March 30, 2008

live and learn

The post title should probably read "paint and learn" or more appropriately "when you see a technique on HGTV that you want to try, figure out what you are doing before you jump in and start the project." But that title is a little longish.

Last November, I saw a neat kitchen makeover on HGTV where they gave the cabinetry a new distressed look. They made it look easy. I couldn't find the taping anywhere online, but I thought I could remember. Paint a few coats of your undercoat color pn the edges, paint a few coats of your top color, then sand edges to bring out the undercoat color. Sound easy? I thought so, too.

I had to prime the cabinets (really, I HAD to because they weren't in the best of shape.) I painted the edges in the same red as my walls. So far, so good. I painted three coats of the top color. Since it was a dark color, it needed three coats. They were beautiful. I wet sanded the edges and that is where it got tricky. No matter how lightly I sanded, it took the paint off down to the original cabinet color.


I consulted my local Benjamin Moore. She suggested I try a glaze technique to add the red back. It wouldn't give me the exact look I wanted, but I ended up loving it. In hindsight, I know what I should have done. I should have learned from techniques I have used in stamping. I should have rubbed a wax candle over the red on the edges, then painted the top coat. It would have created a nice resist. Hindsight really is 20/20.

So, the bathroom is finally done. Here are a few pictures. The only thing left to do is change out the hinges on the cabinets to the new bronze ones I just found at Lowe's. and place a few things on the shelf. Oh, and teach Jacob to clean his toothpaste out of the sink.

Red is Benjamin Moore Chili Pepper; Cabinets are Starry Night from Ralph Lauren.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Now those monkeys are the most adorable curtain rod hangers I've ever seen. The color combination between the walls and the cabinet is awesome. :)

Cheryl said...

I want that bathroom!!! You did such a great job, Jen! (where did you get the eek eek picture again?)

Anonymous said...

I bow to your skills. This is AAAAAAAADORABLE!!!!!

Unknown said...

Very nice! You can come up and paint anytime!

We painted this weekend - the fossils are gone!

Doesn't it make everything like new?

Leslie said...

the bathroom looks great Jennifer!

Cassandra said...

OMG! Love the monkeys!

Cheri Pryor said...

Totally diggin' the red wall and the monkeys!! I love it.

I'll be home all next week. I'll buy the paint. I'll buy some wine. It would be a shame to let all that hindsight go to waste, don'tcha think?

Lorna Arlett said...

Jen, I love it! You did a wonderful job! the curtain, monkey and the color is awesome!

Michelle said...

Jen, they look gorgeous! You did an awesome job. I'd be one to jump right in a do it, too. Sometimes the mistakes are better than the original. :)

JENNY @ jennybandco.blogspot.com said...

CUTE bathroom Jen! Love it!