The following is a guest post by Bryn Huntpalmer of Modernize
After a couple of months of being stuck indoors due to inclement weather, you start to notice things about your house you’d never realized before. Like how banged-up your heater looks, or how “blah” your living room decor seems. Winter makes the perfect time for these kinds of one-and-done updates, and with a single can of leftover paint, you can become a room revolutionary, bringing a punch of color with you wherever your paintbrush lands. In fact, there are a lot of surfaces you probably never dreamed of painting that could benefit from a fresh coat. Here’s just a sampling of some of those options.
Chair Legs
A plain wing-back or ho-hum kitchen chair makes a great candidate for this fix. An asymmetric dipped look offers an especially sophisticated twist—and a great way to jazz up ubiquitous hairpin or shaker chairs — or even boring wooden bar stools. Just make sure to tape off the ends with painter’s tape to give your lines a clean, sharp edge.
Your Coffee Table
Your coffee table should be more than a glorified coaster. As the centerpiece of your living room, it’s often one of the first things guests see when they enter your home. So why not make it a smashing first impression? An unusual paint choice, like a bold orange or bright teal—or even a distressed look created using all-natural milk paint—adds a special spark to living spaces, transforming even the plainest surface into a true statement piece. Just don’t let anyone spill their drinks on it afterwards!
Drawer Knobs and Hardware
After a million-and-one outfit changes, dresser drawer pulls and knobs can become just the slightest bit sodden-looking. Rustoleum or leftover latex paint in a bright hue can cover even the most beat up hardware, adding a little pop of color to your daily routine. Painting knobs and drawer pulls also provides a chance to wipe away dirt and oil that may have come off from your hands over the years. You’d be surprised what a difference a little TLC makes!
Outdated Upholstery
As crazy as it sounds, painting upholstery is a pretty common practice, and not just for the crafting-obsessed. Sprayable fabric and latex paint mixed with a fabric medium are two methods you can use to give textiles a little modern makeover. Make sure to use outdoor spray paint for furniture that’s going on the patio.
A Utility Rug
A good-looking rug can run you a pretty penny, especially when you just need to cover the floor next to a back door. That’s why many homeowners have been spray-painting inexpensive utility rugs as an affordable design shortcut to dress up a mudroom, entryway, rec room, or other heavily-trafficked area. A can of paint and a little ingenuity are all you need to get this one done! Use a stencil or even just a roll of painter’s tape to create a unique pattern, then cover the rug with indoor/outdoor spray paint. When you pull the tape away, you’ll have an eye-catching floor covering for mere pennies!
Vent Covers and Baseboard Heaters
Exposed as they are to dust, moisture, and daily wear-and-tear, it can be hard to keep heating and cooling equipment like vent covers and baseboard heaters looking crisp. It may seem like a little detail, but sometimes a single eyesore can mean the difference between a home and a hovel. To repaint baseboard heater covers, disconnect the power to the heater, then give them a once-over with a wire brush to remove any dust or paint flakes. Don’t forget to use rust-resistant metal paint.
Your Refrigerator
If your family likes making lists and keeping track of busy schedules, a coat of chalkboard paint on your refrigerator is a great idea for your home. It gives you a highly functional update while covering scratches and rust that can make your kitchen decor a little downtrodden. Now your grocery list can go right on the fridge—just hope you have good penmanship!
These projects should keep you busy for a long time—with any luck, maybe all the way until spring!