Budget Bathroom Makeover: Paint spells relief
I spent all day yesterday in the bathroom. Painting, of course. And while the weather was grey outside, I didn’t mind spreading some of Behr’s Pensive Sky all over the formerly sunshiney walls.
I’m putting the after picture first, because I can.
Much better than before, right?
Once I get the cabinets/mirror painted I will really be feeling better!
Because I heard such rave reviews about Behr’s Ultra Premium Plus from Kim at NewlyWoodwards (her kitchen looks amazing), I decided the bathroom was a perfect place to give it a try. This product is a paint and primer all in one, which boasts a nearly full coverage after only one coat. So, I was ready to zip through my room.
Unfortunately the sunshiney yellow gave the Ultra Premium Plus for its money. The paint definitely did not want to stick to the previous homeowners’ choice of satin finish. If I wasn’t careful when cutting in around the doors and vanity, my brush would wipe off the paint that I had just put on!
After a few trials and error (I even tried sanding the yellow paint), I found that I needed to put on a super thin coat first, let it dry completely, and then use a nice thick coat. Two coats on all the required cutting-in meant that my quick project took a good portion of the day…
All of that being said, I do think this brand of paint would be my first choice if I were painting on new drywall, or even on a flat paint. I know this because when I got lazy and paint ended up on the ceiling, it did not come right off. In fact, it did not come off at all!
On the plus side, this paint is so thick that if it drips on the floor or trim, it chips right off. We DIY, we learn, right? And either way, we have much better looking walls in our first floor bathroom!
Have you tried the new Behr paint? What do you think of the new color? We are getting much closer to the complete budget bathroom makeover reveal!
Psst…I’ve you’ve missed any part of this on-going makeover, be sure to check out the other posts! And stay tuned, because there is much more to come!
It looks great, Erin!
So much better! I love what a good coat of paint (or two) can do!!
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It looks great – very relaxing! I used that kind of Behr paint for furniture rehab, and definitely experienced the not-sticking issue. I tried BM’s Natura (zero-VOC) paint line this weekend in the nursery. The first coat looked TERRIBLE, but after the second coat it seems to be fine. Super expensive (I think over $50 per gallon), but good for painting in the winter with little ventilation.
I’m having a jewelry giveaway today – stop on by to enter! http://journeychic.com/2010/03/01/jewelry-giveaway/
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Love the new color! I have not used the Behr paint, but Kim’s review also made me very curious about its awesomeness. Can’t wait to see the finished product!
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Pretty! I like the blue color a lot. Bummer that the paint didn’t work quite as well for you. Our kitchen was painting over semi-gloss, but it was textured, so that’s probably why I didn’t have this problem.
It’s annoying when a small room takes so long to paint. Counterintuitive. But, totally worth the effort and time!
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Mucho improved! And just the name of it makes me love it too. I seriously need a job naming paint colors…
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I do like the Behr paint. Why not go a step further…and…replace the mirror / lighting with a framed mirror against the wall, and a some updatedbathroom lighting fixtures? It doesn’t have to be expensive to look good. Now as for that blue Formica….
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Jimmy,
Thanks for your input! I mentioned in the original post (http://www.domesticadventure.com/2010/02/budget-bathroom-makeover/) that we will be painting the vanity / mirror for a quick fix. Our long-term plan will be to trade in the whole vanity for one with double sinks and we’ll do a whole new mirror and light fixture then. Until we have the budget for a major overhaul, we just want a quick, cheap update, without a lot of waste.
Thanks for commenting!
Erin
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