When you want to make an impactful change without making a big impact on your wallet, one avenue of home project possibilities to contemplate is the seemingly endless endeavors that you can carry out with a simple gallon of paint. One gallon of paint can take you further aesthetically than you might have imagined. And a 1-gallon project may not even take you a full weekend to finish. So let’s roll through some options that may be painting projects you would consider tackling.
Painting your front door a standout or new complimentary color that goes well with the look of your home’s exterior is one big visual factor in adding curb appeal to your property. I have seen shades in the red, yellow, gray, and blue color families make bold statements when lacquered on front doors.
Adding a darker shade to the walls of a small bathroom can do the exact opposite of what you may think, which is make a small bathroom look smaller. Instead, darker shades added to some small spaces provide more definition and depth, giving the space a grander, more spacious feel. And adding a new gallon of paint to a bathroom is a fast, economical way to update it without replacing old tiles or fixtures. Throw in a new set of white towels, and you’re on your way to a spa feel at home.
The bedroom furniture you picked “back in the day” may not be what you would choose again now if you had it to do all over again, but that is a sign of how times and tastes change. Instead of dreaming of new bedroom pieces amid their weighty price tags, let a gallon of paint turn your current headboard into a new creation. By adding a new color and picking your preference between a mat or glossy finish, you have given your room a new look without replacing anything.
Painting kitchen cabinets and bookshelves are larger-scale undertakings, but their work load can be diminished while still making their impact increase. Paint kitchen cabinet fronts and doors, and leave the interior walls and shelves as they are if your goal is to simply change their look. Do, however, remove the doors and the hardware prior to painting to avoid taping off and doing a less than professional looking job. To the contrary, a way to change the look of bookshelves and entertainment center built-ins is to just paint the back wall and leave the interior dividing walls, shelves, and fronts the way they are. Adding a paint shade to the back panel you see is a standout design element that highlights what you choose to display on the shelves while being a kind of artwork on its own.
Dip into one gallon of paint, and see where the brush strokes can take the look of your home.
DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star May 8th.
