This hutch has seen my children grow from tiny babies to young adults. It's held everything from baby food jars, to cookbooks and small linens. It has sat overlooked and unloved in our kitchen alcove for way too long. A better spot for it is our upstairs hallway. It's a great size to hold a small lamp, some family photos and books or small games. Plus, it will replace a too small bench that was doing us no service in that space.

Speaking of that hallway, I went with a very dark palette when our house was new because there were no trees outside and this house was so very white. Since then, the trees have grown and now, "lighter and brighter" is what speaks to me. So, out with the dark and in with a bright new hallway. Time for paint, new knobs and pulls! This hutch and hallway are going to rock their new looks!

The first thing that needed to happen was that the hutch had to get prepped for painting. Cleaning with a soft rag and then gently sanding the hutch were the first few steps. There were dings, scratches and dirt that had accumulated over the years, so some wood putty was used to fill in a few places. Sanding helped even things out and provide a smoother surface.

After years of dirt and accumulated yuck, I felt like just sanding wasn't enough. Adding Kilz 2^® Latex Primer prior to painting made me feel much more confident about stains not coming through. So, a layer of Kilz was added to the entire hutch prior to painting. I'm so glad we made that choice, my husband and I did this together, because one of the stains came through the first coat of Kilz. We added another coat and that stain was gone forever! YAY!

You know how you start a project with certain ideas in mind? Be ready to adapt. It hadn't rained in our area in two months, which was bad for the environment, but good for our project plans, until it wasn't. We set everything up outside and then, out of the blue, it rained. That's how we ended up painting in our kitchen! That drop cloth came in really handy.

I chose BEHR PREMIUM PLUS ULTRA^® Paint in Mined Coal for the hutch. I'm so glad I picked that color because it goes great with the BEHR PREMIUM PLUS ULTRA^® Paint in Pumpkin Cream that I chose for the upstairs hall, which is where this hutch will permanently live. Home Depot did a great job mixing these colors for us.

We bought a gallon of the Behr paint in Mined Coal, but really only needed a quart to finish the hutch. We thought we might use the rest on some other projects we have in the house. Here's a tip! To get a clean smooth look on furniture, use a high capacity roller.

I usually have a problem with change. I think I want a new look, and then I freak out. Not this time! As soon as a single brush stroke of this pretty paint had touched the wall, I was a fan. This was exactly what I was looking for when I said "e;lighter and brighter"e; for my upstairs hallway.

When cutting in, use a large 4 - 6” putty knife to help create a straight edge. Be sure to keep paper towels or a rag handy to keep the knife clean.

When you're painting a wall, you should roll a "W"e; onto the wall and fill it in from the top edge of the wall to the bottom. You should not paint hearts and initials onto your walls or it might show through after it dries. Ask me how I know? My husband has painted a heart with our initials in every room in our house. He wasn't about to miss the opportunity with this hallway refresh. I love that! We know it's always there, but it is definitely the wrong way to paint.

PROJECT TIP

When cutting in, use a large 4 - 6” putty knife to help create a straight edge. Be sure to keep paper towels or a rag handy to keep the knife clean.

When you're painting a wall, you should roll a "W" onto the wall and fill it in from the top edge of the wall to the bottom. You should not paint hearts and initials onto your walls or it might show through after it dries. Ask me how I know? My husband has painted a heart with our initials in every room in our house. He wasn't about to miss the opportunity with this hallway refresh. I love that! We know it's always there, but it is definitely the wrong way to paint.

THE BIG REVEAL

I’m thrilled with the way this hallway refresh and pine hutch makeover turned out. It inspired me to make the area more "ours" by replacing some old store bought framed prints with photos that I'd taken. I continued the update by replacing the white knobs with new metal knobs and pulls that match the ironwork on the nearby stairs.

You can also find the perfect Behr paint choice for your next DIY paint project as well. Be sure to share your photos with us once you’ve transformed the rooms in your house using these five simple painting tips. We’d love to see what your baby nursery looks like!