I say, "the more, the merrier" when it comes to outlets in the kitchen. Whipping up a serious Sunday dinner is made a bit easier when you can plug in the mixer, bread maker, and food processor at the same time. But a backsplash spotted with bright white outlets and covers can be kind of an eyesore.

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The key to making a table lamp is finding the correct socket set-up and mount. Some readymade kits already exist but, otherwise, you have to figure out what works best for your chosen vessel-turned-lamp base. I myself had a random wooden vase/candleholder that perfectly accommodated a basic globe shade from the hardware store. It was screaming to become a lamp, and I was more than happy to oblige. 

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I was just using my electric sander, which I’ve owned for more than 10 years now, to sand down the spackle job I did on my bathroom walls. I’ve decided to wallpaper and wanted a smooth surface. My parents gave it to me as a birthday gift since I’ve always been interested in DIY projects, mostly refinishing furniture.

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Naku over at Bambula has self-described "copper fever" and can't help herself from buying pipes from the plumbing department at the hardware store. Today she reinvents them as hooks for tea towels and other utensils in the kitchen.

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It might have been wrong to refer to a cheat sheet in high school calculus class, but nobody is going to blame you for not being able to identify all of the various types of fasteners, screw heads, drive types, nut and washer styles available today.

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Molding, trim and paneling used to be standard finishing touches featured in any home, but these days it's often eschewed for clean lines and minimal detailing. When designed well this style can be successful, but the flip-side can be bland and lacking in character. Fortunately, adding detail is always possible and there's a bevy of options.

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Recent college graduates, Clayton & Chaz, were tight on money, but large on outdoor space. By using 95% recycled materials and a lot of sweat equity, they were able to transform their backyard from ho-hum, to shabby chic — with a budget of only $210! More

When my boyfriend and I moved into our new home, we were faced with three walls of windows in our living room, one of which was twelve feet long. We loved the light, but we didn't love the prospect of paying out the nose for custom rods, or for all the pre-made ones it would require, for that matter. So we devised a way to make three lengthy rods for under $25.

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Shopping at architectural salvage stores will not only save you money on a renovation, it also helps keep perfectly good household items out of landfills. If you're not interested in rebuilding with secondhand goods, you can also donate yours.  More

Back in 2006, Maxwell started a list of the best toilets for small spaces. Back then, water saving toilets with small footprints were difficult to find. There are more options today and yet there are still a couple toilets that review the best among readers. Based on reader comments, TOTO seems to be the most popular brand but we also saw shout outs for Kohler, Duravit and others. Check out the full list after the jump...

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