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Nursery Makeover with a Sweet Striped Accent Wall
December 20, 2019Are you or someone you love expecting? Creating a cute-as-can-be nursery doesn’t have to be a challenge, and with tips from KILZ® you can color the space any way you choose! In this new nursery, soft colors are painted in a sweet striped pattern to create a playful accent wall. The colors pop because the wall was primed before it was painted! Want to recreate the look for yourself? This painting project is simple to do at home.

When painting a porous surface like new drywall, KILZ® 1 Standard Primer is recommended. Designed for use on multiple interior surfaces, KILZ® 1 Standard Primer seals porous surfaces and promotes a more uniform appearance of the topcoat. To begin, wipe down the accent wall with a damp cloth to ensure it is clean and free of dust and allow the surface to dry. Next, apply KILZ® 1 Standard Primer to seal the porous surface of the new drywall. Apply primer using a brush first to “cut in” around edges, then use a roller to fill in. Allow 1-hour dry time.
Now it’s time for paint! Selecting the lightest of the three paint colors as the base, apply KILZ Tribute® in Flying Dove to the entire accent wall. Use a brush first to cut in around edges 4 to 6 feet at a time, then use a roller to fill in those sections before moving along. Allow 1-hour dry time. Next up, painting the striped pattern! Measure the height of the wall and divide by the desired number of stripes to determine the width of each stripe. Use a measuring tape, pencil and level, mark the placement of each stripe, then apply painter’s tape to each line (ensuring the tape is on the correct side of the line so the stripes are even). Using a roller, paint every third stripe in BEHR Premium Plus® in Calla. Repeat the above steps to paint every other remaining stripe in Misty Morning. Remove the painter’s tape (pulling off at an angle) before the paint has fully dried to ensure clean lines.

To finish up the sweet space, we primed and painted a plain wood rocking chair in the same light blue shade used for the striped accent wall – KILZ Tribute® in Misty Morning. It really ties the nursery together! When painting wood furniture, it is advised to always use primer first. Primer will help protect the wood and will ensure better adhesion and truer color from your paint. For this chair refresh we used KILZ 2® All-Purpose Primer, a great choice for furniture upcycling projects. To learn how to paint a chair of your own, keep reading below!
Step 1:
Remove chair cushion and set aside.
Step 2:
Sand the entire surface of the chair; do a first pass with 100-150 grit sandpaper then finish with a second pass of 180-220 grit sandpaper.
Step 3:
After sanding, wipe down the surface with a damp cloth to remove any dust or residue and allow the surface to dry before moving on to primer.

Step 4:
Apply KILZ 2® All-Purpose Primer, moving in the same direction as the wood grain for best results. Allow primer to dry for 1 hour.
Step 5:
Next it’s time for paint! Apply KILZ Tribute® in Misty Morning using a nylon or polyester blend brush, moving in smooth strokes that go the same direction as the wood grain.


A Military Makeover for Grandpa’s Office
December 17, 2019A grandfather’s military service is honored in this beautiful office makeover.
Before painting, smoke-stained walls needed to be addressed and KILZ® Original Primer does the trick. Trusted by pros for over 40 years, the powerful formula blocks most heavy interior stains including water, smoke, tannin, ink, pencil, felt marker, grease, and also seals pet, food and smoke odors. In this surprise room renovation, meaningful memorabilia become the focal point, showcased on dark-hued walls primed with KILZ® Original and painted with KILZ® Tribute® Paint. Want to recreate this look at home for yourself or someone you love? KILZ can show you how!

To begin and prepare for priming, wipe down the walls with a damp cloth to ensure they are clean and free of dust and allow to dry.
Next, tape around the baseboards, trim and moldings. To seal and block stains and odors, apply KILZ® Original Primer to the walls. Stirring prior to and during use, apply primer using a brush first to “cut in” around the edges, then use a roller to fill in and allow 1 hour of dry time. Once the primer is dry, apply KILZ® Tribute® in Oceans Deep using the same application method as the primer – using a brush first to cut in around the edges 4 to 6 feet at a time, then use a roller to fill in those sections before moving along. Remove tape prior to paint fully drying and admire the stain-free walls.

To complete this surprise room renovation, an old desk is given new life! Primed with KILZ® Original to ensure truer color from the topcoat, the desk is painted with KILZ® Tribute® in Bookmarker – a dark oxblood hue that complements the deep green walls. Want to refurbish a piece of furniture at home? Keep reading the steps below to learn how!

Step 1: Remove drawers and hardware.
*Pro-Tip: Put the screws back into the hardware, then seal the hardware and screws in painter’s tape and label it. It’s always best to put every screw back exactly where it came from. That will put the least amount of stress on the wood.

Step 2: Sand the surface; do a first pass with 100-150 grit sandpaper then finish with a second pass of 180-220 grit sandpaper.
Step 3: After sanding, wipe down the surface with a damp cloth to remove any dust or residue and allow the surface to dry before moving on to primer.

Step 4: Apply KILZ® Original primer to seal the surface, moving in the same direction as the wood grain for best results. Allow primer to dry for 1 hour.
* Pro-Tip: When painting wood furniture, you should always use a primer first. Primer will help protect the wood and will ensure better adhesion and truer color from your paint.

Step 5: Once primer is dry, apply KILZ® Tribute® paint in Bookmarker with a brush, moving in smooth strokes in the same direction as the wood grain.

Cover Crayon Stains & Paint a Colorful Accent Wall
December 9, 2019Children love bringing their artwork home from school. But when the actual home becomes the artwork, what can you do to restore crayoned stained walls? In this sweet bedroom makeover, the walls are primed and painted as the first step to a total room refresh that includes a striking honey-hued accent wall and vivid pink and yellow furniture.

Crayon stained walls don’t stand a chance against KILZ 2® All-Purpose primer, used at the first step to create a sunny yellow accent wall in a little one’s dream bedroom. To begin, wipe down the chosen accent wall with a damp cloth to ensure it is clean and free of dust then allow the surface to dry. Next, tape around the baseboards, trim and moldings.
To block the light crayon stains and ensure a perfect finish, apply 1 coat of KILZ 2® All-Purpose primer using a brush first to “cut in” around the edges, then use a roller to fill in. Allow 1 hour of dry time. Finally, apply KILZ Tribute® in Jazz Age Yellow using the same method as the primer. Remove tape prior to paint drying, and the accent wall is complete!

To match the yellow accent wall, paint the vanity in the same sunny yellow shade! Similar to the accent wall, start with KILZ 2® All-Purpose primer before painting. The fast drying, water-based primer offers enhanced hiding, making it ideal for changing colors on both walls and furniture. To begin, remove the vanity’s drawer and hardware. Next, sand the surfaces of the vanity. Do a first pass with 100-150 grit sandpaper then finish with a second pass of 180-220 grit sandpaper, always moving in the direction of the wood grain. After sanding, wipe down the surface with a damp cloth to remove any dust or residue and allow the surface to dry before moving on to primer.
Now it’s time to prime. Apply KILZ 2® All-Purpose primer, moving in the same direction as the wood grain and allow to dry for 1-hour. Next, apply KILZ Tribute® in Jazz Age Yellow using a nylon or polyester blend brush, moving in smooth strokes that go the same direction as the wood grain. Once the paint is dry, reattached your hardware and the transformation is complete!

The final step in this child’s bedroom makeover is a pretty-in-pink dresser. Add a fun pop of color to a child’s dresser by painting the drawers a bright accent shade! Follow the same directions as outlined for the vanity, priming with KILZ 2® All-Purpose and then using BEHR Premium Plus® in Heart Breaker for the drawers and a favorite neutral for the dresser’s body.
Step 1:
Remove drawers and hardware.
Step 2:
Wipe down the entire surface with a damp cloth to ensure it is clean and free of dust. Allow the surface to dry.

Pro-tip:
Put the screws back into the hardware, then seal the hardware and screws in painter’s tape and label it. It’s always best to put every screw back exactly where it came from. That will put the least amount of stress on the wood.
Step 3:
Apply KILZ 2® All-Purpose primer, moving in the same direction as the wood grain for best results. Allow primer to dry for 1-hour.
Step 4:
Topcoat with BEHR Premium Plus® Semi-Gloss Paint in Heart Breaker.


Pro Tips for Painting Over a Dark or Light Wall
December 6, 2019A fresh coat of paint can go a long way in changing the look and feel of your space, and the last thing you want after meticulously selecting your perfect shade of white is for the old, unattractive color to seep through! One of our favorite neutrals is KILZ® Tribute® paint in Alaskan Mist and it was the perfect color to lighten up this living room.
Taking the heavy olive-green walls to a bright white could have posed a challenge, including a need for excess coats of paint which we definitely wanted to avoid. It was time to prime! We chose KILZ 3™ Premium primer for its thicker, high hiding formula. This water-based primer hides surface imperfections and reduces the need for multiple coats of paint to allow a truer, richer color from the topcoat. A coat of KILZ 3™ Premium primer on the unpleasant green walls followed by paint in Alaskan Mist, and the color change was complete!

If dark paint colors are what you’re after, we have professional primer tips for a light to dark color change as well. It might seem like a dark color like BEHR® paint in Nocturne Blue can easily cover a lighter one in this bedroom refresh, so why prime? However, if you want that deep gray with dark blue undertones to look just right, we would suggest priming first with KILZ 2® All-Purpose primer. This water-based primer offers enhanced hiding, making it ideal for changing colors and helping to lessen the number of coats of paint required.

When painting to hide a previous color, KILZ® Primer reduces the need for multiple coats of paint to allow truer, richer color from your topcoat.

Light and Bright Living Room Makeover
September 24, 2019A lackluster living room gets a fresh facelift in this light and bright living room makeover. It’s no secret that white is a classic paint hue and when done right, new white walls can really open up a space. Alaskan Mist, a bright white with soft green undertones, was the perfect neutral shade to breathe new life into this dark and drab room.
Taking the walls from a heavy olive green to a soft and subtle white might seem like a painting project that would require extra coats to cover the old color. But think again! We know something the professional painters know – that starting with a coat of primer before painting that new hue on your walls will ensure the truest color from your topcoat, with less coats required. When painting over a dark color with a lighter shade, KILZ 3™ Premium primer is the product pros often choose. The fast drying, water-based primer has a thicker, high hiding formula that hides surfaces imperfections and leaves you with a clean slate for your chosen paint color.

In this living room makeover one coat of KILZ 3™ Premium primer did the trick, covering up the previous dark green paint color and leaving the walls ready for paint. Once the primer was dry, we applied KILZ® Tribute® paint in Alaskan Mist, and the results were stunning! The living room instantly appears larger and more inviting with the soft white walls. Next, we added two floating shelves above the sofa and few new décor items, bringing in natural tones like greens and greiges with accessories and plants, and adding a pop of rose gold metallic with a chic table lamp. A plush off-white rug brought a bit of extra warmth to the space, leaving us with a totally transformed living room – no new furniture required!
This living room makeover just goes to show that a fresh coat of paint and primer can go a long way in refreshing the overall look and feel of a space. If you’re ready to tackle a color change paint project, continue on below for step by step instructions.

WALL COLOR CHANGE DARK TO LIGHT:
*Make sure to read and follow all application instructions on your chosen primer and paint products, including ensuring adequate ventilation in your project area and adherence to all noted safety precautions.
Step 1:
Wipe down the walls with a damp cloth to ensure they are clean and free of dust. Allow the surface to dry.
Step 2:
Tape around the baseboards, trim and moldings.

Step 3:
To ensure full coverage of the existing dark color, apply 1 coat of KILZ 3™ Premium primer – stirring thoroughly before and occasionally during use. Apply primer using a brush first to “cut in” around the edges, then use a roller to fill in. Allow 1-hour dry time.

Step 4:
Next, apply KILZ® Tribute® paint in Alaskan Mist. Use a brush first to cut in around the edges 4 to 6 feet at a time, then use a roller to fill in those sections before moving along.
Alaskan Mist
Step 5:
Remove tape prior to paint drying.

Styled by Color – One Kitchen, Three Ways
September 18, 2019One of the most searched for and sought-after room makeovers is the kitchen – and we’re not surprised! The heart of the home and a typical gathering, hosting and everyday living area, the kitchen is a space people typically spend a lot of time. If your kitchen is crying for a makeover, one simple and fairly low cost change you can make in a weekend is painting the cabinets. A fresh coat of primer and paint can completely transform your kitchen, whether you want an airy and light feel or an intimate and stylish look.
The first place to start when refreshing your kitchen cabinets is with proper prep work. Primer is key in a kitchen painting project, and the professionals often use a mildew resistant primer like KILZ® Kitchen & Bath or KILZ® 3 Premium. Once you’ve prepped and primed, it’s time for color! Kitchen cabinets are a great canvas for a wide range of colors, from light to dark neutrals to pops of color like blues and greens. With so many options it was a challenge to narrow down our top picks, but we landed on three different color combinations that are a winning recipe for a beautiful kitchen cabinet makeover.

Our first pick is a timeless neutral, Contemporary White. A white with a hint of gray undertone, Contemporary White can appear as the color of fresh winter snow depending on the light and time of day. It is classic kitchen cabinet color, and makes the space feel bright and open.

On the other end of the color spectrum, we picked an almost-black color that adds sophistication and subtle drama to a kitchen. Behr’s Nocturne Blue is a deep gray with a dark blue undertone and is consistently one of our favorite color picks. In some lighting it will appear as black, but with a softer feel.

If you can’t choose between classic white or another color, why not use both! We chose two colors for our last pick to showcase stylish two-toned kitchen cabinets. For the uppers, Alaskan Mist, a bright white with soft green undertones, brought a perfect airiness to the space. We grounded the kitchen with December Nights, a stormy blue-gray, on the lower cabinets.
Contemporary White
Behr’s Nocturne Blue
Alaskan Mist
December Nights
Whether you prefer kitchen cabinets in crisp white, moody black or something in between, this home renovation project is one that makes a big impact in a short amount of time.
A fresh coat of primer and paint can completely transform your kitchen, whether you want an airy and light feel or an intimate and stylish look.

How-To Paint a Dark Accent Wall
August 30, 2019An outdated wall color is replaced with a bold hue in this easy to replicate bedroom transformation, giving a once bland space a fresh look and feel. It’s typical of many painting projects to be applying new paint over a previous color, and when you’re going from a lighter shade to a darker paint color do you need to prime? The Pro’s answer is yes! Priming before painting allows a truer and richer color from your top coat, so even if you think your new color is dark enough to cover the old paint, you might not get the exact result you were expecting if you don’t prime first.
For this bedroom makeover we chose KILZ 2® All-Purpose primer, a multi-surface sealer and stain blocker that is great at hiding a previous light or mid-toned color. KILZ 2® was perfect for the job as we were taking the wall behind the bed from light to dark, but also changing the wall with the window from the old grey-green to a crisp white – this really made our final accent wall pop!

At first glance the before-to-after transformation of this space might look like it took a lot of work, but the biggest change was the new paint color. The beauty of a dark accent wall is that it can dramatically elevate your space, without the need for many other changes. We chose BEHR PREMIUM PLUS® in Nocturne Blue HDC-CL-28 for the accent wall and White Modern TB-09 for the remaining walls. A deep gray with a dark blue undertone, Nocturne Blue appears as almost black on the wall which resulted in the bold look we desired while still having a level of softness ideal for a bedroom.
After the priming and painting were done, we added new bedding and a few fresh accessories and the stunning bedroom makeover was complete. If you’re feeling inspired to paint your own dark accent wall, step-by-step instructions are below.

Step 1:
Wipe down the walls with a damp cloth to ensure they are clean and free of dust. Allow the surface to dry.
Step 2:
Tape around the baseboards, trim and moldings.

Step 3:
To ensure a perfect paint finish, start by applying 1 coat of KILZ 2® All-Purpose – stirring thoroughly before and occasionally during use. Allow 1-hour of dry time.
Pro-tip: Apply primer using a brush first to “cut in” around the edges, then use a roller to fill in.
Step 4:
Next, apply KILZ Tribute® in White Modern on all walls except the chosen accent wall. Use a brush first to cut in around the edges 4 to 6 feet at a time, then use a roller to fill in those sections before moving along.

Step 5:
Next on the chosen accent wall, apply BEHR PREMIUM PLUS Nocturne Blue. Use a brush first to cut in around the edges 4 to 6 feet at a time, then use a roller to fill in those sections before moving along.

Step 6:
Remove tape prior to paint drying.


Seal & Block Odors
August 26, 2019There is a lot to love about pets and the KILZ brand loves furry friends. That’s why we’re excited to celebrate National Dog Day on August 26! In honor of the upcoming holiday, we thought it was a great time get real about odors – pesky pet odors that is.
While more than a few KILZ brand team members share our homes with dogs or cats, no one likes their home filled with unpleasant stains or odors left accidentally by the family pet. Seemingly hard surfaces in your home including floors and walls can actually absorb stains and smells, making it that much harder to get your place smelling and looking fresh after the dog has made a mess. Luckily, there are KILZ® Primers formulated specifically to seal and block odors.
Simply painting over a blemished wall won’t always do the trick and you can be left with stains (and smells!) seeping through. Using the right primer before painting over a pet stain helps with providing a barrier that keeps odor from penetrating the new paint. A great choice for this purpose is KILZ® Original primer. Trusted by professional painters for over 40 years to tackle the toughest odors, this hardworking primer helps to block most heavy interior stains including water, smoke, tannin, ink, marker, pet stains and more. And if you’re looking for a water-based primer that can help seal and block odors, KILZ Restoration™ primer is a top pick.

If you’re in need of ridding your home from unpleasant stains and odors, keep on reading. We’re sharing the simple steps below to tackle odors, repaint and leave your home fresh as new!
Steps to Seal & Block Odors:
Step 1:
Wipe down the wall with a damp cloth to ensure it is clean and free of dust. Allow the surface to dry. Ensure adequate cross-ventilation prior to priming.

Step 2:
Tape around any baseboards, trim and moldings.

Step 3:
To seal and block pet odors and stains, apply KILZ® Original primer. Stirring prior to and during use, apply primer using a brush first to “cut in” around the edges, then use a roller to fill in.

Step 4:
Once primer is dry (allow 1-hour dry time), apply a fresh coat of paint using the same application method as the primer – using a brush first to cut in around the edges 4 to 6 feet at a time, then use a roller to fill in those sections before moving along.

Step 5:
Remove tape prior to paint fully drying and your work is done.

Prep & Paint a Porous Surface
August 20, 2019As with most any painting project, prepping and priming the surface is key before its time to paint. Choosing the right primer depends a lot on the surface type you’re painting, a choice that is second nature to professional painters but can be confusing to some! When selecting a primer, the first step is recognizing the surface you will be painting and taking into account its condition – and some surfaces are trickier than others.
In this gorgeous green bedroom, the red brick fireplace was drawing too much attention and taking away from the serene and calming feel that was desired. The fix was easy, paint the fireplace! This led us to the first step in selecting the right primer – knowing and assessing the surface that will be painted. In this case, brick, a porous surface that if not properly sealed can soak up a lot of paint. And that can cost time and money!

To prep this brick fireplace for painting we took a cue from the pros and chose KILZ® 1 Standard to seal the porous surface and ensure a professional looking finish. Other porous surfaces that are commonly painted include concrete, new wood and drywall. For any of these KILZ® 1 Standard or KILZ 2® All-Purpose are both great primers to choose.

Priming a porous surface before painting ensures your topcoat will look its best.





















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