This month we’re giving our patio a makeover, and today’s mini-makeover is how to unwire a chandelier to make it suitable for outdoor use with no electricity. We’ll be taking an old, dated chandelier and reworking it to turn it into a cool candelabra to hang over our outdoor dining table. I don’t know about you but I find electricity to be a little scary. I do a lot of DIY projects, but one thing I don’t touch in our house is wiring and electrical fixtures. So when I decided to turn this old chandelier into a functioning non-electric one for candle-lit dinners in our backyard, I felt a little… Keep Reading
How to Hang Curtains the Easy Way with a Laser Level
When it’s time to hang curtains, make your life tons easier with this simple inexpensive hack. You’ll never hang curtains without a laser level again! This is the third in my Back to Basics series, where I’m covering all the basics on things like making art from color palettes, tools that make it easier to paint a room, and now hanging curtains with a laser level. Hanging fresh curtains is a great way to change the look of your room. It may not be the most fun job but with the right tools, it doesn’t have to be frustrating. First I have a confession. This post is difficult for me… Keep Reading
How to Make Painting Simple With the Right Tools
Painting a room doesn’t have to be difficult or intimidating. Make painting simple with the right tools, and a few insider tricks. I’ve been meaning to write this post for years, but I always assumed I’d be telling you something you already knew. That changed this week when I stopped by a friend’s house as she was painting her living room. Watching her try to do the job with only a roller and a paintbrush made me realize it’s time to share what I’ve learned over many years of painting rooms. (Hint: the right tools make all the difference!) Some folks are intimidated by painting rooms, since it’s such a… Keep Reading
Neopolitan Palette and 9 ways to Use Color Palettes
As a color enthusiast, I believe that color is an end to itself. Color is its own reason for existing. Or another way to say it: because things can be colorful, they should be. I mean, just look at the delicious macarons in this neopolitan palette. In theory, they would be just as tasty without their colors, but I somehow doubt it, at least for me. When I saw these, it took me back to when I was kid and we would visit the grandparents. My grandma always had giant bowls of neopolitan ice cream waiting for us as soon as we arrived. It didn’t even matter if it was… Keep Reading
Replacing Carpet with Waterproof Laminate Flooring
It had to go. It was dingy, dirty, and just downright gross. The carpet that lived in this house before we moved in had seen better days. It had also seen more than its share of the underside of the previous owner’s dogs. We knew we had to get rid of it as soon as possible, but as the days turned into months and even years, that day couldn’t come soon enough for me. One Saturday morning while my husband was out with his friends, I pulled out my heavy duty box cutter and started ripping up the carpet. I just couldn’t take it any more. Now I don’t recommend… Keep Reading
How to Make Your Own Simple Chair Covers
Do you have any furniture in your house that you mostly love, but it just needs a little updating? I do because I’m a sucker for garage sales, estate sales, and generally anything with a little history (and a low price tag) to it. I got these sweet little chairs from a Craigslist ad a couple of years ago, and immediately fell in love as soon as I sat in one. These might be the most comfortable chairs I own. I even loved their quaint rose pattern, although it doesn’t fit any of my decor. I knew I could fashion simple chair covers for them someday, if I ever felt… Keep Reading
16 Money Secrets That Will Save Your Next Remodel
I love saving money. And I love remodeling my house. Alas those two hobbies, by definition, often seem at odds with each other. But I’ve learned a few things over the years that help me drastically cut my remodeling costs, and I thought it might be helpful to share them with you today. This is our third house that we’ve owned and remodeled, and it seems like there’s always another project on the horizon for us. Right now, we’re working on our floors (more on that soon) and we hope to hit our bathroom next. We normally work on one project at a time, whenever money becomes available, which means… Keep Reading
Ancient Pink Plaster Palette
I’ve been enamored with all things pink since writing last week’s DIY Pink Himalayan Salt Scrub post. I’m not usually a girly girl, and my favorite color has never been pink (it’s green) but something about this salmony pink color has grabbed my attention lately. I think what I loved about the pink Himalayan salt is the variation in color, and that’s what I love about today’s palette as well. As much as I have a thing for painted front doors, I also have this thing about layered plaster on old walls. I think there must be so much history covered with each layer of color. If these walls could… Keep Reading
Blue Door Palette
I love front doors. Like the wrapping on a gift box, they are full of possibilities. What’s inside? Do the people living there have a cozy home? Does the personality of their front door reflect the personality of the inside of their home? Is it weird that I think of these things while looking at a door? I was re-watching Love Actually again recently, and realized that one of my favorite characters is actually a door. There’s a brief moment when Natalie is standing in front of the Prime Minister’s door at 10 Downing Street as it slowly swings open. It’s got this beautiful deep black gloss that you just… Keep Reading
Farmhouse Christmas Palette
I love everything about the winter, except the cold. I love the holidays, the merriment, the kids being out of school (at least for the first few days). I love shopping for Christmas gifts and making the house look festive. And I love the smells. Candles burning, cookies baking, fresh pine trees. I love it all, but every year I keep finding myself wanting to simplify. It’s so easy to get caught up in the rat race of holiday preparations and completely miss the simple beauty of the season. That’s what I loved about this photo when I saw it. It’s a simple subject matter, and a very restrained palette…. Keep Reading
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