I knew I didn't want carpeting, I wanted to paint the slab...but nothing inspired me. I went on Pinterest, talked to the guys at Lowe's, and looked through countless decorating magazines. Everything was either too time consuming, involved putting acid on the cement, and would take days to dry.
I gave up for a long time and put some throw rugs down to cover the cement and warm up the area.
The other day I dropped C off to get his hair cut and walked over to Portola Coffee at SoCo and ordered a cold drink (rose lemonade on a blistering hot day. ahhhh). Once my drink was in hand, I wandered over to a shop that I had always wanted to go in, but never had the time. It was there I found my inspiration for the hallway.
The store is called Peinture Studios and it is A-MAZ-ING. I was lured in by the Chalk Paint display and the re-purposed vintage furniture. High up on one wall painted chairs are hung. One chair for each color of Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint.
Once I got into the store I saw this painted on their cement floor...
The red is EXACTLY the red I have throughout my house and it's a paint that is applied directly onto the cement. The owner of the store explained how special this paint is (it's not a chalkboard paint) and how easy it is to paint cement.Two coats of paint and two thin coats of a matte glaze. I was sold.
I bought a sample size of Emperor’s Silk and hurried home. I didn't get started but I googled anything and everything I could about Annie Sloan and her Chalk Paint. I liked the fact that it is low in fumes, fast drying, and water based. (I have cats, a dog, and a teenaged son. I worry about chemicals and fumes in the house and the necessity to air the house as I paint.)
No worries with this paint! There is no need to vent and the floor passed the quick-dry test when the dog walked right over the paint a few minutes after it was applied. Phew!
I decided I wanted more than just the red paint, I wanted a stencil design along the sides. Pinterest can be a very dangerous thing! :)
Two days later I did this...
Not only did the color get the teenager's approval, I was in love with how it looked. One coat of paint covered up the cracks and the glue residue.
Today I went back to Peinture and bought a gallon the red and a beautiful yellow, Arles. I also was able to create a combination for the perfect blue using Graphite and Napoleonic Blue.
This is how it looks right now...with one coat of paint.
Need to go and add another coat of paint before I need to start dinner. Celebrating Cinco de Mayo a day early... it's taco night.
