DID YOU KNOW? Painting interiors is the CHEAPEST and FASTEST way to improve the value of your home!  Here's our test subject for today. A nice, compact powder room with a lovely teal color on the lower wall under the wainscot trim. The huge mirrored wall does make the room look bigger, BUT - it also emphasizes how WHITE those walls are. BLAND! Let's spruce it up! And along the way I'll show you a couple of tips I learned when doing this project.  Before beginning any painting project, there are a few critical steps to follow to be sure your project is a success. 1 - CLEAN THE WALLS of any grime or grease if needed. TSP is a powder product that easily dissolves in water and works very well when preparing walls for paint. Just sponge it on and wipe off. Let walls dry completely. 2 - TAPE off all floor and door moldings to avoid getting paint onto these areas. My new favorite tape is FROG TAPE, a special painter's tape with PaintBlock Technology. The tape is bright green (naturally) and has been treated to STICK so no "bleeding" occurs once it's peeled off. It's absolutely AMAZING, FOOLPROOF, and I will never use another brand again! BE SURE TO OVERLAP TAPE IN CORNERS FOR BEST COVERAGE.  TAPE OFF ANY AREAS WHERE THE WALL COMES INTO CONTACT WITH TRIM, MOLDINGS, CABINETS, MIRRORS, ETC.   3 - PAINT - Use a good latex satin or eggshell finish paint for the walls. This leaves a soft sheen and makes the walls look richer in color. It's also easier to clean. A clean roller and paint pan are necessary, along with a good 2-4 inch paintbrush for edges of walls. Use this brush when "cutting in" the paint around the edges and moldings. Purdy Corporation makes great paintbrushes and the prices are reasonable. They are available at hardware and home improvement stores. Always wash the brushes out well after use by holding them under a faucet. Paintbrushes can be used indefinitely if you take care of them. GO! CUT-IN. ROLL. TOUCH UP. ROLL SOME MORE. OK - all done? Now - here's a tip for getting that paint off mirrors or windows.  This handy little tool contains a single-edge razor blade. The sharp edge can be stored inside the handle when not in use so there aren't any horrible accidents! If you splattered or dripped onto a mirror, or window - just use this tool to scrape any paint off. It's a breeze once the paint is dry. Be sure to stow the razor blade back inside the handle when you're finished!  VOILA! HOW DO YOU LIKE THE RESULTS? The room is warmer, more interesting and ready for some new fixtures that go with the new colors. This project is getting more and more exciting! NEXT: Selecting the right bathroom fixtures. Quick Kitchen Makeover 03/05/2010
Bringing a kitchen into today's trends doesn't have to be expensive. We're not talking about yanking out and replacing the cabinets or the appliances. This is quick, inexpensive and SO easy a cavewoman could do it! What is it? Replacing all your door and drawer hardware. Sound simple? It is! This kitchen had all shiny brass hardware, which was very hip in the 90's. But that was then and this is now. I found good quality drawer pulls and door knobs by shopping online at Overstock.com. This is a great site because prices are incredible AND customer reviews are visible with nearly every item from handbags to lawn mowers! Check out the before and after shots of this kitchen (sorry about my poor photography skills) The difference is subtle, but the kitchen definitely looks more modern - and much more classy!       Renewing Sofa Pillows 02/23/2010
A couple years ago, I made some sofa pillows for my daughter. The material was a beautiful russet silk that she selected from a little shop in Madison Park in Seattle. The pillows decorated the couch but over time, they became dingy and flat. I decided to rebuild them. Check it out...  This "Before" picture shows stains and the whole fabric is dull from wear. First order of business - take it apart, remove the insert, and clean it.  Normally, one side of any sofa pillow is access to the inner pillow. This can be a zipper, buttoned flap, or velcro, and often pillows have an opening on the reverse side, such as a pillow sham, for example. This pillow was hand stitched on the access side, so I needed to CAREFULLY remove the stitches with a stitch-ripper tool.  After removing - and disposing of - the insert, handwash the casing in a detergent made for gentle fabric, such as Woolite(R). Gently squeeze the soapy water through the casing several times. Then drain out the dirty water. This water was dark grey! At this point you can always opt to re-wash the fabric just to be sure it's clean.  Next THOROUGHLY RINSE the fabric, making sure all the soap is gone and the water runs clear.  Without wringing the silk, squeeze excess water from the fabric, and hang to dry. You can already see the difference in the color - it's more vibrant now - even wet!  When the fabric has completely dried, press with an iron on steam setting. This helps ensure no scorching will occur. Be gentle if you are working with silk, rayon, or any other lightweight synthetics.  Time to re-stuff! Using new organic inserts from Jo-Ann Fabrics, carefully roll the insert to more easily fit through the opening. These inserts are manufactured using bamboo, which will wear longer and are sustainable as well. Work the insert down into the pillow until all the corners fit inside the casing corners.  You can see the insert is well placed and the pillow is ready to close. Sounds like we're performing an operation - we are! AND - It Was A Success!  Voila! the finished product! The pillow is cleaner, brighter, and using the bamboo filled inserts, it is more firm and should last much longer. TIP: When using delicate fabric pillows, such as silk, it's best to place them on a bed or lightly used furniture as decor items. Not recommended as a support for hubby's head while he watches soccer matches! Total cost to renew these beautiful silk pillows? Around $30 for 4 pillow inserts - on sale at JoAnn Fabrics. Welcome to Home Decornomics! 02/13/2010
 Decorating your home doesn't have to cost - you know - an arm and a leg. This site hopes to educate and entertain our readers while learning affordable and stylish ways to enhance their own home interiors. Come visit us often and check out the ways to make your home more beautiful and more livable - and do it without breaking your budget. We'll show you fun and inspirational ideas for making your home the place you want to live! Since we don't profess to know everything about anything, hearing ideas from readers will also be heartily welcomed! It's always fun to share ideas and learn how amazing and resourceful people can be when it comes to making life better. Enjoy! Shelley Johnson Decor Passionista in Mill Creek, Washington | AuthorShelley Johnson is a Decor Passionista and Home Redesigner who revels in interior and exterior beautification - and she knows her stuff when it comes to cleaning and organization. |
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