The Power of Paint

I love paint. Paint is amazing. I love how paint can completely transform a room instantly and simply. I didn’t really realize how incredible paint can be until we were in the trailer and we painted the entire inside white - it was an absolute game changer. 

I’m sure you know, but the inside of most trailers are funky. They have strange wallpaper and they’re usually dark and gloomy - so by painting it white, it made it seem huge! For a family of 5 to live in 180 sq ft, a coat of white paint made it light and bright and made it feel so much bigger. It just truly made me realize how a coat of paint can transform a space. 
In our last house, I painted a LOT - as many things as I could. I really explored so many ways to create a new vision or look by a simple coat of paint.

I painted the floors, stenciled walls, our front porch, painted doors and door steps and fireplaces - really anything and everything was a canvas for my paint brush in our last home.   

Not only is paint transformative, just as a whole, it can make an ordinary space feel like a super fun, new space! Have fun with it, don’t be afraid of it - it’s just paint and easily changeable.    We had this little nook in our bedroom, and we decided to do a coffee nook - yep, a coffee nook - we shiplapped and painted that with a pop of black - Ben Moore ‘Black Top’ - such a gorgeous color. 

Eventually, I will find the perfect piece on Craigslist to make the space fun and utilized. I am so excited!    Another place I have my eye on that I will be stenciling, is the fence outside our bathroom window - how fabulous would that be to look out while in the bath and see just a pop of print - so fun!   But until then, I thought I would share some tried and true tips for my painting projects and what colors I have used - and LOVED - throughout the house! 

 Typically I use eggshell for overall walls and for trim I stick to a semi gloss unless it’s a wall of shiplap - then I use the same finish as the shiplap. I am a BIG fan of Purdy brushes and typically will use a roller over a sprayer.    Super helpful tip: Home Depot can match paints! So have a favorite color or inspo piece, you can get it made there. A lot of times the colors of other brands are already in their system. My favorite Home Depot paint is Behr paint + primer in one. Typically I don’t use a primer if I use that, unless it’s really raw wood. It is amazing and covers so much!    When I’m painting walls white, I usually do the same on the ceiling and trim. Not a hard rule but something I’ve just found to love!

I have listed all the paint colors we have used throughout the new house - who knows when [ or if ] we will switch things up, but for now we are so happy with the colors we have chosen in the home - everything fits Chateau Petrone so well, and makes us content and happy and brings joy for our growing family.    Pantry door: Ben Moore black top Front door: Portola paints piano room (dark color) and Figueroa ( light color) Foxi's nursery room: Portola paints Figueroa  Living room shiplap: Portola paints Figueroa  Kitchen cabinets: Portola paints Figueroa  Favorite white since before our RV days: Dunn Edwards Cool December. It’s the base white all over our home, last house and RV. It’s a great, bright white with no real undertones.  Hood: Varathane stain espresso (used a rag to get the unfinished, unrefined look)  Quinns room (kitty picture): Behr Paint Scuff Defense Heirloom  Exterior of house: Behr PaintMarquee limousine leather  Exterior of old house: Ben Moore black top trim in satin and Ben Moore simply white in eggshell.  Interior House trim: Portola paints piano room  Black brick fireplace: Benjamin Moore black top Book shelves: Ben Moore black top  Old dining room board + batten: Glidden Just rosey  Old fireplace: flat black Rustolium. Pre mixed.  Closet: Glidden Americana