Do you remember our dumping ground? No…not THAT dumping ground 🙂
The one that would be called our dining room…if there was any chance of actual dining with all the mess…
And you may remember that we took the time to hang a light fixture. Which basically just illuminated the mess so that we could see all of it.
And then we switched out the dining room table and chairs…and consolidated the mess into the back of the room.
Well, I am happy to announce that the room is officially painted.
And it only cost us 8 dollars. yup. not a bean more.
How’d we do it? well, it’s called being cheap.
We were trolling the aisles at Lowes…it’s a favorite pasttime…and I made my way to the Oops paint section. Have you been there? It’s totally a luck thing…sometimes there is nothing except flat paint that looks like the secretions of a squished lizard….and sometimes, you will find a can of Eggshell (my personal favorite) in a No-VOC Olympic Can (also a favorite) marked down to $8. And then you see that the color is totally workable – and then you break out the happy dance…while singing Oops You did it Again as you bounce the baby on your hip. And then someone asks you if you ever been told that you look like Britney Spears….again.
I actually was wavering on what room this paint should go in…but after a couple sample swatches on the wall, it was decided…the greenish gray was perfect.
Little Debbie came over to help me on this one…she can’t wait to start painting the basement but until we patch the weird hole pass-through thingie, I’ve been coming up with other projects to do.
And because she will inevitably say that nobody wants to see a photo of her (which is wrong MOM – you are a bright shining Bower Power Star!) – here is another photo of the cutest member of the painting crew…wifebeater and all.
Honestly – this paint was dreamy. I have always loved Olympic – and this test of “will it cover the deep red?” was a doozie. But I am proud to announce that it did great. Since it was a paint and primer in one, I highly recommend it.
Cutting in was the WORST…mostly because they painted one of the ceiling trays too…so it doubled our cutting in time.
And yes, I was terrified on the ladder. I almost cried at one point when I started getting dizzy…I never used to be afraid of heights…and then you go and tear your ACL realizing your mortality and all of a sudden, ladders make you sick to your stomach.
Note the awesome footwear.
And are you ready for the reveal? This is the best paint color choice I’ve made in this house so far – and I didn’t even make it. It was stranger paint. Okay – here she blows:
I love how it makes the room seem so much calmer and brings out the warm tones in the chairs. And to borrow the words of Sherry, the color is so dynamic. It really is. Sometimes it looks chalkboard gray, sometimes a little olive, sometimes even turquoise blueish…it changes with the light and the walls and the time of day. And feels so much CLEANER to me.
Oh and because you might be wondering if we drywalled over the light sconce boxes on the wall – um, no. We simply painted over them to make them disappear for now (until we decide what fixtures to throw up there!). hee hee…I said ‘throw up’. And that my friends is why God gave me a baby boy 🙂
I also painted over the vent that was high next to the molding…helps it blend in a little better in my opinion. And we switched out the old white cabinet for this dark brown dresser….which holds my plastic ware and chargers so it really needed to be with the dining stuff anyway. Plus, I feel like the dark wood helps balance out both sides of the room.
The last thing we did was slide the old basement rug into the space. Since it is a super-flat weave (with a few faint waterspots from flood 2009) it is perfect for in here…I mean, we spill stuff, so a rug that already has blemishes won’t be a huge deal when our child inevitably will shmear food into it. Plus, since it is kinda rough and flat, the chairs sit perfectly on it.
What do you think?
Improvement, right?
Worth $8?
Like it ain’t George Clooney yet but it is definitely a step up from it’s former Nick Nolte, right?!
p.s. my apologies about not knowing the specific color name for this paint but I did attempt to see if I had an Olympic swatch that was close in color – and it is most close to Sprig of Ivy. Hope this helps and happy painting!
Heather Hayes says
Holy Crap!
I love it!
The color makes the room look HUGE!
And both the dark and light woods look awesome….
Such an amazing find!
Destiny says
It looks great, Katie!
Obviously the Georgia heat hasn’t got you beat…
We just choose a similiar color for our dining room. I agree that it feels really fresh and clean and that the color changes slightly taking the time of day and accessories into consideration. My favorite thing about it is that everything looks good against this color background. We have both a large color print and black and white canvases that both look really good. It was a wonderful surprise!
Gray … it’s the new black!
We are also a fan of the “Opps” aisle. We recently painted our laundry room for less than $5.00!
Stephanie says
Looks awesome!! I love, love, love Olympic eggshell paint. I haven’t used anything different since discovering it 5 years ago. It’s just so perfect.
Trish says
WOW!! Looks great..what an improvement. I need to try that primer and paint in one. If it covers that red it should cover anything.
Clare says
Love it! Beautiful, Katie.
Carla says
WOW!!!! it’s seriously amazing what pain can do!!!
brianne @ the ravenna girls says
We pick up Oops paint ALL THE TIME. I just re-painted our exterior soffit with a can of it. I’m pretty dang impressed that you got that great coverage over red with one gallon – thats tough to do, but it looks terrif. Good job 🙂
Amy @ All In A Day says
Ummm….wowza!! It looks about a trillion and one times better in there!!! It really is a soothing color! I love it!!! Thank the Lord for the oops paint section!!
Caitlin Wallace says
Ohh I LOVE that color!! It looks amazing in there! Great deal! 🙂
Rachel says
Beautiful! Best $8 ever. Did you only need 1 gallon? Or are there multiple gallons in the oops section?
Dawn S says
That looks like a slightly lighter tone to our master bedroom color, Olympic’s Misty Lake. Looks beautiful in your dining room, regardless of the color name! It looks so calm and inviting! What time is dinner??
Julia @Chris loves Julia says
Wow. Great find! My Lowes always hides the “oops” paint behind the counter on the floor and I should feel totally embarrassed checking every time I am there, but I do anyway. I am super impressed at the coverage. I haven’t tried Olympic’s paint+primer, but I think this may have just motivated me to give it a shot and save a few bucks.
Lori says
LOVE IT! What a difference that paint made. It is so fresh and so clean (so fresh and so clean, clean!)… Great job.
Gotta love oops paint.
Megan says
What a great accidental find! You can actually see the corners of the room now! And you may have even motivated me to finally start tackling some painting jobs in my house 🙂 Looks awesome!
Ashley says
Love it!
Katie says
Nope I only used 1 gallon…I think that if there wasn’t the molding at the bottom then we would have definitely needed more!
xo – kb
Kath says
LOVE the new color!!!!!!!!!!
Alison says
Looks awesome Katie. It seems very you and like it will flow to the awesomeness you’ve got going on in your living room. It makes the room look bigger and brighter and fresher and cleaner. I can’t wait to see what else you put up!!
Urban Wife says
That color looks sooo much better and for $8….awesome! Ditto on a torn ACL – it sucks bigtime. I had surgery in January and will never play ultimate frisbee again.
Monica says
Yay for happy accidents! It is a pretty color that makes the room seem so much bigger. Could you stencil the flat weave rug to give it a little interest, color, and hide future stains?
Amy says
Awesome score, there! The new color makes the room look so fresh and open. A definite improvement!
Kate says
Looks like a breath of fresh air!
Curious after looking at some of your pinned kitchens on pinterest – are you considering painting your kitchen cabinets?
Rebecca O'Kelley says
Love the new color….the room looks so much bigger.
Joanna D. says
I love how you said “little Debbie just can’t wait to come over and paint the basement”………..have you seen that thing!?!?! Yes you have you live there…haha!!! When that day comes, it will be a job in a half and then some!!!
Great job on the dining room color it surely does make the space look much calmer and even bigger!! Is it just me or does it seem like luck is always on your side when it comes to home projects?!!!?!!!?!!!!! ~Joanna
kelsey says
Wow, what a differance! It looks great, like you said so much calmer. What a pretty color. Love it.
Adrienne @ Duchess of Damask says
Wow! The new color looks so much better. The red was nice, but a bit overwhelming. I will have to check out the oops section more often!
Side note: I am so jealous of the awesome moldings all over your house!
Shunta says
Definitely worth the $8 and so jealous (in a nice friendly, I love you way) as I head to Lowe’s tomorrow to buy paint for our bedroom. Definitely will be spending more than $8. How nice!! Love the before/after!
Jesse says
1) You are so brave to paint directly over the red without any primer and knowing if you run out… that’s it!
2) I absolutely LOVE it!!!!!!!! I cannot even tell you how perfect I think it is. Love Love LOVE!!!!
3) Freaking LOVE!!
Tamsyn says
Wow, I love it!! It makes such a difference in your gorgeous dining room.
April says
That looks great, I wasn’t sure it until I saw it completely done, but great transformation!
Kim says
Love it Katie!!! Such a HUGE difference in there! I LOVE LOVE LOVE that color! I’ve gotta check out the oops section – I never thought to. But I do love the Olympic No-Voc paint! Looking forward to seeing what you do with more rooms in the house 🙂
jen g says
hey! if you happen to stumble upon the exact color, i want it, i love it so so much!
Amanda says
Oh Katie! The new paint looks dreamy with your dining set! Oh, and the oops section is my most favorite stop at any hardware store!
Carrie says
LOVE the color. LOVE. Can’t believe it was a “used” one!!!
Brianne says
Nice $8! that color is amazing. Definitely changes the room completely. Love me a good paint before and after! Looking forward to seeing more updates on the new abode. Have fun!
Holly says
Got lost, in this game oh bay-bayaaa!! (I am surely not the only one who kept humming the song after reading the post’s title!)
Moving on…Yowzers this paint looks really great! A very lucky find indeed. And might I compliment you on your slippers. I would do the same thing. Might as well be comfortable, right?
Gabrielle C says
Such a gorgeous color, so very soft and elegant. While I love red, sometimes its a bit too much. That Oops can was an amazing find, you are so lucky. It looks so serene there!
nikki says
Nicely done! I sometimes go to Lowes just to see if they have any good oops paint. You know, when I have nothing to do.
Alyssa says
Looks great! I’m impressed by how well it covered the red. I recently picked up a couple of great colors I found at our local Habitat for Humanity ReStore for $8.50 each.
Melissa @ A Place to Nest says
Love it! And I love that you also choose rediculiously impractical footwear like me to paint. I am often with no shoes… not so smart but it’s how I roll…
Melissa @ A Place to Nest says
hanging head in shame… yes I also sang the song
Cordia says
I didnt know the Olympic No VOC had primer in it already!! I use that and I bought the Olympic No VOC primer to put on our walls first when we moved in b/c the walls looked a little shiny, then used Benjamin Moor Natura in the living room and my son’s room (I stupidly didnt know that I could color match then!!). My living room is a sagey green. I have one red wall in my living room that I hate and it would be great if I dont have to prime it before repainting it!!!
Jill Browning says
Looks great! What an improvement!!
Sandi says
Looks amazing! Our Lowe’s does all their oops paint for $5 can and we have only used that in all our rooms of our house just to refresh things. Figured if we don’t like the color not like we put alot of money into it in the beginning.
Karla says
um…..Wow! That is amazing!! 🙂
Katie says
I don’t know if all the Olympic paint has paint & primer but I know this can did! It’s best to ask the folks behind the counter to make sure 🙂
xo – kb
Andrea Worley says
It’s awesome! Wish I knew what the color was! 😉 I love the ooops section!
Meghan says
This is amazing. The color is gorgeous and I can’t believe how it covered the red! Seriously impressive. Now onto your living room, hehe. Can’t wait to see what you do in there!
Sara says
Whoohoo, I LOVE IT! Looks great!! You were so lucky to find a great color in the Oops section!
Danielle says
new paint color = george clooney
old paint color = gary busey
Katie @ NYCitified says
I love it!! Only one question though…..when we move, could you please send decorating ideas?! I am definitely in need of some remedial decorating help.
BethanyB says
love the color and its so awsome you got it so cheap! I think it really make the room look bigger and less like a dead lobster.
Marta says
Love, love, love the color! Fresh, clean and relaxing is what comes to mind! Great job!
Anne says
Wow, what a huge difference in the side-by-side photo! The new color looks great. And I must find me one of these oops sections….
Britt@knewlywifed says
Love that color! It makes it look much more fresh and ‘airy’.
Shary says
It looks great and makes the room look so much larger!! I love the new cabinet in the room too. Definitely balances it out. Great job.
Shannah says
Big fan of the Oops! paint aisle. We repainted our old nursery in (what is now) our rental property with paint from there.
Love the color!
Heather M. says
I loooove me some oops paint!! My whole house was painted by me and my mom and aunt in nothing that cost over $5 per can. (I hoarded for a long time to accomplish this!!! haha!)
I’m really digging the color you lucked out with!! It looks fabulous and makes me wanna paint something again….
Elisa says
Hurray for stranger paint!
Amanda says
I LOVE the color, and I love how much of a difference a little can of paint can make! The room is so much more serene and relaxing now!
Katy Campbell says
Love! How I wish I could find such an amazing paint find in the oops section!!!! Usually they are shades of the southern clay in my back yard! I think it makes the room feel light, happy, clean, fresh, sophisticated, and most of all bigger! Love the update!
Kim says
It still amazes me how much a gallon of paint can change a room! Sooooo beautiful now. Before it just seemed like a horrible bachelor pad.
Do you ever plan on painting the ceiling? I like the white (very crisp!) but I also could see a lighter gray up there. It would make the molding pop even more.
Either way I love love love it!
Donna Huebsch says
What an amazing transformation! We have many walls in our house which are the very same shade of red in your “before” pictures…I just love the new color! I must go check out the oops section of the paint dept. at Lowe’s and see if I can find any treasures 🙂
Sarah says
Looks awesome, KB! Now you can check off “paint dining room” from your to-do list on the right hand side of the page!
The one I’m holding my breath for is Will’s room re-do. Looking forward to seeing those hideous pink walls transform for that little cutie! 🙂
Kristen @ Popcorn on the Stove says
This transformation is ridiculous. It looks about a billion times better! I love the color (not only because it covered up that red). Great work!
Brittney says
Well, first I have to thank you for putting the song “Oops I did it Again” in my head for the rest of the day! Love the change. What a lucky find! I might have to start trolling the oops paint aisle a little more often.
Erin @ The Great Indoors says
Looks so great! What a transformative color!
And OF COURSE we want to see pictures of your precious mom! She really is so cute. 🙂
Erin @ The Great Indoors says
By the way, since I read your post last night I’ve had “Oops I did it again” stuck in my head. Thanks for that little earworm. 🙂 I had no idea I knew so many of the words!
luckyjayne says
Impressive! Seriously, that oops color gives such a calming feel to your dining room.
The red seemed a bit oppressive. Nice job and cute crew.
We love seeing the updates!
Vanessa says
Your dining room looks great! It’s amazing how much paint can change a room and inspire organization.
How the heck do you manage to paint with a toddler in the house?! I have a 10-month old boy at home and it’s impossible to find time. I’ve been trying to prime and paint 2 chairs I bought at a yard sale during nap times, but with all the other house responsibilities it’s taken 3 days so far! And I’ve not even started painting yet!
Andrae says
I LOVE the color! I totally agree it makes it look cleaner.
I love the footwear the most. I have my “work around the house” loafers. Shameful.
Andrea says
Just realized I spelled my name wrong..I’m tired.
Allyn says
It looks so killer with all of the white! Way to go.
And now I have Britney Spears stuck in my head, you jerk.
Alisa says
I LOVE that color. It looks exactly like the Silver Sage (it’s Restoration Hardware, but color matched to Behr) we have in our entry way/hall. If my husband loved it more, I would paint the whole dang house in it. I can never find oops paint that would work for us. I’ve even considered buying two cans of something tolerable then mixing them together and see what happens. I hate passing up a deal..
SillySimple says
I just wanted to pop in here and say “way to go on the oops paint!”, finding useable oops paint has almost the same feeling as finding a little piece of gold or 20$ laying on the floor!
Love the color!
Krista says
Wow so much better! I would never had thought of buying someone else’s unwanted paint. You got a lot out of that $8!
Leslie says
SO nice! Some people love red walls (my dad:), but I have never been a fan. It looks fantastic, what a great find!
Erin says
I am a firm believer in the power of paint to transform a room. The softer color makes the room appear so fresh and casual. Great job! 🙂
Kellie says
That is the best OOPS that can happen! The color is perfect for that room! (although, I personally HATE red with a passion) It makes the room so open, airy, bright and your right, Clean! looks so great.
Erin @ One Project at a Time says
Did you really only need 1 coat to cover all that red? I’ve tried a couple of different paint + primer options (Behr, Dutch Boy) and I still always need 2 coats, especially when covering a dark, bright color like that red. If you really only needed 1, Olympic will have to be my new paint of choice!
Megan says
I love it! I was wondering if you would paint the walls and get rid of the bright, in your face red but then I also wondered if you had chosen that red … anyway, it’s so much cleaner, prettier, softer, you name it! And it looks great with the black pieces and definitely helps showcase your furniture and accessories instead of the paint color.
My dining room was a very similar red (but with a weird texture AND decorative paint job on top!) that went “Root Beer Fizzle” aka a mocha chocolately tan color. But I’m kind of liking your color better… but I’m tired of painting, so Root Beer it is. 🙂
Megan says
Wow, totally agree! 🙂
Rachel says
WOW. This looks AMAZING! It really makes all the architectural features pop 🙂
bungalowbliss says
Ahhhhh. SO much more relaxing. LOVE it, Katie!
Oops paint is the best!
Ash @ Good Taste Healthy Me says
omg it looks 1000 times better! I love it!
Stacy says
Amazing! Only negative thing is not knowing the exact color to buy more. I bet those paint guys can get you a perfect match as I can see this color in more rooms of your pad :). Very nice transformation.
simplyblythe says
what a lucky find….the room looks super.
Erica @ Erica's Inspirations says
I love the color! It reminds me of my dining room color (Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray). You can see mine here:
http://ericaharless.blogspot.com/2011/03/mother-daughter-shopping-birthday.html
And only $8!! That is AWESOME!
Kim@NewlyWoodwards says
Katie – the color is awesome. And the details in that room just pop more than ever. What a great transformation!
Katie says
It took two coats but since I am a huge fan of doing multiple thin coats, this took me less than one day to finish and it only took that one bucket!
xo – kb
Katie says
That particular day we had my mom over and Will played with Cole for the first coat…then I finished the second coat when he napped.
Of course, that means that I didn’t shower, eat or clean that day 🙂
xo – kb
Katie says
Actually the ceiling and the molding are just cream – which I hate…so yes, eventually I want to paint all the trim and moldings white and get a fresh coat on the ceilings as well…but not until after my sister’s wedding…which is crazybusy.
xo – kb
Nicole says
Oh my gosh, Katie!! It looks a million times better in this color!! You guys did such a great job and I love that you found it in the oops aisle. I never even knew that existed!
This color just opens the room up and you’re so right, it just makes it all look cleaner.
Mari says
Also love the color!
If I may make a suggestion about furniture arrangement: Wouldn’t it be better to have a piece of larger scale furniture as the focal point of the wall behind the table as you view it from the entry? I know you might put a painting above that dresser/buffet, but you have so many nice pieces (including the tall one that is on the side wall of the dining room) that could work. What about putting the white armoire on that wall? Something taller or bigger? It just doesn’t seem like that brown buffet is the perfect choice there.
Katie says
Mari Mari Mari…dude, you are right….and you are totally skipping steps. Can’t we just celebrate the fact that I wasn’t lazy one day and call it a day? And yes – something taller and bigger – but that white piece is too narrow…so until something a la pottery barn that is huge and perfect miraculously appears in my house, we are BROKE. Stop stressing me out 🙂
xo – kb
Aryn@livingonadimeorless says
It’s AWESOME!!!! Totally opens up that room and makes it look alot cleaner!
Elizabeth says
That is like night and day Katie!! Bravo!
Meredith @ Welcome to Heardmont says
Your room looks awesome Katie! What a find with that paint. I love how mis-tinted paint takes all the stress out of picking a color because it’s only an $8 mistake instead of a $30 one!
Keep up the good work!
House on Pender says
I love the new paint color! It really makes the room more Bower like!!
SingleMama says
Great Color! I neverfind good colors in the “oops” section….I amy have to check again!
elaine says
Looks great Katie! And told so well with your usual humour that makes me snort my coffee up my nose. Loves it!
Melanie @ Smiley Melly says
WOW! That transformation is incredible! Dare I say that you could not have picked a better colour if you tried? Not in a “it was all luck” kind of way, but in a “this is the perfect colour for this room” way! You rock and continually inspire! =)
Lisa P. says
I love the oops paint. I buy it at Home Depot all the time, with nothing to paint it on. I will have many options when the time comes. Bravo lady!
candace @ thecandace.com says
What a huge improvement an $8 can of paint makes! I love the color – great progress, Katie! It’s very much a far cry from it’s disheveled Nick Nolte beginnings! 🙂
Cindy says
Looks great! Good job, KB, Little Debbie, and WB Cole! I have to say that when I saw the in-progress pictures I was thinking, “I don’t know…” but I love the After! 🙂 I love me some George Clooney in process.
No wonder you were scared up on that ladder. I think wearing some tennies would have made you feel a teeny bit more secure than floppy slippers, you goofball.
xo
Katie says
So beautiful! I absolutely love the color choice- and I really like the way the light hits the tray differently so it looks a little darker. If it’s not George Clooney, at least it’s Jake Gyllenhaal- definitely charming in a quirky sort of way.
Kelly says
Katie Bower- WINNING!!!! Looks amazing– love it!
Kristy says
Oooohhh, I love it!!! This is a HUGE improvement, most definitely worth $8!
Cindy says
Haha. And don’t forget that NATE BERKUS himself proclaimed that our Katie had a great sense of scale! (or something like that) xo
Georgia says
I love it.
Like seriously luuuuuurve it! Looks gorgeous with the furniture!
I wanna see more DIY! Millport I tell ya!
Any progress on the nursery?
X
Tiffany says
The room looks great, love the color! I have a question about the nice large rug you have under the table and chairs. I was wondering how you like that style of rug. Have you had any issues with it moving or sliding under your feet? I’ve been thinking about getting something similar but have been hesitant to buy such a thin rug. Any info would be great, Thank you!
Cindy says
After I wrote my comment I went back and read everyone else’s. I kept laughing at those who said, “The paint makes it look so much cleaner.” The reason the room looks cleaner is because they moved all that crap out of there! tee hee! 😉
QUESTION for KB or anyone who knows: Does Olympic no-VOC paint do well when painting furniture? I have primed an IKEA island and have picked out a color but haven’t bought the paint yet — wondering if I should consider doing a color match. Thanks.
xo
Betsy says
I love, love, love this color!! What a wonderful change. I just found this same paint section in our Lowe’s last night. Unfortunately the color selection was more like clown car than lizard secretions, but I will definitely be checking back. I’m glad to see you had such great success.
Lani @ Diapers and Divas says
AB FAB!!! How come all the Oops cans at my store are reminiscent of things my little boys leave in their pants for me in the morning? This looks great!
Cheryl says
Beautiful! How close is the color to the aqua/green color that’s going on in the rest of your place? It looks a little similar, but I can’t tell if it’s just my monitor…
Laura@JourneyChic says
WOW!! *Massive* difference! I love how paint has the ability to alter the perceived size and mood of a room. That red just didn’t scream “Bower” to me from what I’ve seen of your style and I’m so glad you changed it – it was beginning to hurt my eyes. 🙂 You’re making great progress in your new home. It’s hard to get everything done when you’re a new mommy and don’t have a million bucks!
Ofelia says
Te color and the light makes the room seems so big and airy and wonderful. Great job!
Katie says
Wow – it is so beautiful! I love the change so much. It’s not that I think red is a bad color by any means, but the energy in the room is so much more calm now. That is a great color – and I love that it changes in different light. Way to go on this paint job. Total upgrade…and on the super cheap!
Theresa says
Amazing what some paint will do! That is such a great transformation! It looks great.!
When did you tear your ACL? I just had reconstructive surgery on my 3 weeks ago…recovery is going well. Its amazing how many people have had that injury. I am always curious to hear about other people’s recovery and experiences.
Jessica Lewis says
Absolutely Beautiful!!!
Charlotte | Living Well on the Cheap says
It looks AH-MAZING!!!! I love it Katie Bower! Great job!
Autumn says
Looks great! Go Katie! 🙂
Erica says
That looks fantastic! And I’m not really even a fan of the current gray-craze. Nice work!
Rachel @ Common to Moms says
Katie, the room looks great!! I am so excited to watch your beautiful house transform. And you are awesome for changing that room with only $8! It looks amazing 🙂
Katie says
I tore it once when I was 22 – had an allograft…but then a few years back my knee started slipping really bad and then I was playing indoor and I heard that dreaded pop and got the same swelling. After the MRI, my doc said that it was currently torn but still partially intact…but the part that was intact was stretched out to double what it should be…so I need surgery again…but I couldn’t have it at that time because I had just become pregnant with Will. Since we are currently trying…we will have to wait again till after we have another baby and then finish breastfeeding…again.
xo – kb
Katie says
I do not believe that the VOC-ness affects the quality of paint. In fact, I heard a rumor that soon every paint company will go No-VOC and then eventually it will be the norm for paint. Sortof like when all paint was lead-based.
xo – kb
Amanda W says
I couldn’t figure out why I kept singing the Brittney Spears song in my head! I absolutely love the redo! I’m amazed at how you made one can of paint last so long!
Kim says
I love this color! It definitely brings a wow factor to this room that wasn’t there before! That is CRAZY for $8!!
Cindy says
Thanks. We have enough stinky chemicals coming at us anyway. Can you imagine how happy the Youngsters will be if the rumor you heard ends up being true?! 🙂 Happy hump day. xo
Kristin says
You go girl!! It’s HARD to find time for big projects with a little boy in the house. (Mine is 10 months old.) The room looks great. One hundred points to Katie B. for tackling this project!
Shelley @ Green Eggs and Hamlet says
Love the color and so awesome that it’s oops paint. $8 well spent!
Ann says
Love the green/grey color! That’s a major improvement. We just used a similar color in a bathroom and I love how light and fresh it feels.
lisa says
it looks so great! i love gray in all shades and this one really cleans up that dining room 🙂 great job!
Emily says
Gorgeous and what a great find! I love painting our rooms – It DOES make things feel cleaner and fresher.
Jenn W-M says
I love this color and the transformation is so great!!
I also have a love of oops paint searching. I did learn the other day that you can have the lighter oops paint retinted. I am not sure how well that works for the true color, but I think if you staied in the same color family and the paint was lighter than the 2nd tint you should be ok. Custom paint at an oops price…not bad.
Elsa says
Love it! I love looking through “oops paint.” Thanks for getting Britney stuck in my head 🙂
Meghan says
WOWZERS! That make the already large room look even bigger! What a wonderful mistake 🙂
Joanna D.@ suited perfectly for eternity says
Love it!!! lol……this cracks me up!!
Sarah S says
I love it!
Cindy says
Looks great! Our house is painted a similar color (or at least similar to how it looks on my screen). It’s “Antique Sterling” by ICI I believe. It’s actually a gorgeous grey but looks totally kinda blue in my house since it picks up all the blue accents throughout.
Totally freshens up your space!!
kim/reluctant renovator says
I didn’t know there was such a thing as the Oops Paint Aisle. Definitely a good tip to store away. Thanks.
The room looks lovely!
Sherry @ Young House Love says
Booyah. That’s the stuff.
xo,
s
Jill says
What an AMAZING transformation for $8! I have a similar color in my dining room so I’m a little partial 🙂 I will have to check out this Olymic Paint & Primer for a room I have that is currently a pepto bismo pink.
audra says
love. love. love.
i’m so glad to see the red gone, it’s like it was in my own home. breathing a sigh of relief for you that you now have a GORG dining room. nice work brit! (oops, i mean katie….yar yar)
Maggie says
I am so impressed with your confidence in getting an “oops” can. You’re braver than I, but it turned out so nice. I love the new color!
Reenie says
WOW!!! What a diff….and I’m a red fan. Looks fan-tab-u-lous. Can’t believe that it covered with one gallon. 🙂
Kim says
Can’t go wrong for $8! No loss if it didn’t work. Wonder why it was an oops? Looks great!
Ainsley says
I LOOOOVE that paint color, Katie!! Looks amazing! I love the way it looks with the white trim too. Amazing transformation! 🙂
Callie says
It looks amazing! Can’t believe the transformation.
J says
What a great color, and I love (and have) red walls!
Monica says
I love the pop of yellow on the little tree (?) in the back. That looks great as an accent color. And WOW, major improvement!! I’ll definitely start checkin’ out the Oops paint section to see if I can score me some great paint too!
Lindsay says
I absolutely love the color! It really transformed the room for the better.
Sandra says
Yay! New color looks GREAT! How awesome is it that you were able to cover a red with this can of paint? Did you even have to use 2 coats? I think this is some magic paint!
Katie says
Oh yes, I did use two coats…it definitely took two thin coats…but in the end, it covered really well!
xo – kb
Tiffany says
Cindy we just painted a dresser using the Olympic no-VOC paint and it worked perfectly fine! Hope that helps!
crystal dubois says
The room looks great! My tip to you, its a painter’s BEST FRIEND, is a painting pad. Get the one from Shur-line (its red) Forget the other cheaper one…they are JUNK! The shur-line is only a couple dollars, but they last forever! It totally cuts into the edges like a dream….seriously! YOU WON”T REGRET IT!!! Just don’t let the paint get into the wheels, or you’ll get paint on the ceiling. I painted my bathroom with this tool in about 20 minutes…really!
my honest answer says
Oh my goodness Katie, I love it! And so lucky to find that colour. Really, it’s perfect.
Heather says
FANCYtastic! LOVES it! Makes those chairs even better!!! And I already loved them before. 😉
LauraC says
That makes sense now, with the whole 1/2 bottom being white – there was no way otherwise I’d believe that whole room was done with one gallon! It looks beautiful.
Jenn says
Love the blog. You guys have to check this off on the todo list!
Carly says
You had me at “secretions of a squished lizard.”
P.S. YES, it looks so clean! And big! Yay, stranger paint! Thank, stranger!
-Carly (www.createliveblog.com)
Shelly says
you ROCK!! you know you are a painting pro when you don’t need dropcloths or tape…i have lived in my house for 5 years now and there are still original gross paint colors i need to paint over, so thanks for the inspiration. i can’t use the excuse of lack of money or time now, can i!
Sandra T says
Yikes! Sorry Katie, I was thinking the same thing…
Emily@Decorchick says
Hey Katie, the dining room looks amazing with the oops paint! What a great find!! I used to have a red dining room too that we made into an office. Don’t miss the red one bit. I am so very jealous of all of your beautiful molding too. Wowza. And I have to admit that I am a new reader to your blog (even though I’ve heard of it multiple times), and I just love it. And I am also very jealous you and Sherry are BFF’s. 😉
Nice to meet you though!
xo, Emily
Beth says
It looks so great! What a happy accident. 🙂 Love it!
Felicity @ Our Little Beehive says
Love, love, love it! And I think I’d be petrified of falling too if I were wearing those slippers while standing on a ladder. You’re nuts 😉
Lisa says
Beautiful–what a difference! Loooove your chairs, too–where’d ya get them?? I am swooning over your dining room!
Katie says
On Craigslist actually! They were $30 for the four which is not too shabby in my book!
xo – kb
Steph @ BirdHouse says
It looks amazing, Katie! I can’t believe the impact $8 and a day of painting can make! Just another reminder that I need to start tackling some room painting projects soon!
Bree says
I am so jealous you can find the perfect paint color for $8!! That’s amazing. I always go straight to the oops paints when entering Lowes or Home Depot but never find anything! May I also add, I love love that light. Where did you get it??
Sheila Zeller says
I just caught up with this post now, but the WOW of your transformation is so WOW that I had to leave a comment… LOVE the new colour, and what it does for that space!!!
Jessie says
are the colors of the wall and tray (ceiling) different?
Katie says
Yeah. I know 🙁
xo – kb
Peggy says
Did the can say what color it was? It looks almost perfect for my den. It’s beautiful!
Thanks!
Peggy
Katie says
Nope! Sorry!
xo – kb