This happens a lot.  You buy a home that someone else has personalized to suit their taste.  Problem is…it isn’t your taste.  So what do you do?  Paint it of course!

Yes, you paint it.  Paint can change anything to be more “user friendly”.    That’s why we LOVE it so much!!  You can even paint Formica!  Check it out.  Here’s a letter from a newsletter subscriber:

Hi, I would love to get the look of dark wood on my Formica cabinets that have been painted white by the owners before me. We don’t have the money to buy new cabinets, and I have seen on TV that it can be done, and looks great. However, I am not sure where to start. Do I have to paint the white cabinets a darker color? Also I found this wood grain brush at Lowe’s for 6 bucks should I buy it. How many colors do I need to buy for the look of a dark wood, with maybe a red undertone. That would look nice. My husband is going to do granite tile on the counter and backsplash. But these white color has got to go! Please help! ~Christina

Man…don’t you KNOW just how she feels?  And wanting to make a change but needing to be budget conscious.  Who isn’t budget conscious these days?  Right?  So here’s what we wrote back:

Christina, you definitely should buy Debra’s video on how to achieve the Faux Woodgrain Finish!  She shows you how in very simple -beginner level – steps.  Here…click on this link: Beginner Guides to Faux Wood Painting. You can read the information there and make the decision on whether or not this is the path you want to take.  There’s a short video there at that site and if you decide to buy the DVD or download you’ll see that it truly gives you step-by-step easy to understand instructions.

What we all know is that the key to any great finish is in the prep work.  So here are a few suggestions on how to prep your Formica cabinets to be painted:

1.  Clean the cabinets thoroughly, using an ammonia-based cleaner. Rinse well and let the cabinets dry.

2.  Lightly sand the surface of the cabinets. This removes any embedded grease and prepares the surface to be primed. Wipe down surface completely to remove all dust.

3.  Tape off everything you don’t want to paint.

4.  Apply a good primer/sealer.  We like Kilz but feel free to use what you know and like.  Use a foam roller and work slowly to avoid air bubbles. Let this dry as directed on the product.

5.  Sand the dry primed surface one time – very lightly.  Again, wipe down the surface to remove all of the dust.

You’re now ready to base coat!

If you want to achieve a dark wood with a red undertones. I would start by base-coating the cabinets a brick red color.  You can then faux finish over that with a dark brown mixed with glaze.  Try it out on a sample board first.  So much easier to test things out on a foam core board first to see what you like and don’t like and get your technique down. 

Also, you can definitely try to use the wood grain brush from Lowe’s. You may also want to try a few other wood grain tools to see what works best and achieves the look you are going for.  Debra prefers a regular paint (artist) brush. 

Good luck with your project and keep us posted on your progress.   Take pictures as you go along and SHARE!

photo credit: Ctd 2005

Faux Wood Painting On Formica

Image via Wikipedia

Have you ever made a paint color choice by just that little square of paint chip you got from the store and when you got the paint all applied and it dried you were stunned at the intensity?  WAY tooooo bright for your space…or your taste?  Happens more often than you’d think.  It’s why we always recommend getting a small sample jar of the color you want and painting it on a piece of foam core board to hang / place around your room for a few days before painting the walls.

Just got this email from a newsletter subscriber:

I painted our summer home’s very small kitchen the color full sun yellow.  The trim is white.  It is VERY yellow.  I will not paint it again due to money costs and I don’t want my husband to have to repaint it.   Once it goes up it stays for at least two years.  Ha ha.

I need help with curtain colors and with adding color accessories to bring the brightness down. I was thinking of brown curtains, copper or beige curtains.  I need help.  Also, my appliances are a black refrigerator, black and stainless steel stove, and white cabinets.

Also the kitchen connects to the small living room. I painted it pale sand. The rooms are joined because the house is small.  I need help badly or this will be a color mess.  Thanks.

Egads!  I’m picturing a very BRIGHT yellow.  Are you?   Need sunglasses when walking in the room!    We answered an email like this for toning down red walls, but that was a slightly different situation.

So…being a “painter lady”… my first immediate thought was  doing a color wash over it with white.  That would immediately tone down the yellow and make it soft.  And yellow and white look so good and clean together!  Reminds me of summer and lemonade.  Doing a white wash over the bright yellow will mellow it.  Doesn’t take a lot of “paint” but they’ll need glaze and water, too.  I’d use a Woolie and get this done in ½ an afternoon!

Sadly, they said they were not going to repaint but just wanted some decorating ideas that would help “tone down” the paint color.  So… My next thought was “Ooo-La-La!”  French Cafe!  The colors are yellow, black, red (not fire engine but more a brick red) & white!

So…I wouldn’t go with brown curtains but something more “French Cafe” or bistro!  

How about curtains like this:

Gabrielle Cotton 16-Inch Duck Tucked Valance

And then add some little touches of French country!  A large vase of flowers.  They don’t need to be fresh but they do need to be colorful…and if you can – include the flowers of Provence – Southern France.  Think van Gogh or Monet.  So iris’, avender, sun flowers..well, maybe not sunflowers if we’re trying to “tone down” the yellow!  Oh, and by “large vase” I mean closer to an urn size container.  BIG!  Eye catcher!

Then grab up some other things and put them in the kitchen to help divert your eye.  Things like these:

Set of 2 Tall French Country Rooster Figurines/Statues Decorative Roosters

And you need tell time, right?  How about this cool French looking clock on the wall to help divert you eyes?

French Boutique Wall Clock

And then you’ll need some … a couple … of great prints like these:

Caffe Latte Art Print Framed

and    Espresso Art Print Framed

France not your thing?

Another good option with yellow is blue.  I’ve taken old denim jeans and cut them off  and used them as curtains.  You run the curtain rod through the belt loops.  But…what if you don’t have jeans?  I found these wonderful curtains, Imperial Dress Jacobean Floral Lined Duchess Filler Valance, but it still feels a lot “French” to me and if they don’t like that…this wouldn’t do.  

So… I thought about a Nautical Theme!  Grab up this shower curtain and use it to make your kitchen window curtains.  I love the stripes!  It would be easy to use the shower curtain to make curtains for the window.  You could make a whole “cafe” style curtain (valance and 1/2 window curtain) with the material in this shower curtain!

Then you could put these things up on the wall:

Cool knot chart

or these cool Japanese Glass Fish Net Buoys

If you don’t like the striped shower curtain (to be cut up and made in to curtains) or you can’t bear the thought of having to sew,  then you could get some nautical signal flags and hang them in the window as curtains, too!  Buy several different ones and string them on cording across the window.

And you could hang this sculpture on the wall:

Tall Sailboats Nautical Decor Metal Wall Art Sculpture

But…behind all this “stuff ” will be the BRIGHT YELLOW wall.  I know they said they didn’t want to paint again due to cost, but using their left over sand color mixed with some glaze would be a simple solution to this problem and the one I’d recommend.

They can wash the glaze and sand color paint over this yellow and have a gorgeous kitchen…for way less than they’ll spend on trying to cover it up with things.

I know the writer said they didn’t want to paint again due to money costs but actually it’s the least expensive way to go.

Doing a color wash with their left over paint,  getting a gorgeous result (kinda like the back ground of that French clock) AND spending a fourth of what you would trying to cover up a “bright color” with prints and curtains and “eye diversions” is a much better way to go financially.

Now get out there and splash some paint around!!

Have you ever wanted to update your laminate counter tops with something…well…NOT laminate?  BUT…that price tag on granite and marble is just a little overwhelming?  Well, there is an option.  PAINT!! Until you can save up for the real thing.  Here’s a question we got:

Hi Debra & Tawn -

We are thinking about painting a Faux Granite on our laminate counter tops.  Does this work and do you recommend?

Thanks, Thomas

Hi Thomas,

What a great way to update your kitchen!  Yes, it DOES work and yes, you can paint laminate counter tops.  Here are a few step-by-step instructions:

1.  Clear your counter of all items & debris.  You will not be able to use it for at least 6 – 8 days.  Set up your coffee station elsewhere.    And plan on eating out for a week so you don’t accidentally mess up your hard work right in the middle of the process!!  Don’t even think of using the kitchen faucet for at least 10 days!  Cover it up and tape it off so you don’t forget.

2.  Sand the counter with steel wool or medium grit sandpaper; 100 – 120 grit.  You don’t have to sand it “HARD” but definitely not gentle either.  A nice medium strength should do the trick.  You aren’t trying to sand off the entire laminate surface!  You just want to remove glossiness.  You need the counter top “roughed up” a little so the paint sticks.

3.  Then clean the counter with TSP to really get it clean.  This also helps remove the gloss, but be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. You will need to wear safety gloves so you don’t get it on your hands.  Rinse it well.  When I say “rinse well”, I mean really well.  Maybe twice.

4.  Fill any holes & cracks that are in the surface of your counter top with spackle.  I like Dap CrackSHOT Spackling paste because it is really easy to apply and it has GREAT paintability.  It has a creamy texture that applies smoothly, dries hard and sands easily.  AND it won’t shrink!

5.  Sand any “lumps” you may have created with your spackle.  We want a smooth – I mean FLAT – surface to work on when you are done with this step.  It should have a slight “rough” or “course” feel to it, but not any lumps or bumps along the way.  Wipe it all off when you are done with a nice clean damp cloth to get any of the “dust” off you created by sanding your spackle.

6. Tape off your counter with painter’s tape.  You want to limit where you get paint and in doing this process paint is going to get everywhere.  The sink, the side of the fridge, the floor… Cover it all up!  So, tape off everything you don’t want paint on.  Walls, backsplash, stove, refrigerator, sink, etc.  And make sure the tape edges are sealed down to the surface. 

7.  Time to apply a good Primer Sealer (Kilz, Zinsser, etc).  This will prepare the surface to accept the paint.  Use a small roller and go slow so you don’t get any bubbles.  Let it dry thoroughly.  By thoroughly I mean OVERNIGHT!   You have to let that stuff cure!!!   Also, I prefer water based primer to avoid the stink factor! 

8.   Now…the NEXT DAY…remember…you let it dry over night?… So, the next day you need to sand it again. Use a “very-fine” grade sandpaper and – lightly this time – go over every single bit of the counter. You want to end up with a clean – smooth counter. Wipe it off again and let it dry.

NOW, you’re ready to paint. Use a roller for your base coat.  Oil based paints are really the best choice (remember to use an oil based primer, too, if you use oil based paints) but…I don’t like the smell factor.  So I use regular ol’ latex house paints and acrylic craft paint.  Yeah…those little paints for doing crafts!  Americana or DecoArts are great and come in a WIDE variety of colors.

9.  Time to start your faux finish (in your case the granite, but you could do marble, too!).  I use sea sponges and dab my colors on in random patterns leaving some of each layer showing through.  You can add “veins” to it as well, and use a toothbrush to “spatter” some “flecks” across your “rock” surface.

10.  IMPORTANT Final step:  Seal it up GOOD!!!  You need to seal the paint with four (or more) coats of  high-gloss non-yellowing oil based polyurethane. I really don’t like using anything oil based but in this case oil based will really last the best.  My favorite – non-oil based – is MinWax Polycrylic and it’s good if your counter colors are dark (charcoal “granite” or deep forest green “granite”) but it can sometimes turn any white or light colors yellow.

You’ll need to let your coats/layers cure at least 24 hours between each coat.  Building up several layers of sealer to protect your nice new faux granite counter tops.  And remember to treat this new counter top just like you would a “real” granite counter. Do NOT cut your veggies right on the surface.  Wipe spills up right away and don’t put hot pans on it.   Use just mild cleaners to keep it looking brand new.

If you want some REALLY GREAT detailed instructions on doing this project you should definitely check out Debra’s video – Paint Faux Marble and Granite.  Debra does a fantastic job of showing you step-by-step exactly how to do this whole process.  Including some really good tips.

In fact, here is another article about How To Faux Granite Laminate Counter Tops where she shares a couple of those tips with you.

Have fun and remember…your prep work is key!

Get out there and splash some paint around!

P.S.  Check this out!  Over at Formica you can scroll through their “samples” and get an idea of what colors you want in your granite!  They have a lot of different colors of “granite” you can look at.  Just go here –> http://www.formica.com/DesignCenter.aspx  and then click on the magnifying glass to get a close up look at the colors.  Like “Baltic Granite”.  It looks like a base coat of a peachy/pink color with some sage green, gray and black on top!  Hope this helps you find your perfect color combination.

Do you have “old” cabinets you’d like to refresh? Everyone still wants to make changes in their homes but in this economy who can afford to rip out and put in new?  It isn’t hard to change up your old dark cabinets at all.  A little paint…some new hardware and ShaZAM!  Gorgeous new cabinets!  Well…new looking, right?

Here’s an email from a newsletter subscriber:

Hi Tawn,

I have dark wood cabinets in my bathroom.  I would like to lighten them up or even paint them white.  Would it be too much work to paint them white since they are so dark?  Or do you have a different idea to lighten them up & bring them up to present time?

Thanks for your help!   Nella

I completely understand about wanting to update dark cabinets.  I’ve had my share of “cave” bathrooms because the cabinets were soooo dark!!    It doesn’t really matter how many cabinets you have to paint they’ll all need to be “processed”.  It isn’t hard…its the standard “prep work” that makes your project turn out FABULOUS!

Here are the steps you will need to follow:

1.  Remove all the hardware from cabinet doors – yes, the hinges, too!

2.  Clean the cabinets and doors thoroughly with soap and water or a non-abrasive cleaner.  Make sure whatever you use to clean the cabinets with does not leave behind any sort of oily residue.  Scrub them good, rinse them twice and then let them dry.

3.  Now you need to lightly sand the doors and the cabinet with a fine grit sanding pad or with some steel wool.  If your cabinets have a clear coat of varnish or polyurethane on them, you’ll have to sand them a bit more in order to get the surface ready for your paint. 

4.  Time to wipe them clean again.  Take a damp cloth and wipe the cabinets and doors clean of any dust from the sanding.  Let ‘em dry again. 

5.  Time to PRIME!  Use a good quality primer/sealer like Kilz, Bin or Zinsser.  Let your primer dry for at least an hour before the next step.

6.  Paint away with whatever color you choose.  Its best to use a semi-gloss paint finish for the cabinets.  It has a slight shine, will look gorgeous, AND it makes it easy to clean finger prints and “stuff” off the surface if it gets on there.  Whatever you do – DON’T USE FLAT PAINT!

7  You may want to seal it with a clear coat, but if you use a semi-gloss it may not be necessary.  If you want this extra layer of protection you’ll want to lightly sand the surface of your fresh paint (after it’s dried for a day), wipe it clean and then brush on a coat of MinWax Polycrylic.  Or whatever product you prefer.  I just like Polycrylic!    It comes in different sheens so you can pick the one you want.

8.  Now it’s time for some new hardware!  Or you can just put back the ones you removed.  Depending on the look you want and the hardware you have in your bathroom there are LOTS of options for you to update your look now.  Want hammered metal?  Shiney chrome?  What about a brushed nickel?  Or even glass?  My son likes the oil rubbed bronze ones.  The options are limitless.  You can find new knobs and hinges at a hardware store or even at Target, Wal-Mart or Sears!

Have fun with your project.  It’s easy to update your look any time you want and as often as you want. It just takes a little scrubbing and some paint!

Now get out there and splash some paint around!

P.S.  Found this cool book on painting furniture I thought you might like to look at, too!

This book is more for the home decorating or home improvement person rather than a crafter.  It takes the approach of creating cool decorative furniture for your home rather than creating art work on a piece of furniture.  It doesn’t require any artistic skill or weird materials or tools.  AND it has COMPLETE step-by-step PHOTOGRAPHY for all 50 painting techniques, surface embellishments and faux finishes for your furniture!

Another good option?  Debra’s FABULOUS Wood Graining Video!  Get rid of those dark cabinets and turn ‘em in to golden oak or maybe you want a rich mahogany!  You can do it with Debra’s Beginner Guides To Professional Finishes – Faux Wood Grain.  Eassssyyyy Breezzzyy!! 

Image by E. Aja via Flickr

Did you read Part One?  If you missed it you can click here–> Painting Ceramic Tile with Semi-Gloss Paint – Part One – to get the prep steps. Remember, the key to any GREAT finish is GREAT prep work.  So don’t skip part one.  And now?  Time to get out that paint!

Paint – Latex, Oil or Epoxy?

To paint ceramic tile you proceed just like you would if you were painting a wall.  Well…mostly.  You need to be a little more careful that each coat is applied evenly and thin.  Yes -THIN.  You can spray it on, brush it on or roll it on – just like painting a wall.  I’d use a brush for cutting in and then I’d roll it on – very gently with a light touch.  If you decide to roll it on make sure you use a mini roller with a very short nap.  Like 1/8th of an inch.

I recommend using oil based paints to paint ceramic tile. Anything latex will likely peel sooner rather than later.  Latex tends to dry softer and will scratch and scar a lot easier than oil based paint that dries harder.  Sure, the oil based paint smells up the place, but in the end you’ll be happier with the results.  The other choice is epoxy paint.

It really boils down to two things.  Cheap and easy or costly and hard.    To be honest the toughest and best finish for painting tile is an epoxy.  But it’s very costly and smelllllyyy.  A good acrylic interior semi-gloss paint can work and is easier to work with.  Oil based paints are a happy medium.

The oil paint dries harder and tougher and won’t peel like latex might.  BUT it takes 2 to 3 weeks to fully cure and remember to get the semi-gloss sheen.

Tape it off and Cover it up!

Just like painting your walls you need to make sure the areas around it don’t get painted, too!  Use drop cloths or old towels or old sheets to protect your floors and furniture.  Remember if you tape your wall to seal those little gaps in the tape so your paint doesn’t leak on to your wall.  You can check out how to do that here –> “Stop Paint From Bleeding Through Painters Tape”.

Oh…and remove that tape within 24 hours.  The longer it stays on the harder it bonds and it’ll often damage what’s underneath.  When you’re done, take it off!

Time to Paint

When painting walls, I like to use tinted primer to avoid having a base of bright white.  This is a great time to do that!  You’ll want to start with two coats of primer allowing it to dry for at least a few hours between coats.  I’d even say to let that final coat of primer dry over night.  Let it cure.

Remember to apply thin coats of the primer (both coats) and thin coats of your paint.  Nice and even and thin.  Roll the paint in all directions using the slightest of pressure necessary in order to leave the paint on the surface.

Nice and even and all over the place.  Think thin.  Suck it in!  Lol!  Light pressure not heavy handed.  Your primer coats and finish coats should all have a nice even roller stipple finish and no pressure marks.  No brush marks either (left over from your cutting in).  And don’t think you can get away with one “finish” coat.  Because we want things nice and even you need to plan on a minimum of two coats of paint AFTER two coats of primer.

Your top coat – the finish coat will remain soft for a couple of days so be careful you don’t touch it or dink it or damage it.  Stay far away from it for a couple of weeks while the whole thing cures.

Clean UP

Remember, you’re using oil based products so they aren’t going clean up with a little water.  You’ll need to have paint thinner ready to clean up your primer and paint.  Don’t clean your brushes and rollers in the house unless you have excellent ventilation.  Me?  I just toss the rollers and brushes so I don’t have to mess with it. 

Adding pizzazz!

You can stencil on a design if you want to & you dont have to wait the two weeks for the paint to cure.  Do it the next day.  Be sure to use oil based stencil creams and HOLD the stencil up without taping it on.  Your surface hasn’t cured and you don’t want to risk the tape pulling the paint off.

I’d use a small stencil and add it to the corners of just some of the tiles.  Or if your tiles are smaller (3″ by 3″) you could add something to the middle of random tiles, here and there.  Be careful putting designs on tooooo many tiles.  If you don’t like it when you’re done…you have to start ALLLLLL over.

Here’s a little bonus for you – a video showing the steps on painting tile!  Just click here –>Best Tips for Painting Tile and the video is at the bottom.

Have fun…get out there and paint it up!!

Want to read more about painting tile or the prep process?  Check out this article:

Preparation Ideas for Painting Floors