homestead // whiteout

we have said it before and we will say it again, painting does wonders.  painting our (old) new home from floor to ceiling as totally transformed the watters' homestead.  not only has it freshened up each and every nook and cranny but it has done so staying true to the 1920's charm of this old, creaky, gorgeous house.  we literally had painters in here the day we moved in, which was a bit hectic mind you, but such a good decision.  albeit, we were impatient and ready to make this house our home and the first step was dubbed "plan whiteout".  many of the rooms were previously painted dark (ceilings included!) and we found layers upon layers of wallpaper in almost every room.  after stripping, sanding, priming, painting, and touching up, she's pretty much done.  we still have a few places to paint here and there, such as all the doors, some of the lattice windows, and the railing on the stairs.  but in good time.  we are not in any rush and would rather start to enjoy this sweet old home of ours, putting off such projects for a few months down the road.

for those of you who are considering brightening up your homes and are in need of some paint colors, here is what we used.  we went with the same exact color we used to paint our old third story condo because we loved the freshness and warmth it gave the rooms.  it is considered a white, however contrasted against true oil based white crown molding looks a tad silver.  it is called "ski slope" by sherwin williams and we used it to paint our living room, dining area, and master bedroom.  for our entryway, hallway, upstairs bath, and both kids rooms we went with sherwin williams "superwhite" to really enliven those smaller spaces.  each room got somewhere between three and four coats due to all the dark paint we were covering up so it took a bit of time to complete this painting project.  furthermore, all the ceilings and fireplace got painted a standard primer based flat white and the trim a bright oil based bright white.  we were not sure how long ago the trim had been painted in this home but it was pretty yellow and chipped upon moving in.  painting it took about three full days because it is literally everywhere in this house, but words cannot describe the difference it made.  it is now so crisp and clean.  all ready for stella to doodle on.

a few reasons why we chose to go so bright beyond the obvious "it makes for a cleaner and brighter space" is because we wanted to show off the 1920's charm that this sweet home sings.  from the sweet glass knobs, glass chandeliers in every room, beautiful kitchen built-ins, lattice windows, original hardwoods spilling throughout, and the original subway tiling here and there, the color white really gives these things space to shine.  it also allows for a simpler aesthetic when it comes to decorating.  we have purchased a few things for our new outdoor space but nothing for inside so far.  we are not in any hurry, nor do i think we will ever be, to fill up this home.  by keeping our mix of colorful vintage and simple modern furniture and decor, the white acts as our canvas and makes our little bit of furniture go a long way.

i just finished my to-do list and although it is looking to be a two column doozy, i foresee our projects dwindling.  this home is finally ready to be enjoyed.  let the dinner parties and chiminea evenings commence.   to see more photos of our home you can follow me on instagram at mamawatters.

*if you have any other questions about painting or where something is from feel free to ask! xx