The game was awesome and we had such a great time watching in the autumn sunshine, I needed that!  Fall is simply incomplete without great football. 

So I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about things I may or may not have mentioned around here, and I thought I should offer a few As to some frequent Qs so here goes!

Q: I was wondering what color you used to paint your white kitchen cabinets. ~ Jenny

A:  Hi Jenny, I didn’t paint the white cabinets in my kitchen, the cabinets arrived in that finish from the manufacturer (Kemper) in more of a cream color called ‘Toasted Almond’.  However, I did paint my kitchen island last year.  A recent match of the creamy white cabinets reveals that the two closest color matches are "Floral White" by Benjamin Moore and "Ivory Dust" by Valspar.

Q: Attached are pictures of my fireplace that I would love to repaint white or antique white but I am fearful that it will not look right against our dark wall and I have never tackled a project this large.  Please help with any ideas or suggestions. ~ Chris

Existing fireplace:

 

A: Hey there Chris, I wouldn’t hesitate to prime and paint your mantel white or antique white.  A white mantel is always fresh, always classic, and coordinates with your existing planters and candlesticks. It also provides a dramatic contrast to your dark walls and your wood mirror. A little of Rust-Oleum’s high heat paint in black will modernize the brass trim on the fireplace doors too, just like I did with this oak mantel makeover last year. 

Here’s a glimpse of what a paint makeover can do:

Q: I am a new follower and I have a question that I am sure you have been asked a thousand times. I am dying to know where you got the quatrefoil style mirror above your mantel. ~  Kathryn F.

A: Kathryn, that mirror was a floor sample I found at Lamps Plus that was scratched and had a weathered copper-like finish to it. I picked it up for half price due to the minor damage then I spray painted it gloss white and turned it on its side. Good news though, they still carry it, it’s the Casbah Mirror, so you can do the same thing if you’re inclined!

Q: I’m in the process of getting bids on adding a mantel and surround to my gas fireplace. I’ve scoured the internet in search of the perfect style and low and behold guess who’s fireplace surround I found on Pinterest and fell in love with – yours!  Where is it from?” ~ Roxanne

A:  Hey Roxanne, we ordered that mantel five years ago from Mantels Direct through a local dealer and I’m pretty doggone sure it’s the Hampton Model.  We ordered ours in Poplar in White, and paid to have it installed by a skilled carpenter.  Certain edges had to be cut to perfection to fit around the existing marble tile leftover from the old mantel (and the baseboard too) so in an abundance of caution we decided is was smart to pay a pro install it for us.

Q.  Did you sand your laminate entertainment center first before using the Zinsser Cover Stain?  How did it hold up after a year? A couple of pieces that I am doing for a friend are the laminate and one of them is a bookshelf for her young son – I just want to make sure that this will hold up for her.  ~ Cindy

A:  Hi Cindy, no I did not sand it, I simply primed it, lightly sanded the primer, then wiped it down to prep the surface for paint. The real key with laminate is the bonding primer. Some water based formulas will adhere to glossy surfaces, but the Zinsser Cover Stain in the oil based formula is a sure guarantee in my experience.

I’ve painted laminate shelves, bookcases, and that media center too with the same method, and they’ve all held up over time because of that bonding primer. For any surfaces that will get a lot of wear and tear (desk or tabletops, even kid storage centers) or wherever there will be a lot of sliding back and forth, two coats of quick drying oil based bonding primer is a really smart step. I did that, and as a result, he paint job has lasted this long. When the coats of primer are dry, gently sand to remove any drips or brush strokes, then paint your laminate piece with two coats of latex paint for a lasting finish. 

If any of you have any questions for me, feel free to leave them in a comment and I’ll respond there or do my best to respond via email or even in a future post. 

xo,

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Then I’ll get one of these from time to time. “Oh my goodness, you girls and your paint cans, you’re going to be stripping off all that paint in five years!”.  If you’ve ever read the comments on Apartment Therapy anytime someone paints a piece of furniture, the wood purists come out of the woodwork (pun intended) and proclaim ruination.  It raises a controversial question, when should you or shouldn’t you paint your {insert old piece here}. 

My answer is always, “It just depends on the piece".  How’s that for vague?  OK, well how about this generality.  For me, anything that is mass produced is fair game, especially if it has laminate or veneers.  Solid wood unique pieces, especially if they are true antiques are where I hesitate.  Unless the wood is damaged, then wood putty plus paint always works in my book.      

Recently, I received and email from Kathryn, she sent me a picture of her dining room set, and asked how could she freshen it up.  Should she paint the chairs, the table, or both? 

My advice?  Pull an Eddie and paint those shield back chairs.  Then restain the table.

Painting the chairs and reupholstering the seats in a modern fabric would go a long way to freshening this set. 

Here’s an example of two old dressers, one I’d paint, one I wouldn’t.  This first version I would paint.  That speckled finish is just too 1970’s for me and I can see it refinished in a classic black or white and it would play nicely in any space. 

Check out what a bold modern hue can do.  Take it one step further and add new hardware and the dresser is completely reinvented.

Curbly & Four Men and a Lady

Here is an example of a dresser I’d never paint, my own.  It’s a vintage Drexel Heritage piece my hub found ten years ago in an antique shop.  It’s crafted of beautiful solid wood and in excellent condition.  It has real beauty and value in its current state so I’m just not gonna do it. 

Quality wood furniture is beautiful and when in excellent condition, has real value so consider selling it on Craigslist or to an antique shop or to someone who will appreciate it in its current state.  I think inherited pieces are much trickier – perhaps you’re “stuck” when them because they’ve always been in the family, but many ladies find they want to freshen a piece with a coat of paint.  If it’s inherited, well honey it’s now yours, so do what you want with it.  Things I’d never hesitate to paint?  Natural oak builder grade cabinets and dark wood wall paneling both come to mind. 

That’s my two cents on the issue.  Do you agree with me?  Or do you feel the need to set me straight?  When “should” you paint wood?  Let’s hear it.

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“Hey Kate, I read that when you remodeled your house a few years ago, that you designed and built your kitchen.  We’re in the beginning stages of gutting our very dated kitchen and we’re starting over from scratch!  We’re so excited!!  My question for you is, were there any pitfalls you ran into?  Anything you learned along the way you’d be willing to share?  What should we know about building a kitchen starting from four bare walls?  Help!”

Great question Melanie!  Me and my Mister built our kitchen over five years ago, so to answer Melanie’s question, I had to dig through the archives and pull out all my files to refresh my recollection of the process of building our kitchen from scratch.  It resulted in a mild rash and minor heart palpitations, but I’ve since recovered.  

No, I’m kidding.  I absolutely love kitchen design, and loved the entire process of choosing all the details of the one in our own home.  I’m one of those people that if I overheard at the grocery store you were building a new kitchen, I’d butt my ponytail right into the conversation and want to chat all about appliances, countertops and the exact style of door front you’re choosing for your cabinets.  “Really?  Oh, fabulous!” 

Building a kitchen from scratch is an enormous task.  Unlike throwing the latest most popular shade of paint on your walls, a kitchen must be a space that can stand the test of time.  My kitchen suits the style of my home, and also my own personal tastes as well.  While there are a few things I wish I’d done differently, for the most part, I really love the floor plan and finishes we continue to live with every day.  

Ten Lessons I Learned from Building Our Kitchen

#10:  Do your research

I’m talking building codes, cabinet styles, appliances and their wacky measurements, tile, countertops, etc.  Visit home improvement stores, appliance centers, tile shops, and slab yards.  Do extensive research online for information and inspiration.  Touch, feel, and read everything you can your get your hands on, and gather at least three bids from all subcontractors.

Eat, drink, and breathe everything ‘Kitchen Design’ until you can’t stand it anymore.  Then you’ll be ready to make your final choices. 

#9)  Have a good lighting plan 

This is my old tattered lighting plan from 2005 that I found earlier today.  You can see there are plans for eight light switches in this kitchen.  Eight.  But they all serve a very specific purpose (task lighting, pantry, over the sink, etc.)

I consulted with a friend who is a lighting designer and also my electrician.  Together we came up with all of these switches, and I’m so glad we put so much thought into it. 

And dimmers!  Put as many switches as you can on dimmers to set any mood in your kitchen from “Time to wake up kids!” to “Dinner party ambiance”.  Trust me.

#8:  Create a work triangle

Since most cooking is done between these three zones, all kitchen designers will tell you it’s important to keep ‘the triangle’ in mind.   You can rotate the points any which way, just make sure there’s a logical connection between the sink, fridge and cooktop/oven. 

This is the exact triangle I have in my own kitchen with my sink under the window, my refrigerator to the left and my cooktop/range to the right. 

It’s helpful to incorporate your food prep area in between the zones, which is why my center island is one large flat surface!   It’s also helpful to keep the main path of travel away from your work triangle. 

#7)  Research all price points

Countertops, appliances, and cabinetry are always an investment, and places where you want to spend good money for good quality, but there are other places where you will find there’s a great degree of variance in price and you can get away with inexpensive choices.  Our knobs and pulls are the perfect example. 

The subtly detailed brushed nickel cabinet knobs and pulls I chose (to the left) are from none other than (who would have thought?) Target.  I think I paid maybe $2 dollars a knob and $3 dollars a pull.  But I paid a pretty penny for the Top Knobs appliance pulls on the refrigerator to the right.  They were expensive, but were they ever worth it!  I pull on those babies two dozen times a day, so always think about that when you’re making your final decision on hardware for your kitchen. 

Our sinks are another example.  The main sink faucet is Price Pfister ‘Marielle’ off the shelf from Home Depot and the secondary sink is by Rohl.  Both have held up well over time, but I paid much more for the Rohl than the Price Pfister, and in hindsight, I should have gone with a more inexpensive model for the second sink. 

#6 Storage Storage Storage 

Think about all the places you want to hide your everyday items, like your coffee maker or your toaster.  If you want to tuck them out of sight, create little nooks to do so.  I like to tuck my own toaster, bread bowl, and coffee maker in the nook behind my refrigerator. 

Also consider where you will place all the things you cook with: your spices, utensils and pot holders, then map out where you’d like to store them as well.

Consider where you will store your small appliances and larger roasting pans that you use less frequently.  I hide chaffing dishes and roasting pans in these corner kitchen cabinets, and smaller less used appliances under our breakfast peninsula.

Every kitchen needs extra cabinet space or a pantry to store dry goods.  Large or small, do your best to make space for everything from sugar, flour and cereal, to larger bulk items like paper towels or a collection of cookbooks.  Walk in pantries are always a plus!  

#5 Bells, Whistles and Extras

You know all those high tech gadgets that are constantly coming on the market?  And all those pricey extras that make you oooh and ahhh?  I’m talking your pot fillers, warming drawers, and espresso makers.  All those little extras you make think you want, but may not actually need. 

I’m here to tell you stick with what you’ll use.  We invested in two fancy shmancy extra appliances that we do actually use: our clear ice maker and our wine/beverage fridge.  Those are really really nice, but are they necessary?  Nah.  Just fun to play with.  Could we live without them?  Surely.  

Should you double up the number of dishwashers, sinks, or ovens?  Your call, but I can honestly tell you this.  I can count on one hand the amount of times I’ve used two ovens at the same time.  I don’t believe double ovens are necessary in any kitchen unless you do a heck of a lot of baking or entertaining for massive amounts of family or friends.  But double ovens are always a selling point, so consider that too.  If you have a convection microwave, I think you can get away with just a single oven.

Double sinks are a definite plus, especially when you have more than one person cooking in the kitchen at a time.  Or you need a place to throw your dirty dishtowels.  Or you have little children with grimy hands and your main sink is full of dishes.  Or better still, a place to chill a bottle of great chardonnay for your friends on a summer day.  The latter three reasons are why I love my second sink. 

#4  Mind Your Transitions 

The devil is in the details, so pay attention to them.  Mind your transitions around your appliances.  Take my range for example, it sticks out beyond the standard cabinet depth as you can see to the left.  To accommodate, we had to add these decorative legs and have the countertops cut to match. 

Also, pay attention to the space required behind your appliances for plugs, and the clearance needed to open microwave, oven and refrigerator doors. 

 #3:  Dedicated Zones

Especially with families, I think it’s essential to have a desk or separate space away from your work triangle and cooking zone that helps you stay organized.  Let’s face it.  The kitchen is the heart of the home and where so much activity takes place, so it’s best to budget some real estate in your kitchen plan for your phone, a calendar, perhaps a laptop, and a place to take messages.  Here’s mine. 

Above I have open decorative shelves where I store some favorite cookbooks, display a calendar, and a basket for take out menus.  Below is my junk drawer for pens, tape, scissors, etc.  In the lower cabinet is where I store the phone book, my family binder, my favorite recipe binder, and about five dozen copies of Bon Appétit  which I have yet to recycle. 

I think it’s also important that people have a place to sit and chat in your kitchen while you cook, and a place to nibble too.  For us, that’s our breakfast peninsula that forms a barrier between the kitchen and family room.  Please ignore the shy four year old trying to hide.  

#2 Be Careful What You Wish For

And as with any home expansion, unless you can afford an Alice, keep in mind every square inch that you add to your kitchen you also have to clean and maintain.  And I can tell you it takes a bit o’ time to clean mine.  So even though you may think you want a bigger kitchen, remember, just like a big house, bigger ain’t always better cause someone’s got to clean it!

#1  Make Timeless Choices

Argh, this is so important!  Pick cabinetry, countertops and a backsplash that suits your style and your budget, but always keep in mind the passage of time and future buyers. 

There are a bazillion combinations to choose from when it comes to cabinetry, countertops and a backsplash.  I chose crema marble with brown veining (instead of the grey found in carrera marble), a white ceramic backsplash, and dark walnut countertops for the island and breakfast peninsula.  Five years later, I still love the combination. 

However, as much as I love my marble counters and the wood countertops on my island, I couldn’t’ wait to remove that ‘fruit plate’ behind my range.  I was going through my ‘French Country’ phase way back when I ordered it in 2005.  What was I thinking?  Thankfully it was a cosmetic fix. 

Here’s the new cleaner backsplash we installed in late January. 

So take my advice.  Pick modern cabinetry, appliances, and surfaces that are not too trendy, and you (and any future homeowner) will be grateful.

One final thought:  Although I swoon over all those high end white kitchens in shelter mags, I do not believe that all kitchens should have white cabinets. To the contrary, kitchen cabinets should complement the architecture and style of the home, and also reflect the personal tastes of the homeowner.  In the average contemporary American home, white cabinetry is a safe choice.  However, I happen to be a fan of many different styles of cabinetry, whether painted or stained, open shelves or closed cabinets, or traditional or contemporary design, so I encourage you all (and Melanie too!) to pick what’s right for you and your home. 

What about you?  Any of you planning to remodel your kitchen?  What’s the one thing you love about your kitchen?  What if anything do you desperately want to change? 

.

The most important thing I have learned to make for a better brighter photo has everything to do with light.  And a good camera.  When taking photographs, either for your personal use or for your blog, good natural light and a kick booty camera are your two very best friends. 

Most photographs taken outside on a sunny day with a point-and-shoot turn out pretty well, all because of the natural light present.  Yet with interior shots, it’s tough to be as blessed with natural light unless you’re shooting a room with walls of windows on a sunny day.   When shooting pictures indoors in less than ideal conditions, here are a five tips I shoot by.   

My Five Tips for Better Brighter Blog Photos

1) Use a Good Camera

I think it’s essential to invest in a good SLR digital camera with variable settings (F-stop, shutter speed, ISO sensitivity, white balance, etc.) if you want to have high quality interior photos.  I know there are a lot of comparatively inexpensive point and shoot digital cameras out there, and they are perfectly fine for so many everyday uses, but for high quality blog photography, invest in a good camera.  I use my Nikon D60 that allows for changeable lenses, and I use two kinds of lenses that I mention in my FAQ page. 

2)  Know Your Manual 

When my hub bought me my Nikon D60 three years ago, I always used the auto setting just because it was so darn easy and I was, at first, intimidated by the manual settings.  80% of the time, the ‘Auto’ setting worked fine and produced adequate images. 

However, the ability to manipulate your camera’s light settings makes all the difference in the world in less than perfect light conditions, and when shooting interiors or detail shots.  Here is just one half of one page in my Nikon’s manual but look how much information can be gathered from this quick camera tour.   

Manipulating your camera’s settings to allow for more light requires that you read and know your manual.  Once you do, you will learn that you can manipulate your exposures, and you will gain confidence to stray away from the ‘Auto’ setting.  Once you start experimenting, you will have that ‘Aha!’ moment, I promise!

  Three Simple Ways to Move Beyond ‘Auto’ and Pull More Light into Your Lens: 

1) widen (lower) your aperture; 2)  slow your shutter speed; and 3) increase your ISO sensitivity. 

Quick definitions: 

Aperture: the aperture is the width of the ‘hole’ or opening in your lens and it is measured in what are called F-stops (f/4, f/5.6, f/8, etc). 

A lower F-stop translates to a bigger ‘hole’ or a wider aperture which means more light enters your lens.  You’d think a smaller F-stop would mean a smaller opening, but it works in reverse.  A lower F-stop allows for more light, so make that mental note.  Lowering your F-stop also decreases depth of field (blurring the background) but it will definitely brighten your image.

Shutter Speed:  the amount of time your lens is open to take your picture.

In low light settings, if you slow your shutter speed (ex: from 1/100th of a second to 1/20th of a second) then you allow more light to enter your lens.  A slower (lower) shutter speed (especially below 1/10) can make your shot blurry because your lens is open longer, so it’s best to stabilize your camera with a tripod, or on a still surface.

ISO Sensitivity: your camera’s sensitivity to light which varies from 100, 200, 400, 800, to 1600 and sometimes higher.

The higher the ISO sensitivity, the more sensitive your camera is to light, and the brighter your image will be.  However, higher ISO Sensitivity leads to grainier pictures, so I try to avoid going above 400 if possible.  Most of the time, I shoot in auto ISO sensitivity, but in lower light situations, I often up the ISO sensitivity to 800. 

3)  Shoot Interiors in the Best Light Conditions

I never wait until 8 p.m. to shoot any ‘final’ project pictures.  If you want to show off your project or space in the very best way you must shoot it in the very best light.  Ideally, that’s a sunny day with all your blinds open allowing for the most natural light, but in winter or late afternoon, your light is often compromised.  Knowing your best light conditions is key.  In my home in California, I shoot north and east facing rooms in the morning, and I shoot west and south facing rooms in the early afternoon. 

And for the love of all that is good in this world, please, I beg you, never shoot any interior shots with a flash.  The flash is not your friend. 

Quite frankly, the flash should always always always be off.  Interior shots taken with a flash are awful. 

4)  Manipulate Your Camera Settings

You can make up for mediocre lighting by changing your camera’s settings. This is where Tip #2 becomes crucial.  Once you get to know your camera by reading the manual, you’ll see that you can brighten your photos by allowing more light into your lens.

Take a peek at these three pictures of my holiday mantel taken in the same place on a cloudy day at 3 p.m. in my living room.  The first is shot with a flash, the second is shot on ‘Auto, No Flash’. 

I made four changes to make this interior shot better.  I switched my setting to ‘M’ (Manual) mode, slowed the shutter speed to 1/5, changed the F-stop to f/5, then increased the ISO Sensitivity to 400. 

Result from changes to settings:

All from simply changing the aperture, shutter speed and ISO sensitivity!

I encourage you to experiment with your camera and different lenses.  Start by simply changing the aperture in your ‘A’ mode, then switch over to ‘S’ mode and play with shutter speed.  In ‘M’ mode, you can change both.  Experimenting with your camera can only lead to better interior shots, so go for it!

5)  Simple Photo Editing

You can always boost your pictures with photo editing programs like Picnik, Picasa, and Photoshop (among other countless software programs available).  Most of the time I attempt to significantly brighten a photo with editing software, I end up compromising the resolution.  I lose depth and detail, and my pictures get grainy. 

My latest theory is to simply try as best as I can to get the proper exposure in the original shot to both save time editing, and keep my pictures crisp and clear.  I still use Picasa 95% of the time to edit my photos, and you can read all about my affection for this free software here.

I’m no expert, and often you’ll see far less than perfect pictures around here, but I do keep experimenting every day.  My philosophy with photography is the same as in life.  When you open yourself up to learning new things, and take the time to do the research, when you don’t expect instant gratification, but rather seek to develop your skills over time, you can teach yourself just about anything.  I encourage you to do the same! 

Soon I’ll share more photography tips from some of my favorite bloggers and some favorite photography sites I love that may help you improve along with me!  Until then, happy shooting!

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“I was wondering about your fantastic office redo.   Are you ceilings regular height?  8 feet I think is standard.  I would love to hang a chandelier in my office, but am afraid that the ceiling is too low.  Do you have that problem?  Any help would be appreciated!  ~ Emily N.”

Great question Emily!  When it comes to hanging a light fixture in a main traffic area in a room (and not over a dining table) lighting designers and interior decorators typically follow two rules of thumb. 

1)  Measure the height of the room and allow 2.5 to 3 inches for each foot of height.  According to this formula, if your room has an 8 foot tall ceiling, you would multiply 8 x 2.5 inches and 8 x 3 inches, to arrive at a light fixture that is between 20 to 24 inches in height (but see comments below).

2)  A chandelier also needs to be proportionate to the room size.   Add the width and length of the room together in feet and convert that figure to inches to come up with the correct width of the chandelier.  For example, in my office, the room measures 10 feet by 13 feet.  You add 10 + 13 together to get 23 inches in diameter.   

In my office, my ceiling is nine feet high, so according to the formula, my chandelier can drop up to 27 inches.

This Ballard Designs Montserrat chandy measures 23” wide by 26” in height.   You can’t see in this picture, but with the chain, it actually hangs down 28 inches. 

I fudged and went an inch outside the guidelines – but I love the added drama, plus it’s still 6 feet, 8 inches off the floor which is clearance for all the tall people I know and also the height of a standard door frame.     

Taking these rules of thumb into consideration, you also want to consider the path of traffic through a space, and whether tall individuals may bump their head on your fixture.  

You can always hang or swag a statement chandelier a bit lower over a bed, desk, table, sitting area, workspace, fireplace, or focal point outside the path of travel.  Take a peek at this bedroom inspiration picture and note how low the chandelier is hanging, far below the height of the door frame. 

Over a bed, where no one will walk, you can get away with dropping a chandelier a little lower like this for added drama. 

(Note: rules are different when it comes to fixtures over bathtubs, so check with your local ordinances.)

When you’re hanging a fixture over a dining table, the rule of thumb is to choose a chandelier with a diameter equal to 1/2 the width of the table, and suspend the chandelier 30 to 34 inches above the tabletop. 

But back to high traffic areas in open living spaces.  Personally, I would not hang a fixture any lower than 6’8” from the from the floor (the same height as a standard door) to prevent taller people from bumping their head.   If I had an eight foot ceiling like yours Emily, and I was hanging a fixture above where people will walk, I would opt for something closer to a flush or semi-flush ceiling fixture, and measuring no more than 16 inches in height.  

However, if you have your heart set on a larger fixture (closer to the 20 to 24 inch rule of thumb), I would swag it over your desk to illuminate your workspace, and to prevent visitors from bumping their head on your fixture.   But you can certainly capture the uber glamorous feel of a drop chandelier with a semi-flush mount fixture with choices like these:

1.  Vintage jewel ceiling light;  2. Lumens flush mount chandelier; 3. Downtown three light semi flush;  4.  Three ceiling light with chocolate shade;  5.  Crystal three light ceiling mount;  6.  Anastasia ceiling mount   7.  Kingston crystal ceiling mount; 8.  Antique white semi flush fixture

Don’t forget, when you have lower ceilings, you can always make a decorative statement with lighting with dramatic sconces on your walls, and with beautiful floor or table lamps. 

I hope this helps you Emily with your design inquiry ! 

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“Dear Ms. Kate,  We just got married and purchased our first home a few months ago.   We’re very excited about our new place, but the outside of our house is a tan box and doesn’t look much different than the rest of the cookie cutter houses in our neighborhood.  We’re looking for ways to pretty up our front porch and front yard.  Could you possibly share some ideas on how we can turn our plain Jane into something special, maybe some weekend DIY projects we could tackle ?  Thanks so much for any help.  Jenn R. ”

Congratulations to you and your husband Jenn on buying your first home – what an exciting moment !  Welcome to the world of home ownership where you’ll now spend more weekends than you imagined at the local home improvement store !!!

Since my husband and partner-in-DIY happens to be a real estate appraiser with over 20 years experience in valuing homes, I shared Jenn’s inquiry with him.  Mr. CG has inspected and appraised thousands of homes, so together we came up with these ideas for eight weekend DIY projects that will instantly add curb appeal to any home. 

1.  Paint or replace your front door. 

It’s amazing how much a pop of color on a front door or a fresh coat of semi-gloss can make your ‘plain Jane’ stand out from the crowd.  As long as there are no homeowner’s association restrictions, go right ahead add jazz up your door with a fresh coat of paint.  It’s a good idea to prime it first for durability.  Be the inspiration for all your neighbors – no doubt, they’ll be painting their front door in no time too !

 The Little Greene; BH&G; Blissfully Domestic; Hooked on Houses; Apartment Therapy; Yellow Front Door

2.  Create a container garden

There’s nothing like fresh greenery and flowers on a front porch to make it come to life.  Whether you choose glazed pots, classic terra cotta, hanging baskets, or dramatic urns, go with a container you love that also complements the style of your home. 

Always think color, perhaps a complement to your freshly painted door.  You’ll be humming ‘Home Sweet Home’ in no time with some outdoor perennials and annuals blooming on your walkway. 

Pay a visit to your local nursery or garden center to learn about what grows well in your zone.   There are plenty of easy care plantings available that simply require you water them a few times a week, like topiaries or small trees.   If you have a proficient green thumb, by all means, impress your neighbors with your skills! 

 Stone Canyon Studios; Martha; My Home Ideas; Sunset; Flickr; Simply Planters

 Martha x 2; Debra Prinzing; White Flower Farm; Sunset

Consider other containers beyond just urns or planters.  How about baskets, a painted chair, or an old dresser with plants spilling out of the drawers? 

Colorful bins or even buckets make marvelous containers during the growing season. 

 About.com; Sunset; Southern Living; Martha 

3. Add a few window boxes

Window boxes are a simple architectural addition to any home that add a ton of curb appeal.  They come all shapes, sizes, and many modern versions are self watering.   

Flickr; Grandinroad; Country Living; Flickr; Flickr

4. Create a seating area on your porch

What’s more welcoming than a place to kick of your shoes, sit down awhile and have some lemonade on a summer day ?  Here’s another opportunity to add some color to your home, with metal or painted furniture and outdoor pillows. 

Porch swings are absolutely charming, especially when softened with some favorite fabrics. 

   Country Living; Style at Home; House Beautiful

Adirondack and rocking chairs add a relaxing country feel.

 Country Living; Martha; House Beautiful; Coastal Living

If you have the space and the budget, splurge on deep seat cushions that may just tempt you to take a nap right there on your porch.  You can opt for a neutral cushion or simple stripe, then kick it up a notch with bright citrus colored pillows or softer sea and sky colors with blues and greens.  Have fun with patterns, mix it up !

Pottery Barn; Coastal Living; Martha

5. Add architectural accents

Painted shutters, upgraded sconces, dramatic address numbers and decorative brackets go a long way to adding value to your home.   

 Custom House Numbers; Pottery Barn; TraditionalProductGalleries; Lighting Catalog; Decorative Shutters

6.  Upgrade your garage doors

A larger investment for sure, but consider the dramatic difference of a beautiful new garage door.  Simply stunning !

Country Living; Carriage Doors 

7.  Invest in good landscaping

Dollar for dollar, an investment in a well landscaped front yard adds value and curb appeal to your home.  Your yard design need not be complicated, although if your budget permits, you can consult with a landscape architect to really up the wow factor.

Installing a sprinkler and drip system will go a long way to ensuring your yard receives adequate water.  Many regions now require drought resistant front yards, so check with your local ordinances before installing a lush (although gorgeous) front lawn.  

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Landscaping a yard typically takes more than a weekend, but how about upgrading your planting beds, feeding your lawn, or planting a few new shrubs, perennials, or trees ?  

8. Light a path to your door.

If you have steps or an uneven path, lights will help prevent falls and also act as a deterrent to intruders.  Low voltage lights add ambiance, cast a welcoming glow, and enhance your landscaping in the evening hours. 

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And for just a few more ideas, consider painting or refinishing your porch or stoop, painting your gutters, downspouts and trim an accent color, replacing your doorknob, knocker and/or doorbell with a modern finish, upgrading your mailbox, and adding a welcome mat and/or wreath. 

So that’s our list of eight weekend projects that will add that extra wow factor to your front facade.  Now that the weather has improved, what are you excited to tackle on your homefront ?  Is it your yard ?  Will you be planting in the upcoming weeks?  Are you painting, or adding seasonal and colorful accents? 

Tell us how you plan to spruce up your home sweet home !

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I’m sure many of you could care less about who I am or what makes me tick.  If that’s you, check out one of my DIY links or click on over to some of my other blogger friends.  I’m cool with that. 

But if you’re curious, go ahead and ask away. 

How did Mr. CG and I meet?  What’s the best thing about living in the Wine Country?  What was my worst remodeling mistake?  How does a lawyer choose to go from glamorous pumps and pearls to the very unglamorous spitup and sweats?   How many elves live in my house and actually do my projects for me?

If I get less than 5 comments/questions, I think I’ll shut the blog down completely.  I’m kidding!  I love this blog.  It keeps me sane. 

So go ahead and ask me something.  Anything.  Within reason of course.

Now some gals are proud of their closets full of designer shoes and clothing.  (Need I say Mariah?  Kimora?  Eva?  Paula?)  Not me.  Don’t get me wrong, I love clothes, handbags and shoes too, but I don’t have the budget to invest as heavily as the aforementioned celebs. 

In truth, if given the choice, I’d take the chair and chandelier in Mariah’s closet over that shoe collection.  But that’s just me.

But speaking of closets, there is one in my world that I like very much.  It’s not gilded.  It’s not glamorous.  It doesn’t have any shoes inside.  But I’m very fond of it. 

It’s my supply closet. 

Oh, yeah, now THAT’S what I’m talkin’ about!  So many adhesives, paints, and brushes, it’s enough to make me teary.  I love my DIY supply closet. 

So to answer your question about necessary products, I’ll take this shelf by shelf.  These are the products on my shelves, but I consider only the items in bold to be essential. 

Shelf One: Rubber silicone sealant, crazy glue, wood glue, spray adhesive, light & medium spackling, acrylic latex caulking, rubber cement, white epoxy, grout sealant, metal polish, wood filler, tile & stone cleaner, and a caulking gun. 

Shelf Two:  Long handle paint roller, short handle paint roller, extra rollers, painter’s tape, disposable masks, paint thinner, stain/paint stripper, paint trays, recycled plastic containers for smaller paint projects. 

Shelf Three:   Craft paints in various colors, rags, coarse grade sanding pad, medium grade sanding pad, fine grade sanding pad, regular sandpaper, artist’s flat brush, artists filbert brush, natural bristle paint brush for oil based paint projects, synthetic angled medium brush (nylon or polyester) for latex painting, small synthetic paint brush, roll of plastic sheeting, roll of paper sheeting, spray primer, spray paints in various colors, spray paint gun, staining pads. 

Oh joy!  It’s my prized spray paint collection. 

Bottom shelves:  Oil based and water based Zinsser primer, various metallic glazes, leftover paint for all the rooms in my home, Minwax Wipe-On Polyurethane.   

I also keep a supply of tarps on hand for painting and staining, as well as a stack of newspaper for all of my spray paint projects. 

Note: Even though I store all of these chemical in a closet, I do not seal it up tight to allow for some ventilation.  Something about stored up toxic fumes makes me a hint nervous.  So these doors are always cracked open a bit.   

And I haven’t even mentioned tools!  In Part Two, we’ll talk all about tools, including power tools, hand held tools, and craft tools. 

Not including tools, what supplies do you consider essential for your DIY projects?

“Hi Kate,
I love reading your blog… I’m always in awe of folks such as yourself, who have the vision to see what a battered old object can become with some paint, new fabric, ingenuity, what have you…
My question is, do you start with a completed plan for whatever room you are making over? Or do you see used objects and build the room from your vision of what they could become?
I fear I will just come home with a bunch of used objects that have no place or cohesive feel in my home, no matter what I do with a can of spray paint.
Thanks, D”

Thanks for the email, D. (No, it’s not this D.) The answers to your questions are yes and yes.

I definitely have a vision for each space that I approach, but I always remain eternally flexible. And when I do find special pieces, I imagine how I can personalize them, and then accessorize around those transformed pieces. And I fight like heck to stay within my budget.

When approaching a room redo, I follow these rules:

1) Keep an inspiration file. Find pictures of rooms that you love. If it’s from a magazine, rip it out and file it away. If it’s from the Internet, copy the image and store it in an inspiration folder. There’s a reason you are drawn to certain images of rooms or spaces. Capture them and keep them. Use this inspiration file as your starting point for the feeling you want to create. You will not copy every element, but it will provide a starting point for choosing paint color, furniture, fabric and accessories. Below is an image from my inspiration file. Many of the elements from this kitchen I imitated in my own home.

2) Carry a tape measure. When decorating a room, measure your space with a tape measure so you know the dimensions when you’re looking for pieces to furnish the space. Carry them with you on a notepad, in your phone, whatever tool you have to store the numbers. Then carry a small tape measure in your car or handbag. I can’t tell you how many times I whip out my trusty measuring tape when I am out hunting for objects to decorate my home. And if the piece won’t fit, move on. You’ll find something else soon. Don’t rush too quickly to decorate all at once.

3) Second hand is not second class. Never be afraid to shop thrift stores, garage sales, flea markets, or Craigslist. That old saying “one man’s junk is another man’s treasure” is true. Approach these venues with curiosity, and make the treasure hunt fun. Much of it is junk, but bring your imagination. Stay completely open minded. When you see something that interests you but needs some TLC, simply think about what a coat of paint or a bit of fabric could do to transform the piece.

[One caveat: I make it a policy that if I am going to lay my head on it, then I’m going to buy new. Pillows, mattresses, and sofas should be new, unless you’re having them recovered or you actually know the home it came from. Everything else is fair game.]

When you’re not shopping second hand, learn to love places like Target, Walmart, Ikea, Kohls, JC Penney and even Kmart, who now have famous designers working for them, and we the people benefit from their inexpensive designer creations.

4) Accept that your space will never be “done”. It’s my opinion that any room that is officially decorated and “done” will look stale a year or two later. Get the basics in place, like a great sofa, some chairs, a rug, or a table – it’s best to invest in pieces that you can envision in your home for 10 years.  But accessories and wall decor are a whole separate game, so rotate them throughout the year.   You’ll find that your decorating tastes can change over time, mine tend to change with the seasons !  And I am always pulling accessories from one room into another, so shop your home, move your things around, it keeps your space fresh yet uses the things you love. 

5) Stay cohesive with color. If you’re a bit nervous about mixing a lot of colors and patterns, then pick one color you love and pair it with a neutral. Do you like shades of pink?  It looks wonderful with gray.  Are you a fan of blue? Pair it with chocolate brown.  Any shade of green looks fabulous with cream or crisp white. You can mix so many textures and styles if you keep your space cohesive with a singular color and a neutral. Then once you’ve united your space, take a step back, and choose a third color to accessorize with. And I think it’s a good idea if your room leans white, to balance it all out with a dark piece somewhere in the room. Pottery Barn is a good example of pairing neutrals with pops of color, and balancing light and dark furniture (see below).

6) Try new revamp techniques. Haven’t ever stained a piece of furniture? Wondering what kind of paint to use on your new found treasure? Do the research with books, online at DIY sites, or great DIY blogs, then go for it. Be adventurous. Life is more fun that way. My future goal is to master a compound miter saw and a nail gun, then add wainscoting like this to my house.

Thanks so much D for the great question.

And many thanks to Struggling to be Stylish for this very kind award.

Do any of you have any tips for D to inspire her in her decorating quest?

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