Sid Strikes Again!

My family is incredibly handy! my mother has sewn for me since I was a child and still keeps busy with her own monogramming/sewing business and my "pro bono" work {just wait until you see the nursery & new bedroom to do list}. My father has been a part of building every house we've ever lived in and crafts everything from picture frames to amazing cutting boards & trivets to stunning furniture.

In every room of this house lives a piece created just for me by Sid...most recently my new bathroom vanity. I loved a Kohler vanity that I saw at the Ferguson's show room here in Atlanta. Only a few problems...1) it had a very large single door {24" swing}, 2) it only came in dark, dark brown & 3) it had some very interesting wooden decorative blocks on the legs.

this is what I liked from Kohler

For the bathroom we had some criteria we needed to keep {thanks to Carrie the Great aka one of my besties who happens to me an amazing designer} was a narrow sink so that things didn't start feeling too big in a small bathroom. That pretty much leaves two choices...pedestal sinks {which Joe detests} or long narrow beautiful $2500+ sinks {out of budget for baby & guest bathroom at Greenview}.

Sid made tweaks to the Kohler vanity to customize it to our liking! Two divided doors with slow close hinges {picture a 3 year old boy slamming the bathroom vanity doors}, no decorative leg do-dads and custom color job! I did the painting {ugh} but it was actually a great experience!

Graciously, Sid delivered the vanity sanded {phew} and ready to paint! I went to the Benjamin Moore store with my color cards that Carrie & I had chosen a week or so prior. My goal was to get paint that would be able to handle the wear that is offered in a bathroom of this sort. I also needed it to go on nicely for a non-patient painter {who me?!} and easy to clean up.

As you can tell, Stormy Monday was the color selected

Oil paint with the VOC limits plus clean up was out of the question. Latex didn't seem to be right so we went with the Benjamin Moore Advance. Paints like an oil {long dry time} but cleans up like a latex {soap & water} & isn't nearly as strong smelling as oil. I had read some mixed reviews. Here goes my take on it & what I did.

1) Sand {thanks Sid} Best advice is have someone else sand for you :)

2) Get your tools:
--Brush: I'm the daughter of a Purdy brush lover. However BM doesn't sell those at our store in ATL. I got a Wooster Silver Tip 1.5" angled brush. It was nice to have a small brush--all of mine are 2"+ used for bigger items I've painted in the past.
--Roller: I purchased the Jumbo Wooster Red Feather rollers. They're pink so that was a perk and the guy at BM obviously gathered from our conversation that I'd love these! Apparently they are also the best and the $1 difference between all the rollers at BM, I was willing to "splurge"
--Tray: Typically I think this is a waste of $5 but call me a sucker I got one. I don't know how I would have done the roller without it. I think that I would have used more paint {wasting}
--Other items: You need some ziploc bags to put the brushes into in between coats so that you can put them in the fridge. If you do this, you don't need to clean up in between each one! Also, foil...after you use the paint tray (or even before the 1st time) you can make your own liners for your paint tray so that you don't need to buy 5 of them! Don't forget a drop cloth as well...make sure its about 2x bigger than you think you need it because somehow those droplets of paint tend to get on everything!
--Protection...please keep in mind that painting when pregnant is frowned upon without proper ventilation and protection. Always wear an respirator {not just a small "coffee filter" mask} to avoid inhalation of fumes that are toxic. The Advance paint is low VOC but not zero like many other BM interior paints.

3) Prime: I used BM Sure Seal Latex Primer. One coat. Per the guy at BM...thin is best. You can always sand down a little bit here and there and do a second coat if needed. The Advance has a priming agent in it, but since there was fresh wood...we didn't it to be too thirsty or cover oddly.

4) Paint...slowly...breathing deeply without rushing: I know it sounds crazy but take it from an impatient person when I say...just breathe. Trust me, its a lot easier said than done {especially when you're wearing a respirator} but it made all the difference in the world. The BM Advance paint is meant to dry slowly and help self leaven/cover brush strokes.

Apply very, very think layers of paint. The BM man said he'd rather see three thin than two thick coats. Two is what I did. This paint takes A LONG TIME to dry but at the same time doesn't like to be touched very much. Paint a small area (ex. front of the cabinets) but don't keep going back over the paint and touching what you've already done with the brush. After about 3-4 minutes, the paint already looks tacky/drying. However just like oil paints, the paint time in between coats is 16+ hours.

I cut in the corners of the doors and areas where the legs came together with my brush. Other than that, I rolled everything {very new concept for me}...I did go back with my brush and very lightly and quickly touched up as needed. I also would be very good about catching drops or runs...those are the worst to have to go back and sand.

After 24 hours of drying I would come back (after prime & coat 1 & coat 2) with a piece of 150 grit sandpaper. Any imperfections I saw, I sanded. I did two full coats and then my final was a touch up to two or three small areas that were a little bit more rough than I wanted them to be when it was done.

do not freak out...this is part of the normal drying process!

after stormy monday coat #1

inside of cabinet doors coat #1

vanity coat #2, door fronts coat #1

The bathroom is still under construction but I'll be showing you this when the tile is up and the room is painted! More to come on this fun project!