Image courtesy of LED Lighting
If you are looking to add a modern touch to your home décor, there are several paint projects you can take on that will add a unique look to each room. Use a different technique or combination of techniques throughout your home. With the right paint and a few tools, you can turn your home into a showcase for modern and avant garde design.
Repurpose an Old Piece of Furniture
Everybody has gotten into repurposing old pieces of furniture. Take a dresser or other type of bedroom furniture and paint it with your favorite color. Use an antiquing paint to give it a worn, distressed look. Sand it down to give it a more antique-ish look and then apply a coat of clear shellac to seal the paint. If you remove the drawers, you can turn an old dresser into a unique set of shelves. You can repurpose almost any type of old furniture including sofas, coffee tables, armoires, nightstands, bookcases, cabinets, or even old-style desks.
Paint the Lamp Shades
If you like to add splashes of color throughout your room, paint designs on your lampshades. If you have an accent wall, use the accent colors to paint the lampshades and a white or off white to paint the same design on the wall. Use a design that appears on your curtains, the carpet or your furniture’s upholstery to tie everything together. You can paint almost any type of lampshade, but if the shade is cloth, test a small area first to make sure the paint won’t run.
Paint/Stencil the Ceiling
One of the hottest trends today is painting the ceiling. You can paint the ceiling a dark color and add white trim around the edge of the ceiling or create an elaborate design to encircle the base of the ceiling fan or chandelier. If you want to stay with a solid color, use one that compliments the room. A good example of this is painting a kitchen ceiling bright yellow and leaving the walls a bright white. Add touches and red for a cheery and bright environment.
Linen Texture Paint
If you want to add texture to your walls, you don’t have to rely on the popcorn machine or stucco. Create a linen texture using textured linen glaze and a linen weaver tool. Throw in a coordinating paint and you have the perfect recipe for the best looking walls in the house. Linen textured walls do not show fingerprints or smudges. This technique can be used on a variety of other surfaces as well, including doors, tables, ceilings, and almost any other accessory you can think of to decorate your home.
Paint Your Light Fixtures
Old brass light fixtures can get a new lease on life if you add a coat or two of grey or black paint. Paint the entire light fixture and then use a contrasting paint as a base coat on the lampshades. Using white or another light color paint small designs on the lampshades as access features. Use a matte or textured paint for a subtle effect. This technique is best used on light fixtures that hang over a table or in the entryway of your home.
There are several ways to spruce up your home using paint and a few easy to use tools. With a few colors of paint, you can literally add a dozen or more modern touches to your home that will dramatically change the atmosphere. You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to upgrade your home. Instead, do a little research about modern techniques and how easy they are to achieve and then head to the hardware store for a few cans of your favorite colors of paint.
