Tag: White
Living Room Makeover with Meditation in Mind
June 21, 2021In this living room makeover, we set out to create a comfortable and functional meditation area that could be stored away when not in use. The living room’s large windows made it a perfect light and airy space to relax in, but the feeling of the room was weighed down by the old paint color and dark, heavy furniture. It was time to say goodbye to dull yellow walls and breathe new life into this living room with primer and a fresh coat of paint in calming colors.
For the primary walls and mullions, we began with a coat of KILZ 2® All-Purpose Primer, a dependable choice for covering up previous paint colors. The pros know that a quality primer acts as the perfect foundation for any paint job; and in this case, KILZ 2® All-Purpose Primer provided coverage to hide the old yellow paint, while its adhesion properties made it a breeze for our new paint colors to glide over the walls effortlessly. KILZ 2 primer also adds amazing longevity and durability to painted walls by working as a sealer and stain blocker.
Once our primer dried, it was time to start painting. Sometimes a too-bright white can seem harsh in a sunny room, so we chose KILZ® Tribute® Paint in Contemporary White (TB-02) for the walls and ceiling. This particular shade of white has a subtle blue undertone that cooled down the brightness just a notch, while providing a gentle, reflective backdrop for the sunlight streaming in.
We followed the same steps — primer followed by a coat of paint — for our accent wall, choosing this time a contrasting color: KILZ® Tribute® Paint in Stone Cold (TB-66), a medium-dark gray with subtle pale green undertones. This neutral gray created a calming effect, while toning down the brightness of the white walls and ceiling.
As you can see in the “before” photo, nothing looks duller than a bland expanse of carpet, so it was an easy choice to replace it with luxurious gray hardwood flooring, topped with a plush cream-colored rug quilted in an attractive diamond pattern.
Because we wanted to maintain a light, airy feel, we chose contemporary style furnishings in complementary colors, including an understated, quilted-back sofa with soft plump cushions and a cozy armchair in a fabric that matches our accent wall to perfection. We added a bit of diversity with a natural wood finish coffee table that stylistically hints at Danish Modern, and a simple butcher block end table.
We accessorized with a couple of wood accent tables, including an attractive console table that we used to support a stunning modern painting that reflects both of the room’s primary colors. We upped the comfort level several notches by adding overstuffed pillows in complementary shades.
Given the stresses of this past year, our goal for this room was to create a calm, soothing oasis for rest and relaxation. To accomplish this goal, we used an empty corner space to create a meditation station, complete with comfortable, oversized pillows and a few decorative items. Pillows are ideal for creating an on-the-spot meditation corner in any room, because once you’re done, you can easily remove them and store them away — in this case, under the console table.
Primer and a coat of paint are the two valuable tools you can have for a DIY makeover project. Primer protects and enhances your paint job, while a coat of gleaming paint can transform any space. Once you choose the right colors for your design scheme, you can add to the ambience with a few carefully chosen pieces of furniture and accessories.
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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Turn a Bland Bathroom into a Serene Spa
May 11, 2021Who wouldn’t love to have an elegant, relaxing spa in their own home? If you’re in need of a little extra rest and relaxation these days, we hope you’ll be inspired by this next transformation – where we took an outdated and sad-looking bathroom and transformed it into a bright and spa-like retreat. The essential first step? You guessed it, primer and a fresh coat of paint!
We decided upon a modern Scandinavian-meets-coastal theme to evoke the perfect spa setting and started with the walls, because color is the single component that makes the biggest impact in one’s perception of a room. The right colors can relax the mind while stimulating the senses, and that’s what we were aiming for — the sensation of being relaxed and refreshed, exactly the way you should feel after a spa treatment.
The first step was a coat of quality primer. Our choice, KILZ® Mold & Mildew Primer, has an EPA registered active ingredient that creates a mold and mildew-resistant film that protects the primer film from mold and mildew growth. KILZ Mold & Mildew Primer also provides complete coverage that hides old paint, ensuring the previous butter yellow paint color would be a thing of the past. In addition, it helps the new paint adhere beautifully, so your paintbrush or roller will glide with ease.
After the primer dried it was time for the topcoat paint. We opted for a classic – Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines® paint in Shiplap, which is a creamy weathered white. There’s not a hint of harshness in this white, with the creamy undertones softening the color throughout, even when sunlight fills the room.
We were going for a total overall in this project, so we didn’t stop at the walls. For the flooring, we replaced the outdated laminate with gleaming white marbled tiles flecked with gray. Fortunately, we were able to keep the existing bathtub, because its elongated oval contours provided an elegant counterpoint to the rest of the room.
To enhance our spa look, we choose natural wood furnishings that evoked the Scandinavian theme. For the focal point, we installed a heavy farmhouse-style sink cabinet in warm natural wood with a white countertop, brushed silver faucets and brushed black drawer pulls.
To add to the authenticity, we brought in a natural wood towel stand (complete with spa brushes) and a large seagrass laundry basket. For a touch of Danish Modern, we included a set of handsome mirrors with thin black frames and added a few modern cabinet accessories in black and gold. To complete our spa transformation, we fitted the window with a vintage-style wooden blind that filters the light beautifully and keeps it from overwhelming the room on sunny days.
As you can see from the photos, the airy, creamy white colors, combined with natural wood furnishings and matching accessories, perfectly create the look of a high-end spa, while evoking feelings of calm and relaxation. Decorative touches such as the wooden blinds and towel rack give the room a sauna-like feel, while the retro curved tub and heavy farmhouse-style cabinetry create the ambience of a luxurious bathroom in an expensive resort.
Most importantly, we managed to achieve our design scheme while also paying close attention to important essentials. In particular, we chose a high quality primer that has an EPA registered active ingredient that creates a mold and mildew-resistant film that protects the primer film from mold and mildew growth.
By starting with primer and a coat of paint, you can transform a dreary room into an interior design masterpiece. Just identify the design scheme you want to follow — vintage, retro, contemporary or eclectic — and choose the right colors to reflect the mood you are hoping to create. After that, just add a few pieces of furniture and accessories within your budget — and voila! A DIY room transformation, in sparkling colors that will raise your spirits every time you enter the room.
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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Magnolia Home: Bold Kitchen Colors
May 11, 2021While a bright white kitchen is a timeless and classic look, sometimes adding a dash of dark color in your space can be the secret ingredient to achieving an elevated design style. In this kitchen, the open and light-filled layout was ideal for a bold color choice on the walls or cabinets.
“Going with a dark paint color for a space might feel intimidating to some, but when you find deep, rich tones like these that beautifully elevate the space, the risk is worth it.” – Joanna Gaines
The brick walls in this kitchen had a beautiful natural texture that combined with the light pouring in from the large open window, made for an ideal surface to hold a darker paint shade. The chosen color, Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines® paint in Coffee Nook, offered the depth desired (a dark, smoky gray) with a softness that comes through in the blue undertones.
To complement the deep and dark walls, the cabinets were coated in a paint color with a similar gray hue but in a much lighter shade. The chosen color, Clean Slate, brought together a perfect pairing of cement gray and blue undertones. A white farmhouse sink and bright white countertops added airiness to the space, while minimalist open wood shelves added interest to the dark, brick wall.
This resulting kitchen is a design and culinary masterpiece, and proof that bold and dark color choices can be just the thing to take a design from simple to decadent. If you’re looking to explore using bold colors in your space and aren’t sure what to pair them with, explore the palette below of shades that complement Coffee Nook and Clean Slate.
Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines paint is available at select Ace Hardware store locations, and online at AceHardware.com and Magnolia.com.
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Transforming a Boring Bedroom into a Relaxing Oasis
April 8, 2021Nothing dulls the spirits more than a boring, dated bedroom design. That’s why we couldn’t wait to lift the spirits of this depressing bedroom with new colors and textures to make it sparkle with freshness.
Color has a huge impact on mood and energy levels; and especially given the stresses of the past year, it’s more important than ever to promote a healthful, stress-free atmosphere in all areas of your home — and most particularly, your bedroom. That’s why we chose creamy off-white colors that create a soothing atmosphere of calm and relaxation, while opening up the space visually so it doesn’t feel as stuffy and confined.
We began our project with the most valuable tools for any DIY makeover — primer and a coat of paint. For this makeover, we chose KILZ 3® Premium Primer, which did an amazing job of covering the old, drab olive-green paint and creating the perfect foundation for the new fresh white paint. KILZ 3 Premium Primer offers excellent adhesion and durability, allowing the new paint to glide on smoothly and adding to the longevity of your paint job.
Next, we added a coat of KILZ® Tribute® Paint in Collector’s White (TB-31). This is a creamy, barely-there white with subtle undertones of greige (gray/beige) to take the brightness down a notch, making it ideal for reflecting the sunlight filtering in from the glass doors in this master bedroom. Because of its cool undertones, we were able to use Collector’s White throughout the entire bedroom, creating a soothing, gently glimmering sparkle without a hint of harshness.
Our keynotes for this makeover were airy, simple, calm and relaxing, and we accomplished these with a streamlined Contemporary Swedish-Meets-Coastal California theme. For the focal point, we chose a modern four-poster bed in gray-toned brown natural wood. We added matching lacquered wood bedtables in a similar brown/gray shade, styled in keeping with our Scandinavian/Danish Modern theme.
We kept the attractive, natural hardwood floor, but added a cozy off-white rug. Other furnishings and accessories — including an armchair, lamps and bedding — were chosen to reflect the creamy white of the walls.
One interior designer’s tip: Pillows and other textiles are a great, affordable way to underscore your design scheme. We choose plump, oversized woven natural-fiber pillows in shades to tone in with the rest of the room, with handcrafted touches such as pom-poms and fringe. We finished the look with two attractive white ceramic lamps, styled in the Danish Modern tradition and topped with pale ecru linen shades.
The overall look is one of natural textures — crisp linens and woven cottons — giving this master bedroom a clean, fresh, inviting look of soothing freshness. When coupled with the bright sunlight filtering in from the glass doors, the impression is of a gleaming, glistening oasis for rest and relaxation — the kind of ambience you would look for in a luxury spa or hotel. And with quality primer and paint, the good news is that this pristine, fresh clean look can be easy to maintain as well.
Anyone can achieve a room transformation like this at an affordable price. The key is to choose colors that reflect the mood and ambience you want to create — whether it’s light and airy or warm and nostalgic. That’s why paint and primer are your greatest tools in any DIY makeover. They’re not only affordable, but they’re also so easy to apply that even a newbie can do it without any help, and with spectacular results.
With primer and a coat of paint, you can transform a dull, outdated room into a showplace. The primer will enhance all your painted surfaces, while protecting them from household dust, dirt and mildew. Likewise, a fresh coat of paint will lift a room into a new dimension of beauty and vibrancy. Just add a few pieces of furniture and accessories within your budget — and voila! You’ve created an affordable, elegant room makeover that will stimulate your sense of color and beauty, while relaxing your mind and spirits.
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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Magnolia Home: Inviting Entryway
March 15, 2021The entryway is often your home’s first impression to guests and visitors, and it is a great area to make a statement with a striking paint color combination. This entryway has an elevated feel that brings the outdoors in with a deep evergreen gray from Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines® paint. Aptly named Luxe, the nature-inspired green hue brings a depth and richness to the space.
“This entryway has a warm and inviting feel to it, and I love how the stark white contrasted with the deep green gives it a bold, yet timeless look.” – Joanna Gaines
The placement of a paint color is just as important as the shade when you’re going for a statement-making transformation. The French doors in this entryway had a bold trim that was begging to be painted – and when coated in the same green as the wainscotting it created a seamless look and just the right amount of drama. The flow of green also served to draw the outdoors in, playing off the landscaping in the exterior.
The timeless design of this entryway is accomplished with the perfect pairing of Luxe with the starkness of True White – a bright white that balances the rich green and emphasizes the space’s architectural elements. The bold green and white backdrop called for simple furniture and styling, with a perfectly placed wooden bench, simple artwork and pretty woven rugs completing the look.
Luxe and True White can both be found in the Market Collection, a palette of 25 colors personally crafted by Joanna Gaines. The entire Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines paint line includes 150 timeless colors, making it easy to find a shade that’s perfect for your home.
Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines paint is available at select Ace Hardware store locations, and online at AceHardware.com and Magnolia.com.
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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.
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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.
“I love the way this moody, dark green comes to life on the walls – balancing depth and sophistication with familiarity and comfort.”
– 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.
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5 Things Primer Does for Your Paint Job
January 19, 2021Primer and paint belong together. A match made in design-heaven, primer helps paint to be the best it can be and is key to getting professional quality results. Read on below to learn five things primer does for your paint job and get inspiration for your next painting project.
Primer Makes Your Paint Job Durable
Over time, fluctuating temperatures and humidity levels can make paint peel. For spaces where this is normal like kitchens, using KILZ 3® Premium Primer (known for its exceptional adhesion and durability) before you paint can help ensure your paint job lasts longer. See the full kitchen transformation with step-by-step instructions here.
Primer Seals and Blocks Stains
If you have a wall with unpleasant stains, for example smoke stains from a previous homeowner in a bedroom, KILZ® Original Primer with its powerful stain blocking formula is the one for the job. See how we freshened up a mid-century modern bedroom with primer here.
Versatile Multi-Surface Sealer
When you want to paint a porous surface like brick, you want a primer that seals the surface. KILZ 2® All-Purpose Primer is a versatile multi-surface sealer perfect for the task. See how a freshly primed and painted fireplace pops against on-trend navy walls in this post.
Primer Hides Dark Colors
When you’re applying a new paint color, the last thing you need is your old color seeping through. That’s why KILZ 3® Premium Primer is a great primer choice when going from a darker color to a lighter color. It hides dark colors and creates the perfect base for your new topcoat paint. See how KILZ primer turned a dark spare room into a sunny and sweet nursery here.
Primer Has a Mildew Resistant Primer Finish
In high humidity areas, like bathrooms, KILZ® Kitchen & Bath Primer is up to the task. It dries with a mildew resistant primer finish that helps protect and support paint. See the full bathroom transformation here.
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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Color Blocking for a Sweet Nursery
January 19, 2021A neglected and dark spare room is transformed into a sunny and sweet nursery with the help of KILZ® Primer and paint. The existing deep berry-hued walls wouldn’t do for the light and bright look desired for the space, calling for KILZ 3® Premium. Formulated with a thicker high hiding formula, KILZ 3 Premium hides surface imperfections, prepares the surface better for painting and hides previous dark colors with ease.
After primer is properly applied and allowed to dry it’s time for some fun color blocking in a fresh white and happy orange hue. KILZ Complete Coat® in White Wing is used for the top half of the wall, while the same paint in Orange Crush LB200-02 brightens up the bottom. KILZ Complete Coat provides a durable, highly scrubbable finish, making for easy-to-clean walls ideal for children’s rooms.
Primer and paint take the room from dim to delightful, and now it’s time to decorate! A hanging chair creates a relaxing space for rocking and reading, while a sweet white crib pops against the orange paint color and ties to the white hue on the upper wall. Fanciful artwork and a colorful mobile complement the color-blocking and create a fun focal point.
In need of your own nursery makeover? Read on below for step-by-step instructions!
Step 1:
Wipe down walls with a damp cloth to ensure they are clean and free of dust. Allow to dry.
Step 2:
Tape around the baseboards and moldings with painter’s tape to ensure you don’t get primer or paint where you don’t want it!
Step 3:
To block the old dark paint color, apply 1 coat of KILZ 3® Premium (stirring thoroughly before and occasionally during use) to the walls and allow to dry. 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, it’s time to tape off the color black pattern. Mark the wall where you want the top lighter color and darker bottom color to hit. Using a level and a pencil, draw a thin line to guide you. Next, apply painter’s tape to the line.
Step 5:
Starting with the lighter color for the top half of the wall (in this case KILZ Complete Coat® in White Wing), apply 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 the tape before the paint is fully dry.
Step 6:
Once the paint is dry, reapply the tape so the bottom edge is even with where the White Wing paint ended (essentially making sure the darker bottom color meets exactly where the lighter color stopped!). Then apply KILZ Complete Coat® in Orange Crush to the bottom half of the wall using the same application method as before (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 7:
Remove the painter’s tape before the orange paint is fully dry, and you’re done!
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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