Dark to Bright Office Make Over DIY plus Finding the Perfect Shade of White Paint
Thank you Ace Hardware for partnering with me on this office makeover. All opinions expressed are my own.
When we purchased our home 5 years ago, I fell instantly love with the bones of the house. Our 2 story was built in the early 80’s and has amazing paneling, wainscoting and built-ins everywhere you look. When I first laid eyes on the floor-to-ceiling wood paneling in our office, I immediately saw potential. Little did I know, 5 years later, it would still be on my list of projects to tackle. With my recent transition to blogging full time, I had the perfect excuse to finally transform the drab 80s-wood-paneled office into a shared, white modern work space for my husband and me.
Inspiration and Color Selection
I drew inspiration from hygge living and wanted the space to be modern, thoughtful, charming, clean and peaceful. With those feelings in mind, we decided to go with a neutral palette to refresh the paneling. The wooden details were too beautiful but felt dated so off to find the perfect white we go!
If you thought committing to a bold wall color is hard, picking the PERFECT neutral white is even harder. Luckily Ace Hardware has a unique Paint Studio tool online to help Kevin and me narrow down our selection before even setting foot in a store. We decided on the Clark+Kensington interior paint line because it’s durable, easy to wash clean and offers amazing coverage. With a crazy toddler and 2 pets running wild and destroying our walls, I needed a paint that stands up to anything! It’s also a paint and primer in 1, so we can finish the project even faster! I fell in love with the neutral tones of Clark+Kensington’s Designer White (1066) and the slight grey tint of Clark+Kensington’s Ship’s Sail (1056). We also watched educational videos about what paint sheen to use and used the calculator tool to estimate the amount of paint we would need. Next step, off to our local helpful Ace Hardware Store we went!
Experience at Ace Hardware
Ace Hardware has been one of our go-tos for a long time, because I have always felt the neighborly love there. The associates are super knowledgeable and helpful. The Paint Studio inside Ace is truly a one stop shop for every paint project. Since our office makeover involved a lot of old wood varnish from the 80s, I was so glad the helpful Ace pro guided us to understand the process. We invested in an electrical sander to strip the old glaze, and I really thank the Ace associate for this time saving suggestion! The helpful step by step instructions gave me the confidence I needed to tackle this project.
Ace Hardware also offers the Extra Mile Promise. How many times have you started a paint project and realized you didn’t buy enough brushes and tape or forgot something like a drop cloth? Well, Ace’s Extra Mile Promise guarantees you’ll find expert advice and the best supplies for any paint project all in 1 trip. If you forget something or need more products (like an extra gallon of paint because you miscalculated the size), Ace will help you buy those things over the phone and deliver them to your house for free! We were in and out of the store in under 30 minutes and got everything we needed in 1 trip. Side note, our local Ace had photos from the local school sports teams they supported on the walls. They also invite animal rescue groups to bring in adoptable pets on the weekends. The whole atmosphere just felt like home!
Finishing Touches:
We tackled the project over a long weekend. The biggest challenge was sanding down all the hard-lacquered cabinets. Some of the hardwood surfaces like the top to the desk needed repairs so we filled in the bumps as needed. I am so happy with the finish and trim color we chose for all the wood in the room. The Clark+Kensington Designer White in semi-gloss is the perfect shade of white paint without any color cast or underlying tones. The Semi-gloss finish is so durable and beautiful. Even with all the computer hardware rubbing on the desk all day long, the finish will last!
The Clark+Kensington Ship’s Sail in eggshell went on the walls smoothly and beautifully. It covered our previous dark walls evenly. I am really impressed with the touch & feel of the eggshell finish too! Now I see my walls and just feel peaceful and happy!
Side by Side Before & After
Can you believe the transformative power of 4 gallons of paint? I cannot even fathom that this is the same space. Our office went from a dark, paneled cave to a modern, clean oasis. The perfect neutral white trim even made the tones of our beautiful original hardwood floors stand out. If you are thinking about painting all your wood cabinets, trim and paneling white, I highly suggest Clark+Kensington Designer White in Semi-Gloss! I now think this modern shared office is totally Pinterest worthy! Want to get the whole look? Follow these simple decor tips: mix metals, play with shapes (round mirror, rounded edges) and lastly, always add house plants.
To join in on the paint party, hop on over to my Instagram and enter for a chance to win a $100 Ace Gift Card! I cannot wait to see how you transform your space with paint. Visit your local Ace today to get the tips and tools you need to start your next paint project!
