A little paint, a lot of happiness

It is amazing what a little paint will do for your outlook.

I had a kitchen with plaid wallpaper. Bold green and pink plaid wallpaper. It needed an update, but I really had no idea what I wanted to do. My Gentleman Friend listened to me talk about saving up for a total re-do, and when I had gone on a while, he quietly said, "Paint doesn't cost very much."

And it doesn't. And he was right on the impact a little paint can make.

I started by looking at paint samples. Olympic has some that are actually Post-its, so I peeled those off and stuck them on different walls, trying to figure out what was going to work. I was also intimidated by coordinating colors, so these little cards that included four different coordinating shades made it super easy.

Here is how it's turned out. I have this yummy spicy color in the kitchen, a soft yellow in the dining room and creamy white in the hall.

I am quite pleased. We also painted the trim, baseboards, doors, chair rail and cabinets in the creamy white.

Here is the thing, though. For less than $100 in paint, the house got a new outlook. I still don't have re-do money but I don't think I needed a re-do. Just some fresh color and a change.

And I will throw in advice for free. Don't wait to freshen things up. Life goes by fast. Now I love my kitchen. It makes me happy just looking at those colors. It's amazing the joy that can fit in a can of paint.