I was just browsing through some of the pictures on our newest blog, RemodelingTherapy.com, and this one made me stop and think for a minute…

Of course my first thought was just how nice, comfortable, and relaxing of a space this is. It just looks like the kind of room you want to curl-up in and just sit for awhile.

I’ll be honest and tell you that my next thought wasn’t quite as positive. I was having visions of the long-term impact of real life on floors with gaps so large. Don’t try this at home unless you have one of those vacuum cleaners that will pick up a bowling ball.

But the thing that really made me stare for awhile was the authenticity of this look. It’s not easy for most people to pull-off. I’ll give you the secret…

Mess Up On Purpose!

I’ve built rooms like this and one of the biggest challenges, yet most important requirements, is to get the carpenters to go against their training.

Take a look at the roof framing in this example, which I’m under the assumption is all for show. See how it’s not evenly spaced? That’s important to the look, and it’s hard to get a good carpenter to do that!

Another example is the beam to the top right of the picture. It’s hard to tell exactly what’s going on there, but I can tell that some pretty big gaps in the woodwork are showing.

To a professional contractor or carpenter, that’s kind of a no-no! You have to force this kind of thing.

If you’re a novice DIY’er some of these goofs might happen naturally. If you’re looking for an authentic shabby-chic or rustic-not kind of look, let them be. And if you’re hiring a pro…

Tell them you won’t pay-up unless they mess-up!

See more pictures of beautiful white spaces at this post on RemodelingTherapy.com

Kim and I have recently started a new site all about remodeling and design ideas and pictures. This article was inspired by one of the images Kim found for the new blog – you can find it here: Beautiful Workspaces {Dreamy Desks}.

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Find Your Color Bliss With Spray Paint

I have no idea whether the desk and chair above were painted with a can of spray paint, a professional spray rig, or a traditional paint brush. Even my brilliance doesn’t quite reach that level. However, what I do know is that they could be painted with a spray can.

I’m talking an off-the-shelf can of good old spray paint. And I’m talking quality here too. Not just some ho-hum job meant to last long enough for a photo shoot. (Maybe not heirloom quality either… something in the middle)

Spray paint rocks for good reason:

• Your color options are extensive
• Your tool requirements are minimal
• Your dry time is faster
• The overall job is done faster
• It’s easy, fun, and will make you feel like a rock star.

A Half-Dozen Tips For Quality Spray Paint Perfection

1. Put more effort into prep than paint – The surface you’re painting is more important than the paint you use to cover it. Take the time to get it really ready:
2. • Scrape or strip all loose paint
   • Sand the entire surface with two goals: first is to rough-up the surface and remove any existing glossy sheen so your paint will stick; second is to smooth down any edges left by scraping old paint off.
   • Clean off sanding residue completely with a tack cloth. The best cloth is a clean rag or t-shirt with a little bit of water or mineral spirits (paint thinner). I prefer the paint thinner because it evaporates quickly.
3. Use a primer coat – This step is somewhat optional depending on how close to the aforementioned heirloom quality you want to get. A good solid coat of primer, allowed to dry properly before top coat, will greatly increase the durability of your finish. They always sell the primer right next to the spray paint cans. It’s not super critical which primer you get. I’ve used automotive primer on wood before with great results.
4. Spray very thin coats – Did I say thin? I meant thin. The biggest mistake people make with spray cans is putting on too much paint. Spray paint is thin so it’s very prone to running, which is a big mess. Thin coats prevent that and they dry fast.
5. Never hold the can still. – “Just-Keep-Moving” should be your motto. Be moving before you hit the button and be moving when you let go. Never pull the trigger on a stationary spray can. Trust me.
6. Use plenty of coats – The thing with thin coats is that they’re, um, thin. If you want a durable surface, you’ll need a good thickness of paint, so use more coats. It’s not unusual when spraying furniture to have four, five, or even six coats on the finished work.
7. Finish with a clear coat (or four) – The last secret to a great spray paint finish is to use a liberal amount of clear on top. You can choose your sheen (glossy, semi-gloss, satin, or flat) with the clear and apply thin coats. Make sure the color coat is totally dry before applying the clear.

Not As Much Work As It Sounds Like

While this may sound like a ton of work, it’s really faster and easier than any of the other alternative methods. The thin coats dry fast.

Drawbacks – cost (those cans add up) and environmental concerns – wear a mask and don’t breath that junk in!

Thinking about spray painting your kitchen cabinets… you can do it! We tried it awhile back. Here is the post.

Do you have any spray paint tips or projects you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments!

Enjoy!

~RG

Hunting for some early morning inspiration to go with my steaming coffee and my Red Hot Chili Peppers background track, I went on the prowl for some cool barnboard walls pictures.

I was nonplussed, until I saw this:

While most of the pictures I found were wall-to-wall barnboard, which was just way too much of a good thing, this headboard idea pretty much nailed it! So to speak.

I love the contrast of a decent amount of rustic wood used in the headboard and bed frame, which is a cool platform deal, up against the clean white walls and trim.

The more I look at it, the more I dig the way this bed is pushed-up in a little niche by itself. Seems like a really great use of space in bedroom design.

I count about 14 or 15 boards, so this isn’t something you’ll do with just a few planks of cool old wood. You’ll need a decent stash.

Distressing New Wood To Create Old Barnboard

Ok, so you can’t actually create “old barnboard” unless you build a barn and pull-up a chair.

But if you want to get the look and you can’t find any wood, there are ways to get the look. The most important factor, IMHO, is a weather-beaten look to the wood, which usually means you want to wear down some of the grain, but not all of it evenly.

Option 1: Sandblaster

You may not have a sandblaster laying around. You can probably rent one, or you can buy a cheap one at Amazon – Sandblasters on Amazon

Sandblasters are fun for all sorts of things and they’re easy to operate, so don’t dismiss this too quickly.

All you need is some medium density wood with a decently visible grain. Southern Yellow Pine is great for this, but any wood that’s not hard as oak but shows some grain.

The two colors in the wood grain are of different hardness, so when you sandblast it, one wears down faster than the other.

The bottom line is just start hitting it with the sandblaster, adjust your pressure (or how close to it you hold the gun) and you’ll have awesome barnboard in about five minutes!

Option 2: Pressure Washer

You might get a similar result with a pressure washer, but it often won’t work as well on new wood. If you have some old wood that just doesn’t have that look yet, you can try a pressure washer to see if you can get some variation in the height of the grain.

Finishing

It’s fun finishing something like this. All you really have to do is take some paint in your choice of color and wipe it on with a rag, let it sit a minute, then wipe it back off.

The varying density of the grain, which is exactly what made the sandblasting work, will cause the paint to soak-in/adhere more along some grain lines than others.

Voila – Barnboard.

A word of caution… This won’t work as well on all woods that look like the picture above. It’s really important that there be a discernable difference in hardness between the two colors of the grain. You can use a pen or nail or something to press into the grain to gauge this. If it’s all hard, the sandblaster won’t have the same effect, though it will still create a cool look.

I found this picture at the cool blog Loft & Cottage

Are you the best? That’s what The Family Handyman Magazine is on the hunt for. Just like in the all-time hit movie, Men In Black… check out this audio clip:

If you’re all that, then this is for you! $6,000 in cash prizes are up for grabs along with three paid trips to Orlando to the International Builder’s Show (Disney is there too, in case you decide to skip out of the show early…)

And, if it just so happens that one of you, my wonderful readers, wins, I’d like to take you to dinner personally at one of my favorite Orlando hot spots. Waffle House… (just kidding… I can do better than that! though I do enjoy Waffle House when the conditions are right)

The Family Handyman Magazine

The Family Handyman magazine is part of the Reader’s Digest family of publications, so you can count on them to actually deliver on this promise.

It’s a great magazine too, I have one right here in fact. I’ll take a picture:

They didn’t send me this, I bought it with my own money in the bookstore.

Because that’s the kind of thing I read!

And maybe a little because I have an article or two being published in the actual print version later this year. Woot.

So here’s the deal, they are looking for entries in three categories:

1. Decks & Patios
2. Dream Garages (way fun)
3. Woodworking

YOU KNOW YOU CAN ROCK ONE OF THESE CATEGORIES! I know you can do it, you know you can do it. Let’s show everyone else you can do it and have a few waffles in the process.

More details at The Family Handyman 2011 Best In DIY Awards page!

Good Luck and I hope to see you next year in Orlando for a par-tay!

- RG

If you’re looking for a simple weekend project and you need a place to put all those awesome pictures you’ve been collecting over the years, look no further:

This simple shelf can be made with very few tools. In fact, most home centers such as Home Depot and Lowe’s will cut boards to length, which leaves you really only needing a decent cordless screwdriver or drill, some sandpaper, and a paintbrush.

The details are given at: http://ana-white.com/2010/10/ten-dollar-ledges.html

Looking For a bit more Umph?

Check out my post that details how to build an awesome coat hanger wall shelf.

If you think it’s at all possible for you to do it yourself, I encourage you to try. Too many of us go far too long between those times when we feel victorious. You know, the sense of pride in having surprised ourselves by stretching and accomplishing something that seemed, at best, on the edge of our potential.

It may seem inconsequential, in the big scheme of things, for you to replace a door or build a wall. But it is not. Build that wall, then stand back and look at it when it’s done, and you’ve sweated, and you’ve cussed, and you’ve made four trips to the store. Then look at exactly how that makes you feel. You’ll see that you’ve gained more than a wall.

The sense of accomplishment you gain from doing that project yourself will propel you into the week ahead feeling victorious.

That can change everything.

If you’re like me, you’re easily distracted when looking at cool stuff online. That’s exactly what happened to me today. I was following the trail of a really cool interior design photo (next post!) and was sidetracked by this shot:

I stopped because I had seen a planted wall recently at the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival and it really captivated my imagination. I could just go wild with this stuff. Here is the one from Epcot:

So when I saw the top picture above, and the close-up view, showing all the cool succulents, I was intrigued. (these pictures were found at Sunset.com)

DIY Green Wall for $79.00

I was surprised to find that the vertical garden pictured above and at top was available as a kit from Flora Grubb Gardens for only $79.95.

They had an even cooler picture:

The unit shown in these pictures is only for outdoor use. There is another option available at the same website for indoor use, but it looks to me like it’s a smaller scale:

This is the Pocket Garden and it looks pretty sharp if you ask me.

But neither of these is as wild as the system they used at Epcot (of course) which was like a foam-rubber/plastic kind of mesh with integrated irrigation and (I gather) built-in drainage systems.

I wonder how long before interior and exterior walls covered in plants will be commonplace. I’m going to try it soon. I’ll let you know how it goes. It’s got to be great for indoor air quality, right?

Anybody out there with experience with this? I’d love to hear about it.

Take a look at this cool bathroom:

I see at least six great DIY bathroom remodeling ideas in this shot.

1. Easy DIY Paneling – This bathroom achieves a classy level of rustic with the white painted horizontal 1-by paneling. The great thing about paneling like this is that it can be installed right over top of your current ugly wall with ease.

(questions about how to do that? Ask them at my remodeling Q&A section.)

2. Simple Door Casing – If you do add paneling to your walls, you’ll need new door casing on that side. This bathroom uses a simple 1×4 casing with a plain back-band to create a great looking opening even a beginning carpenter-in-training can make good on.

(See more recent posts tagged “Trim” here)

3. Custom Mirror Using Beadboard Trim – Take a close look at that mirror. Then take a close look at that ceiling. See the similarity? They’re the same material. A creative carpenter or designer decided to take some of the ceiling beadboard 1x material and create a picture frame with it. They made it look totally unique by adding an extra piece of trim (maybe a small solid crown molding) around the outside edge. Stain the whole thing rather than paint it and you’ve got a great looking mirror that makes people stop and think: “that mirror is perfect for this room” without knowing why!

(lots of inspiring beadboard pictures here)

4. Speaking of Beadboard – Gotta love that ceiling. Easy DIY project. Just make sure you start in the right direction so you can nail the ceiling in the tongue rather than the groove. Nails in the groove can cause uneven seams between boards.

5. Add Variety to the Floor – I’m not sure my heart is in this one. It’s a cool idea to stripe the floor and it’s easy enough to do if you’re refinishing the whole thing anyway, but I’m not sure this bathroom wouldn’t have looked even better with a one-color floor. I’m thinking the dark would have been better. What do you say?

(Give your two cents in the comments!)

6. Awwwwwesome Cabinet-ish Thing! - OK, so maybe it’s not an easy DIY thing, but you could do it if you really wanted to! And even if you have someone else do it for you, this is one rockin’ vanity base.

Or is it that counter I love the most? Tough call. (I think it’s concrete btw)

So what did I miss? What do you like best? What would you do differently?

Also check out this post: 10 Bathroom Remodeling Ideas in One Picture
Image: HouseBeautiful.com

I read an article this weekend that says that on average, the national percentage of single family homes sitting vacant is 18%! Just two counties over from me, in the playground of the rich and famous otherwise known as Naples, Florida, the number is apparently 32%!

The article just added another nail to the coffin of my “old” financial plan, which was entirely based on the “equity” I was “building” in my two Florida homes. It’s not like I didn’t know it was already dead, but this article even poured water on the coals of hope I was quietly keeping warm while dreaming of a rebound in home values.

Is the term “have a cow” still in existence? Well that’s what I would have done when I read the projection of as far as 2030 before we see 2006 prices in some parts of Florida. As it was, I barely flinched.

Not sure if that’s a sign of strength, or that I need a crash cart.

So What Does It Mean?

One thing it means is that the reason people remodel isn’t going to change back to “it’s a great investment” anytime soon. I think that will fundamentaly change the game.

It’s going to result in a much more reasonable thought process of remodeling homes to meet a few more elemental needs:

• Real NEEDS
  • Must have more space (not want more space)
  • Must have new cabinets (old ones are falling apart, not old ones are dog ugly)
  • Must have handicap accessibility (grandpa is moving in next week)
  • Must have a new roof (this one leaks in more than one spot)
  • Must fix this broken thing or that broken thing (wife has divorce lawyer ad on fridge)
• Long Term View
  • Year One – Deck (my deck)
  • Year Two – Barbecue Area
  • Year Three – Gazebo
  • Year Four – New Landscaping
  • Year Five – Swimming Pool (oh wait, the kids are almost grown – hot tub)
• Pride of Ownership (it may be small, but damn it looks good)
  • Immaculate lawns
  • Perfect white picket fences
  • Window Boxes
  • Painting
  • Landscaping Projects
  • Front Doors
• Alternatives to Big $$
  • Painted Kitchen Cabinets
  • Bunk Beds vs. New Rooms
  • Built-In space saving storage
  • See section on Long-Term and apply to any area of home.

The Future of DIY is Huge

DIY tends to start small and grow. Rather than hire a landscape contractor to build a planter, you decide to give it a shot.

When that works, you figure you know how to work the saw now, and maybe build a bench, or replace a broken piece of door trim.

Next thing you know, you’re replacing whole doors, then doing drywall, then you build a shed. The point is that necessity and a simple financial equation will get you started on the road to DIY, then you’ll see that you can do it and that the how-to info is available right now online. And that you can save buku bucks.

Unfortunately for the contractors, the expenses of doing business aren’t changing and that means that the real pros will still be expensive and the fly-by-nights will get worse and do more flying.

It all points to DIY. So you might as well get to it!

Just my opinion… what’s yours? Comments are always welcome.

If you’re looking for something to do with your wood scraps after a remodeling project, maybe consider this:

I did a design with pretty detailed drawings you could use to make one of these and included it in a post last year. Here is what that one looked like:

You can read the step-by-step instructions here: DIY Coat Hanger Shelf

Or you can just buy the top one, which is only 20″ long, right now on Etsy, which is where I found the picture. Here is the link to the etsy shop. (no relation to me, just a cool item I found)

If you build one, send me a picture!

~RG