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hey there! I'm monica 

I pride myself on making amazing style and design accessible for everyone, regardless of location, budget, or ability! My design philosophy is rooted in authenticity + attainability - If I can do it, you can too! My work has been featured in countless publications, but I take the most pride in homeowners that have been personally inspired by my DIY ideas and have tried something in their own homes!

learn more about ME + MY BIZ

Hi Friends!  A few weeks back I was challenged to ‘Purdy Up’ a space with the help of some of my favorite, go-to painting tools. Bet you can guess which ones….You all know I love me some Purdy—I’ve used their products on almost every makeover I’ve ever done.  I always tell people choosing a paint color isn’t the only big decision when it comes to painting; using the right tools for the job can make it or break it as well!  So, my challenge was helping a family of four who wanted to flip their formal dining room and their living room in the historic, 120 year old home they had just purchased. I made a little video of the entire transformation for ya! Check it out ! 

I’ve gotta be honest, this makeover is one of my personal favorites! I love all the different colors, the design risks we took, the traditional rules we broke, and tbh I really miss big weekend room makeovers, so this one day project was a great way to get my creative vibes flowing!

I was so glad Purdy gave me this challenge and I can’t wait for the next one!  You saw a lot of it in the video, but here are some more details on the projects in this awesome, unique space.

Before I could even touch a paint brush, the dining room vibes had to go…The chair rail along the walls at this height screamed dining room so it couldn’t stay in this space.  Since a living room does not have furniture moving around constantly, there’s really no need to protect the walls with trim and I didn’t love the look, so it had to go!

I used Purdy’s 2 Inch Stiff Putty Knife to wedge in between the molding and wall and then lightly hammered down to break the seal.  

Carefully, use a crowbar or screwdriver to pop that chair rail off for good. Sand it down, and use the same putty knife to get to spackling! So much better right?!?

Truth be told, the homeowners were a little skeptical about the next part of the makeover, but the end result won them over fast! Since I was a huge fan of the painted ceiling and loved the current color, I wanted to create an even bigger impact on the room.  By bringing the color down the wall about 21 inches with the help of a level, chalk line and painter’s tape, this high ceiling looks even higher and will be the first thing people notice when walking into the room.

For even more visual interest (and controversy! lol), I went outside the box and even painted the tops of all the window trim within my 21 inch mark. GASP!! She painted molding!  I freaking love the result! 

I taped off 21 inches down the wall, then cut-in along the ceiling, and finally used Purdy’s Ultra Finish roller to fill in the area. I know we all think of Purdy for their awesome brushes, but their rollers and paint trays are next level too! 

I really like their Nest 9” Paint Tray – it’s a little oversized and super easy to work with. 

The empty frame wall art was kind of a wild card project. I wanted a fun contrast from the more ornate, thrifted art I was also putting in the room. It turned out pretty cool and I know the homeowners will get some questions about it, which is kind of cool as they can explain it’s a unique DIY art project and sound a little fancy. Ha!

This project is both high-impact and super simple with only three easy steps. First, trace your frames on a sheet of butcher paper so you know their exact size and tape to the wall for measurements- it’s way easier than working with the actual frames on the wall.  Then, once you have a layout you like, trace your squares right onto the wall.  Outline the squares in painter’s tape and paint them in with three different colors.  

I used Purdy’s XL Glide Brush – I always use an angled brush and these have been my go-to lately. Once your squares are dry dry, add some ornate picture frames for an awesome modern-meets-vintage look!

Throw in the perfect rug, some cool couches, a collection of thrifted accent furniture pieces and lighting and voila! Any signs of the old, outdated dining room have vanished.

Amazing what you can do with a bit of paint, the right tools for the job, and one Saturday afternoon! 

-Mon

*THIS PROJECT WAS IN COLLABORATION WITH PURDY.   ALL OPINIONS AND DESIGNS ARE 100% MY OWN. THANKS FOR SUPPORTING THE BRANDS THAT HELP MAKE EAST COAST CREATIVE POSSIBLE!

The comments +

  1. […] you missed that makeover, you can check it out HERE. – it was a fun […]

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