It feels like a theme lately to remind you guys that we mentioned that we were going to do fill-in-the-blank a while back and then exclaim that we finally got around to doing it. So this time fill-in-the-blank is finally painting the bedroom finials to match Ed The Bed. See how they’re a bit too white in this pic?
It definitely wasn’t rocket science (not much of what we do around here is, haha) but we wanted to share the super easy process when it comes to matching paint to any existing item of furniture, like if you’re planning to add legs to a painted dresser that you already own for example. The first step is to grab a bunch of white (or whatever color your item is) swatches. Start with some of the most popular white paint colors, but also grab a wide range of brightnesses and undertones
We weren’t brand loyal at all (we wanted to get the widest range of white tones). Then we came home with all of them and held each one up against one of Ed’s posts to see which one almost “disappeared” when we held it up (meaning it was the closest match). The winner was Parchment White by Glidden.
So we got a tiny test pot of it in satin for a few bucks and I prepared to get my paint on. I had saved the cardboard packaging from the guest bedroom mirror that we picked up from Target (large cardboard pieces like that always come in handy since I’m so paint obsessed, and I’ve actually already used it a few times now) so I stuck each finial through the raised part of the packaging so they would “stand up.” That way I could paint all sides of them without worrying about having to touch/smear them to spin them around. And yes, of course I was watching some evening TV while I got ‘er done (The Apprentice if you’re wondering).
The result? Well they look pretty much the same color as Ed.
Oh but we’ve noticed that many items from Ikea vary when it comes to how white they are (for example, some of their white frames are brighter than others) so it’s not necessarily safe to assume that Parchment White by Glidden will be a perfect match to every white Ikea item. But bringing home some swatches, holding them up, and then buying a tiny test pot of the one that blends in the best for a few bucks is a pretty painless process.
The only problem? Little paint projects like this leave me itching to find other small things to paint. What’s wrong with me? It’s a sickness I tell ya.
Jen @ The Decor Scene says
I’m going to pick up that swatch and see if it matches my white Ikea furniture that I needed to touch up. Thanks for letting us know the name. I was going to go soon to get swatches anyway, so thank you. ;)
They sell Glidden only at Home Depot? Or does Lowe’s sell Glidden too? If you know. Thank you.
YoungHouseLove says
Glidden is only at Home Depot. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Laura says
I saw an ad that Walmart is now selling Glidden but I don’t know if colors are the same.
YoungHouseLove says
Wow, that’s new!
xo,
s
Jen @ The Decor Scene says
Thank you! :)
Meredith says
I might be the very last person in the world to be made aware of this, but I just found out that Ace Hardware now color matches/custom mixes spray paint! Just thought that might have been another easy alternative to a project like this with so many nooks and crannies!
YoungHouseLove says
Woah- I’m the last person. Amazing!
xo,
s
Ami says
I love you guys. Seriously, you are so warm and funny and helpful. Thanks for sharing yourselves with us!
Julie says
White is SO difficult for me to match! Our house had all kinds of horrible paint colors. The previous owner was very organized and had all of the leftovers in a cupboard in the garage labeled… Everything EXCEPT the white that he’d used for all of the trim and doors! :( I still haven’t touched things up because I haven’t found the right white!
Lonely Wife Project says
I paint anything and everything I can get my hands on white. I wonder if there’s a rehab facility for that ;)
heyruthie says
wow-i think i’m the one with a sickness: i’m feeling so incomplete without a whole-room shot with the matching finials! i keep scrolling up to the “unmatched” room shot, and salivating for a whole-room “matching” shot! i need to get a life!!! ;-)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, they’ll eke their way into other whole room shots in a bit I’m sure!
xo,
s
Kaitlin says
Hooray for Ed being matched!!
Question for you guys: I really loved the post where you mentioned the iPhone app that helped track Clara’s diapers, eating etc after she was born.
I am FINALLY getting an iphone and was wondering what are some of your favorite apps? Either just for “real life” or for blogging, DIY, and anything in between.
YoungHouseLove says
I’m a nerd so I use my iPhone mostly for work and not very much for play (so the wordpress app helps me do blog stuff, etc) but I really like basic ones for weather and shazam and all that good stuff.
xo,
s
Kaitlin says
Oh and as a side note to my moments-ago Iphone comment/question….I know that Sherry loves pinterest as much as I do (@kaitlinjenkins)and I just saw that pinterest is getting an iphone app in 6 days!!
Can we get a collective “hooray!”?
YoungHouseLove says
So excited! Counting down the seconds!
xo,
s
Katie Truelove says
Looks great to me:) I like that you guys do a lot of painting (Im not brave enough in my NYC apartment-or on the street;). But, someday, when I do paint something I’ll be using all these tips!
Veronica says
I was in Shanghai a couple of weeks ago and when I was shopping I saw your chandelier in a store. I immediately thought of you guys! You must have some of the best taste in this world ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Thank goodness Ikea is international! Haha.
xo,
s
Allison says
How do you keep your paint swatches organized? They all come in different sizes and shapes! I don’t know what the best way to organize different brands and color. Right now they are in a stack in a bowl, but I love any ideas for a better way to file them away!
YoungHouseLove says
I have a large 3″ binder ring that I slip all of my favorites on (even though they’re not the same shape with a hole punched in the top of all of them they can be easily wrangled that way). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Kari says
If you happen to find youself in Indiana, I have a WHOLE house that needs painted! I even have a little ceramic elephant from my grandmother that I’m itching to paint white…
Brittany says
Hah! I know what you mean by when you get the paint out you look for more to paint! I’ve started my own frame wall which has some frames I’ve painted white and I find myself tearing through the basement in search for more abandoned frames to use when I’ve already gone through the effort of opening the paint can.
P.S. I hope I’m not the only random commenter on here… I have plans for a DIY/ home improvement blog soon ((I just returned from Europe so obviously haven’t been doing much of that.. (although I did make a pretty cute cardboard key box) but it’s on the to do list)) I love your blog though and read it every week! Although I’m sure you get this a lot, thanks for your detailed posts and down to earth…ness.
Alisa says
Why do you guys taunt me so with your painting projects? I’m itching to paint, but even a quick poof of the spray paint right now is scary as I am finishing up sewing a wedding dress and would DIE if I got any paint on it. I’m a messy spray painter too, so it would probably happen. But I have a whole list of things I’m going to start painting on May 15th (after all the sewing is done!). I’m going to get up extra early to get started before the hubs can stop me. I’m just that excited…maybe I shouldn’t have admitted that..
charlotte says
I get that way with painting too. Who doesn’t? Nobody who doesn’t really love to paint I say. I start out touching up the baseboard, then I paint just a little more baseboard to blend the new paint in. Then I am to the door frame and notice it needs touching up too. And while I’m here, the door could use a new coat of white as well. See how it escalates so quickly. I did the living room and hall and front entry way in that manner. I’m getting the itch to paint again right now….where’s my brush?
Shannon says
What a strange bed. What purpose do those odd pointy sticks serve, sticking up in the air like that. The finials look especially out of place. Designing around a bed like that is really going to be challenging.
YoungHouseLove says
It’s a four poster bed! They’re pretty common I think. Anyway, it tickles our fancy, so no worries – we’re weird all the time. For instance I love ceramic animals and dressing my baby up as a hamburger for Halloween. Haha. We subscribe to the whole “to each his own” thing – you kinda have to when you share every odd detail of your house with the entire internet and decor is such a subjective thing!
xo,
s
Stephanie says
This is totally not related to this post at all…but I’ve seen you guys mention the restaurant.com website as a source for great deals. And since I know how you guys love some good bargains, just wanted to drop yall a note that they’re currently running a promotion – the $25 gift certificate is only $3 when you enter coupon code “mom” at checkout. Enjoy! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Wahoo! Thanks so much for the tip. Looks like we’re gonna snag at least one of those!
xo,
s
Ellen says
Perhaps I missed this somewhere, but where did you get the toppers that you painted for Ed the Bed? We happen to have the exact bed frame from Ikea and I might just have to do the same thing you did!!
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
They were from Home Depot. Here’s that post for ya. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Keep On S'myelin! says
That’s great that you found a match! It’s crazy how many different shades of white there is out there.
Amy says
so this may be a bit much:
But for many future paint matching projects- if you buy a raw umber, burnt sienna, black, & yellow oxide- you can match almost any color always! It takes a keen eye for color matching (which you have), a small investment, but I swear, you can tweak any color with just a few drops! I matched colors, copied high-end colors (farrow & ball, ralph lauren, etc)…it pays for itself.
http://www.resurfacesolutions.com/c-33-cal-tint-colorants.aspx
Anywoot, just though I’d share if you ever want to create the perfect color every time!
Also- I love boasting that I “created” each color in my home whenever I’m complimented on a particular shade….oh so satisfying. Ps- look for smaller bottles
http://www.rosebrand.com/product538/Mixol-Tints.aspx
if you don’t wanna invest in Cal-tint, Mixol is awesome as well.
Bon Chance on your perfect white!
YoungHouseLove says
It’s never a bit much. Love all the info! You, my friend, have skillz.
xo,
s
Jana says
I found that behr toasted marshmallow matched my ikea furniture pretty good. I have the malm dresser, and a shoe cabinet that has the same color melamine foil.
Ever - The red house by the lake says
I love to hear that I am not the only one saving the cardboard packing to use when painting. My boyfriend constantly tries to throw them away, but I refuse. They are so much easier than plastic or dropcloth.
Whitney Kirsling says
It’s amazing how these little things drive us crazy! It looks great though. I am in the process of a whole home overhaul and have many things to paint in my “marathon” I plan to use some of your tips to help me get through these projects. I also just got my XL white shower curtain courtesy you. I can’t wait to show you some of the results as we get there.
http://thecubaninmycoffee.blogspot.com/
XOXO, Whitney (the cuban in my coffee)
Sarah Keffer says
Ok, so totally random comment here, but have you guys seen the new HBO series “Game of Thrones”? Sherry has a british twin (Emilia Clarke) who plays one of the characters, Daenerys… http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1536790016/nm3592338
I think the resemblance is remarkable! ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Yes we keep hearing that and we agree! Definitely in the pics when you google her with brown hair. It’s kinda crazy actually. Just wish I had a fancy British accent to match…
xo,
s
Maria says
Love the turqoise and lime green duvet cover! Where did you find it, how long ago?
YoungHouseLove says
That was from West Elm about five months ago. Maybe try eBay?
xo,
s
Wom-mom Ethne says
Those mini pots are miracle workers. I bet Ed’s glad to be matched up again… ~Ethne
Valerie says
Ok – random/innappropriate question: How sturdy is Ed the Bed??? My husband and I have been bed shopping and we’re super-budget-conscious… but we really want a bed that it sturdy and won’t feel rickety, or be noisy (use your inference skills here!). I’ve always been wary of ikea beds for this reason.
YoungHouseLove says
Ed is very sturdy indeed. It’s strong steel that’s secured in a number of places so there isn’t any swaying or creaking going on. Haha. Hope it helps.
xo,
s
Irene says
BM Simply White is a great match for anyone using Ikea kitchen cabinets
Mae Anunciado says
Love how this room is coming together! Have you guys seen the Ikea Maskros painted in metallic color? I think I saw it in Amy Butler’s house tour. Just in case you guys want to add a little bling to your room, I guess?
YoungHouseLove says
Yes it’s amazing!!! It looks really good in her lofted space but we think white is the best choice for our room (at least for now) since it’s smaller and less airy, so we’re trying to keep it simple when it comes to color since the silhouette is so crazy. Haha.
xo,
s
Rachel Show says
Come to my house? I have several projects for you to do. :)
Deborah says
I come seeking your wisdom :) . . . I have the same duvet cover as your master bedroom, and I recently purchased an antique (but in need of painting) dresser. I want paint it to “match” the duvet without being too matchy-matchy. Do you have any ideas on what color I could paint the dresser? Thank you!! Love love love your blog!
YoungHouseLove says
Maybe white with a golden greeny top (like the more yellow toned leaves)? That could be really cute!
xo,
s
Ashley @ DesignBuildLove.co says
Looks fantastic! One of those small to-do’s officially checked off! Nice job on the color match too, it’s perfect as far as I can see. :D
Now… off to do some of my little “to-do’s”!
Paula/adhocmom says
Truthishly (to quote Bryan the dog’s girlfriend played by Drew Barrymore on Family Guy), I did NOT see how the finnials didn’t match your bed. Just sayin! But I totally respect a persons need to feel their finnials perfectly match their bed. I really do.
Cydney says
Sherwin Williams has a color called Alabaster that matches Ikea white incredibly well. I used to have a nail salon that we designed 90% of it with Ikea, and we came across Alabaster!
keri says
my white ikea bookcase and coffee table have a bunch of scratches – guess i just have to go the old fashioned route! i tried to be lazy and used white paint i had lying around the house…no luck…looks like i just need to make the trip to get some swatches!
Jenny W. says
Looks fantastic! What is the name of the paint color in this room?
YoungHouseLove says
It’s Carolina Inn Club Aqua by Valspar color matched to Olympic No-VOC paint. Hope it helps!!
xo,
s
Jenny W. says
I just posted asking what the color of the bedroom walls were. But I think I found the answer– is it Glidden’s Gentle Tide??? Thanks so much !
YoungHouseLove says
That was actually our last bedroom. The wall color in this room is Carolina Inn Club Aqua by Valspar (color matched to Olympic’s No-VOC paint). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sharon says
Um…do you mind sharing where you bought your duvet cover? I love it.
YoungHouseLove says
That’s from West Elm about five months ago but maybe try ebay? Good luck!
xo,
s
Sharon says
Thanks for being so great at responding to comments and for sharing everything you know. We just bought a house a few weeks ago…it is going to take a lot of work!
LC983 says
Hah it’s funny that you posted this. My boyfriend and I recently put together a white Billy bookcase from Ikea. We weren’t paying attention and installed the shelves backwards. Of course we only realized this after the unit was put together and we went to tip it up. Since there were 6 nail holes now in each side of the shelf that should face forward, I decided to leave it as is and buy some wood trim to install over it. To match the trim to the shelves, I took a shelf to the paint counter at Home Depot and they were able to match the color and finish exactly. They even painted a chipped corner of the shelf to test it and when I showed it to my boyfriend (who had been doubting their matching abilities) he couldn’t figure out where they had painted it. I would highly suggest if anyone’s trying to match a paint color and can carry a small piece of what you’re trying to match into the store. And of course the wood trim solution was totally inspired by this blog as it has gotten me to look for solutions/ different uses for soo many things!
Mary Kirkpatrick says
That funny looking medallion/chandelier or whatever hanging from the ceiling above the bed is the same one used in Dave and Amy Butler’s home but instead of trying to match the Ikea whites, Dave painted it gold/bronzish (right Dave?). It looks nifty. You can see it on Amy’s Facebook page – Amy Butler Design (she designs wallpapers and fabrics and stuff). I think this one would look nice painted in one of the colors pulled from the bedding.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah we love that blingy one they made! We do prefer the white in our space since it’s not a vaulted room like theirs (so since the silhouette is kinda crazy we like that the color is classic and crisp white) but if I had a room like theirs I would be grabbing the spray paint for sure!
xo,
s
Savage says
Thank you, this made the process of finding a matching paint for Billy bookcases easy. I made sure to check the swatch with my shelving, and it was a perfect match. Thanks for sharing!
YoungHouseLove says
So glad!
xo,
s
Shelbi says
I LOVE the comforter. Do you mind telling me where you got it.?
Thanks so much (:
YoungHouseLove says
It was from West Elm a while back. Maybe try ebay?
xo
s
Leash says
Benjamin Moore Paper Mache is the best colour match for Ikea Adel cabinets:)
YoungHouseLove says
Great tip!
xo
s
Devin says
What was the finish of the sample paint you used? We are about to do faux built ins with ikea furniture and I want the trim to match the gloss of the cabinets. Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
I think it was eggshell. Hope it helps!
xo
s
sharon jones says
I have just bought secondhand a complete combination ikea pax wardrobe system and I’m thrilled to bits (hubby has settled with a nice cup of tea after driving a couple of hours for my latest ebay purchase. It’s lovely furniture but the problem is the so called white birkeland doors actually are not white whereas my own old wooden dressing table and mirror are. It would be easier to paint the dressing table but does anyone know the actual color that ikea uses (I’m in England so it may be a problem even if you guys can get in the US). i suppose i could always paint the items a different color altogether?
YoungHouseLove says
We have heard of people painting them whiter since it’s not a pure white, or you could try bringing paint swatches home to find a match to the Ikea paint for your dressing table. Good luck!
xo
s