Here are my go-to paints for just about everything in our home.

Lowe's Valspar Latex Enamel Paint - Satin Black

Rust-Oleum Metallic Finish Spray Paint - Aluminum

You can find more before and after pictures of things I've transformed with paint on my blog!

fun internet searches and did my research so I was prepared on the day of painting/updating. (I live 5 states away, have crazy hours at work and take care of my toddler, so I needed to be efficient in a wknd.)

Sure, there are things that could use more updating in the pictures, but didn't have time. She also need to get a new fridge - but will let the buyer deal with that!

Overall: Smoky Slate (Green/Gray) paint to walls, painted over flowery tile, and island. Changed cabinetry hardware. Didn't have time or money for overhauling cabinets or changing the overhead light fixture. May have to make a few more trips.

Details: For the tile and island - used bonding primer first (2 coats for tile, 1 coat for island oak). Measured 4 fluting wood at Lowe's - painted both sides with bonding primer, then used Liquid Nails and 4 real nails for each fluting wood to put on island. Then painted island completely in the Smoky Slate.

For the cabinet pulls - they were 80's brass. Sanded lightly while still on cabinets, unscrewed, laid out on flat surface outside (my youngin' helper), spray paint gray primer, spray paint brushed nickel. The brushed nickel looked gray and horrible when on the cabinets and didn't match anything! So re-did spray primer and spray paint - Black Flat - looked much better with existing black appliances. Tedious - since we had to do it twice - but a pink power screwdriver helped!

Total time- 2 people, prepped before, 6 hours. $100.00

Effect - Toned down the formica crème cabinets and all that (good) oak wood!

A quick and inexpensive DIY. More to come on other parts of the house!

now lanais. My art supplies usually get scattered all over the house. Well, my husband suprised me one day last year and found a construction trailer a friend of ours was getting rid of and brought it home.

He said " Here you go honey...your new studio!!"

EVERYTHING to get sleep and nothing works.

SO, I am yearning to build a soundproof sleep pod over/around my bed. Has anyone done it? Do you have any suggestions for wood, soundproof supplies? Anything?I'm a bit stumped but, it will happen!:)Thanks much.

and him pulling a permit. He advised me if he pulled the permit it would have to be for the full job not just electric so it would be better if I pulled an home owners inspection permit because I'm doing the basement in stages. I called and requested this and I was told it was 71.50 a sq ft and 4.50 per something else. Well I have 1200 Sqt so just adding that together that tells me that can't be right as that is about 85,000 bucks. I question why it would be so much to to finish my basement and was told thats the system and they hung up on me. I called back and got someone else and rephased the question still to get told they needed to know the full amount I was going to spend to finish the basement.

Anyone have any insight on this?