Painting Our Balcony Columns
I have a confession… I’ve been using a little Photoshop magic to adjust a tiny detail on our bedroom balcony (I know, I know). Any guesses? Some of you have noticed the discrepancy in my IG stories in the past. It’s the columns, which was probably given away by the post title. It has been on my to-do list forever! The capitals on our columns were a putty yellow color. They have been annoying me since we moved in. I’m not sure if someone forgot to paint those or if they’ve yellowed over time, but no other columns (and we have quite a few) on our home have yellow capitals. FYI… the “capital” is the top part of a column. It comes from the Latin word “caput”, which means head. Anyway, the balcony columns looked terrible and I have no idea why it took me THIS LONG to finally paint them, but it did. I got on a ladder, and finally decided to cover the icky yellow once and for all. Please tell me I’m not alone in putting off those tiny pesky projects? Click through to see some pretty good before & after images and for tips on tackling similar projects.
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Were you ready for that before?! I wasn’t lying… YELLOW. What kind of nonsense is that, and more importantly- why did I wait until now to finally do something about it? Oof. I took the time to paint the brick, but skipped the yellow columns? Can someone please go back in time and tell past Sarah to get it together. Here’s another one…
Perhaps I avoided this task because eventually we have to rebuild the entire balcony someday (it has some structural issues), which will probably result in replacing the columns. I have no idea. Regardless, in the 30 minutes it took me to paint the capitals, it was well worth the time and effort to be rid of the icky yellow for good. This is what I used for the quick project…
SUPPLIES + TOOLS:
- Purdy Nylox Glide Paint Brush
- Valspar Duramax, in flat (I color matched it to our existing columns, which is super close to Chantilly Lace)
- Purdy Jumbo Mini Frame Roller
- Purdy Jumbo Mini Ultra Finish Roller
- Drop Cloth
I wasn’t sure how the paint would match, so I pulled out my roller supplies as well- to paint the entire columns or do a little touch up here and there, as needed.
I’ve professed my love for Purdy paint supplies multiple times here on the blog (I’m thankful they wanted to work with me again this year), because I really love my brushes. Most of my brushes are 3+ years old. A quality brush makes a big difference. If you missed this post, be sure to check out my 10 pro paintings tips, where I go into greater detail!
For this project, I opted to use my angled Nylox Glide brush. It provides a super smooth finish (no brush marks). It also has excellent paint pickup and release, so that meant less times getting up & down on my ladder on the balcony (which felt pretty high peering into our backyard). I never use painters tape and always freehand, so I like a nice angled brush for cutting in… especially around tricky curved objects- like columns. I made quick work of the project and I’m kicking myself for not covering the yellow before now. Ready for the after?
Emmett got home from work right as I was cleaning up and had a “WHOA!!” moment. He said, “I can’t believe the difference that made- it doesn’t look crusty and old anymore.” Haha! Ew. He’s right though. Here’s a side-by-side image…
As I previously mentioned in my bistro set post, we use the balcony so often! I’d say I’m out here almost every day during the spring & summer months. I think the past couple of years I just tried to ignore the yellow columns because it didn’t seem like a pressing project, but I’m here to tell you- those little things really do make all the difference.
This outdoor living space feels so bright and happy to me… especially now! Isn’t it amazing how a fresh coat of paint can be so transformative and mood lifting? That never ceases to amaze me.
You can catch a peek at our new roof in the background below! I still need to photograph that post for you, but I love looking out at it from the balcony. Between the roof and the fresh columns, this space finally feels pretty “finished” in its current state.
Are there any small projects you’ve been putting off (maybe even for years, like me)? I have to believe we’re all in the same boat when it comes to those little annoying chores. As always- please let me know if you’d like any paint or technique recommendations, or need sources for anything! I’m always happy to share all the info in the comment section below. Our balcony really hasn’t changed much since it’s initial makeover. For more info or to locate your own Purdy Paint Tools, click here.
