The Magic of Spray Paint
DIYing is painless these days… don’t you think?
With the internet and new products it gets
easier and easier to create one of a kind looks inexpensively.
We can have homes that speak our language while simply done on a budget.
I am enjoying the magic of spray paint.
It is easy, quick, affordable, and can change the look of an item instantly.
Do you remember the vision for my son’s room that started here?
Then I saw this on Craigslist for a whopping $40.00
and knew this heavy, old brass bed could be transformed
into the bed I envisioned for my son’s room.
Brass is creeping back into interiors and I am loving the look,
however for this room, I wanted an oil rubbed bronze finish.
Like magic, spray paint came to the rescue again.
I used Rust-Oleum Universal
Metallic Paint and Primer.
For your convenience I’ve inserted an affiliate link here
.
I cleaned this bad boy really good
and placed it on a tarp to start the spray painting process.
Immediately it transformed into this.
You probably know by now that creating dimension
is really important to me when painting.
I like layers and movement.
I wanted a professional look and this spray paint
really gave the movement I was looking for.
I love how it sparkles and creates a professional finish.
Here is a closeup…
I used two coats to accomplish the task and achieve complete coverage.
It was really easy!
There you have it!
Just like magic the brass bed was transformed into a Restoration Hardware Knockoff.
Pretty close, right?
The reveal of this room can be seen here.
It’s been done for a while now,
but I wanted to show you all of the DIY projects before the reveal.
Have you used spray paint on a bed frame?
If you haven’t, are you itching to try it now?
Enjoy!
Every. Single. Moment.
Angie
Angie, this looks fantastic! What a fabulous find! I love the new finish! You have been on a roll remodeling!
Thanks Betsy!
Did it stick to the tarp when you painted it? Did you let it dry then turn over for the back?
Hi Amie, It’s been so long since I painted this bed, but I believe one side of the bed was painted first. Then once dried, turned over to the other side. It’s been so long, but I don’t believe it stuck at all to the tarp. If this is a concern, you could prop the bed up on a cardboard box or surface and spray the top half, then turn. After that’s dry, prop up the other side and complete the bottom half. Does that make sense? Let me know if you have more questions. Super easy project. My son still has the bed and it’s held up great!
Looks great! I used that spray paint on a lamp (my tripod lamp) and I loved it for the same reasons you state above. It’s great paint! The bed looks beautiful now!
Thank you Karen! Your tripod lamp turned out so great – the paint is amazing!
Genius! Love this and can’t wait to see the bedroom reveal.
Thanks Terri! The reveal should be coming soon. 🙂
Hi Angie, The bed is awesome now that you painted it! Beautiful job.
Thanks Anne. The paint is pretty great!
Angie, I LOVE IT! Can’t wait for the complete reveal.
I, too, have been using that product in my new home. All the interior fixtures in this house are different from my last house. So I have been spraying my old random decorator items to match the new fixtures. 🙂 The 8 to 10 dollars per can shocked me at first, but I quickly realized it’s true value once I saw the results. Well worth the cost indeed!
Definitely worth the expense – I would have to agree. The reveal will be coming soon!
This is gorgeous! Love it, Angie! You did a great job. (Now you have me wanting a brass bed to spray paint 😉
Thanks Christina! If I find another brass bed, I will let you know. 🙂
Wow, that bed looks gorgeous, Angie! (And I can’t believe you found it at such a great price, too.) I can hardly wait to see the whole room reveal. You always create such beautifully designed rooms.
Ah… you are so sweet! The room reveal is coming very soon. 😉
How many cans did it take to paint the bed?
Looks great, Angie!
Thanks Erin!
Looks great! Just wondering how it has held up. Does it scratch easily?
It has held up great! I am very happy with it!
And approximately how many cans of paint for a double bed very similar to the one you painted. I can’t wait to get started!
Hi Louise! So sorry for my delayed response. If I remember correctly, it took me two cans to get a super nice finish. I am excited you are going to do it. You will have to let me know how it turns out.
I will! I’m going to do it next week if the weather permits.
Looking forward to seeing it!
I have my great great grandfather’s Iron bed my mother gave me. I’m almost ready to paint it. How I am going to paint it is my worry??
Also should I finish it off with mineral spirits and steel wool?
Oh boy, Debbie, it sounds like a beautiful bed just as it is. Are you sure you want to paint it? I would love to see a picture of it before you paint it, would that be ok?
Great idea! Did you actually use the oil rubbed bronze colour? The bed in your picture appears more pewter in colour. Also, how has the paint held up over time? I hope to paint a very similar frame for my daughter, and am hoping for a pewter/ brushed nickel effect to match her dresser hardware.
Hi Erin! I did use the oil rubbed bronze finish. The paint has held up great! I am pretty sure Rustoleum has a pewter/brushed nickel finish as well. I would definitely try it out, as I am very happy with it. Let me know what you decide to do. I would love to hear and see the final results.
Hello, do you think that spray paint would hold up on brass door knobs? All the knobs and hinges in our house are brass and are in much need of an upgrade. To replace all the hardware would cost quite a bit. Thoughts?
Hi Amy, In my past home I spray painted my door knobs and hinges with this paint. I can’t tell you how long term it will hold up. Mine was good for six months before I moved. I did sand the knobs and hardware before spraying, and you may want to spray a clear protective coat over the spray paint to give extra durability. I didn’t spray a clear coat and they seemed to do okay for the 6 months. I really liked the look too, so it was worth it to me. And, it didn’t cost me a fortune as new hardware would.
I’m quite late to the discussion, but for DIYers like me I thought I’d chime in on my experience of durability. A decade ago, I spray painted my grandmother’s kitchen cabinet knobs with If I remember, nickle. They still look great. Granted, they are small and don’t get quite the wear of a traditional knob, but they do still get a good deal of wear, and it’s been a decade (wow, where did it go?)
Is the oil rubbed bronze the color you used on that bed….it just doesn’t look bronze to me…looks more gray silver?
It is the oil rubbed bronze. I have heard this before, it may look more silver-grey online. It might depend on the computer I guess. It definitely is oil rubbed bronze here in person. Hmmm… If you decide to do this project and want the oil bronze look, the Rustoleum can top is really a dead on match to the color I acheived.
Would it match a brown dresser
Hi Racheal, It might. You may want to look at the colors in person to make sure it is the right tone of brown you are looking for. This is one of my favorites for sure.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!
Hello. Do you know the history of the bed? I have the exact same one. All I know is my then bachelor Dad, got it at a garage sale in the late 60s, and the bed might be from the 1920s.
That is such a great question! I really don’t know the history, but would love to know if you ever find anything out about it. I purchased the bed off of Craigslist and loved the lines of it – how cool would it be if it is from the 1920’s?! Love that! Thanks so much and if I find any new info. out, I will let you know – you have me quite curious.
Hi there
Do you know if your bed was completely brass or had it been coated with something. I have a brass bed I bought about 38 years ago and we never had a finish put on it so it wouldn’t tarnish. The brass seller talked us out of it. But now with how bad it looks we wish we had put one on. We have tried over years to clean it but it is extra big and is just not cleaning very good. I’m wondering about spraying it to get new finish on it but was wondering with yours if you could tell if it had been coated with something to prevent tarnishing? I’m wondering how it would stick to straight brass. Yours didn’t look too bad for colour before your project. Mine has black spots in areas and green also.
Hi Karen, It’s been a long time since I completed this project. Thinking back though, I don’t think there was a protective finish, but I wasn’t the original owner. I purchased this bed from Craigslist. With that said, the spray paint has held up great and the bed is still in use today. I wonder if you tried a small area to see how the spray paint covers the brass? An area where you wouldn’t see. Or, are you are enjoying the brass? I wish I had a solution for cleaning the brass or a topcoat, but that is beyond my expertise.
I have used Annie Sloan Chalk paint on a lamp that was brass and I loved the look as well. Here is the link for that – https://angandjoey.com/2012/01/happy-friday-today-i-am-going-to-share
Best of luck to you Karen. I would love to see what you decide to do and how it all turns out.
Thanks for the reply. I may try the spray paint like you did. I will share if I do!!