This $12 Paint Project Added Instant Joy to My Apartment (I Did It in Every Room!)

When I first moved into my apartment the leasing manager told me, “Do whatever you want in here. Put holes in the wall, paint them, I don’t care.” Say no more! I thought. It was my first solo apartment, my little Brooklyn one-bedroom, and I couldn’t wait to make it mine. 

I tried a handful of fun, color-popping projects on my walls (hello, Tommy Bahama wallpaper and giant dot stickers), but my favorite was one I happened to like so much I did it three times — in every room of my apartment! I painted my window frames in fun, bright hues.

I started with the single frame in my living room. Before I moved in, my old, outdated building’s windowsills had been painted a thick white over what I think was a red paint job, likely from the previous tenant. 

After a little research on how to paint window frames, I knew I’d need three main things: paint (duh), painters tape to keep the paint off the walls (I love FrogTape!), and a 2-inch paintbrush (thank you, discount store). I was skipping any sanding or spackling, but I did grab a few towels and some bubble wrap I had lying around to keep any of the paint from getting on my couch.

I went to my local hardware store, and they mixed me a $5 pint of a mango color, Ultra Premium Interior Enamel Paint, Satin Latex, in the smallest can possible. Depending on the size of your window frame, you might even be able to use a smaller sample can. 

I cleaned the frame, suited up in an old T-shirt and leggings, and got to work. I applied the tape around the entire window frame (both on the outside and inside), which was slightly trickier than I thought it’d be. There was a little bit of space between the frame and the wall, and I had to make sure the tape went all the way in that crevice so there wouldn’t be paint on the wall behind the frame.

I put on an audiobook, mixed the paint well, and brushed it onto the windowsill with one thick coat, getting in every crack and crevice, not worrying too much about the evenness of the brushstrokes. Although it’s a pretty tall frame, the first coat took less than an hour to paint. I left the window open so the paint could dry, then did my second coat about 24 hours later. Another 24 hours after that, I carefully peeled the tape off and admired my beautiful DIY job!

As much as I loved how it came out, unfortunately, the mango shade looked better with my teal velvet sofa, so when I replaced it with a tan vegan leather couch a few months later, I felt like there were too many orange tones in the space, I painted over it with a cool-toned periwinkle. The process was exactly the same but a little easier this time around, thanks to my first trial, and I loved seeing how it totally changed the feel of the room.

The project was so easy — and, honestly, fun — that I embarked on the same journey, but in my bedroom. I had two blank white window frames that needed a little pizzazz, and I opted for a bright coral pink for them. The process was the same as before, but I also removed and painted the outside of the blind covers at the top of each window frame. 

Working around my blinds was a little more difficult than the plain windowsill, but I tied them up and out of the way with the painters tape before I got started, and they held for the 48-hour dry time. I had to be extra careful painting around the bottom and sides of my air conditioner, too — I’d recommend you take it out completely before starting this project, if it’s easy for you to do.

And just like that, I’d painted every window frame in my apartment — and I couldn’t be happier with the results! Quick, easy, affordable, and beginner-friendly, this project provided almost instant gratification, and added a subtle-yet-vibrant accent that matches my maximalist home. You might use subtler tones like a warm vanilla or sage green to add a pop of color to your sill if that’s more your style, because the opportunities are endless.