« All I Can Say Is, Thank Goodness It's Random... | Main | Hidden Treasure »

Works For Me: Paint It Black!

Wfmwheader We recently had the exterior of our house re-painted, and it turned out lovely.  But it meant that the 25-year old light fixtures looked that much more blech.  Thanks to our kitchen remodel, the house budget is a bit strapped, so I needed a creative solution to spruce up the old lights. 

Thanks to some inspiration from an HGTV show, I decided to try painting them black.  I bought some high-gloss paint for metal at Lowe's, and my light fixtures went from this:

100_1359

To this:

Light

(And yes, I've tried cleaning that glass.  Tried and tried and tried.  Unfortunately that's 25 years' worth of dirt and bug juice, and it's not going anywhere.  I've decided to pretend that it's frosted glass.)

I painted all four exterior light fixtures this way, and it looked so nice that I had to keep going.  I painted our glass door next.  Here's an old picture for the "before":

Frontdoorjpg

...and here's the "after":

Door_2

Spurred on by the cheap creativity (and perhaps the paint fumes?) I became obsessed:  what else can I paint black?  I went on to do our decorative lamp pole, mailbox and street number.  They all look great.  As I continued to look frantically for something else to paint black, Hubs stepped in and took the paint away, afraid I might do one of the children next (they do need a little sprucing up...)

* * * * * * * * * *

Have a tip you'd like to share?  Leave your clever WFMW tips below, and be sure to check in with the guidelines here first.  Remember to link directly to your WFMW post, not to the front page of your blog.

AND, while I have your kind attention, don't forget about the Fall, Y'all! Bloggy Giveaway over at my other blog.  It'll be loads of fun!  Be thinking about what you'd like to giveaway, and join us!

 

1. Jill (you tube)
2. Demeter (Bathroom Organization)
3. Laura in KY (children\'s shoes)
4. Activities Coordinator (Slammin\' Solution)
5. Mandy Houk
6. Chocolate and Garlic (Teaching Independence)
7. An Ordinary Mom (Mess Free Pumpkin Activity)
8. WorksForMom (Stop Hiccups)
9. Duckabush Blog -- Sleep
10. phyllis (magic fingers)
11. Mandy Houk (curing procrastination)
12. Kandy (cheat a beef stew)
13. Heather (Zazzle gifts)
14. Smockity Frocks (Quick Clutter Control)
15. OW (gardening tip)
16. Beth @ The Natural Mommy (Ctrl-F)
17. Christa @ No End in Site (diaper rash remedy)
18. Summer M (chore wars)
19. Jes @ BeautyFromChaos (Easy Zoom)
20. jen (homemade instant oatmeal)
21. Sincerely Anna (writing w/ preschoolers)
22. Peggie (quillow)
23. Marie (Keeping Produce Fresh!)
24. Carrie (potty training at night)
25. NoiseOverload (No More Muddy Swingsets)
26. Lynnae (Pantry)
27. Mandy Houk (cure procrastination) - this link works, I promise!
28. Susan(CheapestSaladDressing)
29. The Big Yellow House (toy organization!!)
30. Lady Why (pizza crust perfection)
31. Mommy-fied (frugal & eco-friendly way to cook)
32. Cindy (low light to check on kids at night)
33. liz (thank you notes)
34. Lori ~ Simple Life at Home (Cookbook Clutter)
35. Karen (Kid Time)
36. ellen b (spice up leftovers)
37. Not the Queen (bunk beds)
38. Nikki (the dishpan)
39. My Twenty Cents Keeps Moving (Circles--Math)
40. Karla~Looking Towards Heaven (cheap but gorgeous artwork)
41. PinkJeweledCat (Public Library)
42. Melissa\'s Idea Garden(Increase Blog Traffic)
43. Ann Kroeker (find local growers)
44. Mari (organizing owner manuals)
45. Sarah (Online Games for Kids)
46. The Big Yellow House (toy organization!!)
47. Stewardship Living (crockpotting)
48. Dena\'s Deliberations (Crafty House Numbers)
49. monica(nifty diaper storage)
50. Stretch Mark Mama (Kitchen Trash Bowl)
51. Abel (Traveling with Kids: How I Survived an 8-Hour Road Trip)
52. Elizabeth (bedtime routine w/ multiple children)
53. Texastanya (Child Safety: Secret vs. Surprise)
54. InfinityGoods (child\'s haircut without tears)
55. InfinityGoods (homemade bread stuffing)
56. Summer (helping kids learn)
57. A Juggling Mum (Quick Chores)
58. Elaine (bow out gracefully)
59. Proverbs31 (Clothing Storage and Org)
60. Childlife (Teaching Kids Manners)
61. Robin (cutting onions)
62. MamaLady (Save at Amazon)
63. SAHMmy Says(Keep Track of Calls)
64. Mrs. Pear (knitting tips)
65. Ewokgirl (How to wash wool)
66. Corrie (paint like a pro)
67. Mrs. Brownstone @ XBOX Wife (math help!)
68. monica(nifty diaper storage)
69. Stuck In North Idaho (frugal gift idea)
70. Organising Queen (my new 2008 planner)
71. It Coulda Been Worse (Hair Woebegone)
72. Georgia Mom (organizing clothes for fall)
73. Erin (right shoe on right foot)
74. Veronica (childproofing fireplace)
75. Trixie @ Farm Home Life (Fix It)
76. Kathy (Get Better Tech Support)
77. Capturing Today (remove sharpie marker from clothing)
78. Milehimama (Natural Cold Care)
79. Katie (Unwrinkled Clothes)
80. Jennie C. (cash back)
81. Becky (kitchen tips)
82. Shalee (Read the Writing on the Wall)
83. Deb (clothes shopping secondhand/outlets)
84. Heather (Healthier Eating)
85. Stop the Ride (cutting board)
86. PASS THE TORCH (Latch-key reminders)
87. Princess Leia (don\'t lose baby socks)
88. The Not Quite Crunchy Parent (Use old Halloween Costumes)
89. Ornery\'s Wife (recurring maint. chores)
90. Candace (Good Use for Magazine Holders)
91. Like I Was Saying (teaching kids about money)
92. Niki (org spice drawer)
93. Rhen (yestheyareallmine!!)
94. SeaBird (Toddler Chores)
95. DramaMama(sweet-smelly&girlie))
96. Mommin\' It Up! (saving money on groceries)
97. AmyG (Painted Tea Trays)
98. Tonsofsons ~ Easy yummy pumpkin dip
99. Stacey (diluted juice)
100. Trixie @ Farm Home Life (Fix It)
101. Beth/Mom2TwoVikings (free kid build projects)
102. Scott (Oh, Where Is My Hairbrush)
103. Kim @ Hind\'s Feet
104. Crissy (disguising foods)
105. Michelle (cheap car rental)
106. Lana G! (SNACK CONTROL!)
107. Elena Teen Clothes
108. Rachel Anne (creating sanctuary in suburbia)
109. Amy (tying shoes easily)
110. Ann\'Re (Index Cards/Shopping)
111. chilihead (Halloween Treat)
112. Nap Warden
113. MemeGRL (beeping key finder)
114. Lori - Queen of Dirty Laundry (I made a Tutu!)
115. Andrea (humidity)
116. Slava Bogu (Unplanned Company/Family Dinner)
117. Stewardship Living (crockpotting - sorry, wrong link before)
118. Sarah @ Real Life (CUSTOMER SERVICE)
119. Jamie (envelope system)
120. Amy (yummy cake mix cookies)
121. FeeFiFoto
122. Brandi (alternative to Lysol)
123. ~Amy (lunch for dinner & dinner for lunch
124. Miranda (grocery stretching tips)
125. Jennifer (Halloween costume)
126. Amyswandering (A Great Marriage)
127. Clappy Shoes (Great Family Discussion Activity)
128. Susanne (removing residue)
129. Alison
130. Barbara H. (Autumn mini cookie cutters)
131. Amy@P2P (saving money)
132. LinesFromTheVine(Hamburger Cake)
133. Tiffany (Getting Rid of clutter)
134. amanda (online photo editing)
135. Mari (organizing owner manuals)
136. jodi jean (closet cleanout)
137. Liza\'s Eyeview (Back Pain Relief)
138. Simply A Musing Blog (Free Blog Grader)
139. Christie @ \'Tis But A Season (1st time!)
140. GP in Montana
141. Emily (cleaning metal sink)
142. Where the Heart Is (cloth diaper stains)
143. Carrie J (Meal Plans)
144. DeputyHeadmistress (helping others in a crisis)
145. Simply Sandy (Spelling Time)
146. Pamela (Hard Brown Sugar)
147. Amy Jane (random tips)
148. Amy (easy name exchange)
149. Mom from outside the (toy) box (noncommercial social networking sites for kids)
150. Kim - Naptime Struggles
151. jubilee(diaper disposal)
152. An Iowa Mom (Easy and Cheap Photo Books For Kids)
153. DimpleQueen ($2 Milk)
154. Britni
155. Britni (trick to looking more awake)
156. Candace (sleep)
157. Amy W (labels & lending)
158. Meesh\'s Journeys (water bottles)
159. Bethany Sue (Keeping Kids Busy)
160. Polly (Christmas List & Gift Organizing/Planning!)
161. Mandi (Versatile Chicken Prep)
162. Jen McDonald
163. Terri @ in His hands
164. Jen McDonald (organize your bedsheets)
165. Terri @ in His hands
166. Motherscribe (tips to outwit messy kids in car)
167. Kisses From the Father (saving space for linens)
168. Melissa (teething)
169. Crystal @ Money Saving Mom ($100 spa certificate for $4 - no kidding!)
170. Sarah (Closet rganizing Tips)
171. Anne (Free gift certificates)
172. Momma & More (streamline your laundry)
173. Momma & More (streamline your laundry)
174. Jennifer
175. Laane (no lost keys)
176. Kelli@GohnCrazy (Best Bathroom Cleaner!)
177. Stephanie (Mommy Time)
178. Juggling Frogs (Rainbow Cookie Cheat)
179. Rebecca
180. Rebecca (Favorite brands)
181. Donetta
182. Tamara (Kids Sleep Solution)
183. Jeni - corralling toys on car trip
184. Jenny (table/counter basket)
185. Adena
186. Stephanie (Dealing with A Cold)
187. Barney Saltzberg
188. Mrs. Bick
189. Mrs. Bick (painted counters)
190. ACMe
191. Lucent
192. Heidi
193. Heidi (the lazy way)
194. Cheryl Crawford

Powered by... Mister Linky's Magical Widgets.

Comments

Wow, those little improvements are so drastic to the eye. I love it!

You have inspired me. That might be just the facelift my house needs. I (and the home) thank you!

it's a great change. nice work!

Wow ~ those look really nice! Great idea!!

Great work. I know that crazy-woman-with -a-paintbrush feeling. We now have painter's tape blue trim in our hallway and writing over ever door because when I start I can't seem to stop. There is something beautiful and wonderful about making something over all nice and clean without having to actually find a way to get years of gunk off. :)

It all looks great!

Have you tried taking using salt and ice cubes to clean the glass? It always worked great to get set in coffee stains out of our glass coffee pots in the restaurants I managed...it might work on your fixtures too...? Worth a shot at least LOL

Then too, I like your idea of pretending its frosted glass LOL

Nice job! The black makes a huge difference. I'm such a scaredy cat about doing stuff like this, but I think I just needed to see these photos - it looks great!

First, let me apologize for my double linking! I forgot to put what my post was about in my first link. Sorry ...

But I love your black paint! We had a white and bright gold ceiling fan in our old house, while every other metal thing we own is wrought iron. That fan drove me nuts but I couldn't justify buying a new one just for looks. So I got Rustoleum's hammered finish (paint and painted over all the brassy stuff and it looked wonderful!

Now we're in another sprucer-upper, so I'm glad for the reminder about the magic of black!

(Honey? Could you hand me that brush?)

I am all over the resourceful and frugal ways to fix things!

Wow, it's amazing what black paint will do. I love it! :) I'm going to have to try this around the outside of our house.

I almost spent $300 on new light fixtures this past weekend but couldn't make up my mind which ones to buy. I'm so glad now. I'll have to try this first. Thanks.

Okay, I am the Biggest Loser, no matter who the show awards the distinction to this season.

First, I put up my link with no note about what my post is about. So I had to put up another link.

And now, I have discovered that I somehow put both of those first links in wrong, so neither link goes to my post!

So, I have thoroughly littered Shannon's lovely linky list with yet a third link.

As if anyone would actually want to take advice from me now!

I am SO sorry! (Is there any way for you to delete my broken links, Shannon?)

I thought it was frosted glass!
And I love your improvements. I did much of the same stuff in our old house, only I used matte black - gave it all a wrought iron look that somehow suited that place.

Looks great!!! And I thought it was frosted glass too! I especially like the door frame.

WOW!!! These look great! Hard to believe it's the same stuff with just black paint on them! Thanks for sharing - we're in the process of painting our house (for almost 2 years now :), and I'm sure I could do a lot with a little black paint! Thanks for the tip & for being a great host as usual (even though I didn't win the Dyson I desperately need :)

I love it, you clever girl!

A few years ago I had a can of paint and was doing the same thing, painting everything in sight--except it was white. Couldn't stop.

My WFMW this week is about how easy it is to use most Public Libraries these days. I really think that you did a wonderful job with the paint. Until you said something about the glass, my assumption based only on the pictures and not having seen it in person, was that it was indeed frosted. HeeHee. Ta for now dahling!

I love the frosted glass and the black paint! It looks fantastic! I redid our bathroom a few years ago. I painted it to look like we were sitting in the ocean. The bottom of the walls is a blue green, with waves at the top of the water, then the next part of the walls is sky blue. Well, it looked so good, I decided to paint the ceiling sky blue too! Then put on pasty clouds and pasty fish. I love being in that room! So do all of our guests! Good thing I ran out of paint though....hard to tell what I would have painted next!

your front door area is GORGEOUS!

Blessings,
Karla

I thought it was frosted glass too! Of course we can't see bug remains from here.

Love the after's. My husband groans when he sees me looking intently at something. I must get a 'must paint now' look on my face.

Wow - who would of thought a little black paint could make such a difference?

Looks great--and hey, until you confessed, I thought it WAS frosted glass :)

I so need to do that around my house. I just need to budget the paint. I hate all the brass around the house. I can't wait to put a powder black paint over everything!

LOL! I thought it WAS frosted glass, you shouldn't have told your secret!

BTW, have you tried Bar Keeper's Friend? It gets rid of everything without scratching, so if you really don't like the frosted look, you might give it a try - look for it around where they sell the Ajax.

But, hey, the frosted looks works for me! :-)

The comments to this entry are closed.


Good Stuff

Change the World

The Techie Stuff

Blog powered by TypePad