Tag: Blue
These Three Rooms Call for a Primer that provides a Mildew-Resistant Primer Finish
February 12, 2020We believe that every project is worth using KILZ® brand primer. Priming before painting is what the professional painters generally like to do, and we would not recommend any other way.
If you talk to a professional painter about priming, they will tell you that certain rooms in the home call for primers with specific properties. From stain blocking to hiding a previous paint color, the KILZ brand has a primer to solve the most common and the toughest painting problems. In this post, we’re going to look at three rooms that all share one specific use case – the need for primer in a moister prone environment.
Mildew can be a common problem in areas of the home where there may be excess moisture. In these rooms, consider using a primer that will provide a mildew resistant primer finish. The first room in which we would most often recommend using a primer with a mildew resistant finish is the bathroom. From small powder rooms to grand master bathrooms, this area of the home is subject to high levels of moisture and humidity nearly every day.
KILZ® Kitchen & Bath Primer is another great choice, as this product not only offers a mildew-resistant primer finish but also provides excellent adhesion and stain blocking properties. We recently used KILZ Kitchen & Bath in a pretty in pink bathroom renovation, you can check that out here.
That leads us into the next room in the home on our list, the kitchen! We recommend priming both your walls and kitchen cabinets with a mildew-resistant primer like KILZ Kitchen & Bath or KILZ 3® Premium. If you’re interested to see a step by step kitchen renovation using KILZ 3 Premium, check out this recent post on a Colorful Kitchen Cabinet Transformation.
Last but not least, there is one more room found in most homes that calls for the use of primer with a mildew resistant finish. The laundry room! This small space is often overlooked when it comes time to think about repainting, but it is one room in particular where you definitely want to use the right primer.
Similar to kitchens, we recommend priming the walls and any cabinets in the laundry room with KILZ 3 Premium or KILZ Kitchen & Bath. If you’re looking to refresh your laundry room, keep an eye out for a light and airy laundry room makeover coming up on the blog in March!
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Our Favorite 2020 Design Trends
January 7, 2020While the KILZ® brand is known first and foremost for our hardworking primers, color and design are also important to our team! Primer might technically be colorless, but it is a crucial step in adding color to your walls, cabinets and furniture pieces. Primer should often be the first step in achieving a new look for your space, so in a sense you can consider primer a part of the design process just as much as paint.
As we enter a new year, we’re excited to share a few color and design trends to help you along the way to completing your painting and renovation projects. Color and design trends are everywhere, and there is no one size fits all in terms of the hottest hue or best design style – but we’ve rounded up a few of our 2020 favorites to help inspire your project planning process in this new year.
Kitchens Are King:
In 2020, you’re going to see kitchen renovations and remodels popping like corn at the movies! (Translation: they’re everywhere and on everyone’s minds). In 2020, we’ll be exploring more kitchen color trends and design hacks on the blog to help you renovate your kitchen on budgets both big and small. 
Not Over Navy:
Blues and grays have been popular paint colors in recent years and we’re nowhere near done with them. From kitchens to bedrooms and cabinets to walls, navy can often act as a “dark neutral” to give a pop of color to a space while also keeping it classic. And we’re not alone in our love for navy, Pantone named Classic Blue the Color of 2020. Look out for some of our favorite shades of Navy in upcoming How-To posts later this year (spoiler alert – we’re painting everything from living room walls to dining room chairs in this easy to love shade!). 
Fireplaces that Pop:
Who doesn’t love the crackling of a warm fire on a cold winter’s day? And for a fireplace design that pops both inside and out, we’re loving bright white bricks against colored walls and monochrome fireplaces in unexpected shades. 
Full Circle Design:
Patterns and shapes are easy ways to add fun and unexpected touches to any room, and for 2020 we’re loving circles! From painting round pops of color on an accent wall to circular inspired décor items like mirrors, fabric and lighting, curved shapes and lines bring a nice softness to any design style. 
Color Blocking Children’s Spaces:
A little one’s room is the perfect place to play with pops of colors and interesting patterns or color placement. In 2019 we showcased a nursery makeover with a sweet striped wall, and we’re excited to explore more color blocking in 2020 for kid’s rooms.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Prep Mildew Prone Areas Like a Pro
August 6, 2019Professional painters know that priming can be a crucial step for any paint project. Whether you’re painting fresh drywall or looking to hide a previous wall color, a primer should always be properly applied before your topcoat. The necessity of this prep step is even more advantageous in mildew prone areas like kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms. These rooms often have excessive moisture making mildew a common problem, and simply painting over the issue is only a temporary solution.
For results that last, a primer created with specific mildew-resistant properties is what professionals often choose. The last thing you want is a mildew ridden kitchen or smelly bathroom and KILZ® primer is here to help with professional tips for ensuring a mildew-resistant finish on your next paint project.
First things first, start by choosing the right primer. KILZ® Kitchen & Bath is specially designed for high-humidity and moisture-prone rooms like kitchens, laundry rooms and bathrooms. It has an enhanced mildew-resistant film that protects the primer from mildew growth. Another professional quality choice is KILZ 3™ Premium. Formulated for both interior and exterior use, this water-based primer works well for a variety of home improvement projects.
Now you’ve got the right primer, what’s next? Start by cleaning any existing mold or mildew off the surface you’re going to be priming and painting. Once the surface is fully dry, it’s time to prime!
For results that last, a primer created with specific mildew-resistant properties is what professionals often choose.
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Colorful Kitchen Cabinet Transformation
August 1, 2019Have you been cooking up ideas for your dream kitchen but don’t know exactly where to start? While the cabinets might seem like a daunting place to begin, a fresh coat of paint and primer on this area of your kitchen can result in a dramatic transformation. The kitchen cabinets are also an area of the home where you can have fun with color – from bold blues to moody blacks, colorful cabinets can be as on-trend as they are timeless.
This month we’re bringing you a dash of inspiration and a pinch of proper prep work, served up in a stunning kitchen cabinet transformation. To take this sunny space from boring to brilliant, we chose Oceans Deep for the kitchen cabinets. The dark bluish green with gray tones is subdued enough to cover a large area but still results in a space with a ton of personality. Oceans Deep is available in the KILZ® Tribute® paint line, a low VOC paint that offers excellent stain-blocking performance and durability – both necessary qualities for an area where sticky fingers and spills are inevitable!
Equally important as color choice in this kitchen cabinet makeover was the primer selection. Since kitchens are prone to excess moisture and humidity, that also means that mildew can quickly become an issue. To ensure our cabinets would stay fresh for years to come we chose KILZ 3™ Premium primer, a fast drying, low odor and very low VOC primer that provides a mildew resistant coating.
Any professional painter will tell you that proper prep is key to the success of your project, and cabinets are no exception. If you’re ready to get started on your own kitchen transformation, below are instructions detailing how-to prime and paint your kitchen cabinets.
Step 1:
Use a screwdriver to remove the cabinet doors and drawers from the cabinet frame.
Step 2:
Remove all door handles and hardware. It’s always best to put each screw back exactly where it came from to ensure the least amount of stress on the wood.
Pro-tip: Put the screws back into the hardware, then seal the hardware and screws in painter’s tape and label it.
Sand the surfaces of the doors, drawer faces and cabinet frame. Do a first pass with 100-150 grit sandpaper then finish with a second pass of 180-220 grit sandpaper, always moving the sandpaper 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.
Step 4:
Apply KILZ 3™ Premium using a brush or roller to ensure a mildew resistant finish. Stir thoroughly before and occasionally during use. Allow 1-hour dry time.
Step 5:
Apply KILZ® Tribute® in Oceans Deep (a satin or semi-gloss finish is recommended) with a brush or roller, moving in smooth strokes in the same direction as the wood grain.
Step 6:
Once paint is dry, reattach hardware to doors and then reattach doors to cabinets.
Oceans Deep
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Styled by Color – Fresh Front Doors
July 22, 2019This month we’re taking our trending colors outside for an easy way to elevate your curb appeal. A bold hue applied to your front door can instantly breathe new life into a tired exterior and the color choices are virtually endless! The front door is a perfect size to play with a bright or bold color that might otherwise overwhelm the entire exterior, which made it that much harder for us to choose just a few top picks. While a tomato red or sunshine yellow hue would surely punch up your porch, we found ourselves drawn this month to shades of blue, green and black as cool summer picks for a front door makeover.
If you’re ready to add a bold color to your front door but you typically prefer more neutral shades, BEHR’s Nocturne Blue might be the color for you. A deep gray with a dark blue undertone it can appear almost black in some lights, but with the subtle interest of its underlying hues. Nocturne Blue works great as a front door color against a lighter exterior paint color, like a nearly-white grey or a sandy tan.
Looking for a shade with a bit more brightness? Then you’ll love our next pick, Oceans Deep. The dark bluish green with gray tones is a refined yet fun front door color choice. We love how it pops against a true white door frame and light wood exterior.
And if you’re ready to go all in with a lighter and brighter shade, Oceanic is a light green with a yellow undertone that evokes the color of a natural prasiolite quartz. A front door painted in Oceanic perfectly pops against a home with an all-black exterior.
For our last pick, we went for a bold shade that is a real showstopper on a front door. A bright green with a yellow undertone, BEHR’s Celtic Queen finds its perfect partner in a sleek black doorframe on this modern wood paneled home.
Nocturne Blue
Oceans Deep
Oceanic
Celtic Queen
A front door makeover is a minimal investment with a big return on your overall curb appeal and with summer entertaining season underway, there’s no better time to freshen up the first thing guests see when they arrive.
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Trendy Two-Toned Kitchen Cabinet Refresh
September 4, 2018Once the space is cleared, remove the cabinet drawers and doors for sanding. Applying a coat of KILZ® 2 Latex primer achieves two important goals: it blocks out stains and provides the ideal surface for new paint colors to adhere to the wooden drawers. Perform the same prep steps on kitchen walls.
When painting cabinetry, choose a strong, semi-gloss latex paint that holds up to the rigors of daily use in a high traffic area. Since we’re going for a lively, two-toned look, we’ve chosen KILZ® TRIBUTE® in a periwinkle blue called Old Lamppost and contrasted it with KILZ® TRIBUTE® in Contemporary White.
Add some additional color punch with wild, graphic patterns on curtains or linens and suddenly your kitchen is a fun, inviting space perfect for entertaining. New knobs and pulls breathe new life into the cabinets once they’re replaced, and a simple pair of curtains cleverly camouflages the laundry appliances. An inexpensive set of new accessories tops off our slick new kitchen look, and the finished product is now cozy, clean and welcoming.
Old Lamppost
Contemporary White
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