baked by the sun. Depending on the lighting, it will pull more brown or pink. It actually photographs a little more beige than it looks in real life.

This room was Dylan’s Small World bedroom, but with Ivie moving out and Dyl moving into her space (and not being a child anymore) we decided to turn this room into a guest room. We took down all of the Small World wall treatment, patched the holes and added simple box molding. It’s the same wall treatment that we did in my old office.

My favorite way to use a color like this is all over. Ceiling, walls, molding, baseboards, all of it. It’s such a classic way to make a statement and really celebrate the color! Elevating the design with molding makes it feel intentional and traditional as opposed to basic. I love the way the room turned out!

I will say that I had a little bit of a hard time finding a color to pair it with. Sherwin-Williams has some great pairing suggestions here. Mandi White, Tricorn Black SW 6258 (which I used on the doors), and natural linens are all easy answers, but I LOVE color and wanted something else. I found this great rust colored velvet chair on clearance for $130 and it was perfect!! It complements the red undertones of Redend Point in such a great way.

Redend Point is a color that can appear more beige or more blush depending on the light, so before you fully commit to the color, I highly recommend getting a sample. Thankfully, Redend Point is one of the colors that Sherwin-Williams offers in peel & stick samples! No mess, no dry time, no sample pots of paint, just peel it off and stick it to your wall! And they’re repositionable, so you can see how it looks and feels in different spots of your house at different times of the day! Peel & stick samples are available in 275 of Sherwin-Williams top selling colors and 50 Emerald® Designer Edition colors! You can get them here and they ship for free!

What do you think?! Are you a fan of the 2023 Sherwin-Williams Color of the Year?!

The post Sherwin-Williams 2023 Color of the Year is…. appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

It’s my favorite project of the year!! Sherwin-Williams 2022 Color of the Year!! If you’ve been following along on Instagram Stories, you know I tried to keep it simple this year with minimal(ish) wall treatments, and really let the color be the star with monotone ceiling, walls, baseboard, molding, and doors. In trying to keep things relatively simple, we ended up with a HUGE statement that I LOVE!!

Sherwin-Williams 2022 Color of the Year is Evergreen Fog SW 9130. It’s a dusty gray green that is kind of the perfect mid-tone green. It’s not dark (like the 2021 color) or light (like the 2018 color), it’s just enough that walking into a room completely covered in it feels cozy.

The magic of this color though is that it it’s a chameleon color of green meets gray with a hint of blue.   

This room used to be my office, but with the completion of the second half of our reno, my office moved to the loft and this room was just sitting empty, full of supplies for Happy Happy Houseplant. Because it’s just off my entryway, it just made the whole space seem cluttery and I was excited to get things cleaned up!

This is what it looked like before everything was moved out.

This is what it looked like when I started the makeover.

LOL, big difference!

The walls previously were painted my favorite custom white and while they were bright and fresh, I am digging how sophisticated this monotone room is!

I used a matte finish to create this look. I swear by this finish and use it everywhere! Did you know that using a lower sheen like matte makes your walls seem less textured? It’s true!

The way the molding makes shadow details in the blanket of color is a dream, my favorite spot is looking at the door. Like, just look at that detail!! This was a really simple project that you can see the tutorial for here!

If you’ve been here for a while, you might remember this leather couch that I bought off Craigslist and had reupholstered. When we pulled it out of the storage unit Court said, “I didn’t know this couch was so cool!” Haha made me feel glad that I saved it for so many years!

After I started decorating it, I needed some plant life in the far-right corner. It unfortunately doesn’t get great lighting, and anything I put there wouldn’t thrive, so a wall of propagations is perfect because they don’t need/want intense lighting.

We just ripped down some 2×4’s and use a hole saw to drill holes into it for the test tubes. Previously I’ve always mixed my propagation cuttings in the same tubes, but this color + monotone style gives off a different vibe, like it needed to be organized (maybe if I painted everything in my life Evergreen Fog I would be more on top of stuff!?) so I took cuttings from almost every one of my plants and each plant has its own tube. That way when people come over, I can give them cuttings specific to their favorite plant!

If you are itching to try Evergreen Fog, it’s one of the colors that Sherwin-Williams offers as a Peel and Stick sample! No mess, no dry time, no sample pots of paint, just peel it off and stick it to your wall! And they’re reposition-able, so you can see how it looks and feels in different spots of your house at different times of the day! Peel and Stick samples are available in 75 top selling colors and 50 Emerald Designer Edition colors! You can get them here and they ship for free!

The light was a quick DIY. I had ordered supplies to make a light for this room years ago, and just hadn’t gotten around to it. When I pulled them out, I had no idea what the original design was, and made up a new configuration! It turned out so great!

So tell me, do you love it!? I think they nailed it!

The post Sherwin-Williams 2022 Color of the Year is…… appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

This post is sponsored by Sherwin-Williams®

Every year Sherwin-Williams predicts what will be the hottest color for the upcoming year, and I’ve been lucky enough to help them announce it for the last 6! We’ve seen everything from bright coral, to almost white, to the perfect navy blue.

This year’s color is sure to hit the moody neutral lovers in all the feels. Sherwin-Williams 2021 Color of the Year is Urbane Bronze SW 7048. It’s a dark, warm brown that has moments of gray and green, and it is FIRE! It’s deep and soothing, and just makes any space look calm and inviting.

For our project this year, we took what was going to be a series of small projects, and in true Vintage Revivals style expanded them until they took over our entire lives. Court super loves it when that happens So here are two fun ways to use the 2021 Color of the Year – one big and one small.

Big: Fluted Statement Wall Treatment

Our first project is a wall treatment that is gaining mega traction in the design space, fluting. Fluting takes a humble half round piece of molding and repeats it until it becomes this insane statement. So insane, that we used literally 5000 pin nails to do this room. Like actually. 5000 nails.

Some of you might remember that my in-laws were building their dream house the same time we were working on phase 1 of the Merc, about 3 years ago. My MIL has great style and when I asked her if we could use her house for this project she enthusiastically agreed.

Her space was super neutral, with Mandi White (my secret formula for the perfect white paint) on the walls and Tricorn Black SW 6258 on the doors. I wanted to update the dining area of the kitchen because nothing about it stood out. With all of the walls in the space being the same color and texture, you just kind of didn’t notice it.

Fluting added texture, and painting the room Urbane Bronze made it the star of the entire house.

I feel like Urbane Bronze is the perfect moody color for those that love a warmer neutral. My go to dark-but-not-black color has always been Iron Ore SW 7069, but I am feeling the winds of change. Urbane Bronze is warm enough that if you are worried about a space feeling too cool or modern sterile vibes, you can throw those out the window. It’s welcoming and statement-making, especially when you use it in a large way.

For this project, we wanted a flawless finish and opted to use our paint sprayer instead of rolling/brushing it. We used Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel in Satin (you can read my post about how life changing this paint formula is here).

One thing that can keep people from using a sprayer is the amount of prep work that can go into it, especially if you are spraying in a space that is already furnished, but believe me when I say, it is worth it. Yes, we may have spent 3+ hours masking everything off but each of the 3 coats only took 5 minutes to spray and they look perfect!! If you haven’t tried spraying paint, it’s worth it!!

You can check out the tutorial for how to flute a wall here!

Small: IKEA Hemnes Dresser Hack

Who in this world doesn’t love a good IKEA hack?! For this project we took a basic 3 drawer Hemnes dresser and updated it with a little bit of trim, new knobs, and paint!

My favorite style of cabinets are recessed doors/drawers with a small piece of trim on the outside edge. It’s what we did in the Merc, and I think it just looks so good!

I’ve got an extensive post on how to paint furniture here, this is awesome if you don’t have a sprayer and you’ll get a smooth finish with a roller! For this project though, we sprayed it, and it took no time at all!

If you’re maybe not 100% committed to painting an entire room Urbane Bronze, a dresser is more your speed.

No matter how you choose to do it, adding Urbane Bronze to your home is a MUST. Especially if you favor neutrals, black and white, and natural wood.

Make sure that if you head to your neighborhood Sherwin-Williams store, you use the coupon below! You can also use it when ordering online. And don’t forget you can get paint chips delivered for free!

The post Sherwin-Williams 2021 Color of the Year Is…. appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

This post is sponsored by Sherwin-Williams®

We hear a lot about how to do things the right way. Especially in the DIY world. The right way to paint, the right way to build, the right way to caulk, and a million other right ways.

But what happens if you dont do it the right way? What does it look like!? Does the universe implode?! Given that this is the year 2020, we should all make a group pact to not test it. Pinky promise!

Today we’re talking about the right and wrong way to paint a wall! If you love fail videos, this post is for you! I am taking all of my best paint tips and showing them side-by-side with what not to do. Cause sometimes you have to see what things look like when they’re wrong before you can fully appreciate when they’re right! A lot of these tips apply if you are using a roller/brush process vs. a paint sprayer. If you want tips on spraying check out this post!

Supplies

Raise your hand if you buy paint supplies based purely on price. The cheaper the better right? WRONG-O. The quality of your tools can drastically affect the finish of your paint job. And, it’s not always about price, it’s just about using the right tool.

Mistake# 1: Using The Wrong Roller Nap

The nap on a roller determines how long the length of the material is from the center core of the roller. Picking the right nap depends on the finish you want and the texture of your walls. The longer the nap, the more texture it adds! 

Fix:

If you have smooth walls the goal is to keep them that way! I never go longer than 3/8″ nap on our smooth walls. 3/8″ is a sweet spot for coverage and minimal texture.

If you have textured walls you can compromise a little on the texture in favor of quicker coverage. The longer nap fills the negative space in the wall texture and helps with coverage. 1/2″ nap is great for orange peel and knock down wall texture. If you are painting brick or stucco, a super long nap like 1″-1 1/2″ will be your best friend! 

Mistake #2: Using the Wrong Brush

One thing that you never never never want to cheap out on is a paint brush. Investing in a good brush will give you a significantly higher chance of a smooth, brushstroke- free finish.

I

Fix: Using a High Quality Brush

All of the above brushes have their uses, but my go to gold standard is a Purdy XL Glide. 

Insider Tip: Are you using the right roller for your paint formula?

Buckle in cause I’m about to blow your mind. Did you know that your paint formula has a soulmate roller?! It’s TRUE!! There is a perfect pairing for each type of paint! There is an in-store char at your neighborhood Sherwin-Williams that will tell you exactly what combo is right for your project!!

Mistake #3: Not Re-Mixing Paint Before You Pour

Unless you are painting within a few hours of picking up your paint, always grab a few (free!) stir sticks. As paint settles there are a lot of things that happen.

Color Separation

Color pigments have different weights and will settle on the bottom of your paint can. If you don’t thoroughly mix it, then you’re setting yourself up for an uneven color on the walls! Some colors seem to settle more quickly than others (green is the worst offender IMHO!) Always shake your can or stir the paint before you start using it! Make sure if your paint has been hanging around a for a while that you purposefully scrape along the bottom of the can.

Sheen Finish Separation

When your paint is mixed, it’s not only incorporating the color pigments, it’s combining the sheen. The higher the gloss, the more separation happens! If you don’t do a through job mixing your sheen, you can end up with flashing (where dry paint has different sheen marks when light hits it, making it *flash* before your eyes) and it will make touch up a BEAST, because even if the color is correct, the sheen isn’t exactly the same.

Fix: Remixing Your Paint

Revisit your store: If your paint has been sitting for a while, you can always take it back into your neighborhood Sherwin-Williams store and have them re-shake it! If you are mixing it at home you’ve got a few options!

Shake it: Make sure your lid is on tightly and shake the can back and forth, alternating directions for at least 5 minutes. This is the cleanest way to mix your paint because there is no clean up but it also takes the longest!

Stir it: Using a stir stick, stir the paint for a minimum of 3 minutes. Make sure to pull the color from the bottom of the can by scraping it and pulling it up with the stick.

Blend it: There are really awesome paint stirrer drill attachments that make stirring paint quick and easy. Picture a kitchen beater, but bigger, and not for food. They work especially well if you are using 5-gallon buckets!

Mistake #4: Not Fully Loading the Roller = Paint Acne

The simple act of loading a new roller with paint is where things can easily and quickly go sideways. One of the biggest mistakes people make is that they don’t fully saturate it! What happens is they will load the surface, but underneath close to the core is still completely dry.

This is a problem because as the paint is being applied, the pressure on the roller forces the air trapped at the core to come to the surface and creates hundreds of tiny bubbles on the wall. Sometimes they pop leaving little craters in your paint, and sometimes they stay unbroken.

If you aren’t fully saturating the roller, you are creating the texture of an acne-ridden teenager’s face on your walls! Guys, that’s not the look we’re going for!

Look I, more than anyone, understand the excitement of getting that first swipe of paint up on the wall, but taking the time to saturate the roller will start you off on the right foot!

Roll it back and forth in the paint and on the roller tray until all of the bubbles are gone and the roller feels heavy. If you’re getting bubbles in your finish you need to roll it in the tray longer!

Mistake #5: Using the Wrong Amount of Paint

So now that we’ve talked about properly loading our roller, lets unpack how much paint you should be putting on the wall!

Mistake # 6: Using too much paint

you will have drips and sagging. Sagging is when a whole section creates sort of a giant drip. It doesn’t usually run the way a drip does, but it shifts and leaves a big wavy line. Using too much paint will extend drying time, which in my case extends the space between coats and my patience.

Mistake #7: Using too little paint

is actually the most counterproductive way to paint. Thin coats means that your coverage is as non-existent as a Tootsie Roll Egg in December. Without proper coverage, you are adding unnecessary work because you’ll not only have to do a second coat, but a third and maybe even a fourth. You are also adding texture! If paint dries before it has a chance to settle, the finish will have more texture. That’s a lot of time and effort committed to a sub-par paint job!

Fix: Using The Right Amount of Paint

The right amount of paint will let you paint a solid 3×3 square without running (too much) or spotting (too little). After your square is painted, reload the roller and go again. Work quickly and methodically and always work off the wet edge.

Watch for roller lines as you go. Roller lines are heavy trails of paint that are from the edges of the roller. They are usually unavoidable, but can be quickly and lightly feathered in by gently rolling in the opposite direction. 

If you overlook some roller lines and notice them after you’ve moved on to another section, LEAVE THEM ALONE. Which brings me to our number 1 painting sin…

Mistake # 8: Overworking the Paint

If you hear nothing else today, hear this. OVERWORKING THE PAINT IS THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO. What does overworking the paint look like? Well friend, huddle in.

Once paint is exposed to air it’s like a ticking time bomb. The more surface area of the paint is exposed, the quicker it will dry right? Paint spread out on a wall will dry faster than an open gallon.

As you are rolling the paint, your time is ticking. Paint dries from the surface first. Which means you’ve got to get it on, and then leave it alone. Once the surface has started to dry, rolling back over it to fix a drip or a roller line, or add more coverage is doing more damage than good. You’re mixing all of the surface dried paint with the wet paint on the roller, and the wet paint underneath the surface. All that you’ll end up with is a big goopy texture-y mess.

It takes massive amounts of self-control and sometimes leaving the room (no shame in knowing your weaknesses! ) 

So what is the right technique?

When I’m painting a wall, I like to work in 3 foot squares. The reason is because I can really easily control the coverage and fix any imperfections before I’m off to a spot halfway across the room. Work quickly and off of the wet edge of your square.

Mistake #9: Not Waiting For The Paint to Dry Before You Re-Coat

As the paint starts to dry, the surface will change colors. The best indicator of when your wall is ready for a second coat is when the color is uniformly dry. If your paint looks splotchy and has an uneven color it’s not dry!

Ok friends, these are my best tips. Did you learn anything new!? Make sure if you are heading to your neighboorhood Sherwin-Williams store that you use the coupon below to save $15! You can use it as many times as you like!

P.S. The paint I used for this post is Sherwin-Williams Emerald Interior® in a Matte finish, in the color Verde Marron SW 9124

The post 9 Common Painting Mistakes (with pictures!) appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

This post is sponsored by Sherwin-Williams^®

If there are 2 things that I know in this world it’s Sherwin-Williams paint and Tootsie Roll Eggs. Today I am unleashing the floodgates on my go-to paint colors, how I pick new ones, and something that I have been lobbying for for the last 5 years…

AN EXCLUSIVE VINTAGE REVIVALS COUPON!

This is the mothership of paint posts my dears, you are going to want to pin it, bookmark it, and maybe even get it tattooed on your arm. It’s a good one! So let’s get into it!

Picking Your Colors

First things first, the most important place to start when you are buying paint is color! I mean, isn’t that the reason you’re painting in the first place?! Color is statement-making, and wonderful, but can go wrong really quickly. I think the first thing that we need to acknowledge is that there isn’t a bad color.

When paint colors go wrong it’s because we have expectations for how they will look, and when they don’t look that way, that’s when we feel the soul-aching pain of going back to the drawing board.

There is a whole world of color science that we could dive into, which you are free to do, but instead I am going to give you all of my go-to paint colors and why I feel like they are a staple in every space.

Colors have tones to them, right? This is also known as the temperature.

Color Temperature

This scale is from blue to yellow and is the most common way people describe a color. A warm color has more yellow in it, while a cool color has more blue. Different lighting conditions can bring this out more, but it’s usually pretty easy to see what has a warm tone, and what has a cool tone.

Surprisingly, the most important color staples can be the hardest to pin down. In my opinion, the perfect white and the perfect black have neither a warm nor a cool tone. It’s in the dead center and can be paired with both a cool color and a warm one.

The Best White Paint

Mandi White Custom Formula

I feel like white paint is something that people approach with reckless abandon (I’m going to paint my whole house white!) but the closer they step into the world, the more vast something as simple as white paint becomes until you are stringing a whole slew of adjectives together strong enough to make an English teacher blush.

You know what I mean right? Tell me you have not said, or been part of a conversation like this:

“I am going to paint the walls white.”

“Ohhhh I love white!”

“But not just like white white, more of a white that feels really modern and relaxed like you are in a spa from the year 2403.”

“Ok…”

“You know the kind of white that calms your soul in a spiritual way. But not in a heavenly spiritual way, more of a vast nothingness type spiritual way.”

“Totally.”

“Like just white. Not yellowish, or blueish, or grayish. Just plain white.”

Uhhhhh. Guys! That’s a lot of pressure to find the perfect white paint.

Let me give it to you straight. I have found the perfect white paint. I’ve used it in every room that I have designed since 2013, and seen it in countless other homes, and IT ALWAYS LOOKS AMAZING. In fact, every single picture in this post, and on Vintage Revivals that has white walls is this formula.

It is the best plain/basic/just white paint color on the planet. Check out this post if you want to dive deep into the world of white paint!!

It’s not an actual Sherwin-Williams color, but you can get the formula for Mandi White here!!

So why is the right white important?

The perfect white plays well with everyone. It can hang with warm colors and is always in with the cool crowd. *Snort* See what I did there?

Colors are intense, and sometimes they just look off when they are paired. This can’t-put-your-thumb-on-it phenomenon is usually caused by the tone. A cool white paired with a warm color is going to feel very blue and stark. Likewise, a warm white, paired with a cool color is going to feel dingy and yellow.

The Best Black Paint

Tricorn Black SW 6258

Sherwin-Williams Tricorn Black SW 6258 is the most perfect black on the planet. It is a true black. Deep and saturated and neutral in temperature, it checks all of the boxes.

If you are going to venture into the world of black paint, I highly suggest you do 2 things. Look at it in the space that you are using it (of course) but also take it outside and look at it in full sun. That will tell you very quickly if it’s pulling any sort of tone. Have you ever seen a building that used black on the exterior, but it looks purple? That is such a bummer!! Don’t let that happen to you!

We have Tricorn Black on all of our window trim, doors, and casings.

FYI Tricorn Black is a perfect match to black Andersen windows!

Say it with me, Tricorn Black has my back. Repeat 5 times and you’ll never forget it!

My Favorite Paint Colors (that aren’t neutrals)

I have a few tips for picking paint colors. Unless the goal is to have a true color, or something that is intentionally bright, always steer more in the direction of a dusty version. It’s kind of a fail-proof way to not have a shocking color. For example, let’s say you want to use yellow, but don’t want it to be a bright sun yellow, go a little deeper into a muddier mustard version.

Below I’ve listed some of my favorite paint colors and linked to spaces that I’ve used them!

Jasper SW 6216

My #1 favorite green! Jasper SW 6216 is a super dark, almost black green that we used on our front doors, kitchen cabinets, office makeover, and outdoor planter. It looks amazing paired with Tricorn Black!

Ruskin Room Green SW0042

Super good soft warm green! If you want to learn how to paint furniture, this is the post for you!

Rosemary SW 6187

I’ve used Rosemary a few times in the last year, at the Real Simple Home, and in a charity makeover. I love this color!! It’s an awesome midtone green that isnt too dusty. I would describe it as a desaturated cool olive. 

Ripe Olive SW 6209

If you want an olive color that is warmer (vs. Rosemary that is cooler) Ripe Olive is your new fave!

Cavern Clay SW 7701

Such a good terra cotta! Deepens as the space gets darker!!

Chaise Mauve SW 6016

This is unexpected, but I am OBSESSED with this dusty mauve color that we were dared to put in our bathroom! You can see the whole thing play out in this Instagram highlight!

Iron Ore SW 7069

If you want a killer charcoal, THIS IS YOUR GUY. Iron Ore SW 7069 follows the same rules that Mandi White and Tricorn Black follow. It’s the best charcoal and doesn’t pull purple (which is always a charcoal problem!!)

Paint Sheen

Paint sheen is a whole other post that needs to be written because it is a world of info, but since this post isnt that, let me share with you my go-to sheens (cause that’s what you really want to know anyways right?)

I always without fail use Matte on walls, ceilings, and baseboard. If you are using Sherwin’s high quality paint it is easy to clean and always looks awesome.

On doors and casing I like using satin!

Paint Formula: Which One is Right For Me?!

There are a whole slew of different paint formulas. Sherwin-Williams has 9 that are designed to go on your walls! I have a whole post about what type I use and why (always the Emerald line!) But if you want something a little more budget-friendly, SuperPaint is my second fave!

Sherwin-Williams Coupon Code

With Sherwin-Williams, you get what you pay for, and you are paying for the best.

However, I totally understand that there is a real-life factor that comes into play and sometimes budgets are budgets. So I am SO FREAKING EXCITED to offer you an exclusive Vintage Revivals coupon!

• You can use at any Sherwin-Williams store
• On any paint products
• As many times as you want throughout 2020 (painting projects every weekend? I got you man!!)
• WITH THEIR OTHER DISCOUNTS!!

The voice in my head has progressively gotten shriller with each of those bullet points.

You have to have the barcode, so bookmark this post, or save it to your phone!!

Sherwin-Williams now has online ordering! Just place your order online at sherwin-williams.com, and select your nearest location for curbside pickup. You can also order paint chips online for free delivery at swcolorchips.com.

Happy painting my friends!

The post My Ultimate Guide To Paint Colors + Exclusive Sherwin-Williams Coupon Code appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

It can be rough picking paint colors, but people seem to have the hardest time picking white paint. Today I’m sharing my secret formula for the best white paint color EVER. If you are looking for white paint for your house, or your kitchen cabinets, or your furniture (see how to paint furniture here!) You will not be disappointed!

Which White Is White?

Have you ever picked a white color, only to have it turn pink, gray, or blue?

Check out the swatches below, on the wooden table they all look white, right?

Now check out those exact same colors on a white background.

Definitely not pure white. To me the perfect white is just white. Not yellowish, not bluish, not grayish, just white. Its not too bright or too dingy, its JUST WHITE.

The Formula for the Perfect White Paint

The formula is Sherwin-Williams Extra White Base + 3oz. of white pigment /gallon

(It has to be Sherwin-Williams, other white bases seem to make the color too bright.)

I have used this formula in every room that I’ve done since 2013. It looks good everywhere!

Entryway at the Merc

Dylan’s Small World Room

Living Room Makeover

Buttoned-Up Boho Bedroom

At my local store its called Mandi White (if you’re in St. George you can go into any of the stores and they’ll mix it up for you!) After 5 years of calling it Mandi White I asked Sam (the manager that answers all of my weird questions) if this was a real Sherwin-Williams color and they we’re just humoring me and calling it Mandi White (you know, like when someone calls you by the wrong name for so long that you can’t correct them and will eternally be Mindy when you’re around them?)

This is what he said. There is in fact NOT a color with the same formula.

YAY!! Who wants to start a petition to have Mandi White added to their official list of colors!?!

The closest “real color” is Pure White SW 7005. With Pure White they add a little bit of black to the extra white base to grey it out a teeny bit. With Mandi White the white pigment does sort of the same thing, its just a touch brighter.

If you use this color in your house upload a picture to instagram and hashtag it #mandiwhite

What are you painting?! I’ve got a tutorial for it!

• The Right Kind of Paint for the Job (not all paint is created equal!)
• How To Paint Concrete
• How to Paint Furniture- The Only Guide You’ll Ever Need (post + video!)
• How To Paint A Front Door
• Things I’ve Learned Painting A Whole House By Myself
• 3 Frustrating Furniture Problems SOLVED!

The post My Secret Formula For The Best White Paint Color appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

Coincidentally, one of my post popular posts on Vintage Revivals is how to paint concrete. I guess it’s about time we talk about how to remove paint from concrete!

This info will work whether you are trying to remove spray paint, floor paint, wall paint, carpet glue, really anything!!

Removing Paint from Concrete

The first thing that needs to happen before you can start anything significant with your tile flooring is the removal of old permanent layers. Things like paint, adhesives, oils, etc. will significantly cripple your tile job. While the thinset might have no problem sticking to the paint, the layer of paint may come loose from the concrete and womp womp, goodbye thinset strength.

Our floors had 8 (eight!!) layers of paint on them. Because we didnt know what the layers consisted of, or how old they were (lead paint I’m looking at you!) We opted to use a chemical stripper vs. sanding it off. The stripper we used is Klean Strip Premium from Home Depot. You can get it in the paint section!

To Remove Paint from Concrete You’ll Need:

• Stripper
• Floor Scraper
• Chemical Resistant Gloves
• Old Shoes
• Mask
• Paint Roller and Pole

Start by gearing up. You will want to wear old shoes that you don’t care about, and gloves if you’re going to be handling the stripped paint. This stripper is no joke, it burns if you get it on your skin.

Step 1: Pour and Roll the Stripper

Pour the stripper onto the ground and roll it out with a paint roller. The layer should be thick. If it’s too thin you’ll have to go back with a second layer.

Step 2: Let the stripper sit on the paint for 20-25 minutes.

As it activates and loosens the paint, you will see it start to bubble and release itself from the concrete. If you’re lucky like we were, you might even discover hidden dinosaur tracks underneath a few of the layers…

Step 3: Scrape

Use your floor scraper to scrape off the bubbled up paint. We found that it was best to scrape it all into a large pile and then shovel it into old boxes.

Step 4: Reapply

Reapply stripper if you’ve still got paint on the concrete.

Step 5: Wipe Down

Once you’ve scraped all of the paint off of the concrete floors, use a bucket of soapy water and a large push broom to sweep up any remaining chunks of paint and to get the stripper residue off of the concrete. Let the concrete dry for 24-48 hours before moving on to the next step of prep, or tile.

The next step in our tile setting journey was leveling the concrete, you can read all about it here!

The post How to Remove Paint From Concrete appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

Painting furniture is one of the simplest DIY projects on the planet. However, it is also one of the easiest things to mess up. Trust me, I’ve painted more furniture than I care to remember and have learned so much it will make your head spin. Today I’m passing all of my wood painting info along to you! I’ve teamed up with my longtime partner Sherwin-Williams®, who sponsored this post to give you THE BEST furniture painting information available!

There are a million different sites telling you different (and conflicting!!) info. No one wants to learn to paint furniture the wrong way, or the hard way. So today I am sharing with you my absolute foolproof way to paint furniture. I have hundreds of reader questions at the ready and I’m going to answer all of them! (It’s a good thing that most of them are the same, see the most common at the bottom of this post!)

Furniture Paint vs. Wall Paint (NOT THE SAME!!)

Paint for some reason has this catch all mentality. How is it that we as humans have 15 different types of moisturizers, but paint is only allowed to have one formula? NO!! Regular latex paint is not designed for hard surfaces that get a lot of usage like a kitchen table.

If you’ve ever painted something and had the finish turn out tacky like it’s never cured, or had it peel off in sheets (so satisfying but not when it’s on your kitchen table) chances are GREAT that you went to the paint counter and told them the sheen and color but nothing was mentioned about the product type or project right?! Do you know how I know this?! Because I’ve done it…a few times! DANG IT!!!

You know you’re using the wrong kind of paint or the wrong technique if:

• Your furniture feels tacky or sticky like it’s never cured
• The paint dents
• The paint chips or scratches it peels off
• It’s extremely hard to clean and easily stains
• It fades
• It doesn’t have a smooth finish
• You want to kick it every time walk past because of all the horrible feelings that come up at the sight of it.

Best Paint for Furniture

Ok so now that I’ve established that you need the right kind of paint (we’re all on the same page here yes?!) let me tell you what the best paint for furniture is. Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel (its a long title. We’ll call it Emerald Trim Enamel for short ok?) When you are painting hard surfaces, you need to use a product that is created for hard surfaces. If you’ve followed Vintage Revivals for a while you might remember the many proclamations of utter devotion for Sherwin-Williams Pro Classic. Pro Classic is awesome, but Emerald Trim Enamel is a newer product and my new favorite.

It is formulated for hard surfaces and it is MAGIC!! You don’t need to put a finish top coat on it, and if you are painting over a freshly sanded surface you can can choose not to prime but we always recommend priming your raw wood surfaces for an amazing end result! Oh and have I mentioned that when you’re using it you get a completely smooth finish with a roller? Mic drop.

Once you use the right kind of paint for your projects, you will NEVER go back to using regular latex wall paint.

You know you’re using the best kind of paint if:

• Finish is hard and unaffected by things on it
• Finish doesn’t dent
• Surface can easily be wiped off (for instance on a table)
• Finish chips rather than scratches.
• Finish is smooth

The color that I used on these IKEA Billy bookcase is Sherwin-Williams Ruskin Room Green SW-0042. Its the perfect muted dusty green and I am obsessed with it!

Painting Techniques

There are 3 acceptable ways of painting furniture; 4 if you live in 1992 and consider sponge painting a stylish way to bring character into your house. Painting with a sprayer, painting with a roller, and painting with a brush.

We used a paint sprayer when we painted the doors at the Merc and got a perfect mirror finish. But for the sake of relatablity and ease, today we’re talking about the other 2 techniques, rolling and brushing.

Brushing paint exclusively is a technique that I havent mastered yet (it’s on my bucketlist!) but using a good quality brush is CRITICAL. If you show up and are planning on painting a piece of furniture with one of those $2 chip brushes you might as well douse it in gas, light it on fire and save yourself the time. A good brush will cost around $15 and pay off in dividends.

Rolling a piece of furniture is my favorite technique. You have to make sure that you get the right kind of roller though, because if you don’t you will end up with a ton of anger inducing texture. Find a lint free roller that has a nap of 1/4″ or lower. Think about what happens when you’re actually rolling, the longer the nap the more surface is sticking in the paint right? The shorter the nap, the smoother the finish. HOWEVER. One of the most frustrating furniture painting pitfalls I’ve experienced is using a foam roller. The logic behind it is sound. The lower the nap the smoother the finish, so no nap means THE SMOOTHEST FINISH EVARRRRR! The problem with using a foam roller is flashing. Flashing is when the sheen is different (you can see a great example of it in this post!) My favorite roller for painting is a Purdy White Dove 3/8″ or a Sherwin-Williams Mohair. They are both awesome and will give you a great result!

Painting Supplies

Once you know what kind of paint to use, and how you’re going to paint your piece, it’s time to round up the rest of your gear! (FYI all of these supplies are available at your neighborhood Sherwin-Williams store.

You’ll need:

• Paint Brush
• Paint Roller
• Roller tray
• Roller tray inserts (I promise they make your life so much better!!)
• Drop Cloth
• Paint stirrers
• Paint can opener
• Painters tape
• 220 Grit Sanding Sponge
• Paint Triangles

How To Paint Wood Furniture in 5 Steps

Ok are you ready to get started!? Let’s dive right into painting wood furniture!

Step #1 PREP: Sanding, Stripping, and Cleaning and Disassembly

The first step to furniture painting success is your prep. There are a million tutorials online that give you hacks for skipping prep, but guess what? If you skip it, chances dramatically increase that you’re not going to get the result that you want.

• Cleaning always comes first!

  Sometimes all your piece needs is a good wipe down. If you don’t need to sand or strip, using a strong cleaning agent like TSP or a good cleaner degreaser will get rid of a lot of grime. TSP is a powder cleaner that you can get pretty much anywhere paint is sold. It’s really aggressive, so if you use it you’re going to want to wear gloves. If you’ve sanded or stripped, use a damp microfiber cloth or tack cloth to gather any dust.

• Sanding:

  The thing to remember is that you don’t have to take the piece down to the raw wood, when you’re sanding you are taking out imperfections (like scratches etc.) and roughening up the surface so that your paint has something to grab onto. The more aggressively horrific the surface of your piece is, the more you and your sander are going to become acquainted. For newer pieces, like the IKEA furniture we’re painting in this post, a light sanding with a sanding sponge is plenty of prep. If you actually need to take stuff off of the surface you’ll want to use a sander and disk. I LOVE the reuseable Diabo SandNet disks. We’ve been using the same one for 5 months!!

  WARNING! Removal of old paint by sanding, scraping or other means may generate dust or fumes that contain lead. Exposure to lead dust or fumes may cause brain damage or other adverse health effects, especially in children or pregnant women. Controlling exposure to lead or other hazardous substances requires the use of proper protective equipment, such as a properly fitted respirator (NIOSH approved) and proper containment and cleanup. For more information, call the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-424-LEAD (in US) or contact your local health authority.

• Stripping:

  Sometimes sanding isnt an option, like if your piece has a lot of detail that the sander can’t get into. This is where you tell your husband that you’re going to get a stripper and just see the reaction. #stripperjokes All joking aside, stripping paint is one of the gratifying DIY ever. There is just something about spreading the product on and watching the paint bubble and wipe off. The downside with stripper is that it can be really hard to get it out of the corners and grooves of a piece. I only use a stripper when absolutely necessary. That’s what she said.

• Disassembly:

  I always take furniture apart as much as I can before I start painting. Removing doors, hardware, and backs (if you can) makes it SO MUCH EASIER to get a professional finish (no one likes to open a drawer and see that they forgot to paint the edges!) If you’re painting a new piece like we are with our IKEA bookcases, we didnt even assemble them all the way before painting. Just make sure you put all of the hardware in a safe spot.

• Taping

  Once everything is cleaned and ready to go, now is the time for painters tape. Place it along the edge of your piece and use a credit card to burnish it into place. This will prevent any seepage and leaks.

• Testing

  To ensure success, you can do an adhesion test before priming. This will help you determine if your prep work was successful. In general, you want the surface to be clean, dry and dull before you start painting. To test for adhesion, apply a small amount of primer like Sherwin-Williams Extreme Bond to an inconspicuous area. Allow it dry properly and test to make sure it adhered to the surface well. Once you have determined good adhesion, you’re ready to prime and paint the piece.

Step #2: Cutting In

If your piece has trim or moulding on it, you’re probably going to want to cut in first. Cutting in is when you use a brush to paint just the corners of things before you paint the whole piece. Sometimes (depending on the piece) you don’t have to cut in, but if you do make sure that you feather the edge of the paint onto the rest of the piece. If you don’t you’ll end up with a hard paint line and some serious texture.

Step # 3 Rolling The First Coat of Paint

OH MY GOSH ARE YOU READY!? Here it is, the big moment. Start by loading your paint roller with a medium amount of paint. You’ll know it’s too much if you can’t see a lot of the texture, and too little if you see all of the spaces between fibers. The right amount looks full but not saturated.

Move your roller on the piece with even pressure, moving in the same direction the whole time. Be cautious to no over do it.Make sure that you are watching the edges and don’t leave big mounds of paint on them. Once the coat is on, put your roller down and STEP AWAY FROM THE FURNITURE.

The biggest mistake that people make when they are painting a smooth surface is that they fiddle and touch and try to fix every imperfection.

Once your paint is on the piece it’s begun the drying process. Friends, if you are messing with it keep in mind that it’s still drying, it’s just not drying flat. If you over brush or roll it, you’re just adding texture, which we don’t want. As it’s drying, if you notice a spot you missed, leave it for the second coat. If there is a drip, wipe it immediately. If you notice it as the paint has already started to dry just leave it alone, you will make it worse!

So much can be fixed between the first and second coats, don’t make your job harder by fiddling with it.

There is going to be a little bit of texture until the paint dries. Just let it settle. I PROMISE it is going to be fine!

For reals though, have you stepped away? Cause you need to do that. The paint will darken as it dries. After it is dry (usually about 15-20 minutes) you can gently touch up the mistakes that you exercised great restraint to not fix before. Go you!!

Step #3 TOUCH UP: Sanding Drips or Texture

Oh now it’s time to fix those mistakes. using a 220 grit sanding sponge, gently sand away the issues, whether it’s a drip, or a hair, or a texture issue. Wipe that spot down with a damp microfiber rag to get the dust!

Step #4 PAINTING: Roll The Second Coat and Let It Dry

Step #4 is just like step #2, you are going to roll the paint and let it dry. Make sure to leave it alone! (Are you sick of hearing that yet? Cause it’s REALLY important to leave it alone.)

Leave it alone. (That’s the last time I promise)

Step #5 Final Touch Ups and Reassembly

Once coat #2 is dry, you are free to touch up the piece as necessary. Sometimes you need to sand it, and sometimes you dont! Please keep in mind that even though your paint has dried, it hasn’t cured. Meaning, its dry and you can touch it, but until it’s cured you can still scratch it or chip it easily. When I was putting my piece back together I got a pretty gnarly scratch on it that needed to be touched up so I sanded it and fixed it. I always try to wait at least a few hours before I put it back together to give the paint a chance to start to cure.

Painting Tips

Painting around glass

I’ve been known to start a project without adequate supplies on hand. Sometimes the mood just strikes you right?!! One day I was painting a piece with mirrored doors and I didn’t have any painters tape, so I just brushed over the glass and was happily on my way. When it came time to get the paint off of the mirror I was kicking myself for not having tape, but figured out a pretty cool hack that I wanted to pass along. If you get paint on your glass, swipe over it a few times with a damp paper towel and give it a minute to sit. Then go back over it with a razor blade and it will literally fall off the glass!

Storing Your Paint Mid Project

Look, I get it. We’d all love to be productive enough to get a project done in one sitting, but reality, and 2 year olds and school pick up happen and then its 3 days later and I’ve ruined my brand new paint brush because I got distracted and forgot to put it away. Just me? One of my favorite tips to keep paint fresh for days on end is to put the whole tray, brushes and all, into a garbage bag to seal the air from getting to it.

Paint Pyramids

These handy little buggers are worth their weight in gold. Use them when you’re painting things like cabinet doors, or smaller pieces to lift them off of the ground.

And when it’s all said and done, you’re left with a piece of gorgeous furniture and a perfect paint job THAT YOU DID YOURSELF!! High fives all around!!

Real Life Questions

I asked what your most frustrating furniture painting problems were, and man did you guys deliver with the questions! Let’s answer some of the most common ones, shall we?

     “After days of drying, things would stick to the top. To this day I’ll have things stick to the top of the table 4 years later! Why?”

This is one of the most common questions I get, the reason things are sticking is because it’s not a paint created to dry hard. Touch your walls (it’s ok, no one is looking!) does the paint feel hard? Nope! Using the right kind of paint, like Sherwin-Williams Emerald Trim Enamel is the best way to avoid eternal stickiness!

     “The spray paint I used left a matte line, even though the paint was high gloss”

This is called flashing and it happens when the paint color is uniform, but the sheen is not. It can happen for a few reasons but most commonly happens when the product is applied inconsistently, either too much or too little.

     “I painted a pine dresser white last year and it’s starting to yellow where the knots are! Why and what can I do?”

Ugh this is so frustrating. It seems to happen most with pine. The resins from the wood are concentrated in the knots and has started seeping through the paint. The best way to prevent this is to use a stain blocking primer or a shellac primer. Make sure that you get a nice good coat on and then scuff sand it without taking it all off.

     “I hate when I can see brush strokes or foam roller strokes from whatever I use.”

Man I hate that too!! Using a sprayer is definitely a way to prevent that in it’s entirety, but using the right kind of brush and roller will help a ton!

Now for the best part! I’ve got a whole video tutorial on How To Paint Furniture! Check it out below!!

If you’re ever planning on painting furniture, make sure you save this post to your Pinterest board so that you can come back as often as you need to!

Have any questions? Leave them below and I’ll answer!!

You might also want to check out:

How to Paint A Crib (and is it safe to paint baby furniture!?)

How to Paint Laminate Furniture

How To Paint Metal

The post How To Paint Furniture appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

When you’re designing your home, the first place you start is with paint. Paint has a power that is unlike anything else. It can define a style, create a mood, and transform a space. Paint is everything!! If you need a refresh, paint is the jumping off point. But guys, paint is SO MUCH MORE than just color.

We’ve talked about picking colors, and my recipe for the perfect white paint. We’ve talked about how to prep new walls for paint and get all of the drywall dust off. We’ve talked about practical application and how to paint. So today we’re diving into using the right kind of paint for the job.

It’s really easy to stop into your local hardware store and buy the cheapest paint they’ve got right? Before you do that, there is so much more that you need to know!! Different paint lines have different formulations for use. If you use the wrong kind (or a lower quality formula) you’re potentially setting yourself up for a world of hurt. I’m here to make sure that doesn’t happen!!

First things first, go to  . The folks behind the counter know EVERYTHING and have saved me multiple times from making big mistakes. Like the time I called and asked about painting vinyl exterior moulding and found out that 1. it shouldn’t really be painted, and 2. if I painted it black the heat from the sun would melt it. Did you know this?! I didn’t! But Sam from Sherwin-Williams sure did. Can you imagine putting all of the exterior trim up on the front of the Merc, get it painted and watch it distort and droop? Gah!!!

Depending on what you’re painting (walls, trim, furniture, doors, exterior, interior, cabinets, floors, etc. etc.) there are different types of paint. Paint is not one size fits all, and if you’ve ever had a paint fail from using the wrong type, you TOTALLY know what I’m talking about. (Furniture that is slightly sticky I’m looking at you!) So what is the right type for the job?!

On the walls at the Merc we used Emerald Interior Acrylic Latex. It’s been my go to paint type for the last 5 years. I?? LOVE?? IT??. It’ low VOC, has great coverage, the finish on the walls is flawless, and the best part, all of the sheen finishes are washable, even the flat! (Traditionally the lower the sheen the easier paint washes off when you’re wiping your walls, but that isn’t the case with Emerald Interior). I don’t love wall texture, so having a matte finish is a big deal to me, but so is being able to wipe dirty handprints off. Hello best of both worlds!

For our doors and trim we used Sherwin-Williams new Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel and IT. CHANGED. MY. LIFE. Have you ever seen doors or trim work where the paint peels when it gets dinged or it doesn’t feel hard? That is because the wrong kind of paint was used! Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel has a finish like oil-based paint without all of the downsides of actually using oil-based paint. We used a Satin finish on the doors and trim and I am so over the moon happy with it. I’ve got a whole post just about this paint coming up because it is perfect for anything with heavy use like cabinets, furniture, etc. So stay tuned for that!

For the exterior of the Merc we used Emerald Exterior Acrylic Latex. Exterior paint is formulated for durability, and protection against fading, peeling and blistering.

Have you ever seen a door or shutters that have faded? The door at our family cabin was painted with regular paint and after less than a year has faded from olive green to a muddy yellow brown. Using such saturated colors at the Merc, fading would be the absolute worst! Emerald Exterior is a really thick consistency and settles to a smooth finish, just make sure that the weather isn’t too hot or cold while you’re using it because that can inhibit the drying process.

Using the right paint will make all the difference in the world on your projects! If you have any questions leave them below and I’m happy to help! And of course, you should also visit your local Sherwin-Williams store for recommendations from the experts.

I’d like to thank Sherwin-Williams for believing in my vision and supporting and sponsoring the Merc renovation.

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Hey guys! Man. THANK YOU so much for the overwhelming response on the reveal of the Small World room yesterday! (If you haven’t seen it yet check it out here!)

You know I try to post tutorials for everything that I do but friends, a tutorial for this wall treatment just isn’t happening. Not because I don’t think that you can do it, but because I think you TOTALLY CAN!! Let me explain.

This room started off as a rough (and I mean rough) sketch. There were no measurements or angles or exactness. I knew the general size and the general shape and that was good enough for me. (Court was a little concerned when I pulled out my drawing)

I started off by measuring and marking the size for each building on the wall with tape. Then we got to work ripping pieces of 1/2″ plywood down and started attaching them to the wall (just make sure when you’re doing this that you’re hitting at least one stud!)

I also used 1×2’s to add detail and dimension. If you’ve ever seen Small World you know that dimension is of most critical importance, everything got layers.

Once the build out was done it was time to pull it all together. This is where I hit a creative roadblock (if you follow my instastories you were a part of this emotional and frustrating part!)

The detail was pretty much done and it was time to start adding wallpaper and paint. The biggest issue that I kept running into is that it was going very juvenile really quickly. I know how that sounds. This is a kids room, I’m using It’s A Small World as inspo. DUH of course its juvenile. But the dilemma is that my daughter is 9 and so I wanted the room to feel more old kid and not nursery. A good dose of whimsical and modern.

I started painting and almost immediately hated it. See I get this feeling in my gut and I know if I’m on the right track or not. It was just too busy with the wood and the wallpaper (even though the paper is white) and the patterns. Again, I know how this sounds. How is it not supposed to be busy?! It just felt like mixing the shapes and the colors and the elevations was just too much.

Oh and did I mention that one of the best things about this type of work is having hard deadlines, and I had to have this room ready for pictures the next day. Not a problem.

So I did what any rational person that hated what was happening would do. I started painting over everything. As I was doing this I was feeling SO conflicted. I love the natural wood, but with the floors and the dresser and the whole vibe I was going for they couldn’t stay natural.

After I had painted everything white I was so gut sick. It just wasn’t working! And now I couldn’t go back (plywood doesn’t sand well). I needed to take a break and walk away from the situation.

Have you ever listened to Elizabeth Gilbert’s TED talk about creative genius? It’s SO AWESOME. Go listen to it right now! For me, creativity is spiritual. Not in a religious sort of way, but in a there-is-something-bigger-that-endows-me-with-ideas sort of way. So I left the Merc, parked my car and started to meditate and pray. It was after about 30 minutes of wrestling with my genius (have you listen to the talk yet?!) that I got the distinct impression that I needed to think bigger than the buildings. When I think of my daughter I see her potenitial as such a light. She literally radiates. So I was picturing her sitting in her bed and the idea of doing these rainbow beams came to my mind, because that is just who she is. As soon as I saw it I knew it was exactly what the space needed.

I started measuring and marking the stripes by using masonry line and nails. (You can see the pink masonry line in the picture below, see how it all meets at one central point?)

Then I got to painting. I used sample pots (if youre doing an accent wall with sections of color, 9 times out of 10 you can get away with testers and don’t need to buy full size cans.) It will save you so much money!!

And then voila! we ended up with this!

Check out the video below to see the whole process play out in a time-lapse!!

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The post The Process of Creating the Small World Wall + Time-lapse Video appeared first on Vintage Revivals.