Last week, we shared our search for the perfect gray paint for our apartment: Do It Yourself: Painting the Apartment. After deciding upon Benjamin Moore's "Abalone" and completing one half of the room a few weeks ago, we rolled up our sleeves and finished the room this weekend...
The reason painting a small space is such a BIG commitment — EVERYTHING had to me moved to one side of the room. Bookcases and credenzas were emptied and piled on top of other furniture. After painting, we'll have to sort through all of this...
Though the dark color helped mask the wall's MANY imperfections and provide a cozy atmoshpere. The highly-reflective green/brown's time had run out. The scuff-marks are where I attempted to sand the crater-like bumpy walls...
After the first coat of primer...
After the second coat of primer...
Abalone! After four coats of paint (2 primer plus 2 Abalone) it was ready. The matte finish is perfect and hides the wonky and crooked walls. The light color also brightens the whole space. Now we just have to deal with moving back all the furniture and sorting through the piles...stay tuned for a look at the COMPLETE room and our favorite new painting tool!
Before & After: Emily Henderson Transforms a Senior's Studio Space
Monica & Austin's Charming Bungalow
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Ercol Bar Stool
How To Cook Fluffy, Tasty Quinoa
True Greek Recipe: Paximadi Bread Salad with Tomatoes, Feta and Capers
Wow! You worked way harder than me this weekend! Looks good and I can't wait to see the walls in the context of a room.
Ooh, do tell about your favorite new painting tool soon! I have some painting to do within the next week.
beautiful result; i have to ask about that bright orange thing on the wall. what is it?
formosagirl - it is a bike rack.
Formosagirl - it's my Cycloc bike rack, seen here: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/test-lab/cycloc-bicycle-storage-in-the-test-lab-024691
Wow. I don't know if it's the primer or the matte finish but the wall looks a thousand times better.
RichardinLA - it's totally the matte finish!
Yikes. I haven't been priming walls before painting them. Is that only necessary when covering a dark wall or should I do it every time?
thanks
looks great aaron! can't wait to see the room all reassembled!