Hey guys!
With all the "back-to-school fever" hanging around our house, Mr. Fix-It and I started to make a list of all the things we want to do in the house this year. You all know that I've been wanting to re-paint the playroom for months now. The playroom was a yellowish-beige colour that we did when we first moved into the house and I never loved it. I always felt like it looked dirty. Blah. Yellows can be tricky for this very reason. Since the initial paint job, we've painted over most of it, except the playroom.
So....when Benjamin Moore reached out to me, I reached back with open arms. They have something fabulous that you will love. It's called ben & ME. Honestly, it's just like buying a Bed in a Bag. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING you need to paint a room is in the ben & ME bag. One happy package!
So great right? Here's what's in the ben & ME kit...
- 2 gallons of premium paint and 1 quart of trim paint
- sleeve roller, paint brush, paint tray, drop cloth, paint can opener & green painters tape
- How-to guide and even a playlist to get you on a roll! Ha! What a funny girl!
Next up was choosing a colour. Just because it's a playroom, doesn't mean it has to be painted every primary color under the sun. Remember, your home should flow from one room to another. Here were my thoughts...
And the winner is: Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal for the walls and Cloud White for the trim
I felt like it would flow well with the Benjamin Moore Stonington Grey in the living room and dining room. Plus, the dark colour would be a great anchor to the back of the house.
Here we go! This is what I was working with:
PLAYROOM BEFORE
The colour felt flat and dull. This project would also be a great excuse to organize all that stuff!
I turned up the tunes, put on my painting clothes and it was just ben & METape Trick. Here is a master taping secret: heat-seal the tape's edge (with friction!) by running a smooth tool like your finger, a spoon, or a paint stick along the edge. Heating up the sticky stuff helps it form a stronger seal against paint seepage. You don't want seepage!
Also, don't wait to pull your tape. Remove it, preferably while the paint is still wet, downward and at a 45-degree angle. Otherwise you risk puling some paint off with the tape, making your hard work for naught. If that does start to happen, run a sharp blade lightly across the painted edge of the tape before pulling. Phew!
Another tip: Wrap it Up! If you don't finish the paint job all in one go, don't let your brush or tray dry out. Wrap them super tightly in plastic or foil (I usually use Ziploc baggies) and seal all edges to keep the air away from them, then store them in your fridge. Don't eat them.
Okay, I've got one more tip to share: Defeat the Drips! When you dip your brush straight into the can and wipe it against the sides, you get messy drips on the can and, eventually, the floor. Ugh. Take a rubber band and wrap it around the can, forming a band across the top of the can. Now you can wipe away excess paint without a drop in sight.
Ready for the new and improved?
VOILA!
and...whipped out the old spray paint for the frames
Thanks to Ben & Me, our kiddies' playroom has gone from drab to fab. Honestly, this kit is amazing! If you're thinking of painting a room but don't want the hassle of picking up all the materials or unsure what rollers/brushes to buy then you need to march into your nearest Benjamin Moore Signature store and get this kit. Oh and did I mention it's only *$109 (value of $169). AMAZING! Go get it fast, this cool promo is only on until October 5th!
Oh and for all you Twitter party lovers, sheblogs Canada is hosting a ben & ME Twitter party on September 18th from 7-8pm EST. You can win some fabulouso prizes! I will definitely be there. Follow @sheblogsmedia and use the #DIYWithBen. Don't forget to RSVP here
Like it?
PLAYROOM AFTER
Here it is. Our new playroom!
Keep it Beautiful.
Although this post has been generously sponsored by Benjamin Moore, the opinions and language are all my own, and in no way do they reflect Benjamin Moore.
* With a qualifying purchase of two cans of 3.79 l ben® interior flat K625, eggshell K626 or semi-gloss K627 and one can of 946 ml ben® interior semi-gloss K627 for $109.00 suggested retail price, receive a FREE ben® & Me tote and painting kit at participating dealers. Limit one (1) per customer. While supplies last. No substitutions. Qualifying purchases must be made in single transaction. Actual price will be determined by dealer at checkout. Offer cannot be combined with other offers, discounts or promotions, or applied toward prior purchases. Offer valid August 25, 2014 – October 5, 2014. See your local participating dealer for details. Void where prohibited.
Woa! I DO love it, and I really appreciate your approach to staying away from the primary colours. Your colour choices are awesome - I'm a fan of Cloud White for trim at the best of times, and the Kendall Charcoal is gorgeous! Thank you for sharing Ben & ME - I had no idea that existed.
ReplyDeleteAMAZING!
ReplyDeleteThis looks great!! So pretty,
ReplyDeleteI find grey is a tricky colour to get right too.. and it changes depending on what colour it's against. Yours looks great! And that sounds like a great product!
ReplyDeleteI love the new playroom! Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI seriously love the idea of Ben and me, because there is virtually never a time that I finish a paint job without running back to the store for something I forgot!
ReplyDeleteWhat gorgeous windows!! I love the dark colour in such a bright space, it's perfect!!! I'd have to move to another house to use colour that dark... old house with dark rooms *sigh*
ReplyDeleteWhat a great colour choice for a playroom! Love it!
ReplyDeleteLOVE your your little guy's bedroom make-over! I love the gray! It is gorgeous! Thanks so much for sharing all of these tips and the results with us, Alicia!
ReplyDelete