Hi there, I’m Kate. Welcome to White Lane Decor. Thanks for stopping by. I love neutral, bright, and airy spaces. I’m always looking for new ways to turn our house into a home. Have a look around and find inspiration for your next project.
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Disclosure
Some of my blog posts, ads, and banners contain "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate compensation. However, I only recommend products or services I use personally and truly feel you will enjoy too! I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” White Lane Decor is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Does anyone else have one of these weird niches? My husband said it looks like where you keep a dead persons’ ashes. Soooooo I knew it had to go. We don’t have anybody’s ashes laying around and if we did I sure wouldn’t want them sitting here. Our townhouse was builder grade cookie cutter all the way. This little niche came standard and was not able to be taken out. So wonderful Mr. Whitelane came up with an awesome idea. He thought it would be neat to paint it with chalkboard paint. Then it could be a little message area. GENIUS!! Sometimes he is way off but then sometimes he has amazing ideas like this! Haha.
You already know I used my frog tape to tape off the area I wanted to be a chalkboard. It took three thick coats of chalkboard paint. I just used Rust- Oleum chalkboard paint. I chose a foam roller to give it a smooth finish on the wall.
Once it was all dry I took the tape off and got my chalk out. Well, the problem is that I have handwriting like a kindergartener. So When I tried to write a pretty message it turned out not so pretty. I mean I totally envisioned all that pretty calligraphy you always see pictures of on a chalkboard. No, not happening from me. Sad and true. I got better as time went on but still nothing fancy. I wish I would have got a picture of some of my “better” art I wrote on here. This was my first message I wrote so just keep that in mind. Haha.
Ok, so now you know what to do with all those weird niches or nook that your houses come with. In fact, Mr. Whitelane started a whole neighborhood trend. All of our neighbors that came over, saw our chalkboard and painted theirs too.
Kate
Hi there, I’m Kate. Welcome to White Lane Decor. Thanks for stopping by. I love neutral, bright, and airy spaces. I’m always looking for new ways to turn our house into a home. Have a look around and find inspiration for your next project.
Search
Disclosure
Some of my blog posts, ads, and banners contain "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate compensation. However, I only recommend products or services I use personally and truly feel you will enjoy too! I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” White Lane Decor is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Hi there, I’m Kate. Welcome to White Lane Decor. Thanks for stopping by. I love neutral, bright, and airy spaces. I’m always looking for new ways to turn our house into a home. Have a look around and find inspiration for your next project.
Search
Disclosure
Some of my blog posts, ads, and banners contain "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate compensation. However, I only recommend products or services I use personally and truly feel you will enjoy too! I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” White Lane Decor is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
I found this awesome magazine rack/letter holder at T.J. Maxx. I needed a space to drop stuff and hide all my mail and papers. I looked for a long time but couldn’t find anything in the color I needed. After looking at several places I went ahead and got this red metal one. It was very rustic and very red. It would have looked great in my son’s room just the way it was. It just didn’t work in my kitchen.
Big surprise, I used spray paint. I first used my Kilz primer to get rid of all that red. Once that dried I took my Krylon gold spray paint and got busy. Now that it was all gold, I still didn’t like the way it looked. It was all really blah, too much of one color.
I busted out the frog tape and added a white racing stripe. This made me like it a little better. I don’t know why but I can’t just love it. I’m not sure if I will keep or sell this magazine rack. I thought I had found a spot for my junk but I’m not so sure about this. Mr. Whitelane doesn’t like it either. This is one of those projects where you cut your losses. What do you think? Leave a comment and let me what I should do.
Kate
Hi there, I’m Kate. Welcome to White Lane Decor. Thanks for stopping by. I love neutral, bright, and airy spaces. I’m always looking for new ways to turn our house into a home. Have a look around and find inspiration for your next project.
Search
Disclosure
Some of my blog posts, ads, and banners contain "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate compensation. However, I only recommend products or services I use personally and truly feel you will enjoy too! I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” White Lane Decor is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Hi there, I’m Kate. Welcome to White Lane Decor. Thanks for stopping by. I love neutral, bright, and airy spaces. I’m always looking for new ways to turn our house into a home. Have a look around and find inspiration for your next project.
Search
Disclosure
Some of my blog posts, ads, and banners contain "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate compensation. However, I only recommend products or services I use personally and truly feel you will enjoy too! I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” White Lane Decor is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
In our little townhouse; I needed a spot to hide all of my DVDs , DVD player, and cords from the television. I had limited space between the piano and the fireplace. Everything from the television came out of the smurf tube right next to the piano. I wanted something with shelves inside so I could organize everything. I also needed it to fit the tight space between the piano and the fireplace.
So off to HomeGoods I went to find the perfect “thing”. I didn’t even know what to call it. A cabinet, holder of television junk, that thing that makes Xbox cords pretty? Anyway, I walked away empty handed. I then proceeded to check every store I could think of Target, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Downeast Home, and Ross. NOTHING people, nothing! I had found this one cabinet that had a broken leg and haggard look at Ross on clearance. After checking everywhere else, I found myself back at Ross. It was already on clearance, but because it had so many issues, I was able to get it at an additional 10% off.
I brought my last ditch effort home to see if it fit. (I should have measured the space before I went on a wild goose hunt). IT FIT! I was so excited that it fit and it matched the trellis rug I had in my living room. I became more and more upbeat about this. The first thing I did was grab some wood glue and a nail gun to put the leg back on. Next came the tedious task of taping off all the mirrored front. That was not so fun.
Ok, listen up! Spray paint will change your life. Don’t get me wrong, there is a time and place for a real paint sprayer too. But for almost everything else, there is spray paint (I kind of sound like a Master Card commercial). It really is that easy and good. You get a professional sprayed looking finished piece ( if you get your technique mastered). Now go to my youtube channel (click on the youtube button on the left side of this page if on a desktop or bottom of the page on mobile) and check out the video I made all about how I spray paint and what product I use. And don’t forget to subscribe to my channel for more awesome tips and decor videos. There is a link on my home -page as well.
Once the mirrored part was all taped off, it was time to prime. This is a black piece (black didn’t work with my style) so primer was needed. After it was coated with a good coat of Kilz, I let it dry 90 minutes. I then grabbed my favorite color of Krylon spray paint (white). I took the door off first because I wanted to spray the door in a different color (I know shocker, not white). After the cabinet was all white I left that to dry 24 hours and got busy on the door. I chose a soft gold color by Krylon. I love how it turned out! I wasn’t positive if I would like the touch of gold, but it adds just the right interest to the cabinet.
Kate
Hi there, I’m Kate. Welcome to White Lane Decor. Thanks for stopping by. I love neutral, bright, and airy spaces. I’m always looking for new ways to turn our house into a home. Have a look around and find inspiration for your next project.
Search
Disclosure
Some of my blog posts, ads, and banners contain "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate compensation. However, I only recommend products or services I use personally and truly feel you will enjoy too! I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” White Lane Decor is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Hi there, I’m Kate. Welcome to White Lane Decor. Thanks for stopping by. I love neutral, bright, and airy spaces. I’m always looking for new ways to turn our house into a home. Have a look around and find inspiration for your next project.
Search
Disclosure
Some of my blog posts, ads, and banners contain "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate compensation. However, I only recommend products or services I use personally and truly feel you will enjoy too! I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” White Lane Decor is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
I know what your thinking….wow that was a lot of work and I could never do that. Well STOP! It was not a lot of work. It just took a little bit of time. Trust me, you will thank yourself later. I have had this piano for years. I bought it second hand on a yard sale page. I had it tuned and then it just sat in my living room in all its brown glory for years. I wanted to paint it SOOOOO bad but I just couldn’t commit. Until one day I had enough of that brown eyesore.
I did a lot of research and decided that the best method, that would require the least effort, would be chalk paint. Chalk paint is kind of amazing. Have you heard of it by now? There is NO prep work. By that, I mean no sanding or priming. That’s rights people, just get your paint brush and start painting. How much easier can it be? I knew that I was not about to try and sanding that beast of a piano. So I was so excited to take the dive and just use chalk paint.
Chalk paint can be expensive. There are a million different brands out there. It comes in all different colors as well. A very small can ( I mean the size of a quart) can cost $40. It can last a long time though because it doesn’t take very much. When I painted my paint a few years ago, there weren’t many options to buy chalk paint that we’re affordable. Since that time, everybody and their dog have released their own version of chalk paint. You can now go down to Lowe’s or Home Depot and find a brand for $13 a quart. I have never used these but I’m sure it will be just the same. So I went to Pinterest and found a recipe for homemade chalk paint. The recipe I used called for 1/2 cup Plaster of Paris (found at Home Depot), 1/2 cup warm water, and 1-1/2 cups latex paint. Dissolve your Paster of Paris in your warm water first while mixing well. Then once that has dissolved add the 1 1/2 cups of latex paint. Mix well and get to painting. I used just a regular angled paint brush. Some people say you HAVE to buy a special chalk paint brush but that is NOT true. My regular paint brush worked great. My piano took three coats of paint. I let it dry nice and good between each coat of paint. Also, I only mixed small amounts of paint each time because it doesn’t stay good for long. The paint will dry out and harden after a while so make sure to stir frequently while you are painting too.
Now here is the thing about chalk paint, it is grainy. Just like the name; it has a chalky finish. If you want a smooth polished look then don’t use chalk paint. It also shows brush marks from the paint brush. It is definitely a more rustic / shabby chic / distressed look. That is why a lot of people also sand or distress it after they are done painting too. You can see in my pictures where I distressed the piano to have some of the brown come through. This also makes the paint indestructible. My kids can race cars and bang toys all day long on the paint and it looks just like it was meant to be. This look isn’t for everybody but considering how easy it is, who cares?
Once you have enough coats of paint to your liking, and it has cured, It is time to wax. Now wax, in the chalk paint world, is the same as sealing latex paint with a polyurethane. It is just a protectant layer to seal the chalk paint. A lot of people also recommend buying a special brush and special wax for this too. No need! I used Minwax finishing wax/ paste. It worked great. Just take a lent-free rag and wipe/buff in the wax. make sure to rub it in good until there is a small sheen to the finish.
I didn’t even paint the inside of the lid. I left it brown so I wouldn’t have to mess with spilling on the keys. I’m messy and lazy like that ;). I think it still looks great because of all the brown showing through in the distressed parts. It really was just a little time consuming to sit and paint all three coats. I didn’t have to worry priming, sanding, or any prep. Just mix or buy your chalk paint and brush it on (Just make sure to brush it all in the same direction as much as possible). It’s that simple. Anybody can do it.
Kate
Hi there, I’m Kate. Welcome to White Lane Decor. Thanks for stopping by. I love neutral, bright, and airy spaces. I’m always looking for new ways to turn our house into a home. Have a look around and find inspiration for your next project.
Search
Disclosure
Some of my blog posts, ads, and banners contain "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate compensation. However, I only recommend products or services I use personally and truly feel you will enjoy too! I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” White Lane Decor is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Hi there, I’m Kate. Welcome to White Lane Decor. Thanks for stopping by. I love neutral, bright, and airy spaces. I’m always looking for new ways to turn our house into a home. Have a look around and find inspiration for your next project.
Search
Disclosure
Some of my blog posts, ads, and banners contain "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate compensation. However, I only recommend products or services I use personally and truly feel you will enjoy too! I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” White Lane Decor is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
