We are all about quick and easyDIY home projects, and no update is faster than grabbing a can of paint and changing up a piece of furniture or a room’s walls. The right finish can easily remake old furniture into brand new masterpieces. This year, we’re loving the high-gloss, lacquered look for every room, from our kitchens to our entryways. It’s a small way to make a big statement. And here are 11 ways this trend can easily be done in your own home.
1. Entryway Statement: If you want your guests to be wowed by your impeccable design style before they even set foot into your home, use a lacquered finish on your front door. It’s guaranteed to make a great first impression. (via Design Chic)
2. Bright Backsplash: A glossy yellow kitchen backsplash is the perfect way to add a bright spot to a modern, neutral kitchen. Make it stand out even more by using a matte finish on your cabinets for an eye-catching contrast. (via Design Milk)
3. Dark Floors: Nothing says luxury and elegance quite like black lacquered chevron floors. Adding a cowhide rug will help to bring in some texture and warmth to the area. (via Mid Mod & More)
4. Bold Built-in: When you have a hulking built-in storage system taking up a lot of space, it can easily make the room feel crammed and heavy. Using a bright, glossy paint can turn any clunky storage system into a fun statement piece. (via Martha Stewart)
5. Colorful Cabinets: Decorating with bright colors in the kitchen almost seems like an unwritten design rule. In keeping with tradition, we are all for using a fun color like tangerine on simple cabinets for a quirky twist. (via Design Milk)
6. Shiny Seats: Painting your dining room or kitchen chairs in complementary colors with a glossy finish will ensure that your eating area is anything but boring. It’s a re-imagined take on classic wooden chairs. (via Remodelista)
7. Minimalist Design: A minimalist room can be expected to feature three things — hard lines, neutral colors and simplicity. Why not do the unexpected and add a high-gloss shine to your kitchen cabinets and island to reflect the sunlight and magnify the space? (via Home Bunch)
8. DIY Dining Table: Update a mid-century dining room table with a pop of glossy turquoise paint. It will be your favorite and easiest DIY home project ever. (via Carnet Interieur)
9. Metallic Planters: Whether they’ll be holding cacti, carnations or calla lilies, no one will be able to take their eyes off of these metallic plant pots long enough to even notice the plants inside them. (via Gardenista)
10. Painted Floors: If you’re over the traditional hardwood floor look, try painting your floors in a geometric design and finishing it off with a lacquer glaze. It will instantly update any room for a sleek, modern look. (via Spruce Austin)
11. Sleek Stairway: The staircase may be more function than form, but that doesn’t mean it should be neglected in our redecorating plans. A can of glossy black paint is all you need to make this part of your home just as beautiful as the rest. (via Remodelista)
Is the high gloss trend something you’d be willing to try in your own home? Let us know in the comments below!
It can be intimidating to step out on your own and build a business from the ground up. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're talking with Selfmade alum and solopreneur Colette Lawrence, the faith-based motivator and relationship builder behind The M.E.E. Movement, about ways in which women in business can find success.
B + C: How did you know M.E.E. Movement was your business to start?
The M.E.E Movement represents motivation, empowerment, and encouragement for women. It is what represents me. I did not know at first that it was my business to start, but then the thought of monetizing what I loved came to me. It scared me, however. I registered the business in July 2020 and have been slowly building my wings since.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
Thinking through and researching what the requirements are to start my business, and then asking questions of people who are in the business. Not all advice worked; however, it helped me to figure out what I needed to do and not to do.
B + C: Did you always know life coaching would be your entrepreneurial path?
(Smiles) No, I did not. I 'stumbled" on it. I knew that people were always coming to me for advice and I found that I loved having conversations with them, especially with women, young and old.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
My most valuable takeaway was the first day of training: Get out of your own way. There were a lot of great moments and important takeaways from every presenter. However, getting out of my own way, pushing past doubts, was for me my most valuable takeaway. Doing something that I had never done before took courage. If I do not focus on what is happening with me mentally then I cannot deliver to my clients successfully.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Get out of your head. You have something to offer. You have what you need to succeed so go ahead and do it.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by listening to music and listening to motivational speakers, and sometimes someone will just reach out and talk about the impact that I made in their life. That adds the extra juice or sauce I need to pummel through the day.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip?
Keep a diary and journal. It's the best way for me to keep organized and it also provides a source motivation as I record not only my "losses" but my wins as well.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Shirley Toliver – She motivates and empowers and makes me always want to show up.
B + C: What has receiving the Office Depot scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start or grow your business?
The scholarship was a blessing in that all the areas that were covered offered valuable information that I needed, from social media to HR. As a new business owner, I needed to know this to increase my own personal awareness in what it takes to run a successful business. The candidness of the presenters made it easy to see myself in their shoes and helped me to realize that I can also get there.
Thanks Colette! You can follow The M.E.E. Movement on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Want to feel motivated to take the next step for your business? Let Office Depot OfficeMax give you the confidence you need with a suite of business services & solutions to help you put your best foot forward. Make a good first impression with business cards & build the business pitch of your dreams with custom presentations. With Office Depot OfficeMax you'll find the tools to reach new customers with confidence.
Head to Office Depot's Selfmade page to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last. Want to join the next Selfmade cohort this summer? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.