Everyday Life

From Curtains to Carpentry

July 20, 2017 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

6 Tips For Reinventing Your Home Without Renovation

We all want to live in a beautiful, cozy home.

Somewhere you love to relax after work, and entertain your friends on the weekends. But even if you are lucky enough to buy your dream home, or even rent it, there are often ways you would like to improve the space or style.

If home renovations aren’t really your skill set, don’t set those home style dreams on the shelf. There are plenty of ways to spruce up your home without having to knock down walls or spend a fortune on a contractor. Read on for my 6 top tips on how to reinvent your home without undertaking a renovation.

1) Window Treatments

Windows seem to be an overlooked when planning home decor. Often home-owners don’t know what to do with windows so they are left bare or maybe dressed with a simple blinds for privacy. If you are looking for a quick facelift to your living space, look no further than the windows. Choosing blinds for your home is sa great way add both function and style to your home.

2) Open Spaces

One of the things homeowners are looking for most right now is a house with open spaces. Where the living room and kitchen are open to each other, or rooms have ample space for hanging and entertaining. If your space is feeling a bit cramped, there are easy ways to give it more of an open space feel. Time to ditch big, bulky furniture for pieces that are more size appropriate for your space.

If new furniture isn’t in your budget, try rearranging what you already have, or even getting rid of something to create more space. If you have a large cabinet or another bulky piece of wood furniture try painting it a nice off-white colour so it blends in more.

3) Mirrors

Mirrors have way more function than just providing you a last glimpse of yourself before you walk out the door. Adding mirrors to smaller rooms will immediately give the appearance of more space. Placing mirrors opposite windows adds more natural light, and makes the room seem bigger and more open.

4) Lighting

Lighting is a really fun, affordable way to enhance any room, even a bathroom! A poorly lit room can small and cramped. The same room with good lighting will appear bright, airy and welcoming. Layering lighting is a great style technique. Adding tall floor lamps to otherwise dark corners, paired with smaller lamps on side tables will add depth and light to your home. If you are looking to take lighting to the next step, replace old light fixtures with more modern pieces and see your home come to life!

5) Cabinet Pulls

Another often overlooked style opportunity are the pulls on your cabinet.

So many houses have old, worn, dirty handles, pulls and knobs. This is a super easy fix to give your kitchen or bathroom an immediate facelift. A fun thing to do is contrast the cabinet pulls with the overall style. So if your kitchen is chabby chic, add modern pulls. If your kitchen is modern, add some artsy glass knobs.

6) Outdoor Spaces

Jealous that your friends seem to always be talking about the renovations to their homes? A new bathroom here. A fourth bedroom there. If this is out of your skill set and budget, it is time to look at what you do have and add some creativity.

Look outside! Even a small outdoor area can be jazzed up to be an additional living space.

A few things that can turn a patio or yard space into a desirable hang spot is a rug, a few cozy chairs, and maybe even a fire pit. Put some creativity and energy into your outdoor space and throw a party. Your friends will love it!

You don’t need in depth knowledge of a table saw or thousands of dollars to have a beautiful home. There are so many ways to spruce up the home without renovations with a little added time and creativity. I hope some of these tips inspired you to take a look around your house for ways to slowly but surely transform your house into your dream home.

From Trash To Treasure – The 6 Steps of Starting An Upcycling Business

July 19, 2017 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

If you’re thinking of turning your interest in upcycling into a business, there are a few things you can do to make the process easier. The following 6 steps are aimed at getting you mentally and financially prepared for your exciting new venture.

Train Your Eye

One of the most important and hard to qualify traits you may need to hone in your quest to become an upstart upcycler is to train your eye. What this means is that you will find it easier if you allow yourself the time and space to develop an eye for potential.

A great place to start this process is the library.
There are many books and resources available which can help you to solidify (and ground with theory) any ideas related to aesthetic or design practice. Having an idea of historical context, aesthetic development, and of broad-based eras and movements will help you understand the potential in any objects you encounter, and whether they’re suitable for restoration or modification.

Uptown Girl

Knowing the potential value of an object is only one part of a much larger learning curve. Another part of your growing arsenal of skills will be in the ability to envision how to best revamp and revitalise an old item. Being able to evaluate, budget and decide how much time, effort and resources you’re willing to dedicate to the process will also be of huge importance.

Having quality touches and finishes will set you apart from competitors and cheap replica designs. Upholstery suppliers are a good place to start – choosing a fabric, texture or colour palette may be all you need initially to get your creative juices going.

Know Thy Market

You may find that it’s harder to set up your business than you’d imagined – or, that your potential customers and suppliers are located somewhere geographically-distanced from where you’re planning on conducting business.

The lesson to be learned from this is to plan ahead and to know thy market.
It’s a good idea to do some research into your target market, and to figure out some ways in which you can best bridge the gap between yourself and your potential customers – before committing time, money and energy into the process.

Point Of Difference

There’s no use starting a business that’s going to have to compete with thousands of other businesses locally by doing the exact same thing as other businesses.

In order for your upcycling business to flourish, it’s important to market your ‘point of difference’. Generally speaking, a point of difference is a marketable trait which is unique to your product. Think of design quirks, use of quality touches or of eco-credentials. Find a way to promote these differences and put your stamp on your product.

Price Point

Another key element to take into account is related to pricing – how much to charge, how to charge, and how competitively to price your items.

Part of creating a price structure will come through understanding your target market. If you’re upcycling furniture into modern, trendy magazine-worthy pieces, your pricing structure will be different to someone upcycling fringe or niche fashions.

Search out items of similar quality and appearance to your own and have a look at how they’re priced. Are they being purchased? Is there a market to price things at a similar cost? If so, it may be a great place to start.

Reach Out

Once you’ve figured out your marketable point of difference, it’s time to find a way to get your product to its intended audience. Finding a way to market and project your products is an art in itself.

Think about using social media apps as well as traditional media as an adjunct to your promotions. Social media users are often willing to share and promote your products for you if you present them with incentive. It also helps to build a community around your business.

Starting an upcycling business takes time.
There are skills you will need to acquire and hone, and some lessons to be learned through trial and error – but there’s also a whole lot of fun and freedom in running your own business. If you’re ready to take the next step, get reading, get writing, and get designing.

4 Tips for Making a Painting Studio in Your Home

July 14, 2017 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

Whether you’re a professional painter or a budding novice, setting up a painting studio in your home is a wonderful way to develop your skill and encourage more time with your hobby. Make your art space both functional and inspirational with these tips.

Set a Designated Space

You don’t need a large home to have a designated art studio. You simply need a specific corner you can devote to the task. Choose an area large enough to accommodate an easel and art cart, at a bare minimum. If you can set aside an entire room for this purpose, so much the better. Make sure you keep other items out of your art studio. Don’t let bills pile up on the desk or toys creep onto the floor. Be vigilant about keeping this area for one purpose only.

Keep it Organized

Organization is essential in your home painting studio. You don’t want to waste your time searching for the right brush or paint color when you’re feeling that invigorating spark of inspiration. Make sure your tools are always at the ready so you can get to work at a moment’s notice when you have a vision in your head.

For paints, consider using a tiered spice shelf or layered cupcake stand to keep several colors visible at once. If you use small squeeze bottles, glue a magnet to the bottom of each and mount a metal tray to the underside of a cabinet. You can then hang the bottles upside down so the paint is always ready to flow. Stick paintbrushes in a planter filled with marbles or hang them from rows of hooks mounted to the wall. Keep it all neat so you always know where everything is.

Include Inspiration

If you’re working in a stark, dreary space, you may find inspiration frustratingly elusive. Create a bright and beautiful area that entices your inner muse to come out and play. Fill your art studio with things that you love, whether these are vases of bright blossoms or sleek modern sculptures. Make this a place that invigorates and invites.

Control the Climate

Artwork prefers a stable climate with minimal fluctuations in temperature and humidity. If you’re storing finished pieces in your painting studio, you should make sure the temperature stays within a 20-degree range and humidity doesn’t vary more than 20 percent. Low humidity is best to keep your pieces safe and help new paintings dry in a reasonable amount of time.

You can control the climate in your art studio independently from the rest of your house with HVAC zoning. This enables you to set different conditions for each zone of the house. You can keep your art studio cool and maintain a lower humidity level by running the air conditioner regularly there, while setting a higher temperature in the rest of the house.

Your newly organized painting studio will give you everything you need to create masterpieces and store your art safely. All that’s left is to find some quiet time to create!

3 of Signs It’s Time to Upgrade the HVAC System in Your Home

April 24, 2017 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

Most households don’t notice their HVAC systems. As long as their home stays cool in the summer and warm in the winter then they don’t think about it. However, when it stops performing effectively or starts getting more disruptive, homeowners are forced to evaluate their HVAC units to determine what can be fixed and what needs to be replaced. Here are three signs that your HVAC system needs to be replaced or at least needs to be inspected.

There Is More Dust Floating Around

Image via Flickr by pulverizer_13

Dust is more than a cleaning annoyance. It can worsen your allergies and make your children sick. If they have asthma, they could struggle to breathe — even in their own homes. Furthermore, pollen from the outside can spread to areas like the bedroom and den that you want to feel comfortable in. Replacing your HVAC unit and cleaning your ducts can make it easy to breathe in your home again.

If you have noticed more dust in your home lately, check your air ducts to see if they’re particularly dusty. While air filters catch a significant amount of dirt and dust, older models are less effective at trapping these irritants. Your older home could also have decades of dust build up in your air ducts if they have never been cleaned.

Your Energy Bills Are Increasing

There are two signs that your HVAC system isn’t performing like it should: your energy bills are increasing and your system seems to run constantly. In this instance, you might have a leak in your air ducts that is pushing the air out of your home instead of inside your rooms. If your energy bills have been on the rise lately, pay attention to your HVAC system and see if it’s not turning off as often as it used to. The two could be correlated.

Before you decide to invest in a new system, call your local HVAC company for a checkup. There might be something wrong with your unit that’s causing it to run longer or push out room-temperature air. This could be an easier — and more affordable — fix than a complete replacement. During your tune-up, the HVAC professional will also check other sources around your home for leaks, like a drafty room or loose windows. This too could provide an affordable alternative to an HVAC replacement.

Your System Is Loud and Disruptive

Has your HVAC system grown louder in the past few years? Is there roaring and clanking that is keeping you and your kids up at night? If so, then your unit may be on its last legs. Older motors have to work harder and lose pipes or doors could lead to clanking noises.

This is another reason to have your HVAC unit inspected by a professional. He or she might be able to tighten up a few loose elements or find a way to muffle the sound of your system without requiring a complete replacement.

A poorly performing HVAC system can make the summer miserable, whether you’re sweating through the day or sneezing all night. If you’re experiencing these symptoms, then it might be time to invest in a modern unit.

3 Hidden Hazards That Can Be Lurking in Your Home

January 24, 2017 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

Home is supposed to be the safest place to be. It’s familiar, comfortable, and everything is in its place. But things aren’t always as they seem due to small dangers that turn into big ones if not caught early. Sometimes it’s a problem from another era that was never remediated properly and is now rearing its ugly head. These issues require fixing as soon as you find them to stop them from becoming worse. Don’t let yourself get caught off-guard; take action by looking for these three hidden hazards that are found in your home.

Image via Flickr by jronaldlee

Mold

Mold shows up in the cleanest of homes, silently spreading itself into wallboards and fabrics. It starts when there’s a damp or persistently wet condition somewhere in the house. For example: leaky pipes are a major cause of mold. You might think a leak is something you’d catch and stop before it gets worse, but pipes are found throughout and under the house. A leak might be so slow that you don’t see it because it doesn’t make a puddle. But it does create the perfect conditions for mold to take hold and spread its spores throughout the home.

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide happens when fuel is burned, such as burning natural gas for a water heater. When it comes to the home, anything that heats water or air emits CO2. Under normal circumstances, and when everything is operational, CO2 gets exhausted through a vent pipe connected to a chimney. That chimney vents the CO2 into the air and prevents it from getting trapped in the home. Potentially deadly issues arise in the event there’s a failure in the venting system or mechanics of the units.
When there’s a failure in that pipe or the flame in the heater fails to ignite properly, the gas can seep out into the house for people to breathe. Sometimes it’s just enough to make someone sick; other times it can kill outright.

Lead Paint

Lead was used as an additive in paint up until the 1970s. It made certain pigments brighter and resists moisture damage. If your home is older than 1978 and has had no major renovations, you might have lead paint. Lead paint is usually not an issue if it’s been painted over or covered with wallpaper. However, if there are surfaces that rub together, such as a door and door frame, lead gets released into the air with the rubbing. And as lead paint ages, it chips and cracks, making it a focus for curious hands and mouths. Children get lead poisoning by handling and eating the paint chips, which can result in developmental issues.

Getting a thorough inspection of your home gives you the information you need to combat these and other dangers. A home inspector can tell you what’s in good shape, what needs fixing, and what is an immediate danger to your and your family. It puts your mind at rest knowing that you can take action and prevent your home from being a source of danger.