Without any further adieu, here it is:

The placement of the shade, right at the top of the cupboards, truly gives the illusion of a larger window. 

Am I the only one who thinks it looks waaaay better than the ‘before’ shot shown below?

Next Up:  The other kitchen window.

More than just a living room, this area in my home also serves as the entry point from the front door, the access point to the second floor, and a throughway to the den/library.  That means a lot of traffic and very little uninterrupted wall space.

Like the homes of many DIY home decorators/renovators, my humble abode is a (continual) work in progress - it is by no means perfect.  Through my endeavors to make this small living room work for me, I have discovered and incorporated some small space living ideas and solutions that I thought would be worth sharing with you.

Size & Placement Matter

Lots of home decorating and design magazines suggest that you can successfully use large pieces of furniture in small rooms.  I believe it, but I also believe that each case (or each room) must be analyzed on an individual basis.  In this case and in this house the scale/size of the furniture is very important.

Because my living room space definitely cannot comfortably accommodate a full-size sofa, I’ve opted for a loveseat and angled it across a corner (the only spot not interrupted by a window or door opening).  Even though its placement cuts into the floor space somewhat, the arrangement is open and welcoming from all points of entry to the room and all traffic paths are clear.   The proportions of the love seat also work very well with the proportions of the space.

Use Multi-Functional Furniture

Rather than waste space with a uni-functional coffee table, a leather storage ottoman is strategically positioned in front of the loveseat.

This long storage ottoman functions as a comfy footstool (big enough for two), provides additional seating space when needed, serves as a handy place to set a tray, magazines, books and remote controls, is utilized as a work surface, and offers large, easy-access storage beneath its hinged lid.

Re-Purpose Existing Furniture

The largest piece of furniture in my living room is an antique armoire that once belonged to my great grandmother.

Currently, its upper section is used for fabric storage, and the drawer at the bottom houses a plethora of wrapping paper and ribbon.  At some point in the not-too-distant future I plan to convert this big, beautiful, antique wardrobe into a home office.  Then it will truly earn its keep!  Sometimes it takes a little re-purposing for a piece of furniture to reach its full potential.

Less Is More - No Unnecessary Extras

And completing the living room furniture ensemble, we have two unmatched occasional chairs . . .

and a side table.

No oversized recliner in this small space!  The side table is the obvious spot for a table lamp and its lower shelf gives me another place to stack and store reading materials.

Because the occasional chairs are relatively small in scale, they take up minimal floor space and can be easily moved to different locations - wherever they are needed most.

So, where is the television in this compact living space?  It’s actually mounted on the wall in the adjacent den/library.  As luck would have it, a double-wide opening between these two rooms allows for an unobstructed view of the tv from the living room.  And since this is such a small place it’s really not very far away!

No matter what the tape measure says, keeping unnecessary furniture and accessories to a minimum will always help a space look and feel larger.

The plan was to make a new Roman Shade, specially sized to cover the full width of the space between the upper cabinets on either side of the window above the kitchen sink.  Then, I was going to mount the new fabric window shade at the top of the wall, thus giving the illusion of a larger kitchen window.  The plan has not changed - the process of choosing the perfect fabric, however, has definitely slowed me down.

What I’m looking for is something fresh and bright to liven up the kitchen area.  I’d like something modern and funky, but the fabric I choose also needs to work with the character of this old house.  At this point fabric type, such as linen or cotton, is secondary.

So far I’ve been able to narrow it down to two color families:

Wish me luck - I’m going shopping!

Fabric Sources

For those interested, here are the sources for the above prints:

Yellows

(clockwise - starting with the top left)

Floral Print - Light Curry on White
Item # 40307
$9.49/yd USD
hartsfabric.com

Amy Butler Lotus Wall Flower - Mustard
Item # AW-150
$8.98/yd USD
fabric.com

Sunglo
Duralee
Simple Pleasures Vol.II
Pattern 20777-61

Grenada
Item # 72822
$44.99/yd CDN
designerfabrics.ca

Greens

(clockwise again from the top left)

Siria
Item # 28035
$23.99/yd CDN
designerfabrics.ca

OD Muse
Item # 28219
$12.99/yd CDN
designerfabrics.ca

Panama Bari Valeria Hajos
Item # 28323
$27.99/yd CDN
designerfabrics.ca

Pixie
Item # 28628
$20.00/yd CDN
designerfabrics.ca

Replacing the entire front door system was not in the budget, so I came up with a few simple and inexpensive fixes that I could do on my own.

Budget Door Fix Number 1

Used chair rail molding to create the look of two panels on the exterior of the door.

Cost Approximately $21.00

Budget Door Fix Number 2

Primed, then painted the door and its new panels in a semi-gloss black finish.

Cost Approximately $34.00

Budget Door Fix Number 3

Removed the old pop bottle glass sections from the sidelights and replaced them with clear glass inserts.

Cost Approximately $75.00

Here’s what the front door looked like when it was all done:

For $130 I had what appeared to be a whole new front entrance door.

I’ve always loved giving old or antique items a new lease on life by transforming them or re-purposing them for use as something other than what they were originally intended. Never one to walk away from something that had potential or pass up a good deal, I’ve collected numerous odd items that many others would likely consider junk. A perfect example - the dirty, old singer sewing machine base that was picked up for next to nothing at a flea market then left to sit in my garage collecting more dirt and taking up space until I could find a use for it.

When I became pregnant and began the fun process of setting up and decorating the nursery for my soon-to-arrive bundle of joy, the perfect use came to me. My baby was going to need a change table. Rather than buy a typical (and in my opinion, unattractive) changing table, I would build one myself using that old singer sewing machine base.  Here’s how I did it…

Building The Changing Table

Basically, I put a table top on the singer sewing machine base, then built a box that fit around it and was supported by the top.

The sewing machine base was scrubbed thoroughly with water, soap and steel wool. When dry, I gave the decorative metal a fresh coat of black paint. Constructing the top was easy and only required the purchase of a few inexpensive items.

Materials & Tools

1/2″ thick MDF
Wood Screws - various lengths
1″ x 6″ Pine Boards
Corner Braces
Wood Filler
Cordless Drill
Chop Saw / Cut-off Saw
Tape Measure
150 Grit Sandpaper
Carpenter’s Glue

Steps Taken

1. Determine size of table top - width & depth. Example: Width = 26 inches, Depth = 19 inches
2. Determine length of pine boards - width x 2 and depth x 2, add an extra 1-1/2″ to each width to allow for overlap when constructing the box, plus an additional 1/16″ to each width to allow placement of the box over the table top. Example: width = 26″ + 1-1/2″ + 1/16″ (Total Width = 27-9/16″)
3. Buy MDF cut-to-size or purchase sheet and cut on table saw.
4. Buy Pine Boards cut-to-size or purchase longer lengths and cut to length with chop saw / cut-off saw.
5. Position MDF on base, use drill and 1-1/2″ screws to secure MDF to wood supports on top of sewing machine base. Screw down from top. (I put 3 screws into each wood support.)
6. Construct box using a basic butt joint.Width pieces will overlap depth pieces. For added stability, glue then screw. Use 1-1/4″ wood screws. Sink screws slightly below surface.
7. Cover screw heads with wood filler.
8. Lightly sand the box smooth.
9. Stain and polyurethane or prime and paint box as desired.
10. Mount corner braces - Inside each corner, two inches up from the bottom edge of the box, mark the mounting positions for the braces.With bottom of brackets even with the marked mounting positions, screw the side flanges of the corner braces to the box sides - brackets should be positioned with the flat, triangular part of brackets down.

    

11. Fit box down and over table top. Gently push into place until the flat triangular sections of the corner braces are resting on the table top.
12. Screw bottoms of corner braces to the table top.

Once the changing table was completed, I made a soft liner and bumpers to protect my baby from the hard surfaces. Unfortunately, at the time I made this change table I didn’t have a digital camera to record the steps that went into its creation. When I did finally get a camera I was much more interested in the little person who was using the change table than the change table itself. The closest I can get to showing you the end result is this picture I created using a combination of Google SketchUp, Microsoft Paint and Photoshop - sorry about that.

As you can see in the photo below, everything worked out beautifully!

Ahhh, a subject close to my heart! I remember the excitement of getting the nursery ready for the arrival of my baby - deciding on a nursery theme, choosing paint colors for walls and fabric for baby bedding and window treatments, picking out baby furniture and accessories, then putting it all together. My baby is a big boy now - all of four years old - and although I no longer have the need for a baby room, my enjoyment of creating warm nests for new little people has not diminished.

Baby Room Basics

If you are like most expectant parents your head will be swimming with nursery ideas for your new baby. But where to begin? Start with the basics - a crib, changing table, comfortable chair and storage.

Baby Room Essentials

1. Crib -I can’t believe the selection of modern cribs available today. Were they around four years ago?
2. Changing Table - A change table that doubles as a chest of drawers offering closed storage is an absolute must, especially in a small space.
3. Rocking Chair/Nursing Chair - If at all possible, try to incorporate a comfortable rocking chair in your nursery design. It will prove invaluable for late night feedings or those occasions when all you need is a cozy spot in which to curl up and watch your little one sleep.
4. Baby Storage - They may be small, but you’ll be amazed at how quickly a new baby accumulates things. A bookshelf or armoire will help to corral all the little extras.

Will It Be A Girl Or A Boy?

Who cares, it’s a baby! Seriously though, there are some people who like to know in advance if their new baby will be a girl or a boy. It makes shopping for baby furniture and accessories so much easier. Others prefer to be surprised and choose to do the pre-arrival decorating of their baby’s nursery in a gender-neutral theme. Girl or boy, with white baby furniture you simply can’t go wrong. White never goes out of style and it coordinates with virtually every other color. Anyone planning to have more than one child will appreciate the economical benefit of being able to re-use the same baby furniture for future arrivals as well.

Featured Baby Products

Oeuf Classic Crib, Oeuf Classic Change Table/Dresser and Oeuf Mini Library all from Giggle
Collins Rocker from ModernTots

I’ve been up and down a lot of ladders lately while doing exterior painting and it occurred to me that a post on ladders would be very timely.

Odd as it may seem, a ladder can be a very personal item. Depending on who you talk to, you will hear plenty of opinions and preferences on which is the best ladder. I’m not a ladder expert, however, in one of my previous lives as a painter, I did have the opportunity to use a few different types of ladders.

Three of the four ladders shown in the photo above are ones I’ve used a lot - the 5′ Pro Lite aluminum stepladder, the 13′ World’s Greatest adjustable ladder by Cosco, and the black and yellow utility ladder / step stool, also by Cosco. The many colors of paint and stain, and dried chunks of drywall compound on each of them tell of their participation in numerous home renovation and remodeling endeavors.

My obvious preference would be to have one ladder that does it all - transforming as required to be suitable for every task, but I’ve yet to discover that magical piece of equipment. It seems that there are pros and cons or ‘ups and downs’ with all ladders, and no one ladder can satisfy every person’s particular wants, needs and desires.

Read on to learn about the different factors you need to consider when choosing the right ladder. I’ve tried to cover all the basics from ladder types and ratings, to ladder accessories and safety. Also included - my personal reviews of three different ladder types.

How to Choose the Right Ladder

Price is always a consideration when making any purchase, however, when it comes to buying a ladder it’s much more important that you choose a ladder based on its merits and not so much its price tag. The right ladder can make projects move along faster, provide a safe method for reaching those higher heights and allow you to accomplish tasks that would otherwise be considered impossible, not to mention dangerous. Let price take a backseat while you examine your needs to determine which ladder or ladders will best meet your requirements.

Ladder Materials

Not only are there different types of ladders, but they are also available in different materials - the most common being:

Aluminum

• lightweight - makes for easy manuevering
• non-corrosive
• as a metal, aluminum does conduct electrical current

Fiberglass

• the preferred choice for working around electrical lines or with electricity as it is non-conductive
• strong and sturdy
• heavier than wood or aluminum

Wood

• okay for strength and stability when new, but wood deteriorates and I simply don’t trust the ones that have been around too long
• wood contains moisture to some degree, therefore wood ladders would also be considered conductive although less so than with a metal such as aluminum

(It’s important to remember that regardless of the material, any item that is wet will conduct electricity.)

Ladder Duty Ratings

Ladders are rated for type of use and maximum weight or load capacity. Be sure to check ladder labels for appropriate ratings. Match the duty ratings to the total weight of the load the ladder will be carrying including the weight of the person, clothes, tools and materials.

I - Heavy Duty - 250 lbs

IA - Extra Heavy Duty - 300 lbs

IAA - Extra Heavy Duty - 375 lbs

II - Medium Duty - 225 lbs

III - Light Duty - 200 lbs

Types of Ladders

Certain ladders just naturally lend themselves better to certain tasks. The size or location of your project will likely be a key factor in determining the ladder you choose.

Utility Ladder / Step Stool / Work Platform

The black and yellow ladder, pictured at the beginning of this post, could fall under three classifications - 1) a utility ladder, 2) a step stool, or 3) a work platform. No matter the classification it’s a handy ladder to have and use. The utility tray has a large surface to hold hand tools like hammers, screwdrivers and cordless drills, as well as quart and gallon-size cans of paint. On the underside of the tray there are brackets for holding a roll of paper towels or shop towels. Within the tray is a compartmentalized drawer for holding screws, nails, etc. The raised height of the utility tray keeps everything within easy reach and also provides a spot on which to rest or brace your legs. (about mid-thigh for me.) Wide steps and a large platform for standing on add to the comfort factor. It’s a little heavier than my aluminum step ladder, but folds and stores in the same amount of space.

The closest matches I could find for the utility ladder I have are the World’s Greatest 3-Step Work Platform Model # 11003 from Cosco, available online at Ace Hardware,

and the Max Work Platform Model # 11880, also from Cosco, available online under Home Improvement - Ladders & Step Stools in the Home Category at Target.com.

Step Ladder

A-style step ladders or A-frame step ladders are available in multiple heights and multiple materials ranging from 3′ all the way up to 20′. For general household purposes, I’ve found my aluminum 5′ Pro Lite Ladder is perfect for working in rooms where the ceiling is a standard 8 foot height. This ladder is light-weight and is neither too short nor too tall for basic indoor jobs that require the use of a ladder, such as changing light bulbs, painting, or repairing drywall. If you’ll be working in rooms with ceilings higher than the standard eight feet, look for one of the taller step ladders - a 6′ or 7′ step ladder for nine-foot ceilings, or a 7′ or 8′ step ladder for ten-foot ceilings.

Aluminum step ladders are widely available and at very reasonable prices. A 5-foot step ladder with fold-down tray can be purchased for as little as $52.00 US. If I had to do it all over again, I’d probably purchase this 5′ Signature Series Step Ladder by Cosco.

It combines the utility tray and large platform top step of my utility/step stool/work platform ladder with the lightness and ease of maneuverability of my 5′ aluminum step ladder. Hmmm, something to seriously consider.

Adjustable / Articulating Ladder

My 13-foot World’s Greatest Ladder by Cosco has saved me a lot of headaches. I’ve used it in many of its multiple configurations - as an extension ladder, as a step ladder and with the sides adjusted to two different lengths for use on stairs. The locking mechanisms and pivot points are heavy duty and it feels safe and solid to work from. The only drawback is its weight. The heavy parts that go into making it adjustable also add significant weight. I’ve gotten used to it, but initially I did find it a bit cumbersome to carry around and adjust to desired configurations.

Extension Ladder

The adjustable length of an extension ladder makes it ideal for reaching greater heights, but at the same time, that length can also make it awkward to handle in small spaces. Using aluminum for the manufacturing of an extension ladder helps to keep the weight down and make these larger, longer ladders more manageable.

Ladder Accessories

Work safely and more efficiently by adding some of these ladder accessories:

Ladder Leveler

Ladder Stabilizer

Extension Ladder End Covers

Ladder Kaddy

Ladder Safety - It’s Common Sense

If you don’t follow a few basic and common sense safety measures even the safest rated ladders in the world won’t save you from mishaps and accidents. Check out this list of ladder safety tips. Yes, most are obvious, but with over 222,000 ladder-related accidents each year, it can’t hurt to review!

1. When leaning a ladder against a vertical surface to access higher points, the base of the ladder should be placed 1 foot out for every 4 feet up.



For added security, have a friend or co-worker stand at the base of the ladder to hold it steady.

2. Climb facing the ladder.
3. Newer ladders are labeled to indicate the highest recommended stepping point - don’t step on or above these rungs.
4. Make sure your ladder is set up on a flat, even surface - never on top of another object.
5. If you must use a ladder on an uneven surface, use a leveling device made for use with your specific ladder.
6. If using a stepladder, make sure the side arms or braces are locked in their open position.
7. Don’t use stepladders or extension ladders to bridge or span a horizontal gap, these types of ladders are not engineered to support weight horizontally.
8. If you need to climb on top of a structure, make sure the ladder extends three feet above the top edge of the structure.

For more ladder safety tips check out these links:

Ladder Safety

Ladder Safety Tips

The front view of the house is a little deceiving. As these pictures will show, the board and batten siding carries over from the front and side of the garage…

to the back of the garage, the rear of the house…

and all the way around to the other side.

As with the preparation for painting the front porch, I started removing all loose and flaking paint with a good blasting from the pressure washer. A long hose helps when you need to get at out of the way spots.

After allowing the exterior walls sufficient time to dry out they were further attacked with a paint scraper. The resulting bare patches of exposed wood were then treated to a coating of acrylic latex exterior primer.

The front and side of the garage take the brunt of all weather that comes this way. That explains why so much spot priming was necessary on these sides.

Not wanting to get too far ahead of myself, I’ve only used the power washer as far as the back deck area. The front of the garage has now received paint (except for the overhead garage door) and the side of the garage has been primed and is ready for paint. As soon as this morning’s rain has dried up, I’ll be able to climb back up on the ladder to finish painting that small triangular area above the garage then move on to the side. Once that is finished I’ll use the paint scraper across the back and apply the primer to that area. Moving along in sections keeps this rather large job more manageable.

I’ll be sure to keep you posted with pictures and commentary on the progress of this exterior painting project.

Front Porch ‘Before’ Picture

Hooray, Front Porch Painting Is Complete! (Sort Of)

A fresh coat of paint on the front porch can do so much for the overall curb appeal of your home. That’s what I kept repeating to myself as I worked away at the prep work before the actual painting began. Did you know that the most labor-intensive part of any paint job, whether it’s interior painting or exterior painting, is the prep? Yep, all the effort you put into brushing or rolling on that new coat of paint is wasted if you haven’t taken the time to properly prepare a surface to receive that paint.

Exterior Painting Prep Tips

• Power wash to remove any loose paint.
• Let the surface dry thoroughly.
• Sand or scrape any places requiring more direct attention than the power washer provides.
• Prime any exposed wood.
• Choose a good quality exterior grade paint.

Paint Time Management - Pick Your Battles

Don’t paint in direct sunlight - the paint will dry too quickly and as hard as you try, you won’t get a smooth paint finish.

High humidity will add to the drying time of paint.

Picking The Perfect Paint Color

If you’ve ever watched someone at the paint store mix paint, you’ll have seen some of the odd combinations and quantities of colorants that are added to a base to get the desired result - the perfect paint color. Every shade and tone has its own unique color formula - precise measurements of specific colorants. It’s hard to imagine that to achieve a certain shade of white might require the addition of a blue or red colorant. This does however explain what is referred to as an undertone. That subtle hint of blue in a red paint color, or in the case of the old paint on my front porch, a shade that looked more pink than beige.

Here’s a photo showing the difference between the old paint color and the new paint color. The old color is at the top.

It’s difficult to get an accurate representation of color on some computer screens, so if the picture doesn’t do the colors justice please take my word for it - the old color looked very pink! The new color is creamier with a subtle yellow undertone that works much better with the old yellow brick of the house.

My advice for choosing the perfect paint color - gather a lot of paint samples, then work through them one at a time eliminating those with undertones that won’t work with the important surrounding elements. Don’t worry about only limiting yourself to paint samples for the brand of paint you are planning to use. Most paint stores can reproduce any sample color and mix it in the paint of your choice.

So Why Is The Front Porch Painting Only ‘Sort Of’ Complete?

If you look at the before picture above, you’ll notice that prior to painting there was a bit more trim. Now look at the after picture below.

Front Porch ‘After’ Picture

Notice anything missing? Good eye if you said trim! I really didn’t care much for the gingerbread trim - it seemed like overkill. And the trim rails that ran between the porch posts would have been murder to paint in place, so I removed everything. Now I’m not entirely certain if I want to paint the rail trim and put it back on, or not. I did a little doctoring of the before picture to remove the gingerbread so I could see what the porch would look like with only the rail trim.

Modified Porch Picture

Does the porch look naked without the trim? Minus the ladder and the pieces of trim leaning on the wall, does the after picture represent a clean, simple and uncluttered front porch? I’d love to hear from anyone with an opinion.

Can’t wait to get to work on painting the small upper balcony, the garage door and all the board and batten. Can’t wait to get to work on the small upper balcony, the garage door and all the board and batten. Can’t wait to ……. You think about the front porch and I’ll just keep repeating that line.

Front Porch Ideas for a Great First Impression

(A complete list of sources is included below.)

1. Grunge Is Passé - Replace those grungy, old or dated chair covers with new outdoor pillows and seat cushions made from durable, UV resistant outdoor fabric.
2. Set the Table - Pick a summer bouquet of flowers, pop them in a vase or antique pitcher, and place them in the center of your outdoor table.
3. Make Your Presence Known - Large, easy-to-read house numbers, placed in an easy-to-see location makes finding you, well…easy. Choose house numbers that complement or are in keeping with the style of your house and outdoor decor.
4. Romancing the Porch - Hang gauzy outdoor curtains to inject a little romance. Outdoor curtains mounted on opposite sides will elegantly frame your porch.
5. Roll Out the Red Carpet - Arrange your porch furniture on a new outdoor carpet or place a new welcome mat at the front door. (The color is up to you.)
6. Front Porch First Aid - Revive your front porch and your entrance door with a fresh coat of paint.

STEPS 7 TO 12

Simple Methods for Enhancing the Yard & Garden

1. Raise the Blades - Adjust the grass cutting height on your lawnmower. Leaving grass a little longer will help to keep it green and avoid the late summer browns.
2. Container Gardening - Pot up a few containers for an instant garden. Try something unexpected like a variety of ornamental grasses. Arrange plant containers in groups of three.
3. Life On The Edge - Grease up those elbows and tidy up overgrown edges. A pressure washer makes fast work of lawn edging along driveways and walkways. Use the pressure washer to blast the overgrowth away from the edges, then cut that excess off with the blade of a shovel.
4. Light Up Your Outdoor Life - A few well-placed solar lights or low-voltage landscape lights will lead people to your front door and highlight special features in your yard and garden.
5. The Miracle That Is Mulch - Give your landscape a mini makeover by re-edging flower beds and spreading mulch. The mulch will keep the moisture in and the weeds out.
6. Have A Blast - Eliminate dirt and grime from the exterior of your house, front porch, driveway and sidewalk with a blast from a pressure washer.

Product/Image Sources

1. Outdoor Pillows in Macaw Green & Tangerine Orange - PillowDecor
2. Floral Bouquet Photo - iStockphoto
3. Industrial House Numbers - Design Within Reach
4. Image of Porch with Outdoor Curtain - outdoorcurtain.com
5. Welcome Mat - Chiasso, Outdoor Area Rug - Home Decorators
6. Zero VOC Exterior Paint - Yolo Colorhouse
7. Neuton Battery Powered Lawnmower - Neuton Power Equipment
8. Lunaform Concrete Planters - Urban Pot
9. Image of great curb appeal - SuzyRenovator
10. Landscape Lighting - Path Light & Well Light - LampsPlus
11. Natural Wood Mulch
12. Karcher Pressure Washer - Northern Tool & Equipment