This super simple reader submitted makeover is proof that paint really can hide a multitude of sins. Here’s Megan and Matt’s letter:
Hi John and Sherry! We bought our first house almost two years ago from an elderly woman who decided to paint everything pink. Pink walls, pink trim, pint ceilings. I bought 18 gallons of paint the day of closing. I knew we had a lot of work ahead of us but I didn’t REALLY understand the concept of sweat equity at the time. First thing to go was the puke green carpet. Then the wall color. Honestly, I would have been happy if we stopped there. But after some clearance shopping and a whole lotta spray paint, I finally started to realize my vision. Btw, I am in LOVE with your blog. I never even considered spray paint until I started reading your blog. It’s like a whole new world opened up in front of me. Lol. Keep up the good work! –Meg (and Matt)
Isn’t that a cozy and comfortable bedroom makeover? Gotta love that rich chocolate paint and the liberal dose of breezy white (in the curtains and the bedding to keep things from feeling too dark). We were especially enamored with how Meg hung some tiny hooks to display her jewelry to the left of the window. It’s functional and beautiful!
Thanks so much for sending the pics our way Meg and Matt! And good luck with the rest of your home makeover (you can drop in on their blog to follow their journey). I bet the previous owner wouldn’t even recognize their bedroom, and that’s a very good thing!
Psst, wanna see what our house’s original owners think about our big home makeover? Check out that story right here.
Hi Sherry & John,
I’m about to re-paint my bedroom, and I couldn’t decide between a very light minty green (like the one of your bedroom walls I suppose) and this chocolate brown. My wardrobe, one nightstand and my bead-head is white, like IKEA Malm white. The floor is oak.
The room doesn’t get direct sunlight, and it has a small window facing the back of a building :/
What would you recommend? I couldnt come up with very creative ideas…
Hey Sevi,
Our bedroom walls are actually a soft blue-gray color with a hint of green so we’re so sorry if the photos look minty on your monitor. As for what you should do in your room, it’s really all about personal preference. Chocolate or minty green (or a soft blue-gray tone) would all work with your furnishings and floors since everything is so neutral. So if you want a dark and enveloping room that’s extra cozy go for the chocolate and if you want something lighter and airier, stick with a lighter tone to accomplish that look. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Yep, I thought I might be mistaken when I see the colors from a monitor. Actually my husband bet your bedroom walls were blue and I was so sure they were minty green! :D
Thanks for the hint,both sounds really nice..Hmmm…
Wow, what a transformation just by changing the paint and carpet! LOVE the paint color and the pop of color with the pillows and quilt. Sherry, would you mind emailing Meg to pop back onto your blog to give us the name of her paint color? Thanks!
Erica
Done and done. Hopefully she’ll stop by soon with that info. And of course you can pop over to their blog to learn more!
xo,
s
wow, what a great transformation. I also checked out their blog…wow they have come a long way on their house. Looking good Meg & Matt, looking good. ;-)
I believe the paint color is in their blog.
Hi Sherry & John,
I love the look of the white trim/baseboard. We live in a house that was built in the 60’s and the wood is all very dark, and the previous owners had a dog that made deep scuffs in some of it. We are thinking about painting it white.. but then we thought about it.. and where do you stop? If you paint the trim white, should all the doors and windows be painted too?? Any tricks to even out the deeper scuffs without having to sand it down? I don’t know if I’m brave enough to take on this project.. if it looks crumby there is no turning back once we start. Let me know if you have any tips. THanks sooo much!
Jennifer
Hey Jennifer,
Why stop? Once you see how great fresh white paint looks on baseboards you’ll be dying to paint your window trim and doors to match. At least that’s what happened with us and we just went slowly from room to room to keep it doable (thinking you can do it all in one weekend is a surefire way to set yourself up for failure). So why not do one room at a time and then move on to another… over time you’ll get them all looking crisp and current. As for tips, we love this brush which literally made us about 95% faster at painting trim. And when it comes to any major scuffs, filling them in with some wood putty before painting should do the trick. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
I love it! Her blog says it is Ralph Lauren Natural Gray. Hope that helps!
WOW! Looks really beautiful and cozy – Great Job!!!
It’s just unbelievable what paint does! Looks super great now.
one room at a time.. that’s a great idea! What a concept.. I honestly never thought of that.. haha :P Hopefully I can talk my husband into starting this weekend! I’ll have to stop at Sherwin Williams today :) Thanks so much!
Jen Z. and Marianne – Thanks for the tip, I just popped over to check out their blog!
Thank you, everyone! The wall color is Ralph Lauren’s Natural Gray. It’s the perfect taupe. Not too gray or too brown. I love it so much that I used it in the livingroom as well. :)
What a lovely transformation. The bedroom is soo relaxing now, instead of pukey pink. :-) The paint in our HALLWAY was pinkish toned when we move in. Who does that?
What a great transformation! Love it!
Sherry,
I have the same issue as Jennifer! My home was built in 1850 (Love it!) and the downstairs is just two large rooms (kitchen and living room). The stairway splits the two rooms in the middle and the mouldings, chair rail, and baseboards all flow together. Make sense?? :O) Well, all the trim is a dark walnut tone, including the kitchen cabinets (all built by hand). not to mention the dark all wood floors. It makes the two rooms a huge walnut dungeon. I have pretty much convinced my husband to let me paint all the trim and cabinets a bright white to bring in some light. The trim in the living room has had a gloss put over it, kitchen does not have this. Should I take my time and attempt to remove a majority of the gloss from the trim before prime and paint? And will this kitchen cabinet painting project be worth all the work?? I am picturing beautiful bright cabinets with rich, dark wood floors, and plenty of light. :O) :O)
Hey Amanda,
The good news is that some oil-based primer should make painting over that glossy trim no sweat (and a lot less messy than stripping or sanding). Plus you only have to prime the trim that is glossy so the rest of it should be super quick to paint a crisp clean without it. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sherry- I bought that paintbrush after your recommendation and trimmed an entire bedroom with it (no taping!!) and I was in. love. with. it. in love. So thanks so much for the tip- I’m sharing it with everyone I know! It is absolutely a fabulous brush!
So glad to hear it! People wonder if we got paid for recommending it but they don’t know us from Adam. We just looove that brush and we’re so glad you’re loving it too!
xo,
s
My husband’s grandmother pinked her house. It was mind-blowing. Like being inside a bottle of pepto-bismal. But she liked it, bless her soul.
Love reader re-designs! Glad Meg could see past the pink walls and green carpet.
I love this paint color! I thought I had finally decided on a smokey blue for my living room and now I am totally chaging my mind . . . again. I definitely think I need to check out the Ralph Lauren Natural Grey. Love it!
I think they have the same bed we do!
Nice work on the bedroom, looks great. We’re thinking about a similar color since our bedroom is pretty large but we’d like it to feel cozy at the same time. We need to get rid of the royal blue carpet first though.
Wow, talk about deja vu. I also bought my house from an elderly woman who also chose to paint the walls, trim, ceiling, doors, hardware, and just about everything else pink. I like to call it Pepto Pink. Like you, I also had green carpet. Here, look how similar!
http://www.chartersventures.com/car/bencoupe/lamesahouse/kelliehouseaugust9/Pages/14.html
http://www.chartersventures.com/car/bencoupe/lamesahouse/Pages/25.html
I don’t really have any after pictures though. Over a year later, and I still haven’t finished painting trim.
I can’t fully express how much I adore your blog (especially the reader re-designs). Now if I could just get the nerve to actually paint my master bathroom in the townhouse I’m renting, I could send some pictures of my own.