The day our client stepped into her new Ohio residence, fresh from the sunny skies of Florida, she felt something was off. The house had good bones, sure, but everything was drenched in dark wood stain, from the baseboards to the doors and cabinets. Normally, she’d roll up her sleeves and tackle the project herself, she and her husband had always been the ultimate DIY duo. But with his health on the decline, she simply couldn’t spare the time or energy. That’s when she decided: sometimes, the best DIY decision is to call in the pros.
The Right Team
At The Right time
She got quotes from three different companies, but it was a glowing recommendation from her local Sherwin-Williams team that won her over. With her vision of a lighter, brighter home clearly in mind, we mapped out an eight-day transformation that would tackle three key areas: the bathrooms, the laundry room, and, of course, the kitchen.
Bathrooms:
Out With The old
First up? The bathrooms. Out went the stained wood trim and doors. In came a crisp, contemporary white. We began by cleaning and deglossing the surfaces with TSP, then sanding everything down using our SurfPrep sander and Festool vacuum for a virtually dust-free environment. Once the prep work was done, we applied a shellac primer that readied the wood for a flawless topcoat. Finally, two coats of Benjamin Moore Scuff-X satin went on, our go-to for high-touch surfaces like trim and doors. The transformation was immediate: from dim to bright, dated to fresh, all in a matter of days.
Laundry Room:
Chic & Functional
Next, we turned to the laundry room, which was sorely in need of a style refresh. Out went the dark-stained cabinets, replaced by a sleek custom grey finish. For that, we brought in our tried-and-true Italian-imported Renner coating. After the usual cleaning, sanding, and priming, we applied two smooth coats of Renner, yielding a rich, modern look that’s as durable as it is beautiful. We then topped off the space with a warm beige on the walls, enough to cozy things up, without bringing back the darkness our client wanted to avoid. A functional space became a mini oasis, complete with cabinets she no longer felt the need to hide behind a closed door.
Kitchen:
The Heart of the Home
The real showstopper, though, was the kitchen. Our client envisioned a cohesive, inviting space somewhere she and her husband could enjoy together, even if all they managed was a quick cup of coffee. We started the same way: TSP wash, careful sanding, and shellac primer. From there, it was two coats of top-shelf products, Benjamin Moore Scuff-X in some areas, Renner in others depending on what each surface required. By the time we’d finished, the cabinets were a beautiful neutral grey that played off the granite countertops perfectly. With all the new flooring and freshly painted window frames, even the light pouring in felt amplified. The kitchen went from “ho-hum” to “wow,” practically begging you to pull up a seat and stay a while.
The Big Reveal
In just eight days, our client’s house morphed from a dark, wood-heavy space into a bright, welcoming sanctuary. She could scarcely believe it was the same home she’d moved into just weeks before. Most importantly, she found the peace of mind she needed—no hours lost on DIY mishaps, no juggling messy renovations while caring for her husband. The final walk-through was full of smiles and gratitude as she realized this once-dreary Ohio abode now felt like a true reflection of her and her family’s warmth.