Welcome back, friends!  I am back with another thrifty before and after- everyone's favorite!  Not long ago, I shared our entryway transformation (new wallpaper, furniture, wall decor, etc.) and the only thing that was still left to do was update the u-g-l-y floor tile.  I figured it would be a project that we would take on a few years down the road because new flooring isn't cheap, and it wasn't a huge priority either.  But once the new wallpaper was hung the flooring stood out so much more than before and I just couldn't take it anymore... so I went the thrifty route.  I painted it.  

I had heard of people painting flooring before but was always a bit skeptical for obvious reasons and our high traffic entryway definitely worried me as well- so, I did some research, read A TON of reviews, and finally settled on the Rustoleum Home "Floor Coating" Kit.  This paint kit has great reviews and is under $40!  Muchhh more affordable than new tile work, and I also love that it comes in a wide variety of color options.  
Note: if you have a specific color in mind that they don't offer, the white paint is tintable which is another great selling point.

​I will also note: I went into this with the mind set that if for some reason this DIY project is a flop down the road, we can always go with plan a- and spend the money on new flooring... but for now, this is an easy and quick fix. 

Our flooring before was a fugly brown and tan ceramic tile, and I liked the idea of painting it dark because not only would it hide the dirt, but I figured it would also help hide any imperfections.  I went with the 'charcoal gray' color option in the semi-gloss finish (they also offer a matte finish).

Now if I am being honest, I don't feel like I can offer a complete review on the product just yet, seeing as I don't know how well it will hold up in the future- but I will say this:

I followed the instructions very carefully.  I'm talking, read them and then reread them about five times before finally pulling the trigger.  I vacuumed, mopped, and then used the included floor cleaner and made sure to wipe down each and every inch of our entryway.  I also purchased the exact type of paint rollers that are recommended under the product description (everything I used will be linked at the end of this post).

Once the floor was clean and dry, I used painter's tape to protect our molding and then went around and painted all of the edges using the gray base coat and an angled brush.  I then used the 3/8 inch nap roller to apply the base coat.  Rustoleum claims that only 1 coat is needed most of the time, but I did end up having to apply a second coat for even coverage.

After letting the gray base coat dry for over 24 hours, I then used the 1/4 inch nap roller to apply the clear top coat.  The instructions do say that 24 hours after applying the top coat, you can resume light foot traffic but that the floor system is not fully cured for at least 7 days.  Now, in my experience I have always found it better to wait even longer than the recommended time when it comes to painting anything, so we waited a few days for foot traffic and about 10 days before putting the furniture back.

I dropped a small metal basket on the flooring around day 5 and it chipped a small spot of paint off, which had me pretty worried but I am hoping it is only because it was not fully cured yet.  (I touched up the tiny chip marks right away).

Pretty dramatic difference for a great price, right?  Fingers crossed it holds up well, but so far, I LOVE IT.  Let me know what you guys think and be sure to check out all of the links below!

Striped door mat linked here

Entryway makeover linked here

Since we moved into our 1930's Colonial nearly a year ago, I have slowly but surely started sharing more and more photos of our home on Instagram, but the one area I have waited to share is our entryway.  The 1980's wallpaper and flush mounted boob light fixture (forgot to take photos of it but trust me it was bad) were just not internet worthy if ya know what I mean.  I knew when we bought this house that we would eventually switch out the wallpaper but it was not a top priority.  Not only is wallpaper pricey, but I had such a hard time choosing what to put in there.  I can't even tell you how many wallpaper books I brought home from Sherwin Williams before deciding on one.  I wanted something colorful and crazy but then changed my mind because I got cold feet and figured something timeless would be better.  I mean, you can always add color in other ways, right?  Which is exactly what I did. 

I ended up settling on a neutral but fun geometric pattern from Thibaut and I loveee it!  It is classic yet funky and perfectly neutral.  I am so happy with how much it has brightened up this little space!

Instead of buying a new chest, I used some leftover dark teal paint I had and spray painted the hardware.  Now as I look through these photos I am realizing how bad my paint job is and YES I will be fixing it, but I just couldn't wait to get these photos up.

(I don't know the exact paint color but it is VERY similar to Benjamin Moore's "Dark Teal". )
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Add some wall art and fun accessories and wah-lah- a completely new space!  Speaking of fun accessories... have you seen my mini Turkish rug from Krazy For Rugs?  I am OBSESSED.  The colors and quality are SO. GOOD. and her selection is insane.  If you are in the market for a show stopping rug go check out her website!

Now for everyone's favorite part:  the before and after photos!  Let me know what you think, and be sure to check out the product links at the end if you like what you see.

BEFORE

AFTER

This light fixture is e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g!

I mean...

Chandelier linked here.

My exact wallpaper can be found here.

A similar teal chest can be found here.

Swivel brass hook can be found here.

Galvanized wall planter can be found here.

Mini Turkish rug can be found here.

So, that's it guys.  Short and sweet filled with photos- the kind of blog posts that I like and I'm sure you do too.  If you liked this transformation let me know in the comments and be sure to follow along on Instagram for more daily inspo.