How come it’s always when you’re saving up for something, or on a strict budget, that your newsfeed and google ads are always full of home decor / renovation ideas!
Well what if I told you there’s actually a super effective and affordable way to completely transform any room in your house…
How, you ask? Chalk paint! It seamlessly glides over cabinets, furniture and trim and leaves a gorgeous chalky matt finish.
Take a look at my 3 favorite ways to transform your home on a budget below:
What is chalk paint?
Chalk paint is a specially formulated interior paint designed for furniture upcycling. The “chalk” part refers to the chalk based pigments that give the paint its distinctive matt finish.
It can be left untreated once painted for an authentic, rustic look. Or it can be covered in a hard lacquer or sealant as well as a furniture wax for protection.
There are loads of brands out there offering chalk based furniture paints in pretty much any color you can dream of! But we particularly love the Shabby Chic Chalk Paint from brand Rainbow Chalk – available on their website or on Amazon for those outside of the UK.
Now that you know what it is, let’s talk about how you can use it in your home!
3 chalk paint home project ideas
1 – Paint your kitchen, bathroom or laundry room cabinets
Maybe you have plain, unpainted wood – or perhaps you have previously painted cabinet doors… Whatever you have, it’s safe to say that it gets boring looking at the same color every day after a few years!
Especially if you have re-decorated the room and the colors don’t quite match the cabinets anymore.
Well you don’t have to be confined to a limited color palette anymore – because you can easily and quickly upcycle your cabinets with chalk based furniture paint.
If you have a warm, characteristic home, we suggest trying a bold green or blue. Or if you’re going for a light and airy vibe, then a white or cream would do the trick!
Top the project off by grabbing some budget friendly hardware on Amazon or from your local hardware store – and you’ll be shocked at how different your home can look.
Remember to sand your cabinets down before painting for a silky smooth finish and finish with a protective furniture wax.
2 – Upcycle your bedroom dresser and wardrobe
Do you know how much of a difference a lick of paint can make in your bedroom?
Painting all 4 walls can seem like a huge chore – but you can get the same transformative effect by just painting a few pieces of furniture. Once you see the difference, it starts to become addictive… believe me!
If you have a wooden dresser, wardrobe or bed frame, you could give it a makeover in an afternoon.
We love how this dresser has an exposed wood top, giving it a rustic yet polished look.
3 – Paint your stairs
Painting your stairs might feel like a waste of time considering how much heavy use they get every single day. Who wants to be repainting them and covering marks every few months? Not me!
But, it’s actually a super effective way to create a focal point in your home and it can last a long time if you pick a suitable, hard-wearing sealant to protect the paint work!
The great thing about this example is that the surface of the step is left unpainted, so the paintwork will receive virtually no wear and tear!
We love how this homeowner took advantage of the natural wood on the surface of the steps, while creating a dark feature in an otherwise neutral home.
