Sarah Beeny is one of the most recognisable names in property development with the highly successful TV series, Property Ladder.

More recently we have seen her in an epic struggle to restore Rise Hall, a crumbling 97-room Georgian stately home in Beeny’s Restoration Nightmare, where Sarah fulfills her ambitious plans to restore the property back to its former glory.

A huge fan of spray painting, Sarah has given us some of her tips and advice on how to get started with spray paints as well as some tips for objects to paint around the home.

“Once you start using spray paint you are always looking for your next project”, says Sarah, “be it in the garden shed or at the nearest charity shop… nothing is safe! It is astonishing how fast I can completely transform something with spray paint and I love that! Spray painting provides a quick and easy way to update the appearance of virtually anything you have lying around – best of all, it’s great fun”

As a property developer, TV presenter, entrepreneur  and mum to four, it is a wonder Sarah has time to attempt any DIY but she explains “I enjoy renovating – and I see spray painting as a great, quick method of renovation – while some of my other projects can last years, with spray paint I can get the job done in half an hour!”

“As furniture and objects are prone to knocks and dents, I’ve found spray painting can quickly cover up any scratches or mishaps – which is useful in a household with lots of children running about!”

Sarah is also a fan of Rust-Oleum‘s speciality paints that create some amazing decorative effects, including stone, textured and metallic, “At Christmas I love to get out the metallic sprays and it is amazing how festive anything looks after a quick spritz”.

Fancy giving it spray painting a go? Check out Sarah’s top tips…

Getting started:

Be prepared

Prepare the area where you are planning to do your spray painting and cover with dust-sheets and old newspaper.

Prime

Ensure the surface of the object to be painted is clean and dry. Sand off any existing paint or varnish and if in doubt, use a coat of primer to ensure paint adheres well.

Keep Coats Thin

The trick to applying spray paint is to apply lots of thin coats – leave each coat to dry slightly before applying the next. This won’t take long as spray paint dries so quickly but it really is worth it to avoid runs.

Allow Objects To Dry Properly

Leave your objects for 24 hours after applying the last coat to really ensure they are hard dry. If you move/ pick up objects before they are ready they can be chipped, smudged etc.

Start Cheap

If you are working on a tight budget, spray painting an old piece of furniture can be the perfect way to inject some of your style into a room. Check out the sale rooms, auction houses and salvage yards for pieces that you can bring back to life and add a signature piece to a room.

Restore the old

Don’t throw away your old favourite objects, even if they are starting to look a bit tired. Use the ideas in this booklet to inspire you on how to give items a new lease of life. Picture frames, vases, candlesticks and lamp holders are great starter projects.

“Not only is spray painting great fun” Sarah added. “You will have the satisfaction of creating something individual – a one off – for the price of a can of paint. Best of all, there are no messy brushes to clean up afterwards!”