Self Leveling Paint, I'm in love.

Let's talk paint shall we? 

Paint is a fairly cheap and sometimes easy way to change the look of something.  Depending on the type you buy, paint can range from $30.00 to $64.00 a gallon. 

Notice I said sometimes easy....  that is because there are times when you have to patch holes, sand walls, clean walls, move and or cover furniture or even take things apart, just to paint.  Doors may have to come off, curtains need to be taken down and then there is taping - ugh.  Taping is a necessary but boring task but it needs to be done to prevent drips and spills on things you don't want painted like baseboards or windows. 
(Covering the hole for a land line phone).

I like to say that I love the idea of painting but not the actual prep or painting itself.  Even when I was in art school and needed to paint I always waited for the last day, heck the last hour to finish a project. 

Needless to say painting is really not my thing, but I do like the idea of it.  I've painted furniture, walls and even doors before but it doesn't hold my interest and I really need the quick fix.  NO, what I really need is a Genie to pop out of the bottle and blink his or her eyes and it all be done! 

With that said - painting...  If you've read Tuesday's post you will know that I took down some old wallpaper border in my kitchen.  You'll also know that the hubby and I decided to paint, yep paint the walls and cabinets!  YIKES! 

Now if you want to take on this task I must tell you that it is VERY labor intensive.  It is worse than the year we decided to paint our house exterior and other than the 'cutting in' we used a sprayer.  No such luck here! 

Let me tell you, I was worried about this project until we went to the paint store.  See to paint furniture or cabinets correctly you HAVE TO paint, let dry, sand, wipe down, let dry, paint, let dry, sand, wipe down, let dry, paint, let dry, sand, wipe down, let dry... you get it.  Time consuming and labor intensive.  I really wasn't looking forward to this part of the process but I was looking forward to getting rid of the white cabinets. 

We chose to go to Sherwin Williams because I had a coupon and because my husband loves their paint.  Low VOC, easy cleaning, easy application, doesn't splatter etc.  BUT they are very, VERY proud of their paint, the Emerald series can run you $64.00 a gallon.  However, I can tell you that when you roll it on there is no splatter - you won't end up with it all over you. 

So here we are at the Sherwin Williams store and I have picked out several colors for cabinets and walls and then I let my husband have the final pick.  He picked Mindful Gray for the upper cabinets and Serious Gray for the lowers.  He did not like my pick of bright neon green for the walls and instead chose Wondrous  Blue.  So to the counter we go to get paint.  The sales clerk asks me what we are painting and when I tell him cabinets he says, "Then I recommend our Pro Classic line of paint.  It is self leveling and especially for wood doors."  I was like, self leveling what is that? 

Self leveling paint does what the name indicates, it levels itself so there is no sanding and wiping clean and waiting and painting over and over!!   Where oh where has this product been all my life?  So I ask him, "Really now no sanding."  He nodded and said, "yes and better yet it will level itself so there is no brush marks."  I was really excited now. 

I chose semi-gloss for the doors and drawers and trim and satin for the walls.  Semi-Gloss is a bit shinny so if you don't want that look steer clear of Gloss or Semi-Gloss.  Personally, my poor kitchen cabinets need all the help they can get!  Also I find that Semi-Gloss cleans up easy. 
Now to the painting.  See that ugly door the paint can is sitting on, yep wait to you see how decent they look painted!  I am very pleased. 

We are also putting on new hinges.  Can I tell you what a pain that is!?  You take the old hardware off, then sand down the holes, then you have to sand the cabinet where the old hardware was.  Sanding, sanding, sanding.... lets just be DONE!  But we sanded and wiped down all the doors and cabinets and vacuumed and dusted and then finally painted. 
Here is a nice before... ugly white, and no we didn't pry those knobby things off.  I wanted to but that would entail, patching and more sanding.  I'm over it. 

 And after - mindful gray.  I'll talk later about how paint is either brown, blue or white based.  This mindful gray is a brown gray. 

But see no brush strokes and NO SANDING!  YIPEE!!!! 

With the Wondrous Blue walls the colors fit nicely together. 

 So the next time you want to paint furniture or cabinets or doors, remember to look for 'self leveling' paint.  It truly does not show brush strokes.  I am pleased. 

I'll be sharing more of the kitchen next week, if we get it done that is.... We still have all the lower cabinets and drawers to paint and then more hinges then - and I'm REALLY excited about this, we are putting handles and knobs on things!  Handles and knobs!  FINALLY! 

Have a GREAT weekend.
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Here's a sneak peak of what I started before the kitchen, decorating for St. Patrick's Day.  Hopefully I'll finish this weekend and get my dinning room back and have some crafts and decorating to share. 

Have a great weekend!
Victoria