DIY Woodworking, Home Improvement, and Art Projects

Home décor trends for 2006 continue to favor simple, natural, durable and easy to care for styles of home furnishings. Enliven your décor in 2006 and redecorate from the floor up with Natural-Fiber Area Rugs.

Natural fiber rugs are hard wearing and offer an earthy, textured look that complements so many of today’s home décor styles. You’ll want top-grade features such as wider padded canvas bindings, mitered corners for a more finished look and heavy non-skid latex backing for added durability. High quality natural fiber rugs can be researched and purchased online from retailers like Home Decorators Collection.

There are several variations of natural fiber rugs to choose from each with its own benefits. Not sure about which type is right for your home décor? Discover the features of each in the list below.

Coir – the strongest of the natural fibers with a unique coarse texture.
Sisal – offers optimum durability with a smoother pile; takes dyes well and are anti-static.
Jute – soft underfoot; its flexible texture allows for interesting woven designs. Jute rugs are reversible for twice the life.
Seagrass – the most stain-resistant natural fiber with a smooth texture.
Bamboo – strength and stability with the look and texture of wood and a felt backing.
Cotton – affordable hand-woven cotton rugs are easy to care for and reversible for extended ware.

Unless otherwise directed most natural fiber rugs can be cleaned with mild detergent and your water hose in the backyard. Once clean hang the rug to dry in the sun. Don’t forget the all important rug pad between your rug and the floor. A rug pad will extend the life of your rug while protecting your floor and your family from damage and accidents.

To learn more about the many natural fiber rugs available visit HomeDecorators.com. You’ll see full-sized images with coordinating style options.

I wanted to post a quick update on things.  I know it’s been a while since the last post and it’s a bummer…but I just have so little time to do all the things I’d like to be doing.  Anyway, we’ve finished the texturing of the main walls in the kitchen, added the decorative iron piece above the sink, and finished the last set of cabinets.  Whew!

Basically the only thing left that is a major project in the kitchen is the texture and painting of the faux brick wall.  It doesn’t look bad the way it is now, so I am not in a major hurry to get it done.  I can live with it for a while as we focus on the master bedroom next.  The brick project will involve filling in the mortar joints with joint compound, doing some faux weathering and aging on the bricks, and adding a little bit of the same plaster texture over top of some of the bricks to make it look as if there was an old stucco coating at one time.

In the meantime it’s just nice to have such a major section of work complete.  As promised I will put together a tutorial with all the pictures that would be useful if you want to do a kitchen remodel like this.  Until then…take ‘er easy.

I’m always on the lookout for good deals and smart things to do to save money, time, and effort. At this point I’m not in the market for a refinance or a home equity loan, but I know many people are. I found this company called Getsmart.com. They are a service of Lending Tree, a trusted brand that everyone knows about. The nice thing about this company is that they will give you free quotes for lending services from over 250 companies nationwide.

With free quotes available for new home mortgages, refinancing, and home equity loans, you can check out your options risk free. I like Getsmart.com because they are a part of a reputable organization, Lending Tree, and they have a pretty easy, quick form to fill out to get your personalized quote. You can call them at an 800-number, so they’re not hiding behind some fancy, complicated web site. Basically if you want a fast, competitive, and free quote for any type of loan service, then check them out. Just click on any of the Getsmart.com links to go directly to their quick form.

The other nice thing about this service is that the quotes are no obligation, so you don’t have any commitment when you request a quote. Also, you don’t even have to use your social security number when you fill out the quick form. It’s about as easy as it gets to see what your financial options are with them. A home equity loan can be a great way to finance your ambitious home renovation project. The nice thing is that you can also roll in your existing credit card debt to make one easy payment each month.

Let me know if Getsmart.com works for you. I’d love to hear what you’ve done with the extra cash from a refinance or home equity loan. I’m tempted to check it out and make our renovations deluxe…but I’ll probably live vicariously through others who take the plunge and get a loan for their projects.

Here is a step by step guide to help you hire a quality home improvement contractor. I think it’s important to be able to locate local reliable, efficient, and experienced contractors. This is the DIY blog, but there are many projects that would be better accomplished with the services of an expert.
Before talking to any contractors the first thing to do is create a budget for the project. Without a budget you will be flying blind and may end up over spending. Having a tight budget will also help you make decisions about what kind of fixtures, and materials to purchase. Most products have a wide price range and having a budget will help keep you in line when making buying decisions.

After you have your budget dialed in get three written estimates from three different contractors. Be sure the estimate is complete; getting a “written” estimate on the back of a business card is not a sign of a good contractor. Getting three estimates will enable you to compare prices from different contractors. Reliableremodeler.com is a great service that will help you get free estimates from quality contractors for free.

Take the time to talk with each contractor and get a feel for which one you will be most comfortable working with and having in your home. Be sure and pay attention to things like who shows up on time and who is prepared to talk about your project. If a contractor shows up late to your appointment chances are they will show up late when working on your project.

While you are in the process of selecting a contractor it is a good idea to make sure they have the proper license, insurance, and bonding. All three of these items are in place to protect homeowners. Working with a contractor who isn’t licensed or doesn’t have the proper insurance might come back to haunt you. A good contractor will show you copies of these documents when they present your written estimate.

The next step is to check the references of the contractor you are leaning towards selecting. Be sure to ask specific questions about their experience with the contractor. “Did the contractor show up on time?” “Did the contractor clean up after themselves?” If you want to be more aggressive you can ask the contractor for the names and numbers of their last three jobs and call those instead of their handpicked references. This will provide a more realistic overview of the contractors daily work habits and skills.

The last step is to select your contractor and have them provide you a timeline for the completion of the project. Having a timeline will help ensure your project is completed in a timely manner.

I found some interesting information on home renovation loans as I was searching around tonight. Now Wells Fargo is by no means the only, or the best, mortgage lender out there. I saw this page on their site and it really caught my eye. The idea is that you’re financed for the amount the home will be worth after the improvements. They go through a little list of the benefits of financing your home this way below Wells Fargo link.

In our case we’ve already purchased the home, and are looking to do all of our projects on a tight budget, as we get the funds. So this particular product isn’t for us, but if you’re looking to buy a home that needs renovation right away, consider a renovation loan like this one. If you have already have your home and have some equity built up in it, then you can take out a second mortgage against that equity and use that for home improvements. I would advise you to think this through before jumping in and splashing around your good credit and equity though. Be careful that what money you’re putting into the house you’ll be able to get back when you sell it. If you don’t plan to sell anytime soon, then be aware that second mortgages are often more expensive in terms of fees and overall interest rates. I hope this information is helpful for you.

This is the first in a series of posts I’ll be doing on different financing options for your home and/or home renovation. It’s important to be aware of all the opportunities and pitfalls out there regarding home financing. If anyone would like to help with this series and contribute their ideas, or an entire article, please let me know. Thank you!

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage – Renovation Loans
Renovation Loans
Whether the improvements you envision are large or small, necessary or optional, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage has a solution that lets you purchase or refinance a home and improve it – all in one loan! Our renovation loans benefit borrowers who:

* Have found a home they love that needs a little work
* Are current homeowners with little equity who want to remodel
* Are increasing the value of investment rental property

Benefits of Purchase & RenovateSM Loan and Refinance & RenovateSM Loan
More Money:
Your loan amount is based on the increased property value after renovation. Lower interest rate:
First mortgage rates are usually lower than second mortgage and credit card rates saving you money on renovation financing.
Lower monthly payments:
Financing your mortgage and renovation simultaneously spreads improvement costs throughout the term of your loan. More tax deductible interest: *
The interest on your renovation costs are part of your first mortgage.
No wait:
You can begin your renovation immediately after closing. Simplicity:
There’s only one application, one set of fees and one monthly payment.

One of the main remodeling projects in the kitchen, in addition to the cabinet refinishing, is the venetian plaster effect on the walls.  When we started there was awful wall paper in a country pattern.  On the opposite wall, in the small dining area, there was an equally hideous, but different pattern.  We knew that just re-doing the cabinets was not going to be enough.

We removed the wall paper (that topic will be covered in depth in other posts and in other project tutorials) and what was left on the walls was a scratchy, uneven texture from all of the excess paste.  The previous owners hadn’t used any sizing before applying the wall paper, so our removal job was more difficult, and the walls needed a creative solution to make them look good.  Straight priming and painting wouldn’t work here…the walls were just in no shape to work with using traditional painting techniques.

We had wanted to do a venetian plaster faux finish somewhere in the house, so this seemed like the ideal location.  There were several things we considered here.  One, would the plaster finish match the cabinet style, and the other colors/textures in the kitchen?  Two, could we do a finish like this ourselves and actually make it look good?  Three, what kinds of costs are involved with a venetian plaster finish and would it be worth the final results?  Four, what kinds of products were the best, cost-effective, and easy to find for the job?

Check back to find out the answers we came up with, and to see the test results on the walls!  When we try an idea, we try it big!  Cheers!

Now you’ve probably looked at the fancy, pre-finished cabinets that are on sale in any home store across the country.  They’re all made with solid woods, expert joinery, and have smooth, professional finishes.  Well if you’ve got $3,000 to $10,000 to spend for an average size kitchen full of cabinets, then by all means, consider the ‘all new’ option.  But if you’re like me and you’ve got one of those average size kitchens, but about $500, then read on.  Oh, just so you know, our cabinets we’re installed in the mid-eighties, are made out of the thinnest, cheapest boards you can find, and had some of the worst hardware you’ve ever seen.

The cabinet refinishing system we used was cobbled together from a bunch of websites, some friendly advice, and from watching my dad make our homes beautiful when I was younger.  In fact, the drive to do-it-yourself, save money, and have a beautiful, cost-effective end product, came from my dad.  He has a strong work ethic, and he takes pride in everything he does around the house.  So with that said, I can only aspire to try as hard, and hope that my results are similar to his.

As I write this, we’re about 3/4 of the way done with the cabinet refinishing project.  We’ve refined and simplified our refinishing system, and have only three doors and two drawers left.  Don’t worry, I have taken pictures and written notes about the entire procedure, so I’ll be able to guide you through to success!  Remember, I can’t guarantee results similar to mine, but I do think you’ll have a great time trying a project like this for yourself, and if done properly it can save you a ton of money and make your home more beautiful than it was before.

Stay tuned…in the next post I’ll introduce the main components of my italian-inspired cabinet refinishing project, and discuss the tools necessary for the job.  Cheers!