Remodeling Hell: decor

Thursday, February 25, 2016

How to Tell if Your DIY Project Is a Disaster—and How to Dig Out

When you first envisioned your renovation project, it was the stuff of rainbow-colored daydreams. A few weekends of manual labor, a forcibly fun painting party, and your house would be totally transformed. A new you!

Indeed, it was fun for a while. The first weekend you blasted out the walls, ripped up the floors and channeled your inner Bob Vila.

That was 11 weekends ago.

Since then you’ve taped some stuff off, laid down some plywood and covered everything with plastic tarp so the settling dust wouldn’t get into your morning coffee. Is it time to accept you are in over your head? Maybe. Or maybe not. You might need a good contractor, but you also might be able to rally and get this done yourself. Here’s how to tell:

1. Are you on the highway to the danger zone?

Even small DIY home projects are risky (safety first, kids!), but have you tackled something that really could land you in an ER waiting room? Some projects are better left to the pros.

“Anything that involves permitted trades like electric, plumbing, or HVAC repair,” says Sabine H. Schoenberg, founder of PrimeSitesCT and host of ThisNewHouse. “Trade licenses mean something, and you really do not want to learn on your own house.”

Look at your project from a safety perspective. If you could do serious damage to yourself—or your house—you might be better off quitting while you’re ahead.

2. Going through ch-ch-changes?

Sometimes, life throws you a curveball. Sometimes, even a knuckleball! Maybe work has gotten busier. Maybe that one-day-a-week volunteer project has taken way more effort than you thought. Maybe your kid joined the varsity Serbo-Croatian debate team. Sometimes, you find that you just don’t have the time or energy to finish a DIY project. And when that happens, you may decide that it’s easier to let it languish than deal with it.

“It’s OK to admit it to yourself,” Schoenberg says.

If you’ve been too busy lately to devote any time to your project, ask yourself how long your preoccupation might last. If you can give yourself a solid deadline to get back to the project, stick with it. If you can’t, call for backup.

3. Missing a piece of the puzzle?

Money is often a big factor in why DIY projects go dormant. If you’ve been waiting weeks (or months) to save up for an expensive piece of your project, change your approach.

Check secondhand construction stores such as Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore. You can also hunt for missing pieces in antique stores, flea markets, and on sites like Craigslist. Secondhand materials can save you a bundle.

4. More gusto than knowledge?

At some point we’ve all gotten excited about a DIY project and dived right in, only to realize later that we can’t do everything we thought we could.

If you’re stuck on a part of a project (how do you get those tiles to lie evenly, anyway?), you might be able to teach yourself. Search for how-to videos online—including realtor.com’s library of free video guides.

Know when to call for help—and how to get it

Of course, learn-at-home videos aren’t foolproof. If you’re still at a loss simply watching the pros, it might be better to bring them in, in person—even if it’s only for part of your project.

“Finding pros who want to step into a project started by a DIY person is not easy,” Schoenberg says.
But it can be done. Just make sure you’re clear with the contractor. Explain that you need help with this part, but ultimately want to finish the job yourself.

You’ll save some cash overall, but don’t expect the pro to work for cheap.

“They know they will likely have to rip out and redo a bunch of installations,” Schoenberg says. “To price that is difficult.”

But be careful when you’re looking for a contractor.

“The only way to gauge things a bit is by multiple bids,” Schoenberg says. “The right price is usually in the middle. Toss the highest and the lowest numbers.”

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Friday, December 19, 2014

The Gift of Stylish Decor

The month of December is a whirl of activities that all center around home and family and for many that means opening doors to guests. And while the idea of sharing space with family and friends conjures up feelings of warmth and sentiment it can also bring out the insecurities of incomplete projects and outdated décor.

Clearly there is no time to renovate or undertake a major decorating task but there are a few DIY projects that you can pull off in a short time. Adding a pop of colour with paint will do wonders to dress up space and create an updated feeling within your home.

First it’s important to consider the existing colour scheme so that the new blends in with the old and doesn’t look out of place. The idea is not to create a whole new look but to help enhance the current décor. Next consider what trends are coming for 2015 and how you plan on implementing them. Is there a colour you have had your eye on? Tones are going to be more muted in the next year; there is an earthy influence with undertones of brown showing up in paint colours.

A starting point would be to take a version of your existing accent colour and tone it down a shade or two. Vibrant blues and greens have had strong influence on the décor scene. A simple decorating project would be to paint your powder room in a muted tone of the electric blue that has been so prevalent for the past few years or for even more “wow” add a trending shade like pantone’s colour of the year, “marsala red”.

Now, until December 20th, CIL Paint is offering up tester sizes for $3.97 at The Home Depot stores, so budgets won’t feel stretched by a simple, yet stylish DIY painting project. CIL paints “Deep Garnet” is the perfect version of the new on trend colour.

Looking to dive in a little deeper with an update that will create big impact? Tackle an accent wall in the guest room. The guest room is definitely an underused space and often gets overlooked when it comes to adding style and then panic sets in as guests are making their way for a holiday visit! Little touches go a long way to making visitors feel welcome. Fresh flowers and magazines on the bedside table, a cozy robe hanging on the door tells your guests you’re happy to have them. Go the extra mile and add some pizazz to the space and paint one wall in a calming soothing tone that says the room has style, all the while being a restful sanctuary!

The accent wall is typically the first wall you see when you walk into a room, but this rule can bend for bedroom décor and the wall where the bed rests is a perfect place for a pop of colour. CIL testers are just the right amount of paint for this minor project. Try CIL’s “Lakefront” for a soothing pop of colour.

There is still time to bring your space up-to-date. Plan for a half-day DIY project, crank the Christmas music and get to work. The new look will be appreciated long after the tree has been put to the curb and guests have made their way back home, consider it a gift to you this holiday season!