I’ve been asked quite a bit for an update on how the painted floors in my studio are holding up, so I thought I would share!
Here is a reminder of what the room looked like when we first moved in. It was perfect for a sunroom, but I wanted a studio more than a sunroom and all of that orangish wood wasn’t going to work.
It’s so hard for me to remember the space like that! It was so dark.
The flooring is just deck boards. We had insulation installed under the floor, but decided to paint the deck boards instead of installing a “proper floor” on top. We may do that down the road, but since this is a studio for painting, I wasn’t too concerned with upgrading the floor. It is certainly going to get splattered over the years.
The floor has gotten chipped and gouged in a few spots. Most of those are from moving furniture or dropping things, which I have a tendency to do! I can be a little klutzy.
The paint is also wearing away where casters are rubbing over it. I have several pieces in the studio that are on wheels and they have a bit of weight to them, so they are leaving a mark.
Again, for a paint studio, it works. I don’t know if I would paint every wood floor. In a studio, though, on a porch, in an old home? Yes. And, being a lover of old things, I like how the nicks and dings are making this room look a bit more lived in and loved.
While I’m giving an update on the studio, I wanted to share the lamp I got for the easel. I had a cheap clip-on lamp that was fine, but it was ugly. I want this space to be functional and beautiful, so I hunted around for a clamp lamp that was the right size and also had some style.
If you’ve ever shopped for a clamp lamp, you know what a trial that was! There are plenty of cheap clamp lamps for college student and kid’s rooms and then, there is a huge gap and all the really beautiful antique-looking clamp lamps are over $500. Well, maybe not all of them, but they get pricey.
I ended up getting THIS LAMP from Restoration Hardware Baby & Child for $100.
RH Teen actually has a lot of great desk lamps in the $100-$150 range.
Anyway, I’m so happy with this lamp and glad I finally found one that checked boxes in both the form & function categories.
Well, after a somewhat lazy spring break, I had a busy and productive day.
I’ll fill you in on what I was up to in another post…
In our previous home, we had old 1970s harvest gold vinyl flooring everywhere, full of asbestos. It was of course in MINT condition. So I decided to PAINT IT ALL. Yes, including the front entryway and the entire basement. I also painted most of it WHITE and black-and-white checkerboard. It was a real test! I am happy to say that it held up really well, could be mopped, didn’t scuff off, and only sustained a rust stain from an umbrella, which I then painted over. I used really good “smart primer” and regular old satin wall paint on the floor, not floor paint. EVERYONE said “It cannot be done!!” but clearly that was false. I could mop it with a sponge mop. I put that out there to say that it IS possible to paint vinyl flooring, even if everyone says that you can’t. You can always repaint over it if it DOES get scuffed also. The surprising thing was that it held up perfectly in the entryway, with all the salt and grit even. So if you need to wait for a rainy day to replace your floors, do a paint job in the meantime so that you can erase any hideousness from your eyes. I have at this point in my life proved that you can paint ANYTHING. I even did the kitchen counters in one house. Paint is a miracle tool!
I love that you did this! Both to Marian and to Kim!
Marian what a beautiful transformation!!!!
I also painted over laminate’ish-wood’ish 1980 orange’ish shellacked (SHE-LACKED nice floors!!!) in our European flat. They told me I couldn’t, they told me I shouldn’t. I did.
It took about 6 months to start showing some wear and tear.
The areas where the paint was the most beat up were my favorite areas it added so much charm to the place.
I didn’t repaint before putting it up for sale.
When we did list it there was two kinds of folks that came to our place….
1) OH NO, I can’t believe they painted those wood floors, we MUST rip out all the flooring and replace it!!! *seriously if they knew what it looked like under the paint!
2) OHHHHH what cool Scandinavian painted wood floors… I LOVE THE FLOORS!!!!
A person that loved the floors bought the flat.
Love everything you do! Could you share something about that smart green set of drawers with labels that you have in your studio, please. It’s just what I need in mine. Thanks in advance.
Susan Hendrick Wilson
I used black construction paper in mine as I wanted it to look like a black chalk board. Then wrote on it with liquid chalk marker. I have seen tool cabinets painted and used for this and the card holders you can get on amazon in different finishes. I have seen Library index card holders and drafting cabinets ( antiques ) that would be perfect but so pricey.
Karen Alchin
Love the lamp. Isn’t that what they used to call a “gooseneck” lamp back in the day?
And yes you can paint over anything if you have the right primer. I can’t think of the name but
it is especially good over counters and fiberglass………funny name?
Miss Mustard Seed Love everything you do. I have not seen post on IG lately?
Karen Alchin
Could you tell me how you went out back insulating underneath? What product did you use? We have a former screened porched that was closed in by a previous owner but not insulated or ventilated properly. They installed laminate flooring directly over the wood. I’d love to remove it asap as it reeks in the Summer from the fumes being released.
I am curious how your split unit heating & cooling system is performing for this room especially in the extreme cold Minnesota winters? I had to laugh when you mentioned Spring Break…from looking at your weather I haven’t seen any signs of Spring in the frozen tundra yet.
I had a tiny kitchen in an apartment that I painted for 8 years, every 6 months. When I decided to remove it, it was so thick that I peeled it off in huge strips.
I have painted all kinds of floors and countertops, too. I currently have a stone tile kitchen floor that I hated (brown!), and I painted it white with cheap Valspar flat matte wall paint made into chalk paint with plaster of paris. For subsequent annual brighten ups — it does get trafficked and therefore cleaned frequently with a swiffer wet jet — I use the same type of paint, just watered down more. It looks like white limestone now which would have cost a lot of money had I ripped it up and installed that.
Sheet vinyl is very easy to paint, especially if it is older and a lot of the shine has worn off. Zinnsser bullseye primer and regular latex paint and sealer will do the trick. Several artists I know who paint custom floor cloths on commission use sheet vinyl on the wrong side instead of canvas to create the pieces they sell (for a LOT of money.
I agree, the dings and chips just add to the appeal of your painting room floor. Although I am a wood-lover, the painted ceiling, walls, and floors are definitely an improvement:-)
M,
I love my wooden floors in my office but use and roll around my casters chair a lot too – so my hubs bought me a clear office floor protector mat – it’s big – works well protecting the floor, chair rolls around easy – but doesn’t inhibit the look of the floor very much.
Is just a thought to looking into it maybe – though I liked your “lived in” chippy floor a lot, too. : – )
For those in hotter climates (like Australia), I have successfully painted exterior canvas awning blinds. They are usually green on the underside and some revolting stripe like brown and green on the front. Wattle Solagard or Dulux Weathershield works a treat, no primer required. I did the ones at our beachhouse a bright orange colour 7 years ago. They are still going strong and roll and unroll without sticking. The blinds came from the SOR (side of the road).
My hubby has always wanted to paint our floors somewhere in the house. Our house just does not lend itself to that. Hopefully our next one will.
I love painted floors. I am going to paint the floors in my She shed so I wonder, what paint did you use on the floor?
I am thinking of just dry brushing over the plywood which is stained kind of dark. What do you suggest? It seems chalk paint wouldn’t be the best choice but I am just kind of whitewashing it so I’m not sure. Any advice you could give would be appreciated.
Thank you.
Rebecca
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Amazing pics! What product did you use?