How spray paint and a weekend can help create new spaces, confidence for you and your kids
Families across the nation are packing up their summer clothes and pool toys and replacing them with school supplies and fall fashion. However, a new survey by Deloitte predicts back-to-school spending will decline by 10% in 2023.
Parents can still give their kids a trendy start to the new school year without breaking the bank. One strategy is renewing older school items with creative DIY projects.
The Rust-Oleum Newsroom sat down with Lindee Katdare, creative producer and in-house DIY expert for Rust-Oleum, to discuss a back-to-school project she completed to transform her son’s home study desk on a budget. Katdare uses her creativity and experience to lead studio projects through set designs, storyboarding, on-set productions and simplifying tasks for the average DIYer to replicate.
As an accomplished actress, lifestyle host, artist and mom, she has been able to blend her unique perspectives to create opportunities for Rust-Oleum customers to boost their environments. She loves lending her skills to bring projects to life and help people feel confident about their creations.
Here are a few insights into how Katdare approached this DIY desk transformation, so her son is ready for a stylish new school year.
Newsroom: Do-It-Yourself, or DIY, has become a hot trend for Americans over the past few years. It appears these projects are particularly well-liked by people ages 25-44. Why do you think they have become so popular?
Lindee Katdare: DIY projects are so in demand because they are very personal. Knowing you had a concept and created something unique sparks a sense of accomplishment. And if you’re on a budget, that creativity can also apply to your furniture. You’d be surprised at what you can do with existing furniture.
I really love to shop for thrift furniture so I can upcycle. For me, it’s like treasure hunting because you can find these beautiful pieces of furniture that just need updating and a little love. Maybe a wash, maybe a new finish on them.
Typically, you can find better quality furniture when you shop for some of these older pieces. If you’re going to buy something and renovate it to make it exactly what you want, this investment in time and creativity can go even further compared to spending lots of money on a piece of furniture that you may end up replacing in a few years.
Newsroom: Projects can be intimidating. How can DIYers take it from a daunting experience into a fun adventure?
LK: If you’ve never done any type of DIY project in your life and are nervous to get started, don’t worry. Mistakes are bound to happen and they’re part of the process. Start with a smaller project and look online to get ideas brewing. The Rust-Oleum Inspiration Gallery is a great place to start – it covers different holidays, occasions and trends.
The most important thing is to do is to start trying. That’s how you learn and there are so many things you can do to update your house, update your life and save you so much money if you just do it yourself.
And don’t forget, mistakes in DIY can be fixed, so keep an open mind. Go for it and you will find the fun!
Newsroom: When your eighth-grade son told you he wanted a new look for his homework space, how did you both approach making it look cool and what advice would you give beginners about creating their own vision?
LK: Before deciding on colors, textures, products and methods, start by asking a simple question: “What vibe do you want?” You’ll find that once you discuss the vibe and feel, the answers will reveal themselves.
For instance, when I asked my son that question, he told me he wanted his study area to feel more grown up and teenager-like. He has changed and grown over the past year and wanted his space to reflect that change. This answer led us to collaborate on taking an old sewing desk I had and renewing it into a cool teenager’s home study desk.
I sketched everything out in advance to give me something to work from so I could easily see how the color pallet and plan looked together.
For this project, I used Early American Varathane stain. This color is timeless and very “in” right now, too.
For the body, 2X Satin Midnight Blue spray paint is a rich, dark color. It’s perfect for what my son wants but if he moves out in a few years, I can put this somewhere else in my house and it will look great.
I used Universal Hammered Copper spray paint for the pulls to get a high-end and luxurious finish. It’s also very easy to use however you hold it.
Newsroom: How much time does a project like this typically take and what space should viewers consider using to complete it?
LK: This could easily be a day project for the weekend when you factor in dry time. You can get started on your project in the morning, clean it up, sand it, add a coat of paint, then go do a load of laundry or fix your kid breakfast. You can work on it throughout the day and be done before your weekend is over.
When you use spray paint or oil-based stain, you must ensure your space is very well ventilated, like an open garage, if you can’t apply outdoors.
Newsroom: Are there other back-to-school DIY projects viewers can think about doing?
LK: There are lots of things you can do to update a space, especially in a kid’s room where they are studying. You can take a shelf and do multi-colors, you can spray paint a little trash can, and you can paint a picture frame on their wall. There are lots of little projects you can do that would just take a couple of hours and result in a more exciting space to work in.
Whether it’s a bookcase, a pencil holder or a reading chair, a can of paint and an idea can transform it to create a happy study space. And remember, a happy study space can add to productivity.
Here are a few last pro tips before you take on your own transformation:
· Separate the bottom of the furniture from the tarp with wood blocks. This will help keep your furniture from sticking to the tarp after the paint dries.
· Paint before you stain. You don’t want any of the spray paint to disperse onto the wood stain or you will have to go back and either re-sand or re-stain again.
· Stir, don’t shake the wood stain. If not, you risk getting bubbles in the container.
· Use soft, fine grain sandpaper over your wood stain after it dries. This will help smooth out the edges for a more refined look.