Several years ago, we bought a cottage that came complete with all of the previous owners furnishings and dishes. The cottage was very clean and well-kept, but everything was major tacky. I was looking through some old pictures and came across this photo of the old slipper chair that was left in the cottage.
We removed all of the old fabric and replaced the batting, as needed. We then proceeded to reupholster the chair to coordinate with the nursery we were setting up for the baby we were expecting at the time. This chair has really held up well and is still in our daughter’s room.
You can often pick-up old chairs on Kijiji for very little. If you are interested in recovering a chair for your home, there are many great tutorials on-line. Here is a step by step description of what you will need to complete such a project.
If you love to share your thoughts and interests and would like to get paid for doing what you love, do what I did and find some experts to mentor you. Click here to learn how a novice like myself was able to quickly learn techniques and strategies for blogging effectively.
We bought two second-hand screens (room dividers) in 2006. I liked them, but never really loved the fabric on either screen. I was always on the lookout for a more modern look and finally found a fabric when we were down in the states last winter. (By the way, Joann’s is always on my list when I go shopping in the states. There is a much better fabric selection and often really great sales.) Such was the case with this fabric. I can’t say that I saw it and instantly thought… this is exactly what I have been looking for, but the price was right ($35) and I liked it.
This is the original screen. The fabric is okay, but quite traditional.
Screen Upcycle
This is actually the fabric from the other screen which has been sitting unused in our basement. You can see all of the velcro I removed.
I purchased enough fabric to replace the three panels on one screen. The panels did not have two “good sides”, so it was meant to be placed in a corner or against a wall. I don’t need it to divide an actual space, so when purchasing the fabric, I only purchased enough to cover one side of the screen (like the original). This is a fairly simple sewing project. It basically consists of creating a finished seam all the way around each of the large rectangular pieces of fabric and then adding velcro to attach them to the screen frame. I used the old fabric from the screen as a guide for my measurements and even removed the velcro so that I could re-use it on the new fabric.
From cutting to finished project, this probably did not take me more than a couple of hours (maybe less). It was quick to sew and my sewing machine was in a cooperative mood, so it was smooth sailing. (We don’t always get along.)
The New Look
One Thing Leads to Another
Hmmm….I like the new look and love how the fabric has a more “light and airy” feel. However, if you were in my house you would notice how the reddish brown finish on the metal screen seems to stand-out a little more. (Looks more chocolate-brown in the photo, but definitely a bit on the red side when you are up close and personal!). Not sure I like it. Oh, oh! Luckily, I can sneak the other screen out of the basement (we weren’t using it anyway) and give it a quick sand and coat of paint. I wonder how it will look with paint? We won’t tell my husband until it is done, that way I can’t be stopped. He generally really likes the finished product, but doesn’t always share my perspective and vision:D
Want to learn how the pro’s blog? If you’re interested in earning money from home, it makes sense to learn blogging and internet marketing techniques from the best on the web. If you’d like to receive the same training that’s helped me to launch my blog, you should click to find out how I did it.
What is OSB? Homerenovations.about.com describes OSB like this…
OSB stands for oriented strand board. OSB has the appearance of giant cornflakes pressed together to form structural panels in sizes similar to plywood, such as 4′ x 8′ x 5/8″.
OSB ~ Oriented Strand Board
OSB is basically a construction grade materials that is rarely seen in a finished product. It is the hidden sub floor below the “finished” flooring, whether that be hardwood flooring, carpet, vinyl, tile or anything else. However, in recent years, the industrial look has become more popular and OSB is making its way into finished decor.
Why OSB?
We first saw OSB used on the second floor of a heritage home. The owners told us that the original hardwoods were beyond repair and they saw OSB as a great alternative. I am often so disappointed when I visit old homes and see that the original hardwoods have been replaces with laminate or carpet. When I saw the exposed OSB flooring, I immediately loved the look and the concept. It is like a wood/cork look and because it is completely different from hardwood flooring, it didn’t compete with original floors that remained on the main floor of the house.
Here is a shot of the OSB floors we saw in the heritage home. We went on to buy this house, but that is a story for another time.
The floors were very inexpensive, durable and offered a great unique look. I loved them and knew they would work perfectly on the upper floor of our 1921 home as well.
A Great Alternative
If you are looking for an inexpensive and easy alternative to update your flooring, look no further.
I believe the second floor of our home has around 700 square feet. When we moved in, the upstairs was completely covered in 1970’s brown carpet (except for the bathroom). Despite the fact that we live in a heritage home, we were told that there was no hardwood flooring beneath the carpet. We also knew that laying new hardwoods would not only be very expensive, but also crazy with two small children occupying the entire upper floor. We wanted a great look, but without having to “police” the floors. We decided to replace the ugly carpet with oriented strand board similar to the floors we saw in the other house. We bought the OSB from Home Depot and laid the 4 X 8 sheets on the entire second floor. The boards are made with a “tongue and groove” edge, so the seams fit tightly together. Once all the boards were in, we rented a sander from Home Depot and proceeded to sand the wood down to get a nice blond finish. Tim put on several coats of urethane for durability and when all was said and done, we completed the entire second floor for under $700 (including wood, machine rental, urethane and the roller for application).
I absolutely love the textured look and we are not concerned about the wear and tear on the floors. Our son even plays floor hockey in the oversized landing area! We did the floors 5 years ago and they have proven to be durable and completely kid proof. In fact, we will also consider OSB for our basement floors….if we ever get that far in the renovations!
Here is a short slide show of the OSB floors on our second story.
Very few people have a steady enough hand to paint the perfect straight line. If you are like me, I always use my trusty painter’s tape when trying to get that perfect straight edge. Despite my efforts to perfectly align my tape and rub my finger over the surface to be sure there would be no seepage, I would often feel frustrated and disappointed with the results when I peeled the tape back and found that there was still “bleeding” onto the base colour.
Please Stop the Bleeding!
Several years ago, I came across this great tutorial for making the perfect straight lines without bleeding. It works every time. Although there are a few more steps involved, it is completely worth the effort. I couldn’t find the original, but this tutorial provides the same information and steps. It is complete with pictures and more detailed than my description below.
In a nut shell:
Measure very carefully and be sure to use a level to ensure that the finished line is perfectly straight.
Tape off the line with blue or green painter’s tape (I have used both). I always use a credit card or wooden wedge and slide it along the edge to ensure proper adhesion of the tape.
THIS IS THE KEY: Take the base colour of the wall above and below the stripe (navy in Shay’s room) and paint a thin coat of paint over the edge of the tape. The paint will bleed under the tape, but the paint that bleeds through will be the same colour as the wall above and below the stripe. For example, when painting Shay’s red stripe, I first painted a thin coat of navy blue over the edge of the tape, so that navy would bleed onto navy. This seals the edge and prevents the top coats of red from bleeding through.
Let dry completely.
Paint your coloured stripe and remove the tape. You will get a perfect finished line every time.
You can see that Shay’s red stripe extends around his whole room. Two of his walls are painted navy and two are taupe, but the red stripe circles the entire room, through both colours. Obviously, when painting the red stripe on his taupe walls, I first painted a coat of taupe to extend over the edge of the tape and seal the edge from bleeding.
Another Technique for Getting the Perfect Edge
I have never used the technique below, but thought it looked like an excellent idea for when you have two different surfaces meeting.
Happy painting!
Want to learn how the pro’s blog? If you’re interested in earning money from home, it makes sense to learn blogging and internet marketing techniques from the best on the web. If you’d like to receive the same training that’s helped me to launch my blog, you should click to find out how I did it.
Three and a half years ago, we gutted the main floor bathroom of our 1921 home. It was ugly and quite disgusting. We originally hired someone to do the job, but after demonstrating work ethic that was deplorable, we completed the project on our own. I am so lucky to have a husband that can do almost anything when it comes to home repair and renos!
This bathroom reno was major and every single item became a major design decision for me. I knew what I wanted and each item had to fit to perfection within the new space. I can honestly say that I probably spent 200 hours looking at fixtures, vanities and other accessories. I pretty much knew right then and there that I would never be able to have a new home built. I would literally drive the entire family crazy. Besides that, I don’t know if I could ever give-up on the character and warmth of a heritage home.
Look at this ugly vanity that was in the existing bathroom. It just had to go….along with the toilet, walls and pretty much everything else!
The Search for a Vanity
I knew I wanted a Victorian Style bathroom and was determined to find pieces that complemented the look. We searched every bathroom store in the city and scoured the internet, but to no avail. In the end, I decided to look for an antique piece that could be converted into a vanity. So aside from shopping bathroom stores, I began to look at antique stores in the area.
This sign was in the window of a local antique shop. Hilarious!
One day, while visiting my one of my favourite stores…The Old House Revival Company, I explained what I was looking for to one of the clerks. I didn’t find anything in the store, but she invited me into the “staff only” portion of the basement to see if there was anything that caught my eye. As soon as I reached the bottom of the stairs, I saw it. The piece. The exact shape and style I was looking for. I knew it would be perfect, but was also quite sure that I would need an extra dose of sweetness and persuasive intellect to convince my husband.
BEFORE: Antique Dresser
You can see the drawer fronts were actually just propped up and when I whent o open them all the pieces were shoved inside.
So, you can see it was in less than perfect shape and my husband did not initially share my vision. However, he has also been with me long enough to know I would never let it go….this was the piece I wanted. We paid the $100 (cheap for a vanity), but perhaps not the greatest deal when you consider that it was in no way usable in its current condition.
Upcyling the Anitque Dresser
We sanded the piece down to the raw wood and then had a cabinet-maker from the area make new drawers on sliders to replace the old ones. He used the existing drawer fronts to maintain the integrity of the piece. The original dovetail is still there and had to be left, but it is completely hidden when the drawers are closed.
The top middle drawer would not be usable because of the piping, but he was able to make the large middle drawer in a U shape to go around the pipes. (I would show you a picture, but that would mean I would have to clean the drawer first and I am too busy to do that today! Sorry.) He also cut the hole for the sink and painted the piece out white. (Unfortunately, it is already on my list of things to do as it really needs to be repainted.)
Here is the dresser all repaired and painted. This is just before the hole for the sink was cut.
The Sink for the Vanity
My cousin had a pottery sink in her bathroom and I always loved the look. I thought that pottery would be a perfect look with the vanity style…kind of like the old washstand with a basin. We went to a local pottery shop and I found a chocolate-brown sink that I immediately loved. It was $295 and I wanted to be sure there were no chips or anything so I was looking it over before purchasing it. When I turned it over, there was a slight crack on the bottom. I asked the sales lady about it and she said that “baking cracks” were common and that it wouldn’t have an impact on the integrity of the piece, but that she would give me a discount for the crack. It was on the bottom and would be completely hidden under the vanity top, so as long as it was not going to break, I was going to take it. I couldn’t believe it when I got to the till and she asked me if $50 would be an acceptable price! “Uhhh, yah!” We have had the sink for three years and there has never been a problem. What a score!
The Finished Antique Vanity Upcycle
I absolutely loved the finished look. The curves of the dresser and rounded drawer fronts were exactly what I was looking for. We were forced to lower the sink into the cabinet a bit more than I originally wanted to, due to the height of the dresser and clearance needed for the wall mount taps, but it turned out fine. We purchase the handles at Lee Valley and love the design of them.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Want to learn how the pro’s blog? If you’re interested in earning money from home, it makes sense to learn blogging and internet marketing techniques from the best on the web. If you’d like to receive the same training that’s helped me to launch my blog, you should click to find out how I did it.
Do you have a two or three-story house ? Are you constantly finding your kid’s belongings on the main floor instead of in their rooms? This was a constant battle in our house. “Take this upstairs.” (and many other variations of the phrase had me feeling like a broken record. (Wow! That phrase ages me, I guess!) I found this idea on Pinterest and just had to make my own version. I think that I borrowed the original idea from www.haleymorgan.com, but I can’t remember for sure.
Is the Word “Crap” Offensive?
I hope not. If I offended anyone, I apologize. I’ll be honest, my mom was a Christian woman with very high morals, but she said the word “crap” and so do I. As a kindergarten teacher, I am often hearing children say that words such as hate and stupid are “swears”. In my family, none of those words were considered “swears”, but were also never directed at a person. There is a difference between saying “you are stupid” and “I can’t get this stupid thing to work”. The words certainly don’t have a positive connotation, but I am not completely convinced they are “swears” either. Of course, I would never tell my students this, but clearly not everyone is brought up banning those words from their vocabulary and thus we have “situations” in the classroom. I have found the same to be true with the word “crap”. I do believe the word is banned in some homes, but clearly not mine. Just to clarify, I wanted to demonstrate that there is more than one definition and when I use the word “crap”, I am referring to this definition, so don’t get your knickers in a knot.
You will notice that this definition (taken from the New Oxford American Dictionary) does say “vulgar slang”, but I choose to ignore this because since when is “rubbish” vulgar? I am not sure that my children necessarily agree that their belongings fit with the definition, but for me it works. You could certainly make the baskets without using the word at all and just put their names on their baskets ~ whatever works for you.
Our Crap Baskets
Okay, now that we got that out of the way….we can actually get to the project. I loved the original poster’s idea to use wicker, but thought that the baskets would probably scratch my painted stairs, so I opted for a little dollar store tote. It looks like one of those canvas ones, but it is actually not…I think it is some kind of a nylon fabric (can be wiped). I simply printed the words on my computer and used my Cricut machine to cut-out the tags. I then used a stamp, eyelet, ribbon and hearts to embellish them. They were super easy and have been very durable. The baskets sit on the stairs and it is the kid’s job to take up their basket, put away their belongings and return them to the stairs. I find the baskets work really well. Anytime, I find a bottle of nail polish, book, toy, etc., I just pop it in their “crap basket”. I no longer have to hound them, but rather just pop their things in their baskets. We have never found them to be in the way either.
Eden and Shay’s crap baskets
Want to learn how the pro’s blog? If you’re interested in earning money from home, it makes sense to learn blogging and internet marketing techniques from the best on the web. If you’d like to receive the same training that’s helped me to launch my blog, you should click to find out how I did it.
We were so lucky when we did this bedroom make-over, as my son’s room was already navy and beige with a red stripe. The colours matched perfectly with the Winnipeg Jets colour scheme, so it was pretty easy to pull together. We made the hockey coat rack and hockey shelf for Shay for his birthday, and told family and friends we were doing his room as a surprise. One of his Aunts bought him a Jets flag and another bought him a clock for his room. He already had a few posters. I picked up the garbage can, piggy bank and even a kleenex box at our local dollar store. The red unit was a recent upcycle project that we just moved up to his room and the folding chair at the desk was recovered to match his decor. I upcycled an old Winnipeg Jets t-shirt into a pillow sham for his bed.
Hockey Stick Shelf
Hockey Stick Coat Rack
Jets T-shirt Upcycle
BEFORE: Entertainment Unit
Hockey Room Reveal
The room has finally come together! Here are a few photos that show the overall design of Shay’s hockey themed bedroom. Like my daughter, he has a good-sized bedroom with a walk-in closet. He also has many beautiful windows and an abundance of natural light. (A painter’s nightmare, I might add.)
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Want to learn how the pro’s blog? If you’re interested in earning money from home, it makes sense to learn blogging and internet marketing techniques from the best on the web. If you’d like to receive the same training that’s helped me to launch my blog, you should click to find out how I did it.
Another awesome Kijiji score! I have been on the hunt for an antique office desk for years. Something inexpensive that I could fix-up. Our set-up had worked okay (at best) and always looked cluttered. When we bought our house, the quaint little 9′ X 11′ room just off our front entrance was introduced to us as “library” and the name has stuck. It’s small and cozy with an antique electric fireplace, original built-in book cases and a wall of windows. It really is lovely, but our computer set-up was barely functional with little desk top space and no storage. The little washstand we were using for our printer looked great in our purple bedroom at a previous home, but horrible here. I was on a mission, but would not settle until I found the perfect fit for our library. (Reminder…click any photo to enlarge it.)
Photos of Our Library ~ Before
Ugly grey office chair, purple cabinet, melamine desk and of course, the clutter.
Ugly! Need I say more?
Antique Oak Teacher’s Desk and Chair
I was so excited when I found this desk on Kijiji for $75 and the best part was that the seller was including the oak office chair with it! The desk was pretty beat up. The top had some minor water damage, gouges and several dark markings. The opening at the front (where the chair sits) was very beat up along the inside edges where the chair had obviously been rubbing for years. To me, this spelled CHARACTER and I was all over this project. We sanded the surface of the desk. All of the rough edges (that were really worn/damaged) were sanded quite deep, so that they were rounded and safe. We didn’t want to catch our clothes on the splinters or worse yet, get a sliver. The only thing we had to do to the chair was dust it ~ and that rocks!
BEFORE: Beat Up Oak Desk
Top is in rough shape.
Lots of wear and tear.
Refinishing the “New” Old Oak Desk
As mentioned above, we sanded the entire desk down and removed any splinters and sharp edges. We then gave the entire desk a coat of stain and several coats of urethane. I think I put two on the sides and back, 3 on the drawers and about 5 on the top for extra durability. We had the stain and urthane here, so the only cost was the original $75 and lots of “elbow grease”. You may notice that the handles on the top middle drawer are not original. A previous owners must have replaced them at some point. They are definitely more of a modern style, but they are oak (I think) and blend well with the piece. We left them as most people wouldn’t even notice and it does not really compromise the integrity of the piece. We are completely thrilled. The desk is huge! The top is 3 feet deep and 5 feet long. It provides enough space for the printer to sit on top of the desk as well as ample work space. It also has two slide out work surfaces, so there is plenty of room to work. I love the drawer space for storage and the one on the left is actually a double drawer that holds files (it is just made to look like two single drawers).
Refinished Desk ~ Front
Refinished Desk ~ Top
AFTER: Refinished Desk
Refinished Side-outs
The New Look Of Our Library
There is not much extra room, as we also have a love seat in the library for reading, watching movies or just hanging out. It is cozy, but there is still enough room to move in and out easily and gain access to all of the book shelves. Love it!
Library ~ from entrance
Library ~ love seat in front of windows
Fireplace and Built-Ins
“New” Antique Oak Desk & Chair
Library ~ from entrance
Library – desk & chair
Want to learn how the pro’s blog? If you’re interested in earning money from home, it makes sense to learn blogging and internet marketing techniques from the best on the web. If you’d like to receive the same training that’s helped me to launch my blog, you should click to find out how I did it.
Several years ago, we bought a seasonal restaurant and although the days of “Bobby-Jo’s” are long gone, we still have several of those gigantic relish jars from buying bulk. I have used them as canisters for years, but my husband recently installed a shelf, so that we could have open storage and de-clutter our basement entrance/pantry.
Upcycled Jars
Basically, all I did was wash the jars and add a label. I had planned on spray painting the lids, but haven’t done so yet, and because they are so high up, you can’t see the tops. You can see the jars are quite large ~ 10″ high and 6″ wide.
The labels were made by taking regular white peel and stick Avery labels and painting them with homemade chalkboard paint. Click here for a tutorial. I then trimmed the ends with specialty scissors that made the scalloped edge.
Homemade Chalkboard Paint Recipe
I don’t use the spray paint as suggested in the label tutorial above. This is the recipe I use for chalkboard paint. I prefer to make my own as you can make it any colour you wish and it is dirt cheap. I bought the grout several years ago. I don’t remember how much it was, but I am thinking under $10. It lasts forever and has made many batches of paint. (One blogger said that she finds fresh grout works better as there are less lumps. I haven’t really had a problem with lumps.) However, I do find that the mixed paint does not keep well, so I tend to make smaller batches and re-mix for each coat. Depending on the surface, you may need to prime first (raw wood). I find that two coats works well for most projects, with a very light sanding in between coats (use high grit paper). If the surface is a memo board or menu (something that will be used often) I would recommend 3 to 4 coats for extra durability. Be sure to allow it to dry thoroughly between coats and at least 24 hours after the final coat. Once it has had time to cure properly, prime the board. Use the side of a piece of chalk to completely cover the painted surface and then erase it. Priming is an important step, so don’t forget to do it before you begin to write on the surface.
Open Storage Shelf
We purchased a piece of pine and I stained it dark and then gave the shelf 3 coats of urethane. I loved the idea of an industrial type look, so I asked my husband what he thought the cost of piping wood be. He didn’t think it would be expensive and so I sent him out to purchase the pipe we would need. We decided on three supports because of the weight of the full jars. My husband isn’t nearly as frugal as I am and I almost had a bird when he told me he spent almost $60 on the pipes. I would have bailed on the idea and came up with a less expensive alternative, but lucky for me he did the shopping and went ahead with the purchase. I absolutely love the look. Yay Tim!
Here is the finished look, with the jars nicely displayed on the open shelf in my kitchen. I am so pleased with the additional “pantry” space this has given me and love the outcome.
Want to learn how the pro’s blog? If you’re interested in earning money from home, it makes sense to learn blogging and internet marketing techniques from the best on the web. If you’d like to receive the same training that’s helped me to launch my blog, you should click to find out how I did it.
Despite the fact that our home is a 1921 home, somewhere along the line there were a few “upgrades” added that seriously compromised the integrity and character of the house. The bi-fold master bedroom doors were no exception.
Before the Bi-Fold Door Removal
French Door Duo
We went to one of my very favourite stores ~ The Old House Revival Company, and found a matching pair of French Doors for around $80 (I think, it’s a while ago since we bought them). They needed to be trimmed a bit to fit, but adjustments were minimal. (I am so glad my husband is handy.)We gave them a fresh coat of paint (white, of course) and voila! It is funny how something so simple can make such a dramatic difference in a room. Like every other room in my house, it is still a work in progress. By the time I get it all pulled together, I will probably need new bedding and will have to start all over ~ yikes…don’t tell my husband!
I had totally planned to curtain off behind the glass to hide the contents, but haven’t gotten to it and actually like it the way it is (minus the bright orange and white striped dress, that is).
