Tag: Green

WFH Spaces that Inspire Great Work
February 12, 2021In the last year our homes have become more multi-functional than ever, becoming the spaces many people work and even go to school. Creating a space that can serve as an office or study area can be a challenge – especially if you don’t have an extra room just sitting empty and waiting for a makeover. But with a little creativity and the power of primer, you can create a gorgeous WFH (or study at home) area in just about any size space. Read on to see how we took two drab, uninspiring spaces and transformed them into attractive, design-forward offices and study areas that would motivate anyone to do their best work.
The key to our success? A layer of KILZ® Primer and a coat of fresh paint — once again proving that hard-working primer and quality paint are cost-effective tools in any type of interior makeover. Along the way, we added on-trend and functional furniture and a few eye-catching accessories. Here’s exactly what we did, and how we achieved these much-needed transformations.
From a Neglected Nook to a Happy Home Office
For our first transformation, a peaceful office was converted from an unused corner in a larger room. Given the limited dimensions, the space called for colors that would visually enlarge the area. Our first job was to open it up so you could feel like you’re working in a pleasant room, not a closet. Toward that end, we opted for light, airy shades that would add a subtle touch of color, while opening up the room to make it feel less confining. We also resorted to a tried-and-true designer’s trick—installing wall-to-wall shelving to create a space-saving recessed work area.
We started with KILZ 2® All-Purpose Primer, which covered up the unsightly scuffs left behind from the old bookshelf and offered added adhesion to ensure the new coat of paint would roll on evenly and easily. For our paint color choices, we opted for a fresh, contemporary office look—casual, light and attractive, with pastel shades that are easy on the eyes. For the back accent wall, we chose Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines® paint, in Sir Drake, a gentle gray balanced with aqua blue hues. We decided on a more intriguing and deeper shade (rather than a classic sky blue) because it made the wall pop with color, while still generating a calm, soothing vibe. Following a slightly coastal theme, for the sidewalls and bottom accent wall we chose Shiplap – a rich, creamy weathered white also from the Magnolia Home paint line.
The mix of blue and white, combined with the natural wood shelving, achieved a slightly Scandinavian ambiance that felt just right. We accented the office nook with furnishings and accessories with a minimalistic, Danish-modern feel – a comfortable contemporary office chair in cream, a table in light varnished wood, nature studies in pale wooden frames, and accessories in wood, ceramic and brass, with touches of grey and blue throughout.
From Boring Back Room to A+ Study Area
The next transformation took a neglected room off a main living space and turned it into an appealing study space for two older kids. The heavy wood desk wasn’t making the grade and the clutter in the corner had to go. We decided to bring the room back to life with a bit of color to stimulate energy, imagination and creativity.
We started our project in a big way, by installing vertical shiplap boards over the back accent wall for instant visual appeal. A timeless and textural addition to any space, shiplap walls give you a designer look while being surprisingly easy and affordable to install – even if you’re a newbie DIYer.
Next, we covered our new shiplap wall with a coat of KILZ 2® All-Purpose Primer — a crucial first step when working with uncoated wallboards, because this multi-surface primer provides excellent adhesion and ensures the new paint glides on effortlessly.
Once the primer dried, it was time to choose the color. We opted for a warm, inviting green – KILZ® Tribute® Paint in American Pine (TB-69). This rich, eye-catching hunter green was perfect for the look we were going for, a modern take on the comfy/cozy traditional farmhouse style.
We added a convenient floating shelf for accessories; and, since space wasn’t a huge issue here, we were able to fit in a fantastic double desk, consisting of a simple deep-drawer base topped with pale wood to match the shelving. For added comfort, we replaced the dated desk chair with fully upholstered chairs in neutral shades to tone in with the rest of the room. To go with the woodsy green theme, we added accessories in wicker, nature-themed photos with pine frames and other knick-knacks in sage and blue tints—a bowl here, a vase there—to complete the look.
Always remember to refer to our website kilz.com or product back labels for additional information on which primer is right for your project and detailed instructions on how to apply our products.












Magnolia Home: Cozy Green Library
February 12, 2021If you’re looking for color inspiration for a reading room or home office, this library is proof that a deep, rich color can set the scene. While it might seem like a bold choice to cover all four walls, the right shade can add a sense of comfort and refinement to your space. This paint color, 1905 Green from Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines®, is a forest green hue that brings this library to life.
– Joanna Gaines
Introduced last year to the Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines® paint palette, 1905 Green was originally created for Magnolia Press Coffee Co. in Waco, Texas, covering both its interior and exterior. The mix of deep blue and jewel-tone green nicely complements warm accents and rich textures, like the bronze-framed artwork and cozy velvet reading chair featured in this sophisticated and inviting library.
Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines paint is available at select Ace Hardware store locations, and online at AceHardware.com and Magnolia.com.



Magnolia Home: Relaxing Rose-Hued Bedroom
January 14, 2021If you think pink walls are just for children, this rose-hued bedroom painted in coordinating shades from Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines® paint line just might make you reconsider. Soft and neutral, the two-toned pink walls give this bedroom a modern yet relaxed feel that is perfectly complemented by the room’s light wood floors. Nature-inspired accents and understated bedding complete the space.
“These muted, rosy colors add an airiness to the room that is beautifully drawn out by the natural light pouring in.” – Joanna Gaines
If you’re considering adding a pop of pink to your own home, the two timeless shades in this room are a great place to start! The vertical skinny-lap wall is painted in Ella Rose, a classic pale pink that will forever be in style. This particular pink is one of 25 colors in the Market Collection, a palette personally crafted by Joanna Gaines. The coordinating, whisper-pink paint on the top wall is Antique Rose. Another hue from the Market Collection, Antique Rose is a delicate ivory shade dusted with pink and yellow.
Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines paint line includes 150 timeless colors curated by Joanna, making it easy to find a shade that’s perfect for your home. And if you love the colors featured in this bedroom, you’re sure to love the palette of six colors below that was created around these pretty pink hues.
Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines paint is available at select Ace Hardware store locations, and online at AceHardware.com and Magnolia.com.



Primers for Small Projects
August 19, 2020As we move into the start of fall, there is still ample to tackle painting projects you might not have gotten to during the summer months before the winter and holiday season begins. Small projects that, including furniture repainting or refreshing, can be completed in as little as a day or a weekend – but can still make a big difference in the look and feel of your space.
Do you need to prime when painting a small piece of furniture? Our answer is emphatically yes! But do you need entire gallon of primer to get the job done? Most likely the answer there is no. KILZ® Brand offers a family of hardworking primers suitable for all types of painting projects large and small, indoor and outdoor. Trusted by pros for over 40 years, KILZ® Original Interior Primer is available in a convenient aerosol formula, ideal for small painting projects and spot priming interior surfaces.
If you’ve never used an aerosol primer before, we have a few tips to get you started! Similar to priming a wall or set of cabinets, when using an aerosol primer you’ll want to be sure the surface is clean and free of dust. For glossy surfaces, we recommend scuff sanding the surface before priming to ensure maximum adhesion. When using an aerosol primer, wearing eye protection is advised, as well as covering adjacent areas to protect from any primer overspray. For best results, you’ll want to use the aerosol primer at room temperature.
Once your area and surface are prepped, shake the primer can vigorously for one minute after the mixing ball begins to rattle, and shake often during use. Hold the can upright, moving from side-to-side while spraying lightly and evenly about 12″ from area being painted. We recommend 2-3 thin coats to produce the best results. Dry time for most of our aerosol primers is about one hour, and then you’re ready to paint!
If you don’t want the odor of an aerosol primer, we suggest KILZ Original Low-Odor Interior Aerosol Primer. Formulated with the same stainblocking performance as KILZ Original, it features fast odor dissipation technology which means no lingering odor†. Ideal for use in dining areas, small apartments and other areas which are sensitive to high odor levels.
For furniture pieces that might be exposed to the elements on your porch or patio, KILZ Original Interior | Exterior Aerosol Primer is a great choice. We used this primer as the first step in repainting a thrift-store furniture find, meant to be used as an outdoor dining chair. Another reason to use aerosol primers is when covering intricate and detailed surfaces, like the back of this chair. Not only did the aerosol primer work to seal the surface, but it made priming the scalloped details a breeze!
Looking for more small project priming and painting tips? Check out our recent post on using KILZ Chalk Style paint to upcycle furniture.
Always remember to refer to our website kilz.com or product back labels for additional information on which primer is right for your project and detailed instructions on how to apply our products.



Dining Room Debate: Light or Bright?
August 11, 2020Is your dream dining room serving up pops of bright color, fun fabrics and fixtures? Or perhaps neutral tones and coastal inspired textures are your preferred dining room design menu? That is the question of this post, as we look at dining rooms styles from light to bright. No matter your style, we’re pretty sure there is one you will love!
Our dining room debate arose as we started a project to refresh an adorable dining nook. We knew we wanted to take the walls from the current dirty brown shade to an airy white hue, so first it was time to prime. To cover the light brown paint color, we chose KILZ 2® All-Purpose primer. This water-based primer offers excellent adhesion and easily covers light to medium colors. After properly priming the walls (and allowing them to dry!), we top coated with KILZ Complete Coat® Paint in White Wing. This sugar white shade has a cotton underdone and appears as a soft white in most light. For full step-by-step directions on covering both light and dark paint colors head over to our post Pro Tips for Painting Over a Dark or Light Wall.
The fresh white walls created a perfect blank canvas that could easily be the backdrop for a variety of color palettes. Inspired by the existing table and chairs, we started with a California Casual design style and played with neutral tones and textures. A new jute rug under the table anchored the space, while a fun basket-weave chandelier, sea-glass colored vase and ocean-inspired accessories completed the look.
Next up, it was time to turn this style on its head and go from light to bright! We brought in a bright white table and chalk-painted blue wooden chairs and an over-sized teal rug. Striped cushions and colorful brightened up the dining bench, while an array of three playful chandeliers came together to create a fun statement chandelier.
The newly primed and painted walls were the perfect backdrop for these two design styles, proving that white walls are far from boring. From bold and colorful, to sophisticated and neutral, the right white shade on your walls can open up a space to a myriad of design possibilities. Which style spoke to you?
Always remember to refer to our website kilz.com or product back labels for additional information on which primer is right for your project and detailed instructions on how to apply our products.



Tips for Painting Walls and Cabinets
June 1, 2020Painting your walls or cabinets is an easy and low-cost way to update any room in your house, and most painting projects can be completed in just one weekend. Equally as important as choosing the right paint color is ensuring you prime first with the right primer. Without priming before painting, you risk poor paint adhesion and previous colors or stains seeping through and ruining your new paint color.
Using the right primer ensures that your topcoat color will appear on the walls as you expected it to. If you’re painting over a darker colored wall with a new lighter shade, KILZ 3® Premium Primer works to block previous dark paint colors from seeping through and changing the look of your new paint. When painting over a light color with a new darker hue, it’s still equally important to prime first. KILZ 2® All-Purpose primer is a great choice for light to dark color changes. And if your walls have tough or exceptionally dark stains or damage from smoke or water, KILZ® Original Primer and KILZ Restoration are both formulated to block severe stains.
Priming before painting ensures your paint color pops!
What if you’re painting cabinets, do you need to prime? If you want excellent paint adhesion and for your colors to appear in their truest hue – the answer is yes! Primer also makes your paint job durable, and that is especially important in high-traffic areas like kitchens. You often find cabinets in kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms, and these areas of the home are subject to fluctuating temperatures and humidity levels that can make paint peel. For these spaces, a primer like KILZ Mold & Mildew dries with a mildew resistant primer finish that helps protect and extend the life of your paint.
When painting cabinets, priming first ensures excellent adhesion and truer color from your topcoat.
While priming before painting can seem like an extra step, it’s a vital part of the painting process!
Always remember to refer to our website kilz.com or product back labels for additional information on which primer is right for your project and detailed instructions on how to apply our products.
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