That’s right, Karl‘s legs are pale no more. After some thought we decided to give all 12 of our sectional’s cheap looking birch legs a coat of oil-rubbed bronze spray paint to deepen them and give them a subtle sheen and dimension that brown paint just wouldn’t offer. It was pretty easy except it necessitated a bit of Karl disassembly. Poor guy.
But once we got all of those legs off it was as simple as sanding each of them with low grit paper by hand (I used 60 grit stuff I had around).
Although the legs looked pale and stain-less, they actually had some sort of clear finish on them (here’s one before sanding):
So in order to get the best adhesion for long-term durability, we wanted to make sure to create the most gritty (and grippy) wood surface that we could. Hence the quick sanding step (here’s the same leg after sanding):
It’s subtle in the pics, but hopefully you can see how the sandpaper stripped off that shine and left the wood looking raw and ready for paint (which always sticks a lot better to non-glossy surfaces).
And before I sprayed them, I also removed the little furry floor-protecting pads on the bottom since I didn’t want them to get all gunked up with paint. They peeled off pretty easily and still had enough sticky stuff left to go back on nice and securely afterwards.
So after each leg was un-padded it was time for their little makeover. Here’s what I went with: Rustoelum Universal Metallic spray paint in “oil-rubbed bronze” with a trigger spray nozzle (here’s an affiliate link to it on Amazon for anyone looking for it). It’s pretty fumey stuff so I laid out some cardboard and did all the spraying outside while wearing a mask that I’m sure freaked out all of the neighborhood squirrels.
Here are all of Karl’s legs after being doused with coat one of their new “spray tan” (I actually applied three thin coats for super even and non-drippy coverage):
Oh and for those of you looking for a few quick spray painting tips, here ya go:
- Skip the cheap $2 stuff in favor of the $7+ quality stuff (I like Rustoleum’s trigger spray nozzle because it goes on thin and even and doesn’t get all over your fingers).
- Always keep the can moving. If you’re a-sprayin’ your arm better be a-swayin’.
- Keep the nozzle about 8-10″ away from whatever you’re spray painting.
- You really want a mist, not a heavy wet coating.
- Three thin and even coats are better than one thick and drippy one.
- Spray paint has yet to go no-VOC, so apply it outside with a mask, and let it fully cure as long as the can recommends outside whenever you can (usually 24 hours, we try to double that just to be even safer).
- You can “seal” any spray paint (to limit any off-gassing at all once you bring it inside) by applying two thin coats of Safecoat Acrylacq, which is low-VOC and non-toxic.
So once I applied my three supa thin coats of oil-rubbed bronze spray paint, I just let them “cure” outside for 48 hours (12 of them were spent in the sun and the next 36 were spent in the carport because I worried it might rain) while our living room looked like this:
Yup, for two days that was the look. It was actually kind of fun to sit on our super low sofa. And Clara had a ball climbing on and off of it like she never could when it was up on legs. It was almost a shame to put them back on. Except for the fact that our living room looked crazy and getting off of such a low sofa while holding a 20 pound baby girl wasn’t exactly enjoyable.
Thanks to two days of outdoor drying time, by the time I brought in our newly bronzed legs they were nice and hard. Almost coin-like thanks to the oil-rubbed bronze paint that created a sleek finish. It’s hard to depict that in photos, but it has a nice metal-like sheen when you see it from different angles. And when the light hits it, it sort of bounces off and reflects like glass. Thankfully they didn’t smell all nasty and spray-paint-y after 48 hours of drying time outside (even when I stuck my nose right up against them like a weirdo). If they had I definitely would have applied two thin coats of Safecoat Acrylacq as I mentioned in the last bullet above though.
Then all that was left to do was to stick those furry floor-protecting pads back onto the bottom of each leg and cheer John on as he screwed them back into place (he’s the allen wrench ninja of our house). Bam, Karl was back to his old self. Only slightly more handsome and dapper. And can I just say that it felt inordinately awesome to have the living room put back together again?
See how the side of this leg seems to glimmer in the pic above? That’s the difference between choosing a metallic oil-rubbed spray paint and a deep brown paint or stain. That smidge of glitz just does it for me. But of course stain or paint could have totally worked too, it just depends what tickles your fancy.
Actually from certain angles and in lower lighting situations (like at night) it reads a bit more like a rich chocolate wood stain, which we definitely don’t mind.
So just for kicks, let’s flash back to Karl’s legs when they were all pale and birch-y:
And here’s the man of the house now. The difference isn’t heart-stoppingly amazing or anything, but as far as details go, it’s definitely a bit less “look at my squat little birch legs” than the original look. Most of all, look how happy Beansie is about the change. Just kidding, she’s just psyched to be on her favorite rug ever with a few toys. Oh to be a baby again.
And it’ll probably feel even more cohesive in there when we add oil-rubbed bronze curtain rods to the window and sliders (along with all the other stuff we’re craving, like a big console table behind Karl and a larger entertainment unit to add balance). But for now we’re just loving how our giant $1,248 sectional looks even more like the too-rich-for-our-blood $4,496 version from Room & Board that we fell in love with a while back:
Yay for a little sectional elevating sandpaper & spray paint adventure. If only my blindingly pale leg problem was that easy to solve…
Psst- Check out the weirdest baby toy that we’ve ever seen (p.s. Clara adores it) right here on BabyCenter.
Jenne says
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the oil rubbed broze spray paint! So far, we’ve done a plastic plant pot (for my office); a cermaic plant pot; a candleholder/vase thingy; formerly brass curtain rods; touched up the edges of the floor sample slate/iron/glass sofa, end & coffee tables we got for $100 each (score!); the back of the faux fireplace mantel (over the faux red brick pattern) and I think there was a picture frame in there too somewhere.
I have to actually stop myself from getting too happy with it – I try to limit myself to one paint session a week. I just LOVE the depth & shimmer it provides. Look great!
Jenne says
Ooh, ooh, ohh – duh! We repainted our metal outdoor patio set with it, and it looks so new and rich! I knew there was something big I forgot ;)
Amanda @ The Fix-Its says
What an amazing quick-fix! Love it!
leila says
It’s all in the details – looks great!!
I thought the same thing about pale skin when I stained my patio furniture and considered just slathering Minwax English Chesnut all over myself for a head start on summer bronze.
lala says
Karl’s legs look nice. Now the desk chair’s legs could use a coat! They’re screaming for a makeover too, in my opinion.
YoungHouseLove says
For sure! But that chair might not stay so we’ll hold off until we settle on a long term chair choice.
xo,
s
Jen F says
It looks so good – I’ve considered that sofa before for myself, but the legs bother me. Now I’m won over! Nice work!
Carla says
Oh the joys of spray paint! He looks all grown up!
Erin L says
Great ideas guys! it makes it look so much less IKEA. looks great
Maryea {Happy Healthy Mama} says
You guys are genius! I love how you think of the little things that make such big differences. I would never think to do something like this.
Thanks also for the great tip about the safecoat sealing. I’ve been hesitant to spray paint anything because of my 2 year old, but I would feel better about it using that stuff.
Nikki says
OMG, I am so going to do this to my Karlstad Sectional legs. Can you tell me how many cans of spraypaint it took?
YoungHouseLove says
Maybe half of one can. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Cara D says
I’m reupholstering a chair right now that has detailed but beat up woodworking around the bottom. I bought that exact paint to use on the legs. It looks more brown in real life I assume. I like Carl much better with dark legs.
alamodemaven says
Looks awesome! Isn’t is amazing what a little stain can do? I used a dark wood stain on this random $30 craigslist chair and a little terry cloth fabric…and voila! NEW CHAIR…wanna see? xoxo, Shelli
http://alamodemaven.blogspot.com/2011/03/craigslist-to-chic-terry-chair.html
YoungHouseLove says
Love it!!
xo,
s
CB says
I love when a simple color change makes all the difference! I just painted an ugly table and now I like it so much more.
http://cbsmallhome.blogspot.com/2011/03/little-table.html
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
OMG! Love how subtle changes makes a huge and great difference to the overall look :)
Leah says
Yay! I love it! I’m not ashamed to admit, that I bought your exact Karl configuration a month ago, I was so inspired. I was planning to do the legs in a dark espresso wood stain, but i was waiting to see what you did first… ha ha ha!
KOS! (Keep On S'myelin!) says
Wow! That looks great :) I didn’t think it would make much of a difference but it really does!
I’ve always been one to reach for a paint can. I’ve never thought of using spray paint as much as you do but the ideas and solutions you provide prove to be a great option!
Elizabeth says
I have Karl’s baby cousin…the armchair…and I never really looked at the legs before. So I just went and looked it up, and maybe because they are less blocky, the color never bothered me.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S39840299
I also never noticed them because I got it in the “As-is” section which means I DIDN’T HAVE TO ASSEMBLE IT!
I love the as-is section…no assembly…lower cost…and at my Ikea you get an additional 15% off any furniture purchase over $100 on Tuesdays. So I got the above linked chair for only $170…over $100 savings and did I mention…NO ASSEMBLY. ;-)
YoungHouseLove says
Wow – that’s an awesome deal!
xo,
s
Elizabeth says
I know, right? That chair makes me so happy because it looks so much better than the chair it replaced. That was an excellent IKEA trip for me because I also got a PS Krona basket that I had been coveting and they never showed it in stock in ANY store on the entire east coast of the US?! Then I walk in one day and BOOM…there it is. YEA!!
And to clarify…the extra 15% off on Tuesdays is just for furniture in the as-is section.
YoungHouseLove says
That’s such an amazing deal! I don’t even know if they have the Tuesday As-Is sale at our Ikea. Good to know…
xo,
s
Elizabeth says
I just checked the online site and the store in Virginia doesn’t list this As-Is deal…bummer. The Tampa store has it on the website, so I’m assuming it would be on the Virginia site as well.
YoungHouseLove says
Wow- that’s so interesting! Guess some things vary by store.
xo,
s
KathyG says
For my store, it’s Wednesdays, 15% off anything over $20. BUT.. it changes…sometimes not there at all, sometimes requres something special like canned goods, or a bus pass. Your store might run it sometimes too.
Ashley says
Nice job! I know you’re not too matchy-matchy, but do you think you’ll use the same paint on the console table you’ll build?
YoungHouseLove says
We’d love a weathered old effect on that, just to keep the room from going too modern on us. We love the mix!
xo,
s
Cameron says
Yay for Karl! I always thought those pale, skinny legs made him look like an old man that forgot his socks. Now he’s far more well-dressed!
Lindsay says
Why not use that same paint to update the shiny brass light fixture in the corner? It would look so much better!
YoungHouseLove says
If the placement of that light made sense we’d try to save it, but it’s not centered on the window or between the beams so it’s gotta go! We’re gonna donate it so someone else can spray it though!
xo,
s
Sammy says
I have a question. Have you ever thought about flipping Karl around to face the wall it is currently up against. Flipping your frame art to your current t.v. wall and the t.v. to your current frame art wall. That way you don’t have to walk between the t.v. and Karl when you go to your outside doors and you would have a path behind the sofa instead of in front of it and you wouldn’t have to sit so far away from the t.v. And, when you walk into your room from your hallway you would look into your sofa and see your frame art on the wall behind. Plus your rug is big enough now that you can still put lights next to karl by just running the cords under the rug. Just wondering. Hope you haven’t already answered this question in the past.
and…
I love your blog!! I tune in everyday! You guys are great! : )
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, we tried Karl in a bunch of configurations but just loved this one best. We think it’ll look even better once we add a long console table behind him (and a bigger media cabinet for balance). Should be interesting…
xo,
s
Hanna says
You guys rock! Seeing the stuff you do makes me feel brave, home improvement-wise. :) Thank you for all the tutorials and play-by-plays!
Carla says
I’m not sure you can smell much of the toxic outgassing, so that’s always something to consider. My understanding is that animals can smell these things much better than people, but I haven’t confirmed this with my cats yet. :)
The feets look great, and I completely agree that a little sparkle and lustre adds dimension and interest without being obvious or gaudy.
Question about Karl: Such a huge couch makes it seem like this a movie-viewing room. Are you going to add chairs facing the sofa? Also, the height of everything is all about the same. This would be a great room for that spunky plastic ball in your bedroom to help offset all those angles and squares.
YoungHouseLove says
The room is definitely still a work in progress! Just adding floor to ceiling curtains to the window and sliders should cozy it up and add height. We also have plans for a big console table that we’ll build for behind Karl (and a larger media cabinet). And down the line adding in lighting, refinishing the floors, and double siding the fireplace should be lots of fun. We’re all set on seating though so we don’t think we’ll add chairs. It’s definitely a casual movie watching game playing room for relaxing!
xo,
s
Ted says
You may not be able to smell it (but some people can, like my wife), but you can definitely feel the effects. The outgassing gives my wife migraines…we’ve learned that anything that outgasses either lives outdoor, in the garage or in the basement for between a couple of days and a week before it comes into the living spaces just to be safe.
Mercedes says
Karl is lookin’ good there! and I think it is a BIG difference from where it was pre-tan!
Candice Matthews says
A designer on HGTV recently made the statement in reference to birch chair legs “Blonde Belongs on your head, not on your chair legs!” I thought it was clever. Great job guys!
Melissa says
Yeah! Looks great. Perfect timing with this tutorial. I need to do this to my IKEA Henricksdal dining chairs. The legs are exposed now that I have short chair covers.
Caitlyn says
Nice legs Karl! Definitely an improvement! Looking at your photos I was wondering about the light fixture in the background, what happened to the teal paint?
ps-my nieces got four sing-a-magigs for christmas and I spent a good chunk of the morning trying to decipher each song only to realize afterwards that the song title is written on the tag! oh well, kept me entertained!
YoungHouseLove says
The teal paint was casting weird blue shadows in photos of that corner, so I wiped it down with a wet cloth. Thank goodness it was so easily reversible!
xo,
s
Jennifer says
I love your DIYs and named dropped you on my blog today. I’m getting married in June and will be starting my own love story with a rental!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks! Good luck with your rental love story!
xo,
s
Jessica says
It looks great! I just bought some of the exact same spray paint today and am going to try and re-do a cheap dresser. *figures crossed*
Wendy says
Love the ORB! I have a black curtain rod that I’d love to paint with this same paint. It’s metal – do you think I’ll need to sand or prime it first?
YoungHouseLove says
This spray paint is made for metal surfaces too so you shouldn’t need to sand, just apply thin and even coats and let them dry. Good luck!
xo,
s
Claire says
Hello guys, your new house is amazing! And Karl now looks more charming than ever.
I have a question for you. I am planning to paint my living room grey as well, but sometimes I wonder if it would feel too cold. Do you already have some idea how to warm the space up?
I have to admit that the room I love the most is your previous den, it looks so cozy, warm and welcoming. Sometimes I wonder if I should just take the risk and try to use it as main inspiration for my space, but I am afraid to pick totally the wrong color. Any advice?
YoungHouseLove says
We definitely think adding in warm weathered wood (in the console behind the sofa and the media cabinet) and hanging breezy curtains will definitely add warmth, softness, and coziness! At least we hope so. We’ll have to see how it goes…
xo,
s
Ashley says
I have to say I’m shocked at what a difference such a small change makes! I didn’t mind it before, but it just pulls it together so well. My favorite part still is Clara though, the cutest kid ever! Nicely done!
Susan/Project Balancing Act says
That looks great- a small change, but big impact. It makes it look more expensive.
Might just be the photo, but now the leg color of the chair in the corner are jumping out at me. Maybe there’s an opportunity for a little change there, too.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah that chair is just there for now. The whole room is a work in progress for sure!
xo,
s
Karla says
Be gone pasty legs!! Great job, makes all the difference!
Robin says
Looks great! I love the color you chose!
I noticed that you’re no longer posting twice a day and I wondered why this was. Did I miss an announcement about something? Is it because of the book you’re writing? Sorry if I’m the ten thousandth person to ask this question.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Robin,
We still post twice a day about 3-4 days a week (we posted twice yesterday and will post twice tomorrow). It usually works out to 8 or 9 posts between Mon & Friday (and sometimes we toss in a bonus night or weekend one too). We made this announcement a while back about not always sticking to such a regimented and expected schedule. It’s just more fun to loosen up and be more spontaneous!
xo,
s
Callie says
Ooh, I love it, huge difference! Really makes Karl show off his gorgeous self. ;) I’m going to remember this trick!
Jaclyn @ Cool Home Creations says
What made you decide not to prime them first? …I’m always debating whether to prime or not to prime. What’s your take?
YoungHouseLove says
We always use an oil-based primer if we’re worried about bleed-through (ex: we’re painting a dark stained item white and don’t want that dark stain to bleed through and ruin our white finish). And we use latex-based primer if something is too shiny and we’re worried about adhesion issues (ex: we’d spray prime a glossy ceramic based lamp with Kilz and then spray paint it after putting down that non-glossy foundation for a more long lasting result). If we’re spraying raw wood a dark color (no worries about bleed-through) and it’s something that’s sanded and not glossy (like Karl’s legs) we skip primer and go right to spray paint that’s meant for that surface (make sure it says right on the can “for metal, wood, etc”). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Jennifer D. says
Great painting tip! I’ve often bemoaned over the mismatched legs of my sofa and ottoman. You’ve inspired me to do something about it. BTW….deja vu on the spray paint. I’ve been using that exact brand/color to revive my patio furniture.
Michelle says
I love the change…but can’t help but think what’s going on in the heads of Clara and Burger. “WTH, either this thing grew or I shrunk overnight!”
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, honey I blew up the kid (and the dog). Then we just shrunk them back when we put Karl back together. Haha.
xo,
s
Kristine says
wow, great job. I have looked at bringing Karl home in the past but his pale legs turned me off. Now I know I can change him, thanks to you.
Michelle says
OMG! I JUST used that same exact spray paint in the same exact color in my guest bath a few days ago! We had this ugly faded white framed oval mirror hanging there (that was there when we moved in) and I simply took it off the wall, carted it outside and spray painted it. It looks like a million times better, and for only $6, not bad instead of buying a new one that looks the same for $50. I LOVE this color!
Angela says
Love the change (so much better)!!! Love that you can see John’s reflection in the mirror in both the distance before and after pics of the full room :)
blake says
Looks great. I love that brand. I used the same finish on my interior door knobs and hinges. I definitely recommend it!
All my door hardware was the 80s brassy tone, so this was a cheap fix. Looks super natural — I think because Rustoleum is good quality, and the darker oil-rubbed bronze finish is more convincing than a faux satin nickel (tried that, too).
Hayley says
FYI in Japan they sell sofa’s with no legs just like that. When I lived there we had a legless sofa and eventually getting on and off it became a breeze…eventually.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, that’s one way to build up some core strength. Love it!
xo,
s
Heather says
looking good Karl!
We have a similar charcoal-colored couch and as we switch things around in a new house, I need a new color scheme! Gray is such a great neutral.
jenn says
so sue the napkin really is a cushion? i thought you had just draped sue over a throw pillow. or was sue fabric the entire time? im confused now.
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, they’re still faux pillows (just three Sue napkins draped over three pillows). But when I actually DIY a real deal pillow case (or three) I’ll blog about them for sure!
xo,
s
Melissa says
Great idea with the paint! Way to make it look less Ikea (not that there’s anything wrong with that). I’ve done something similar with Rub-n-Buff, but the rubbing and buffing can be a bit of a workout.
Brianna {RMV} says
Legs aside, I’m really enjoying the play with colors! It seems like your having a lot of fun, plus I’m getting bored with the white on white that I am seeing all over the internet.
Not that crisp white doesn’t have its place, (I know how you guys like your white ceramic animals) just happy to see something else.
Melissa says
I’m wondering if you’ve ever used this paint for a larger project, like a coffee table or chair. I’ve got a West Elm bench something like this, but without the cushion http://bit.ly/hlsT17 I use it as a coffee table, but its finish has seen better days. What do you think? Worth a try or would this sort of finish be better left to smaller bits, like Karl’s legs?
YoungHouseLove says
I usually stick to brushing on paint or stain when furnishings are that big (just because drips and inconsistencies seem to be easier created with spray paint than thin and even coats of paint with a brush or small foam roller). Except for large metal outdoor furniture that’s that mesh-like (spray paint is great with outdoor metal and getting into small crevices). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
katrina says
Nice change! It is always the subtle details that make or break a room. I firmly believe in not fumbling the ball on the 10 yard line.