Skills & How Tos

Apple green plush or tweed linen? Each one gives a different lookIt’s true that even a simple change of fabric can change the look of a piece. Take this sofa, the Chet from CB2, which we’ve blogged before. In apple green velvet, the sofa reads nouveau 80s, modern and sleek. In linen, the look is softer and would easily fit in amongst the simple wood pieces we’ve been seeing a lot of.A good upholsterer can: change a straight arm to a rounded or flared arm.

This is a pearl of wisdom that I received years ago and wanted to bring back right now. When in need of a really simple, nice, natural material desk, use IKEA butcherblock countertop (which is cuttable, sandable, stainable and paintable) and some cool legs (like the Vika Inge style seen here, which has been replaced with Vika Runtorp).

“I think anyone can do a renovation like ours.”

We’ve raved about Tibet Almond Stick before — in fact, I first bought one after Maxwell posted about them in 2006. Until now though, I’ve always used mine on lighter wood, like oak. Yesterday, annoyed at all the scratches that have appeared on my dark finish coffee table, I decided to see if, as promised, the renowned stick could get them out, too . . .The Almond Stick is actually a cotton roll soaked in a “secret family formula.

According to a California real estate agent.

Whether by choice or by circumstance, living alone has a lot of advantages. But perhaps one of the most subtle yet saddest disadvantages is sometimes feeling lonely. And though occasional feelings of loneliness are natural, why feel lonely when you don’t have to? There are things you can do to create a home that repels loneliness when you live solo. This is the most important one in my opinion. I think you need to throw your curtains open every day. Let the light in.

Almost everyone who has worked on a DIY or renovation project has applied too much torque and stripped a screw head clean. It can feel like a frustrating dead end, especially if you don’t have a specialized extractor kit on hand. But you might be able to remove a stripped screw using a very common household item probably already sitting in your desk or kitchen drawer.Ready to try your hand at removing that stripped screw? Here’s what you’ll need.

Windowsills are usually nothing more than a space for plants or forgotten tchotchkes, but they provide plenty of opportunity, especially if you can find a way to make them larger. Windowsill extenders may sound like a funky contraption, but they enable you to make more out of the smallest ledges.This can be as simple as scooting a bench or shelf in front of a window or extending your space outside through the use of a window flower box.

According to experts.

Would it shock you to know that the air you’re breathing indoors can be up to 5 times worse than the air outside? Neglecting the quality of the air you breathe on a daily basis can result in illness, allergies, asthma, and frequent headaches, and it can even be harmful to your digestive system! But you don’t have to settle for poor air quality. Here are five simple, ways for you to naturally purify the air in your home without purchasing an expensive air purifier.

Here's what you didn't know.

Repainting my windowsill made it onto my to-do list during the January Cure, and I decided to tackle it this past weekend. After a couple of hours of scraping and painting, my windowsill looks good as new.

Repairing medium to larger-sized holes in plaster and drywall isn’t quite as difficult as one might think. Wall and ceiling repair patches made from fiberglass and perforated aluminum are excellent solutions that help to get the job done in just a few simple steps. Did I forget to mention how easy they are to use? So easy. Upon moving into our new (very old) home, we noticed that almost every wall had a dent or large hole in it from constant contact with a door knob.

It's meant to create a sense of calm and relaxation.

So what’s the deal with vinyl spray paint: does it work, or is it a waste of time? I put three different paints to the test on three of the exact same chairs and was pretty surprised with the results. Hint: as it turns out, vinyl and fabric spray paint can actually work! There are some pretty impressive Before & Afters floating around of old, ugly vinyl furniture having been given new life with paint.

This is a trick you can steal for your own mural painting projects.

You don't have to remove it to improve it.

Get more mileage out of your well-loved basics.

Stuck with stubborn wallpaper? You don't have to rip it down to change the look.

You don't have to live with the splatter. We've got pro tricks for how to remove them, even if they're totally dry.

How to paint plastic without it chipping, cracking or flaking.

Let’s face it, baseboard radiators are ugly. They’re boxy, often institutional beige, and they tend to accumulate scuffs and splotches of rust. But baseboard radiators do serve an important purpose, and those of us who rely on them to heat our homes are more or less stuck with them. Fortunately, there are ways to work around these wall-space-hogging eyesores, and painting your baseboard heater covers to match your home’s walls or trim is a great place to start.

Number 5 can save you so much money in the long run.

Get the fancy built-in look for less!

It's better to know exactly what you're getting into.

According to “Murder House Flip” stars Mikel Welch and Sarah Listi

Goodbye kids, hello home office.

Before you pick up that paintbrush — or even before you pluck a color swatch from the paint aisle — read what this pro painter has to say.

From chalky finish paint to spray paint and many shades of craft paint in between.

You don't need to shell out for a gallon — or even a quart! — for these small paint projects.

49% of renovators say it's the most stressful room to work on.

'Tis the season to spruce up your space.

And how to keep them clean.

Here’s a breakdown of the correct wait to address mail when you’re sending it to an apartment.

The impact is huge, but paint projects aren't as complicated as they look.

What to make when you're tired of scarves.

You can pull it off in about an hour.

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and your kitchen is about to go through the cooking and cleaning equivalent of crossfit meets morning bootcamp meets spin class meets a marathon, all in the span of a couple of days. The whole holiday will go a lot smoother if you do a few things to help your space perform at its peak. Consider this your pre-holiday stretch before the big workout ahead. Make Your Fridge An Organized and Spacious Oasis of Calm: Your fridge is Ground Zero on Thanksgiving.

Make it happen in six steps.

The sad truth about drop ceilings is that even though they’re usually installed to disguise ugly ductwork, plumbing, water damage, or crumbling plaster, they often become eyesores themselves.

Some things from the 1920s hold up; some definitely do not.

I devised a plan that would have a big impact without costing a ton of money. It was also simple enough that I could do most of it myself, on my own timeline. 

Home maintenance is, by definition, an ongoing process. It’s also admittedly a lot of work! To keep your own home looking and functioning its best, it helps to have a plan, a process, and, yes, a checklist.

Because budgeting for even a basic repair project can feel overwhelming.

Even if you’re well-versed and well-practiced in home repair, sometimes a job requires a professional.

If houses could talk, what would they say? Listen carefully, and you might hear them trying to tell you there’s a leak in the attic, or your plumbing is about to blow.

A trip to the hardware store for home repair materials can be both costly and inconvenient — plus, it might mean you’ve overlooked some simple hacks available to you with household items you never considered.

Put the "delight" in DIY.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a DIY novice or even someone whose handiness only goes as far as hanging up a few pictures on the wall; there are some tools that absolutely everyone should have on hand.

When it comes to home maintenance and repairs, the truth is you sometimes don’t know what you don’t know — that is, until you’re standing in your flooded basement, wrench in hand, wondering where you went wrong. 

Let's lay a helpful foundation (metaphorically of course — we’ll leave any literal foundation fixes to the pros, as should you!) with a comprehensive list of confusing home repair and maintenance terms.

The answer to living in peace with a disorganized person is recognizing one simple, but game-changing fact.

Keep track of your home tasks easily.

It's one small, generational "secret" that keeps my kitchen running smoothly.

If there’s one word that can encapsulate a thrift store or vintage shop, it’s this: stuff. Those who aren’t used to shopping secondhand can find it overwhelming. After all, it can be tough to sort through all that stuff and find the real gems. But experienced secondhand shoppers know all the tricks for finding the good stuff (or finding the just-OK stuff and making it good). And the very best secondhand shoppers know how to pass those tricks on to others.

This easy paint project is all about going with the flow.

If you don't know what color's on your walls, don't sweat it — this is an easy way to figure it out, according to experts.

There are a few boxes you'll need to check off.

It's a method the pro painters use to save on prep and cleanup time.

Real estate agents say you only have to take on one particular project if you want your space to immediately feel bigger.

You don't need fancy stationery or expert penmanship.

“If you’ve ever soaked in water heated only by wood, you’ll know it's much richer than just the bathing: it's the splitting and stacking of firewood, the methodical stirring and preparation of the water, the sound of the crackling fire, the anticipation of the heat.”