Rain on a Tin Roof

Tag: entryway

How to Paint Metal Handrails
While I have come to love split-level homes, I have not come to love the metal handrails that tend to always accompany split-level entries.

You know what I’m talking about.

Those handrails that belong outside. Not inside.

Alas, it seems every builder in the 70’s just had to have these metal eyesores in the stairways. There are some things I will wholly embrace from that era – such as wood paneling. At this point in my life though, those metal handrails are not one of the things I wish to embrace.

However, my pocketbook doesn’t exactly have enough money in it for me to totally kick that handrail to the curb just yet.

For the time being, I chose to just paint the handrail and live with it. I wanted to make sure it took as little away from the overall feeling of the entryway though. I wanted the art, lighting, rug and lucite handrail going downstairs to be the stars. For that reason, I thought it best to paint the handrail black to kind of blend it in with the walls.

As you know, the handrail is metal. Painting metal in general is different than painting a wall or a piece of furniture. You can’t use latex paint unless you just want to have the paint peeling away in a matter of days. Here’s how I painted my metal handrail.

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.
- Oil Based Paint – I used Behr’s oil based paint in a semi-gloss black.
- Small Good Paintbrush – I used a Wooster Pro 1.5” angled paintbrush. Notice I bolded the word “good.” Use a good, high quality paintbrush. When painting metal, having a good paintbrush is a necessity.
Step 1.

Tape off around any walls, trim, or floors as needed. Lay paper or dropcloths underneath your railing for paint splatter.

Step 2.

Working in small sections, brush the paint onto your railings. Do not try to roll the paint on with a roller. I tried this initially and it doesn’t work well at all. I ended up going back over all the rolled places with a paintbrush. This is one of those things where you have to suck it up and brush the whole damn thing. Oil based paint takes longer to fully set-up and dry, however you cannot easily go back over places you missed while the paint is drying as it will mess up the finish. This is why you want to work in those small sections.

Do the top of the railing all at once. Then go back and do entire spindles and in between them all at once and so on. Apply the paint in long even strokes – don’t go back and forth with the brush. As soon as you see you are starting to run out of paint, get more on your brush and overlap a little where you left off. If you apply the paint this way, then you should only have to apply one coat.

Step 3.

If you end up having to do an additional coat, wait at least a full 24 hours before reapplying the paint. Be sure that no one touches the paint while it is curing as it will smudge and mess up your finish. It may take 3-5 days for the paint to fully cure, so be as careful as you can around the railing during this time.

You should have little to no brush strokes if you bought the good paintbrush. Oil based paint is very good about self-leveling when used with a good brush.

Our metal handrail runs the length of the upper staircase, as well as a good bit around the top of the stairwell. It took me about 4 1/2 hours to paint the entire thing and I only needed one coat. I do think that if you wanted to, you could unscrew the handrail, take it outside, and spray the handrail with oil based paint in a paint sprayer. I wasn’t willing to go to all that trouble though. You could also spray paint it outside, but I find that over time spray paint will wear off of something when it’s constantly in use – like a handrail.

Do you have any tips to share for painting metal handrails or just painting metal in general?

Need more painting and home improvement tips?

DIY Lucite Handrail – a drop dead gorgeous handrail that only looks like a million bucks.

The Full Entryway Makeover – see how we made over the entire entryway…

My Best Tips for Painting Furniture – any kind of furniture at all.

Want to remember these metal painting tips for later? Just pin the image below!

SaveSave
August 9, 2016
The Entryway Makeover

Once upon a time, I had an aversion to split foyer homes. They didn’t make sense to me. I hated the layout and overall, I just wasn’t a fan. I refused to ever live in one.

Then one day we walked into a split foyer house and I kind of fell in love with all the potential.

Fast forward eight months and a renovation later, here I sit typing this post in my split foyer home eating my words.

I love our 70’s Landing Pad in all it’s split foyer glory, y’all. No, there isn’t a lot of room on the landing for a nice entry table or even for more than two people to stand, but overall this house is just damn near perfect for us – split foyer and all.

So let’s take a look at how far our split foyer entryway has come….

BEFORE:

Just like the master bathroom, this is a hard space to photograph since it’s a split staircase, but here’s my best shot at it.

The Entryway AFTER:

Affiliate links may be contained in this post.

Wall Color / Door & Trim Color / Chandelier / Eyes Art

Well that’s a dramatic difference, huh?

Let’s talk about the (good) elephant in the room first, shall we? Those eyes…

Eyes Art / Chandelier

The floor space of the entryway itself doesn’t have much room for decorating, therefore I had to use my wall space on the stairwell efficiently. I knew I wanted to set the tone here for our whole house. As soon as I found this eyes watercolor artwork called Soul Seeing by Kelsey McNatt on Minted, I knew it was perfect. To me, it screamed The 70’s. And since we are calling this place the 70’s Landing Pad and also giving quite the nod to 70’s design, it was the perfect choice. I went for it in a copper frame to really pop off the wall.

The chandelier was a vintage find from a local store. I actually bought it just a couple weeks after we first got the house knowing it would be perfect somewhere. You can find the same one on Etsy here, but you can also do a search for lucite chandeliers and find lots of gorgeous options.

I have to pause here and give a huge thanks to my two husbands, Grunt Labor and Nicky, for hanging the chandy. I didn’t exactly pay attention to the hardware, or lack thereof, that came with the chandelier because I was just so damn excited about finding it, so it was somewhat of a challenge to get it hung. They have made me promise not to buy another vintage light fixture again. We’ll see how that goes.

Rug

I carried the black walls, Limousine Leather by Behr, from the living room throughout the entry and painted the trim and door white. The white is Bit of Sugar by Behr and it is a true 100% white – or to me at least. It isn’t cottage-y or beige-y, it’s bright white, which is what I wanted for this space. At some point, I would love to update the door and sidelights, but they aren’t horrendous or anything, so it isn’t at the top of the list.

I’ve also got plans to get rid of that metal railing when the budget permits and replace it with something much better. For now though, I just painted it black to make it blend in more and not takeaway from the entry.

The rug is called Momeni Vogue and is from Rug Studio, which is a new-to-me rug store. I have to say I was really impressed with just how many rugs they have (thousands) and how reasonable their prices were.

We also installed the Cocoa Oak NuCore that we used throughout the main living area of the house on the stair landing as well.

And let me show you what’s hiding on the other side of the stairwell, leading down to the den…

DIY Lucite Handrail

A lucite hand rail.

And we DIY’ed it ourselves.

Isn’t it pretty?

And it is so easy to make. The tutorial for it is here.

And the best thing about the lucite hand rail?

Every single older gentleman who comes in our house comments on how much they like it.

I’m not even kidding. It’s fantastic.

My dad loves it. My father-in-law loves it. Nick’s dad loves it.

Out of all the things we’ve done during this renovation, I’ve at least earned the compliments from the men in my family for the lucite hand rail. #winning

Spill your thoughts.

What do you think about the split-foyer entry’s new found glam?

Shop the Entryway…

[show_shopthepost_widget id=”1850884″]

Have you seen these yet?

Master Bathroom Remodel

The 70’s Landing Pad Home Tour

Disclosure: Minted supplied me with the art for the entry and Rug Studio supplied me with the rug. However, all opinions are 100% mine and they are things I would have bought anyway.

SaveSave

July 14, 2016
Spring Home Tour: Design Ideas for Small Budgets

You guys.

You guys.

No really, you guys.

So much has changed since the last time I did a full home tour.

Especially my living room. And my kitchen.

I’m almost pee-my-pants excited to show you.

And now that I think about the things that have changed in the past two months, I realize I have no clue how it all got done and that I must be insane.

Oh wait, we already knew that.

Even though, I know you’ve already seen the entryway, let’s start there since its still new-ish.

Disclosure: Kirkland’s provided me with a gift card to do a little shopping for my home tour. However, all opinions are 100% mine.

Entryway Makeover / DIY Confetti Wall

I still love the entryway so much. Its light, bright, and most importantly – fun.

The living room….

Wait for it…

Wait for it…

Boom.

Such a big difference from last time, right?

There’s a new rug, the red buffet has been stripped, and my most favorite new feature of the living room – the black and white framed gallery wall.

Stripped & Restained Buffet / Black & White Gallery Wall

There is still a lot of gold, green, navy, and red in this space. Those are my favorites.

IKEA Tarva turned Drink Bar / DIY Cowhide Rug

I love all the black and white that anchors it as well.

The gallery wall turned out far better than I ever could have dreamed.

Fo Realz. I never thought I could make anything that pretty.

The gray chair is sporting a new shimmery gold pillow, that’s a new white bust as well, and yes, those sconces are new on the wall. The pouf ottoman is new-to-the-space. I may or may not have stolen it from the man cave…..shhhhhh…..

Same thing with the pink ottoman – except I stole it from my office. Moving pieces around is my favorite way to decorate. I was tickled pink to find the gold sphere for a whopping $13.

Let’s move on to the kitchen…

Kitchen Makeover / DIY Kitchen Island / Green & Navy Barstool Makeover

Spot anything different??

NAVY CABINETS!

I die.

And pretty new brass hardware…

I die again.

Me, overdramatic? Whatever…

I loved my kitchen before.

Now, I love my kitchen. Painting the base cabinets navy and adding that brass hardware made it 100% Jenna…and Grunt Labor too..he really likes it..

Coffee Station & 10+ Kitchen Ideas

The entire kitchen got a makeover in three days. It was a total whirlwind and there’s no way I could have done it alone. Kellie, who makes Velvet Finishes, actually came with her crew to pitch in and filmed it all! All that will be posted soon too.

After the cabinets were done, I did some editing and redecorating on the open shelving.

Knock-Off Jonathan Adler Mohawk Lollipop Holder

The Knock-Off Jonathan Adler Mohawk Lollipop Holder graces the top of the shelving. I added a few more touches of brass with the eagle thing (no clue what its called, but it was $1 at a thrift store) and the brass bowl on the bottom. I also switched up the clear glasses for my Grannie’s red ones. I can’t believe I didn’t have those babies showcased before. I love ’em. The antlers didn’t make it into the new gallery wall in the living room, so I hung them in the kitchen. The touch of rustic they add is perfect for the space.

And the dining room…

Not much is different here. I am plotting to strip the table and stain it to connect the space with the living room more.

That would be an ice bucket holding those roses, ’cause I’m a genius like that. You may have seen that tray when I instagrammed it. Its Jonathan Adler and was $4 at Burlington. Score.

Navy, White, & Gold Buffet

I’m still quite smitten with the buffet makeover. Its perfect for tying in the navy cabinets in the kitchen, since that whole space is open.

Criss-Cross Accent Wall

Everyone who has entered my house for the first time since the Criss-Cross Accent Wall was completed can’t get over the fact that it isn’t wall paper – its paint. And then they totally can’t believe it when I tell them it actually wasn’t that hard.

More on the Dining Room…

Last but not least, the master bedroom…

Very little has changed in here since the master bedroom mini-makeover. I did switch out the white lamps for mid-century modern style lamps like you see above. The shape of those lamps pulled me in and had me buying them in five minutes flat.

I added another of the gold pillows to the reading nook and to make the books look less like clutter and more like decor, I topped them off with faux peonies. I’m usually not a faux flower person, but these were really cute and I adore the black and white striped pot.

More on the Master Bedroom…

I didn’t include the kid’s room, guest bedroom + office, and bathroom in the tour since nothing has really changed there at all. You can tour them here though if you https://ovo188exp.com/ haven’t seen them before.

You know you don’t wanna miss any of this crazy.

Sign up to get my posts delivered to your inbox here.

Stalk Me Here:

Pinterest / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

March 24, 2015
Easy Confetti Accent Wall
Have you been introduced to my new favorite wall?

Its shiny, its gold, its fun, and it was so easy to make.

My favorite thing about it? There’s no way you can screw it up.

Meet my Confetti Accent Wall.

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

This baby made its debut in my recent entryway makeover – ya know – the makeover that was totally unplanned and random?

I have done quite a few accent walls in my time and I have to say that this one was by far the easiest I’ve ever done. There’s no measuring needed and bonus – it only cost me about $25 to do this wall.

Easy Confetti Accent Wall

Materials Needed:
- FrogTape® Multi-Surface in 0.94″ width
- FrogTape® Multi-Surface in 1.88″ width
- Paint Colors of Your Choice (I used one quart of white wall paint and one large bottle of acrylic gold metallic paint.)
- Small Foam Roller
- Regular Size Paint Roller
- Paint Brush
Steps

Step 1:

Before the confetti wall, this wall was a very dark navy. Since I was going with a much lighter color on the wall, I first needed to prime the entire wall. Using the wider width of FrogTape® Multi-Surface, tape off your edges and trim, then prime.

Step 2:

Using a small foam roller, roll on random strips of your “confetti” color. I opted to do gold.

Step 3:

After the confetti color has dried, place strips of the smaller width of FrogTape® Multi-Surface onto the confetti color.

Use a credit card or something similar to burnish the edges of the tape.

Step 4:

Paint your desired wall color over the entire wall.

Step 5:

After your final coat of paint, remove the FrogTape® Multi-Surface, while the paint is still wet.

Let the wall completely dry before you put anything on it or near it.

I love having this wall in our entryway – it lets guests know that we are fun and easygoing – or at least I hope that’s what they think about us…..

Do you have a fun accent wall in your house?

Looking for more great accent wall ideas? That’s kind of my thing…

Cane Inspired Accent Wall for $25 or Less – gorgeous, not too hard and a classic design.

Black & White Gallery Wall – a simple accent wall that disguises your television!

Criss-Cross Accent Wall – another classic design, but on a larger scale.

9 Accent Walls for $30 or Less – high on style, but low on budget.

7 Wall Treatments that Aren’t Shiplap – please, simmer down on the shiplap, ya’ll.

You know you don’t wanna miss any of this crazy.

Sign up to get my posts delivered to your inbox here.

Stalk Me Here:

Pinterest / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

SaveSave
February 19, 2015
The funnest entryway you ever did see, even if it is mine

I’m not sure that funnest is actually a word. I googled it after saying it over and over in my head a hundred times and still couldn’t get a clear answer as to whether or not it is a word.

I finally just went with my redneck instincts and left it in the title.

Keep in mind, I used to teach middle school Language Arts.

Those poor children.

So I know I didn’t tell you I was doing an entryway makeover.

Here’s the thing.

I hadn’t really planned on doing an entryway makeover.

And then it all just kind of happened.

Story of my life.

Disclosure: This post was a collaboration with Kirkland’s. All opinions and sporadic makeovers are 100% mine.

Before we start this makeover process, let’s take a moment to look at the before so that we can really appreciate the after:

I didn’t hate the entryway before. I loved that navy wall, but that navy wall was really making the space dark.

Furthermore, the circus would barely miss hitting her head on the corner of that table as she tornadoed down the hall.

Really, I could just say that I did this whole makeover for her safety. Right?

Quit shaking your head at me.

So, as my former students would say, what had happened is…

These prints.

That’s how it all started.

I went into Kirkland’s a few weeks ago and lo and behold they were on sale for $13 a piece.

And did you see how big they are?

It would have been a sin to leave them behind at that price, so I bought all four designs:

The Elephant One

The Leopard One

The Zebra One

The Giraffe One

And then I got home and realized that I had grossly misjudged how much all four of them together on the wall would overpower the bench (I’ll get to the new bench in a minute).

I was forced to pick favorites.

The elephant and leopard won.

Actually, my pick was the leopard and giraffe, but the circus screamed when I attempted to take the elephant off the wall, so that decided that.

Sidenote: they are all still only $13 as of the writing of this post.

And then there was the bench.

You see, while I was in Kirkland’s I also happened upon this bench.

And I’d been thinking I wanted a bench to put in place of the table.

And this bench was a nice neutral, which meant it would work with my ever-changing decor.

And it had nailhead trim.

And nailhead trim kind of makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.

So it came home with me too.

And then I got it all home and I said to myself, “Self, this wall color has to go.”

And Self concurred.

Self deems it the “confetti wall” and you can read how Self and I did it here.

And after the wall was finished, the bench placed in front of it, the art above it, I shopped my own house for the pillows, fur throw, and painted plant basket.

Because I’m good like that.

But then I realized the old light fixture no longer worked there.

So I made a new super easy DIY light fixture for only $25.

And that is how this entryway makeover came to be.

Looking for more fun room design inspiration?

Mudroom – Laundry Room Makeover – complete with a wall of swimmers. Seriously.

Home Office Makeover – where color and Burt Reynolds collide. 🙂

DIY Master Closet Makeover – colorful tassels and black and white stripes – oh my!

You know you don’t wanna miss any of this crazy.

Sign up to get my posts delivered to your inbox here.

Stalk Me Here:

Pinterest / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

February 5, 2015
Accent Wall: Rich Navy Entryway

Hi, my name is Jenna and I’m an over-analyzer.

The last time I over-analyzed something was just ~~yesterday~~ this morning.

I am easy going on many things. Most of the time, I’m just a “It is what it is” kind of girl.

But then, I start thinking about fabric and paint swatches and should I place this brass golf ball here or maybe here or maybe it needs to be on top of a vintage book…

Sheesh…. it never ends.

Case in point: The new rich navy accent wall in my entryway.

Rich Navy Accent Wall

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by HomeRight. Y’all know how I roll though, all opinions and over analyzations are 100% mine. This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

This was one of the quickest and most simple projects I have ever done, yet it took me around two months to decide what I wanted to do with the wall.

It went something like this in my head:

Maybe I should stencil that tiger stripe on the wall from my bar cart makeover.

No, maybe I should do wide stripes.

No, stripes are everywhere.

Maybe I should do more faux moldings.

Maybe I should do a different stencil.

Maybe I should do vertical stripes.

Maybe, maybe, maybe……

Then one day, while in a stare down with said wall, telling it that it would not beat me on this, it dawned on me.

Why not just do one single, simple, solitary color for the accent wall?

And then as if it were meant to be, my brain responded with navy.

Seriously? It took two months to figure that out. Geez.

Once the decision was made, I tested out a few navy shades and went with Rich Navy by Behr. I used my and it took no time at all to do this wall.

That’s the same PaintStick I used on my Repose Gray walls, except its a smaller version and doesn’t twist, you just push it.

Push it real good.

Sorry, I couldn’t resist a little Salt ‘N Pepa action there.

The PaintStick Mini is great for small jobs and tight spaces (and its only $15!) – exactly what that accent wall was.

Everything just seems to pop beautifully off the navy.

The Rich Navy is also a perfect contrast to the Repose Gray in the rest of the main living area.

The moral of this story is don’t over-analyze. Seriously, y’all. Save yourself time. Sometimes the easiest and most dramatic look can be achieved with one color and one fabulous tool. My accent wall is the perfect example.

If you liked this accent wall, you may like my Leopard Print Accent Wall as well.

Need more accent wall ideas? I’m your girl – here are a slew of different ideas for painting your walls in all sorts of gorgeous colors and patterns!

You know you don’t wanna miss any of this crazy.

Sign up to get my posts delivered to your inbox here.

Stalk Me Here:

Pinterest / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

SaveSave

March 4, 2014