Posted
March 31, 2009 by
deb under
How to,
Pretty Stuff Now that we have all of our supplies and have done all the prep work to our space, we are ready to paint. Do you have trouble painting with a brush and making sure your lines are straight? I will be giving some pointers on what works for me and how I keep my lines straight.
Steps 8 & 9: Open paint & stir. You want to be sure to stir the paint really good so it is consistent throughout.
Steps 10 & 11: Pour the paint into two different paint pans. I use a large paint pan for the roller and a small container for the brush- just make sure it’s wider than the brush.
Step 12: Start with your paint brush in one corner. Notice how I’m holding the brush and it’s at an angle. Angle the brush so it comes to a point and slowly work your way to the top of the corner where the ceiling and walls meet.
Step 13: Most ceilings have a slight lip which makes for slightly easier painting with your brush. Use this lip to guide you. Again, look how I am holding the brush. I angle it to make my way toward the ceiling lip.
Step 14: One I have the paint brush where I want it, I start dragging it along (but under) the ceiling lip. I usually drag the brush for about 12″-18″ depending on how loaded my brush is with paint.
Step 15: I go back over the section I painted in the previous steps to make sure my paint coverage is good and there aren’t any places I missed. I usually leave about a 2.5″-3″ paint line on the top and bottom of the wall to provide sufficient clearance for the roller.
Step 16: Paint along the baseboards in the same section that you painted the ceiling. The baseboards are a little more simple as there is tape there protecting the wood. However, don’t overload your brush with paint. If you have too much paint, it will start to bleed underneath the tape.
After you have gone along the wall with the paint brush for about 4′-5′, the roller can start rolling.
Steps 17 & 18: Start about half way down the wall with short rolling strokes in the letter of a N or M. Then start to straighten and lengthen your rolling strides. Be sure to watch for ridges that are coming from your paint roller and flatten them as you go. Get as close to the corners and ceilings as you can without scraping them.
Step 19: Remove all masking tape from the trim as soon as you are done painting.
Enjoy your new paint job, now it’s time to decorate!
Paint is by Behr and is called Mediterranean Blue.
Tags: DIY, How to, painting, Tutorial, Using a brush, Using a roller
Posted
March 30, 2009 by
erin under
Space Redesigns This Monday’s room redesign is a space that Christy has had a little trouble with. Sometimes these ledges can be tricky! But don’t worry Christy! Help is on the way!
For each redesign we ask the family a few questions that give us a little more insight into their style and how they’d like to use the space. Here are Christy’s answers:
What is the most important thing you’d like done with the space?
I want it to be pretty and make me happy when I look over there. We spend a lot of time in this room and I always wish that it looked a little more “put together”.
What are your favorite design store/home décor stores? They can be brick and mortar stores or online stores.
Maybe if I had some favorite stores, I wouldn’t be so totally design clueless! Here are a few places that I love to look at for craft ideas and inspiration. I’m sorry I’m not more “hip”.
IKEA
Pottery Barn
Anthropologie (LOVE, LOVE, LOVE their bedding)
What 3 words would you use to describe yourself?
Crafty, fun, and friendly
What are two of your favorite colors?
green (celery/lime/avocado—not so much kelly green) and blue
What are two of your least favorite colors?
That depends. I don’t like yellow in general but for home decor, I don’t mind it so much. I hate peach.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I think my design style is pretty casual. We have yet to invest in furniture (ours is all hand me downs) but I’m drawn to mission style furniture with handmade details (art, pillows, etc…). I want to keep “family” and my tree. The pics on the wall need to go. I’m going to move those upstairs. I have 4 new pics that I want to put up there with some new frames (suggestions on those, please!). One 8X10 vertical, one 5 X 7 vertical and two 5 X 7s horizontal.
Dimensions of the Space?
The length of the ledge is 14′2″ and the depth is 8 1/2″.
Ready for the wall design?
The first thing I’d like to do is add a little more scale. Everything on the ledge and wall are small in scale so let’s add a little more variety to the objects and clean up that ledge. Christy told me she had new pictures to put up. The largest is an 8X10, but I’d still like something bigger so let’s frame it in a larger frame with a large mat background in a neutral color with a linen texture.
This frame is from PictureFrames.com, somewhere that I regularly order picture frames for my clients. This will let the pictures show up better, but by using the same frame in different sizes the focus will be on the images, and not the difference in the frames.
Christy also gets to keep her tree. I found this cute little ceramic dove from Etsy seller MudHutt. Isn’t this just darling? The dove would be perfect to hang on Christy’s tree she’s keeping and will help to bring in some more blue into the space!
I know Christy is super crafty so I think that she can handle a little DIY project! The blue background shape painted onto the wall will pull the pictures together on the wall and frame out the entire arrangement of photos! Possibly with one of these colors:
Sherwin Williams colors are from left to right: 6483 Buoyant Blue, 6478 Watery, and 7610 Turkish Tile.
Then she can keep her Family sign that is currently sitting on the ledge and mount that on the wall, above the largest picture.
I think that’s it! Stay tuned next Monday for the next Room Redesign! Thanks Christy for letting me design your space!
Tags: etsy highlight, family room, paint, room redesign
Posted
March 27, 2009 by
deb under
How to Do you have a room that needs to be painted, but you don’t know where to start? Never fear, we are here and will show you how to paint a room step by step. This first post will focus on the supplies needed and how to prep your room so it’s ready for paint.
Step 2: Paint a swatch (or two, or three!) to make sure you like the color before you invest time into painting the entire space. I usually paint about a 1′x1′ square on the wall and revisit it after it drys to make sure I like it.
Step 3: Remove all hardware from the room- i.e. light switches, vents and plugs, etc.
Step 4: Spackle holes that you no longer need and patch any repairs on the walls.
Step 5: Use the 1.5″ masking tape and tape to baseboards, door/closet trim. Use this to cover up any woodwork that you don’t want the paint to get on.
Step 6: Sand the entirety of the room. Not only the spackled areas, but the rest of the walls too. This ensures a smooth finish to your final paint job.
Step 7: Use a old towel to remove any dust left by the sanding.
Now you are ready to paint! See the step by step tutorial here for painting tips.
Tags: DIY, How to, painting, prepping a room to paint, spackle, Tutorial
Posted
March 26, 2009 by
deb under
Design Elements Looking to add a unique element to your bathroom or kitchen design? I’m loving the look of these concrete counters done by
Counter Culture Concrete.
Counter Culture Concrete is located in Woodstock, NY and was founded in 2001 by Christian Lincoln with the aspirations of making superior concrete, elegant design, and custom pieces that inspire visual serenity in the home and garden.
In addition to kitchen and bath design, hearths, and fireplace surrounds, Counter Culture Concrete is presently introducing a new product line, which includes tables, basins, planters, vases, sinks and some other surprises that will be available nationally via their website. Each product is offered in a wide range of colors- from steely grays and snowy whites to autumnal reds and oranges- each piece is extraordinary and one-of-a-kind.
Tags: Basin, Bath, Concrete, Countertops, Kitchen, Modern, Sinks
