Painted bathroom cabinets...
…the addition of the operable windows. I can not express how much I love these.
The cabinets….not so much. They are actually kind of an off-white-yellowed-ick kind of color. And the hardware was pretty blah and cheapo. Cheapo is great if it has just a tiny bit of character, but these didn’t.
I debated changing out the drawers and doors to mission style doors but honestly I don’t want to spend the money on them right now. Someday I may do some major magic on these cabinets but for right now I just want to give the room a more “polished” look.
Paint…hum. An inexpensive way to give a space a little facelift.
So the debate raged…white or color…and if color, what color.
You would think as much as I do this kind of thing paint color would be no big deal for me.
WRONG!
This is just a few of the paint samples I brought home.
This is the trick to finding the right paint color. Go to the store and pick up every sample you THINK you might like…then take them home and look at them in your light. You would be surprised at how much a paint color can change in different lighting. If you still find yourself drawn to 2-3 colors, buy sample pots…they are well worth the investment. Also, if you are torn between a light color and just a tad darker, go light. First, the bigger the area, the darker a paint will look. Second, if you still think you want darker you can always go back and have them mix it the darker shade. Once you have the darker shade mixed, you really can’t do much more than buy another gallon.
I finally landed on one I think I kinda sorta like. I ordered simple brushed nickel hexagon hardware…inexpensive but with a tiny bit of character.
The two vanities took all of about 1/10th of a gallon of paint. I should have bought a quart but custom colors tend to be a smidge off in the quarts.
All in all I’m not UNHAPPY with it, but not sure I am over the moon thrilled. For the time and money you can’t beat slapping a coat of paint on a wall or a piece of furniture or cabinets to change the entire look.
Now, I want to share my latest “find.” I am, as I have said before, “old school.” Primer and oil-based on furniture, trim and cabinets and latex on walls.
I have experimented with a relatively new (to me) product and I have decided I kind of like it.
It is a “hybrid” paint….will go over latex OR oil-based without the need to strip or prime. I do knock off the shine and any rough spots just a tad with 220 grit sandpaper and wipe it all down with tack cloth, but other than that it takes very little prep. And the super cool thing is it doesn’t matter if the old paint is oil-based or latex…usually that matters A LOT. This hybrid paint needs no additive, brushes on super easy, “levels” beautifully (which is great if you are brushing or rolling on wood), cleans up with soap and water and so far seems super durable.
The only problem I have with it is it seems to be a tad thinner than most paints and you need to watch carefully for drips and runs…but because it levels so nicely they are easy to manage!
Both Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore carry it and I have used both…with great results.
So if you are not sure what type of paint your trim/cabinet/furniture is and you don’t want to go to all the trouble of priming, try this product. So far, so good.
So that’s that for this bathroom…for now. I really don’t have any more MAJOR changes I want to make in there. But knowing me, I’ll find something. This week my project has been my utility room. A necessary change that I will share next time….
