We’ve given our cabin in the woods a full glow-up – taking it from sunshine bright to midnight dark. That’s right, a lot of people told me not to, but we painted our North Carolina cabin exterior black as night!
This wasn’t a decision we took lightly. Yellows and warm tones have their charms, but we were craving something moodier and more modern for our mountain retreat. A black exterior lodge-esque vibe to better blend with the towering trees and rustic landscape that surrounds us. Think old-world European hunting lodge meets contemporary woodland hideaway.
Before Images of the Cabin Exterior
Our Cabin Exterior Painting Process
We were very lucky when it came to rounding up a painting party. My brother (a former professional painter) and his amazing family met us in North Carolina and took on the big job of helping us transform our cabin.
See our Foggy Forest Mountain Wallpaper Mural: A perfect accent wall for our cabin retreat!
We broke up into teams, we had some people on paint brush duty cutting in between all the boards and all the edges. Then our second team followed behind with rollers. This process made things go a great pace.
What we used: drop cloths to protect the deck from falling paint, painters tape and plastic to protect windows, extra tall ladders (since we were on the side of a mountain,) paint brushes, rollers.
Cabin DIY: How to Easily Paint Linoleum Floors in your Bathroom – No Sanding!
What We Learned: Exterior Painting Tips
Of course, smothering a place in black paint isn’t exactly easy breezy. We learned a few things through the process that I am happy to share with you if you’re planning a similarly dramatic paint transformation:
- Invest in high-quality exterior paint and supplies. This is not the time to skimp! You’ll want a durable, rich shade that will last and last. We used Sherwin Williams Iron Ore for the cabin and Tricorn Black for the trim.
- Pressure wash everything first. Any dirt, grime, or loose paint must go before adding those fresh coats.
- Caulk, caulk, caulk. Seal every nook, cranny, and seam for a smooth finish.
- Depending on your color choice, don’t forget the primer. You’ll likely need to lay down a nice tinted primer coat for better color coverage.
- Use painter’s tape and drop cloths. This helps you keep things crisp and clean.
- Take your time! This is a messy, multi-day job. Don’t try rushing perfection.
With the painting complete our cozy cabin is now an absolute stunner, if I do say so myself. The jaw-dropping before and after photos really say it all! But you can let me know what you think.
Before, our yellow cabin looked quite cheery but the paint was fading and chipping and needing a refresh. Now with that rich black exterior, it has an undeniably sleek yet rustic vibe that blends seamlessly with the moody woods around it.
Our little mountain cabin makeover has fulfilled the modern Gothic woodland retreat fantasies I never knew I had! I absolutely love how it came out. So far we’ve made over our lower bathroom, the master and guest bedrooms, built a larger lower deck, added a hot tub, and made some small updates to the kitchen. We have so much more to do, stay tuned for more of our interior makeover plans!
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