Since beginning our house renovations about a year ago, we’ve been in and out of many, many hardware stores, True Value being one of our favorite stops. Our local True Value has the feel of an old-fashioned hardware store but with all of the modern conveniences. It’s one of those places where “everybody knows everybody”, but they’re happy to get to know new people, too. Pretty much anyone who walks in knows the owner by name, everything is where you’d expect it to be, and the staff enjoys getting to know you and hearing about the projects you’ve planned for the weekend. All in all, True Value makes us happy. So when we got an email from True Value asking if we would like to test drive their new EasyCare Platinum Paint & Primer. We said, “Yes, please!”.
After a little bit of going back and forth, we finally decided on a lovely dark gray color, Forbidden (09D7) in semi-gloss. Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Well, what are you going to paint?” Normally, you pick out what you are going to paint then you pick out the paint color. However, in this case, we did things kind of backwards. We knew we wanted painted side tables for the guest room, and we knew what color we wanted. It was just a matter of finding the right side tables. After a few weeks of searching, we finally lucked out and found these two side tables at Home Goods:
They aren’t as large as we had hoped for – though now that we are planning on sconces rather than table lamps on either side of the bed, we don’t need anything very large – but they’re tall compared to everything else we had been finding, and we like that. The price wasn’t too shabby either. They were originally $200 a piece, but were marked down to $72. Score!
Immediately after opening the can, Greg said, “Wow, that’s good stuff!”. Since buying the house, we’ve primed and painted every single inch of the ceilings, walls, and trim of this 2,115 square foot house. That’s a lot of paint! At this point, we feel like we know a good quality paint when we see one and this was definitely one of them.
There are a lot of cool things about True Value’s Easy Care Platinum Paint & Primer including a lifetime warranty, it’s low VOC, and stain/mildew resistant. What really appealed to us even before we opened the can was that it is paint and primer all in one.
Let me go off on a tiny tangent here and say that we’re not a huge fan of two-in-one products most of the time. Take shampoo & conditioner combinations for example… it does the job, but the results aren’t nearly as good as using a good shampoo and a good conditioner, separately. Well, that was not the case with this paint. We were truly amazed by the coverage. Here’s what the table looked like after only one coat…
Yep… ONE. Greg and I think that’s pretty impressive, especially putting a dark color on top of a light color. The coverage was so awesome that we probably could have stopped there but we decided to go ahead and apply a second coat just for good measure.
While we were having fun with our new paint, Bentley was off in the corner, not very happy with the fact that we were painting rather than playing fetch. This is his “Are you done yet?” face:
Back to the project… We let the paint dry for a good 48 hours before we put the side tables in place, and we also changed out the wooden drawer pulls for something a little more sparkly:
A few books, a clock radio, a small silver frame, a candle-holder-turned-vase, and a few hydrangeas later and we’re in business!
We are really pleased with the finish of the EasyCare Platinum Paint & Primer. We can already tell the surface will be very durable and have great washability. The rich gray color is absolutely yummy. I wonder if True Value would be interested in making nail polish… ; )
In the frame is one of my favorite photos from back in the day of me and my Grandma blowing bubbles. We plan on using some more old family photos around the room in the future and we thought this would be a great place to start.
With the help of our friends at True Value, these side tables have undergone a big transformation and we’ve added a new favorite product to our list in the process. It’s amazing how just a few coats of paint can totally transform a piece of furniture.
Now how about that nail polish? ; )
We are Greg + Ashley Brown, and thanks for visiting our blog! This is where we talk about renovating, decorating, and living in our first house, a 1970’s brick ranch right outside the city limits of Richmond, Virginia. And yes, it just happens to be the seventh house on the left side of our street. 
Love the table! I love that color and the glass knobs look great against it.
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LOVE the color you picked! I never would have thought of that color.
Beautiful.
They look awesome! I love the color. What a major score to find two just alike and marked down!
Love the nightstands! That color is amazing!! I also like the little bit of your bedding in the grey/yellow that we can see. Where did you find it?
Thank you! The bedding is actually from a few different places but check out the source list on this post (http://bit.ly/eRKCJv) for the 411. Hope that helps!
i have that bedding you are asking about and i got it at target! i know they still have it. Dwell Studio designed it. good luck!
I have the same feelings about True Value. It really does give you a more personal feeling than Lowe’s or Home Depot does. We love our store and they always have everything we need for our home improvement projects.
Your side tables look great!!
OMG! I love it!!! The tables look so much richer =) That’s one awesome clock too…Jealous!
Oh that colour is gorgeous. I’d love to know where you purchased the pulls from.
We bought them at True Value for only $4 a piece!
Love it! Did you apply the primer with a brush? I did a similar thing to an old Ikea side table, but the brush strokes are rather evident. Also – I had to use a water-based polyurethane to make it wipe easier and not “rub” on the books on top – does the primer cut that step out? I am contemplating using a small roller to see if that helps… thoughts? GREAT color, btw!
When we first started painting the side tables, we noticed a lot of brush strokes so we changed out the brush for a softer one and that made a huge difference. So, the softer the brush, the better. As far as doing a top coat of polyurethane… in this particular case, we didn’t finish off with polly because we used a very durable, “washable”, semi-gloss paint. But this extra step won’t hurt if you use the right stuff.
What a great product! I am filing this away for my next project. Thanks for sharing, and your tables are lovely!
While I have issues with paint and primer in one (it’s like saying paint and paint in one, to me) – the finished product of your side tables is gorgeous. Really love the color. And they go perfectly in that room. I’m inspired more and more to update some dated pieces of my own with just a couple coats of paint and some new hardware. Well done!!
I love love love what you did with the side tables. It makes me want to paint something. Anything! You picked out a great color too.
True Value is our go to place since we moved to our new place and we love it. Even more than Home Depot, Ace or Lowes!
I came across this post on Twitter (I follow True Value) and I’m so glad I did! I’m loving this project and it really inspires me to find a piece of furniture to redo.
Love your blog! Keep up the awesome work!!
Very pretty!
i painted a table a couple of months ago. my table did not look as good as your side tables:( maybe I should have used a paint with a primer in it. i should have also used a different brush to I think. love your blog!
Lovely!
What a yummy colour! Those bed side tables look fantastic. I am wanting to paint our bedside tables, feeling totally inspired now. Still need to descide on a colour.
LOVE IT!
They look so beautiful!
I LOVE IT! My favourite post of yours to date!
I am extremely taken with the color you choose. Very, very beautiful.
Love the tables and the photo is adorable:)
Those tables look stunning with that beautiful pewter color and the glass knobs, great job! The guest room has really come together, your guests are very lucky.
Gorgeous!!! Love the dark grey!! Just found your blog today and it’s lovely!!
As for nail polish, Rescue Beauty Lounge has a gorgeous dark grey shade called Stormy. American Apparel also has a couple grey’s, but they might not be dark enough. Zoya also has Kelly, a deep bluey grey.
I have that bedspread, and I love it. I am buying another one for a spare. I want that pattern and those colors forever!
Love that color. I’m thinking of using a dark gray in our guest room. It’s a dark green already. Yuck.
The vignette on next to the bed looks fantastic with that clock and the other items. Very pretty.
I <3 the way they came out, and the color combination in the room, its coming together so beautifully.
The tables are beautiful and I’m in LOVE with the color. I’m not sure what I could paint in that shade, but I think I’m going to fins something.
GORGEOUS tutorial! I absolutely love the shape of the nightstand you chose and its legs are beautiful. Love the way you’ve designed your bedroom as well. My friend recently got that Swell duvet so I’m sending this post over to her ASAP!
I need to repaint some painted kitchen cabinets and am wondering if you would recommend using this product for that application?
Yes! It has great coverage and a fab finish. Just make sure to choose a semi gloss or high gloss finish for that type of project. Hope that helps!
[...] from At Home with Country and 7th House on the Left} More Thoughts on [...]
[...] from At Home with Country and 7th House on a Left} More Thoughts on [...]
Just found a picture of this room on pinterest and LOVE it! So I clicked on the link and here I am. You did an awesome job! Thanks for inspiring.
LOVE your guest room!
Quick question: I actually bought the same nightstands at my local Homegoods a while ago. I too am looking to repaint them and switch out the hardware, but I noticed the hardware doesn’t screw apart like other furniture I have. How did you guys remove the old knobs?
Thanks! The knobs are attached by 5 little nails. We just grabbed each knob with pliers and rocked it back and forth until it came off – or snapped in half. Then we just pulled each of the little nails out and drilled the proper holes for the new knobs.
Good luck on your project!
Great color scheme! I love the wrought iron bed. Where is it from?
Thank you! It’s from Ikea : )
I just came across this room on pinterest and am in LOVE with this wall paint color. Do you know what color you used? I love the whole room, you really have an eye for color combos!
Thanks so much : ) The paint color is Artesian Well by Martha Stewart.
I LOVE that bedspread! Where did you find it??!!
Thanks! I picked it up at Target. It’s a part of the Dwell Studio collection.
Did you sand/scuff it at all before you painted?
Nope! Just painted away. And they’ve held up really well!
Where is the comforter with the blue/yellow/grey from? I love it.
Thanks! It’s from the Dwell Studio line at Target.
Hi there!
I have a random question:) what is the name of the teal/blue wall paint? I love that wall color with the grey/yellow bedding. Gorgeous
Thanks!
!
Thanks! It’s Martha Stewart’s Artesian Well (found at Home Depot).