I was in Goodwill a few weeks ago and spotted this baby. Naturally, I brought it home with me…

On the back, they had written, “Needs some TLC.” Yeah, no kidding. But, it was only $5.00, and for 5 bucks, I can risk a craft. So, I gave it a little bath because, even though I planned on using the flip side…I didn’t want that nasty thing in my house.

I taped off the edges with painter’s tape…

…and started painting the trim.

Initially, I thought I would brush the trim and roll the rest (I wanted a good base coat). But, when I went to roll, I could tell in about 2 seconds that it wasn’t going to work. That rug soaked up paint like crazy. Seriously, I would lay the roller down and the paint just stayed where it landed. So, I had to brush it–which, wasn’t as bad as you might think.

After it dried, I used a measuring tape to tape off my stripes. I painted another coat of white, let it dry, repositioned my tape, and painted the black stripes. Word to the wise: If you’re gonna use outdoor paint, crack a window because it is FIERCE.

After it was dry, I removed the tape. I let it set for a while, just to cure. Sometimes, even if it seems dry to the touch, it can still be a little sticky and I just wanted to be safe.

I really like the way it turned out–better than I thought!

What do you think? Not bad for a $5.00 rug and some paint. Next time you overlook a rug because it doesn’t match your decor, think a little outside the box. Almost everything is a little better with paint. : )

Enjoying the Good Life,
Kendra