Back in April, I worked on the boys' bathroom to give it a little refresh until it reaches the top of the renovation project priority list and we can completely gut and redo it. I actually liked...
cleaning ivy (roots & stains) off of brick
When I first shared about the back wall of our house, I thought aloud about allowing ivy to grow up in certain areas and just keep it trimmed so it didn't take over. However, after pulling it from...
Building our new antique-style mantel
Several of you guessed we would build fireplace mantel option number one and you were right. All of the antique-style mantel options I shared in THIS POST were strong contenders, but I kept coming...
1970 kitchen renovation | installing cabinet hardware
Last weekend, Jeff and I took some time to put the hardware on the cabinets We have put a lot of hardware on furniture and cabinets over the years, so we knew this was a task we could manage...
my favorite tools for painting (homes)
When I typed out the title of this post, I realized I needed to make a distinction. "My favorite paint tools" was a bit too broad given that I do a few different types of painting! In this...
tips I learned from the pros stripping wallpaper
I told you I would only write a couple more posts about stripping wallpaper, so let's just get one out of the way. This post is prompted by the people asking if I snooped and picked up some tips...
how to remove wallpaper glue from walls
When you do an internet search for "how to remove wallpaper glue from walls", you end up finding all sorts of articles that suggest all manner of mixtures to rewet glue and remove it from a wall. I...
painting a metal gas fireplace surround
So, remember the family room makeover? It's still there, but it has dragged on for quite a while! It's a project that moves in fits and starts. I'll make huge progress and then I'll get...
how I manage home decorating/renovation projects
A few weeks ago, I received this e-mail from a reader and I thought I would share it along with the answer to how I manage my home renovation projects. Here is an excerpt from the e-mail... "I know...
how to paint a granite fireplace surround
One of the downsides to buying a house that is new-ish and in nice condition is that it's hard to rip out and replace things that are perfectly nice. In the other homes we've owned, I've been able...