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Picking Out the Perfect Paint Color for a Makeover Project

by on Aug 6, 2014

Brittni Mehlhoff

I recently bought a piece of furniture that was in need of a serious makeover. I got it for a steal, but I wasn’t a big fan of the way it looked, so I decided if I stripped it down and repainted it, it had the potential to be the perfect side table. So I partnered with Sherwin-Williams, my favorite neighborhood paint store, to pick out paint colors and talk to an expert about what I would need for my project.

A small wooden endtable on a wood floor.Brittni Mehlhoff

I found this side table at a local consignment shop for $18. I’ll admit, it wasn’t much to look at, but I really loved the metal legs and the contrast of the wood top, so I brought it home with me and took a few photos with my phone. A couple of days later, I drove up to Sherwin-Williams to pick out paint and come up with a plan for my makeover.

A restaurant is seen near some trees.Brittni Mehlhoff

I’m pretty familiar with this particular store, it’s just a few minutes from my house and it’s in this great little neighborhood area with shops and restaurants, so I beelined it to the paint swatches section, as soon as I arrived. I put together a couple of different color scheme options, with the paint chips, and started chatting with the store manager about the project I was working on.

A woman looks at different color strips.Brittni Mehlhoff

She suggested that I use XIM primer, since I needed to coat two different surfaces, wood and metal, and also mentioned that I should try a power sander to remove the glossy finish that the previous owner had covered the tabletop with. This is where the photos I took of my side table really came in handy because I could just show them to a store associate, or in this case the manager, and she knew exactly what I would need.

A woman with dark hair is picking a product in the office aisle.Brittni Mehlhoff

And I was able to look for other things that I needed while I was there, as well, like brushes, painter’s tape, drop cloths, etc. It’s nice being able to pick up everything I need, all in one place. 

I went home and taped the paint swatches to my side table to decide on a color scheme and then ordered my paint, primer, and other supplies to get started on my project.

A girl is holding colorful paper pieces with hands.Brittni Mehlhoff

"Table with red paint and clips on it."Brittni Mehlhoff

The HGTV HOME by Sherwin-Williams line ended up being my favorite, paint-wise, because all of the colors worked so well together. Which was especially helpful for me, since I knew I wanted to use multiple colors for my makeover. I ended up going with Breaktime, Rosebay, and Black Magic, and am excited to share the reveal next week.

Have your own paint project you’re hoping to tackle?

Sign up for the Sherwin-Williams Paint Perks program, which is completely free, and you’ll get a $10 coupon that you can use after sign up for your paint purchase of $50 or more! The program also offers everyday savings on paint and supplies, exclusive sale alerts, and tips and ideas for painting projects. You can even manage your current and past painting projects, and store color and paint purchases for up to ten years.

A dark haired woman choosing a paint color card among three rows of paint color cards.Brittni Mehlhoff

How awesome is that? Now, you won’t have to hold onto paint chips to remember the color you painted your living room years ago, when it comes time for touching up scratches and wall marks. Get more details on the Paint Perks program here.

A woman stands next to an image of a paint can on a blue floor with Sherwin-Williams written on it.Brittni Mehlhoff

UPDATE: Click here to see the final project!

This post was sponsored by Sherwin-Williams. All opinions are mine alone.

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