When we first bought our home the entire house was grey. Don't get me wrong, the grey was beautiful, but I love the crisp and clean look of a white interior.
So last week at about 7pm I broke out some leftover white paint we used in the guest room and started painting the walls white. The minute I started painting everything white I knew I wanted to change up the windows.
I have seen so many beautiful homes around Nashville with black interior windows and after some research I realized we could have them too! With our home being a new build we did not want to purchase brand new windows (plus we didn't have the budget), so we decided painting was the way to go!
Once the windows were painted black I decided to test out some window grills with electrical tape. I was unsure if I would want to keep the grills permanently, so this was a great alternative to live with for a few weeks before I made anything more permanent. If I decide to keep the grills then I will likely order from vinyl inserts from New Panes and paint them black!
Who is ready to paint their windows black??
MATERIALS
Extra drop cloth/plastic
PART 1: PREPPING THE SPACE
Start by using the regular painter's tape to line the inside edge of the window as well as the outside. By far the most important part of this DIY project is the prep work. Without proper prep work there will be overspray that can settle all throughout the space in which you are working.
After applying the tape along both edges of the window trim, use a credit card or something firm to run back over the tape to make sure the edges are secure. You do not want any bit of paint bleeding through the paint.
Another tip is to overlap the paint slightly onto the trim you are about to paint and then use a box cutter along the edge of the trim to make a clean line right through the tape.
Next adhere the tape+plastic along the previously applied tape and cover the windows. I did this because the tape on the tape+plastic combo does not appear to be as strong and comes loose easily on the glass. Apply additional tape along the outside of the plastic to ensure it does not come loose during painting.
Cover any remaining areas with more tape+plastic or any spare drop cloths. I was sure to cover all of the white walls I had just spent so much time painting haha.
In total it took me about 2 hours to prep the space, which can seem like quite a bit of time, but it was worth it to not have any overspray!!
PART 2: PAINTING + ELECTRICAL TAPE
Thoroughly wipe down the entire window with a damp cloth and use tack cloth if needed to make sure there is not any debris on the window prior to painting.
Now for the fun part...painting! Spray the Krylon paint LIGHTLY along the exposed trim about 8-12 inches away. I prefer shorter strokes that are super light.
Allow a few minutes to dry and then apply another coat. I applied at least 5 coats to get full coverage. Multiple thin coats is the key to spraying paint to avoid any drips or uneven coverage.
Should you need to use the 220 grit sandpaper in between dry coats to smooth any rough areas or drips that may have occurred.
Some of y'all might have locks like our windows, which can totally be painted. I sprayed them a few time in the unlocked position and then a few more in the locked position to make sure the entire latch was covered.
Before removing any plastic or tape I suggest you use the flashlight on your phone to closely examine the window and make sure you have not missed any spots. How miserable it would be to remove all of your prep work and then find a white spot!!
Allow at least a full 24 hours before attempting to open your windows to make sure the paint has cured.
PART 3: ADDING GRILLS (optional)
Should you want to add grills to your windows I suggest using electrical tape first and then living with it for a few days to make sure you really love it before investing in something more sturdy such as New Panes.
Use 3/4in electrical tape to create window grills on each pane. Make sure not to pull too tight on the tape as it will shrink. Additionally, make sure the tape is on both the glass and some of the window trim because it will shrink more if it is only on the glass.
The best part about the electrical tape is that if you decide in a few weeks, months or years that you no longer like the traditional look of the grill then you can easily remove them!
Another benefit of the electrical tape method is that if you have grills sandwiched between two glass panes than you can easily apply tape directly over the glass to cover the grills that no longer match your black window.
And just like that you have given your windows a modern update with very few materials!
I will keep you all updated on how the paint holds up over time.
For links to all items seen in the above photos, head to our Dining Room page!
FAQ:
Q: What color white did you paint the walls?
A: Pure White by Sherwin Williams
Q: Where did you get your table and benches?
A: Casey built them with his dad! We will get a tutorial and plans for them soon!
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