Tag: White

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 Complete Coat® in Origami 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 KILZ Complete Coat® in Yellow Frosting. Repeat the above steps to paint every other remaining stripe in Aqua Ice. 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 Complete Coat® in Aqua Ice. 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 Complete Coat® in Aqua Ice using a nylon or polyester blend brush, moving in smooth strokes that go the same direction as the wood grain.

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, White Barn. A white with a hint of gray undertone, White Barn 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. Night Magic 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.
White Barn
Night Magic
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.

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.

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.

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

Styled by Color – White Modern
May 30, 2019Memorial Day has come and gone, marking the start of summer and the season to dress in your freshest whites. Whether you subscribe to the “no wearing white before Memorial Day” rule or not, in the world of interior design white is a timeless shade that instantly breathes new life into any space. For June’s color of the month we chose White Modern, a warm off-white that captures the sunshine filled days of summer and pairs well with a broad spectrum of coordinating colors. A timeless white, it balances warm and cool tones and is versatile enough to be used throughout the home as a wall or trim color.
In a bedroom, White Modern creates a sense of comfort and openness with a contemporary edge. It pairs easily with grey and light-moss colored furniture and is complemented by soft ceramic accessories. A true white trim on doors and windows pops against White Modern walls and draws the eye to the world outside, subtly bringing the outdoors in.
White Modern creates the perfect backdrop in any space and coordinates well with a range of furniture and décor pieces. A mid-tone blue dining table and light blue hutch are a natural complement to White Modern walls and work together to create a distinct dining space next to a warm living area with a grey-brown sofa and neutral accessories.
Looking for a few other whites to try? Ultra Bright White is our whitest white and provides a crisp and clean look. For a silky neutral, Champagne White is a light cream with the perfect hint of peach.
White Modern
Ultra Bright White
Champagne White

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

Master Bedroom Refresh
August 14, 2018A ready-to-use neutral creates the ideal base for your transformation. In this case, a coat of KILZ COMPLETE COAT® Paint & Primer in One—we’ve used a color called Swiss Coffee here—leaves little guesswork and effort because it covers all four walls with one coat. After that, the magic happens.
To add a pop of contrast and sophistication, we’ve elected to paint the bottom half of the walls in a slightly contrasting neutral—another KILZ COMPLETE COAT® hue called Origami. This combined neutral palette creates the effect that the ceilings are higher than they are, opening up the bedroom and making it feel more spacious.
But our weekend bedroom transformation isn’t apparent only on the walls; a furniture refresh is in order, too. KILZ® CHALK STYLE PAINT upcycles fixtures with a soft finish, creating the perfect accent piece for our tranquil, welcoming bedroom refresh.
Swiss-Coffee
Origami
Blue Juniper
This combined neutral palette creates the effect that the ceilings are higher than they are, opening up the bedroom and making it feel more spacious.
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