Emily A. Clark who writes a great Blog,
http://www.emilyaclark.com/
is hosting a Link Up Party on the subject, "Working With What You Have"!!!
I have to smile at this title! Our entire home is, and has been, Working With What We Have! My husband, lovingly know to all my followers, as MC, and myself have created insanity in our 35th home! We are both in our 70's and have been married for almost 54 years!
Repainting all our Master Bath, Guest Bath and the Kitchen cabinetry is the craziest and most unbelievable project we have done, since we moved into our present home two years ago, Family and friends just call it our normal Insanity!
Our builder offered many choices, but none, sadly, were what I dreamed of. We figure this will be our last home, so we are trying our best to have all the elements we have always wanted.
I knew that refinishing the cabinets was too much for MC to do! I never would ask him! All the cabinetry in the home is Landen Maple. A very light wood that is about the same shade as our flooring. They just blended together.....boring!
Then, this past Fall, I heard about a product, Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint. It could be applied without any prepping or sanding! MC checked into it and said maybe we could try! A Start!
We bought a quart of "French Linen" paint and both, the Light and the Dark, Wax.
We started and practiced in our Master Bath.
BEFORE
THE PROCESS
We used French Linen Paint with the Dark Wax
MC'S COMMENT!
"NOT THAT BAD"
OUR "NEW" MASTER BATH CABINETRY!
It went so well that we bought a quart of "Graphite", a soft black color.
The Guest Bath is a very small room. It took less than a day to create this magic. We used the Graphite paint with the Dark Wax
BEFORE
AFTER
Our practicing was over. Now was the time to really get down to business
THE KITCHEN
BEFORE
DURING
This time we used French Linen with the Light Wax
We can't believe the difference.
WE WERE AMAZED!
THE REVEAL
Thank you, Emily, for allowing me to share our Active Retirement Life!
Patty
Patty
they all look amazing, but the kitchen cabinets are my favorite- they are GLORIOUS! (imagine i sang that out loud, ok?)
ReplyDeleteI love every single one of these projects! What beautiful transformations - well done! I can't wait to try out this paint now.
ReplyDeletePatty, Everytime I see your kitchen transformation I am totally amazed at how it opens and updates your home. Great choice and you have wonderful design partner in MC!! You can tell him I am a fan!! xo Kathysue
ReplyDeleteBeautiful choices in all of the transformations you've both accompolished. It went from being builder to designer.
ReplyDeleteWorking with what you have is the true meaning of DIY!!!! I love that you both are becoming soooooo crafty!
ReplyDeleteNOTE to everyone: My grandmother wasn't always like this!!!!! Only when she needed to be, otherwise, NOTHING MESSY EVER ALLOWED IN THE HOUSE!!! Now they have a garage of paint and wood shavings and tools and glue (albeit, all very tidy and organized!)
And YES, Grandpa is very much enjoying retirement... "working" on things he (mostly) chooses to! EARNED IT!
I AM PROUD :)
Erica you are a Dear! What you wrote is
ReplyDeleteSo true!
The garage is a total disaster. But it's MC's space! Somehow he knows how to find things. I can't find a thing out there! I think he likes it that way!!
OOOO it's all looking so amazing. I've said it before and I'll say it again: it's truly amazing what some paint can do! Gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteLove the kitchen cabinet makeover! They look beautiful. You both did a great job!
ReplyDeleteI never caught that small bath where you used the graphite! I love how that turned out and of course the kitchen!
ReplyDeletewonderful.
ReplyDeletepve
You have been a busy busy bee :) Love how it all turned out. Thanks for linking up!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the reveal of your kitchen cabinets. All of the cabinet updates are great transformations.
ReplyDeleteIt looks beautiful! I am currently painting our builder grade kitchen cabinets as well. Love your bathrooms too.
ReplyDeletePatty, You and your husband are amazing.. you've done an incredible job here. Your home is gorgeous! Love the kitchen and bathrooms..wow! I appreciate all the work you've done. My husband and I have done a lot of our own remodels and it's exhausting work.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your day:)
xxleslie
Thanks Leslie. We enjoyed doing these projects and they really were easy to do with the product.
ReplyDelete