I cannot get enough of baths - not just ordinary baths where you toss in
some cheap liquid bubbles and watch them go flat in seconds - I'm
talking a full blown peaceful bath that when you emerge from the water
you will feel completely cleansed of the mind, the soul, and of course
your body.
Creating a peaceful atmosphere in the bathroom does not mean you have
to tear up the bathroom and completely renovate it. You can create a
peaceful ambiance in the bathroom especially for bath time, that way you
don't have to go messing up floors, walls, or colors.
When I think of peace, I think of dewy colors such as lilac, and baby
blue. Whenever I am looking to put my mind at ease, I will place a light
colored blue light into the bathrooms wall fixture. It takes about 10
seconds, and once on will give off a nice cooling and peaceful blue hue
to the room. It also allows my eyes to rest easier, where bright light
would just be annoying.
If you don't have a blue light on hand, then leave the lights off, and
light 5 to 6 candles for a relaxing dim lighting in the room.
Before flicking off the lights though, you are going to want some
peaceful essentials. Lavender scented bathing products always put my
mind at ease, as does a light fragrance of rose mint. Mint for some
awakens the senses, but if the mint scent has a very light floral tough
to it, it actually puts me in a very relaxed state of mind.
Bath salts, and soaps you use can also alter your mood, which will
create a very relaxing aura in the entire room. Cooling salts, or lilac
scented salts always do the trick for me.
Lush's Bubble Bars will do wonders for those of you whom would like to
soak in silky smooth clouds of bubbles. I highly recommend Blue Skies
and Fluffy White Clouds bubble bar for a nice relaxing, long lasting,
bubble bath.
Another must have is an eye pillow. Once in your tub, place the eye
pillow lightly dampened over your eyes. I will sometimes place actual
slices of cucumbers on my eyes before adding the pillow. This does
wonders for a nice soothing fix to puffy eyes. Yes, even your eyes get
to relax.
If you really, really want to go the extra mile for the ultimate
relaxing bathroom sanctuary, then I would suggest getting yourself a
sound machine. Most sound machines have 5-10 different peaceful sounds
for you to listen to in the background. Ocean waves breaking at the
shore, with the bellowing of a seagull can really amp up your relaxation
session, not only while bathing, but while using the bathroom in
general.
For me the bathroom is the most important room in the house. I love my
bathroom, and constantly look for new elements to create a relaxing
mood. Beach themed bathrooms with light colors are sure to relax not
only you, but your guests as well. A simple replica of the ocean on a
sound machine is sure to impress the senses, and those who actually use
your bathroom.
You want your bathroom to be comfortable, and inviting, yet relaxing and soothing.
While not bathing, you want your bathroom to give off a relaxing vibe,
by not only surrounding it in a relaxing theme, but also by the scents
that dwell within. For my ultimate relaxing pleasure, I like to plug in Bath & Body Works Wall Flowers
in the lime and coconut scent. This tropical scent is smooth, misty,
and puts you in such a warm and calm mood. With the relaxing beach
theme, the tropical fragrance adds to the feel of being on a tropical
beach. It's relaxing, it's calm, and it's a sanctuary.
Monday, July 21, 2014
Perfect Interior Trim Paint Colors for Small Rooms
Many of us are already well aware that you have to be very careful when
choosing colors of paint for smaller rooms. If you use dark colors, you
could end up tuning that small room into a room that looks micro sized.
Although it is nothing more than a mere illusion to the eye, making a
room look tiny when it already is small is just not a wise choice,
especially if you are looking to sell the home in the near future.
So what is one to do if they do not like plain white walls?
Personally I can relate, although white is the more obvious choice, you can actually use color on the walls that are very, very light, yet not too light, or too dark as to where it would shrink the appearance of the room.
Very light colored mint walls look fantastic when paired with white trim. You could even make the trim a darker green, but do not go too dark. You want the trim to stick out only slightly, not pop out causing the trim to be the first thing that catches the eye.
For little girls rooms, you could paint walls a very nice light colored pink, as seen here. For trim the obvious choice would be white. It's girly, it's cute, and it will not cause the room to look smaller than it is.
For boys room, the same would apply. You could use a very, very light blue color, and pair it up with a bright white trim, or even a mellow creamy yellow would work, especially for baby boys rooms.
For smaller rooms, you really want to avoid dark reds, browns, greens and blues. Although some of these bold colors may appear gorgeous in the store samples, on smaller room walls, it will simply look too compacted, and tight.
One must always remember that if the room is small, then go light. Trim can be darker, but not too dark. For a fool proof look, go white on trim.
The same thing applies for half panels in smaller rooms. Half panels are very flattering in any room, at just about any size, but for those of you with smaller rooms, you really want light colored paneling, and your best color option would be white, as seen here.
Now if you have a smaller room, and you do want to paint the walls all white, then you can color the trim just about any color you want; again though you want to avoid dark, dark colors. Browns however look really flattering if you are looking for a nice earthy look in the room.
For paneling, you can go with half wood panels for a very beautiful, and glamorous finish to the room.
So what is one to do if they do not like plain white walls?
Personally I can relate, although white is the more obvious choice, you can actually use color on the walls that are very, very light, yet not too light, or too dark as to where it would shrink the appearance of the room.
Very light colored mint walls look fantastic when paired with white trim. You could even make the trim a darker green, but do not go too dark. You want the trim to stick out only slightly, not pop out causing the trim to be the first thing that catches the eye.
For little girls rooms, you could paint walls a very nice light colored pink, as seen here. For trim the obvious choice would be white. It's girly, it's cute, and it will not cause the room to look smaller than it is.
For boys room, the same would apply. You could use a very, very light blue color, and pair it up with a bright white trim, or even a mellow creamy yellow would work, especially for baby boys rooms.
For smaller rooms, you really want to avoid dark reds, browns, greens and blues. Although some of these bold colors may appear gorgeous in the store samples, on smaller room walls, it will simply look too compacted, and tight.
One must always remember that if the room is small, then go light. Trim can be darker, but not too dark. For a fool proof look, go white on trim.
The same thing applies for half panels in smaller rooms. Half panels are very flattering in any room, at just about any size, but for those of you with smaller rooms, you really want light colored paneling, and your best color option would be white, as seen here.
Now if you have a smaller room, and you do want to paint the walls all white, then you can color the trim just about any color you want; again though you want to avoid dark, dark colors. Browns however look really flattering if you are looking for a nice earthy look in the room.
For paneling, you can go with half wood panels for a very beautiful, and glamorous finish to the room.
Beautiful Interior Paint Combinations
When one thinks of painting the interior of their home, they always tend
to lean toward boring and safe colors, such as white, or very, very
light browns and tans. Bold colors like deep red or blue have primarily
been ignored for years, due to the fact that people think that bold
colors on the walls would overtake the room, or make the room look
smaller. This is true for tiny rooms, but for larger rooms such as dens,
master bedrooms, dining rooms, or living rooms, bold colors can be
used. In fact, they look stunning.
One bold color that is always appealing is moss green. You can pair this with either white trim, or brown trim. If thin trim is not your ideal, you can pair green walls up with wood paneling, and the results are spectacular. Take a look at some lovely examples here.
Deep rich colors of red have also been taking major notice lately. Red walls when paired with deep mahogany colored panels make a dull room look like an elegant room fit for a Noble king. Just look at how elegant this bathroom looks with rich blood red colored walls.
Dark blue walls when paired with white paneling or white trim are also very trendy, and bring a nice calming cool vibe to the room. Look at the example in this photo, it goes to show that bold colored blues when paired with tan colors are also very, very, flattering to the room.
Brown colored walls when paired with dark trim or dark brown wood paneling is another eye catching look you can add to just about any room. It gives the room a very warm, and inviting natural look.
Wallpaper is another nice way to add a stunning and unique element to a wall, and looks best when placed in a dining room. There are so many different patterns to choose from. You can go plain with a subtle floral look, or you can go bold with unique swirls, colors, and patterns. To complete the look add paneling.
Here is a fine example of what one can do with wallpaper. As you can see, wallpaper is not just for Grandma's house any more.
The next step is figuring out what carpet colors would look best when paired with these bold wall colors.
Plain wood looks best no matter what color choice you have made. With a throw rug placed in the middle of the room, that matches up slightly with the walls, will really pull a room together and make it look cozy.
For blue walls you can go with light gray carpeting, light blue carpeting, or all wood floors.
With reds, brown colored carpeting, with a slight mix of red to it will match the walls, and pull the room together, as seen here. You could also pair red walls with a beautiful Persian rug for a very elegant finish to the room. This looks especially inviting and rich in dining rooms.
Basically, when you are looking to re-paint the interior of your home, do not fear going bold. Bold colors can sometimes really make a room stand out, it can also create a mood, and the effect lasts as long as you keep the paint up on the walls!
Have fun with it, but do avoid going tacky by painting every room a bold, scream out loud color. I have seen quite a few homes that made some really horrid choices in coloring due to the fact that every room had a near neon colored wall. You want your colors to flow gently between one another, not crash and collide.
One bold color that is always appealing is moss green. You can pair this with either white trim, or brown trim. If thin trim is not your ideal, you can pair green walls up with wood paneling, and the results are spectacular. Take a look at some lovely examples here.
Deep rich colors of red have also been taking major notice lately. Red walls when paired with deep mahogany colored panels make a dull room look like an elegant room fit for a Noble king. Just look at how elegant this bathroom looks with rich blood red colored walls.
Dark blue walls when paired with white paneling or white trim are also very trendy, and bring a nice calming cool vibe to the room. Look at the example in this photo, it goes to show that bold colored blues when paired with tan colors are also very, very, flattering to the room.
Brown colored walls when paired with dark trim or dark brown wood paneling is another eye catching look you can add to just about any room. It gives the room a very warm, and inviting natural look.
Wallpaper is another nice way to add a stunning and unique element to a wall, and looks best when placed in a dining room. There are so many different patterns to choose from. You can go plain with a subtle floral look, or you can go bold with unique swirls, colors, and patterns. To complete the look add paneling.
Here is a fine example of what one can do with wallpaper. As you can see, wallpaper is not just for Grandma's house any more.
The next step is figuring out what carpet colors would look best when paired with these bold wall colors.
Plain wood looks best no matter what color choice you have made. With a throw rug placed in the middle of the room, that matches up slightly with the walls, will really pull a room together and make it look cozy.
For blue walls you can go with light gray carpeting, light blue carpeting, or all wood floors.
With reds, brown colored carpeting, with a slight mix of red to it will match the walls, and pull the room together, as seen here. You could also pair red walls with a beautiful Persian rug for a very elegant finish to the room. This looks especially inviting and rich in dining rooms.
Basically, when you are looking to re-paint the interior of your home, do not fear going bold. Bold colors can sometimes really make a room stand out, it can also create a mood, and the effect lasts as long as you keep the paint up on the walls!
Have fun with it, but do avoid going tacky by painting every room a bold, scream out loud color. I have seen quite a few homes that made some really horrid choices in coloring due to the fact that every room had a near neon colored wall. You want your colors to flow gently between one another, not crash and collide.
How to Brighten Up Dark Basement Rooms
The plus side of the home I live in is that it is large, roomy, and
comfortable. The down side is that my bedroom resides in the basement.
The basement is finished, and it came out looking fabulous.
However, it is still a basement, and the windows that surround the basement are only half the size of normal bedroom windows, so naturally the rooms were originally dark, scary, and uninviting.
A few quick fixes made the rooms appear as if the windows were full sized windows, and a lot of it had to do with colors, fabric choices in curtains, and of course lighting. Basically you are creating the illusion that the rooms are just as regular as the rooms upstairs. If you are able to do that, most won't even realize they are entering a basement.
First you will want to choose colors that are bright for carpets, and curtains. Choose light colored grays or blues for carpeting, and choose airy light colors for window curtains.
My room in particular has a very light colored gray carpet. The walls are paneled, but not in the standard deep colored panel that most have. I went with very light gray and white paneling. It not only brightened up the room, but it also allowed it to appear larger than it really was.
For the window curtains, I chose a sheer light blue.
Lighting was what really brought the room into full bloom though. I purchased fixture that allowed me to add 4, 3 foot long light tubes. The tubes really added to the brightness of the room, which was usually very dull and dark. The large tube lights however made it very bright, but not to the point where things were blinding. (See example of light tube here)
You will want to add tube lights to every room in the basement to really add to the effect that the room is a room, and not a 'room in a basement'.
Adding wall light fixtures will also add some brightening flair to any room in the basement. However in order to really brighten the room, you are going to need tube lights. You can use other fixtures as well, but tube lights in my opinion are a must.
Light colored walls are also necessary. If you color walls a dark color, expect the room to not only look darker, but it will also make the look seem tighter and smaller than what it really is. To give the illusion of more room, paint walls white, or paint them in very, very light colors.
Some rooms that are finished in our basement do not have windows at all, so we really had to take extra care when adding colors and lighting to the room. The room initially was small, so we painted the walls white, and added white paneling. On the ceiling we placed a 4 bulb light tube fixture which really, really lit the room up. It keeps us from seeking out a window for when we go into the room, and makes it look larger than what it is.
The largest bedroom in the basement has the same 4 tube light fixture attached to the ceiling for a lot of light, but due to the rooms very large size the light is not too bright, and gives the room a very relaxing feel due to the light. What really makes this room fantastic though is the way we designed it.
When adding walls to the basement, we cut a large 4ftX3ft hole right in the middle of the wall where we later on added a gigantic fish tank. My turtle now resides there and the flat look always catches the eyes of guests. A very small nook for the filter, and storage of food was also installed in the wall. It keeps the messy stuff hidden, only displaying the beautiful tank which is seen through both sides of the wall. An example can be seen here. The wall however has to have a little bit of depth to it in order to pull it off. However the look is extremely beautiful, and can be done yourself. You don't have to be a millionaire; but you can look like one!
The soft blue lighting the tank gives off will also light up the room. So it's a win-win.
All in all, the best advice I could give for darker rooms in the basement is to light it up with light colors and strong lighting.
However, it is still a basement, and the windows that surround the basement are only half the size of normal bedroom windows, so naturally the rooms were originally dark, scary, and uninviting.
A few quick fixes made the rooms appear as if the windows were full sized windows, and a lot of it had to do with colors, fabric choices in curtains, and of course lighting. Basically you are creating the illusion that the rooms are just as regular as the rooms upstairs. If you are able to do that, most won't even realize they are entering a basement.
First you will want to choose colors that are bright for carpets, and curtains. Choose light colored grays or blues for carpeting, and choose airy light colors for window curtains.
My room in particular has a very light colored gray carpet. The walls are paneled, but not in the standard deep colored panel that most have. I went with very light gray and white paneling. It not only brightened up the room, but it also allowed it to appear larger than it really was.
For the window curtains, I chose a sheer light blue.
Lighting was what really brought the room into full bloom though. I purchased fixture that allowed me to add 4, 3 foot long light tubes. The tubes really added to the brightness of the room, which was usually very dull and dark. The large tube lights however made it very bright, but not to the point where things were blinding. (See example of light tube here)
You will want to add tube lights to every room in the basement to really add to the effect that the room is a room, and not a 'room in a basement'.
Adding wall light fixtures will also add some brightening flair to any room in the basement. However in order to really brighten the room, you are going to need tube lights. You can use other fixtures as well, but tube lights in my opinion are a must.
Light colored walls are also necessary. If you color walls a dark color, expect the room to not only look darker, but it will also make the look seem tighter and smaller than what it really is. To give the illusion of more room, paint walls white, or paint them in very, very light colors.
Some rooms that are finished in our basement do not have windows at all, so we really had to take extra care when adding colors and lighting to the room. The room initially was small, so we painted the walls white, and added white paneling. On the ceiling we placed a 4 bulb light tube fixture which really, really lit the room up. It keeps us from seeking out a window for when we go into the room, and makes it look larger than what it is.
The largest bedroom in the basement has the same 4 tube light fixture attached to the ceiling for a lot of light, but due to the rooms very large size the light is not too bright, and gives the room a very relaxing feel due to the light. What really makes this room fantastic though is the way we designed it.
When adding walls to the basement, we cut a large 4ftX3ft hole right in the middle of the wall where we later on added a gigantic fish tank. My turtle now resides there and the flat look always catches the eyes of guests. A very small nook for the filter, and storage of food was also installed in the wall. It keeps the messy stuff hidden, only displaying the beautiful tank which is seen through both sides of the wall. An example can be seen here. The wall however has to have a little bit of depth to it in order to pull it off. However the look is extremely beautiful, and can be done yourself. You don't have to be a millionaire; but you can look like one!
The soft blue lighting the tank gives off will also light up the room. So it's a win-win.
All in all, the best advice I could give for darker rooms in the basement is to light it up with light colors and strong lighting.
How to Spruce Up Old Furniture
I like collecting antique furniture, however, there are times when I
come across pieces of furniture that appear to be in some dire need of a
little TLC.
Now when it comes to antique pieces there is not much you can really do to the piece if you plan on keeping it to re-sell for a profit. However, if you like the piece, and plan on just keeping it in your own home, there are quite a few things you could do to it to bring it back to life, or at least make it suitable to place in your home.
For those of you looking to restore antique furniture for a profit, I recommend you have it professionally done, to ensure that you don't deplete it of its value.
One of my most recent projects included sprucing up an old rocking chair I picked up at an antique shop. The chair was stripped of all of it's original finish, and what was left was a dead wood frame, and a beat up fabric seat.
Finishing the chair was pretty simple. All I really needed to do was a few things to bring the chair back to life.
I could either keep the dull color as it was by adding a clear varnish, or I could stain it with a stain.
I recommend a stain if the wood looks run down. This chair in particular had a near gray/white appearance to it, so I figured a deeper stain would bring it back to life.
After cleaning off the chair of dust and particles, I simply went ahead and stained the wood a nice dark color. Immediately while applying you can see how the stain brings the wood to life, giving it new color, and new life.
The following day wipe down the chair of any fallen dust or particles, and simply add a coat of clear varnish to it. This will give the chair a protective layer, and will add a nice sheer shine to it.
If you are crafty with a sewing machine, you can literately make your own fabric seat for the chair. You can stuff the fabric with as much, or as little cotton as you would like. Using crushed velvet on older antique pieces really look elegant and rich.
If you are not a do-it-yourselfer, than you could always buy a cushion to pair up with the newly finished chair.
Sprucing up couches can also easily be done by adding new slip covers. You can literately change the entire look of your living room with slip covers, and it will cost a heck of a lot less than buying a brand new living room set.
Slip covers, as seen here are a very lovely option. They come in a nice choice of covers, and they will fit many different shaped couches and chairs.
Here you can purchase custom fit slip covers for a sure fit, in more varieties of color as well. If your couch is looking a little rusty, than spruce it up with slip covers instead of piling out a whole heap of money on a new set.
Sprucing up the look of rooms overall can be done by adding wall panels, or trim for naked walls.
Sprucing up a shabby looking bathroom can be done by removing those old nasty vinyl shower doors, and replacing them with glass doors. Glass doors are beautiful, they are more private, and frankly I find them to be safer.
Beautiful glass and mirror shower doors are a pain i the butt to install, but they are not as expensive as one would imagine. A little man hours, and around $400 or less, and you have yourself an entirely brand new looking bathroom. Home depot is where we purchased ours.
Sometimes we don't need to spend a whole lot of money on fixing up run down things, sometimes a little TLC can turn an old shabby thing into something that looks brand new. If you can't fix it, turn it into something else.
Now when it comes to antique pieces there is not much you can really do to the piece if you plan on keeping it to re-sell for a profit. However, if you like the piece, and plan on just keeping it in your own home, there are quite a few things you could do to it to bring it back to life, or at least make it suitable to place in your home.
For those of you looking to restore antique furniture for a profit, I recommend you have it professionally done, to ensure that you don't deplete it of its value.
One of my most recent projects included sprucing up an old rocking chair I picked up at an antique shop. The chair was stripped of all of it's original finish, and what was left was a dead wood frame, and a beat up fabric seat.
Finishing the chair was pretty simple. All I really needed to do was a few things to bring the chair back to life.
I could either keep the dull color as it was by adding a clear varnish, or I could stain it with a stain.
I recommend a stain if the wood looks run down. This chair in particular had a near gray/white appearance to it, so I figured a deeper stain would bring it back to life.
After cleaning off the chair of dust and particles, I simply went ahead and stained the wood a nice dark color. Immediately while applying you can see how the stain brings the wood to life, giving it new color, and new life.
The following day wipe down the chair of any fallen dust or particles, and simply add a coat of clear varnish to it. This will give the chair a protective layer, and will add a nice sheer shine to it.
If you are crafty with a sewing machine, you can literately make your own fabric seat for the chair. You can stuff the fabric with as much, or as little cotton as you would like. Using crushed velvet on older antique pieces really look elegant and rich.
If you are not a do-it-yourselfer, than you could always buy a cushion to pair up with the newly finished chair.
Sprucing up couches can also easily be done by adding new slip covers. You can literately change the entire look of your living room with slip covers, and it will cost a heck of a lot less than buying a brand new living room set.
Slip covers, as seen here are a very lovely option. They come in a nice choice of covers, and they will fit many different shaped couches and chairs.
Here you can purchase custom fit slip covers for a sure fit, in more varieties of color as well. If your couch is looking a little rusty, than spruce it up with slip covers instead of piling out a whole heap of money on a new set.
Sprucing up the look of rooms overall can be done by adding wall panels, or trim for naked walls.
Sprucing up a shabby looking bathroom can be done by removing those old nasty vinyl shower doors, and replacing them with glass doors. Glass doors are beautiful, they are more private, and frankly I find them to be safer.
Beautiful glass and mirror shower doors are a pain i the butt to install, but they are not as expensive as one would imagine. A little man hours, and around $400 or less, and you have yourself an entirely brand new looking bathroom. Home depot is where we purchased ours.
Sometimes we don't need to spend a whole lot of money on fixing up run down things, sometimes a little TLC can turn an old shabby thing into something that looks brand new. If you can't fix it, turn it into something else.
5 Simple and Cheap Ways to Beautify Your Home This Fall
Fall is hands down my all time favorite time of the year. The smell of
the leaves, the crisp fresh quality to the newly born air, and the fact
that some of my favorite holidays take place during the season.
Most I know will only decorate their home during the Christmas holiday, but my family changes the interior and the exterior to match with each passing season, and these changes are easily done with a few decorations that we managed to collect over the years.
During the fall months we clear every counter and add festive bits such as small pumpkin, colored dried corn stalks, and festive plaques with fall harvest quotes on them.
The kitchen is especially the main focus of the changes, seeing that it is our largest room, and the room that we have parties and holiday events in.
We like to mix the apple and pumpkin theme up during the fall, as the two mesh really well together and create an adorable fall festive look. Simple touches like cookie jars in the shape of apples or pumpkins, candles the give off fall scents like candy corn, pumpkin or apples is always burning. The scent adds to the appeal.
We also tack up fake fall colored leaf vines to hallway doors.
We do no stop just there though, because we also add to the fall theme by decorating the outside of the home with fall themed object such as scarecrow. We will also poke fake fall flowers into empty flower buckets that once held summer flowers. We don't have to throw out the buckets, and we can use them year after year, all through the seasons.
You can find fall themes outdoor touches at Michael's Craft Store, or AC Moore Craft Store. They always carry a large supply of outdoor decorations.
The best time to go into these craft stores are actually after the season has come to an end, that way you can scoop up some really beautiful decorations for half off; in some cases 75% off.
5 simple and easy ways to beautify the home during the fall months include:
1. Adding a fall festive theme to rooms in the home
2. Tacking up fake dried leaves to open hallway doors
3. Adding a fall related scent to each room such as pumpkin, apple, or cinnamon. Candles in particular will give off the best scent, and they manage to create a warm crisp atmosphere.
4. Adding fall objects to the yard such as wheelbarrows, scarecrows, or fake fall flower bunches to empty plant holders
5. Keeping an close eye on sales at craft stores after the season is over
Most I know will only decorate their home during the Christmas holiday, but my family changes the interior and the exterior to match with each passing season, and these changes are easily done with a few decorations that we managed to collect over the years.
During the fall months we clear every counter and add festive bits such as small pumpkin, colored dried corn stalks, and festive plaques with fall harvest quotes on them.
The kitchen is especially the main focus of the changes, seeing that it is our largest room, and the room that we have parties and holiday events in.
We like to mix the apple and pumpkin theme up during the fall, as the two mesh really well together and create an adorable fall festive look. Simple touches like cookie jars in the shape of apples or pumpkins, candles the give off fall scents like candy corn, pumpkin or apples is always burning. The scent adds to the appeal.
We also tack up fake fall colored leaf vines to hallway doors.
We do no stop just there though, because we also add to the fall theme by decorating the outside of the home with fall themed object such as scarecrow. We will also poke fake fall flowers into empty flower buckets that once held summer flowers. We don't have to throw out the buckets, and we can use them year after year, all through the seasons.
You can find fall themes outdoor touches at Michael's Craft Store, or AC Moore Craft Store. They always carry a large supply of outdoor decorations.
The best time to go into these craft stores are actually after the season has come to an end, that way you can scoop up some really beautiful decorations for half off; in some cases 75% off.
5 simple and easy ways to beautify the home during the fall months include:
1. Adding a fall festive theme to rooms in the home
2. Tacking up fake dried leaves to open hallway doors
3. Adding a fall related scent to each room such as pumpkin, apple, or cinnamon. Candles in particular will give off the best scent, and they manage to create a warm crisp atmosphere.
4. Adding fall objects to the yard such as wheelbarrows, scarecrows, or fake fall flower bunches to empty plant holders
5. Keeping an close eye on sales at craft stores after the season is over
Tips on How to Organize Your Pantry
Not everyone is lucky enough to have a pantry, and those who actually
have one most likely have a relatively small and narrow one.
Our home in particular came with a built in door pantry, but like Ii said, the pantry is very small, and very narrow. It fits canned goods in it easily, but we really use it to squeeze in just about everything that does not have to go in main cabinets or the refrigerator.
Keeping the pantry organized is what allows us to add more items into it, rather than opening up the cabinet and having boxes of cereal or containers of spaghetti landing on our heads.
The first is to keep larger canned goods at the very bottom of the bracket. If your pantry goes down to the floors level, pile large cans at the very bottom. Having a huge can of peaches or pickles land on your, or your child's head could be very dangerous. So keep the heavy stuff at the bottom.
If you have room, pile smaller canned goods on top of the larger canned goods. If not, place them on the next shelf above them.
Other larger unopened containers of pickles, and so forth should also be kept very close to the floor level, or the bottom shelf if there is room. Heavier items not only pose a danger for falling on you, but they could also cause shelving to actually dip, which in the long run will call for replacement.
Cereal, and boxes of macaroni can go at the very top of the pantry for easy storage. Placing them side by side, will allow for more room.
I highly recommend placing macaroni, and cereal in air tight containers to keep out moths and other creepy bugs. Doing so will also keep foods fresher for far longer.
If space in an issue, and you buy snacks that come sealed in individual packages, you can remove each item from the box, and sit them in the pantry on a rack that you can hang on the door, like the one you see here. Do not place jars, or other heavy items on this rack though. If you pull the door open too hard, they could cause heavy cans to land on your toes, which could actually call for stitches depending on where and how it landed.
It is all basically a simple rule to remember; heavy stuff at the bottom shelves or the floor, and lighter boxes on the top shelves.
Our home in particular came with a built in door pantry, but like Ii said, the pantry is very small, and very narrow. It fits canned goods in it easily, but we really use it to squeeze in just about everything that does not have to go in main cabinets or the refrigerator.
Keeping the pantry organized is what allows us to add more items into it, rather than opening up the cabinet and having boxes of cereal or containers of spaghetti landing on our heads.
The first is to keep larger canned goods at the very bottom of the bracket. If your pantry goes down to the floors level, pile large cans at the very bottom. Having a huge can of peaches or pickles land on your, or your child's head could be very dangerous. So keep the heavy stuff at the bottom.
If you have room, pile smaller canned goods on top of the larger canned goods. If not, place them on the next shelf above them.
Other larger unopened containers of pickles, and so forth should also be kept very close to the floor level, or the bottom shelf if there is room. Heavier items not only pose a danger for falling on you, but they could also cause shelving to actually dip, which in the long run will call for replacement.
Cereal, and boxes of macaroni can go at the very top of the pantry for easy storage. Placing them side by side, will allow for more room.
I highly recommend placing macaroni, and cereal in air tight containers to keep out moths and other creepy bugs. Doing so will also keep foods fresher for far longer.
If space in an issue, and you buy snacks that come sealed in individual packages, you can remove each item from the box, and sit them in the pantry on a rack that you can hang on the door, like the one you see here. Do not place jars, or other heavy items on this rack though. If you pull the door open too hard, they could cause heavy cans to land on your toes, which could actually call for stitches depending on where and how it landed.
It is all basically a simple rule to remember; heavy stuff at the bottom shelves or the floor, and lighter boxes on the top shelves.
Teach Your Child How to Organize His or Her Closet
Let's face it, cleaning up the house is not a fun task. Most adults have
full time jobs, and some of us work 2 jobs. For those of you with full
time jobs, and children in the home, getting them to pitch in can
sometimes be difficult. However a method my mother consistently used on
me as a child is a method I actually still use today, and pass on to
children in the family.
Making clean up, and organizing fun actually will do you a world of wonders. Plus it is one less thing you have to clean up.
Most kids already know how to pick up after themselves by the time they are 4. Their rooms may look pretty clean, but look under the bed, or the dreaded closet and it's usually a whole other story. A story of messes and mayhem.
My niece in particular keeps a neat and tidy room, however her cleaning method includes piling things up to the ceiling in her closet, and hiding garbage under her bed for when she is told to clean up.
Organizing her closet is like a nightmare, and after opening it up and realizing why, it all made sense. Her closet only consists of a hanger bar, and a floor. There were no shelves for organizing, no cubbies for placing items such as arts and crafts. Instead what we had was a pile of everything, all rolled into one huge mess. So badly that I doubt she would even look for something in there if she wanted to.
Organization boxes, and a simple shoe rack could have made a huge difference.
You can buy simple closet organizers at Walmart or Target, which keep children from piling things on the floor in the closet. Organizing shelves make it easier for children to neatly place their things in. You can even label shelves and cubbies to make it easier for them to remember where things go.
Plastic containers like these, can be used to place toys in quickly. Smaller containers can hold lose crayons and markers.
Purchasing a simple weekly clothing organizer like here, make organizing a lot of fun, and not so much a task. This organizer uses days of the week in order for the child to pick their outfits for the week.
To keep a child on top of keeping things organized in a closet, they are going to need organizers. You cannot expect them to keep things tidy and neat if all they have to work with is a hanger bar. You need cubbies, shelves, racks, and plastic containers in order to keep things neat.
You can buy things separately, or you can buy all out full closet organizer's such as these. Keep things fun by adding a reward system to keeping the room, and the closet neat. My mom would room check every single day, and on the wall there was a calendar where she would place a star sticker every time the room was neat. If we had 5 or more stickers by the end of the week, we got a reward in the form of a toy, a game, or whatever my brother and I could agree on. Reward systems always worked in my family, and they should work in yours too.
Making clean up, and organizing fun actually will do you a world of wonders. Plus it is one less thing you have to clean up.
Most kids already know how to pick up after themselves by the time they are 4. Their rooms may look pretty clean, but look under the bed, or the dreaded closet and it's usually a whole other story. A story of messes and mayhem.
My niece in particular keeps a neat and tidy room, however her cleaning method includes piling things up to the ceiling in her closet, and hiding garbage under her bed for when she is told to clean up.
Organizing her closet is like a nightmare, and after opening it up and realizing why, it all made sense. Her closet only consists of a hanger bar, and a floor. There were no shelves for organizing, no cubbies for placing items such as arts and crafts. Instead what we had was a pile of everything, all rolled into one huge mess. So badly that I doubt she would even look for something in there if she wanted to.
Organization boxes, and a simple shoe rack could have made a huge difference.
You can buy simple closet organizers at Walmart or Target, which keep children from piling things on the floor in the closet. Organizing shelves make it easier for children to neatly place their things in. You can even label shelves and cubbies to make it easier for them to remember where things go.
Plastic containers like these, can be used to place toys in quickly. Smaller containers can hold lose crayons and markers.
Purchasing a simple weekly clothing organizer like here, make organizing a lot of fun, and not so much a task. This organizer uses days of the week in order for the child to pick their outfits for the week.
To keep a child on top of keeping things organized in a closet, they are going to need organizers. You cannot expect them to keep things tidy and neat if all they have to work with is a hanger bar. You need cubbies, shelves, racks, and plastic containers in order to keep things neat.
You can buy things separately, or you can buy all out full closet organizer's such as these. Keep things fun by adding a reward system to keeping the room, and the closet neat. My mom would room check every single day, and on the wall there was a calendar where she would place a star sticker every time the room was neat. If we had 5 or more stickers by the end of the week, we got a reward in the form of a toy, a game, or whatever my brother and I could agree on. Reward systems always worked in my family, and they should work in yours too.
Clear the Clutter in Your Home
I come from a family of hoarders. We like to save everything, and our
preferences and tastes change nearly every year, so the clutter tends to
add up pretty quickly.
In the past, on one end table in our home we may have a Halloween decoration still laying out in the winter months. Or a snow globe that managed to sit on a windowsill for far too long.
De-cluttering the home can be done by simply labeling boxes according to seasons, and placing things that you have lying around that do not fit with the season. Doing this not only will clear a lot of clutter, but it also makes decorating according to the seasons a lot more easy, and a lot funner.
Another thing that I personally do every time I clean up messes in the house is stopping and asking myself whenever I pick something up that has been lying around for a long time;'do I need this?'
Usually the answer is no. If I cannot find a reason, a good reason, to keep the object I will ask other relatives in my family if they want it. That way I don't have to throw it out, and I know they will use it.
If no one wants it, I toss it into a large plastic bin and label it with the words Yard Sale. If I have no need for it, and no one else wants it, I figure I could at least make a few dollars off of it at the end of the year. Usually whatever does not sell at our yearly yard sales, I will donate it to local community charities.
Another way to keep clutter out of your house is to stop yourself every time you lay something down on a table, or counter. If you recently removed the clutter from the counter, old habits usually resurface. So while you enjoy the cluster free environment for a short amount of time, it is not long before it builds up again.
Instead of just lying something down on a counter or table top, put it where it would actually belongs. Most clutter in people's homes are simply objects that were placed down where they did not go, and sheer laziness caused it to remain there for way too long.
I personally have a bad habit of doing this. I usually will buy something, place it down on the table, and tell myself I will use it later, or put it away later. I realize now, that telling myself 'I will do it later' is basically a lie. Instead of doing it later, 'do it now'. It will save you hours of clean up time down the line. It's a habit you will have to get comfortable doing, but over time with force, it does work.
Clearing clutter in the home is not a difficult task at all, but keeping the home clutter free is.
Like I said, if you keep certain items in boxes and only bring them out on the appropriate holiday, it will clear the clutter, and will allow you to keep things you want, without having to throw them out.
Forcing yourself to place things where they really belong also helps keep the home free of future clutter.
In the past, on one end table in our home we may have a Halloween decoration still laying out in the winter months. Or a snow globe that managed to sit on a windowsill for far too long.
De-cluttering the home can be done by simply labeling boxes according to seasons, and placing things that you have lying around that do not fit with the season. Doing this not only will clear a lot of clutter, but it also makes decorating according to the seasons a lot more easy, and a lot funner.
Another thing that I personally do every time I clean up messes in the house is stopping and asking myself whenever I pick something up that has been lying around for a long time;'do I need this?'
Usually the answer is no. If I cannot find a reason, a good reason, to keep the object I will ask other relatives in my family if they want it. That way I don't have to throw it out, and I know they will use it.
If no one wants it, I toss it into a large plastic bin and label it with the words Yard Sale. If I have no need for it, and no one else wants it, I figure I could at least make a few dollars off of it at the end of the year. Usually whatever does not sell at our yearly yard sales, I will donate it to local community charities.
Another way to keep clutter out of your house is to stop yourself every time you lay something down on a table, or counter. If you recently removed the clutter from the counter, old habits usually resurface. So while you enjoy the cluster free environment for a short amount of time, it is not long before it builds up again.
Instead of just lying something down on a counter or table top, put it where it would actually belongs. Most clutter in people's homes are simply objects that were placed down where they did not go, and sheer laziness caused it to remain there for way too long.
I personally have a bad habit of doing this. I usually will buy something, place it down on the table, and tell myself I will use it later, or put it away later. I realize now, that telling myself 'I will do it later' is basically a lie. Instead of doing it later, 'do it now'. It will save you hours of clean up time down the line. It's a habit you will have to get comfortable doing, but over time with force, it does work.
Clearing clutter in the home is not a difficult task at all, but keeping the home clutter free is.
Like I said, if you keep certain items in boxes and only bring them out on the appropriate holiday, it will clear the clutter, and will allow you to keep things you want, without having to throw them out.
Forcing yourself to place things where they really belong also helps keep the home free of future clutter.
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Hanging Christmas Lights in Hard to Reach, High Places Has Never Been Easier!
Decorating the home with Christmas lights is one of my favorite things
to do around this time of year. Last year however it took us
approximately 8 hours of decorating.
We go wild; we go nuts; we are the neighborhood Chevy Chase.
This year though, we discovered one simple tool that literately saved us hours of time, and not to mention this tool made hanging lights in high places a heck of a lot safer!
Gone are the days of having to tug a huge ladder along with us. Gone are the days where we had to worry about falling off of the ladder, and gone are the days of drawing straws to determine who was going to be the person who had to climb the ladder to hang the lights in high places.
The simple tool you ask?
It's called a No Ladder Light Hanging System, and it can be easily located in the Christmas lights and decorations isle at your local Home Depot. The price may have you wary ($19.99), but trust me, you will be glad you spent the money on this one.
It's a tool I wish I would have discovered years ago!
It comes packaged with a pole that can be extended up to 11 feet. It has a small hook attachment that allows you to pop on the plastic gutter clips. After you have the clips in place on your gutter, you then run the Christmas lights through a groove located on the pole, and you raise it up, and place the lights onto the gutter hooks. An entire roof can have lights rigged up in less than 10 minutes. A job that normally would take an hour.
Everything worked simply, efficiently and quickly! I was seriously amazed at how much time this simple little tool saved us. The best thing about it was that not once did we have to bring out the ladder.
Adding lights into very high trees we could not reach before was now done simply, easily, and in less than a few minutes.
While we watched our neighbor across the street struggle with a large ladder, we quickly rigged up lights in half the time, allowing us more time to decorate even more areas in our yard than we normally would.
If you have not set up your Christmas lights yet, than I suggest you go out and get one of these kits immediately!
But what if I don't have a gutter? Why do I need this kit?
If you do not have a gutter, and have no use for a kit that contains gutter clips, than you can use a painters pole that had an extend-able arm to rig lights up in high trees.
You can find simple painters poles at Home Depot for half the price of this kit. You will want to make sure you attach a paint roller piece to the pole though in order to drape the lights over as you raise them up into the high branches of your trees.
Have fun, and Happy Holidays!!!
We go wild; we go nuts; we are the neighborhood Chevy Chase.
This year though, we discovered one simple tool that literately saved us hours of time, and not to mention this tool made hanging lights in high places a heck of a lot safer!
Gone are the days of having to tug a huge ladder along with us. Gone are the days where we had to worry about falling off of the ladder, and gone are the days of drawing straws to determine who was going to be the person who had to climb the ladder to hang the lights in high places.
The simple tool you ask?
It's called a No Ladder Light Hanging System, and it can be easily located in the Christmas lights and decorations isle at your local Home Depot. The price may have you wary ($19.99), but trust me, you will be glad you spent the money on this one.
It's a tool I wish I would have discovered years ago!
It comes packaged with a pole that can be extended up to 11 feet. It has a small hook attachment that allows you to pop on the plastic gutter clips. After you have the clips in place on your gutter, you then run the Christmas lights through a groove located on the pole, and you raise it up, and place the lights onto the gutter hooks. An entire roof can have lights rigged up in less than 10 minutes. A job that normally would take an hour.
Everything worked simply, efficiently and quickly! I was seriously amazed at how much time this simple little tool saved us. The best thing about it was that not once did we have to bring out the ladder.
Adding lights into very high trees we could not reach before was now done simply, easily, and in less than a few minutes.
While we watched our neighbor across the street struggle with a large ladder, we quickly rigged up lights in half the time, allowing us more time to decorate even more areas in our yard than we normally would.
If you have not set up your Christmas lights yet, than I suggest you go out and get one of these kits immediately!
But what if I don't have a gutter? Why do I need this kit?
If you do not have a gutter, and have no use for a kit that contains gutter clips, than you can use a painters pole that had an extend-able arm to rig lights up in high trees.
You can find simple painters poles at Home Depot for half the price of this kit. You will want to make sure you attach a paint roller piece to the pole though in order to drape the lights over as you raise them up into the high branches of your trees.
Have fun, and Happy Holidays!!!
The Benefits of Installing an Under Sink Water Filter
Bottled water in the long run can cost your family a lot of money, and
if you actually add it up at the end of the year, bottled water could
cost you hundreds of dollars.
If you were to buy an under sink water filtration system it would of saved you a ton of money at the end of the year; not only that, you'd be keeping the planet cleaner and greener. Most people use the excuse that tap water is dirty, or that it does not taste right. People actually look at you funny if you drink water straight from the tap these days.
Recently, thanks to the included digital reader that came with Zero Water, I discovered that bottled water is not much cleaner than your tap water. So you can throw the bottled water is cleaner than tap theory out the window. That bottled water that you are drinking consistently is just as healthy as that tap water you refuse to drink.
At any rate, no one wants dirty water. Everyone wants healthy, clean water, and to achieve such water you have to have a filter. You can buy a pitcher filter like Zero Water and store it in your fridge, or you can buy an under sink water filtration system.
Don't panic, it only sounds expensive. I'm sure the reason most avoid an under sink water filter is that they think it's out of their league as far as costs go, but there are many under sink water filters that you can easily attach to your sink, and the cost is very fair.
You can buy a Culligan for as low as $60.00. The system comes with a reminder of when to change the filter.
As wonderful as the Zero Water Filter has been (you can read review here), it does require a bit of shelf space in order to store it. A benefit of installing an under sink filter is that it won't take up any space at all.
Other obvious benefits are of course not having to throw out bottles and bottles of water. Besides that, after testing bottled water, it's quite clear that it's not as purified as one would imagine.
An under the sink filter will clear your water of 99% of all contamination.
The reasons for choosing an under the sink filter are obvious. It takes up no space, there are no plastic bottles to waste, earth stays greener, and your water is cleaner. Mostly, buying a filter saves you money, which is what all of us could use more of.
If you were to buy an under sink water filtration system it would of saved you a ton of money at the end of the year; not only that, you'd be keeping the planet cleaner and greener. Most people use the excuse that tap water is dirty, or that it does not taste right. People actually look at you funny if you drink water straight from the tap these days.
Recently, thanks to the included digital reader that came with Zero Water, I discovered that bottled water is not much cleaner than your tap water. So you can throw the bottled water is cleaner than tap theory out the window. That bottled water that you are drinking consistently is just as healthy as that tap water you refuse to drink.
At any rate, no one wants dirty water. Everyone wants healthy, clean water, and to achieve such water you have to have a filter. You can buy a pitcher filter like Zero Water and store it in your fridge, or you can buy an under sink water filtration system.
Don't panic, it only sounds expensive. I'm sure the reason most avoid an under sink water filter is that they think it's out of their league as far as costs go, but there are many under sink water filters that you can easily attach to your sink, and the cost is very fair.
You can buy a Culligan for as low as $60.00. The system comes with a reminder of when to change the filter.
As wonderful as the Zero Water Filter has been (you can read review here), it does require a bit of shelf space in order to store it. A benefit of installing an under sink filter is that it won't take up any space at all.
Other obvious benefits are of course not having to throw out bottles and bottles of water. Besides that, after testing bottled water, it's quite clear that it's not as purified as one would imagine.
An under the sink filter will clear your water of 99% of all contamination.
The reasons for choosing an under the sink filter are obvious. It takes up no space, there are no plastic bottles to waste, earth stays greener, and your water is cleaner. Mostly, buying a filter saves you money, which is what all of us could use more of.
Tips on Installing a New Bathtub Drain
When installing a new bathtub in your bathroom you will also have to
install a new bathtub drain, the idea alone of having to do it yourself
is aggravating sometimes, and most folks simply hire a plumber to do the
job. The reality though is that you can save yourself a lot of money if
you just did it yourself.
Most hardware stores sell bathtub drain kits that you can use to replace an old drain.
Most kits come with everything needed in order to install it correctly.
Step by step instructions are also always included. You can find such kits ranging from $20.00 to $200+.
Installing the drain is relatively simple; however before you install it, you have to make sure your bathtub is already installed and in place. You cannot attach a drain without first having the tub where it is supposed to be. That's really common sense though.
-For those of you looking to replace old bathtub drains due to leaking, or consistent clogging and flooding, you can do the exact same thing as those installing a new bathtub. You will first have to unscrew your old mechanism and remove it from the tub.
-You will then want to go out and find a bathtub drain kit. Do your best to find a kit that matches your old drain set up. The best way to go about this would be to bring your old one with you when you go to the hardware store. This will make it a lot easier when you need a match.
-Once you have your kit, install it in the same manner that you took it apart. You can also follow the directions inside of the new kit. That's honestly your best option.
If you are having problems with the drain lever not going up to drain the water, you could always remove that, and install a simple rubber plug. Rubber plugs are not as flattering as standard drain plugs, but they do the job, and most of them cost less than $2.00.
If it is a clog that is keeping the drain top up, you could always try to clear the clog with a long metal hook, or a coat hanger.
Installing a new bathtub drain is not as large as a hassle as many assume. Calling a plumber will of course be the easiest option, but it certainly is not your cheapest option.
For drain kits you can check online by using your favorite search engine and looking up drain kits.
Most hardware stores sell bathtub drain kits that you can use to replace an old drain.
Most kits come with everything needed in order to install it correctly.
Step by step instructions are also always included. You can find such kits ranging from $20.00 to $200+.
Installing the drain is relatively simple; however before you install it, you have to make sure your bathtub is already installed and in place. You cannot attach a drain without first having the tub where it is supposed to be. That's really common sense though.
-For those of you looking to replace old bathtub drains due to leaking, or consistent clogging and flooding, you can do the exact same thing as those installing a new bathtub. You will first have to unscrew your old mechanism and remove it from the tub.
-You will then want to go out and find a bathtub drain kit. Do your best to find a kit that matches your old drain set up. The best way to go about this would be to bring your old one with you when you go to the hardware store. This will make it a lot easier when you need a match.
-Once you have your kit, install it in the same manner that you took it apart. You can also follow the directions inside of the new kit. That's honestly your best option.
If you are having problems with the drain lever not going up to drain the water, you could always remove that, and install a simple rubber plug. Rubber plugs are not as flattering as standard drain plugs, but they do the job, and most of them cost less than $2.00.
If it is a clog that is keeping the drain top up, you could always try to clear the clog with a long metal hook, or a coat hanger.
Installing a new bathtub drain is not as large as a hassle as many assume. Calling a plumber will of course be the easiest option, but it certainly is not your cheapest option.
For drain kits you can check online by using your favorite search engine and looking up drain kits.
Tips on Installing a Towel Bar in Your Bathroom
We've got two towel bars in our bathroom and two towel rings. The first
bit of advice I'd like to offer you would be to completely avoid those
ridiculous suction cup towel bars; they don't work, and if you
accidentally grab on to one for leverage when getting in or out of your
shower, you could really hurt yourself if it lost its suction.
With that said, the next thing you want to do is determine the length of the towel bar. Do you have a small bathroom or a large one?
Pick a towel bar that will look proper in your bathroom. Recently I was in a friend's smaller bathroom that had a towel bar that ran across the entire wall. It looked stupid, and really if you are not going to practice your ballet with the bar, then don't install one that's too long.
Your next thing when installing a towel bar is to base it off of your wall. Towel bars are a lot easier to install in a standard wall, but some people have tiled walls. When purchasing a towel bar think about the trouble involved depending on your wall type.
If you have tiles, do you want to drill into them and risk cracking one, or would you rather apply one using a silicone caulk. Safer than suction cups, but not guaranteed to stay on the wall forever. If you have tiled walls, then use the silicone caulk to install the towel bar. You really want to avoid cutting tiles if you don't need to.
For those with regular walls, one problem many face is finding the wall stud. When installing the towel bar you really want to make sure each end is even with your wall studs. This sometimes can be an impossible task, especially if you have a smaller bathroom.
If you cannot find two studs, then you can always install one end of the towel bar to a wall stud, and install the other end of the bar using a wall anchor. You want a lot of support for wet towels so the towel bar does not fall down. The stud and wall anchor should provide plenty of support to heavier, wet towels.
Basically when installing a towel bar, find your wall studs before going out to buy the bar. After you find the studs, determine what type of towel bar you want, and install it depending on your wall type as discussed above.
Another personal tip of mine would be to steer clear of plastic towel bars with metal rods inside of them. Our last one broke with the weight of the towel. The metal bar stood intact, but we had to remove it due to the broken plastic.
With that said, the next thing you want to do is determine the length of the towel bar. Do you have a small bathroom or a large one?
Pick a towel bar that will look proper in your bathroom. Recently I was in a friend's smaller bathroom that had a towel bar that ran across the entire wall. It looked stupid, and really if you are not going to practice your ballet with the bar, then don't install one that's too long.
Your next thing when installing a towel bar is to base it off of your wall. Towel bars are a lot easier to install in a standard wall, but some people have tiled walls. When purchasing a towel bar think about the trouble involved depending on your wall type.
If you have tiles, do you want to drill into them and risk cracking one, or would you rather apply one using a silicone caulk. Safer than suction cups, but not guaranteed to stay on the wall forever. If you have tiled walls, then use the silicone caulk to install the towel bar. You really want to avoid cutting tiles if you don't need to.
For those with regular walls, one problem many face is finding the wall stud. When installing the towel bar you really want to make sure each end is even with your wall studs. This sometimes can be an impossible task, especially if you have a smaller bathroom.
If you cannot find two studs, then you can always install one end of the towel bar to a wall stud, and install the other end of the bar using a wall anchor. You want a lot of support for wet towels so the towel bar does not fall down. The stud and wall anchor should provide plenty of support to heavier, wet towels.
Basically when installing a towel bar, find your wall studs before going out to buy the bar. After you find the studs, determine what type of towel bar you want, and install it depending on your wall type as discussed above.
Another personal tip of mine would be to steer clear of plastic towel bars with metal rods inside of them. Our last one broke with the weight of the towel. The metal bar stood intact, but we had to remove it due to the broken plastic.
Installing a Light Dimmer Switch? Here Are Some Tips to Help You Out
So you've decided you want to install a light dimmer switch in your
home, and you are a little lost on what you should be doing exactly.
The plus side is that all light switch dimmers come with included instructions. You should always follow the included instructions in order to get the dimmer to work properly. However I wanted to mention a few tips that you should follow, that you can do no matter what type of dimmer you decided to choose. There are different types of switches to choose from, but all of them are basically installed in a very similar fashion.
The switch you choose is all up to you, and your preferences. You can choose from slide switch dimmers, dial dimmers, touch pad dimmers, or combo switches which allow you to install both dimmers and regular lighting.
My first tip however is choosing the right type of room to place your dimmer in. Smaller rooms such as offices, dens, or dining rooms are appropriate places for dimmers. Larger rooms would require more lighting fixtures in order to keep the room from looking too dark for when you wanted to dim down the lights a bit.
One mistake I see done very often in many homes, are dimmer switches placed in very large rooms. Even when the dimmer switch is set to its highest and brightest setting, the room is still too dark at times.
Tip:
If you don't have many fixtures in the room, and you still want to add dimmer lights to the room I would suggest purchasing the combo dimmer/light switch, or adding a tall standing lamp to the room for added light.
Safety First!
Once you've decided what room you'd like your dimmers in, you of course need to turn off the power in that room. You do this by turning off the breaker in your circuit box. You want to make sure all electric is turned off before prying at wires behind the switch you will be removing in order to install the light dimmer.
Next you go up to the room that you will be installing the dimmer. You will need to use a screw driver to remove the old switch plate from the wall. You will also need to unscrew any wires attached to the light switch.
From here you will need to follow the included directions that came with the light dimmer that you have purchased.
Once you have everything in its proper place, you simply return to your circuit box, and turn the power back on in the room. The next step is the easy one, simply return back to the dimmer switch and test it out to make sure it is in working order.
The plus side is that all light switch dimmers come with included instructions. You should always follow the included instructions in order to get the dimmer to work properly. However I wanted to mention a few tips that you should follow, that you can do no matter what type of dimmer you decided to choose. There are different types of switches to choose from, but all of them are basically installed in a very similar fashion.
The switch you choose is all up to you, and your preferences. You can choose from slide switch dimmers, dial dimmers, touch pad dimmers, or combo switches which allow you to install both dimmers and regular lighting.
My first tip however is choosing the right type of room to place your dimmer in. Smaller rooms such as offices, dens, or dining rooms are appropriate places for dimmers. Larger rooms would require more lighting fixtures in order to keep the room from looking too dark for when you wanted to dim down the lights a bit.
One mistake I see done very often in many homes, are dimmer switches placed in very large rooms. Even when the dimmer switch is set to its highest and brightest setting, the room is still too dark at times.
Tip:
If you don't have many fixtures in the room, and you still want to add dimmer lights to the room I would suggest purchasing the combo dimmer/light switch, or adding a tall standing lamp to the room for added light.
Safety First!
Once you've decided what room you'd like your dimmers in, you of course need to turn off the power in that room. You do this by turning off the breaker in your circuit box. You want to make sure all electric is turned off before prying at wires behind the switch you will be removing in order to install the light dimmer.
Next you go up to the room that you will be installing the dimmer. You will need to use a screw driver to remove the old switch plate from the wall. You will also need to unscrew any wires attached to the light switch.
From here you will need to follow the included directions that came with the light dimmer that you have purchased.
Once you have everything in its proper place, you simply return to your circuit box, and turn the power back on in the room. The next step is the easy one, simply return back to the dimmer switch and test it out to make sure it is in working order.
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Keeping Ants Out of Your Home: Easiest, Safest and Cheapest Solutions
Last year it was like we were at war with ants. Normally ants don't
bother me, and I never stomped on one; in fact if outside if I ever
happen to come across ants busy at work, sometimes I would stop and
watch them. They're quite the busy little workers.
However last year instead of working in their usual domain, they somehow set up camp in my home. One ant here and there never bothered me, but this time around it seemed as if we had a whole colony, and when I saw a few this weekend, I knew it was time to start ant proofing my home, especially when my sister told me that she had ants again in full bloom, just like last spring and summer.
First and foremost, those stupid little plastic any bait traps did nothing. In fact, the ants in our home did not even seem phased by them.
I knew in order to keep the ants out of my home, I was going to have to start with the outside of our home. Find means to keeping them out of the house, by stopping them before they even decided to slip under a crack.
I knew I did not want to spray any harsh chemicals in my yard. We have dogs, and we certainly don't want them getting sick because of chemical spraying. I knew that sealing cracks would keep them free from the home. Most ants tend to come up from our basement, and I knew that we had to seal of our cellar doors with some foam insulation. There were way too many cracks and openings in the rusty outdoor cellar door, and I had a good feeling that sealing up these cracks would keep the ant population under control.
Window sills and larger screen doors or window screens are other ways ants find an easy way in. It's pretty hard to not open a window during hotter months to let cool air in, but if you do, you can line your windowsill with either pepper, or bay leaves. Ants hate them and won't bother going near them. It's a nice, safe and effective way to keep ants from crawling in through open windows or doors.
If you already have a mini invasion going on inside your home, steer clear of plastic bait traps, they are not very effective and it won't keep them away. I found that making sure counters and floors were clear of crumbs, there was no longer a food supply for them, and this will hopefully cause them to either perish, or move out!
Keeping your home free of ants is not at all that difficult if you are just willing to spend a bit of time finding the source to their invasion. Likely it's a crack in a cellar door, or an opening wide enough for them to squeeze through. So check around your home, and try and seal off this opening.
Also, like I mentioned, if you plan on leaving windows open, buy a few potted bay leave plants, or line your window sills with pepper. The main reason ants come back season after season is because your home provided a good source of food for them, so make sure your house is free of crumbs from food.
These are the easiest, safest and cheapest methods to keeping your home ant free.
However last year instead of working in their usual domain, they somehow set up camp in my home. One ant here and there never bothered me, but this time around it seemed as if we had a whole colony, and when I saw a few this weekend, I knew it was time to start ant proofing my home, especially when my sister told me that she had ants again in full bloom, just like last spring and summer.
First and foremost, those stupid little plastic any bait traps did nothing. In fact, the ants in our home did not even seem phased by them.
I knew in order to keep the ants out of my home, I was going to have to start with the outside of our home. Find means to keeping them out of the house, by stopping them before they even decided to slip under a crack.
I knew I did not want to spray any harsh chemicals in my yard. We have dogs, and we certainly don't want them getting sick because of chemical spraying. I knew that sealing cracks would keep them free from the home. Most ants tend to come up from our basement, and I knew that we had to seal of our cellar doors with some foam insulation. There were way too many cracks and openings in the rusty outdoor cellar door, and I had a good feeling that sealing up these cracks would keep the ant population under control.
Window sills and larger screen doors or window screens are other ways ants find an easy way in. It's pretty hard to not open a window during hotter months to let cool air in, but if you do, you can line your windowsill with either pepper, or bay leaves. Ants hate them and won't bother going near them. It's a nice, safe and effective way to keep ants from crawling in through open windows or doors.
If you already have a mini invasion going on inside your home, steer clear of plastic bait traps, they are not very effective and it won't keep them away. I found that making sure counters and floors were clear of crumbs, there was no longer a food supply for them, and this will hopefully cause them to either perish, or move out!
Keeping your home free of ants is not at all that difficult if you are just willing to spend a bit of time finding the source to their invasion. Likely it's a crack in a cellar door, or an opening wide enough for them to squeeze through. So check around your home, and try and seal off this opening.
Also, like I mentioned, if you plan on leaving windows open, buy a few potted bay leave plants, or line your window sills with pepper. The main reason ants come back season after season is because your home provided a good source of food for them, so make sure your house is free of crumbs from food.
These are the easiest, safest and cheapest methods to keeping your home ant free.
Top 5 Ways to Beat the Summer Heat Without Leaving Home
Summer is approaching rapidly, we have already had days that brushed the
near 90s. With beaches and parks consistently going up in price, how
does one beat the summer heat without having to spend a bunch of money
for a day trip to a water park, or beach?
The first thing you can purchase to beat the summer heat is a metal frame pool. These pools will keep you home, and for the price, you will save more money during the summer on buying this pool, than you would going to the beach every weekend. The pools vary in size, shape, and are introduced at a very low price. I picked mine up last year, at the end of the season for $189 for a 15 foot round metal frame pool. Target, and other superstores sell these same pools, and they can be picked up for around the same price, possibly a bit higher, due to the season approaching.
If you do not have that sort of money on hand for a metal frame pool, you could always pick up a fun sprinkler for the kids. There are a ton of different fun sprinkler's you can buy for children, and they all hook right up to the hose. A favorite amongst children is the sprinkler head octopus, which will flail its arms around while shooting water from its tentacles.
The easiest solution to cooling off without having to get wet would be to buy a fan, or install an air conditioner right in your home. A fan is the cheaper solution of the two, but if you are really looking to beat the heat, buy an air conditioner for your room, or whichever room you spend most of your time in.
Keep simple cheap ice pops on hand. You do not have to spend big money on the ice cream man, nor do you have to pack up the whole family to go out for ice cream on a hot summer day. Ice pops can be bought in bulk, so stick a few in the freezer and have them readily available on hot summer days. You will be surprised at how quickly an ice pop can cool you off.
If you have an unfinished basement, think about converting it into livable space. A finished basement will always be cool, and its a great spot to hang out in order to beat the summer heat, without having to run a fan or air conditioning unit.
The fastest way to beat the summer heat, would be to shower the moment you begin to feel really hot and muggy. A cool shower will instantly cool you off, and will keep you cool for quite a few hours after showering. If you do not want to shower fully, then wet your hair. Wetting your hair will also instantly cool you down.
The first thing you can purchase to beat the summer heat is a metal frame pool. These pools will keep you home, and for the price, you will save more money during the summer on buying this pool, than you would going to the beach every weekend. The pools vary in size, shape, and are introduced at a very low price. I picked mine up last year, at the end of the season for $189 for a 15 foot round metal frame pool. Target, and other superstores sell these same pools, and they can be picked up for around the same price, possibly a bit higher, due to the season approaching.
If you do not have that sort of money on hand for a metal frame pool, you could always pick up a fun sprinkler for the kids. There are a ton of different fun sprinkler's you can buy for children, and they all hook right up to the hose. A favorite amongst children is the sprinkler head octopus, which will flail its arms around while shooting water from its tentacles.
The easiest solution to cooling off without having to get wet would be to buy a fan, or install an air conditioner right in your home. A fan is the cheaper solution of the two, but if you are really looking to beat the heat, buy an air conditioner for your room, or whichever room you spend most of your time in.
Keep simple cheap ice pops on hand. You do not have to spend big money on the ice cream man, nor do you have to pack up the whole family to go out for ice cream on a hot summer day. Ice pops can be bought in bulk, so stick a few in the freezer and have them readily available on hot summer days. You will be surprised at how quickly an ice pop can cool you off.
If you have an unfinished basement, think about converting it into livable space. A finished basement will always be cool, and its a great spot to hang out in order to beat the summer heat, without having to run a fan or air conditioning unit.
The fastest way to beat the summer heat, would be to shower the moment you begin to feel really hot and muggy. A cool shower will instantly cool you off, and will keep you cool for quite a few hours after showering. If you do not want to shower fully, then wet your hair. Wetting your hair will also instantly cool you down.
Tips on Keeping Your Home and Yard Mosquito Free This Summer
Nothing spoils outdoor summer fun quite like mosquitoes can. You're
having a BBQ, and all of your guests are complaining about being bit by
mosquitoes, or 'eaten alive'. Some withstand it, and others leave early.
In these cases when mosquito's are out in pods of thousands it's pretty
hard to deter them, and even the best bug spray seems to miss the mark.
There are other things you can do however in order to keep your yard as free from mosquitoes as possible.
If you are planning on having a late night summer BBQ, you will want to go around the yard and place a bunch of citronella candles out to let burn long before the guests even arrive.
ThermaCELL Mosquito Repellent Lanterns can also keep you guests, and yourself free from mosquito bites. This nifty device keeps an area 15X15 feet clear of the suckers. ThermaCELL can be bought in more forms than just a lantern, so next time you are out and about, and need to pick up bug spray, try one of these lanterns instead. They have nothing but glowing ratings.
Mosquito Repelling Bracelet's can also be picked up to give to children who will be running around the yard, outside of the 15 foot barrier.
Solar powered mosquito guards are also something you may want to consider. These are convenient because you can leave them outdoors, and they will begin to work as soon as the sun starts going down. They let off the ultrasonic sounds of male mosquito's, which repel female mosquitoes, since they are the ones to bite.
Insect repellent can also be used as back up. Combine this, with one of the above mosquito repellents, and you should be safe from the blood suckers for the rest of the night.
Other natural ways to eliminate mosquitoes from your yard would be to plant certain plants that mosquitoes despise. You can plant them all around your home, or sporadically throughout your yard.
Such plants and herbs include rosemary, catnip, marigolds, and horsemint. While outdoors, if you pick a few leaves, crush them up and rub it on your skin or keep the crushed leaves around you, it can help repel mosquitoes.
To nip the population down, always look through your yard for any places that may store water, such as buckets. Dump all water from buckets, and keep water in bird baths clean at all times. If you eliminate the source, the mosquitoes are less likely to be in your yard.
For your home, in the hotter summer months, you do not want to leave your windows open. Always leave the screen down, otherwise mosquitoes will fly right into your home. Do not leave doors open either.
There are other things you can do however in order to keep your yard as free from mosquitoes as possible.
If you are planning on having a late night summer BBQ, you will want to go around the yard and place a bunch of citronella candles out to let burn long before the guests even arrive.
ThermaCELL Mosquito Repellent Lanterns can also keep you guests, and yourself free from mosquito bites. This nifty device keeps an area 15X15 feet clear of the suckers. ThermaCELL can be bought in more forms than just a lantern, so next time you are out and about, and need to pick up bug spray, try one of these lanterns instead. They have nothing but glowing ratings.
Mosquito Repelling Bracelet's can also be picked up to give to children who will be running around the yard, outside of the 15 foot barrier.
Solar powered mosquito guards are also something you may want to consider. These are convenient because you can leave them outdoors, and they will begin to work as soon as the sun starts going down. They let off the ultrasonic sounds of male mosquito's, which repel female mosquitoes, since they are the ones to bite.
Insect repellent can also be used as back up. Combine this, with one of the above mosquito repellents, and you should be safe from the blood suckers for the rest of the night.
Other natural ways to eliminate mosquitoes from your yard would be to plant certain plants that mosquitoes despise. You can plant them all around your home, or sporadically throughout your yard.
Such plants and herbs include rosemary, catnip, marigolds, and horsemint. While outdoors, if you pick a few leaves, crush them up and rub it on your skin or keep the crushed leaves around you, it can help repel mosquitoes.
To nip the population down, always look through your yard for any places that may store water, such as buckets. Dump all water from buckets, and keep water in bird baths clean at all times. If you eliminate the source, the mosquitoes are less likely to be in your yard.
For your home, in the hotter summer months, you do not want to leave your windows open. Always leave the screen down, otherwise mosquitoes will fly right into your home. Do not leave doors open either.
How to Attract Butterflies to Your Yard
Everyone loves butterflies; they are the beautiful and colorful insects that have managed to catch our eyes since childhood.
Having butterflies fly through the yard, especially during summer months is relatively common; however if you want to attract them to your yard for a longer period of time, rather than have butterflies go through your yard in a fast fly by, there are a few things that you can add to your yard that will actually attract them, and they will stay for longer periods of time.
Different types of flowers attract butterflies, but the top flowers you can use to really attract a lot of butterflies is a butterfly bush. This provides butterflies a source of food, making your garden seem all the more appetizing to the flying work of art.
Other plants that you can plant are sunflowers, clover, violets, wisteria, willow trees, apple trees, etc. These types of flowers and trees attract them because while some of the flowers and trees are a source of food for adult butterflies, the trees will provide spots for caterpillar's to feed and hatch. If you have caterpillar's in your yard, and a good source of plants and trees for the butterflies to feed, they will stay a lot longer than usual, and the more catipillars in your yard, the more butterflies you will eventually see.
Adding other simple extras will also attract even more butterflies. Butterflies like sun, so planting your plants in direct sunlight help keep them around. Butterflies also drink water, so making a small puddle nearby your butterfly garden will also attract more and more of them to your yard.
To keep butterflies present, always avoid using any type of pesticide. This will not only kill butterflies, but it will also kill any caterpillar's that will soon become butterflies.
-Other plants and trees to consider planting (or allowing to grow wildly)
Dogbane, poplar, milkweed, dandelion, goldenrod, hyacinth, butterfly bushes and wild roses.
Every area in the world contains different species of butterflies, so in order to attract butterflies that are common in your area, you can google common butterflies, and then your state. You will come up with the names of what types of butterflies can be found in your area, making purchasing plants and trees easier.
Having butterflies fly through the yard, especially during summer months is relatively common; however if you want to attract them to your yard for a longer period of time, rather than have butterflies go through your yard in a fast fly by, there are a few things that you can add to your yard that will actually attract them, and they will stay for longer periods of time.
Different types of flowers attract butterflies, but the top flowers you can use to really attract a lot of butterflies is a butterfly bush. This provides butterflies a source of food, making your garden seem all the more appetizing to the flying work of art.
Other plants that you can plant are sunflowers, clover, violets, wisteria, willow trees, apple trees, etc. These types of flowers and trees attract them because while some of the flowers and trees are a source of food for adult butterflies, the trees will provide spots for caterpillar's to feed and hatch. If you have caterpillar's in your yard, and a good source of plants and trees for the butterflies to feed, they will stay a lot longer than usual, and the more catipillars in your yard, the more butterflies you will eventually see.
Adding other simple extras will also attract even more butterflies. Butterflies like sun, so planting your plants in direct sunlight help keep them around. Butterflies also drink water, so making a small puddle nearby your butterfly garden will also attract more and more of them to your yard.
To keep butterflies present, always avoid using any type of pesticide. This will not only kill butterflies, but it will also kill any caterpillar's that will soon become butterflies.
-Other plants and trees to consider planting (or allowing to grow wildly)
Dogbane, poplar, milkweed, dandelion, goldenrod, hyacinth, butterfly bushes and wild roses.
Every area in the world contains different species of butterflies, so in order to attract butterflies that are common in your area, you can google common butterflies, and then your state. You will come up with the names of what types of butterflies can be found in your area, making purchasing plants and trees easier.
Friday, July 18, 2014
Guide to Hanging Photo Frames on Walls
My mother has absolutely no sense of proper photo frame placements, and
her odd collection of photos and frames is the inspiration behind this
piece. Granted I love her, I just think my fellow readers would enjoy
learning from her mistakes.
Living Room
In her living room on the wall you can find around 10 photo frames on the walls spread around the room. This is relatively normal, and yes I'd recommend it. However in this living room none of the frames match. She's got white bulky wood frames, black modern sleek high glossed finished frames, and oddball hand carved non-finished wooden frames, with a few tacky shaped frames to go with it.
It's a frame disaster, but to top it off, inside of the frames are random, and I mean very random photographs. Photographs including photos of when she modeled as a child, photos of Halloween or Christmas pasts, none of which really belong up on a wall year round.
So what kind of photos should you place in a living room?
Simple ones including your immediate family, and family in general. Leave themed photos such as Christmas photos of your family in front of your tree, away until the actual holiday is nearby.
You can switch up your photos as the year goes on, as stated above. When a holiday is about to arise, switch out some photos with photos of that season.
One important rule to hanging Christmas photos is to remember which of your family members will be present if you plan on hosting a Christmas party at your home. I cannot count how many years I have gone over to my Aunts house to see every single other family member hanging on a wall, or nicely placed in a frame- every other family member besides myself. It's not only offending, it's mean. Try not discounting someone, even if by accident, try finding a photo that includes all of your relatives in one shot.
Do not hang photographs of yourself in a bathing suit, or odd black and white model like photos of yourself in your living room either. Those types of photos can go in your bedroom for you to enjoy.
In the bedroom you can hang or place on counters odd shaped frames, but they don't belong in a living room or a kitchen.
For the bathroom, you do not really need to hang any photo frames. You can however hang up regular pictures of scenery or something of the nature that will go with the theme you have in your bathroom. Just remember that hot water will create steam and will likely ruin the photograph anyway, so it's best to just leave it alone in general.
Living Room
In her living room on the wall you can find around 10 photo frames on the walls spread around the room. This is relatively normal, and yes I'd recommend it. However in this living room none of the frames match. She's got white bulky wood frames, black modern sleek high glossed finished frames, and oddball hand carved non-finished wooden frames, with a few tacky shaped frames to go with it.
It's a frame disaster, but to top it off, inside of the frames are random, and I mean very random photographs. Photographs including photos of when she modeled as a child, photos of Halloween or Christmas pasts, none of which really belong up on a wall year round.
So what kind of photos should you place in a living room?
Simple ones including your immediate family, and family in general. Leave themed photos such as Christmas photos of your family in front of your tree, away until the actual holiday is nearby.
You can switch up your photos as the year goes on, as stated above. When a holiday is about to arise, switch out some photos with photos of that season.
One important rule to hanging Christmas photos is to remember which of your family members will be present if you plan on hosting a Christmas party at your home. I cannot count how many years I have gone over to my Aunts house to see every single other family member hanging on a wall, or nicely placed in a frame- every other family member besides myself. It's not only offending, it's mean. Try not discounting someone, even if by accident, try finding a photo that includes all of your relatives in one shot.
Do not hang photographs of yourself in a bathing suit, or odd black and white model like photos of yourself in your living room either. Those types of photos can go in your bedroom for you to enjoy.
In the bedroom you can hang or place on counters odd shaped frames, but they don't belong in a living room or a kitchen.
For the bathroom, you do not really need to hang any photo frames. You can however hang up regular pictures of scenery or something of the nature that will go with the theme you have in your bathroom. Just remember that hot water will create steam and will likely ruin the photograph anyway, so it's best to just leave it alone in general.
How to Mount an HDTV onto a Wall in Your Home
We recently bought a beautiful 50" HDTV, as a replacement for a smaller
40" that just died. The smaller HDTV used to sit on a small
entertainment table in the living room, but when we brought the larger
upgrade home it did not look right, so we decided we wanted to have the
HDTV hang on the wall.
We had options; we could use a cheaper universal wall mount, or one that allows you to pull the HDTV out slightly with a swivel arm. Considering the fact that wall mounts are a bit pricey for just a standard one, we went with the standard; although a swivel arm would have been really neat to have.
Before going out and buying a wall mount though, there are some things you have to consider, and sadly, sometimes hanging a wall mount is not even an option. You must make sure that you have studs in the wall; otherwise the wall mount will not be able to hold its weight, and yes, it will fall; so before rushing out to buy that wall mount, use an electric stud finder and make sure you have studs behind the wall.
Once you find the studs, make sure they are at least at the center of the wall; otherwise your HDTV will hang slightly off center. This is not really that terrible, but if you want it perfectly at the center of the wall, make sure your studs are located there.
Now that your studs are found, you can go out and buy any wall mount you want. Check online for price comparisons first though.
In order to install your wall mount, you will need to first hold the mounting bracket up to the wall to pencil mark where you have to drill your holes into the wall in order to hold the mount up. Make sure they line up with your studs, and you a level to make sure your holes are evenly marked.
Once you have marked off where you need to drill, have another person hold up the brackets, while you drill them into place.
Next you must attach the actual mount to the back of your HDTV. This part is very simple, and you just use the included bolts.
After the mount is attached to the back of your HDTV, you and a partner now pick up the HDTV, and slip the mount onto the brackets on the wall. Most wall mounts will make a clicking sound, to let you know everything is in place.
You can now enjoy the extra room in your living room and the sleek new look of your HDTV hanging on your wall.
We had options; we could use a cheaper universal wall mount, or one that allows you to pull the HDTV out slightly with a swivel arm. Considering the fact that wall mounts are a bit pricey for just a standard one, we went with the standard; although a swivel arm would have been really neat to have.
Before going out and buying a wall mount though, there are some things you have to consider, and sadly, sometimes hanging a wall mount is not even an option. You must make sure that you have studs in the wall; otherwise the wall mount will not be able to hold its weight, and yes, it will fall; so before rushing out to buy that wall mount, use an electric stud finder and make sure you have studs behind the wall.
Once you find the studs, make sure they are at least at the center of the wall; otherwise your HDTV will hang slightly off center. This is not really that terrible, but if you want it perfectly at the center of the wall, make sure your studs are located there.
Now that your studs are found, you can go out and buy any wall mount you want. Check online for price comparisons first though.
In order to install your wall mount, you will need to first hold the mounting bracket up to the wall to pencil mark where you have to drill your holes into the wall in order to hold the mount up. Make sure they line up with your studs, and you a level to make sure your holes are evenly marked.
Once you have marked off where you need to drill, have another person hold up the brackets, while you drill them into place.
Next you must attach the actual mount to the back of your HDTV. This part is very simple, and you just use the included bolts.
After the mount is attached to the back of your HDTV, you and a partner now pick up the HDTV, and slip the mount onto the brackets on the wall. Most wall mounts will make a clicking sound, to let you know everything is in place.
You can now enjoy the extra room in your living room and the sleek new look of your HDTV hanging on your wall.
How to Make a Small Room Look Larger
Let's face it; not everyone can afford the mansion that they have been
dreaming about since they were a kid. For those of us with smaller sized
rooms in our homes though, rest assured, as there are really simple
ways to making a small room look larger than at really is. Like makeup
for our faces, an illusion is really all it is, however illusions work
wonders.
To make a small room look larger you first want to paint the walls a light color. Darker colors can actually make a smaller room look even tinier than what it really is. White is your best option, or an off white. If you want to use colors, go with very, very subtle tints in color. Blue colors will make the room appear larger and more airy and inviting, so if you are going to go with color, try to go with a blue hue that you like.
Hanging a ton of things on a wall in a small room makes the room look cluttered, and even smaller. If you are going to hang anything on a wall, make it a large mirror. The mirror will give off the illusion of more room as well. You can hang picture frames, but do not over do it.
Furniture arrangement also plays a vital role in how large or small a room looks. First and foremost, you do not want to arrange any furniture in the middle of the room, as it will cut the room in half and make it look even smaller. Beds and larger pieces should go against a wall in the room, to clear the middle.
The middle of the room should be clear of all messes, so keep the room clean. The more stuff you have lying around, the smaller and more cluttered the room will look, so try to keep things neat looking at all times.
Lastly is lighting.
If the room has a window, do not cover the window up in long drab curtains, if you want curtains though make them light in color, and always open. Let natural light sources beam in through the windows at all possible times to give off the illusion of a larger room.
Applying hidden small lights into the ceiling will also make a small room look larger, and it will save you space for if you had to use lamps instead.
To make a small room look larger you first want to paint the walls a light color. Darker colors can actually make a smaller room look even tinier than what it really is. White is your best option, or an off white. If you want to use colors, go with very, very subtle tints in color. Blue colors will make the room appear larger and more airy and inviting, so if you are going to go with color, try to go with a blue hue that you like.
Hanging a ton of things on a wall in a small room makes the room look cluttered, and even smaller. If you are going to hang anything on a wall, make it a large mirror. The mirror will give off the illusion of more room as well. You can hang picture frames, but do not over do it.
Furniture arrangement also plays a vital role in how large or small a room looks. First and foremost, you do not want to arrange any furniture in the middle of the room, as it will cut the room in half and make it look even smaller. Beds and larger pieces should go against a wall in the room, to clear the middle.
The middle of the room should be clear of all messes, so keep the room clean. The more stuff you have lying around, the smaller and more cluttered the room will look, so try to keep things neat looking at all times.
Lastly is lighting.
If the room has a window, do not cover the window up in long drab curtains, if you want curtains though make them light in color, and always open. Let natural light sources beam in through the windows at all possible times to give off the illusion of a larger room.
Applying hidden small lights into the ceiling will also make a small room look larger, and it will save you space for if you had to use lamps instead.
Where to Find Oddly Unique Lighting Fixtures for Your Home
You walk into someones home, with their cookie cutter neutral colored
walls, and cookie cutter cream colored curtains, and their pearl white
bathrooms, and you think to yourself, "yes, this is nice, but so
overdone, so un-original, and bland".
You are unique, and you like weird little extras that the 'not so normal type' of people would ever display in their homes. You fit this description, otherwise you wouldn't be here. I fit this description, therefore I figured there had to be other oddballs out there like myself, who seek out these special hidden home goods.
Today we are focusing on unique lighting fixtures.
First and foremost, you will want to head over to Tabby inc. for a beer bottle chandelier. Now not everyone would want to spend $600.00 on a Beer Bottle Chandelier, but for those of you weirdos who have a bar room, and have the cash to flow, like you do your tap, then this one is worth checking out. Click here to be taken to the beer bottle chandelier.
Personally I have fallen in love with the Octopus Chandelier, found here. This would look awesome in our sea theme bathroom; if we only had the room for it that is. You should also check out Etsy.com for unique one of a kind octopus light fixtures as well.
Next we have the weird and wild grape light fixture. This is a unique twist for those of you who already have a cute wine grape theme going on in your kitchen. Scatter a few of these around the walls, and wallah, you have a unique theme, with unique lighting to go with it.
One of my favorite unique finds is Moon, by in-es.collections. This light fixture gives a near replica of the moon right in your home at night when hung in a dark room. You have got to check them out. Imagine no longer having to go outside on cold winter nights to gaze at this magnificent wonder, instead you can gaze at it in the comfort of your bed. Truly a work of lighting art.
Last but surely not least is the Crystal Comb Lamps created by Yar Rassadin. This unique wonders are perfect for adding a unique summer twist to your home. In our home we change up our kitchens theme seasonally, and these would have been perfect for this bee-utiful summer season.
Oh well, there is always next season for these wonderful lamps.
You are unique, and you like weird little extras that the 'not so normal type' of people would ever display in their homes. You fit this description, otherwise you wouldn't be here. I fit this description, therefore I figured there had to be other oddballs out there like myself, who seek out these special hidden home goods.
Today we are focusing on unique lighting fixtures.
First and foremost, you will want to head over to Tabby inc. for a beer bottle chandelier. Now not everyone would want to spend $600.00 on a Beer Bottle Chandelier, but for those of you weirdos who have a bar room, and have the cash to flow, like you do your tap, then this one is worth checking out. Click here to be taken to the beer bottle chandelier.
Personally I have fallen in love with the Octopus Chandelier, found here. This would look awesome in our sea theme bathroom; if we only had the room for it that is. You should also check out Etsy.com for unique one of a kind octopus light fixtures as well.
Next we have the weird and wild grape light fixture. This is a unique twist for those of you who already have a cute wine grape theme going on in your kitchen. Scatter a few of these around the walls, and wallah, you have a unique theme, with unique lighting to go with it.
One of my favorite unique finds is Moon, by in-es.collections. This light fixture gives a near replica of the moon right in your home at night when hung in a dark room. You have got to check them out. Imagine no longer having to go outside on cold winter nights to gaze at this magnificent wonder, instead you can gaze at it in the comfort of your bed. Truly a work of lighting art.
Last but surely not least is the Crystal Comb Lamps created by Yar Rassadin. This unique wonders are perfect for adding a unique summer twist to your home. In our home we change up our kitchens theme seasonally, and these would have been perfect for this bee-utiful summer season.
Oh well, there is always next season for these wonderful lamps.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
How to Give Foam Polyurethane Crown Molding a Gorgeous Antique Bronzed Finish
My family is full of snobs, literally. If you are adding crown molding
to your home they say, than you absolutely must use wood.
Yeah in a perfect world where I hit the lottery and could afford to crown out every room in wood maybe I would. But after looking at pricing of wood molding, and polyurethane molding, I figured heck with them, I can not only save a ton of money, but I can also pick molding with truly beautiful and unique designs. Designs that I simply could not find carved into wood, let alone with prices I could afford.
After extensive research on exactly how to install this type of molding, I went ahead and took the plunge. I ordered 63 linear feet of poly crown molding, and hoped for the best. Heck for just $155.00, how could I go wrong?
The poly molding came shipped in a few days, and I had it cut and up in about an hour in my 33 linear foot bathroom. I also ordered corner blocks to virtually eliminate the need to do 45 degree miter cuts on the ends. Yes, I saved myself a ton of time!
Next was to paint them. According to the site where I ordered my poly molding, they were ready to be painted, so all I had to do was pick my colors.
Seeing that my walls were freshly painted brown, I figured a beautiful bronze antique paint job on my crown molding would really snap it to life.
Surprisingly the finish came out 100 times better than I had ever imagined it would, and here is how I did it.
You want to paint the molding after you install it, because any small cuts in the molding where one end meets the other will need Spackle in order to hide the seam. So, before painting, just install the molding. After it is up, allow it to dry and then add your Spackle to hide seams.
Next you can paint!
Here is how to get a beautiful metallic looking antique bronze finish on polyurethane crown molding
I used black high gloss interior paint. I brushed it onto the molding in one quick swoop. This part of the paint job does not have to be perfect, but be sure to cover all white that may show through for a deeper coloring for when you apply your metallic top coat.
Anyhow, after painting the crown molding black, it will likely look awful. You will want to cry and wonder why you ever did it in the first place. Fear not, this is just part of the process, and it will give your molding depth, especially if you have any dips/grooves for a design in the molding.
You will want to allow this paint to dry. It does not take long for it to dry, but let it sit for at least 2 hours or so that way any areas that have paint pooled can dry better.
Next you need your metallic bronze overcoat. I used a beautiful and unique color called Penny Copper, which is sold in small containers by Martha Stewart.
I shook the container and began swiping this penny copper paint on top of the black. I was astonished when I finished at just how stunning the crown molding looked using this technique to paint it.
Basically in order to get this sort of deep rich shade of copper you will need to use a black base coat. The high gloss black paint allowed the color of the bronze to come out darker and more rich, hence only needing a small amount of metallic paint to bring it to life. Without using the black base color, the metallic paint would not have shown so brightly and vividly, and would have required tons of coats. When you use a black base you literally only need one thin coat of the metallic paint, saving you time and money!
Tip-
You do not need to use a copper color, you can get a rich metallic silver, or any color you choose that is metallic to finish your molding. Just always remember to use a black undercoat to bring out the shine!
Have fun, and enjoy your new room!
Yeah in a perfect world where I hit the lottery and could afford to crown out every room in wood maybe I would. But after looking at pricing of wood molding, and polyurethane molding, I figured heck with them, I can not only save a ton of money, but I can also pick molding with truly beautiful and unique designs. Designs that I simply could not find carved into wood, let alone with prices I could afford.
After extensive research on exactly how to install this type of molding, I went ahead and took the plunge. I ordered 63 linear feet of poly crown molding, and hoped for the best. Heck for just $155.00, how could I go wrong?
The poly molding came shipped in a few days, and I had it cut and up in about an hour in my 33 linear foot bathroom. I also ordered corner blocks to virtually eliminate the need to do 45 degree miter cuts on the ends. Yes, I saved myself a ton of time!
Next was to paint them. According to the site where I ordered my poly molding, they were ready to be painted, so all I had to do was pick my colors.
Seeing that my walls were freshly painted brown, I figured a beautiful bronze antique paint job on my crown molding would really snap it to life.
Surprisingly the finish came out 100 times better than I had ever imagined it would, and here is how I did it.
You want to paint the molding after you install it, because any small cuts in the molding where one end meets the other will need Spackle in order to hide the seam. So, before painting, just install the molding. After it is up, allow it to dry and then add your Spackle to hide seams.
Next you can paint!
Here is how to get a beautiful metallic looking antique bronze finish on polyurethane crown molding
I used black high gloss interior paint. I brushed it onto the molding in one quick swoop. This part of the paint job does not have to be perfect, but be sure to cover all white that may show through for a deeper coloring for when you apply your metallic top coat.
Anyhow, after painting the crown molding black, it will likely look awful. You will want to cry and wonder why you ever did it in the first place. Fear not, this is just part of the process, and it will give your molding depth, especially if you have any dips/grooves for a design in the molding.
You will want to allow this paint to dry. It does not take long for it to dry, but let it sit for at least 2 hours or so that way any areas that have paint pooled can dry better.
Next you need your metallic bronze overcoat. I used a beautiful and unique color called Penny Copper, which is sold in small containers by Martha Stewart.
I shook the container and began swiping this penny copper paint on top of the black. I was astonished when I finished at just how stunning the crown molding looked using this technique to paint it.
Basically in order to get this sort of deep rich shade of copper you will need to use a black base coat. The high gloss black paint allowed the color of the bronze to come out darker and more rich, hence only needing a small amount of metallic paint to bring it to life. Without using the black base color, the metallic paint would not have shown so brightly and vividly, and would have required tons of coats. When you use a black base you literally only need one thin coat of the metallic paint, saving you time and money!
Tip-
You do not need to use a copper color, you can get a rich metallic silver, or any color you choose that is metallic to finish your molding. Just always remember to use a black undercoat to bring out the shine!
Have fun, and enjoy your new room!
DIY- How to Install Polyurethane Crown Moulding
Wood crown molding is expensive, and not everyone can afford to blow
such a significant amount of money on wood crown molding for their
homes.
Honestly, that is why I ended up going with a polyurethane crown molding to finish my bathroom with. Not only was it cheaper, but I had such a large selection of molding designs that there was no way I was turning back and going with a more bland cut section of wood. Not when I could save a ton of money, and get a detailed look that seemed far more classy than wood had to offer.
Working with poly crown molding is also a heck of a lot easier, and there is no nailing required at all. If you buy yourself corner blocks for the room as well, you can eliminate any difficult 45 degree angle miter cuts. This is exactly what I did, and putting the molding up too less than an hour.
So you are likely thinking of doing the same thing, otherwise why would you be here?
Here is what you will need in order to install your polyurethane crown molding:
You will need a tape measure
You will need Spackle
You will need Caulk
You will need a Spackle knife
You will need Loctite Power Grab Adhesive
You will need a caulking gun (to be used for your power grab adhesive tube)
You will need corner blocks to eliminate miter cuts and save yourself the need to have to cut the molding in a 45 degree angle.
You will need some painters tape
You will need a hacksaw with a thin blade
How to Install:
First and foremost you will want to install your wall corner blocks. You can purchase low priced polyurethane corner blocks online. Make sure you buy enough to add to each corner. Count your interior corners, and exterior corners in order to ensure you have enough blocks.
Install the corner blocks using the Loctite Adhesive, and the caulking gun. Apply the adhesive lightly.
Press the corner blocks firmly against the wall and hold it there for a few seconds until a good solid bond has been made. It will not take long at all. You can then tape them to the wall with the painters tape to ensure they do not move as you continue to work.
Allow these corner blocks to fully dry for at least 24 hours.
The following day take your tape measure to measure out how many feet of the polyurethane molding you will need on each wall.
Once you have your measurements, if you need cuts use a thin blade hacksaw for straight lined cuts. The poly material is very easy to cut, and it takes little to no effort to get a good straight cut. You can also use a saw if you prefer, but the hacksaw is cheaper and does the trick.
Once you have your cuts you can now take your molding back into your room and apply the Loctite adhesive to the back areas where the material will meet the wall and ceiling. Firmly and carefully press the molding into place and hold it there for a few moments. You can use the painters tape again to ensure that the molding does not slip out of place.
Work your way around the room until it is all up.
After everything has dried you can now seal the seams using the caulk gun and caulking. Work your way around the bottom seam of the molding and the top seam. Use your finger to slide across it for a neat bond.
After that is finished drying you can now Spackle any seam cuts or gaps on the molding using the Spackle gun and caulking gun to apply it. Use your finger to smooth out the Spackle.
Allow it to dry for 24 hours and then you can begin your painting!
It is very easy, very cheap, and looks so beautiful when you actually paint it to your preference.
The thing I found that I liked better about poly molding in place of wood molding is that it will never crack, expand, shrink, or sag. It is not porous like wood, and it will last a heck of a lot longer, for a heck of a lot less money!
After all was said and done, my cost was about $250.00 for a full bathroom, 33 linear feet total. The poly molding was $150.00, and the cost of tools added on about another $100.00 or less.
Honestly, that is why I ended up going with a polyurethane crown molding to finish my bathroom with. Not only was it cheaper, but I had such a large selection of molding designs that there was no way I was turning back and going with a more bland cut section of wood. Not when I could save a ton of money, and get a detailed look that seemed far more classy than wood had to offer.
Working with poly crown molding is also a heck of a lot easier, and there is no nailing required at all. If you buy yourself corner blocks for the room as well, you can eliminate any difficult 45 degree angle miter cuts. This is exactly what I did, and putting the molding up too less than an hour.
So you are likely thinking of doing the same thing, otherwise why would you be here?
Here is what you will need in order to install your polyurethane crown molding:
You will need a tape measure
You will need Spackle
You will need Caulk
You will need a Spackle knife
You will need Loctite Power Grab Adhesive
You will need a caulking gun (to be used for your power grab adhesive tube)
You will need corner blocks to eliminate miter cuts and save yourself the need to have to cut the molding in a 45 degree angle.
You will need some painters tape
You will need a hacksaw with a thin blade
How to Install:
First and foremost you will want to install your wall corner blocks. You can purchase low priced polyurethane corner blocks online. Make sure you buy enough to add to each corner. Count your interior corners, and exterior corners in order to ensure you have enough blocks.
Install the corner blocks using the Loctite Adhesive, and the caulking gun. Apply the adhesive lightly.
Press the corner blocks firmly against the wall and hold it there for a few seconds until a good solid bond has been made. It will not take long at all. You can then tape them to the wall with the painters tape to ensure they do not move as you continue to work.
Allow these corner blocks to fully dry for at least 24 hours.
The following day take your tape measure to measure out how many feet of the polyurethane molding you will need on each wall.
Once you have your measurements, if you need cuts use a thin blade hacksaw for straight lined cuts. The poly material is very easy to cut, and it takes little to no effort to get a good straight cut. You can also use a saw if you prefer, but the hacksaw is cheaper and does the trick.
Once you have your cuts you can now take your molding back into your room and apply the Loctite adhesive to the back areas where the material will meet the wall and ceiling. Firmly and carefully press the molding into place and hold it there for a few moments. You can use the painters tape again to ensure that the molding does not slip out of place.
Work your way around the room until it is all up.
After everything has dried you can now seal the seams using the caulk gun and caulking. Work your way around the bottom seam of the molding and the top seam. Use your finger to slide across it for a neat bond.
After that is finished drying you can now Spackle any seam cuts or gaps on the molding using the Spackle gun and caulking gun to apply it. Use your finger to smooth out the Spackle.
Allow it to dry for 24 hours and then you can begin your painting!
It is very easy, very cheap, and looks so beautiful when you actually paint it to your preference.
The thing I found that I liked better about poly molding in place of wood molding is that it will never crack, expand, shrink, or sag. It is not porous like wood, and it will last a heck of a lot longer, for a heck of a lot less money!
After all was said and done, my cost was about $250.00 for a full bathroom, 33 linear feet total. The poly molding was $150.00, and the cost of tools added on about another $100.00 or less.
How to Install Interior and External Polyurethane Corner Blocks for Crown Molding
I knew point blank that when I remodeled my bathroom in my new house
that I wanted crown molding. However I wanted to be able to install the
crown molding as fast as possible without having to go out and buy
myself an expensive miter saw to make 45 degree angle miter cuts.
I began researching and discovered that I could literally eliminate the need to cut angle cuts on the crown molding simply by adding corner blocks to each corner of the wall.
Unfortunately as I began my quest for find low priced corner blocks I learned that I had to be careful with how I went about this, as you have interior/inside corners, and external/outside corners that must be covered.
Your interior corners are the corners that dip in to make up the wall. Your external corners, or outside corners are the corners in the room that may jet out. Not ever room has outside corners but for those of you with outside corners, like my bathroom had, I had to ensure that when I ordered my polyurethan corner blocks, that I ordered just enough of them to make one large block for the one outside corner in the room.
My room consisted of 5 interior corners, and 1 external corner.
I needed a total of 8 corner blocks. I ordered mine on ebay in a medium size right online, and paid a really decent price for them.
Other sites sell corner blocks, but be sure to read the description to ensure you purchase enough of them to finish the job.
Here is how they work:
1 corner block is capable of covering one interior corner. However you need 3 of these individual corner blocks in order to make your outside corner block.
You may need more depending on where you purchase them.
At any rate, to create the outside corner block I had to glue together 3 corner blocks to make 1 large block to cover all angles of my outside wall corner. You will want to use Loctite adhesive and a caulking gun to seal them together. Allow them to dry.
After the blocks are all dry and they are sealed together, you will want to use some Spackle on the seams to blend it to make the seam disappear. After Spackle, you will then sand it to give it a smooth and even look.
While this large outside corner block dries feel free to install each of the other corner interior blocks into place. You will need to use a caulking gun and a tube of Loctite Adhesive. Apply the adhesive to the blocks and simply stick them up in each interior corner.
To ensure they do not slip down you can use painters tape to hold them in place, although it is not really necessary because the adhesive works very fast.
Once the corner blocks are all installed to the corners, in and out walls, you can now begin to install your crown molding.
Why Use Corner Blocks?
You will save yourself quite a bit of time using them. You will not need to buy or rent an expensive miter saw to make angle cuts, and they also add a nice touch of class to the room.
Instead of wasting a few hours making perfect cuts, you can take those hours and literally finish the job in the same amount of time.
Where To Buy:
A quick search online will take you to what you need. They are much cheaper online than say a hardware store. Hardware stores carry them, but they are usually wood blocks, not as decorative looking and cost a heck of a lot more money. The polyurethane corner blocks are much cheaper, they are easier to install to the wall, and they can be painted over just like wood corner blocks. Your preference is however your preference; wood or poly; but personally for a cheaper, lighter, and easier install go with the polyurethane.
I began researching and discovered that I could literally eliminate the need to cut angle cuts on the crown molding simply by adding corner blocks to each corner of the wall.
Unfortunately as I began my quest for find low priced corner blocks I learned that I had to be careful with how I went about this, as you have interior/inside corners, and external/outside corners that must be covered.
Your interior corners are the corners that dip in to make up the wall. Your external corners, or outside corners are the corners in the room that may jet out. Not ever room has outside corners but for those of you with outside corners, like my bathroom had, I had to ensure that when I ordered my polyurethan corner blocks, that I ordered just enough of them to make one large block for the one outside corner in the room.
My room consisted of 5 interior corners, and 1 external corner.
I needed a total of 8 corner blocks. I ordered mine on ebay in a medium size right online, and paid a really decent price for them.
Other sites sell corner blocks, but be sure to read the description to ensure you purchase enough of them to finish the job.
Here is how they work:
1 corner block is capable of covering one interior corner. However you need 3 of these individual corner blocks in order to make your outside corner block.
You may need more depending on where you purchase them.
At any rate, to create the outside corner block I had to glue together 3 corner blocks to make 1 large block to cover all angles of my outside wall corner. You will want to use Loctite adhesive and a caulking gun to seal them together. Allow them to dry.
After the blocks are all dry and they are sealed together, you will want to use some Spackle on the seams to blend it to make the seam disappear. After Spackle, you will then sand it to give it a smooth and even look.
While this large outside corner block dries feel free to install each of the other corner interior blocks into place. You will need to use a caulking gun and a tube of Loctite Adhesive. Apply the adhesive to the blocks and simply stick them up in each interior corner.
To ensure they do not slip down you can use painters tape to hold them in place, although it is not really necessary because the adhesive works very fast.
Once the corner blocks are all installed to the corners, in and out walls, you can now begin to install your crown molding.
Why Use Corner Blocks?
You will save yourself quite a bit of time using them. You will not need to buy or rent an expensive miter saw to make angle cuts, and they also add a nice touch of class to the room.
Instead of wasting a few hours making perfect cuts, you can take those hours and literally finish the job in the same amount of time.
Where To Buy:
A quick search online will take you to what you need. They are much cheaper online than say a hardware store. Hardware stores carry them, but they are usually wood blocks, not as decorative looking and cost a heck of a lot more money. The polyurethane corner blocks are much cheaper, they are easier to install to the wall, and they can be painted over just like wood corner blocks. Your preference is however your preference; wood or poly; but personally for a cheaper, lighter, and easier install go with the polyurethane.
Review of Enviro: The New M55 Cast Multi-Fuel Pellet Stove M55 Pellet Stove
I just moved into my new home, and with winter quickly approaching
and the way our large 2,000 square foot home eats up oil, I came to the
quick conclusion that I wanted to have a wood stove installed in the
home to save on the cost of fuel.
Unfortunately due to the awkward layout in my parlor, I could not add a
wood stove unless I placed it in the center of the room, and ran it up
through the entirety of the home. That was not in my budget, nor did I
want a pipe going through the floor.
After some research and speaking with our local fireplace store/friend, we decided to take the plunge and go with the Enviro: The New M55 Cast Multi-Fuel Stove. Aside from pellets, you can burn corn and cherry pits in this beast. Seeing that we do not live in areas that sell cherry pits or corn by the pallets, we were going to be using pellets in our stove.
My parents had the Enviro: Mini Pellet Stove in their smaller 3 bedroom ranch, and I knew the power that the smaller model carried. Although skeptical about the M55, I figured it would pump out some serious heat, even if it did not manage to heat the entire house.
Why we decided on the The New M55 Cast Multi-Fuel Stove
Our home is big, 2 stories with a lot of space. I was of course skeptical that the The New M55 Cast Multi-Fuel Stove would actually heat the entire home, but the sales woman insisted that the one in her home does the trick in her 2,200 square foot home. I raised an eyebrow but decided at this point there were no other larger options when it came to pellet stoves.
The advertising in their store also stated that this particular pellet stove had the capability of heating up to 2,500 square feet. This was more than what we had, so I lowered my eyebrow and signed on the dotted line.
Enviro The New M55 Cast Multi-Fuel Stove took a week to come in, and our appointment was set up to be installed. The installation took them about 2.5 hours, and once that was done we were in business.
There are 2 ways to heat the home, a thermostat is included so you can set the temperature, but we did not need this installed because we wanted it to run continuously. There is a small panel inside under the lid that allows you to adjust your settings. There are a total of 5 heat settings, 1 being the lowest, and 5 being the highest.
The hearth we decided on was called Night Owl, and it is such a perfect and pretty touch to the parlor.
On level 5 the pellet stove really comes to life. It offers a large and romantic flame which reminded me a lot of a regular old wood stove, so this was a really pleasant touch.
If you leave it on setting 5 all throughout the night you will go through one entire bag of pellets during a 15 hour time interval, which is not too bad. However on a lower setting the stove requires less pellets. We wanted to put the stove to the test though and really let it cook to see just how hot the entire house would get with it on.
At setting 5 in about 1 hour our home which initially began with a 67 degree temperature rose to 75 degrees on the lower level, and 73 on the upper level.
After around 3 hours of running on setting 5, we had the house cranked up to a sweat inducing 85 degrees on the lower level, and a warm and toasty 80 on the upper level.
At this point we were 100% satisfied that the sales rep did not lie to us, and that the advertising on this particular pellet stove rang true to the words written on paper! You can seriously get some powerful heat from this stove, and yes it will heat up your entire home, lower and upper levels without a hiccup.
Yes the price may of cost us the same amount of money as a 2 week trip to Bora Bora, but in the end we now have tropical weather inside of out entire home for years and years to come. The amount of oil we will now save is going to be the most impressive, and of course the best investment we could have ever made for our home.
Overall:
If you are considering the Enviro: The New M55 Cast Multi-Fuel Stove do not even hesitate. It is worth its weight in gold, and it is such a beautiful touch to any room you decide to add it to.
We got ours for a very decent price of just $4,400 with installation. The price will be higher depending on where you purchase it. We got ours from a reputable seller, and friend, so we were not charged labor.
Tip:
You get a $300 credit on your taxes for purchasing this stove and other pellet stoves as well.
After some research and speaking with our local fireplace store/friend, we decided to take the plunge and go with the Enviro: The New M55 Cast Multi-Fuel Stove. Aside from pellets, you can burn corn and cherry pits in this beast. Seeing that we do not live in areas that sell cherry pits or corn by the pallets, we were going to be using pellets in our stove.
My parents had the Enviro: Mini Pellet Stove in their smaller 3 bedroom ranch, and I knew the power that the smaller model carried. Although skeptical about the M55, I figured it would pump out some serious heat, even if it did not manage to heat the entire house.
Why we decided on the The New M55 Cast Multi-Fuel Stove
Our home is big, 2 stories with a lot of space. I was of course skeptical that the The New M55 Cast Multi-Fuel Stove would actually heat the entire home, but the sales woman insisted that the one in her home does the trick in her 2,200 square foot home. I raised an eyebrow but decided at this point there were no other larger options when it came to pellet stoves.
The advertising in their store also stated that this particular pellet stove had the capability of heating up to 2,500 square feet. This was more than what we had, so I lowered my eyebrow and signed on the dotted line.
Enviro The New M55 Cast Multi-Fuel Stove took a week to come in, and our appointment was set up to be installed. The installation took them about 2.5 hours, and once that was done we were in business.
There are 2 ways to heat the home, a thermostat is included so you can set the temperature, but we did not need this installed because we wanted it to run continuously. There is a small panel inside under the lid that allows you to adjust your settings. There are a total of 5 heat settings, 1 being the lowest, and 5 being the highest.
The hearth we decided on was called Night Owl, and it is such a perfect and pretty touch to the parlor.
On level 5 the pellet stove really comes to life. It offers a large and romantic flame which reminded me a lot of a regular old wood stove, so this was a really pleasant touch.
If you leave it on setting 5 all throughout the night you will go through one entire bag of pellets during a 15 hour time interval, which is not too bad. However on a lower setting the stove requires less pellets. We wanted to put the stove to the test though and really let it cook to see just how hot the entire house would get with it on.
At setting 5 in about 1 hour our home which initially began with a 67 degree temperature rose to 75 degrees on the lower level, and 73 on the upper level.
After around 3 hours of running on setting 5, we had the house cranked up to a sweat inducing 85 degrees on the lower level, and a warm and toasty 80 on the upper level.
At this point we were 100% satisfied that the sales rep did not lie to us, and that the advertising on this particular pellet stove rang true to the words written on paper! You can seriously get some powerful heat from this stove, and yes it will heat up your entire home, lower and upper levels without a hiccup.
Yes the price may of cost us the same amount of money as a 2 week trip to Bora Bora, but in the end we now have tropical weather inside of out entire home for years and years to come. The amount of oil we will now save is going to be the most impressive, and of course the best investment we could have ever made for our home.
Overall:
If you are considering the Enviro: The New M55 Cast Multi-Fuel Stove do not even hesitate. It is worth its weight in gold, and it is such a beautiful touch to any room you decide to add it to.
We got ours for a very decent price of just $4,400 with installation. The price will be higher depending on where you purchase it. We got ours from a reputable seller, and friend, so we were not charged labor.
Tip:
You get a $300 credit on your taxes for purchasing this stove and other pellet stoves as well.
The Best Door Knocker Around! Review of Vecchio Greenman Authentic Iron Door Knocker
Since I was a child I had always wanted a pair of door knockers like
the ones we seen in the movie Labyrinth, with David Bowie. I was
infatuated with how neat they were, and as I grew older I knew that one
day, when I got my own house, I would seek out a door knocker from that
movie, or one that resembled one of them anyway.
Sadly, the Labyrinth door knockers that are sold online do not come with the actual knocking ring in their mouths, so what point do they serve? None as far as I was concerned.
Disappointment left my thoughts rather fast though, and that was because I had discovered the Vecchio Greenman Authentic Iron Door Knocker.
I scoped it out on an auction site for $70.00 plus shipping, which at the time was just too expensive. However after some real digging through search engines, I was able to locate this very door knocker online at Design Toscano for a fraction of the price. With some more research, I located a $15.00 off coupon on my first order, and this $70.00 door knocker became mine for $46.00. Now that is a deal, especially considering the quality.
The Vecchio Greenman Authentic Iron Door Knocker is made of iron, and this door knocker is not your average run of the mill low quality knocker. It is heavy, it is very detailed, and yes, it may even be considered a little bit scary.
I was hoping to have it before Halloween, because I figured the neighbors would get a kick out of it, but no such luck. That did not matter to me though, as my Vecchio Greenman Authentic Iron Door Knocker will be hanging on my door year round.
There is one con when it comes to this door knocker. It is the fact that it did not come with included screws for hanging, so you will have to dig in your tool box for some screws before you can mount it.
There are 2 mounting spots, each hole is located inside of the Greenman's ears. The door protector plate is attached right under the doors knocking ring to keep your door from being damaged. This will screw right through the entire door, with a decorative piece to screw in to hide the hole.
Overall:
The Vecchio Greenman Authentic Iron Door Knocker is an awesome addition to your front door. It is large, impressive, and truly gives your house that castle feel.
If you have been looking for that one particular door knocker that screams 'look at me', than this is the one for you.
Sadly, the Labyrinth door knockers that are sold online do not come with the actual knocking ring in their mouths, so what point do they serve? None as far as I was concerned.
Disappointment left my thoughts rather fast though, and that was because I had discovered the Vecchio Greenman Authentic Iron Door Knocker.
I scoped it out on an auction site for $70.00 plus shipping, which at the time was just too expensive. However after some real digging through search engines, I was able to locate this very door knocker online at Design Toscano for a fraction of the price. With some more research, I located a $15.00 off coupon on my first order, and this $70.00 door knocker became mine for $46.00. Now that is a deal, especially considering the quality.
The Vecchio Greenman Authentic Iron Door Knocker is made of iron, and this door knocker is not your average run of the mill low quality knocker. It is heavy, it is very detailed, and yes, it may even be considered a little bit scary.
I was hoping to have it before Halloween, because I figured the neighbors would get a kick out of it, but no such luck. That did not matter to me though, as my Vecchio Greenman Authentic Iron Door Knocker will be hanging on my door year round.
There is one con when it comes to this door knocker. It is the fact that it did not come with included screws for hanging, so you will have to dig in your tool box for some screws before you can mount it.
There are 2 mounting spots, each hole is located inside of the Greenman's ears. The door protector plate is attached right under the doors knocking ring to keep your door from being damaged. This will screw right through the entire door, with a decorative piece to screw in to hide the hole.
Overall:
The Vecchio Greenman Authentic Iron Door Knocker is an awesome addition to your front door. It is large, impressive, and truly gives your house that castle feel.
If you have been looking for that one particular door knocker that screams 'look at me', than this is the one for you.
Review of Proware 2 Layer Dish Drainer Rack
The thing about not having a dishwasher and limited counter space is figuring out where things go once you hand wash them.
We had been using a standard dry mat on the counter and a plastic tub dry rack, but the limited space on the counter made getting all of the dishes dry impossible. My mom, who must have overheard me complaining about it, came over one day with the perfect gift.
The Proware 2 Layer Dish Drainer, a nice rack that I thought would help solve the issue I was having with getting my dishes clean and dry.
Set Up:
The rack set up easily, and was very sturdy. Everything you need is included in the box, and was all set up within 5 minutes.
It provided me 2 sections to place dishes on, small hooks to place mugs and cups on, and a basket to put utensils in. The bottom area holds a plastic drip pan as well. It's all set up conveniently and nicely, and looks nice on the counter compared to the old method I was using.
What I loved about this rack in comparison to a plastic one we had prior was that it actually held the dishes in place. The plastic dish drying unit we had would not hold them upright due to how flimsy it was.
This Proware 2 Layer Dish Rack held all of our dishes after cleaning them, and allowed them to drip dry into the convenient plastic pan down below.
I was literally contemplating buying a dishwasher just to end the hassle of having to have dishes piled on my counter while waiting for them to dry.
The Proware rack literally kept things organize, saved me a bunch of counter space, and I no longer have to pile dishes on the counter. I like how neat it looks, and how quickly it allows for the dishes to dry due to the fact that none of them make contact with one another and hold water.
We had been using a standard dry mat on the counter and a plastic tub dry rack, but the limited space on the counter made getting all of the dishes dry impossible. My mom, who must have overheard me complaining about it, came over one day with the perfect gift.
The Proware 2 Layer Dish Drainer, a nice rack that I thought would help solve the issue I was having with getting my dishes clean and dry.
Set Up:
The rack set up easily, and was very sturdy. Everything you need is included in the box, and was all set up within 5 minutes.
It provided me 2 sections to place dishes on, small hooks to place mugs and cups on, and a basket to put utensils in. The bottom area holds a plastic drip pan as well. It's all set up conveniently and nicely, and looks nice on the counter compared to the old method I was using.
What I loved about this rack in comparison to a plastic one we had prior was that it actually held the dishes in place. The plastic dish drying unit we had would not hold them upright due to how flimsy it was.
This Proware 2 Layer Dish Rack held all of our dishes after cleaning them, and allowed them to drip dry into the convenient plastic pan down below.
I was literally contemplating buying a dishwasher just to end the hassle of having to have dishes piled on my counter while waiting for them to dry.
The Proware rack literally kept things organize, saved me a bunch of counter space, and I no longer have to pile dishes on the counter. I like how neat it looks, and how quickly it allows for the dishes to dry due to the fact that none of them make contact with one another and hold water.
Review of Behr Sugar Sweet Paint 680A-2
It has been my dream since I was a teenager to have a grand walk in
closet. I literally came from a home where my bedroom had no closet, and
my dresser could never fit even a portion of the amount of clothes that
I had.
When I became a homeowner though, my dream came true. I had a bedroom, that had french doors that literally opened up into another bedroom. Well, instead of using that room as a bedroom, I decided to make it the dream walk in closet I always wanted. The room however is so big, that I call it my changing room, as walk in closet status is below me.
Yup, I am a snob!
At any rate, I finally got around to picking paint colors for the room. Pink and black, 2 of my favorite colors combined, and I knew I had to be ever so careful with the color hue of pink I went with, because I could easily mess up and end up with neon pink walls.
I was looking for something softer, more subtle but of course I wanted the pink to pop, in a flat finish with a cotton candy like sweetness to it.
So, off to the Home Depot I went, and began studying paint swatches to try to envision how it would look in a room. Turns out I have a good mind for when it comes to imagining what something will look like before it is executed.
After peering back and forth from one swatch to another, I finally settled on Behr's Sugar Sweet Paint 680A-2, in a flat finish. I am not really into semi gloss finishes on walls, as I always use a high gloss paint on trim. I think it looks nicer that way, but this is just my preference.
I was nervous about how it would look on the walls, because from past experience, things tend to look brighter on the walls than on the swatch. Once I got home though, and began painting, I was so excited and pleased with the color.
It was pink alright, but a sort of soft one, which did not scream at you.
The quality is phenomenal, and I only needed one coat of paint. I have been using all sorts of paints since buying this house, and so far Behr has been the highest quality paint I have brought home to use. It goes on quickly and evenly, dries pretty fast, and leaves behind gorgeous color.
All in all, if you have been looking for that dreamy colored candy pink, I think that this particular color will please you through and through. The downside of course is that this paint costs a tad bit more than other brand names, but for good reasons!
When I became a homeowner though, my dream came true. I had a bedroom, that had french doors that literally opened up into another bedroom. Well, instead of using that room as a bedroom, I decided to make it the dream walk in closet I always wanted. The room however is so big, that I call it my changing room, as walk in closet status is below me.
Yup, I am a snob!
At any rate, I finally got around to picking paint colors for the room. Pink and black, 2 of my favorite colors combined, and I knew I had to be ever so careful with the color hue of pink I went with, because I could easily mess up and end up with neon pink walls.
I was looking for something softer, more subtle but of course I wanted the pink to pop, in a flat finish with a cotton candy like sweetness to it.
So, off to the Home Depot I went, and began studying paint swatches to try to envision how it would look in a room. Turns out I have a good mind for when it comes to imagining what something will look like before it is executed.
After peering back and forth from one swatch to another, I finally settled on Behr's Sugar Sweet Paint 680A-2, in a flat finish. I am not really into semi gloss finishes on walls, as I always use a high gloss paint on trim. I think it looks nicer that way, but this is just my preference.
I was nervous about how it would look on the walls, because from past experience, things tend to look brighter on the walls than on the swatch. Once I got home though, and began painting, I was so excited and pleased with the color.
It was pink alright, but a sort of soft one, which did not scream at you.
The quality is phenomenal, and I only needed one coat of paint. I have been using all sorts of paints since buying this house, and so far Behr has been the highest quality paint I have brought home to use. It goes on quickly and evenly, dries pretty fast, and leaves behind gorgeous color.
All in all, if you have been looking for that dreamy colored candy pink, I think that this particular color will please you through and through. The downside of course is that this paint costs a tad bit more than other brand names, but for good reasons!
How to Add Massive Amounts of Shiny Sparkling Rainbow Glitter to Paint
I had been searching the internet for simple and easy ways to add a high
beam glittery shine to paint. You see I wanted a very eye catching
glistening shine, and after trying out a few paints with glitter already
added to them, I was beyond disappointed with just how lack luster the
shimmer of the glitter was once the paint dried.
Martha Stewart's glitter paints in particular were a major waste of money, so I decided to try out my own method to see how it would work.
I added the sparkle and shimmer that I was looking for, and it was a heck of a lot easier than mixing glitter with glaze finishes.
What you will need to get the best glitter paint for walls and other painting projects:
You will need paint of course, any color will due
You will need prismatic holographic glitter. This glitter is a little more expensive, but the shine and shimmer is like no other, as it casts a beautiful glow of rainbow prisms as you move.
A paint brush is of course necessary
A spray can of clear glaze- this is optional
Step 1-
Paint you walls
Step 2-
Paint a second coat on if necessary. If not skip to step 3.
Step 3-
As the paint is still tacky you will now need your glitter. You simply pour some in your hand and blow it at the paint while it is still tacky. The tacky paint will catch the glitter as you slowly blow it off of your hand and onto the walls.
Step 4-
You really do not need to do this step, but if you want to ensure a good bond between your paint and glitter you can spray on a clear glaze which will hold the glitter in place even better.
The results are simply magnificent and more pretty in person than what my photos demonstrate.
I used this method to paint a shelf, and to paint my jewelry cabinet to match the color scheme of my room. The results speak for itself.
This method of adding glitter to paint is probably a little messier than other methods, but this method ensures that you glittery finish is just that, all glitter and all glam! The projects you can master using this technique are endless!
Martha Stewart's glitter paints in particular were a major waste of money, so I decided to try out my own method to see how it would work.
I added the sparkle and shimmer that I was looking for, and it was a heck of a lot easier than mixing glitter with glaze finishes.
What you will need to get the best glitter paint for walls and other painting projects:
You will need paint of course, any color will due
You will need prismatic holographic glitter. This glitter is a little more expensive, but the shine and shimmer is like no other, as it casts a beautiful glow of rainbow prisms as you move.
A paint brush is of course necessary
A spray can of clear glaze- this is optional
Step 1-
Paint you walls
Step 2-
Paint a second coat on if necessary. If not skip to step 3.
Step 3-
As the paint is still tacky you will now need your glitter. You simply pour some in your hand and blow it at the paint while it is still tacky. The tacky paint will catch the glitter as you slowly blow it off of your hand and onto the walls.
Step 4-
You really do not need to do this step, but if you want to ensure a good bond between your paint and glitter you can spray on a clear glaze which will hold the glitter in place even better.
The results are simply magnificent and more pretty in person than what my photos demonstrate.
I used this method to paint a shelf, and to paint my jewelry cabinet to match the color scheme of my room. The results speak for itself.
This method of adding glitter to paint is probably a little messier than other methods, but this method ensures that you glittery finish is just that, all glitter and all glam! The projects you can master using this technique are endless!
Review of Disney All that Glitters Specialty Finish Paint- Glidden 7800D Speck-Tacular
Since buying my new home I have been on a real kick when it comes to
adding a sparkling shimmer to some of the bedroom walls. I have been
painting, and trying out new techniques, as well as trying to figure out
what the best on the market method of painting your walls with glitter
is.
I have hit a few road bumps, but discovered that the easiest way to do it is by simply blowing glitter onto the walls and finishing it up with a clear sealer.
However when I discovered that Glidden had come out with a new line of interesting specialty finishes, I was one of the first on line to picking up a can. I came across Disney All That Glitters Specialty Finishing Paint at Walmart for about $10 for a half gallon. Which in my opinion is more than enough to finish a decent sized bedroom.
I was planning on trying it out over black for a quick and eye catching glitter effect that I knew would be recognizable.
I was pretty baffled when I popped open the top though to reveal nothing but a big old bucket of what appeared to be white milky colored glue. Apparently though it would dry clear, and the glitter would be revealed. I could only hope that it worked as promised, and that the finishing results would be a nice glittery shimmery effect.
Results:
Well, yes Disney All That Glitters Paint did in fact work fine over paint. However I did not know firsthand that the glitter that would be revealed once the paint dried would be one flustered with rainbow colored thicker round flecks of glitter.
For me it was sort of tacky, and I would have loved to have seen smaller flecks of glitter used, instead of thick cuts of it.
Now I cannot bash the specialty finish too much because there is surely a lot of glitter throughout the paint, which was a plus, but the glitter quality itself could have been a heck of a lot better. Finer glitter and instead of a rainbow array of colors, silver would have been nicer, and it would have allowed me to use this specialty finish on more walls.
I wanted a classy elegant touch of glitter, but instead ended up with a more confetti like finish which I did not really care for all that much.
Overall:
Although Disney All That Glitters Paint was not necessarily for me, it still worked very well. It was cleaner than blowing glitter onto the walls, it worked better than the small containers of expensive glitter finishes from Martha Stewart, it did not change the color of the paint I used it on top of, and it dried quickly. In my opinion these are all major pluses when it comes to this particular finish.
For young girls with a princess bedroom theme this finish would be perfect and add an adorable touch to the walls that kids would love. However for larger more open rooms like your living room, this would not be the specialty finish you would want to use.
I am pretty sure that there are other finishes that may not contain such large confetti like glitter flecks, but I was not able to find it in the store.
I have hit a few road bumps, but discovered that the easiest way to do it is by simply blowing glitter onto the walls and finishing it up with a clear sealer.
However when I discovered that Glidden had come out with a new line of interesting specialty finishes, I was one of the first on line to picking up a can. I came across Disney All That Glitters Specialty Finishing Paint at Walmart for about $10 for a half gallon. Which in my opinion is more than enough to finish a decent sized bedroom.
I was planning on trying it out over black for a quick and eye catching glitter effect that I knew would be recognizable.
I was pretty baffled when I popped open the top though to reveal nothing but a big old bucket of what appeared to be white milky colored glue. Apparently though it would dry clear, and the glitter would be revealed. I could only hope that it worked as promised, and that the finishing results would be a nice glittery shimmery effect.
Results:
Well, yes Disney All That Glitters Paint did in fact work fine over paint. However I did not know firsthand that the glitter that would be revealed once the paint dried would be one flustered with rainbow colored thicker round flecks of glitter.
For me it was sort of tacky, and I would have loved to have seen smaller flecks of glitter used, instead of thick cuts of it.
Now I cannot bash the specialty finish too much because there is surely a lot of glitter throughout the paint, which was a plus, but the glitter quality itself could have been a heck of a lot better. Finer glitter and instead of a rainbow array of colors, silver would have been nicer, and it would have allowed me to use this specialty finish on more walls.
I wanted a classy elegant touch of glitter, but instead ended up with a more confetti like finish which I did not really care for all that much.
Overall:
Although Disney All That Glitters Paint was not necessarily for me, it still worked very well. It was cleaner than blowing glitter onto the walls, it worked better than the small containers of expensive glitter finishes from Martha Stewart, it did not change the color of the paint I used it on top of, and it dried quickly. In my opinion these are all major pluses when it comes to this particular finish.
For young girls with a princess bedroom theme this finish would be perfect and add an adorable touch to the walls that kids would love. However for larger more open rooms like your living room, this would not be the specialty finish you would want to use.
I am pretty sure that there are other finishes that may not contain such large confetti like glitter flecks, but I was not able to find it in the store.
How to Stain Wood Floors Black
I bought my first house back in October, and ever since moving in and
discovering old rickety looking wood floors underneath the old cat pee
stained carpet, it became my personal mission to sand the floors myself,
and then stain them.
Black!
Now I am an absolute beginner when it comes to home improvement projects, but I must say, I learn fast and go about things in my own manner. I basically hope for the best as I go about home projects, and you know what? I do a pretty darn good job when it comes to a task at hand.
When I told everyone my plans for a black as night wood floor, I got a few raised eyebrows, and a lot of others whom claimed I shouldn't do it because it would show every hair, bubble or bit of dust. The funny thing about all of their testimony was that none of them ever had black wood floors done in their home, so I ignored all negativity and perused my mission for black wood floors.
Step 1-
You will need to sand your floors. Some will tell you to sand the heck out of them until they are their original pale yellow raw color. We however are using black stain, so just make sure you sand off any surface layers of old polyurethane.
You can go about sanding the floors in 2 ways. If you are crazy like me, you can take a few weeks to hand sand them using an orbital sander. This was the method I used. It takes a lot of time and patience, but I got through it, and it was no tiny room either!
The second way you can do this would be to rent a drum sander, however you can really mess your floors up if you do not know how to use one.
Hence being the girl I am, and the fact that I was afraid to ruin my floors, I did it all with a 5 inch orbital. Yeah, crazy. I know!
Step 2-
Once your floors are completely sanded, you now must go about the daunting task of cleaning, mopping, cleaning, vacuuming, and repeating these steps until the floors are literally spotless. For me, this was actually harder than the sanding, because even after thinking every fleck of dirt or hair is gone, you'd be surprised to find how wrong you are.
Step 3-
Stain! Now there is this really neat stuff out there that is literally a polyurethane and stain in one. We used this in a color called ebony. However we discovered that this stuff was really low quality, and the finish was not quite what we wanted.
When working with the stain go with the grain of the wood. I used a regular paint brush to stain each individual strip of wood. I worked slowly, and carefully.
Step 4-
Allow it to dry for at least 6 hours before using/walking on the floors.
We did not really like the low quality flat finish that this 2 in 1 product left behind, and turned it into a high quality finish by simply adding Minwax clear gloss finish on top of this. I did this by easily working in the same manner as I did when applying the stain.
This literally allowed the floors to shine brightly and look a lot nicer than when it was a flat color.
Step 5-
Once the clear coat is dried, you can use your floors. We allowed it to dry for 3 hours before it was fully dry and safe to walk on.
Tips-
Do not drag furniture across floors, it can and likely will scratch it.
Black!
Now I am an absolute beginner when it comes to home improvement projects, but I must say, I learn fast and go about things in my own manner. I basically hope for the best as I go about home projects, and you know what? I do a pretty darn good job when it comes to a task at hand.
When I told everyone my plans for a black as night wood floor, I got a few raised eyebrows, and a lot of others whom claimed I shouldn't do it because it would show every hair, bubble or bit of dust. The funny thing about all of their testimony was that none of them ever had black wood floors done in their home, so I ignored all negativity and perused my mission for black wood floors.
Step 1-
You will need to sand your floors. Some will tell you to sand the heck out of them until they are their original pale yellow raw color. We however are using black stain, so just make sure you sand off any surface layers of old polyurethane.
You can go about sanding the floors in 2 ways. If you are crazy like me, you can take a few weeks to hand sand them using an orbital sander. This was the method I used. It takes a lot of time and patience, but I got through it, and it was no tiny room either!
The second way you can do this would be to rent a drum sander, however you can really mess your floors up if you do not know how to use one.
Hence being the girl I am, and the fact that I was afraid to ruin my floors, I did it all with a 5 inch orbital. Yeah, crazy. I know!
Step 2-
Once your floors are completely sanded, you now must go about the daunting task of cleaning, mopping, cleaning, vacuuming, and repeating these steps until the floors are literally spotless. For me, this was actually harder than the sanding, because even after thinking every fleck of dirt or hair is gone, you'd be surprised to find how wrong you are.
Step 3-
Stain! Now there is this really neat stuff out there that is literally a polyurethane and stain in one. We used this in a color called ebony. However we discovered that this stuff was really low quality, and the finish was not quite what we wanted.
When working with the stain go with the grain of the wood. I used a regular paint brush to stain each individual strip of wood. I worked slowly, and carefully.
Step 4-
Allow it to dry for at least 6 hours before using/walking on the floors.
We did not really like the low quality flat finish that this 2 in 1 product left behind, and turned it into a high quality finish by simply adding Minwax clear gloss finish on top of this. I did this by easily working in the same manner as I did when applying the stain.
This literally allowed the floors to shine brightly and look a lot nicer than when it was a flat color.
Step 5-
Once the clear coat is dried, you can use your floors. We allowed it to dry for 3 hours before it was fully dry and safe to walk on.
Tips-
Do not drag furniture across floors, it can and likely will scratch it.
How to White Wash Wood Floors
This past week while on vacation, I decided to tackle one of the
bedrooms in our new home, and turn it into a relaxing beach themed room.
Heck, we even hung a hammock in the room!
While emptying the room, and painting the walls, I decided that I wanted the wood floors to match with this theme by white washing the floors.
Taking on a task I had never done before, I must say that they came out pretty spectacular, as did the entire room for that matter!
I had white interior paint already, so I was set!
What You Will Need:
-Sanded wood floors
-White paint
-Paint brush
-Water based polyurethane. I used Minwax.
Step 1-
Make sure floors are sanded. I did this using a handheld 5 inch orbital sander. You can also rent a drum sander, but unless you know what you are doing, I would skip out on that, especially if you are like me, a beginner to do it yourself home improvement projects!
Step 2-
After sanding clean the heck out of the floors to remove any dirt, dust or sanding debris.
Step 3-
Mix white paint with water in a container. I used half paint, and half water in a standard household container and mixed it together. Solution was very runny.
Step 4-
Paint your floors going with the grain of the wood. It is OK if things look milky, they are supposed to!
Step 5-
Allow paint to dry for up to 3 hours.
Step 6-
Use a water based polyurethane gloss over the paint to seal it in. I used Minwax, and it dried in 3 hours.
Work your way around the room until all floor boards are sealed with a thin coat of the Minwax clear gloss.
Step 7-
Allow everything to dry, and enjoy your new floors. This white wash finish looks beautiful and is so easy to do.
While emptying the room, and painting the walls, I decided that I wanted the wood floors to match with this theme by white washing the floors.
Taking on a task I had never done before, I must say that they came out pretty spectacular, as did the entire room for that matter!
I had white interior paint already, so I was set!
What You Will Need:
-Sanded wood floors
-White paint
-Paint brush
-Water based polyurethane. I used Minwax.
Step 1-
Make sure floors are sanded. I did this using a handheld 5 inch orbital sander. You can also rent a drum sander, but unless you know what you are doing, I would skip out on that, especially if you are like me, a beginner to do it yourself home improvement projects!
Step 2-
After sanding clean the heck out of the floors to remove any dirt, dust or sanding debris.
Step 3-
Mix white paint with water in a container. I used half paint, and half water in a standard household container and mixed it together. Solution was very runny.
Step 4-
Paint your floors going with the grain of the wood. It is OK if things look milky, they are supposed to!
Step 5-
Allow paint to dry for up to 3 hours.
Step 6-
Use a water based polyurethane gloss over the paint to seal it in. I used Minwax, and it dried in 3 hours.
Work your way around the room until all floor boards are sealed with a thin coat of the Minwax clear gloss.
Step 7-
Allow everything to dry, and enjoy your new floors. This white wash finish looks beautiful and is so easy to do.
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