Monthly Archives November 2006

These Boots were Made for DIY

If you are planning to undertake any significant renovation, remodeling or construction project you need to make sure that you’re dressed for the part. One of the most important items you will need aside from a hard hat (if necessary) is a pair of strong, sturdy, durable and comfortable shoes – make that boots. One of the first things you will find as a woman looking for boots that meet the criteria listed above is that it is really hard to find what you are looking for – yes, there will be plenty of boots that meet that criteria but they are designed for men with huge feet and frankly little fashion sense. The following article tells the story of one woman’s quest to find the perfect construction strength boots:

Last year I wore tennis shoes to our annual charity house renovation project for AmeriCares HomeFront. A TOH newbie, it was my first trip to a job site, and after witnessing a colleague’s near miss with a dropped Belgian block and narrowly averting a broken toe or two myself when a gallon of paint slipped from my grip, I realized that my sneaks were inferior. Seeking a pair of steel-toed work boots for this year’s project, I roamed the shoe department at Paragon, New York City’s largest athletic- and work-gear store. But among the 700 styles of boots lining the walls, not a single pair fit the bill—or my feet, for that matter. They had lots of gargantuan work boots for men, but none sized for women’s smaller feet.

Frustrated, I took my search online but found only western ropers, motorcycle, and hiking boots. With our project day looming near, I went to an Army-Navy store that also caters to the hard-hat crowd. That’s where I first laid my eyes on Timberland’s new line of women’s work boots. “Do you work in construction?” the salesman asked as I slipped on a surprisingly cozy pair. I could in these babies, I thought. (more at This Old House)

As the proud owner of a pair of Timberland boots I can tell you that they are fantastic and sturdy for any do-it-yourself remodeling or home improvement job that you need to immerse yourself in feet first. Mine are a grey-blue as I preferred that over the traditional tan or yellow – really what decorating diva wouldn’t combine fashion with construction?

Chris Madden's Secret to Stress-Free Holiday Entertaining

(ARA) – “The secret to stress-free holiday entertaining for me,” explains celebrity-designer, best-selling author, Chris Madden, “is about setting a lovely table and creating the festive ambiance for family and friends to gather around.”

Decorating for the holidays is a tradition Madden has perfected over the years. Her mantra is simple: keep it fun, stress-free and personal – celebrate in the style that brings you delight. To do this, Madden advises making every room of your home inviting to the five senses. “Fill your rooms with the things that you love and enrich your senses and when you have done so, your home will be ready to welcome guests.”

Fill your rooms with festive scents and sounds, serve your family’s favorite holiday recipes and create comfortable and visually pleasing places to dine and relax throughout your home. The holidays are also the time to mix treasured collectibles, inherited silver and flea market finds to create a dining table that is practical but styled with timeless elegance, and that will help you build on to your traditions for years to come.

Madden recommends starting with an elegant tablecloth – in creamy ivory or holiday jewel-tones – to begin this tabletop layering. If you don’t have the perfect cloth, think of using your favorite piece of fabric – a remnant, curtain panel, a washable quilt or a table runner and placemats.

Layer on a centerpiece that will become the focal point of your table. Create one with collectibles or natural botanicals such as leaves, nuts or berries and mix them with fragrant flowers and fresh greens. “A centerpiece can also be something as simple as various-sized pillars set on a tray and surrounded by beautiful fruits or seasonal vegetables,” says Madden.

Next, add your favorite mix of dinnerware, stemware, linens and flatware that symbolize you are setting the table for a special gathering. Chris Madden for JCPenney Home Collection’s Harvest tabletop, featuring seasonal design, is a perfect addition to your Thanksgiving table. Get into the spirit with a traditional turkey-shaped platter and soup tureen with matching bowls. Or use ceramic Harvest plates featuring a turkey, leaf or pumpkin to serve a holiday salad or dessert. Squirrel, pumpkin or leaf-shaped salt and pepper shakers or votive holders add an additional punch of holiday whimsy to your festive table.

For a touch of elegance, Chris Madden’s Felice dinnerware features beautifully embossed details that appeal to the romantic in all of us. The collection includes four-piece place settings, a set of four, footed dessert bowls, sugar and creamer, salt and pepper shakers, oval and square-shaped platters, and a three-piece canister set that can all be easily matched with other favorite dining pieces.

Both the Harvest and Felice collections are complemented by Madden’s Veneto glassware. Faceted goblets, flutes and wine glasses are available in easy-to-coordinate shades of amber, green or clear. Each style comes in a set of four and makes the transition from casual to elegant, depending on the occasion and how you choose to set your table. Flatware to coordinate or complement your existing services and a variety of textural linens – placemats, napkins and runners – in complementary colors and patterns, complete the Chris Madden look.

“No matter how you decide to decorate your table and home, keep in mind it’s the personal, sensory touches that will make all the difference. Use holiday decorating as a means for expressing your creativity, and layering those things you love that create sensory delight each and every time you come home,” says Madden.

The Chris Madden for JCPenney Home Collection is available at JCPenney stores across the country. Call (877) FIND-JCP or log on to www.jcp.com for more information.

Courtesy of ARA Content

Lipstick as DIY Tool

How many of you have found that marking a piece of drywall or paneling for cutting can be, well a little frustrating? Personally, I’ve had my share of being frustrated when I would mark the edges of the plastic cable utility box or electrical box with chalk, gingerly placed it against the wall and dots – just faint pastel colored dots were all that was transferred to the wall making for a less than perfect cut outline.

Chalk it turns out isn’t the ideal material for marking plastic surfaces. Most plastic surfaces are quite slick thereby making it quite difficult to get chalk or other powdery material to stick. I soon learned to use grease pencils to trace the edges of the plastic box and I’ve been using that technique for quite a while but that all changed yesterday. I received the following do-it-yourself tip via email (Ed. Note: emphasis mine):

When installing drywall or paneling, you need to cut holes for electrical outlets. To know where to make the cutouts, rub chalk onto the edges of the box, then push the panel into position against it to transfer the mark. TOH Reader Monte Fisher of Whitewater, Kansas, discovered that chalk won’t stick to plastic boxes, so he uses lipstick instead. (source This Old House)

I tried the lipstick do-it-yourself tip in my workshop yesterday and it worked quite well. The lipstick went on smoothly, fast and best of all took no pressure at all to make it’s mark – unlike the grease pencils which required a bit of pushing down hard onto the surface. The transfer mark was nice and crisp leaving little doubt as to where the cut should be made. I don’t recommend that you use your favorite lipstick but how many of us have lipsticks we’ve purchased and hate? Well, now instead of tossing that ugly lipstick shade you can toss it into your decorating diva toolbox.

Beach House Bathroom Retreat

The bathroom is increasingly becoming the most important room in our homes – second only to the kitchen. Bathrooms that are merely functional are quickly becoming a thing of the past. Today’s bathrooms are larger and more luxurious. It’s not enough to have a simple basin tub, regular shower head, ordinary fixtures or a common sink basin. What we want in our bathrooms today are the luxuries one would find at the world’s best hotels. We want to escape to our special spa retreats – our personal home spa retreats.

Today we will discuss some easy decorating and design tips you can use to create a soothing beach house bathroom retreat. The ideas presented require little expense and a bit of your time.
Color Palette: First we start with soothing colors to set the mood and to serve as a foundation for the rest of your design. These are colors that can be used for paint, decorative accessories and linens.

Bathroom Fixtures

Rainshower Showerheads: One of my favorite things while traveling is staying at hotels that have rainshower showerheads. The soothing gentle spray created by the rainshower shower head is enough to make whatever stress I am feeling melt away. If you are able to incorporate one into your bathroom retreat design then by all means do so.

Curved Shower Rod: Enjoy up to six inches of additional shower space by using a curved shower rod. Having that extra room will open up your showering environment and make you feel less confined and will make you feel much more relaxed as you shower. Moen’s Inspirations collection offers several curved rods in finishes ranging from Old World Bronze to Chrome and Brushed Nickel. I like the Chrome or Brushed Nickel for use in a beach house bath retreat. What’s really great about the curved shower rod is that you can use your existing hooks and curtains (if you choose to) – so the only financial outlay will be for the rod.

Materials

Soft, Fluffy Towels, Robes and Bath Mats: Nothing says beach retreat more than unbelievably, soft, fluffy, comforting towels. Egyptian cotton is the best and I highly recommend spending the extra money here. The towels and other bath linens you purchase will last and last, wash after wash. Frayed edges and dangling terry cloth threads don’t convey the image of a soothing retreat nor do cheap cotton towels that abrade your skin as you dry. For a beach themed decor I prefer to select linens and fabric bath accessories (bath mat or rug) that match or coordinate with the color palette illustrated above.

Elegant Bath Accessories: Add a touch of elegance and timeless style to your beach house retreat by decorating with bath accessories that coordinate with the color palette you’ve selected.

Trend Watching – It's All in the Details

The latest Home Decor Buyer survey of home decor retailers pinpoints the up and coming trendsetters, what’s hot now and trends on the way out.

Furniture Trends

Leather, either real or faux, is hot now according to 73% of those surveyed. Painted wood, distressed woods and rattan/wicker are still popular and have a strong staying power. Some new up and comers to look for are exotic woods and reclaimed woods. Don’t get stuck with yesterday’s style, so say no to steel/chrome, Abaca, any form of acrylic or lucite and plywood.

Accents on Accessories/Furnishings

As reported in one of our earlier postings – pewter is hot and getting hotter, as is bamboo. Shell finishes, bone, zinc, acrylic (notice the trend?) and twisted wire are on the fast track to the clearance rack.

Materials or Treatments ( Textile Specific)

Leather – very now (again notice the trend?), micro-fiber, tassels and/or fringe and beaded or jeweled surfaces (an interesting trend that mirrors the stunning accessories figuring prominently on the fashion runways). Faux fur is still fashionable but the same can’t be said for real fur, feathers or anything crocheted and/or knitted.

Patterns To Follow

Damask is quite popular, followed closely by the always classic toile, houndstooth and safari print. Camouflage, Lace and Argyle are close to the end of their fashionable run. Geometric shapes are still popular and look like they will hold on as home furnishings slowly transistion from the traditional to the more modern design styles.

Trend Watching – It’s All in the Details

The latest Home Decor Buyer survey of home decor retailers pinpoints the up and coming trendsetters, what’s hot now and trends on the way out.

Furniture Trends

Leather, either real or faux, is hot now according to 73% of those surveyed. Painted wood, distressed woods and rattan/wicker are still popular and have a strong staying power. Some new up and comers to look for are exotic woods and reclaimed woods. Don’t get stuck with yesterday’s style, so say no to steel/chrome, Abaca, any form of acrylic or lucite and plywood.

Accents on Accessories/Furnishings

As reported in one of our earlier postings – pewter is hot and getting hotter, as is bamboo. Shell finishes, bone, zinc, acrylic (notice the trend?) and twisted wire are on the fast track to the clearance rack.

Materials or Treatments ( Textile Specific)

Leather – very now (again notice the trend?), micro-fiber, tassels and/or fringe and beaded or jeweled surfaces (an interesting trend that mirrors the stunning accessories figuring prominently on the fashion runways). Faux fur is still fashionable but the same can’t be said for real fur, feathers or anything crocheted and/or knitted.

Patterns To Follow

Damask is quite popular, followed closely by the always classic toile, houndstooth and safari print. Camouflage, Lace and Argyle are close to the end of their fashionable run. Geometric shapes are still popular and look like they will hold on as home furnishings slowly transistion from the traditional to the more modern design styles.

Flooring Options that Fit Your Lifestyle

Tile
Tile can be made from either ceramic, glass, stainless steel or stone. The more exotic the material, the higher your cost. For example, glass is a beautiful tile for bathrooms but the overall cost is much higher than for regular tile. A more affordable approach to using glass tile for your bathroom floor may be to create a border of the glass tile around the regular ceramic tile. You still get the benefits of the classy glass without the drain on your pocketbook.

Ceramic tile is great for use in specific heavy-traffic areas such as bathrooms, entryways, and kitchens as well as through out the home. Ceramic tiles can be found in thousands of colors, patterns, shapes, and sizes. Ceramic tiles can either be mass created or hand made, the difference is seen in the price, originality and at times quality of the tile. A custom designed tile that is created by an artisan will tend to cost more, but as is the case with the glass tile you can use a small amount to achieve an impressive decorative impact. Stone tiles are a beautiful alternative to ceramic tile, however you will find that there are color and pattern variations between each tile even it is cut from the same boulder or stone.

Stone tiles can either be highly polished like a marble or granite or more matte like a slate. The current trend in the last five years has been to “recycle” stones or stone tiles recovered from old European homes or streets and use them in homes here. It affords a since of history to your home that is unique and definitely a conversation piece.

Wood
Wood flooring comes in either natural or man-made material. Natural hardwood floors are popular and can be expensive but it is the only flooring material that can be refinished. Some popular and trendy wood floors include cork ( my personal favorite – it feels like walking on soft fluffy clouds- it is very kind to your joints!), bamboo, exotic brazilian wood, cherry and maple among others. Natural woods are not recommended for moist areas such as bathrooms or kitchens.

Engineered (laminates) wood floors are easy to install and come in various “natural wood” finishes. Some “faux woods” are actually almost impossible to distinquish from the real thing. Thereby making engineered woods a great alternative to natural woods. I don’t recommend engineered woods for moist environments.

For kitchen or baths I recommend vinyl tiles, ceramic tiles or stone tiles.

Carpet
Carpet tends to be synthetic, comes in many styles, colors and patterns. Carpet is the least expensive flooring option – in the short term. Unlike tile or wood, carpet has a shorter life span and is more difficult to clean and maintain. That being said carpet also has some nice features which work well in children’s rooms and other rooms in your home.

Carpet is easier on your joints than stone or ceramic tile, when you drop a fragile item on carpet it stands a very good chance of surviving and when your child takes a fall, carpet will “cushion” his or her fall better than tile or wood.

Vinyl
Vinyl flooring has come a long way since those hideous 1960’s and 1970’s Brady Bunch type floors. Some vinyl floors can be as beautiful as ceramic tiles or stones and can be equally expensive. Vinyl is a resistant material and works perfectly for bathrooms and kitchens.

WHICH FLOORING OPTION IS BEST FOR YOUR HOME?
To determine the best flooring for your home you need to ask yourself the following questions:

Are allergies a problem in your household?

Do you have pets?

What is your budget?

Who will be installing the flooring?

Of course your preferences will drive your flooring selection but the above questions will help guide you to the best selection for your home and family.

If allergies or asthma are a problem with a member of your household then carpet may not be the best choice. Carpet contains certain dyes and chemicals that can aggravate asthmatic conditions. Allergic reactions can be heightened due to carpet being difficult to keep clean from accumulating dust and other allergens such as pet hair.

If you have pets tile is probably your best choice. It is easy to clean and can withstand animal scratching. Wood and carpet can become damaged if your cat or dog decide to use them as scratching posts.

Your Budget

Knowing your budget for flooring is very important since it will dictate what you can afford. A large portion of flooring cost is in the installation, if you can install your own wood floors or tiles you maybe able to afford the more expensive natural wood as opposed to an engineered wood. Some great do-it-yourself flooring includes click together laminate tiles and wood. They are scratch resistant, look like the real thing, can be installed in as little as a few hours and best of all come with a pleasantly affordable price tag.

Glittering Floral Holiday Centerpiece

Short on time and on a limited budget? That’s not a problem with this easy to make and extraordinarily inexpensive holiday floral centerpiece. Captivate your guests with this easy to make glittering floral centerpiece! Your holiday dinner guests will be asking you who the florists was who created your stunning centerpiece and you will be able to respond, with a huge smile, that you created the centerpiece.

List of What You Will Need:

• Wicker Basket (Available at garage sales or Dollar Stores)
• Floral Foam or if you have styrofoam from packaging that will also work.
• Silver Metal Spray Paint ( 5.99 at craft stores)
• Gold Metal Spray Paint ( 5.99 at craft stores)
• Opal Gitter Paint ( 1.99 at craft stores)
• Plastic Fruit (Apply glitter paint and let dry)
• A few rose and carnation blooms (spray them gold and silver and then dust with glitter)
• Hot Glue Gun
• Snow Spray
• Pinecones ( Spray them with gold paint)
• Break branches and twigs from a tree in your yard (remove leaves and spray paint gold and later add glitter paint to strategic areas of the branches)
• Cut a few branches from an evergreen. Get enough to create a Christmas tree shape.
• Plastic Square container (so you can water your evergreen plant)
• Wood Skewers (cut them in half)
• Floral Moss
• Wired ribbon (color of your choice with Silver or Gold Edging)
• Sprigs of beaded berries

To create the centerpiece:

• Before you start you will want to coordinate the color of the ribbon and florals. I selected plum for my project.
• Take the wicker basket and spray paint it silver. Make sure to follow the manufacturers directions completely.
• Add the floral foam to the plastic square container.
  Place the container in the basket and fill in the remaining space with more foam.
• Arrange the evergreen branches in the shape of a Christmas tree. If you need to hold it together temporarily as you work, wrap a ribbon around the branches. That will hold it together well, until you are done.
• Attach the halved wood skewer to the bottom of the pinecones with glue from your hot glue gun.
• Add the pine cones to the four corners of the wickerbasket. Insert them into the foam. Follow that with some of the “sugared fruit” and the painted/glittered florals.Randomly insert the fruit and florals in the foam.
• Add floral moss to “spacey” areas that appear empty around the pinecones, florals and fruit.
• Spray the “faux” snow randomly on the evergreen. Taking care to not overspray the other oranamentation.
• Once the faux snow has dried. Create three bands across the ” Christmas Tree” as if it were garland.
• Add sprigs of beaded berries in the coordinating color to your florals and ribbon.
• Add two or three of your gold twigs to either side of tree.
• That’s it simple and stunning!

I hope that you have been able to use these easy decorating tips to create an even more beautiful Holiday for you and your family.