How to Hire Great Contractors and Questions You Need to Ask Hiring a great contractor can be a tough task. The actual experience can be so paralyzing that some people ultimately give up on their dreams of a renovated space. I have a good friend who felt completely overwhelmed by … [Read more...]
How to Tile a Fireplace
How to Tile a Fireplace Hello Pretty Handy Girl Readers! Sarah here from The Created Home. Today I'm sharing how you can update and customize your fireplace by doing your own tile work. Don't be intimidated, tiling is actually quite accessible for DIYers, and once you get the … [Read more...]
Faking Wall-to-Wall Carpet with an Area Rug
The closet renovation is coming along nicely, even though I've only been able to work on it in fits and starts. After I added a new light switch for the closet, I added any missing insulation. Then I filled any and all gaps with Great Stuff. This closet had always been very cold … [Read more...]
Refinishing a Mid-Century Sideboard
Have you ever turned down a piece of furniture that looks ruined? Aha, today's rocker is Emily and she has the superpower to make furniture look brand new again! On the Rockstar DIY stage today is a performance you won't forget. Emily will single-handedly take you through the … [Read more...]
File Cabinet Makeover Using Chalk Paint
Hey there everyone! I'm working in my craft room to give it a major overhaul and make it a much more functional and creative space. It also doubles as an office that I share with my husband. It's not always the easiest thing to do, partly because of a lack of organization. One … [Read more...]
Day 18 – 5 Ways to Find a Stud (without a Stud Finder)
Using a stud finder is the quickest and easiest way to find a stud. But, if you don't have one or are too lazy to find yours (I'm often guilty of this), you can use one of these ways to find a stud.Day 18: 5 Ways to Find a Stud (without a Stud Finder)1. Measure from … [Read more...]
Beef Up Door and Window Casing with Back Band
Want an easy way to add more architectural interest to your standard colonial door and window framing? Adding an extra piece of moulding, called back band, can add that extra boost of architectural interest.And the good news is that you can do this to your existing trim … [Read more...]
Boy’s Bathroom Refresh {#LowesCreator Project}
You know those projects that you complete 80% of the room and think to yourself, "This is good for now. I'll do the rest in a day or two." Yup, the boy's bathroom was one such 80 percenter. I finally took the time to finish the last 20 percent of this bathroom makeover by giving … [Read more...]
Red, White & Blue Themed Boy’s Room Reveal
Happy Friday!!! I finally finished my son's room makeover. Poor kid has been asking for over two years when I was going to work on his room.It feels so good to be done and be able to share the final reveal with you. The theme started four years ago when I converted his … [Read more...]
Are You Sure You’re Ready to Take on a Home Renovation?
Today I wanted to approach a subject that is often questioned by homeowners. The folks at Allstate Insurance have graciously sponsored this post, which will help you decide if now is a smart time to start that home renovation project.When do you know if it's time to embark on … [Read more...]
How to Install a Brick Wallpaper Mural
Today I can't wait to show you how to easily add dimensional interest to a focal wall in your home. Installing a Brick Wall Mural is definitely a DIY project you can tackle if you have a friend or two to help you. When Wallpaper Direct contacted me to offer to let me try some of … [Read more...]
How to Add Molding Panels to a Flat Door
When my sister brought me on to the Topsail Beach condo renovation, she had a laundry list of DIY projects she wanted me to complete. One of them was dressing up the hollow flat doors with moulding panels. She showed me a pin that led to One Life to Love's DIY beadboard panel … [Read more...]
Topsail Beach Condo Renovation
My stepmom, Diane Chamberlain (the famous author), purchased a fixer-upper beach condo in Topsail Beach last year. She hired my sister, Caitlin, to work her interior designer magic on the place. My sister then convinced me to come put in some manual labor. (Please excuse our … [Read more...]
DIY Aged Chippy Paint Technique
This is another one of those tutorials that I've been dying to share with you! Like sitting on my hands and anxiously waiting to type it out. But after taking 2 weeks off from blogging, I'm back and ready to give you this fabulous tutorial for achieving the aged chippy paint look … [Read more...]
School Library Reveal
Remember last week when we were picking colors for the school library? Well, I'm back to show you how everything came together!But first, I'd like to announce the winners of the Valspar paint samples: Congrats to Bonnie, Lynda, Marion, Cathleen, Joanne, … [Read more...]
Tips for Choosing Paint Colors in the School Library
Choosing paint colors can be a daunting task. Looking at small paint chips at your local Lowe's Home Improvement store can be a bit overwhelming. Especially because there are so many colors to choose from! (That can be a good thing too ;-).)Luckily I have two tips to help you … [Read more...]