Our Generation Diner Repainted

Posted on Aug 30 2015 – 10:19pm
by Rudy



 

Our Generation Diner Repainted

I am very excited to share one of our latest projects with you!  It all started when I did a review on the Seaside Diner vs. the Retro Bite to Eat Diner. The majority of the comments were that OG was the best choice as far as quantity and price, however AG won out on color.  Well, guess what?!  Now you can have the best of both worlds if you just add a little paint!  The first person who painted the OG diner was All Dolled Up.  So naturally, I reached out to her!  I called her up and she gave me all the details on how she painted her OG diner.  She said as soon as she brought it home she was already taking it apart!  The colors were that bad!  I have to admit, I didn’t like the colors either, but for almost a year now I have been holding out to see what AG was going to bring to the table.  So, some of the tips below are from me and my experience, and some are from All Dolled Up.  She has had hers painted for a much longer time than me and hers is holding up strong with active doll play!  See hers below.

 

Materials Needed:

  1. Spray Paint.  Rust-oleum is my favorite paint.  It dries quick and hasn’t chipped yet on all the plastics I have sprayed it too!  You will notice in the video I used a different brad for some of the colors and that’s only because I already had it on hand.  Rust-oleum is always my first pick.
  2. Painters Tape
  3. Tiny Screw Driver
  4. Model Paint if you can get your hands on it and it comes in the color you want. There seems to be more colors to choose from online.  Amazon has pink!

You know what’s funny about the OG diner though?  The outside of the diner colors are silver (to replicate chrome I’m sure) blue and pink!  They started good!  Even the table top Juke Box follow that color scheme.  I don’t know what happened when the designer got to the floor!

Tips:

  • Be patient!  If you don’t have time to take it apart and leave it that way for one to two days, then don’t start the project.  It’s best to do this project over two days to paint evenly, stay focused, and let the plastic fully dry.
  • I did use spray paint, but the model paint is NOT coming off.  I have no worries about my black EVER chipping!  It’s that awesome!  I would have gotten model paint in every color, but my craft store didn’t have the colors I was looking for so I went with what I had on hand.
  • If you use model paint over spray paint, there really is no need to worry about chipping.  It does NOT come off!  If I could do this project over again, i would use model paint for everything!
  • For the pink and blue accent tiles I used acrylic craft paint and then a clear model paint over it.  Those bad boys are not chipping ever!
  • Do the colors you want!  This is yours!  You don’t have to do the AG color scheme, although I think it’s adorable.  Google 50’s diners and get ideas there!
  • Don’t clip the wires for the light or juke box unless you know what you are doing. ? It is possible to repaint everything while keeping the wires in place.  It takes a little more care, but doable!
  • Add foam board the the outside of the diner if you need the area closed in.  This gives wall to work with and decorate 50’s style! Plus, the window looks better if it’s on an actual ‘wall’.
  • If you want a checkered look like All Dolled Up, cut sticker paper into squares.  She covered the black ones with sticker paper and then spray painted the floors white.  So when she removed the sticker paper she had black & white checkered floor!
  • Watch the video!

Here is the craft paint I used for the tiles.  The clear model paint I used over these is THIS ONE.

Check out the Seaside Diner side by side with the newly repainted Bite to Eat Diner!  What do you think?  Leave a comment below!

 

Watch & give this project a thumbs up!

Our Generation Diner Repainted was last modified: March 21st, 2017 by Rudy


33 Comments so far. Feel free to join this conversation.

  1. Jaimie
    January 9, 2016 at 7:54 am –

    Do you think contact paper could work to cover the floor on this diner, instead of paint? I.e.: could you use black and white check contact paper (obviously cutting around the counter etc)? I also found black and white duck tape – maybe for counter ledge? We are in the process of redoing and thought of this. Btw – your blog is amazing – we have crafted several things from your tutorials and they’ve turned out so great!! So thank you !!

    • Rudy
      January 9, 2016 at 8:35 am –

      I think that’s a great idea!

  2. Jaimie
    January 5, 2016 at 4:22 pm –

    Hi! Thank so much! I love what you did. How did you attach the vinyl? Did you sew a cover or glue on the vinyl? Can you tell me the process you used to create this (including the piping). Thank you again!! -Jaimie

  3. Jaimie
    January 5, 2016 at 2:03 pm –

    This is so great!I saw someone’s very cool design inspired by this and they vinyl coated the chair (with piping) saying they bough the vinyl at Joann’s. Can you help with this? It’s so adorable! I have her photo but can’t figure out how to post! Thank you!!!!!!

    • Rudy
      January 5, 2016 at 3:13 pm –

      I think that was me. What do you need help with?

  4. lauren
    December 28, 2015 at 8:15 am –

    how long did the paint take to dry?

  5. Courtney
    November 30, 2015 at 10:44 am –

    in the back where you can store stuff i was thinking you could take some black puffy paint and make little stove burners or make the display case moveable so you can out graces mini fridge there my life has an ice cream shoppe i plan to use in the diner it comes with a cash register so im going to paint everything teal and red and white to cordinate! im soexcited im sticking with the retro theme and also going to create a bowling alley and a drive in theatre!

  6. Courtney
    November 30, 2015 at 9:40 am –

    Rudy im so happy i found this video and your blog! i hated the colors as well i decided to go in theme with the og soda pop waitress outfit with red and teal and i was so surpriesed my local craft store had the same colors in midel paint! my girls will have an amazing santa gift this year my girls will also be getting an Evie doll Mal and Carlos doll with their very own homemade beds thank you so much for your creativity and blog !

  7. Jacsan
    October 10, 2015 at 5:21 pm –

    Rudy, I just wanted to say thank you for your dedication on sharing your ideas for crafts for our dollies. I had the OG diner and when I saw your video on how to repaint it, I was totally motivated to do this project. I did just how you explained and the whole project went on smoothly. I just finished decorating my diner today and I have to say I am very pleased with how it came out, thanks to your wonderful instructions.

    • Rudy
      October 11, 2015 at 9:23 am –

      That’s awesome! So glad the tutorial helped!

  8. DeShawn
    September 28, 2015 at 9:05 pm –

    Do the menus in the video come with the diner or did you make them? If they were made, do you have a printable?

    • Rudy
      September 29, 2015 at 6:52 am –

      Those menus are printables. If you type in menus in the search bar, it will give you the post!

  9. DeShawn
    September 28, 2015 at 11:56 am –

    My daughter wants this diner for Christmas. I LOVE how yours turned out and I would really like to try it. However, I’m nervous mine won’t come out like this and I’ll just ruin it.

  10. Jacqueline
    September 13, 2015 at 7:29 am –

    Thanks for the video. I am painting mine using the AG color scheme and your ideas.

    Thanks so much for posting this! I am going to follow all your steps cause yours turned out soooo pretty! Especially I loved how the stools turned out.

    I will be painting mine using your ideas and will add the foamboard wall, cause I want to do some wall decorating and I will be putting this in a separate table in my doll room.

  11. Pinkie
    September 6, 2015 at 5:39 am –

    Just painted our diner yesterday. I had trouble painting the blinds and the checks on the floor (paint bleed through painters tape a little). Can’t wait to touch up and put back together. Thanks for the idea.

  12. Linda Reynolds
    September 2, 2015 at 3:42 pm –

    How did you paint the blinds – they were brown and then in your final assembly, they look white. Were they tricky to do since they rotate?

    I have to buy this diner, then tear it apart and paint it all!

    • Rudy
      September 2, 2015 at 3:45 pm –

      No, not tricky. They do not come apart. I just covered everything around them with painters tape, painted them up. Let dry. Painted them down. Let dry. Flipped to the other side and repeated that process! The blinds probably took the most time, but worth it!

  13. Ann
    September 1, 2015 at 11:40 pm –

    Awesome! Love it! Love the colors and of course, you made it look so stinking easy! But no way would mine look so good ?

  14. LaTonya
    August 31, 2015 at 7:43 pm –

    The OG diner looks so much better painted! Great job and thanks for the tutorial!

  15. Gina Griffin
    August 31, 2015 at 5:47 pm –

    Very cute!

  16. Cristin
    August 31, 2015 at 5:22 pm –

    We have the OG diner but I’ve never thought of making it cuter by painting it…Thank you for the tutorial! Excited to try this with ours.

  17. Rebecca
    August 31, 2015 at 3:15 pm –

    wow that is so cute I’m thinking about doing something like this. Rudy, do you think you could make a kitchen to go with this???

  18. maria
    August 31, 2015 at 11:33 am –

    I am in awe!

  19. Amie
    August 31, 2015 at 10:53 am –

    Love!!! We still have some doll furniture of my mom’s, from the 50’s. The table and chairs are a very similar turquoise and dark pink. Apparently AG did get that part correct! Much, much prettier painted!

  20. Melissa
    August 31, 2015 at 10:26 am –

    Love this! How long did it really take all together? My daughter is getting this for Christmas and I may do this!

    Wonderful job!

    • Rudy
      August 31, 2015 at 10:33 am –

      It took me one full day of taking apart and painting. The second day I just did touch ups and put back together. Of course I did this project while running around doing other projects and cleaning too! So I say two days tops of working on it gradually throughout the days.

  21. Flo
    August 31, 2015 at 9:33 am –

    Fantastic! The video is very handy even if you want to just paint certain parts. I wasn’t going to buy this but now…

  22. Anne
    August 31, 2015 at 8:37 am –

    Kelly Shaw-Allen……….. do it ! I repainted ours and love it so much more……

  23. Avery
    August 31, 2015 at 8:10 am –

    OMG I literally just finished watching this and I did look great but I posted a brag yesterday and it’s not up yet. Anyways loved the video!

  24. Marilyn Clarkin
    August 31, 2015 at 6:59 am –

    I think it looks great. I like the OG one better after it was painted.

  25. Kelly Shaw-Allen
    August 31, 2015 at 6:48 am –

    Very cute , I would love to paint ours . Just not sure if I’m brave enough.

  26. Rebecca
    August 31, 2015 at 6:16 am –

    So cute ! I am deciding between reprinting the bite to eat or just diying it

  27. laney
    August 31, 2015 at 6:01 am –

    I love this! Very nice job. I would choose The our Generation

    diner over the ag one.

    -Laney