Have you become bored with some area of your home? Maybe your

DIY Interior Design – Photo jagwired

To my way of thinking, many professional interior designers impose design elements which result in a somewhat stilted, museum like quality that lacks the personality of ordinary people. You may be told that a certain type of lighting or fabric is the latest in design trends. The client who lacks confidence in their preferred choices may just accept the interior designer’s choices and end up unhappy with the finished room. You know what you like and what makes a room comfortable and inviting to you. Go with your instincts and tackle that DIY interior design project with gusto!

For the novice designer, approaching a DIY interior design project requires little more than a desire and a plan. Take heart in knowing that your plan will take the project by steps, worked out on paper and with software, before you change a single furnishing or decoration in that room.

Here we take you through each step of a successful DIY interior design project.

You’ll want to first visit an art supply store and purchase a Pantone color wheel or fan. You can also find charts online, but it’s easier to work with something you can hold in your hand. Your purpose is to develop a color scheme that pleases you. Pale, neutral colors work best for large areas, such as walls and carpeting. If you don’t want to replace large existing pieces of furniture, you still have lots of latitude with colors for walls and carpeting. Experiment with your color wheel, placing that color against the sofa. Your eyes will immediately let you know if it will work or not.

Purchase a few magazines on home decorating and look them over for rooms with color matches that please you. You don’t need to like everything in the room. Look for pleasing wall and carpet combinations. Check out lamps and accent pieces, such as pillows, that suit your theme and personal taste. You’ll find that there are numbers of accent items in different colors and styles, will work with your scheme, to different effect. Look for styles of wall and side table decorations which you think will work in your overall DIY interior design plan. Cut out the pages with the various elements you like.

Professional interior designers typically assemble swatches of colors and textures, cutting the swatches to scale, in the proportions in which they’ll impact the room. You, as the DIY interior designer, can use this technique as well. Software makes this process easy. If you’re considering wallpaper, you can go online and save images of patterns you like. View your swatches and wallpapers side by side.

Your next step is to paint the walls and install carpeting, if you wish and can afford. Next, replace wall decorations as necessary. If you’ve decided on new drapes, that’s next. Your DIY interior design project falls into beautiful place in this step by step approach, building the finished look in a top down strategy, largest areas first. Knick knacks, lamps, pillows and other small accent pieces come last.

Remember too, that DIY stores have staff that can look over your ‘before’ photos and point out other possibilities and ideas you might want to explore. As you complete each phase, take new photos for further guidance.

With such an approach, anyone can execute a DIY interior design project with panache and a style you’ll be proud of and live happily with the results for years to come.

The bathroom, while being one of the more private rooms in your home, is nonetheless visited by guests and provides a refuge for you to reduce your everyday stress, indulging in a nice warm tub, do your hair and nails and emerge fresh and ready to face the world again. A beautifully appointed bathroom is far more enjoyable than one that’s outdated, with ‘old’ written all over it. Women tend to use the bathroom as a place to have an at-home spa treatment. Still, the man of the house can also appreciate a nicely decorated bathroom, simply for aesthetic reasons.

Everyone knows that kitchen and bathroom remodels are the most costly improvements. Hiring a contractor to execute your remodel can run up quite a bill. However, you have another option that is quite affordable and can be done over a period of time, according to your budget and available time. This is the DIY bathroom remodel. You may be surprised to know that even a beginner can tackle such a DIY project.

Here we take a look at each of the elements involved in a DIY bathroom remodeling project, the skills and resources, as well as some nifty inexpensive tricks that are available to do it yourself. Take one step at a time and easily create the bathroom of your dreams.

The shower and tub can do more to detract from the appearance of your bathroom than you might suppose. If yours is old, it’s probably the plain Jane white and has discolored over time to the degree that even the best cleaning agents can’t improve. You don’t need to replace, as the old unit is functional and suffers mainly from cosmetic flaws. There are a number of paints, in an array of colors, which are specially made for bathroom fixtures. Remove old grouting, mask it off and give your tub and shower a brand new face! If your budget allows, try replacing the faucets and shower head with something fancy and elegant.

Is your sink in a similar condition? Give it the same treatment. A colored sink basin is an instant update. Again, if your faucets are old and outdated, replace them with a set that matches your tub. You begin to see how easy a DIY bathroom remodel can be. If your sink is a freestanding pedestal style, you’re all set. If the sink basin is enclosed in a cabinet, you probably want to retain that valuable storage space. If the cabinet is old and ugly, you’ve got a number of options. You can purchase a new cabinet, which is quite easy to install. You can also repaint the bottom portion to match your new wall paint (what’s a DIY bathroom remodel project without new paint?) and install drawer and door pulls with some lovely hand-painted ceramic or brass ones quite inexpensively. You might also get a small piece of laminate to resurface the top sink surround. Tiling is another option.

Assuming everything in the bathroom is about the same age, your flooring may be looking a bit shabby or is simply of an outdated design. Replacing old linoleum with new vinyl flooring in tiles is an easy weekend project. Another attractive and inexpensive option is planked wood flooring, which comes in boxes of tongue-in-groove lengths which are a snap to fit. By now, your DIY bathroom remodel is really starting to take shape, with just a few techniques employed that are out of your skill set.

Tiling the walls and floor requires a bit more skill, but there are books available at the DIY centers that can teach you everything you need to know. Be aware that tiling floors will probably require that you get under the floor and install sturdy reinforcements to the sub-flooring to accommodate the weight of the tiles. This would constitute the most difficult task in a DIY bathroom remodeling project.

When you’re in the planning stages of your DIY bathroom remodel, remember that the little touches make a big difference. For example, installing wooden shelves below the mirror, stained and sealed, adds beauty and additional display space for moisture loving plants or an attractive vase of flowers.

When you go to the DIY home improvement store, check out their books. They have a book which describes all of the skills, tools and techniques to complete every DIY project mentioned here, as well as tons of decorating ideas in inspiring photos.

You can do your own DIY bathroom remodeling project and save thousands, creating the perfect bathroom!

Some years ago, if you wanted to install a couple of planter boxes on your deck, or update your kitchen with an island, you might have hired someone to do the job. In today’s economy, we’re all looking to do these jobs ourselves. Even those of us who have never done a DIY project in our lives are now reexamining our skills, as well as our budgets. That kitchen island hasn’t lost its appeal, but the family budget has shrunk. Hey now, maybe I can do it myself! Planter boxes? Well, I can handle a saw and a screwdriver. This new perspective on the part of consumers has nurtured a renewed interest in the DIY stores.

As they say, when times get tough, the tough get going. Even though we may find our budgets don’t match our tastes, we start looking for alternative solutions. For example, you’ve got an antique armoire you found at a terrific price at the antique show. It needs refinishing to restore it to its previous glory. Now, you don’t have the option of engaging a professional to do the job. Hmmm. OK, what to do?

Your neighbor has been telling you for months about the DIY stores, which provide, free of charge, brochures which detail the steps involved in restoring furniture. Your piece has a few scratches, a cracked panel and some water stains. You’re convinced. You take a trip to the local DIY store. Lo and behold, you find racks of brochures which describe every step of the restoration needed to turn that bargain armoire into a valuable and beautiful addition to your home. A little sandpaper, a few techniques, well applied, and proper staining and refinishing and you’ve got a lovely and valuable piece of furniture.

You’ve been itching for a water garden. You’d planned to hire a professional, but that option is no longer in the cards. Rather than simply discard your plan, why not turn to the DIY stores for some solid advice on how you might accomplish this on your own? There are so many home improvement ideas that you can do for yourself. The DIY stores are truly your friend when it comes to home improvement projects.

In addition to informational brochures and booklets, with detailed instructions, the knowledgeable staff at the store can also offer tips and tricks to help you along. DIY stores also stock books on many types of projects. For a small investment of say, $10-15, you’ll get step by step instructions geared to the novice DIYer, with plenty of photos and diagrams to lead you to success. Many of these books cover multiple projects of the same type. For example, a book on tiling covers projects for bathrooms, kitchens and flooring, detailing different techniques and preparation steps for each application.

If you’ve never tackled a DIY project before, begin with something small. Visit your local DIY store and gather all the information you can find. Go online and visit some of the DIY websites for more tips. You’ll get a huge sense of accomplishment when you complete your first project. Your wallet will be a happy camper as well. Besides, do it yourself is cool and fun!

As the winter months draw to a close, gardening enthusiasts often feel the itch to get out into the garden and get everything in shape, so that planting can begin in earnest, bringing the first flowers of summer to bloom at the earliest possible moment. However, experienced gardeners know that you can’t jump the gun on certain tasks, such as tilling. If the ground is still too wet, you’ll only end up compacting the soil, doing your plants no good at all. Nonetheless, you want to get out in the garden on those sunny, mild days and get the smell of the earth in your nostrils and enjoy the beauty of nature.

There are many DIY garden projects that can satisfy your gardening urges, improve the appearance of your garden and save you a lot of money. Here we have five easy DIY ideas that fill the bill. Don’t fret if you’ve never done a DIY garden project in your life. Gardeners are hands-on people anyway and these DIY ideas are all well within the abilities of a beginner.

1. Build a trellis

No matter how small or large your garden may be, there’s always room for a trellis. All that’s needed in terms of space is a six inch margin from a wall. Create a lovely display of morning glories, thunbergia or climbing nasturtiums. These fast-growing vines will cover your trellis in no time. This DIY idea also makes a great space saver in the vegetable garden, hosting some climbing beans or peas. In terms of materials, what you need is a number of redwood 1 x 2, lightweight boards, a heavy-duty staple gun and a bit of cement to anchor your trellis feet.

2. Construct a planter box or two

Planter boxes are easy to make and are great for flowers on decks, entryways or to hold small herb gardens. What do you need for this DIY project? Four redwood or other rot-resistant boards, two inches thick and of a length sufficient for your need, 8 metal L-braces, 16 screws and fine screening for the bottom.

3.Make a garden hobby table

You can build and house this hobby table  in the garage, to get those early seeds going. This project also saves you money over buying starts in 4-6 inch pots later on in the season. A sheet of one inch rough plywood, screws, four posts for the legs and four cross pieces to brace the legs, makes a strong and economical solution to getting your garden ‘furnished’ as early as possible.

4. Build a potting bench

this is one of the most popular of our DIY ideas, simply because every gardener who doesn’t have one, wants one! Here again, when you check the prices of ready made potting benches, you’ll find your DIY potting bench is one of the biggest money savers. You can customize your   bench to suit your potting tasks perfectly. Build a shelf up top to hold fertilizers, rooting hormones, plant misters, or whatever nursery products you customarily use. Create a space for reference books. Make your bench exactly the right height for you! Allocate space for bags of potting soil and watering cans. Hang hooks to hold tools you like to have handy. The materials you’ll need depend on your particular design, but they’re all simple and inexpensive.

5.  Build a cold frame

A cold frame can be very usefulto get some salad greens going early. Much like constructing a planter box, the only additional material you’ll need for this DIY idea is an old window frame you may have already lying around, to cover the box.

All of these DIY ideas for the garden are especially easy, because you needn’t be fussy in your construction, as you might with a piece of furniture for your home. Edges are rough. A little ding or staple which is a tad off won’t matter.

You’ll also find that DIY stores and websites have all the information, tips and techniques to see you through to successful and lovely additions to your garden.

Get your Numbers Right
What you have to know about installing laminate flooring is that you have to

DIY Home – Install laminate floor – Photo jeffwilcox

Get someone to help you
When  you are installing laminate flooring you should also make sure that you have someone around you  to help. You will need someone to help with tiles so your adhesive does not dry too much before you can get all of the tiles down. If you are measuring out rolled up laminate, you may want someone to double check your measurements and to help you hold it down so that it doen’t move and roll up. This type of flooring can roll up on you when you are trying to work with it, and the another set of hands can really come in handy in these cases.

Take advantage of free Classes
Local home improvement stores often offers free classes and workshops and they can teach you about installing laminate flooring. These are normally free for customers, and can show you short cuts and tips that make it possible for you to do a great job with installing laminate flooring even when you have never installed anything in your life.