In a home, it’s the little things that make a difference, and that’s what inspired this makeover.
I’ve wanted to paint the clothes valet you see here for awhile now, even had the paint to do it…
But I use it to display my Grandmother’s quilt (I wrote about the quilt here), so the valet is usually tucked behind a patchwork of colours!
And you know how it is. Out of sight, out of mind, right?
Originally my thought was to paint the valet in black… and I still think black would look good. But I decided to lighten things up with Benjamin Moore’s self-priming Aura paint in Tapenade CC-694 instead.
My biggest procrastination, honestly, was the sanding! Who enjoys sanding, anyway? And I know… if I used Annie Sloan’s chalk paint, I wouldn’t have to sand… but my motive was to try and use up some of the paint I already have! Besides, you’ll see I used Annie’s clear wax for the finish!
I was pretty happy to forego the primer. Have you ever used self-priming paint? One less step, and you’ve got my attention!
Here’s how BM’s Tapenade CC-694 fits in.
It works with the green stripe in the drapery panel (I wrote about that DIY here), the hints of green at the base of the flower petals in the duvet… and also, Tapenade is a gray-green.
Here’s a look at my Gran’s vintage quilt back in place.
I like the way the green works with the colours in the quilt. Notice the large paisley in the bottom left corner?
Here’s one more look back at the ‘Before’…
And another look at the way I’ve finished styling this little corner space.
This is an example of working with what you have, and adding a little DIY twist to make what you have work even better. I didn’t buy anything… not even the basket filled with scarves that’s sitting under the quilt.
And if you were to ask, everything in this corner has a little story, even the basket! Did you notice the scrolls hanging above the quilt? I’ll tell you all about them in another post! Yup, they have a story, too!
How about you? Have you made any changes in your space lately? What tips do you have to share?
My thing is working with what you have to pull a look together. By tweaking a few things here and there, even the smallest changes can make a huge difference. It’s once you’ve done this that you’ll know if, or what new pieces you might like to add. Because the other part of working with what you have, is knowing what’s not working anymore, and letting it go. But wait, you might want to give it a DIY makeover first! You’d be surprised what you fall in love with all over again!!!
THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY!
All Photos by Sheila Zeller
I like you color choice – not black again, sorry only my 2bits
I agree, the little things make a big difference! Good job!
Looks great Sheila!
I love it green, isn’t it amazing what a little paint will do!
That color is awesome!
Love how you freshened up your clothes valet – it looks much more modern now, and works great with your curtains
And your grandma’s quilt is so pretty & colourful – the perfect piece to brighten up your room 
BTW, you can make your own homemade chalk paint – just combine plaster of paris & paint with a touch of water.
Thank you so much, Kelly… and thank you for the DIY chalk paint tip! I think you blogged that tip, didn’t you? Naturally, I never even gave that a thought when I did this. It would have been the perfect project for me to give it a try!
Oh my gosh I’m laughing out loud because I have the same little valet! Well it’s slightly different, mine has a compartment on the bottom. AND I’ve been putting off painting it for the longest time…
Looks great. I always love a little splash of color
Thanks Jess! Seriously, the sanding was the worst part, and if I did it again, I’d just bite the bullet and use chalk paint. But I’m with you – I loooove my black, but a pop of colour is a refreshing change to the eye!
Oh that color of paint you used is delish!!! I love your grandma’s quilt, just a touch of love over a beautiful piece. What are those scrolls?? Tell me, tell me!!
You are so awesome! Thank you!!! The scrolls will come
Lovely job, Sheila! Keep on tweaking, it’s good for the soul
xoxo
Your post today started me on a “bunny trail” of reading some of your earlier bedroom posts. I’m curious about how you feel about your wool duvet, now that you have been using it for a few months.
Hi Pauline! I know what you mean about the bunny trail – sometimes I really think blogs need a separate page for an index or table of contents, like a book! I’m not sure if you picked up this thread or not, but here’s the link to my follow-up…
http://www.sheilazellerinteriors.com/articles/weighing-in-on-wool-vs-down-duvet-after-8-months
And since that post, we’re still feeling the same. We’ve had a chance to weigh in with these hot summer nights… still rates at the top for us! And I am seriously loving not having to contend with random feathers
That color is perfect and I love grandma’s quilt!
Thanks, Shauna!
xo S
It looks amazing. Love the paint color and the quilt adds the perfect personal touch!
It looks so much fresher now that it’s got a coat of paint. The owner of my local BM store told me recently that ALL paint is self priming!! To think of all the money I’ve spent on primer over my lifetime:)
Seriously? ALL paint??? Well now, that’s music to my ears as in, cha-ching money and time savings! Thanks for the tip!!!
LOVE your Grandma’s quilt! Love your paint color choice also- perfect! I am always tweaking and doing over something- it’s fun!!
It looks great Sheila – you’ve put that together so well!
My dad had one of those valets when I was growing up – I remember he’d come home from work and hang his suit on it. Love that you are displaying that fabulous quilt on yours – and the color (and the fact that there was no sanding and priming) is fabulous!
Kelly