Diary of a

Daydreamer

The Power of Paint

Beginner-Friendly Projects to Transform Your Home on a budget

New to DIY? Start with paint!

If there’s one thing I’ve learned since starting my DIY journey, it’s this: you don’t always need power tools or a huge budget to make a big impact. Sometimes, all it takes is a can of paint and a little imagination!

Paint is perfect for beginners. You don’t need any DIY experience, anyone can pick up a paintbrush and start. And the best part? If you don’t love the color, or if you make a mistake, you can simply paint over it. It’s the ultimate low-commitment DIY tool: budget-friendly, forgiving, and endlessly versatile.

Over the years, I’ve used paint in so many creative ways, far beyond just rolling it onto a wall. Here are a few of my favorite transformations that prove just how powerful paint can be:

A Starry Night Sky Mural

One of my most magical projects was teaming up with my DIY friends Kaneshiromade & Galeguesthouses to transform a secret room in the attic, into a glorious night sky. This mural is definitely one of the most impressive paint projects I’ve taken on and yet it’s so simple to pull off! All it took was a few shades of blue paint sponged onto the walls randomly to create clouds, then we made hundreds of little stars by flicking paint with a toothbrush. Once we were done, the room became a dreamy little escape and whilst we designed this space for children, I could definitely see myself curling up with a book under the stars! IThe ultimate wow factor with none of the fancy equipment, just sponges, toothbrushes and a little creativity.
👉 Want to see this little adventure for yourself, you can watch the reel here!

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A post shared by Stacey | Home Inspo | DIY | Budget Renovation (@dawn.of.a.daydream)

Adding Drama with Doors

Sometimes the smallest detail makes the biggest difference. Painting doors in a contrasting color instantly gave my room so much character. What could have felt flat and plain suddenly became bold and dramatic and all it took was a little bit of paint. Not convinced? Check out the video and see if I can change your mind. Are you team all white doors or do you also like a splash of color?

Anyone can pick up a paintbrush and start. And the best part? If you make a mistake, you can simply paint over it!

Faux Wallpaper

Wallpaper is beautiful but we all know it can be very expensive and it isn’t easy to remove. Paint lets you fake the look for a fraction of the cost. I used stencils and some $1 paint from the whoops section at the hardware store to create the look of floral patterned paper and it turned out so adorable and whimsical. I can totally imagine this look in a nursery but I did mine inside a closet… yes you can paint inside there too, the possibilities are endless!

Did you know that you can buy wall kits that are specifically made to give you the look of wallpaper? I used the Grass cloth kit from The Color Shop to apply this design to my guest bedroom wall and the texture it added to the room is perfect! If you want to try a kit for yourself, you can use the code “dawnofadaydream” to get 10% off! Click here to see the kits.

Both of these painted “wallpapers” are just as beautiful as the real thing but without the hefty price tag!

Want a tutorial? You can find every step of these DIY projects in my Instagram highlights

Furniture Flips

I’ll never forget the clearance find that came home bright blue and a little loud for my personal style. So why did I buy it? Because it had the most wonderful texture that reminded me of stone and I had a feeling that with a little paint I could make this sale piece look like the travertine tables that sell for hundreds! It’s unrecognizable now, and it proves how paint can breathe new life into pieces you might otherwise overlook.
👉 If you want to see the full step by step process, I saved all the details to a highlight for you! You won’t believe what it looked like when I first brought it home!😂

Faux Limewash

One of my favorite wall projects started with nothing more than three shades of paint. By layering and blending the shades in a cloud pattern using a deck brush I created the soft, moody look of limewash, no specialty products needed. I took this DIY one step further and covered, not only all the walls but the ceiling as well! Color drenching – Limewash edition! It simply would not have been in the budget to do my entire family room using real Lime wash. This project is living proof that you can achieve finishes that look just like high-end materials using only paint!

Painting the Floors

Yes, I even took paint (well, technically a concrete stain) to my entryway floors. The original slate tile had purple and blue tones that just weren’t my style. So I layered and blended multiple stain colors to create the look of dark, antique cobblestone. The result feels timeless, unique, and all without ripping out a single tile! I know this paint project seems a little intimidating but I would 100% do this again! Would you ever try painting your floors?

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Don't be afraid to paint

What ties all of these projects together is that paint makes DIY accessible. You don’t need to know how to use power tools or commit to a major renovation to completely change how your home feels. With a little courage and a $20 paint can, you can take risks, experiment, and play with your style, because if it doesn’t work out, you can always paint over it 😉

Which of these paint ideas would you try first? Or is there one you’d like me to break down step-by-step in a future blog post? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear from you!

Thank you for reading

Stacey

Dawn of a Daydream

There are so may more fun projects on the way! If you’d like to be the first to see more exciting DIY renovations, easy home updates, budget friendly crafts and a few creative surprises, I’d love for you to join the fun by clicking the box below!