DIY

It took me several paint color selection fails to finally learn that buying paint samples before painting an entire space is definitely worth it!  I can attest to the fact that many color disasters have been avoided this way.  But with all of those little paint jars comes the after-the-fact question of what to do with leftover paint samples?  Here are 5 ideas for leftover paint samples that will have you even happier you bought them in the first place!

1.  Donate Sample Paint Pots

If you don’t want the clutter associated with keeping sample paint containers, donate them!

Some organizations will accept donations of sample paint pots.  Certain Habitat For Humanity ReStore locations collect latex paint and recycle it into new paint colors offered for sale to the public.  Before heading out to any donation spot, make sure to check their requirements first.

School art departments may also be grateful for your donations of paint sample pots.  Check with the teachers or administrators first.

And finally, neighbors, friends, or people in your Facebook resale group may want the paint samples!  I am always amazed how people would scoop up paint sample pots from me when I’d list them in my old town’s Facebook group.  This was an incredibly easy way to get rid of paint samples and do good for others.

2.  Make Chalk Paint with Leftover Paint Samples

Another great idea for sample paint is to turn it into chalk paint!  (In case you don’t know what chalk paint is, it’s thick, fast-drying paint that doesn’t require you to sand or prime before use.  Check out my post on how to update cherry furniture with information on when you might want to prime a piece before chalk painting it.)

Did you know that you can make your own chalk paint?  It’s really easy!  Here’s my favorite recipe for homemade chalk paint:

• I cup of paint
• 2 tablespoons of calcium carbonate powder
• 1 tablespoon of water

Watch my TikTok video to see how easy the process of making your own chalk paint is!

Mix well and apply! I refinished this two-tone dresser with homemade chalk paint.

3.  Paint an Accent Wall with Sample Paint 

Patterned accent walls and handpainted “wallpaper” are a huge trend in decor currently.  It’s not surprising as these accent walls are an easy way to add some personality to a space, they don’t take a lot of time to do, and they’re inexpensive as compared to the cost of some wallpapers.

Painting an accent wall with leftover paint samples is a brilliant use of these paint pots!  I painted a grid accent wall in my foyer with craft paint, but this same project easily could have been done with paint samples.

There are so many patterns you can paint on a wall with paint samples: dots, stripes, crosses, sponge painted shapes, arches . . . the list goes on and on!

4.  Create DIY Art with Leftover Paint

As I say over and over and over again, art is so expensive!  I wish I could have “real” artwork for my home, but I’ve got too many other things to spend money on.  Because of that, I like to make my own artwork, and it’s totally doable with leftover paint!

Update a thrift store painting with paint samples, or create new artwork with paint samples and fancy wrapping paper.  Those are two easy ways to get custom art without any talent – ha!

5.  Update Home Decor with Paint Samples

Finally, a perfect idea for using up paint samples is to update home decor with them.  These tiny pots of paint give you just the right amount to try things like painting a mirror frame to give it a new look, giving baskets a fresh new color with paint, or even painting a lampshade like I did in my son’s bedroom makeover!

Using up sample paint pots is a great way to save money and it’s also better for the environment than pouring it down the drain (don’t ever do that!).  Let me know if you have any other great ideas of ways to use leftover paint samples in the comments below.

-Bre

Looking for a way to update a mirror wall? Don’t rip it out: try tape!

One of the biggest challenges in my Office and Guest Room Combo Makeover was modernizing a mirrored wall that screamed, “Hello, it’s 1980.”  OK, obviously it didn’t really scream that, but it might as well have!

Of course, I thought about removing the mirrored wall altogether.  But when I researched how to do that, I decided it was too much work and that the wall repairs would be too expensive for what I wanted to spend at this time.

So then, for months, I brainstormed other creative ways to updated mirrored walls.  I had already updated mirrored bookcases with removable wallpaper, and antiqued a large plate glass wall mirror in my dining room . . . so what could I do here?

I considered covering the mirror wall in fabric, but knew I would not have good luck getting any pattern straight.  I also considered painting over the mirror, but I had slight concerns about the durability and look of that option.

Then, one night, I was cooking dinner and an idea popped into my mind: create a mirrored accent wall with tape!

I could see it in my brain, and it was the perfect solution!  I patted myself on the back for this stroke of originality and genius. 

Then I hopped on Pinterest and found out that this has been done before.  Among others, Caroline at Food52 added electrical tape grids to her mirrored closet doors, Chelsea at Making Manzanita also used black tape on mirrored closet doors, and Hometalk created a gold fretwork mirror with washi tape.  

Womp womp.  I am not a pioneer in adding tape to mirrored walls after all.

Despite that, I’m sharing this tutorial because it’s a huge part of my office and guest room makeover, and because IT LOOKS COOL!  🙂

Supplies Needed to Modernize a Mirrored Wall with Tape

This post contains affiliate links.  Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

• Mirrored wall or mirrored closet doors.  Really, any mirrored surface that you don’t want to be so “mirror-ey” anymore.
• Black vinyl tape.  For this project I used 3/4″ vinyl pinstriping tape and 1/4″ vinyl pinstriping tape.
• White or silver crayon
• Level
• Scissors

How to Update a Mirrored Wall With Tape

First things first, I took down all of the artwork my kids had taped on the mirrors, and then I scrubbed it with Windex.  Even if you don’t have kid art tacked onto your mirrored wall, you should definitely clean it before starting.

Step One: Cover the Mirror Wall Frame with Tape

For this part of the project, I used the 3/4″ vinyl pinstriping tape because the frame around the mirrors was just about 3/4″ wide.

If you decide to do this project, measure the mirror frame before ordering tape.  You may need a different tape width than I used, depending on the width of your mirror frame.

Starting in the far left corner, I worked my way across the top of the mirror frame – covering it in the black vinyl tape. 

Once I reached the end, I cut the tape, and then started a new piece to go down the right side of the mirror.  I repeated this process until the entire mirror frame was covered in black tape.

Check out my mirrored medicine cabinet makeover!

Step Two: Cover the Vertical Mirror Gaps with Tape

Then, I covered each of the vertical spaces between the mirror wall panels with the same black tape.

The mirror was looking better already!

TIP: be careful not to pull or stretch the tape. It will shrink up with time if you pull it tightly.

Step Three: Create the Secondary Tape Lines

Now here’s where things get a little more interesting: creating the secondary tape line on the mirror.  First I tried measuring several inches down from the top tape line, drawing a straight line across, and then covering that line with tape.  It did not work AT ALL!  It was really difficult to get anything straight.

So, working one mirror panel at a time, I took the level and placed it directly underneath the piece of tape on the top of the mirror frame.  I made sure that the top of the level was lined up with the bottom of the tape, and then I drew a line with the white crayon along the bottom edge of the level.  I then covered that line with the 1/4″ vinyl tape.

I then moved on to draw a vertical line with the crayon in the same way that I drew the horizontal line.  Once that line was drawn, I also covered it with the 1/4″ vinyl tape.

I repeated this process for every panel, until each panel had an inner border of 1/4″ vinyl tape.

All in, this took me around 3 hours to complete and under $15.  Absolutely worth it – no doubt in my mind.

The Finished Modernized Mirror Wall

I mean, I don’t know about you, but I actually LIKE this mirror wall now!  I don’t even think I’ve tricked myself into thinking it looks good.  I’m pretty sure it actually looks GOOD!  It’s amazing what breaking up those panels did for this thing.

Plus, with the dark color of the room, having this mirror wall helps bounce some light around and also makes it feel larger than it is.  (It is really tiny!)

Well anyway, let me know what you think of my mirror wall in the comments below.  And if you wouldn’t mind pinning this post to Pinterest or sharing it, I’d appreciate it.  Remember: friends don’t let friends live with mirror walls or mirrored closet doors they don’t like!

Nothing makes as much of a curb appeal impact as a beautiful front door.  If your wood front door has seen better days and needs to be refinished, do not fear! It’s so easy to restain a front door with gel stain, and the best part is that you can refinish it without removing it from the hinges!

My home had a very sad and neglected wooden front door.  My husband and I believe that the door is original to the home (built in 1927), and that it had been unloved since that time.

It was dull, scratched, worn, and made a very bad first impression.  Not a very welcoming entrance to the home that we’ve put so much time and effort into!  This “before” photo actually makes the door look better than it should.

Since our door was in such bad shape, we really wanted to replace it with a new, craftsman-style wooden door with windows.  But after researching the cost of replacement doors, we decided that refinishing the door was better for our budget.

We weren’t sure if I could get a wooden door that looked THIS bad to look better, but we figured it was worth a shot.  (Spoiler Alert: it TOTALLY WORKED and I’m going to show you how to get the same results!)

After doing a lot of product research, I settled on using gel stain to refinish this wood front door.  Restaining a door with gel stain has a lot of benefits – one of which is that you don’t have to remove the door from the hinges, strip the door prior to restaining, or do any extensive prep work.  The easy way is my way.

What Is Gel Stain?

In case you’re unfamiliar with it, gel stain is different from traditional stain because it does not penetrate the wood.  It sits on top of the wood, much like paint does.

When applied, it has a pudding-like consistency and looks rather opaque.  But when you wipe off the excess gel stain, it has a translucent finish that lets the wood grain show through, just like regular stain does.

Since originally publishing this post, I have used gel stain on LOTS of projects.  I even have a helpful blog post on Helpful Gel Stain Tips and Tricks for a Perfect Finish.  I recommend reading that post after this post to give you even more information about the process of refinishing a door with gel stain.

Can You Restain a Door That’s Already Stained?

Before we jump into the step-by-step process, I want to answer the number one question that I get on this topic: can you stain a door that’s already been stained?

The answer is YES!  You can use gel stain to restain a door that’s already been stained.  That is exactly what I show you how to do in this post.

The key to restaining a previously stained door with gel stain is sanding just enough to remove any protective sealer that’s left on the door.  You don’t need to sand down to bare wood, but you do need to remove that shiny layer of protection before staining again.

Can You Use Gel Stain on Exterior Applications?

Throughout the years, many people have asked me if it’s okay to use gel stain on an exterior door.  Some people have told me their cans of gel stain say the product is for interior use only.

My can of gel stain says nothing about it being for interior use only, and my door’s finish stood up wonderfully! I moved out of this house in 2019 so I haven’t seen it since then, but from 2014 – 2019, my restained door was in excellent condition.

Also, in my new home, I painted the front door to look like wood with gel stain!  This is another exterior use of gel stain that is working out just great.

So, you may be nervous to refinish your front door with gel stain, but I assure you that it’s going to look fantastic!

Supplies Needed to Restain a Wood Door with Gel Stain

These are the supplies I used to refinish my wood front door as shown in this post.  Obviously, you can use a different color of gel stain to refinish your door.  Pick a shade that works best for your home!

This post contains affiliate links.  Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

• General Finishes Gel Stain (as shown in Brown Mahogany)
• Foam brushes in varying sizes
• Cheesecloth
• Spar Urethane in Satin (formulated for exterior finishes)
• Sandpaper (I used 100 grit)
• Disposable gloves
• Painters tape

How to Restain a Wood Front Door with Gel Stain

This is the complete process of how I restained my wood front door with gel stain, and without removing it from the hinges.

STEP ONE: Clean the Door

I washed the door to remove the dirt and grime that had accumulated over the years.  Then I taped off the door knocker and handle set because I couldn’t get them off the door!

STEP TWO: Sand the Door

I lightly sanded some parts of the door, focusing on the areas that still appeared to have some protective finish on them.  Then I used a cloth to remove the dust that appeared during sanding.

VERY IMPORTANT: If your door has protective finish left on the entire thing, make sure to sand the entire door.  You want the surface to be in the same condition on the entire door when you start staining.  This will ensure that the stain looks even.

STEP THREE: Apply Gel Stain to the Door

I followed the directions on the can of gel stain, and I applied stain to a small section of the door with a foam brush.

I had a temporary freak-out when it appeared to be a really dark, solid color – almost like pudding.  I thought I’d ruined my door.

STEP FOUR: Remove Excess Gel Stain

I used cheesecloth to wipe off the excess gel stain on the area to which I’d recently applied the stain.  Here you can see that stain had been applied to the right side of the door, but not the left.  Look at the difference already!

I repeated this process until I finished restaining the entire door.  I breathed easy because I hadn’t ruined the door.

STEP FIVE – Repeat the Gel Stain Process

I then let it dry overnight, and repeated the gel staining process again.

This is the door with two coats of gel stain, but no protective topcoat yet.  Already beautiful, right?

STEP SIX – Apply Protective Topcoat

After the second coat of gel stain had dried 24 hours, I began applying my protective topcoat, per the manufacturer’s directions.

I applied four coats throughout the course of the day, which allowed me to finish the topcoat portion without sanding in between any of the coats.  This was key to ensuring ease of application.

Several people have asked if I am sure that it’s okay to apply a water-based topcoat over gel stain.  I am totally sure that it is okay to use water-based topcoats on gel stain!  General Finishes (the manufacturer of the gel stain I used to refinish my door), even says it is ok to use water-based topcoats with gel stain.

The Restained Front Door

Can I just say that my wood door is now GLEAMING?

It looks totally amazing – almost like a new door.

This restaining process took some time, but it was time well spent.  Refinishing the door with gel stain made a huge impact on my home’s curb appeal, and it was an inexpensive way to upgrade the look of the door.