spray paint – Francois et Moi

How to Restore a Radiator Cover

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 14:19:07 +0000

Expert DIY tips for how to restore a radiator cover! Plus, what to do if you suspect lead paint and how exactly to achieve that near flawless paint finish! Hot water radiators are one of my favorite features in older homes. Sure, they take up extra square footage and require minor annual maintenance (bleeding air bubbles, etc.), but there’s no denying their antique charm! In most areas of our 1930’s Tudor, our radiators live uncovered in all their exposed pre-war beauty. However, in other areas we use them as an opportunity to bring added function to the space, such as with a radiator cover that doubles as a console table in the foyer. In an effort to carve out some soft seating in our bedroom (which in true old home form is too small for a chair), I snagged an old radiator cover on Facebook Marketplace that happens to be the same dimensions as our bedroom radiator—the luck! I’ve refinished it with Rust-Oleum Universal Spray Paint and topped it with a bench cushion for a cozy window seat situation. Considerations When Restoring an Old Radiator Cover Since the radiator cover was likely made before 1978, we tested for lead paint […]

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Chandelier Redux: Reimagining an Old Light Fixture

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Tue, 07 Jul 2020 12:00:58 +0000

A true chandelier redux! Tips for taking an old, thrifted light fixture, and reimagining it as a classically gilded chandelier in this easy 2 hour project. We’re coming up on 5 years in this house, and I’ll be the first to admit, I’ve never 100% settled into our bedroom. It’s one of those tricky rooms I haven’t quite known what to do with. This Spring we started going back-to-basics in here, painting the walls white, introducing some new-to-us thrifted pieces, and swapping things from around the house to see what sticks, as a way to rethink this room on a budget. Browsing around FB Marketplace one weekend afternoon, I scrolled upon a lime green, leafy, crystal chandelier for a steal. Albeit, it was lime green, I quite liked the French-style metal leaves and the dripping crystals, and I knew it’d be a beautiful replacement for the non-descript (almost disappearing!) flushmount currently in the room. Besides, changing the chandelier’s paint color would be an easy 2 hour project! I turned to Rust-Oleum® Universal® Metallic Pure Gold to achieve the gilded look and Rust-Oleum® Universal® Matte French Cream , a soft warm white, to differentiate the faux candlesticks from the gold fixture. […]

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How to Paint a Radiator Cover

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Mon, 26 Aug 2019 15:18:56 +0000

This post was sponsored by Rust-Oleum and contains affiliate links. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Continuing on with our foyer remodel, you may have caught an IG story or two of Ken and I building a radiator cover to dress up the bare heating unit in the front entry. The plans for the cover itself are coming soon (I promise!), but in the meantime, I’ve painted this bad boy, and I can hardly hold back to show you guys how it turned out! (It’s gooood.) In the past, I’ve used a paint brush application to paint furniture, but this time around, I knew I’d need to look to spray paint for the intricate metal panels of the radiator cover. I’ll admit I was a little nervous whether I would be able to apply the spray paint evenly. Ken and I worked really hard designing/building the cover, and I wanted to make sure my paint job would do it justice! I went with Rust-Oleum spray paints for this project, because I’ve been using their products for YEARS, my dad used Rust-Oleum growing up, and I always know their paint (not to mention the spray nozzle) is going to be […]

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Jewelry Refresh: Colorblock Painting

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 14:48:09 +0000

Happy Friday! In preparation for our move to the new house, I’ve been attempting to pair down things I no longer use or need. Amidst the donation-fest, I came across an old plain, metal bracelet I hadn’t worn in ages that had been hiding at the back of my vanity. Instead of adding it to the donate pile (like I’d usually do with something I haven’t worn in over a year), I decided to test out a colorblock painting technique to see if I could give it a little facelift. Turns out a little painter’s tape and spray paint worked wonders transforming this lack luster number into a statement bracelet for Fall. I think my favorite part is that this project cost a grand total of $0.00 as I had the paint and tape on hand already. (The perfect project for a broke new homeowner!) Head over to SheKnows for the detailed step-by-step! Follow

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My DIY and Craft Essentials

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 13:52:11 +0000

There are a key few tools and materials I use ALL THE TIME for craft and DIY projects. If it works, I stick with it, and these workhorses have earned their keep around here. Do you have a fave tool or material? Please share!! 1. Basic Sewing Machine. My exact model is sadly no longer available, but this one from Kenmore is very similar. It’s super intuitive (easy to use), and just an all around good quality sewing machine for the beginner sewer. 2. Gold Leafing Pen. I love me a little glam and this paint pen from Krylon is perfect for adding a touch of gold when a project calls for it. The gold paint is the most luminous I’ve found and the pen is super smooth flowing. WIN! 3. Heavy-duty Shears. A sharp pair of scissors is an absolute must, and this stainless steel pair (with gold handle!) from Nate Berkus for Target are both functional and purrrty. 4. Rotary Cutter. Rotary cutters make cutting multiple layers of fabric and paper a freaking breeze. Not to mention cutting slits and free-form curves, a rotary cutter is uber helpful to have close at hand. 5. Non-bleeding Multi-Surface Painter’s Tape. […]

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DIY Danish Modern Coffee Table

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 13:17:20 +0000

Living room coffee tables in small spaces wear many hats. They function as drink perches, game tables, casual dining tables, craft tables, etc. and our coffee table is no exception. Our new small(er) square shaped living room was calling for a downsized, multi-functional table with not only a smaller footprint, but one that visually felt lighter too. (Previously we had an old train cart which we still love, but there was just no squeezing a rectangle into a square.) So when brainstorming what exactly our new coffee table should be, I dug into my DIY happy file and pulled out a Martha Stewart Living article I’d torn out and filed away for a rainy day. The spread was called Table It, and they highlighted several sources for DIY-ing your own table with crazy cool “legs” you can find online. I landed on the unfinished 16″ danish table legs from tablelegs.com, and then sourced a 30″ round tabletop from a kid’s pink activity table that I found for peanuts at The Salvation Army here in the North Loop. The table was in rough shape, but after removing the base and spray painting the top with an Appliance Grade White Epoxy Spray Paint (to make it super durable and wipeable), […]

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