Friday, November 15, 2013

Evolution of Our Hallway.

For just being a hallway, ours has undergone quite a few changes in the short time we've owned our home. First and most importantly, we knocked down quite a few walls to create our open floor plan.  


Then once that happened, I knew I needed to spice up the blank slate.


I added a stencil...quite a daunting task for a first time stenciler, but boy was it worth it!


Then I added some much needed frames.  I thought that was good, but quickly realized it was still lacking something.


So I decided to add a lot more frames to create four mini-gallery walls.  I now realize I only showed off the first gallery that went up...and after that I lost steam on the project.  The frames were up for quite some time, but I never got around to filling them with meaningful art, words and photos.  {Please tell me I'm not the only one who moves slower than molasses at that task!!}


After my gallery walls were up, I surely thought our hallway was almost done.  I just needed to fill the frames find the perfect mirror to hang where my current "place-holder" mirror is.  Ohhhh, if only that was the case. ;)

To be perfectly honest, I just wasn't feeling the pattern I put up in the hallway anymore.  Don't get me wrong...I really did love it when it first went up!  At that point in time, it felt like a big risk to put a pattern up over our entire hallway.  I loved the extra something it added, but as time passed, I realized it wasn't enough for me.  My style is constantly evolving, and along with that evolution, I seem to gain courage to take more risks and try new things.

I was craving more.  I wanted a bold statement in our hallway, and after seeing YHL paint their floor, I knew the exact pattern I was searching for...Royal Design Studio's Suzani Silk Road.  

I placed my order the same day YHL's post went live, and I couldn't wait to paint over our stenciled hallway to give me a fresh new canvas.  Who would have everrrr thought I'd say I was happy to paint over something that took me 9 hours to complete?!  Certainly not this girl!!!

Shockingly, I didn't cringe on bit as I covered up the pattern.  {FYI...if I wasn't putting such a busy pattern over my previous stencil, I would have sanded the walls down before painting over it to make sure everything was smooth and there was no trace of the stencil left.  I took a risk not doing this, but I figured my bold pattern would be forgiving...and it was, phew!!!}  It took two coats to cover {mostly because I used a semi-gloss white paint for my stencil the first time around, but soon I was ready for my new pattern to go up!


I stuck with Behr's Gentle Rain as the base coat color for the hallway.  It's the same color we have in our living/dining great room, and it reads as a "true" gray on the walls in our house.  I used Behr's off-the-shelf ultra white paint in a flat finish for the stencil.  This stencil was quite time consuming and took twice as long as the first stencil I used.  The main reason for the added time was that I could cover the entire wall {top to bottom} with two passes of the first stencil since I bought it in the "professional" size.  This stencil took 4.5 passes because of it's size, and that meant I needed to wash my stencil twice because of the paint build up. Grrrrrrrr.....

Yes, my stencil got a bubble bath {with hot-ish water and dish soap}...which was quite effective in removing the paint and keeping all of the tiny pieces from bending out of shape. :)


This hallway project was quite the task to take on {I completed it during two days off from work}, but just like my first experience...the results were SO worth it!!!  I cannot wait to get some frames back up and complete this hallway! :)




Happy Friday, friends!  I hope you all have a great weekend! :)





57 comments:

  1. I loved your hallway before, but see it now makes me like the old and really LOVE how its looking now! Can't wait to see it continue to come together and feel more you.

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  2. What a huge transformation! You have some patience to do that twice!! It looks amazing and don't worry I just filled 3 frames that were empty for well over a year!

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    1. I honestly can't believe I did that twice...ahhhh! It feels great now that it's done though. ;) Thank you!! And thank gosh I'm not the only one! :)

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  3. I loved the old one but this is so fun! I'm not sure if I would ever have the patience to take on a task like this. It looks great Gabbi!

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  4. i love its new look! the new stencil feels more grown up to me! just love it!

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  5. Gorgeous - as always! You are a glutton for punishment, but all that work is worth it. It's the prettiest hallway in the blogosphere.

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    1. I definitely am haha...thanks so much, Kim! That's a maaaaajor compliment. ;)

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  6. I love it Gabbi!! It looks amazing. I totally understand how frustrating paint build up can be. Mine was rediculous. I wanted to quit! I love the ikat pattern. It looks amazing

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    1. Thank you, Shavonda!! Yea...it got incredibly annoying after a while. I know you totally get where I'm coming from! Your floor is amazing!

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  7. Wow! It looks fantastic! But what a job! Nice work =)

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  8. Okay, now you're convincing me to re-do my bathroom. I just have trouble painting over all of that work...even though I just don't love it anymore.

    Your new stencil looks fabulous! But you're still crazy for stenciling again. ;)

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    1. I don't blame you...it's tough to paint over something you put so much time and effort into. I'm shocked you don't love your bathroom anymore now because it's UH-MAZING! One of my favorites...but I totally get how sometimes, it just doesn't feel right anymore.

      Thank youuuuu!!! HA!...I know. ;)

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  9. Holy moly that is some serious patience you have!! It looks absolutely gorgeous and definitely pops!!! Your hallways is so glam!! Way to go lady! :)

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    1. I know...I'm kind of shocked I had that much patience in me haha. Thanks so much, Whitney! :)

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  10. Just let me move in. I'll cook and bake for you guys lol!

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    1. I'm soooo down. Come on over...we've got plenty of room for you and Max! ;)

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  11. Totally worth all the work... it looks fabulous. Want to come do ours? ha!

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    1. Thanks so much, Ashley!!! Sure! But give me a few months to let the claw-hand memories fade... ;)

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  12. I can't get enough of looking at your before and after photos. It's an unbelievable transformation and the stencil now is just perfect for your hallway.

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  13. Oh this stencil is just perfect! I'm going to do a Stenciling project afte the holidays and I'm so nervous! You make it look easy!

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    1. Thanks so much, Sarah!! Don't be nervous...you are so super talented...I bet your project will be fabulous! Can't wait to see it! :)

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  14. It turned out great. Your house looks like it is professionally done. I am so slow at picture hanging it took us over a year to get pictures up from our move and wedding.

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    1. Oh my gosh, Anne!! You are way too kind...thank you so much!! I'm glad I'm not the only slow picture hanger. ;)

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  15. WOW!!! I know that was a ton of work, but good gravy it is beautiful!

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    1. Yes, it definitely was...but so worth it! :) Thank you so much, friend!!! PS-"good gravy" made me giggle. :)

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  16. the stencil really gives the hallway texture and warmth. love it!

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  17. I just found your blog through Pinterest today - AMAZING!! I am obsessed! You (and your husband) have done a fabulous job! Your home is positively stunning! Great Work, I can't wait to see more!

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    1. Aw, thank you so much!! I'm so happy you found me, Michelle! :)

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  18. Gabbi it looks amazing!!! I know stenciling walls is not for the faint of heart-it looks so good and I like this pattern so so much! And super smart for thinking about giving your stencil a bath!?! I just sat there and peeled the latex paint away and it took FOREVER!

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    1. Thank you so much, Jesse! :) Yea, I was hoping the hot-ish, soapy water would help work my way through the paint a little faster. The build up is my least favorite part of the process!!

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  19. I really love this stencil! It's gorgeous and adds so much to the hall! Gorgeous!

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  20. I LOVE the new stencil. This makes me want to try something like this in our foyer. Also, your crisp white baseboards against the dark floor make me want to paint our baseboards white....I'm torn though, because the style of our house doesn't lend to painted wood, but it looks fantastic in your house.

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    1. Thanks so much!! I bet a pattern would look amazing in your foyer...it's fun to add some interest! ;) Ohhh, that is a major debate for some people! I'm definitely partial to painting woodwork a bright white...although I know lots of people would curse me for saying so haha.

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  21. LOVE the progress!! That stencil is so pretty:):)

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  22. That looks so great! Thank you for the progress updates! I am trying to do some home renovations in Seattle and this is very inspiring! Thanks again and keep up the great work!

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  23. Wow, loving your new stenciled hallway! Looks like a lot of work, but well worth it!

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    1. Thank you so much, Jane! It definitely was worth all the work...I love it! :)

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  24. Your stenciling rocks!! I love the gray you chose with the white. It looks so good!!

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  25. Love your stenciled walls and of course the barn door! I haven't mustered up the energy yet to commit to a stencil project that big but I LOVE it!!!

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  26. Girl that looks amazing! so much work i'm impressed :-)

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  27. Gabbi, I LOVE how this turned out! It's gorgeous. Thanks so much for linking up to the Be Bold Challenge!

    - Tasha @ Designer Trapped in a Lawyer's Body {www.designertrapped.com}

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