First off, Happy 2016! I can barely believe we just celebrated the new year and said goodbye to 2015. It has been months since I have posted, but I’m back with a simple DIY update!
We have been updating so much around our home. I am very excited to share it all with you over the next few posts! One of our biggest projects was finally getting all of the interior walls repainted. When we first purchased our home I was very much into warm caramel browns, buttery yellows, spicy oranges. Boy, has that changed. Sean and I were tired of the colors. We decided we needed a fresh, crisp, clean update. We agreed on cool grays all throughout the house, and a pretty taupe in our great room. Immediately, I was so happy with the results, but couldn’t help but notice that all of our décor was still too brown. I had to do something about it and I had to do it fast!
The first pieces that needed to be replaced were three collage picture frames that Sean bought for me several Christmases ago. There was no way that I could get rid of them, but they just looked terrible against the new paint color. So, I decided to paint them, too! Here is what they looked like originally:
Aren’t they gorgeous? I just love the quilted matboard, along with the rhinestones. They are not only beautiful, but have a sentimental value to me. I had to figure out how to keep them looking this way without them looking this way.. Catch my drift?
I headed straight to Walmart and almost ran to the spray paint aisle. I must have stared at the different colored lids for 35 minutes. I hadn’t thought about what colors I was going to use yet.. So I just kept staring. Finally, I decided on white and gray. My new favorite décor colors. I purchased a white gloss, a flat white, and a satin gray. I also bought 5mm clear rhinestones to replace the orange ones. Then I went ahead and bought $70 worth of other garbage. That always happens…
Back to the frames. I started by taking the frame apart. I didn’t realize it before, but the quilted matboard is actually made of a thin plastic which made this task very simple! I was happy to make this discovery, as I was not looking forward to the daunting task of removing each rhinestone. I used a knife and just popped each one off.
It wasn’t too bad, other than the fact that it was time consuming! There are tons of rhinestones on these beauties. I also had to make sure to remove all of the glue that adhered the rhinestones to the mat and also not slice through the plastic while I did so. Finally, I was finished…
Then I was reminded that I had two more collage frames that needed this done, as well! Who’s idea was this, anyway? I know, I know. It was mine.
Once all of the rhinestones were off, I brought the quilted plastic and the outer frame outside. I decided to spray the frame with the white gloss.
I already loved it. It was going to be perfect. It is amazing what a little white paint can do. I’m all about crisp, clean white right now! With a 4 year old boy and a dog, it is hard to enjoy white anything, but I’m going to try!
Then, I sprayed the quilted matboard with the gray. It covered so nicely and dried super quickly.
It was time to add the new clear rhinestones. This was like the icing on the cake! As if the collage frames didn’t already look great partially done, these new rhinestones perfected them.
All I needed was my hot glue gun and they adhered nicely. It helped that there were little dips where the rhinestones belonged, and it held just the right amount of hot glue.
Then it was time to put the frames back together! Voilà!
My updated collage frames were complete (well, one of them)! I am pleased with the results and so incredibly happy that I get to enjoy these beautiful frames for years to come. Since they were a gift from my sweet husband, I know I’ll want to keep them forever.
So, what do you think? A pretty simple transformation to beautiful décor that you already loved! You can pretty much paint anything. Trust me, I’m guilty of it! I hope you have a Happy 2016.
Love the change. You possess a great eye and wonderful ability to follow through.