Can’t afford to do a whole repainting of your room? Paint is still the best budget decorating technique around, but if the cost of even a gallon is off your budget radar, try a quart! There are still a lot of things you can do to make a color statement and a style update with just one quart of paint. Choose wisely, grab a brush or a foam roller (or both) and let’s find some simple things to paint!
Simple Things to Paint at Home
Paint Bookshelves
Paint inside bookshelves or open cabinets and cupboards. Adding a pop of oomph turns it into a focal piece! Check out what some blue paint did for this bookshelf makeover by ‘Paint Me White‘.
Paint Trim
Paint just the trim in the room a cool shade of…whatever! There is no law that your trim has to be neutral, either. Have fun! Simple things to paint at home… window trim! From ‘HGTV‘.
Things to Paint with Chalkboard Paint
Quart of chalkboard paint? Paint the end wall of the kitchen for an instant grocery list/to do list/ note leaving station! (FYI: Chalkboard paint can be tinted, it doesn’t have to be black!) We are obsessed with this kitchen idea from ‘The Hunted Interior‘. (Side note : Did you know you can make chalkboard paint from ordinary craft or house paint? See our DIY chalk paint recipe!)
Or the inside of a kitchen cabinet door, like she did here at ‘Crafty Morning‘!
Paint your office chairs, the two end dining chairs, or an entry chair a really crisp, fresh color. (And hey, did I mention chalkboard paint?) By ‘BHG‘.
Easy Things to Paint – Old Picture Frames
Paint thrift store photo or mirror frames all the same funky color in the room. You’ll be surprised how cool this can look!
Stuff To Paint That You Never Thought Of – Stairs!
Talk about fun things to paint! Stair risers are a quick and easy way to paint a little spring in your step! Jump right on over to ‘At Home with Ashley‘ and learn how to paint rainbow stairs!
Paint Fabric
Did you know you can paint fabric? Pick up a bottle of textile medium at the craft store in the craft paint aisle, and mix with almost any paint. Use to stamp, stencil or hand paint any fabric surface. Try these colorful painted throw pillows from ‘BHG‘.
Use a Quart of Paint to Remake Old Wall Art
Paint over an old painting you loathe… you don’t have to be an artist, simply paint the entire thing one really inspiring color. Contemporary art. Voila. Want more? Add a DIY quote to your canvas, project by Sweetie Pie Pumpkin Noodle.
Paint a Headboard
Paint your headboard. Don’t have one? Paint one! Yes, there’s stuff to paint even if you think you don’t have anything to paint! Follow the instructions for BHG‘s faux painted headboard.
Fun Things to Paint – How about Rugs!
Did you know you could paint a rug! Try this painted sisal rug project on for size, and you’ll see that a rug can actually be a pretty easy thing to paint. From ‘BHG‘.
Paint an Interior Door
Got a quart of paint? Change your room, on a budget! Get painting! ‘A Piece of Rainbow‘ didn’t just paint their interior door. They show you how to take a plain, hollow core door and add faux molding to make it look farmhouse perfect, inexpensively!
So if you need some ideas for some simple things to paint at home, when you just have maybe a quart of paint, here they are! Also check out our posts on How to Paint Murals for Kids, and 5 Amazing DIY Paint Makeovers!
Image Credits: A Piece Of Rainbow, Paint Me White, HGTV, The Hunter Interior, Crafty Morning, BHG, BHG, At Home with Ashley, BHG, Sweetie Pie Pumpkin Noodle, BHG, BHG
I hope that others will share their ideas what projects they have used only a qt. of paint for.
I painted the inside of my linen and broom closets – one is pink and one is mauve. The pop of colour every time I open one of the doors makes me smile. I intend to do more surprise pops of colour in my house :)
Love that!
my shower walls have started rotten away and I was wondering if I could paint them I have that stuff up there that thay had to nail up and its popping and craking what can I do to make it pretter I rent so I don’t want to spend a lot I thought of painting it or hanging some kind of tile but don’t know what I can get that will wont fall off when water hits it can you tell me what to do? thank u.
Joyce –
Hard to say without more info and also I’m sure you are limited since you are renting.
Contact your landlord, he should be required to maintain the place to a safe standard. If it needs repair it is his responsibility to fix it or give you a rebate on your rent if you fix it.
I love the stairs idea! I would love to do that to our future home.
That teal gradient staircase is amazing! Are those your stairs, or do you have any idea where the photo came from?
I absolutely love all of these ideas. Each one offers a quick project with big impact. A quart of paint costs very little and all you need is time and elbow grease to go with it!
These ideas are so clever! I love the vibrant trim idea (and the little tee-pee in the picture is adorable!). I’ll definitely be having a go at some of these. Thanks for sharing!