It’s officially spring and I think we are all in project/refresh mode whether that be outdoor projects, organizing/purging projects, or indoor projects. I am doing all of the above projects and a great way to refresh things for spring indoors or outdoors is with spray paint!
I am so excited to be working with Joann fabrics for a few projects and they challenged me to transform something with the use of Rust-Oleum spray paint. So a few weeks ago, stopped in a few thrift stores and found several things that I knew could be amazing staple decor pieces to add to my home after a little makeover. I found a set of ceramic candlesticks for $2 and $3, a floral pitcher for $3, and the little bird cage looking thing for $1.99. Or maybe you have some older decor pieces that don’t fit the color/style of your decor anymore? Don’t get rid of them – just give them a spray paint makeover!
I have been using Rust-Oleum spray paint and basically spray painting everything I can for years, but for some reason never checked out the spray paint selection at Joann stores. I was pleasantly surprised at how much spray paint they had and options I had never seen before! The Rust-Oleum Imagine craft & hobby paint is a new line to me and I can’t wait to do more projects with it!
Here’s the paint I used
- Rust-Oleum 2x Ultra Cover in Gloss White
- Rust-Oleum Metallic Paint & Primer in Oil Rubbed Bronze (I had picked this up for another project but this Rust-Oleum flat black primer would have worked great and would probably be a better option)
- Rust-Oleum Imagine paint in Stone Texture Black Granite
- Rust-Oleum Imagine Chalk Finish in Linen White
(By the way, most Joann stores are still open for online ordering with curbside pickup right now so you could definitely order some spray paint, other crafting supplies, or even some fabric if you want to help make masks and gowns with their make to give program.)
When I get ready to spray paint items I lay out an old box or a painters cloth in the yard and then shake the can for at least a minute. You want to do light, even coats spraying about 8-12 inches away from the item. Do not try to completely cover the item in the first coat. It usually takes 2-3 coats but it goes fast because spray paint dries fast so you can go back and do a second or third coat in just a few minutes.
The little metal birdcage was an easy fix – I just spray painted it with the gloss white spray paint.
For the pitcher I wanted to do a fun stone texture on it using the black textured spray paint. Make sure to read the back of the can as you need to do a coat of primer or spray paint in a matching color to the textured paint first before using the textured paint. The matte black primer I linked above would be perfect for this but I had the oil rubbed bronze spray paint already so I used it. I loved this stone textured paint! It really only requires one coat and does take longer to dry than regular spray paint but the texture and color is so fun! Definitely made this pitcher look way more high end than how it started!
When I saw the candlesticks I loved the design on them and really wanted to bring out that design with a chippy farmhouse look – don’t they look amazing now?! I have used Rust-Oleum chalked paint in the brush on can on furniture for a long time, but for projects like this the spray paint version is a great option! Easy to get in all the crevices, even coverage, and no brush marks. You could totally use the spray paint version for furniture too – so many options!
So here’s how to create that look. If you want to create a distressed look you will want your item to be the color you want to see through the top coat after you distress it. I knew I wanted black to show through my white top coat so I gave my candlesticks a quick coat of black paint first.
Then I spray painted it with 2-3 coats of the Linen White chalk paint. I flipped them upside for the first coat to get under all the edges, then right side up for the next 2 coats.
Once they are completely dry, use some fine grit sandpaper (I used 220 grit) to lightly sand where you want to distress your piece. I concentrated on the raised design and ridges and a little around the top edge. See what a difference that makes? Now they look like chippy wood candlesticks even though they are ceramic!
I wanted to do a little spring refresh in our master bedroom so with 3 thrift store finds and some Rust-Oleum spray paint now my nightstand looks like this. Don’t think anyone would guess what all those items looked like before!
The greenery stems in the pitcher came from Joann as well – they have such pretty florals and greenery!
I love all these pieces too because they are such staple decor pieces and could be used anywhere in my home and for any season. Fill the pitcher with tulips, fall stems, or evergreen branches for winter and I just love the texture it has!
Grouping all of the items on this simple wicker placemat adds texture and allows them to all be displayed together on my nightstand without overwhelming the whole space.
Using spray paint does not have to be intimidating at all! It’s such an easy way to update things you already may have or secondhand items you find that could use a makeover.
I’d love to know your favorite piece that I spray painted! Did you know Joann stores had such a huge line of spray paint? What do you need to spray paint?
Thanks for sharing! I love spray paint for transforming decor to give it a new look. We are moving into our new home soon and just this week I spray painted a metal headboard in oil rubbed bronze. We have a raised bar area in the new kitchen and last summer I found a set of four vintage oak swivel bar stools in great shape except for the ugly brass ring around the legs. After sanding and cleaning them I painted them satin black to coordinate with with black hardware in the house. I have used different brands and Rustoleum is by far my favorite! I typically get mine at Wal-Mart or Lowe’s. We have a JoAnn’s in a nearby town and it’s at the backside of the shopping mall with an outside entrance and I tend to forget it’s there, lol! Definitely need to check them out when they open back up. I have spray painted many things over the years, including wooden kitchen chairs, lawn chairs, picture frames, light fixtures, trash cans, figurines, metal decor, etc. I want to try the textured stone finish paint, I saw a post where a blogger painted a toy plastic horse glued to a wooden base and it looked like a high end concrete statue, so cool!