Decor

Normally, I don’t need a push to change things up. I am a serial re-decorator and proud of it! In fact, from year to year, we’ve changed at least one thing about our home at my insistence, whether it be re-painting the entire house, adding a backyard oasis, creating a live-in dining room or designing a man cave. It’s all me and it’s all because I thrive on change.

Think I’ve run out of ideas for my home? Ha! My husband wishes! I’ve got my eye on refinishing our second floor, cleaning out the laundry room, adding shelving to our walk-in closet and am strongly considering an enclosure for our front porch. And then, maybe I’ll give it a rest for a while.

Now the truth is, my fireplace was not on my list of things to overhaul. I mean, it’s just a fireplace, right? However, I recently came across a house listing where the living/dining area was described as having a “statement corner fireplace”. Wait a minute – I have a corner fireplace! But, it’s far from being a statement; painted in the same warm beige tone as the majority of my first floor, it actually blended into the wall with a decided lack of ambition. And that’s when I learned about Benjamin Moore’s new ben & ME promotion:

For a limited time (until October 5th, 2014), Benjamin Moore is offering exclusive ben & ME kits for just $109 (a $169 value)*. In the kit, you’ll receive:

• 2 gallons of premium paint with 1 quart for trim
• a sleeve roller, paintbrush, paint tray
• a drop cloth, paint can opener and green painters tape
• How-To Guide and even a playlist to keep you on a roll!

Perspective: for just over a hundred bucks, you’ll have everything you need to add colour vibrancy, softness, glam or interest to a room you choose. And fall is the perfect season for change! To take advantage of the promo, pop into your local Benjamin Moore Signature store or visit the Ben & Me website to find your nearest participating dealer.

I’ll be honest – I’m living a charmed life, because my father-in-law is a professional painter! And, he just happens to be a Benjamin Moore enthusiast, trusting the brand for over 40 years for all his clients. To quote him, “you can’t find a better paint.” So, of course I asked for his expertise (and his perfected technique!) when painting something as finicky as a fireplace. Consulting the ben & ME How-To Guide, he asked that I share the 3 top tips that have served him well over the years:

1) Preparation, Preparation, Preparation. Prep your walls by sanding down any lumps or rough patches first. Then use a slightly dampened sponge to wipe all the dust away (don’t forget the trim). Clean walls ensure your tape will stick, and no dust will muck up your pretty paint job.

2) Protect Your Goods. You have stuff. Some of it may even be nice stuff. You don’t want paint on that stuff. So move it, cover it and you won’t have to worry about it. Don’t forget the floors too. Drop cloths are your friend.

3) Tape Trick. Here is a master taping secret: heat seal the tape’s edge (with friction!) by running a smooth tool like your finger, a spoon or a paint stick along the edge. Heating up the sticky stuff helps it form a stronger seal against paint seepage. You don’t want paint seepage.

Without further ado, here’s our statement-less fireplace, also known as the “before” photo:

Okay, so we had a candy jar on the fireplace. And some haphazard candles. I know, I know! But the point is, the fireplace blended into the background, so there was no point in dressing it up. Our bad. …

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