DIY Painted Faux Tile

It all really started when I found this teensy blush pink coffee creamer and I painted my front door PINK!!  Then the idea snowballed to bring the color in to another part of my house, and my coffee station was on my mind for change and it was a perfect fit!!  I used the next color darker down on the paint chip from my front door, called Priceless Coral, from Behr.  It needed to pop just a bit more for me and it worked! 

I wanted to keep this project as budget friendly as possible and I am proud to say the total was under $30.00 for the can of paint. That's it! Here is a look at the before picture.  I LOVE my coffee station, but it was time to zhuzz it a bit and make it brighter!

I also needed a template for the hexagons so I had an idea to use the marker from Shift Shop, a fitness program I have done a few times in the past.  This was PERFECT!!  They were also flexible, making it perfect to trace the pattern on around the shelves!  I tried a few colors out, then I actually tested my idea out on a piece of foam board to make sure my brain and the final product matched up! 

I did buy a few different color testers out because I wanted to play, but ended up going with my first choice.  Isn't that always the way? 

After taping things off, I started in with painting one coat of white and coral then I needed to get pattern placement done. I just estimated where I figured the coral would be ending and then started.  I did a second coat of white, then mocked up the pattern on the coral, then the white.  I taped it off and the painted on the rest of coral.  Then I gave the coral a second coat. 

The next morning, I started in the center bottom and traced on the hexagon grid.  I used a white colored pencil, so the lines were just visible enough to see.  Of course, I was using white paint for the lines, so this was perfect.  I just used some of the white wall paint, and made sure to add drops of water to it to keep it flowing as needed. Latex paint thickens as it is exposed to air so this is important.  

After the grid was made, I then traced on the other lines inside the hexagons by using a ruler and the white colored pencil again.  

Then it was time to get to work!  It took most of the afternoon to paint all the lines because the angles were awkward and it was hard on the arms. But with copious amount of coffee and sheer determination, it got finished! I just used a small round brush I got at Michaels.  It was a LOT of linework, but to me it is therapeutic and I loved it actually. :-)

I shopped my house for all the decor because that kinda thing makes my budgeting soul VERY happy!  

SIDE NOTE:  I do have to pick up a teensy piece of moulding for the back of the station (there was caulking residue I just didn't remove properly) but that will only be a few dollars.  Overall, I am proud of how it turned out and LOVE the insane new vibe this side of my kitchen has now.  And most of all, I proved to myself that I could do this on such a small budget!  WOOP WOOP!! 

TIME LAPSE OF ENTIRE JOB:

Front Entry Facelift

Ok, I am not overly proud to say this but my entryway has never really been anything exciting since I moved into this house. It is not my favourite area, simply because it is wonky and doesn't flow, but I am getting out of my own head and I decided I needed to make the most of it (instead of ignoring it).

The floor tiles need to be replaced, but I am holding out for a budget friendly find at ReStore, which I have faith that I will eventually come across. But for now...I am controlling the controllable and taking the dark and uninspiring space and brightening it up and bringing it into this decade.

BEFORE: BLAH tan walls, white doors, and the infamous "boob" light. UGH...I loathe these light fixtures and slowly we are replacing them in this house. And not sure WHY, but I always get so DAMN EXCITED that I forget to take proper BEFORE pics...what the what?? Anyhow....here is a bit of what it looked like after I already had kind of started disassembling and rippping the space apart.

At this point, I just had one side of the closet doors painted black and started working on the other side.  Why the heck did I wait so long to paint them.  They are GORGeous!!  :-)

 

Now the fun begins...cutting in the white paint...which **GASP** I never thought I would be doing because I LOVE color, but I wanted to try white on white somewhere and this seemed like a great place to give it a go.  I chose Behr Chenille Spread as it was a warm white that went perfectly with our trim color.

The first coat ALWAYS looks like crap.  But, onwards and upwards! It took 3 coats to cover the dark tan and thankfully this was a small space.  

I installed the light fixture and my hubby replaced the outlets and switches.  WHAT a change!!  This sweet little cage light came from Canadian Tire and was $40!  How could you not love that? 

Insert hot hubby helping with switch replacement.  <3 <3 

**CUE ANGELS SINGING** How is it that something so small makes such a HUGE difference? 

DONE...now time to get the decorating for the holidays underway.  

Enter some Buffalo Check and some vintage finds.  The little MCM telephone bench I got at our town flea market for $5 this spring.  It was covered in gold vinyl (the seat had a small hole) but I decided because fur is WAY more fun, so it shall be on this bench.  I intended to do white fur, but they were all out at the fabric store.  I have to say I think the black fur works here! I gave the bench a fresh coat of paint too, with my most FAVOURITE GOLD paint ever!! 

 I also got some buffalo check fabric and made a quick envelope cover for one of my existing pillows.

 I bought this swag last year and it seemed like this was a better spot for it.  *SWOON*.  So.  Pretty! Here are a few pics of the rest of the holiday jewelry for the entry.  I wanted it to be fun, simple and the buffalo check is my signature move...haha...and it ws a perfect fit here and contrast to the creamy white paint.  I love the whole space and I'm happy it is complete! It didn't take that long and why the heck didn't I do this before?

This little sign came from the Dollar store, people.  How awesome is this? ;-)

I grabbed a birch branch from my daughter's yard and hung it it the window with thin jute string from Michaels.  I had these little gold, white and silver stars for years and thought they would be a cute and simple addition.  I used sparkly gold string which also came from Michaels and was a great contrast to the natural birch branch.

Do you have a small entryway or space that you struggle with?  I'd love to see pics or hear from you in comments below how you are jhuzzing (yes I say this is a word) up your space.  

Stay weird ;-), 

Wendy