One Room Challenge - Week SIX

Here we are at week 6 of the Better Homes and Gardens One Room Challenge and what a week this has been. I have struggled so hard this week with everything going on in the world, so the last several days I have allowed myself to feel all of those emotions and have just reminded myself that it is okay to take it easy and take time to adjust to seeing things in a whole different way; that just like our home renovation, true change will not happen overnight. I have had a difficult time moving forward in a way that feels authentic and selfless; instead I have felt sad, heavy-hearted, and guilty for staying neutral and unfazed when I should have been marching for justice. I'm not sure exactly what steps I can take in the future to help the world become a better, more safe place and I'm not going to pretend to have the answers, but today my focus is on teaching my children how to be positive advocates for equality. I can make sure that I am always cognizant of diversity, I can support this movement toward liberation, and I can make a lifelong commitment to grow comfortable with discomfort, something that is definitely NOT easy for me.

This week we removed the counter top from the sink, painted the existing towel bars, vent covers, light switches, and toilet paper holder, and styled this shelf above the toilet. Below I have shared my favorite way to paint metal to avoid chipping and wear and tear:

Step one: Use a wire brush or metal sandpaper to smooth out any rough spots.

Step two: Clean the metal with a wet sponge and degreaser (I like TSP) and allow it to dry.

Step three: Spray your metal hardware with a clean metal primer by Rust-Oleum and allow to dry.

Step four: Spray 2 coats of paint in your chosen color (I am a lover of all things metallic!) about 20 minutes apart.

Step five: Allow the above coats of paint to dry for less than an hour (or more than 24 hours) and finish off with a clear enamel top coat!

Step six: Hang and admire!!

Hardware before:

Hardware after:

It has been so much fun to watch the progress of this room as it comes to life. I cannot begin to explain how grateful I am for work to do with my hands when the weight of the world gets to be too much. So much of the beginning of making our home our own has taken place during so many unforgettable moments in history and I am hopeful that as I walk through these spaces over the coming years, I will be proud of the way our world has showed up. Have a great week and I will "see" you next weekend!