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The new door frames have been painted and sealed..

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As have the doors, which are currently blocking access to the man cave pool table.

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Next on the list? Staining the new trim and sills the contractor will be putting around the two previously installed windows.

Our house has honey colored trim throughout….

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So the goal was to match the existing.

And like every other renovation project we attempt, it did not go well.

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The color the contractor bought wasn’t even close.

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The first color I bought was too light.

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The second color I bought was better but it took five coats to achieve the desired shade and no one has time for that when you’re paying a contractor by the hour.

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Numerous trips back and forth to the store later, the husband got involved and came home with solid stain cans that I hated because it looked like paint and covered the grain.

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He argued that the color was closer but all I saw was brush strokes.

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So the contractor showed him how to apply it with a rag for less coverage … and seeing that I was not going to be easily pleased… promptly turned that job over to my husband.

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I love my guy, but he’s not one to take his time with finish work and I feared the worst, picturing streaky spots and dribbles.

After some slight… and I thought quite valuable supervision of the application… I was told to get lost and kicked to the curb.

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At the end of the day I compared my 5 coat sample (on the right) to one of my husband’s.

I think mine is a slightly warmer shade and a closer match to the existing color, but I can’t argue with how much time (and money!) was saved doing it his way.

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