Master Bedroom: Update Number One

Hey all! Thanks for checking out my previous post on the master bedroom and where is started.  If you haven't had a chance to see what it looked like before you can find it here. I've been working on various parts of the room for four days now, and I'm not certain that it really looks all that different, but I've been asked for a progress update.  Even though it doesn't look that different, it sure feels like I've done a lot of work.  Sometimes I think that making all of the small changes and preparing the space takes the most time but doesn't give the most immediate impact.  However, I think that leaving any one of these small things undone would detract from the space in the end.

So, what have I done? Well, I know the way to Lowe's now!  That daily trip during any project... let's just say I'm glad it's only been one trip per day.  I've also primed, sanded, painted, sanded again and painted a second coat on 5 doors and all of the bedroom trim.  I used two coats of the Valspar Woodlawn Bedroom White, and wow does it look so much fresher and cleaner.  I didn't even try to keep the paint off of the walls since I'm painting them, but it's just such a relief to be rid of the brown trim that I don't even care at this point.

Before:

After:

See what I mean?  Don't you just breathe a sigh of relief?

And here is one of the doors:

So much cleaner! The wood was so old and dry it just soaked up all of the paint.

Besides painting the doors and trim, I also decided to use that same color on the bathroom vanity.  I'm loving how that is coming along.  I thought at first I would just reuse the old hardware, and then I found a flat silver spray paint left in the basement.  I gave that a try, but it really turned out to just be an ugly color and the shape was not at all what I was looking for.  I ended up getting some new brushed nickel drawer pulls and hinges. I need my drill to do some pilot holes for the new hinges, so the doors aren't back on, but I'll show you anyways.  

Old spray painted drawer pulls

New drawer pulls. Sorry for the poor lighting, I had the electricity off at this point.

I am also attempting to spray paint the door hardware black. I got the idea from one of my favorite blogs, Thrifty Decor Chick. She said it didn't hold up as well as she hoped on an exterior door that was used all the time with keys, but I'm hopeful for this interior door handle.  

I sanded the bronze coating down a bit and then did a coat of spray paint primer designed for metal.  Then I did several coats of a metallic black letting it dry between each coat.  I'm hoping that it will have time to really cure before it gets used. I'll let you know how it holds up.

I did one more major thing today.  I decided to change out the electrical outlets and switches from the standard to the decorator style.  The outlets were original I'm sure.  They were really yellowed with lots of previous painting disasters on them.  Some of them didn't work, and some of them just didn't match.  It's really a pretty cheap and simple thing to switch out, and I think it will give the whole room a more complete and professional look in the end.  I watched this video for help on the outlets, and this video from Lowe's for help on the light switch. Seriously, so easy. And I think it really looks nice, but judge for yourself!

I would be remiss if I didn't mention my big helper and constant companion these past few days of working.  

Carson has gotten lots of exercise with me going up and down the stair and trying to help me paint and change hardware and outlets.  He's only stepped in the paint tray once.  Mostly he just monitors my movements from his comfy dog bed.

Thanks for checking in.  Hopefully another four days will have this space painted with some furniture in it.