Monthly Archives: May 2009

Remember, everyone starts as a beginner at painting. Just because you have never painted a house doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it a try. The money you save by painting your own house is money you can put into other home improvements. It can also be a fun thing for the whole family to do.

Now we need to choose the colors we want to paint the house. There is a really cool tool online that you can use. http://www.benjaminmoore.com/wrapper_pcv.asp?L=owner&K=intproj&N=intproj Click let’s paint. Choose exterior or the interior options. Choose the project closest to yours. Get started and you will soon know what color you want to paint your house and you’ll have a vision of what it is going to look like when you’re finished.

Here are some of the basics. Of course the first thing you need to do is wash down the walls of your house. A pressure washer can be rented at almost any rental yard and is the best way to do that. Now go around with a scraper and remove all loose paint and chipped areas. You don’t have to scrape the entire wall, but any areas where the surface is not flat can cause you problems as you paint your house.

Next, figure out your square footage so you can determine the amount of paint you will need to buy. Buy your paint in 5-gallon pails, rather than gallons to save more money.

Talk to the helper at your local paint store and tell him about your project. They can help you decide on how many brushes and rollers and other items you will need. You can buy natural or synthetic bristles for oil based paints, but only use synthetic bristles with latex paint. The same rule applies to rollers. Good rollers can run you around $7, but buy high-quality paintbrushes. A good brush for cutting in around edges will run you about $30.

Make sure you purchased some painter’s tape. It’s blue tape that comes in different widths and is easy to remove without messing up your paint job. That brings us to preparation. Tape off all areas you don’t wish to get this color of paint on. If there are large areas to cover, make sure you pick up some rolls of plastic. You can tape the edges of the plastic down over whatever you need to cover.

Don’t paint out of the paint cans. First reason is that leaving the paint can open will dry out the paint and make it difficult to apply. Another reason is that your brush or roller picks up dirt and foreign objects, which will end up in your paint and may even change the color as you go along.

Do all of your cutting or trimming in before you paint the walls. Use a 4” brush and with a smooth stroke guide it around the edges where you taped off. Make sure you have plenty of paint on your brush. The biggest mistake people make is trying to stretch the paint too far. Keep drips cleaned up as you go with a small rag. Remember you will be rolling up to the edge of your cut, so don’t worry about that, just make sure you cover the edges well.

Start on the edges of your walls and work your way toward the middle. Most people don’t do this and problems can result. If you start and new can of paint in the middle of the wall and there is any difference in the color at all, it will show up there more than it would on the edges. So with each new can of paint you open, start at the edges first.

Dip your roller in water (for Latex) or solvent (for oil-based paint), before you start. Whether you use a pan or a 5-gallon bucket with a screen, make sure you roll it out a little to make sure it isn’t dripping. You don’t need to go all the way from the top to the bottom as you paint. Do what you can reach.

Apply the paint in a Y or an N pattern, then apply paint in columns up and down smoothing out all the edges or ridges as you go. Again don’t try to stretch the paint out, make sure you have enough paint on your roller to give it a good coat. If you are applying more than one coat, make sure the first coat is completely dry before applying a new coat of paint.
Corners are a difficult part to learn to paint. If you aren’t careful, this is where you will see paint drips later. Get as close to corners as you can, but don’t scrape the roller against the corner. That will cause drips. If you are unsure, have a paintbrush handy to smooth out drips. That is also a good idea overall. Keep a paintbrush ready for taking care of any drips or ridges you leave behind. Doing this as you go is much easier than trying to fix it after it’s dry or partially dry.

Using tray liners for your paint trays will save you a lot of time at cleanup. Soak your brushes when done for awhile and they will also be easier to clean. For water based paint, soak in water and for oil based paint soak them in solvent.

I hope some of these tips have been helpful to you. Have confidence that you can do this job yourself. You will appreciate and enjoy it much more knowing that you or you and your family completed the job rather than hiring someone else to do it.

Are you planning on remodeling your bathroom in the upcoming days, weeks, or months?  If so, have you decided what you would like to have remodeled?  There are some homeowners who only choose to remodel a small portion of their bathroom, but there are others who wish to remodel every square inch of it.  Whether you are only looking to plan a small remodeling project or a large one, there is a good chance that you may be in need of new bathroom cabinets.

When it comes to bathroom cabinets, you will find that not everyone needs or wants them. There are some homeowners who choose to keep their bathrooms as simple as they could possible be, which often includes leaving the cabinets out of the bathroom. Despite the fact that not all homeowners have cabinets inside their bathrooms, a large number of them do.  One of the reasons for that is storage space.  Whether you are looking for a place to store your bath towels or your health and beauty products, a bathroom cabinet may come in handy.

Whether you are looking to replace your old bathroom cabinets with new ones or if you are installing cabinets in your bathroom for the first time, you will need to make a decision. That decision is what type of cabinets you would like to purchase. Although it may seem like a fairly easy decision to make, you may find that it isn’t as easy as you originally thought.  One of the reasons for that is because all of the choices that you will have.  When it comes to buying new cabinets for your bathroom, you will find that you, literally, have an unlimited number of different options.

Perhaps, the best thing to do, when looking for new bathroom cabinets, is decide what you would like to have or, at least, where you would like to have them. For instance, if you are remodeling the rest of your bathroom, there is a chance that you may have already decided on a new bathroom sink or toilet. If that is the case, you will want to choose bathroom cabinets that will match the rest of your remodeled bathroom.  Although you may be unable to pre-select a style, you should at least be able to decide on a color.  The color, alone, may come in handy when shopping for a new set of bathroom cabinets.

In addition to the color, it is also important that you determine how much space you have available for cabinets.  This is important because bathroom cabinets come in a number of different sizes, shapes, and styles. Many bathroom cabinets can be resized, with the right training or professional assistance, but it may be impossible to do it will all cabinets. That is why it is advised that you know, ahead of time, how much room you will have for your bathroom cabinets.  The last thing that you will want is to be stuck with a set of cabinets that are too big for your bathroom.

Once you have decided what size bathroom cabinets you need, as well was what color cabinets you want, you may want to start shopping. Whether you do your shopping online or in one of your local home improvement stores, you will find that shopping, almost always, makes it easier to find the bathroom cabinets of your dreams. In fact, if you are remodeling the rest of your bathroom, it may be a good idea to make all of your purchases at the same time.  Doing so may help to ensure that all of the bathroom fixtures, materials, and supplies used will compliment each other; often resulting in the best bathroom ever.

Whether you decide to shop for your bathroom cabinets, as well as the rest of your bathroom remodeling supplies, online or in one of your local home improvement stores, it is important that you take a minute to examine your decision. Bathroom remodeling projects can not only take a lot of time, but a lot of money; therefore, you will want to make sure that your decision is the right one.

A lot of of us delight the outdoors. That’s why a lot of homes now are planned with some kind of outdoor areas like decks, patios and porches. Decorating these fields can arrive at more welcoming and inviting. The following are some simple ideas to assist you get cracking on decorating your patio or porch. Below are some outdoor living decoration ideas that you might prefer to employ for your outdoor area instantly.

If your outdoor area is a bit bright and planting trees around it for shade may take some time, you can try putting up a shade instead. All you need is a canopy. Put it up and you get instant shade that immediately makes your area a great place to hang out.

An outdoor area will look great in the evenings if you have candles at hand. Get several votive candles in glass jam jars or purchase some inexpensive tea light holders from your home improvement stores. These candles when hung and placed around the patio will create a romantic atmosphere for you and your loved ones. It will be a great place to just relax and enjoy each other’s company.

If you have a gazebo or patio with a trellis, use it as part of your outdoor decorations. You can easily slip in strands of holiday lighting in the trellis and you will get an intimate place to sit in the evenings. The trellis also acts as a great backdrop to your outdoor holiday decorating. Yes, the outdoor area should not be forgotten when you are decorating your home for Halloween, Christmas or Thanksgiving. This will make these areas even more exciting.

With a garden around your deck or outdoor living room, you can get inspirations for decorating right from Mother Nature herself. Take a look around you and see the colors of the flora. Use these colors in your outdoor decor. Find similar hued outdoor rugs. Choose cushions in the same complementary colors. Pick planters in similar greens or browns. This will make your outdoor living room lovely and perfect.

Another way to add pizazz is to use hanging baskets. Hanging baskets of flowers or green foliage will be a great accent that can be used on your porch or your deck. You can even hang these in your gazebo. They will add a touch of the garden to your area.

You can even find great outdoor furniture to complement your outdoor areas. Sets of umbrella and tables with matching chairs look great on a deck. You can get the shade and enjoy cool lemonade while reading outside.

The outdoor area is an extension of your home. Outdoor home decorations can be fun if you know what to do and the satisfaction you’ll get from it is indescribable. By decorating your outdoor area, it will make it more inviting and homely.

The art of home furnishing and decorating your abode is really quite a big undertaking. Since your home is the place where you spend the most amount of time, a lot of effort and care should go into furnishing and decorating your home. It is an opportunity to infuse your unique personality and talents into your home. Other than the creative challenge and opportunity, home furnishing is a fun pastime. Home furnishing and decorating does not have to be an expensive endeavor as even small or inexpensive items can turn your home into an attractive, warm and comfortable abode. On the other hand, you can decide to hire an interior designer to help you create a stunning and beautiful living space, though of course that can get quite expensive.

You can always start by choosing a theme for your new home decorating effort. Depending on your individual tastes and preferences, you can furnish and decorate your home with American, French, Swedish, English or Southwest home furnishing styles. You can decorate your interior with an oriental touch or you can go for a Native American look. In the case of oriental furnishings, you can have fun with oriental screens, paper lanterns, porcelain knickknacks, bookcases, fans, cabinets, tables and more. Or if you decide to go with the Victorian look, you can furnish and decorate your home in earthy tones and search some antique stores to purchase Victorian rugs, chairs, couches, lamps, roll top desks etc. to showcase the Victorian charm. Options are also there to mix and match themes, with ultra-sophisticated, ultra-elegant, ultra-modern décor with an antique touch to it.

Here are a few more ideas and tips for successful home furnishing and interior decorating. The best way to start home furnishing is to ask yourself some basic questions. Would you be living in the same house for long or is it a temporary stay? What are the essential furnishings that you must have? When your home decorating ideas become clear, start preparing the items you need to transform the ideas into reality.

You should shop in stores where you can find unique home furnishing items that are inexpensive. There are plenty of home furnishing items such as figurines, paintings, curtains, light shades, furniture, cabinets etc that can be purchased through discount home furnishing outlets. Some bargain deals are also available at consignment stores where people sell off their used furniture, and furniture warehouses that carry slightly damaged models to choose from.

The charm of country living is found in the Rustic Garden Furniture.  Right in the middle of Illinois is a quaint little shop that offers a huge selection of Garden Furniture that will give your home the real experience of country living.  The retail shop full of rustic fencing, garden gates, arbors, gazebos, decorative outdoor accessories, planters and urns, home décor, and a large inventory of country antiques furniture that makes your patio seem real homey.  The quaint little shop had one of their gazebos featured on the TV show Trading Spaces, and a rustic wrought iron chandelier that was used in Home and Garden TV on Landscape Smart.  Woman’s Day Magazine also featured one of their Cast Iron Urns in a 2003 issue.

While you are there you will enjoy the charm of country living wondering through the two acres of gardens with a pathway that leads to the little cottage.  The cottage itself features indoor displays that feature rooms full of unique rustic garden settings.   The cottage built in the 1900 is depicting the early American life on the farm it is a nostalgic view right in the heartland of our country.  The little cottage and the gardens feature authentic 100-year-old antiques.  The Rustic Garden Furniture area is unique with chairs, tables, benches, and arbors that depict early America.  The area covers the Victorian period with antiques that most certainly delight anyone.  This mixture of eras completes’ anyone’s garden furniture. There are those of you who we realize may not be able to come to our cottage that is why we feature many of the antique items in our catalog, which you can find online.

The gentle lands of southern Indiana feature a well-known market called Shipshewana. This marketplace located in Shipshewana, Indiana maintained by the Amish, opened every spring, and then closes in the fall.  It is a real treasure to visit this area there is so much for you to find.  The town starts out with many unique shops maintained by the Amish women with their very own crafts.  The Rooster shop for instances have weather vanes, milk cans, and many other items that are perfect for your garden or patio.  Then farther out of town is a very large field that the Amish have turned into a marketplace.
The marketplace starts with homegrown vegetables and the Amish barn offers the most delicious bar-b-q pork sandwiches you would ever want to cross your lips. Then as you keep wondering through the market place, you will find some of the most beautiful and sometimes rare pieces of garden furniture made by the Amish men.  All the items are hand made by the Amish in their own little shops by their homes.  The garden furniture, which is made of oak, cherry, and maple woods, honed into the beautiful tables, chairs, benches, and other remarkable items for your garden or patio. You truly should visit this place when looking for rustic and antique furniture made from prime woods.