Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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How To Spray Paint A Wood Box

This week’s first project for my little self-imposed Dude Get On That Already challenge is small – but it’s not animal related (so that’s something, right?!). It actually involves a fifty cent wood box that I found at Goodwill about three months ago and then… you guessed it… stuffed it into our playroom, never to be seen again. Until now. Here’s the only before picture that I shot with blue spray paint in it before deciding not to go blue…

Box Before

Nope, I didn’t go gray either- that’s just primer.

Box Spray Primer

Yup… I went yellow!

Box1

I still had some leftover from this horse head bookend makeover of yore, and I thought it would look like a little burst of sunshine.

Box2

I actually bought this box with function in mind. Every night I flop onto the sofa and immediately have to take off my watch and earrings and any other jewelry I’m wearing so I can truly relax/write posts/watch The Walking Dead/etc. And I thought if I had a pretty little box to put those things, I wouldn’t keep forgetting where I left them (on the stack of books, on the arm of the sofa, on the ottoman, etc). You know, they’d have a little zone for me to check back for them (before Clara gets to them and throws them under the sofa or into the couch cushions, both of which have happened).

Box3

So now I have a happy little jewelry drop box that lives on the ottoman (or the console table – he gets around).

Box4

It’s not where I store things for the long-haul (I have a jewelry tray in the bedroom) but it’s great for the stuff I have on for the day (and if I want to wear it the next day I know where to find it).

But my other little Dude Get On That Already project is animal related. Of course it is. Who is surprised at this point. Anyway, this isn’t a proper before pic because this guy was orange with brown spots when I found him at Goodwill last fall for ten cents (he’s small and wooden and I thought he might be fun for Clara – heck, he’s fun for me too). Then when I had the white primer out for another project about five months ago I gave him a little spray-spray (that’s how I imagine Tom Haverford from Parks & Rec would say it). Then I forgot all about him and he ended up in my giant animal pile-up in the playroom. Imagine that.

Giraffe Before

But since my odd little Dude Get On That Already challenge is apparently some sort of intervention from the universe (ok, ok, so I could probably stand to “adopt” fewer faux animal figurines) I decided to embrace the crazy (that’s pretty much our MO over here in general) and paint him gold. That’s right, I gilded the guy with $2 craft paint from Michael’s in Antique Gold.

Giraffe1

Momma likes. And Clara likes too. Right now he’s hanging out on the desk in our living room, which is nice because I can gaze at him from the sofa. Sometimes he comes down to play with Clara, but he’s too dapper to get squashed into her toy bin when she goes to bed, so back up on the desk he goes. Until he becomes alive and hangs out with his animal friends when we all go to bed a-la Toy Story.

Giraffe2

What? You guys don’t think that really happens? Whatevs. It totally does.

Giraffe3

So animal by animal (and other random object by other random object) we’re clearing things out of our playroom so we can actually enjoy them (and we’re inching closer to another empty room for us to tackle). What little projects have you guys been up to? Sometimes it’s those easy little upgrades that make things like the entire desk area in the corner of the living room look sweeter. Which isn’t helping my animal problem (now I want one on every surface).

Giraffe4

It could be worse. I could be addicted to buying cars or expensive shoes, so little cheap-o thrift store animals probably aren’t even my biggest vice. Spray paint could be. No wait, puns. It’s puns. Biggest vice for sure. What’s yours? Did you gild anything lately? Do you play with your kid’s toys? Let’s chat.

Comments

  1. Katy M says

    Normally I am right there with you on the spray paint projects, you all have done so many great ones! But I think I prefer the natural wood look on the little box. Ever have any spray paint regrets?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Not that I can think of right now, but in general I definitely tend to repaint things and evolve rooms and items as I go! I think that’s par for the DIy course, to keep your house changing and evolving as you go. We definitely don’t get everything right on the first try or anything like that! Haha.

      xo,
      s

  3. Loren says

    This is one of those ‘duh’ moments because it is so simple. I do the SAME THING with my jewelry every night and have more than once knocked an earring behind the couch. This is a great solution.
    Also that giraffe is adorable.

    Reply

  4. Kristina Strain says

    Love the giraffe! One quick grammar-dork alert– I’m pretty sure you gilded the guy, not guilded… as in, The Gilded Age? Ok, maybe this is both a grammar dork moment and a history dork moment. Double dippy dorkiness.

    Reply

  5. Donna says

    Sherry, I didn’t want to say this, but it’s time. You need a 12 step program for your ceramic/wood animal addiction. It doesn’t have to be this way. :^)

    Reply

  6. Holly Arnold says

    I know you have mentioned this before, so please forgive me. Where did you get your beautiful throw pillows in the living room?

    Reply

  7. Acg says

    Love the look with the gray chair. Where did you get the chair? I’m considering the Becca from Overstock (which yours look like) and what to know your thoughts.

    Great job!

    Reply

  8. Katelyn H. says

    Whoa! Happy sunshine jewelry box!

    Did I miss the post about the new desk chair? Love the nailhead trim :)

    Reply

  10. Chelsea says

    I have found I’m choosier in my animal adopting, and stick to owls. But I can’t stop! My last two shopping trips for very practical things (wedding shopping) have resulted in totally unnecessary but totally adorable owls (one is a soy sauce dispenser, actually, and the other is white ceramic and was a whopping four dollars on sale at Michael’s).

    Glad to see you guys back, and going through your Dude Get On That Already challenge list. As a renter, these things tend to be closer to obtainable for me, and so the little things you guys do tend to be my favorites!

    Reply

  11. Crystal says

    I love the box, but I love the Tom Haverford reference even more. “a little spray-spray” – Hilarious!

    Reply

  12. Lauren says

    This get on it project is awesome and an inspiration for us all – I think everyone must have that room/corner/shelf/box full of stuff that we’re really going to get around to someday.. maybe. I think you should snap a picture of the room every week and then create some sort of time-lapse video once the whole room is cleaned out!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Ooh that would be fun! Sadly it’s packed with secret book projects we can’t reveal until fall when the book it out. So much hoarding going on! Haha.

      xo,
      s

  15. karen says

    Heeeyyy..i spy with my little eye a new mirror, no?
    This may be a dumb question…but how did you avoid spraying the inside of the box?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      That mirror used to hang in our kitchen over the mantel but then moved into the living room (it’s from joss and main a while back). As for the box, I just kept it firmly closed and lightly sprayed the outside and it made for a pretty clean line!

      xo,
      s

  17. Krysta says

    both the box and the giraffe are super cute, but my favorite part of your post…the Walking Dead mention. I’ve in love with that show!! It’s kind of a rule that I now mention the zombie apocalypse at least once a day :)

    Reply

  18. Rachel says

    Digging on the Parks and Rec reference! Tom is my fave. He definitely would say it that way. Oh, and cute projects, too!

    Reply

  19. Brenda says

    I almost laughed loudly at the office when I read “spray spray.” Yes, that’s totally what Tom would say. :)

    Are those alstroemerias another budget blooms? The yellow looks so bright and cheery!

    Reply

  20. James Olsen says

    Fun as always, and look at it is this way, you have an obsession with small animals, somehow I have the same with lighting, I have more lamps and other lighting bits than I know what to do with! I need to figure something out with them all…Keep up the work on your resolution its going great!

    Reply

  22. Amy Knisely says

    Super adorable!

    I thought of you (Sherry) when I was in Michael’s the other day. I found a white ceramic pig with wings. I was buying frames for my carousel prints and some of our wedding photos and the pig (his name is Ferdinand) had to come home with me and live in the living room.

    We’re imposing a Dude Get On That Already challenge too so we can have use of our sun room this spring too.

    Reply

  23. Laura B. says

    Looks great! I am excited that after your book comes out you will have a whole new room to design! Have you ever spray painted or rubbed with a different finish on bronze animal figurines? I found a bunch in our attic, including two really sweet bronze giraffes, but I dont love the color… you seem to be the animal figurines pro, any suggestions?

    Reply

  24. Suni says

    This whole post made me giggle, and smile. :)
    My husband catches me coloring in my daugthers coloring books every once in awhile, and I just look up at him when he asks what I’m doing with that look on my face of “what, is this not normal?!”

    I LOVE your obsession with animals, it actually makes me happy to see each one you have. Keep on doing what you are doing.

    Reply

  25. Susie says

    Love the cheerful yellow box — great color choice!

    I’m trying to take some motivation from you — recently, I painted a couple of mirrored vanity trays that I inherited from my mom. They sat on her bureau for as long as I can remember, but they were old, brassy (not in a good way), and pretty beat up. So I sprayed them (wait for it…) ORB! and they look great, very dramatic on my white bureau. Thanks for encouraging me with your projects!

    Reply

  26. Carolyn says

    Very cute! I was just curious, how do you guys use your living room desk on a regular basis? You seem like very function-first type of people, but the function of the desk hasn’t really come up in conversation (err… blog posts). : )

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      That’s where we keep our stamps, address book, and all of our stationery. So it’s where I write thank you notes and letters to friends. It also holds Burger’s food and treats (which he gets when he comes in from outside when he does his bid-ness) so it’s nice to have right next to that sliding door.

      xo,
      s

  27. Jillian {Her Split Ends} says

    A: I LOVE that box…what a brilliant find & brilliant refinishing!
    B: I think your animal thing is rubbing off on me…i just realized that all of a sudden i have like 5 or 6 animal related items in my house…when did that happen!?
    C: I LOVE walking dead…its filmed right here in the great state of GA…and i never considered myself a zombie kind of gal…but LOVE the dang show…can’t get enough of it…even tried to get me and hubs on as extras {maybe next season}

    ~ Jillian
    http://www.hersplitends.com

    Reply

  28. katiedid says

    You picked a yellow I am seeing in all of the clothing stores right now! J. Crew, Ann Taylor, Gap…..Very fashionable! Happy colors for a happy Spring! Now I am off to the Goodwill here in Sacramento to see what there is to see!

    Reply

  29. Tracey says

    I love the painted box. Its looks great yellow.

    Sherry, I think Spray Painters Anonymous is looking for a new member

    or Rustoeum is looking for a new spokesperson.

    Your choice. LOL

    Reply

  30. Julia DeNatale says

    Wish my Dude Get on That Already projects were as cute and fun as yours! Mine were cleaning out the garage, hauling away the junk, replacing the garage door opener and garage lights and cleaning out the washing machine…Alas, not all home improvement projects can be glamorous, I guess. Anyway, both of these projects were so cute and have inspired me to make my next DGOTA project a burst of color too!

    Reply

  31. Liz F. says

    $herdog, I now love you even more for mingling references to two of my favorite TV shows into a post about painting knick-knacks. Who says zombies and gold giraffes don’t mix? Also, it occurs to me that zombie Tom Haverford would be epic.

    Reply

  32. eileen marie says

    One of the Goodwills I frequent is a little spendy, but they usually have good stuff (I wish I hadn’t left behind a great vintage typesetter box -that store those little wooden letters). The one close to my house never really has anything though. I think the neighborhood often dictates price & selection.

    The giraffe is great! Gold was an inspired choice -he looks so high-end now! As for the little box, you could just leave the center yellow & paint the box blue (or vice versa, which would be easier -just painting the middle) if you wanted to pick up both of the colors of the books it rests on.

    Reply

  33. Holly says

    That little giraffe turned out so well! But, as a fellow Parks and Rec fan, I have to correct you on Tom Haverford’s last name. Here’s an idea for the next animal project: a ceramic Lil’ Sebastian :)

    Reply

  34. Lindley says

    I definitely ‘guilded’ some picture frames for Christmas gifts. There are very few, good looking, cheap picture frames out there. So I picked up a few black ones on sales at Michaels and a jar of gold leaf – then painted the frames, loaded them up with pictures of the baby boy and voila – fancy frames. I took 2 frames to the next step and whipped out the craft glue, paint brush and glass beads. Turned out delightful!

    Reply

  36. Kathy says

    Inspiring ideas for spray paint, thanks! I was wondering if you could tell me where you got your pretty lamp with the glass base in these photos…?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      That was from Target about two or three years ago? That shape is called a gourd lamp, so maybe searching “glass gourd lamp” might turn up something similar on amazon or ebay?

      xo,
      s

  37. Crystal @ 29 Rue House says

    I spray painted a magazine holder I got from our local Restore for $1 with Sun Yellow spray paint. I am officially calling out a sunshine-y yellow as one of my favorite colors! Hopefully I’ll get it up on my blog soon!

    P.S. Sometimes I think my husband has too much fun with my daughter’s mega bloks :)

    Reply

  38. Maria says

    I’m infatuated with your gold giraffe, Love Him!

    Also random side note, Walking Dead ALWAYS conjures up random zombie slaying dreams in me I can hardly handle it! If you like Walking Dead then Alcatraz is also totally AMAZING, the usual occurrence at our house is my husband watching and me peaking out over my computer monitor too freaked out to look away. :)

    Reply

  39. laxsupermom says

    I love how a few passes with the spray can make such a huge impact! Both projects look great, but I’m in love with the gold giraffe! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  40. Emma says

    Happy to see that you’re expanding your menagerie Sherry. Man – your Goodwill is off the chiz-ane! You have some great scores from there.

    Reply

  41. cassie {hi sugarplum} says

    I don’t play with their toys so much as steal them! Snagged a few elephants for these bookends:
    http://hisugarplum.blogspot.com/2012/02/diy-animal-bookends.html

    and stole her giraffe for brassy goodness:
    http://hisugarplum.blogspot.com/2012/02/diy-brass-figurines.html

    I was scolded by the 5-year old, but fortunately she’s on board with my Liberace-love and prefers everything gold, too. I love your yellow box! wait, wow, that was wrong.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Love it! We actually used that same $1 Target elephant for a tiny little project in our book! So funny! And of course I love the gold giraffe! Haha.

      xo,
      s

  44. Care says

    I LOVE that little box! So dang cute! Hmmm, I think I may now try to hunt down something similar here and “borrow” your idea – I tend to do the same thing with my jewelry. Great idea!

    Reply

  46. Maggie Rose says

    At least admitting you may have an animal problem is the first step ;)

    Typo alert – last paragraph “guild” should be “gild” (you got it right up above!).

    Reply

  47. Darcy says

    LUURRVE!!!! So cute and sunny! And I love that Clara loves the giraffe as much as you do!

    I really want to find out how many animals you have around the house!!!! COUNT! COUNT! DO IT! DO IT!! LOL!

    My best friend made me count how many pairs of shoes I had several years ago — the number was staggering, awe-inducing, and VERY SCARY–(Because most of them were on the credit cards)!!! But — I got myself on the reform train..paid off all the credit cards, and I have given away, and/or worn out most of them by now! So, now, I have nowhere near that many! Now, I need to start a new collection….elephants, giraffes, and owls…OH MY!!
    If I find them at GOodwill for less than $5 than the Hubs can’t complain!! hee hee hee….

    Reply

  48. Sarah B says

    I intend to redo a mirror today and spray it gold, because that’s the only spray paint I have around!

    Reply

  49. Stephanie says

    First, welcome back from your way-overdue-much-deserved vacation!

    Have you ever considered trying to do an ombre spray paint/paint treatment? At first when I looked at the giraffe, I thought it was ombre and wondered how the heck you did it. It would probably be difficult (at least for me-you’re a spray paint pro!) and involve many steps and much patience, but I think it would be totally worth it!

    Reply

  50. Susan says

    Loving yellow, loving the yellow box! Even ordered my KitchenAid mixer in yellow! I’m sorta obsessed with burlap lately, but next month it’ll be something else, like cute tiny little birds for spring!

    Reply

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