EASY DIY Painted Bookcases For Our Homeschool Space

*This post is sponsored by KILZ® Brand but the content and opinions expressed here are my own. Some of the following links are affiliate links. Please see full disclosure for more information*

I cannot believe it is already the end of October! It seems like summer was just here and we started on our homeschool journey. A few months in and things are going great! We have been really enjoying our new routine. 

The only thing I still need to work on is our homeschool space. I really want a space that is inviting and fun for the kids yet blends seamlessly with the rest of the house. One of the things I needed to tackle was storage space for books and I was finally able to make some progress on that front. 

Over the summer, I came upon a couple of bookshelves on FB Marketplace for only $10 each. They needed an update, but they were in good condition and had great bones. 

As you know, I love giving furniture pieces makeovers so I was eager to give these bookcases a fresh look even though they were just simple bookcases. Sometimes it can be easy to overlook simple pieces like this when they are listed online. Even though they don’t have intricate design elements they can still make an impact in any room. Plus, they are functional pieces for storage and that’s a double bonus! 

Now, these bookcases are pretty dark so one of the most important things I needed to consider was using a good primer to cover the dark color, especially since I was going to lighten it up. I also wanted to make sure the paint treatment would last, because after all, this was going to be used by kids. 

I have used  KILZ® Primer in the past with previous furniture projects and it has always worked great so it was a no-brainer that I would use it for this project as well! 

For this go-around I used  KILZ® All Purpose 2 Primer easily found at your local hardware store.

This primer is great for blocking medium stains including minor water stains, rust, grease, ink and even marker. It’s ideal for changing colors and reduces the number of coats of paint necessary to complete a project. KILZ® All Purpose 2 works both for interior and exterior applications and it can be applied on surfaces such as wood, drywall, plaster, paneling, masonry, and even metal.

Another great feature is that it works with oil and water-based paints so it gives you flexibility. 

Application is easy. First, I made sure that the bookcase surfaces were clean. Then, I used a small angled sash brush as well as a 4 inch foam roller to apply the primer. 

Applying the primer is simple. I like to use the angled brush to get in all of the nooks and creases first and then I roll over everything to make it smooth with the roller. 

When applying it on long surfaces, I like to roll the roller from one end of the piece to the other. This helps ensure a nice smooth application straight across.

And I make sure to get every single last part of the bookcases. If it was getting painted, it was getting primed! 

Now, if you ever use primer and notice that the primed piece looks a little streaky or uneven – this is perfectly normal. As long as it is covered, it is fine! 

Just make sure it is completely dry before you move onto the next step! 

Once the bookcases were dry I was ready to paint!

I have been liking more earthy and warm tones lately when selecting my colors. I really love Solid Wood from Magnolia Home by Joanna Gains®. It’s like a mushroom color (at least that’s what it looks like to me). 

So I used this paint for the bookcases. I use the same angled sash brush for the creases and nooks, but for the roller, I prefer to use a Wooster Pro 4 inch roller for smooth surfaces. It gives the painted surface a smoother finish in my opinion. 

It’s the same roller I use for my kitchen cabinets as well. 

The second difference is that I always apply two coats of paint no matter what. For me, this is imperative as this ensures that the surface is completely covered. 

I let the second coat dry for at least 24 hours so that the paint could properly cure. Then, it’s all about the decorating! 

I used mostly books and things I had on hand, but I was able to get a few fun accessories to make the space for fun. 

And what is a homeschool space without a globe?!??

We are slowly adding more books to our collection, but I think we have a great start! 

I love how fresh and clean these bookcases look now with their new paint! 

The final application looks great and the paint is holding up well! 

If you are new to KILZ®, they have so many products available! They carry many different types of primers, paints and even specialty products. They are available at over 30,000 retailers and even online across both the United States and Canada.

If you have a project that needs a new coat of paint KILZ® Brand can definitely help make the project go smoothly and last a long time. 

Let me know your thoughts on how they turned out below and don’t forget to check out KILZ® Brand for all of your priming needs! 

That is definitely an amazing side-by-side! We can’t wait to get started learning in this space next week!

If you have any questions, make sure to list them below and I will see you back here soon. 

Until then… adios! 

Secretary “Cottage” Desk Makeover

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This week has been a very productive one and let me say it feels so good.  Today I am sharing my secretary desk from hell. LOL! Yes I said that. This thing gave me a run for my money but I did not stop until I finally was able to finish it.

It has been a while now since I have wanted a secretary like this and I was able to finally pick one up from FB Marketplace. From the start I knew I wanted to give it a make over.  I was not fond of the dark stain and I had seen several online that others had painted lighter and I wanted to try it out for myself. 

Here is what it looked like when I purchased it. It had a finial at the top but I removed it from transport and then I ended up liking it without it. 

When I first began to redo this desk, I was reached out to by a company who wished to send me a sample of their furniture paint that was a one and done deal. They assured me their paint would need no primer and minimal prep.

Since they had great reviews and many people used it, I thought I would try it out. Unfortunately it did NOT work so well for me. There was severe bleed through with this piece. I am not sure whether it was the paint, the age of the secretary, the type of wood or finish that did this, but it was pretty bad and I had gotten a but frustrated. 

I had painted furniture before and always used an oil based primer especially when not using chalk paint and I knew better. But sometimes you just have to try things out and learn.

So after I went through all of that I decided to use my trusty primer to seal all of the bleed-through. This is what I use for my dark furniture before I paint. 

Once the primer was dry I sanded everything with an orbital sander to make sure if was nice and smooth. But then came my next mishap.

I tried to use a new spray gun to paint the secretary (thinking it would be quick and give me a smooth finish). While I followed directions it didn’t come out so well. The paint came out super splotchy and uneven everywhere. There were huge globs of paint in sections so I decided to stop. 

So here I am trying to sand every detail smooth again. 

Oh, the horror. Another life lesson I guess…. just go with what you know… for now. 

I used Glidden paint for this project in a semi-gloss (which is great for furniture since it makes it super wipeable). It’s a light gray color. 

I used an angled sash brush for the corners and a foam roller for the flat and smooth areas. 

RELATED: FREE TABLE MAKEOVER

I wanted to add a little extra character by adding some beadboard that I had left over from my kitchen renovation and apply it to the back of the shelves.

The Latino Engineer helped me with cutting them and I installed them.

I used liquid nails and a nail gun to install. 

One thing you need to make sure when you do something like this, is that the lines match up as you move from one shelf section to another. This will make it look like one solid piece of bead-board instead of 3. Plus the lines lining up will look so much better. 

Make sure to caulk all of the edges of the bead-board so that it looks seamless. 

I wanted the piece to have a two-toned look so I painted the beadboard white. And while it’s hard to tell in the images, the secretary is painted in 2 different colors.

Finally, I wanted to reuse the old hardware so  I decided to spray paint them black. But then after putting them back on I didn’t like them so I removed them again. This time I spray painted them a copper (hammered) metallic color.

I am so glad I changed them. The black was just too stark.

Then lastly it was time to style. I added a mix of books and things I already had on hand along with some of my previous DIYs. 

I love the old key that came with the secretary and the lighter color of the secretary now accentuates the little key. 

How many DIYs can you spot here? ?

Leaving the original handles allowed me to keep this makeover really inexpensive. 

I removed the doors from the top (but kept them in case I wish to do something with them in the future). 

I love the look this secretary has now. It still has that vintage look but it has that nice soft cottage feel. The bead-board gave it that extra detail and it’s completely functional still which is great! 

I placed it next to my fireplace and I love the location. 

Let me know what you think! I worked on some other items during the time I was remaking this secretary and you are welcome to check them out below. 

Finishing Up DIY Projects

As always you can PIN this or share with a friend who would enjoy. 
 

I will see you next time.

Until then… adios! 

Free Table Transformation

*Some of the following links are affiliate links. Please see full disclosure for complete details*

Hey there! Hope you are well and staying warm. It is a cold, but sunny day here in Georgia.

It’s been a while since I have done a furniture makeover and I thought it would be a nice time to share a new one. This is something I really love doing, but lately with all of the renovations, honestly, it’s hard to find the time.

I love picking up items from FB Marketplace and you can really score some good deals on there. I especially love getting items for FREE! It doesn’t happen to often so when it does it’s even sweeter!

I came across a listing for a side table. It was a free porch pick up and I was lucky enough to be the first person to respond.

The table had some water damage on the top, but the rest still had good bones.

I knew I wanted to paint it right away. So the first thing I did was tape off the straps to the legs and the bolts that held them together.

I used the color French Linen to paint the bottom part. For my application, I knew I wanted a smooth finish so I used a flat brush. And because I wanted a flawless finish I had to give the piece 3 full coats of paint.

It may seem like a small task, but with all of the pieces and the 4 sides to each piece it took a little longer than I expected. Plus, I took my time with the painting and made sure to use long even strokes.

Then I focused my attention on the tray (top) portion of the table. I thought it would look nice with a two-tone look so I decided to paint this part in White Adirondack.

I made sure to cover all of the corner metal pieces with painters tape since I really liked them the way they were.

Then I proceeded to paint with the same flat brush using long strokes.

RELATED: Thrifted Table Transformation

After the third coat dried, I decided to smooth out the tray with fine sandpaper and distress the edges. Since I knew this piece would get used quite a bit, eventually it would get some wear so I might as well make it look like that on purpose.

I did not distress the legs though.

When I was done sanding I made sure to seal both pieces with Debi’s Design Diaries’ clear wax and let it cure overnight.

The final step was to use my favorite grasscloth contact paper that I had already used for a thrifted tray makeover and my husband’s old humidor box.

I seriously love this grasscloth contact paper. It’s textured, has a nice neutral color and I still have more left over so it was well worth getting and it’s not even expensive! 

I like to cut my contact paper really close to the edges of the piece and then roll it out gently, pulling the backing away as I go. I find this gives you the flattest application with almost no bubbling. 

If you wear socks while you do this, it comes out even better. Just sayin’! ?

Once the paper was on, it was ready to set up and style next to the couch!

I love how it turned out and I’m glad that I gave it a two-toned look. The grasslcoth contact paper adds some more dimension and texture as well as protect the piece.

In addition the wax seals the piece and protects it from scuffs and smudges.

It’s definitely not bad considering that I got it for free and used paint and supplies that I already had on hand. Tell me what you think below!

By the way, if you like that vase with the blue pattern, it was a Look for Less Dupe I did a couple of years ago. You can check it out here. 

It is true what they say… “One man’s trash is a DIYer’s treasure.” 

If you enjoyed this you might also like what I did to my second piece below. Check out the video on what I did to transform it here!

I will see you back here next week! Until then… adios!