DIY Projects – Page 2

How to Make an Ottoman – Vintage Milk Crate Turned into Unique Ottoman!

January 8, 2015 Jennifer Davenport 5 Comments

I researched many ideas on how to make an ottoman. But, it was my husband who came up with not only a fabulous idea, but a really cheap rustic furniture idea!

We were in the process of giving our living room a makeover. So, I drug him into an antique store in hopes of finding some unique and eclectic accessories. He spotted an old milk crate, and a light bulb came on.

Want to Know How to Make an Ottoman?

Coming Up With Something Unique

We were on a pretty tight budget for our living room. So, we really wanted some unique living room decor ideas that fit into our budget.

Sometimes finding something really unique, means stepping back and seeing that object in a different light. “What else could I use that for?

We (okay, he) found this amazing vintage milk crate for $25, and thought it would make a great ottoman. Our living room isn’t huge, so a large ottoman was not going to fit the bill.

A Little Bit of Carpentry

The first thing we did was cut a piece of plywood to fit the top of the milk crate. (again, there was not a we, there was a he)

This particular milk crate had little feet on the bottom.

My husband cut out notches though a third of the plywood so that the board fit snugly on top.

Next, I cut a piece of 2″ foam to fit the top of the plywood board. You can find foam at any craft or sewing store.

Now, the fun part; adding your decor fabric. I chose a heavy weight fabric for durability. Our home is full of kids, dogs, and chaos.

Break out the staple gun!

When beginning to upholster the board, staple one staple in the middle of each side. Flip the board over and make sure the fabric is straight and even. Then begin stapling the rest of the fabric, keeping the tautness of the fabric even all the way around.

When the fabric is a heavy weight fabric, the corners can be tricky! Carefully, snip off extra fabric to eliminate bulk, then staple to the board. Once you are finished stapling, run a hot iron over the top and sides of the fabric.

Here is my video on “How to Make an Ottoman”.

I hope you enjoyed how to make an ottoman from an old milk crate, it truly is one of my favorite DIY projects. And, if you are looking for cheap living room furniture, this little ottoman fits anybody’s budget! Search for something unique to use, and have fun with it!

I joined a few link parties at:

Miss Mustard Seed

Painted Fan Blades – Give your fan blades a faux wood look!

December 8, 2014 Jennifer Davenport Leave a Comment

I’ve seen painted fan blades on Pinterest, but I really wanted a look of faux barnwood. The blades that came with our new fan were not attractive at all! So, when in doubt, I paint it!

I promise this faux paint treatment isn’t hard at all! So, let’s get started learning how to make your ceiling fan go from boring to fabulous!

I really love Rust-oleum products. They hold up, and dry super fast! I purchased Rust-oleum wood stain in the color “Kona”. You will need one small bottle of acrylic paint in the color light gray and black.

Your first step is to apply the Rust-oleum. (I did not apply a primer.) Use a rag to apply the stain. Go back and forth until you get the look of wood grain.

If your blades have a dark and a light side, choose the lighter side to apply your wood stain. You want that lighter color to peek through.

Once your your paint is completely dry, you are ready to apply the gray paint. Use a cheap scruffy brush to apply the paint. You want to apply the paint using a technique called “dry brushing”. The trick to doing this technique is to dip your brush into the paint, and then wipe off as much of the paint as possible.

Go back and forth gently. Keep your brush in a straight line.

Adding Faux Wood Grain to The Painted Fan Blades

The last step is to add the darker wood grain. What makes faux painting look real is having layers of colors that are dark, medium, and light.

The light color is the acrylic gray and the original pine color. The wood stain color is the medium color, and the dark layer will be created using black acrylic paint.

Below is a drawing of how you will want to paint your wood grain. Use a thin brush to paint your lines and small markings.

On the edge of the fan paint a medium line with the black paint, then take your finger and smudge back and forth to create a worn look on the edges. Once the paint is completely dry, add a coat of poly-acrylic. What a difference!

Home Painting Tips

December 8, 2014 Jennifer Davenport

Tips to help your job go smoothly

Here are some home painting tips that will help you be successful in painting a room. I absolutely love to paint! It is the quickest, least expensive, and most transforming decorating project you can do. But, it can be very frustrating if things don’t go well. So, I would like to share a few tricks I have learned along the way, that will help your project go more smoothly.

This is my master bedroom. I painted it with Porter Paints in the color “Gray Shell”.

Home Painting Tips – Choosing Interior Paint Colors

Choosing interior paint colors can be really exhausting. But following some simple interior wall painting tips can make the process a little easier. When you decide on a certain color, like green for instance, don’t immediately choose one green that seems close to what you want. Instead, get at least four or five sample paint swatches of greens in the same hue.

Tape them up on the wall and step back and take a look. Comparing all the greens together will help you really see how one green may have a little more blue to its hue. Or you may see another green that has more of a yellow hue.

Next, hold up the color to a piece of white paper. This lets you see how strong the color will really be once it is up on the wall.

Always get a sample quart of your favorite color. Our store charges $5 for a sample quart. It is the smartest money you will ever spend, because that little paper paint sample can be very deceiving!

Next, paint some of the color onto a piece of cardboard and hold it up to all four walls. This is probably one of my best interior wall painting tips. Light hits every wall differently, so you really want to look at your paint on every wall.

How to Touch-Up Your Walls

When you need to touch up a wall that you have previously painted, it is always best to add a little bit of water to your paint. WHY? After paint has been on the wall for some time, dirt and dust settle in the pores of the wall. (it happens to the best of us) When you then apply a fresh dab of paint, after it dries it will not be exactly the same.

I like to apply the paint with a brush, and gently go back and forth forming an “x”. Then, go outside the touch up spot, and apply the paint much lighter.

How Much Paint Do I Need?

Figuring out how much paint you need isn’t too difficult when you use a paint calculator. This will get you pretty close without leaving you short.

Store your left over paint in a new quart paint can from a home improvement store. Be sure to label your can with permanent marker. Doing this saves from having a garage overflowing with half-full paint gallons. It will also keep your paint much longer.

Paint Sheen Guide

Flat – soft, no gloss finish. In my opinion, the ceiling or a faux treatment is the only place to use this sheen. Flat is easy to scuff and hard to clean!

Matte – very light gloss that hides minor surface imperfections.

Eggshell – smooth, delicate, yet durable finish with a slight gloss.

Satin – rich, all-surface finish which is perfect for any room. One of my favorites!

Semi-gloss – stain resistant, gloss look that is highly resistant to scuffs and scratches.

Gloss– brilliant, polished finish that is great for trim, doors, and furniture. It has maximum durability, stain resistance, and wash-ability.

Oil or Latex?

I don’t like to work with oil on walls or trim because I get impatient. However, oil is wonderful for painting kitchen cabinets and furniture. Once completely dry it has a tough finish, and that I do love.

Home Painting Tips: Remember, you can paint oil over latex paint, but you cannot paint latex over oil.

So, if you purchase an old piece of furniture that you are not sure whether the previous owner painted with latex or oil you need to do a simple test.

Take a cotton ball and wet it with fingernail polish that contains acetone. Rub the cotton ball in a circular motion on an unseen section of the furniture. If the section remains unchanged, then it was painted with oil-based paint. If the section turns gooey, then it was painted with a latex paint.

Patience

Remember when you are painting with a color that has strong colorants like reds, purples, or dark blues, they will take longer to dry. Many times they will also take more than one coat. Red is a color that is notorious for needing several coats to obtain the hue you want.

For more interior paint color ideas, search Pinterest to find some inspirational colors.

Take a Break
(One of my favorite home painting tips!)

If you need to take a break, you don’t have to wash your brush, just wrap some foil around it and put it in the refrigerator! Everyone needs a coffee break!

White Ceilings Are Boring!

Here is an interior paint color idea that really makes a difference. I like to see color on a ceiling, white is boring. The eye follows color and light. If your wall is green, and your ceiling is white, the eye stops at the top of the green colored wall.

If you don’t want to paint a color on your ceiling, try choosing an off-white color. Even a cream gives the illusion on a larger and warmer room. My favorite ceiling color is “Heavy Cream” by Porter Paints.

If you want your ceiling a color in the same monochromatic scheme as your walls, go about 2 to 3 shades lighter than your wall colors. Beautiful!

I have used Behr paint, Benjamin Moore, and Sherwin Williams.

I hope you found these home painting tips helpful! Good luck with your paint project!

Concrete Patio Pavers – Fabulous update using concrete stain!

December 8, 2014 Jennifer Davenport

My husband used concrete patio pavers to make a beautiful sidewalk in our backyard. Over the years, they have faded. So, I used concrete stain, and gave them a gorgeous makeover! Read on and see how in just a few hours, it looks like I have a brand new sidewalk!

This truly is a really easy DIY project. It makes such a huge difference!

If you are looking for a budget-friendly sidewalk idea, these are really cheap patio pavers.. But, as you can tell, they lost their luster over the years!

I purchased Behr semi-transparent concrete stain in two different colors. I chose “Moroccan Dunes” for the outside pavers, and “Desert Flagstone” for the larger inside section.

This concrete stain is really thin, so be prepared for a bit of a mess! I ended up staining some of the dirt!

It was much easier to stain the outside pavers after I put the stain into a cup! It made a mess pouring it into the cup, but holding a small cup was easier than toting around a gallon of stain.

TIP: If you have an old brush, it is a perfect tool to wipe away the dirt from the pavers before you stain them.

For the larger section of pavers, using a roller is the best way to go! Make sure you choose a roller that is designed for painting or staining rough surfaces.

The stain looks really light before it dries! So, don’t freak out that you have chosen a horrible color.

Look at the difference already! This is such a fun project!

This is just one coat of the “Moroccan Dunes”! I was amazed at how one coat really changed the color.

Concrete Patio Paver Stain Idea –
Make your pavers look aged!

You can make your pavers look aged by doing this simple step! Once your darker stain is dry, dip your brush into the lighter stain, wipe it off on the side of the pan, then gently brush the outside areas like shown above.

This will give the appearance of aged stone. It is simple and easy, and really looks fantastic.

Sealing Pavers

Once your pavers are dry, you are ready to seal them. I used Behr Premium wet-look sealer. Apply your concrete sealer with a roller. When you first apply it, it looks milky, but once dry, it is stunning!

How to Install Concrete Patio Pavers

Need some instructions on how to install your own pavers? Here is DIY concrete patio paver guide from www.sansoucystone.com.

Check out this fabulous stained concrete garage floor by Beth of Farm Fresh Vintage Finds.com! She did a fantastic job! Be sure to check out her photo tutorial!