A DIY pro shares 7 lessons learned from painting her entire house

“I mess up A LOT, and share my mistakes so others don’t make them."

DIY Painting Pro

When Deema Lopez isn't busy juggling a full-time job in politics, being a mom of two, or spending time with her husband, she's updating her newly purchased Los Angeles home, and documenting the process on her hilariously witty Instagram account. As the self-proclaimed “Queen of DIY Almosts,” Deema keeps it real, sharing the highs, lows and messiness of her DIY adventures with nearly thirty thousand followers. “I mess up A LOT, and I love to share my mistakes so others don’t make them,” she says.

 

DIY Painting ProDeema added a moody, chic vibe to her living room by painting her walls in Blackest.

 

It’s her warm, relatable, and often amusing personality that makes her account a favorite to follow (we secretly want to be her BFF!) and the fact that it’s also chock full of inspiration is the reason people stick around. In the process of transforming her family’s “new” 1950's beach cottage into a place the family can call home, she’s tackled most of the work DIY style, including painting the entire house from top to bottom. “I’ve been on a painting spree in my new home. Not a weekend goes by when I’m not painting,” she says. Needless to say she’s learned many lessons along the way and is here to inspire you with a few tips to help you paint a home you love!

 

DIY Painting Pro

1. Buying paint online is the best time-saving hack.

Being able to save time is super important to me. I’m a mom of two young kids, and I work full time. I don’t have time to be running around buying paint and supplies. If there’s a way to make the experience easier, I’m totally taking it. Minus actually hiring painters, I found that Clare was the easiest, least stressful way to do it.

 

DIY Painting Pro
Deema's bedroom nook before (left) and after (right).

2. Sometimes getting crafty produces the best results.

One of my favorite paint DIYs is my bedroom nook. I always get questions about the “wallpaper” but it’s hand-painted! I created the broken arrows pattern using an old dish sponge and my leftover “Blackest” paint from Clare! I added two thrifted art pieces to create a mini gallery wall and voila! It was super easy and I love the view so much! 

 

DIY Painting ProBefore & After: Deema gave an old bench new life with a fresh coat of Blackest.

3. Don’t skimp on quality paint supplies.

Some of my biggest mistakes were not using the right supplies--whether it was the wrong tape or brush. I LOVE the roller covers from Clare! I accidentally let mine dry out overnight and had to use a random one laying around the house to complete the project. The finish was not nearly as smooth as the one from Clare!

4. Avoid overloading your roller with too much paint!

I’ve made so many mistakes in the past of using too much paint and having it drip—resulting in me having to sand afterwards and repaint.

 

DIY Painting ProDeema updated the wainscoting in her hallway using Seize the Gray.

5. Take your time.

I painted all the wainscoting and doors in my hallway. The doors had so many details that it took me a LONG time to finish. But it added so much dimension to my home and it’s one of the projects I’m most proud of.

 

DIY Painting Pro

6. Mistakes are part of the process

I love to share it all, my thought process, my trial and error, sometimes A LOT of trial and error. It's never perfect, and I do mess up A LOT but I can't tell you how many people have told me I've inspired them to start because they didn't realize not everyone gets it right the first time.

 

DIY Painting Pro

7. Remember - it’s just paint!

It’s the easiest and cheapest way to really, and I mean REALLY transform a space. And it’s just paint. If you don’t like it, it’s so easy to repaint! If I had one key takeaway it’s to just go for it! I’ve painted and repainted so many rooms until I got it right. That’s the beauty of paint!

Get to know Deema

DIY Paint Pro
Design style in three words?  

Modern, traditional, with a touch of eclectic :) 

Design trend you’re loving?  

There are so many! Vintage accents, contrasting colors, floral wallpaper.

Favorite source for design inspiration?

Definitely Pinterest! Some of my favorite designers are Studio Mcgee, Amber Interior, Jenny Komenda.

Favorite neutral?

I'm loving brown tones lately. 

What DIY projects are up next?

l’ll probably work on my kids playroom or I may use my leftover Greige for my main bedroom. I’ve also been toying with the idea of painting all the beams in my home. I’m debating. Paint the playroom? Paint the beams? Burn my paintbrush? Haha!

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