This post is sponsored by HomeRight. All opinions are my own.
One of the things that’s been on my to-do list at the MCC House for at least a year is painting the kitchen. The reason that it’s been on the list for so long is that the paint in the kitchen really isn’t that bad, so other things keep leaping over that item on my list. It’s just a little darker than I would like, and since that room is already kind of dark because of our heavy tree cover, I thought it would look better if the kitchen was painted the same color as our living and dining rooms.
When we moved in, the downstairs looked like this going from the living room and dining room into the kitchen. The living room was (and still is) Oatlands Subtle Taupe by Valspar and the dining room was green.
It only took about a week until the dining room was also Oatlands Subtle Taupe, though!
I also hung up one of my own chandeliers; that always makes a big difference.
Here was the kitchen when we moved in; it’s still a neutral but like I said, just a bit darker than I like.
I did paint the wall to the left of the stove with chalkboard paint, but it wasn’t until last week that I bit the bullet and finally decided to paint the rest of the kitchen…just in time to host guests over the holidays!
As you know, we are HomeRight ambassadors and use all of their products around our homes. As much as I paint, we really put their sprayers and other products through their paces! For this room, all I needed was a paintbrush, a can of paint, and my Paint Stick EZ Twist {learn more HERE | buy your own HERE}.
Be sure to read through to the end of the post, where we’re giving away a PaintStick to one lucky DIY’er.
Granted, this is a small space, but the PaintStick makes fast work of any paint project. Here’s how the lighter color looks:
I think that having one color in all of the open rooms makes the small floor plan seem more spacious; there’s definitely a better flow throughout the downstairs.
Why do I always pull out my PaintStick? Because not only is it the fastest way to paint walls, but it minimizes mess and cleanup and is so much easier on my back. Instead of constantly climbing up and down the ladder to reload my roller, I just twist the handle and release more paint into the perforated roller cover. I can paint an 8′ x 8′ wall in one minute! Also, there’s no need to use a tray with the PaintStick.
Here’s a video that shows you how easy it is to use:
Confession: I always throw my rollers away instead of rinsing them forever and ever. I do the same thing with my PaintStick; I buy inexpensive replacement covers HERE.
Here are a few more shots of the lighter color:
See other rooms that I’ve painted with the PaintStick here: our powder room | my daughter’s room | master bedroom|
Enter to win your own HomeRight PaintStick EZ Twist:
Good luck and thanks for stopping by!
I need to organize before the holidays.
It looks so bright now. Great job on such a small kitchen.
Love the change in color. It really did brighten up the space. We are planning on going lighter throughout our home soon. Our trees have matured over the years and the house is so dark with our current colors.
I am organizing my pantry and closet so I have room for all the extra baking supplies and a place to hide gifts! Love this paintstick, never heard of it, thanks so much for sharing!
First a little organization, then ALL the decorating!
I paint and repaint rooms in my house all the time, so that paint stick would really come in handy. I used a similar product once maybe 20 years ago and it made the process so much easier. I’m sure this one is even better!
We are in transition during this holiday season … moving across the country! So, I guess my project would be to find a new home! I love moving in and making a house mine! paint is always at the top of the list!
I want to paint the bedrooms over the winter. This would help sooo much,
I need to do some organizing in our master bedroom and then finish with a coat of paint…hopefully with this new roller!
Organize and get my carpets cleaned.
Oh how I need this for the home we just purchased! Painting every single room.
I have a cute little church pew that I need to paint for our entry.
My kitchen could *really* use a paint stick!! It’s really not hard to clean? I’ve been thinking about buying one, but was nervous about the clean-up.
The key is to toss the cover–washing roller covers takes forever!
Installing new wood flooring in our living room. It keeps getting put off. And I want to re-paint when we get everything out of there.
We have lost several immediate family members in the past year. My dining room is filled with boxes of “family heirlooms” that I need to go through and find a home for the items I want to keep.
I too have back issues and would love to try the paint stick, especially if it makes the job easier and less painful.
Randa–
I’m so sorry to hear that you’ve lost several loved ones–that’s so hard! Going through those boxes full of memories is definitely a bittersweet way to spend your holiday time.
Sending you all good wishes and prayers for peace and lovely memories!
Christy
Would love to try the paintstck. It would certainly be easier on my back.
Before the holidays, I have to put up the wreaths and candles in the windows. We are all ready for that.
Wow! It looks so much bigger and brighter. I would love to try the paint stick to finish painting me basement. I ran out of paint and never finished so that’s my top todo!
Any tips on painting wooden dining room chairs? I want them to be a semi gloss finish. I would love to win a paint stick.
Your rooms look absolutely wonderful!! My main job between now and next Wednesday is to get the guest room so that someone larger than the Princess Posie cat will fit in there!! I am SOOOOO bad about using that room for much needed storage!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Blessings,
J
The space does look larger with the brighter color. I’m always interested to learn about various DIY tools on your projects! Thanks.
The space does look larger with the brighter color. I’m always interested to learn about various DIY tools on your projects! Thanks.
I am furiously getting ready for the holiday season
I need to organize my guest room and den.
I need to finish painting our deck? Christy, looking forward to being in your neck of the woods next week?
Need to paint a bedroom. This would make it so much faster!
Hi. Thank you for a great giveaway. Need to clean.
Hi, I am de-cluttering my peninsula counter top, trying to spruce up and brighten the kitchen until I can paint it. This would really help that! 😉
I would love the give this a try. It would make painting so much easier.
I like the lighter, brighter look.
Baking and kitchen cleaning/organizing before the holidays
You rock! You have done a ton of painting and making improvements on a rental that if I remember correctly you will be leaving when your son soon graduates? I confess: I have lived in the same home for 36 years and still have some closets with their original coat of paint.
Blessings to you and your family. You are an encouragement to many.
Thank you so much, Linda. That’s a lovely thing to say! Closets are such a pain to paint that I don’t blame you one bit for having original paint in them. 🙂
You are correct that we were supposed to be moving out to Kansas. Our son graduated in May and we did spend the summer in Kansas with my husband; however, his unit is about to deploy overseas and we opted not to move out there for just a few short months together before he left us. We also have a daughter who is a sophomore so these high school moves need to be planned out carefully! We’re going to be together again next summer, God willing.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Linda!
Christy
Top of my list is replacing all (!) of the floors in my house. Hurricane Florence left us with a mess:( I also will be painting all of the walls. this would be the perfect assistant for me!
I hate to hear that Florence left a mess behind her. Are you in North Carolina, too? We got off much easier than I had feared but hate that others weren’t as fortunate.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Susanna!
Christy
Love the lighter color! Isn’t it funny how it seemed that there was such little wall-space that it didn’t make a difference but now that you have changed it, all the difference in the world!
Yes, exactly! My husband just got home for Thanksgiving and noticed it right away. It makes such a difference in the room.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Beverly!
Christy
I need to paint my dining room before the holidays.
Um, I will be scouring closets and drawers this coming weekend hunting for the various stashed presents I’ve bought for family and friends throughout the year on vacations or around the city (NYC, we don’t have attics or garages or spare closets so we stash) — and,, let’s face it, some I got last year but couldn’t find before Xmas! Sigh :-/ — and determine what holes need to be filled on Cyber Monday! Also, I’ll be pulling my wrapping supplies together. I ship everything bc I fly South to celebrate Christmas. Therefore, the first few weekends in Dec. will be spent wrapping presents and figuring out what gets shipped where and packing up boxes. Inspired by your insistent organization, I am determined THIS year to finally get it done ahead so I’m not scrambling at the end when I should be focused on packing myself up to ship my very own self out on a plane….and maybe just enjoy the season a little more since that’s what it’s all about, anyway. Please Wish Me Luck, I’ll need it since work demands a major chunk of my life.
I cannot tell you both how much pleasure i get out of following along on your blog. I can’t always read them as you publish but I see the teaser posts come in on email while i’m hectically working at a frantic NYC Minute pace and happily know that at some point when demands lighten I’ll have something wonderful, fun, cheerful and informative to explore. Often they stack up so I’ll get one indulgent sweet binge of an evening — such as tonight, for instance! You both have great style and i love your tips and reviews, honesty and humor; and, I enjoy hearing updates on your family. Many thanks for taking the time and care you do in producing such a terrific blog.
Wishing you both and your families a wonderful Thanksgiving. Cheers!! 🙂
Susan–I can’t tell you how much Amy and I both enjoyed your comment–I’ve reread it several times over the past week. I’m so sorry for the delay in responding but Thanksgiving happened! My family is heading to NYC between Christmas and New Years’ and will happily jump into the frantic pace (for a few days, at least!). I hope that you find all your hidden gifts (I totally get that!) and have a wonderfully organized Christmas season and safe travels south! Take care–Christy
It’s impressive how a new paint of coat can really spice up the house!! It looks like you made a lot of improvements to revamp, they look fantastic. Maybe a thing to look forward to would be to refinish or paint the cabinets, it’s a lot cheaper than replacing them and you can get some really cool colors on there.
Absolutely love the color and what a difference a simple change can make. Inspired me to change my dining room color.
Awesome–I’m so glad it inspired you! Paint makes such a huge difference, doesn’t it?
Have a great weekend-
Christy