A Military Makeover for Grandpa’s Office

A 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.