Do you remember back in March when my Dad and I rolled up our sleeves and tackled a major home renovation project? We spent an entire weekend installing drywall in his dining room, embarking on a transformation that Mom had been dreaming about for nearly two decades. This wasn’t just a simple facelift; it was the beginning of a complete overhaul, turning a dated space into a vibrant, modern dining area. Get ready, because I have a plethora of pictures to share, illustrating every step of this exciting journey – you’ll soon understand why I often post “in progress” updates!
Typically, Dad is the one who comes to my house, tools in hand, to help me tackle ambitious DIY projects and make a joyful mess around the Ugly Duckling House. But this time, the roles were reversed. I found myself heading over to his place, borrowing *my own tools* from him, to lend a hand in revitalizing a room in *his* home. It was a refreshing change of pace and quite a bonding experience. Our first weekend involved carefully affixing thin sheets of drywall directly over the existing wood paneling. This initial step alone brought about a surprisingly dramatic visual change, instantly modernizing the room’s foundation.
We knew, however, that the journey was far from over. Transforming a room from wood paneling to a smooth, paint-ready surface involves numerous intricate steps. The subsequent weekends were a whirlwind of activity, encompassing critical stages like taping the drywall seams, followed by multiple rounds of mudding and sanding to achieve a seamless finish. We also installed new molding, applied caulking for crisp lines, and yes, there was a fair share of frustration, more sanding, additional molding work, and the laborious task of scraping the popcorn ceiling. Every DIY enthusiast knows these projects often take longer than anticipated, leading to occasional gripes, but the end goal always makes it worthwhile.
I distinctly recall spending part of my Easter Sunday, dressed in a new white dress no less, meticulously caulking. Such is the life of a dedicated DIYer, always ready to get a little messy for the sake of a perfect finish. Yet, with each passing day and every completed task, the vision for the dining room began to materialize. Finally, the most anticipated phase arrived: painting weekend. This was where all our hard work would literally be covered with color, bringing the “after” vision to life.
Around this time, I had just returned from an insightful trip to New York, where I had the privilege of touring with Olympic paint and Good Housekeeping. Following the tour, they inquired if I had any upcoming room projects where I might want to test their Olympic One Interior Paint. They understood that real-world DIY applications often differ from laboratory testing, and they valued authentic feedback. Naturally, after about three seconds of contemplation, I eagerly suggested using their paint for Mom’s dining room makeover – a project twenty years in the making! There’s no better way to truly gauge a paint’s performance than under the pressure of such a significant, long-awaited transformation.
They agreed, and soon I was at Lowe’s, ready to select the perfect shades to complete the room’s fresh look. Our paint choices were carefully coordinated to create a harmonious and inviting atmosphere:
- A flat white ceiling paint was essential, as Dad had painstakingly scraped off all the popcorn texture to match the recently remodeled kitchen. We wanted the entire room, not just the walls, to have a cohesive, smooth finish.
- For the elegant Shaker-style wainscoting on the lower half of the walls, we chose a classic semi-gloss white paint, used straight off the shelf with no tint added. This would provide a durable, easy-to-clean surface with a subtle sheen.
- The upper walls would feature a sophisticated sage gray-green in an eggshell finish, specifically Olympic’s “Misty Lake.” This color was selected for its muted tones and ability to create a serene backdrop.
Our painting strategy was precise: the ceiling paint would be applied first, followed by the trim paint. This sequence allowed us a bit of leeway, as any slight imperfections on the edges of the trim where the green wall paint would eventually overlap would be neatly covered. Finally, the green paint for the upper walls would go on, tying everything together and giving the room its polished, finished appearance.
Upon arriving at my parents’ house last Saturday afternoon, ready to begin painting, I realized a crucial preliminary step was necessary. Before any color could touch the walls, we absolutely needed to apply a dedicated sealing primer designed specifically for newly drywalled surfaces. This step is often overlooked, but it’s paramount for a professional and lasting finish.
The Indispensable Role of Primer on New Drywall
You might be wondering why we bothered with a separate priming step when Olympic One Interior Paint is advertised as a paint + primer combo. This is a common and valid question, and the answer lies in the unique nature of new drywall. While paint and primer combos are fantastic for saving time on many painting projects, new drywall is simply not the ideal surface for them. Specifically, they are not engineered to effectively seal the joint compound that covers every few feet between the drywall panels.
I’ve learned this lesson the hard way in previous projects where I tried to skip the dedicated priming step with other brands. Joint compound, in its dry state, reacts uniquely with water-based latex paints. Instead of remaining stable, the top layer of the compound can re-soften when it absorbs the moisture from the paint. This can lead to issues like the paint drying in an otherwise smooth layer but peeling off easily with any disruption, even months after curing. It’s not a flaw in the paint itself; it’s a problem with the surface beneath.
To ensure a paint-friendly surface that allows for proper adhesion and prevents future peeling, the joint compound *must* be sealed with a dedicated primer. For this purpose, I personally prefer and highly recommend an oil-based primer. While I didn’t note the specific brand we pulled from the garage, the key takeaway is the oil-based formula, which provides superior sealing capabilities. Just remember that oil-based primers typically require longer drying times before you can proceed to the next painting step, so plan accordingly.
While I was busy priming the walls, Dad took to the ladder to perform some touch-ups on the ceiling. He had already applied an initial coat before I arrived, and it had done a commendable job, so only minor spot work was needed at that point to perfect the white finish.
The lower half of the walls, adorned with pre-primed molding, were also ready for paint. Mom joined in, helping me apply the first coat of the semi-gloss white paint to the wainscoting before we finally called it a night on Saturday. The following morning, I completed a second coat. While two coats almost sufficed, the wainscoting required a third to achieve a perfectly opaque and smooth finish. The crown molding, however, looked impeccable after just two coats.
And then came the most exciting part: adding color to the upper walls! This is always where a room truly begins to reveal its new personality.
Introducing Color: Olympic’s Misty Lake
Mom has always had an affinity for green; in fact, various shades of green can be found throughout their home. For the dining room, however, she opted for a more subdued approach, selecting a color with significant gray undertones. This choice, “Misty Lake” by Olympic, is a beautiful sage gray-green that transforms subtly depending on the lighting conditions. When bathed in natural daylight, it presents as a soft, calming sage. However, under the warmer glow of the light fixture’s yellow-hued bulbs, it takes on an almost entirely gray character, offering incredible versatility and depth to the space.
I took on the meticulous task of all the “cutting in” – painting the precise lines where the walls meet the ceiling and the wainscoting. Since I’m not adept at photographing my own hands mid-paint stroke, Mom graciously stepped in as my hand model for a few quick shots. Her steady hands made for perfect photo opportunities!
Dad also started rolling, but about fifteen minutes after this photograph was taken, my inner perfectionist (fueled by minimal sleep) emerged, and I politely, but firmly, ushered everyone out of the room. “I am Sarah, and I am a perfectionist on little sleep. Please GTHO. But bring coffee.”
As the work progressed, Mom and Dad headed off to lunch, leaving my grandmother (who also lives with my parents) and me to enjoy a quiet chat in the newly painted dining room. We both found the ambiance incredibly soothing, allowing the calming sage color to truly sink into our senses. Gran’s health has been a bit challenging recently, which has understandably been tough on my parents. So, I was particularly pleased to be able to provide them all with an afternoon where things felt a little more settled and harmonious.
Assessing Paint Performance: A Mid-Project Review
I took a break mid-afternoon on Sunday to allow the first coat of paint to dry completely, capturing a few photos to showcase the coverage. It’s quite typical to require a second coat, especially along wall edges. However, I was genuinely impressed by the consistency of this Olympic One paint. It was noticeably thick, which isn’t always common for a budget-friendly paint brand. This superior consistency meant there were virtually no drips, no excessively thick globs needing smoothing, and very few areas on the walls where the underlying white peeked through.
Part of this excellent result can certainly be attributed to painting experience – I might not call myself an expert on everything, but I have painted a lot of walls! However, a significant portion of the credit goes to the paint itself. It consistently met the high expectations I typically reserve for more expensive brands. While my perfectionist tendencies meant I would apply a full second coat regardless, I’m confident that for walls with less drastic color changes, a single coat of Olympic One would likely be all that’s needed to achieve a beautiful finish.
This post has rambled on long enough, and I confess, I’ve been incredibly impatient to finally show you the finished results! Imagine, movie-montage-style: one more meticulous coat of paint, sufficient dry time, and then carefully moving everything back into its rightful place. Picture the passage of time, me buzzing around the room in a time-lapse blur, and the triumphant feeling akin to climbing the Rocky Steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. And scene.
The Grand Dining Room Reveal: Before & After
It’s time for the big reveal! For your ultimate viewing pleasure, let’s take a nostalgic look at the before. This image captures me at around 16 years old, complete with questionable jeans, bleached hair, and the undeniably dated wood paneling that dominated the dining room:
Over the years, the paneling received a few coats of paint, which eventually gave it a yellowish hue:
Then, earlier this year, Dad and I diligently covered every inch with 1/4″ drywall, meticulously taping and mudding to prepare for the final stage:
And now, after a considerable amount of elbow grease, dedicated effort, and several coats of beautiful Olympic One paint, the dining room looks like this!
Mom and Dad’s soothing new dining room is now a reality, a testament to patience and hard work. While the major renovation is complete, Mom has exciting plans for further personalization. She envisions adding new window treatments to the patio door and creating a grand, genealogy-based gallery wall along the longest section of the room, much like this inspiring example. I’m sure it will take some time to curate and assemble all those cherished family memories, but the result will undoubtedly be spectacular.
Of course, the true test for this paint will be its long-term endurance against everyday wear and tear. Mom has waited patiently for this transformation, so part of this review will definitely include follow-up updates to see if the Olympic One paint truly lives up to my expectations for durability – demonstrating if it’s #UpToTheTest. Until then, we’ll all just relax and celebrate our family cookout on the 4th of July in this beautifully transformed space, exactly as it was meant to be enjoyed!
Several other talented bloggers are also testing out Olympic’s fantastic products. I encourage you to check out their projects to see how they’re putting Olympic paints and stains to the ultimate DIY test. You can catch sneak peeks and updates by following the hashtag #UpToTheTest on Instagram & Twitter.
Dio Home Improvements
The DIY Village
Making a House a Home
Have a happy 4th of July, everyone!
A massive thank you to Olympic paint for generously sponsoring this post, providing the high-quality materials that made this room transformation possible, and for allowing me to use their product as the perfect vehicle to finally bring my parents’ long-awaited dining room makeover to fruition. While this project was conducted in partnership with Olympic and Good Housekeeping, all opinions and experiences expressed here are, as always, 100% my own and authentically reflect my genuine perspective.