Yes, I will spray paint anything

I’ve made that clear over the years I think. Nothing is sacred. Well, the living things. That’s about it.

I showed you years ago how I started spray painting something on the floors that was sticking out to me – our registers. We used to have laminate floors that were a darkish reddish and I noticed immediately after they were installed that the light colored vents were sticking out like a sore thumb.

So I sprayed them. And wouldn’t you know it, four years later they are still looking pretty darn good! This one is in the kitchen and we walk on it daily:

There are a few scratches on it but nothing major – I’m actually surprised at how well they have held up. This is after four years people!

So, it’s been a year and a half since we got our new hardwoods put in, and it’s taken a year and a half for me to continue the spray painting throughout the rest of the main floor.

It’s just a little thing, the lighter registers bugged me EVERY time I took a photo of a space. Not enough to actually do anything about it for 18 months, obviously, but I did notice them.

Spring to a DIYer means many things – one if which is the ability to spray paint outside again – ‘tis a glorious thing. So last night I got to it.

I’ve used all kinds of brands and like them all. This time it was Krylon, because it’s what I had on hand:

It’s been a while my friend. I’ve missed you. Sniff.

I just took the register out (and covered up the hole because we have small animals that would go for a ride through the HVAC system), then cleaned it off:

Don’t go crazy here, I mean – just wipe it off a bit. I don’t get it sparkling clean. It’s a register. That lives on the floor. Enough said.

I went outside in the glorious warm weather (finally!!) and started spraying:

Then I waved at my neighbors, trying not to look like a freak for spray painting my registers and standing there taking a picture of myself while doing it.

I’m sure they’re like, WHY does she take so many pictures? She must have some boring photo albums. For real.

Anyhoo, get it from both sides, you’ll want to get the vents real well. I don’t worry about the jobbies that move inside. They’ll get some spray and that’s enough for me. Remember…it’s in the floor. No one will study it to see if it’s perfect. If they do then feel free to kick them out, cause that’s just annoying.

Here’s a look at them in the floor, one painted, one not:

See how the the darker one kind of disappears and you don’t notice it as much? I don’t want to notice floor registers. :)

I don’t prime them – I probably should. But with a little curing time they hold up pretty darn well with just the paint.

If you leave them outside to dry they’ll be ready to put back within ten minutes – as long as it’s not humid out. Just don’t walk on them for a while so they can really set:

Each one took me about five minutes start to finish, and then some drying time.

Again, it’s not a big change but I love it. They are no longer the first thing I see: 

I doubt the lighter ones were standing out to anyone else, but I’m weird and it’s my house so I changed them. :)

Here’s the thing, do you think my precious ORB (oil-rubbed bronze for you newbies) is going away? I think it is. I decorating friend told me years ago it was a trend and I didn’t agree, but now I’m finding it’s going away a bit. The lighter, stainless finishes and even antique brass are making a HUGE comeback.

I’ll always consider ORB timeless on things like door knobs though. And floor registers, obviously. ;)

Have you spray painted anything yet this spring? Are you still on the oil-rubbed bandwagon too?

 

**To see what else I’ve spray painted, check out these projects. :)

A glass door…could you do it?

OK, I’ve had an idea runnin’ around in my head for a while now. I think about it EVERY. single. day. lately and can’t shake the thought of it.

Every time I walk by our foyer, especially during the day, I think of how awesome it would be:

(That’s an old pic from last summer, the latest full shot I could find of our foyer!)

For years now, I’ve been wanting a screen or storm door on our front door. The desire for one intensifies 100 fold this time of year, when spring has sprung and I have this overwhelming desire to have light pouring in everywhere.

Our foyer is the darkest spot in our house – we’re north facing so the front gets zero direct light. Even before the interior side of the door was painted black, it was always a dark spot.

Sooo…for years I’ve figured I can rectify that with a screen door of sorts. But I’ve found I don’t care for how they look from the outside. I don’t particularly like most storm doors I see either. I haven’t looked a whole lot, mind you, but I love our front door and don’t really want to block it.

So HOW do I get this light pouring in that I so desperately want and NEED? (OK need is a little much, I know.)

We had a chance to have sidelights put in when we built the house, but you see…I have a problem that is causing a major internal struggle when it comes to my idea.

I didn’t do sidelights because they give me the HEEBY JEEBIES. I do not like to answer the door if I don't want to. (For random strangers, not people I like. As far as they know.) The thought of someone being able to see inside my house creeps me out. And if I want to sneak up to the door to see who’s on the other side without answering, well, that’s my prerogative (they say I’m crazy, I really don’t care…).

But now, for some reason, I can’t get the idea of a front door with glass out of my stinkin’ head:

Can you even imagine all the glorious light shining in that house? I can.

I’m positively drooling at the thought of it:

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I love my black interior door, but this blue door is totally fun:

People, WHAT is wrong with me? I can’t stop thinking about glass doors!!

Sarah had a door company put a glass insert in her front door and it’s gorgeous!:

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Lucky for me, I have a contact for glass inserts. ;) So I could totally do this.

But the full glass door…well, as much as I love it, I just don’t know if I could. I ask you, how do you hide from people with that?!

Maybe normal people don’t hide? It’s just me?

So now I’m thinkin’. I wonder if the door company could just do a smaller insert? Something like this perhaps?:

(source)

Or this? (Check out this gorgeous house from the inside too!):

   

(source)

I think I could handle that. This shot is what I imagine ours would look like from the inside:

(source)

Although I’d probably only do six panes, not nine. Or maybe I could frost them like I did the pantry door?:

So the light would still come in, but it would offer a bit of privacy?

Cause I’m totally in the one percent here:

I’m just saying. At least I recognize my insanity.

Soooo…I MUST KNOW. Do you have sidelights? Glass in your front door? A FULL glass front door like (brave!) Sarah? If you a ninja like me, could you do it? For the sake of natural light?

Do tell! I think I may at least call my contact to see what the possibilities are and what the cost is…I think. It doesn’t hurt to call…right?