Before & After Video: Our Faux Fireplace

First, the bad news: It looks like the geniuses in the U.S. Congress may postpone the digital TV transition. 

Now, the good news: This allows plenty of time for the man in your life to get his humongous new Big Screen HDTV, and for you to try one of my creative solutions for integrating (camouflaging?) it into your decor!

My new 3-minute high definition video above shows you, before & after, how DH and I turned our 50" Samsung DLP TV into a Faux Fireplace and the focal point of our living room. 

UPDATE: There are some pretty bad (and expensive!) TV solutions out there. I just found this one for $9,200: A plasma TV on a lift that hides in a very fake looking fireplace. Yuck.

fellow decorators, i humbly ask for your vote!

My Fellow Decorating Americans,

Jim and I are thrilled that our entry was chosen as one of 20 semi-finalists in the True Value D.I.Y. All-Star Contest! We entered Jim's ManSpace, AKA "Our DIY Den & Wine Bar," shown above (DIY details in my blog post here; see more photos and rate it on HGTV's Rate My Space website here).

The prize is a 2-hour in-person project consultation from Steve Watson, host of HGTV's "Don’t Sweat It," and up to $5,000 to spend at a True Value store. After the Atlantic hurricanes coming our way this weekend, we may need a lot of stuff and some repair advice!

Online voting will select the 4 Finalists. So today, I humbly ask for your vote. Thanks in advance for your support!

UPDATE: Thank you, friends! I appreciate your support and kind comments. We didn't win, but a young RMS-er with a great kitchen redo did!

me on hgtv, 5:30 pm today

If you missed it, here's your chance to see a great episode's of HGTV's Rate My Space TV show: the "Lackluster Kitchen" makeover (HGTV, 5:30 PM Eastern). I was honored to have my kitchen chosen as an inspiration space by homeowner Andy.

Before, Andy's kitchen looked nothing like the rest of his sleek mid-century modern home.

Photos: HGTV

The makeover was dramatic, especially when you see the new open views into Andy's living and dining spaces. The pine hutch in my kitchen was the inspiration for the choice of a beautiful  Chinese red lacquer cabinet to serve as a pantry and buffet.

Here's the web page where you can comment and rate designer Angelo Surmelis' makeover.

Interesting tidbit from Angelo's blog, Design Geek, iTunes has $1.99 downloads of all Rate My Space episodes here. This episode is missing from HGTV's watch-on-line-for-free episode page.

move it! redecorate for free

Everything old is new again. It's true. "Move your stuff" is my best advice to friends who say they're just bored with their interiors.

20 years ago, I learned this decorating secret from my neighbor Marcia, who had an extraordinary gift for accessorizing. Several times a year, Marcia would call me to come over and help her move furniture. And a lot of other stuff. The results were always amazing.

When I moved to a Florida-style house from a traditional Southern-style house, I wasn't sure how much of my stuff I'd be able to work into the new place. But much to my surprise, I found places for almost everything, and the coolest part was WHERE things ended up.

I liked my gold mirror in the old dining room, right, but I LOVE it over my great room TV now. And I had planned to put it in the new dining room...

My foyer, right, was one of my favorite spaces in my old house. The new house doesn't have a foyer. So the wrought iron mirror was supposed to go over the TV mantel in the great room, but it didn't fit. So it moved into my new dining room and I can't imagine it anywhere else.

The antique botanicals from Branca Chicago were perfect in the foyer vignette, along with my majolica plates. But I like them all so much better above the hutch in the new kitchen.

The antique pine dresser moved easily into one of my new guest bedrooms.

You don't have to wait to move to a new home before you recycle your stuff. Try it today. Everything will look brand new to you in its new location. You can always move it back, that's the beauty of it. And of course, it's FREE!

How-to paint exotic faux rattan walls

This was my most fun and challenging faux project ever!

Our hallway bathroom, just off the kitchen, is your builder’s standard full bath, so my design objective was to make it look more like a powder room.

IOW, distract from the white tub and commode with tropical faux rattan walls and an unusual monkey-patterned shower curtain complete with cornice and tassel fringe.

I adapted this faux treatment from the grasscloth finish in BH&G’s “Decorative Paint Techniques” (My favorite faux book - see Amazon link on sidebar). I worked with the Sherwin Williams "Blonde" color that was already on my walls (and I didn't like it!) It’s fun to see people touch the walls and insist it’s wallcovering.

Here’s how to recreate this unique finish in YOUR home...

you'll need...

• Base coat paint (Sherwin Williams Blonde, flat)
• Clear faux glaze (Behr)
• Floetrol, to extend glaze drying time (optional)
• Tube of acrylic colorant (Burnt umber)
• Painter's rags
• 10” Plastic squeegee
• Exacto knife or paring knife
• Pencil, ruler
• Carpenter’s square
• Level
• 2" Scotch Blue Painters Tape – Delicate Surfaces*
• Roller Lite roller, medium nap covers (3/8” nap)
• Angled 1 ½” paint brush
• Foamcore board for practice, optional

now paint & glaze!

Tape off the ceiling, doors, windows, base moldings.

Base coat the walls with the roller, cutting in corners and edges with the brush

When dry (24 hours), tape off 27" vertical sections. 27” is similar to wallcovering width and is not too wide for the squeegee step.

Remove the handle and notch the squeege blade with v-shaped notches about 1/8" wide and deep. Space notches 1/2" apart. See photo below

Tint the clear glaze with burnt umber acrylic colorant (both from Home Depot). I add an ounce or two of Floetrol. I experimented with what worked for me and then wrote the formula down. You don't need a lot of tinted glaze. My proportion was about 1/2 tsp colorant to a cup of glaze. I prepared up small amounts at a time. Make a sample board to test your results.

Roll on  a 12-15 inch horizontal band of glaze across the 27" section. Drag the squeegee through the glaze, working across the section. 

Repeat from ceiling to floor until you finish the entire section. Wipe the squeege after each pass

Your first squeege pass across will be easy if you use the ceiling or crown as your guide. After that, you’ll need a fairly steady hand, but you can overlap the squeegee as a guide, as I did (don't drink a pot of coffee before you do this)

If you make a mistake, quickly wipe off the glaze!

Glaze every other section. Remove the painters tape not more than 45 minutes after glazing. Unless you’re an experienced faux-er, toss it. Retape tomorrow with fresh tape.

When the glaze is completely dry (24 hours), retape the alternate sections

Repeat the above glazing steps on the unfinished sections.

a few tips

With a scissors, I cut my squeege into two sections, 6 ½ and 3 1/2 inches wide. The shortie comes in handy for tight spaces and touch ups.

Imperfections are fine, even uneven lines. See the detail photo above. Don't be too critical of yourself. Stand back to assess your work. Remember that faux finishes are not meant to be viewed with a magnifying glass! The overall effect will be organic as in nature, and that’s what you want. My walls have light orange peel finish (bumpy), so they're blotchier than if you have smooth walls, which would be easier to do.

*Very, very important: ALWAYS use Scotch blue painters tape for DELICATE surfaces. Accept no substitutes. Scotch is more expensive, but will never peel your paint off if you remove it within 45 minutes after painting.

Please ask if you have any questions and I appreciate all comments. I’d love to see your before and after photos. Good luck!

If you like my “Bathroom with Faux Rattan Walls,” please rate it here on HGTV's Rate My Space!

Download a printable version of this page here. (Word doc, 85K)

favorite space: the salon, before

I live off scenic SR-A1A in Old Florida. We love it! It's a quiet beachside community, but over the last 20 years, upscale golf communities have attracted younger retirees and, of course, normal people who want to live by the beach, but not in the zoo that is South Florida.

I get my hair and nails done at Cathy's salon, in a prime location 5 minutes from home. DH and I have been clients for 4 years, but many of Cathy's clients go back 15 to 20 years.

Saturday, Cathy mentioned that she wanted to paint and get some new furniture. I told her I'd love to give her my ideas. Seems like most of the men I know go to Cathy, so maybe they'd suit up and help her lose the peachy pink walls. Here's a brief tour...

This is the narrow entry to the salon, about 6 ft. wide at the front door. The reception desk is behind the greenery.

A friend redecorated for Cathy a few years ago with traditional furnishings. No one likes to sit on the love seat, that dominates the waiting area along with a big marble-topped coffee table. The big tapestry will go.

A good decluttering will cost zero dollars. Open legged tables will be replaced with modern units that have storage underneath, reducing stuff on the floor out in the open.

Cathy is a color expert who teaches other stylists for a top haircolor company. She'd like her place to have the spa-like look she sees in the salons she visits. The shampoo stations will look great in an updated space.

The plants will go, along with the art and ornate mirrors.

Yesterday my friend Patty and I hit IKEA to look for inexpensive storage and display pieces. She's not a client (her DH is), so she has an objective eye.

So now Patty and I are off to the salon to see if the de-cluttering has begun. I hope so!

UPDATE: No decluttering yet.

favorite space: stock vanity transformed

"Vanities Revisited"
I just spotted this wonderful restyled vanity on Rate My Space, uploaded by fleurlvr. But wait 'til you see what it looked like before...

I may just have to do some more work on my faux panelling after seeing this. If you're as impressed as I am, click here and rate this space!

How to turn drywall into faux wood panels

Here's my builder's basic breakfast bar, between the kitchen, great room and breakfast nook (photos taken in different light). "Before," it was nondescript beige drywall with some white woodwork. Very nice corbels, but it was just plain...plain!

It didn't go with the rest of the kitchen, or the great room, for that matter. The cabinet people wanted over $1,200 for real wood panels. So for less than $50 in paint and trim, I created faux panels in a day. Here's how to do it...

supplies

• Paint & primer, brushes
• Dropcloth
• Miter box and saw
• Level
• Straight edge, square or long ruler
• Molding, amount determined after measuring, below
• Hammer & finishing nails, or better yet, a nail gun
• Carpenter's glue
• Caulk or spackle
• Clear faux glaze (I use Behr)
• Acrylic colorant to tint the glaze (I used burnt umber)
• Rags for removing glaze, old t-shirt pieces work well

choose your finish & color
I wanted to coordinate with my living area's creamy white cabinetry, so I used Sherwin Williams Alabaster gloss latex. (happens to be the color of all my woodwork). Don't worry about too much shine because the glaze takes care of that. I prefer the scrubbable gloss finish in this area because people unconsiously kick your bar (I know because I'm doing it right now as I type).

measure
Plan your panel widths. I did several different widths because of the corbel placement. Otherwise, you can space them evenly. But I think the different widths add interest.

For the height, use the same spacing at the top and the bottom of the panels. Using a level and straight edge, pencil your panels on the wall. The level is your best friend in this task. Now you know how much molding to buy (+ some extra for boo boos).

miter cut & apply molding
I used shelf edging from Home Depot for my molding. It looks like 1 1/4" wide mini chair rail and has nice contours that catch the glaze. Make sure you "measure twice - cut once." When all your pieces are cut, apply glue to the back and nail them in place at your pencil lines. You don't need a lot of nails because the glue will do the job. Wipe off excess glue with a damp rag - it drys FAST.

prime & paint
You'll need to prime you moldings if they weren't pre-primed. Then paint the entire area with a brush. Paint a second coat 4 hours later if needed. Let dry 4 hours, and get ready for the fun!

glazing
Mix a small amount of faux glaze plus a little water, tinted with a very small amount of burnt umber acrylic colorant. You will have to play with it until you get the darkness you like. A little glaze goes a long way. When you have a batch you like, WRITE DOWN THE RECIPE.

Brush on lightly in and around the crevices of the molding. Remove most of glaze with rags until you have the definition you want. You can always add more. I went for a slightly distressed look because my drywall has orange peel texture and my barstools are very distressed. You'll get the feel of glazing quickly and you can always remove it and start over. After all, it's just paint!

you're done!
Your finished wall should look something like this. If you're really daring, make it look like stained wood. There are some fairly easy faux techniques for simulating real wood with just paint color and glaze.

If you'd like to see more, here's a video tour of my kitchen. Go here for a great example of how you can transform a stock bathroom vanity.

If you try this, I'd love to see your before and after photos!

Tour my small but efficient kitchen

Welcome to my kitchen! It was recently featured as an inspiration room on HGTV's new Rate My Space TV show. Specifically, the old pine hutch we use in place of cabinets.


I've posted a detailed how-to on how I refinished the hutch here. If you're in the Christmas spirit already, here's how I decorate the kitchen.

If you enjoyed the video tour, please sign in to Rate My Space and rate my kitchen. Don't worry, you won't get any spam or unwanted emails from HGTV!

Dress up your chandelier for $2

Let's face it. Chandelier chains are UGLY. After searching online for ready-made silk chain covers, I found I'd need at least 5 for my 3 chandeliers and they run about $40 each.

So here's how I made custom silk chain covers with no-sew sticky tape and fabric scraps, saving about $200! If you have an hour, a tall ladder, and good balance, you're ready to make one too!

First, head to Walmart's sewing department to pick up Res-Q Tape ($2/180"), a double stick tape for fabric emergencies...like when you pull the wrong thread and unravel your hem on the way out the door to a big event. THAT kind of tape.

• If you have leftover curtain fabric like I did, perfect. Otherwise, get some lightweight silk or poly
• Measure your chain length and double it for your total length
• Cut 5-7” wide strips, either across the width or the length of the fabric , but not on the bias. Cut width depends on the width of your chain
• Join the strips by sewing 1/2" seams, right sides together until you have your total length
• You'll have a long, narrow rectangle, 5-7" x your total length
• Press seams open
• As in the photo above, fold over the raw edges of the long sides 1/2" and press , wrong sides together
• Then do the same with the short edges
  
  


• Roll out Res-Q tape along the length of your strip, applying it to the wrong side of ONE of the long edges
• DON’T peel the paper backing off yet
• Machine baste the other long folded edge
• You can baste the short ends too (not shown)

• Move your dining table if you can, and get on a sturdy ladder
• Starting at the top, wrap the fabric around the chain, unpeeling the paper and pressing the sticky-taped edge over the other edge, wrong side to right side, forming a tube
• You’ll be scrunching it up as you go
• Pull it apart and redo if necessary, as you go
• Don't worry about the seam - it blends in nicely
• Trim any stray threads
  

Stand back and admire your work. You've saved about $80 on a 4 ft. chain, and you have an elegant, customized chandelier!

NOW: if you'd like a dramatic, burnished gold ceiling, complete directions are here along with wall paint color info.

If you like my dining room space, please rate it here.

Any questions, please ask me. I'd love to hear your feedback!

How to copy my fabulous faux gold ceiling

You can do this. I'm going to tell you how. You've got to just trust me on this...

My dining room has a beautiful double-step tray ceiling, but it didn't stand out. We don't use the space often, but with our open concept floor plan, we see it ALL the time. So the time and effort to transform it was well worth it.

I'll start by repeating that YOU can do this faux treatment. It's not rocket science. I taught myself to paint and this is my own creation.

My ceiling is 12 ft. up. I did this by myself in about 4 days (counting 2 or 3 trips to Home Depot). If you get dizzy or wobbly on ladders, this is not for you. Everyone else, read on.

Printable version of this page here.

you'll need

• Ladder, mine is 8 ft. for a 12 ft. ceiling
• 1-2 Paint roller frames, I like RollerLite 6 1/2"
• 3-4 roller covers, nap for your surface; 3/8" for most
• 2-3 disposable roller trays
• Extension rod. Telescoping is the best
• 1 1/2" angled paint brush, best quality
• 1-2 Rubbermaid natural (as in sea) sponge roller covers, best price at Walmart
• Ralph Lauren "Golden Candlesticks" metallic latex paint, at least a gallon
• Behr Faux Glaze (clear, latex), gallon
• Small tube of burnt umber acrylic (paint or craft store)
• Touch-up paint for adjacent areas
• Plastic dropcloths
• Gallon zip-loc bags to store rollers & brushes
• Scotch blue painters tape for delicate surfaces (NEVER use anything else)
• Kilz Premium primer, if needed
• 2-3 covered containers for mixing glaze
• Measuring cups, spoons
• Free paint stir sticks
• Foamcore poster board for practice, optional
• Wall texture spray if you have texture, optional
  
  prep and paint
  
• Clear the room as much as you can; I had to work around my heavy glass table
• Mask off adjacent surfaces as needed
• Cover everything under the ceiling with drop cloths
• Clear trash bag works great over chandeliers
• Put an old baseball cap on
• You should wear gloves, but I can't stand them
• Prime ceiling with Kilz if necessary (like if it's red or black)
• Cut in gold with the brush, around perimeter & in corners (tray ceiling)
• Roll on 2 coats of gold, min. 4 hours drying time per coat
• Pop the brush and entire roller into the zip-loc bag to store
• Gold will look splotchy and that's normal

now go practice

...on your ceiling, a wall, or poster board. I prefer foamcore board. You can duct tape the board to the ceiling to test. Your finish will depend on your ceiling's texture. Mine, right, is light orange peel with several applications of glaze to get the mottled effect. You can always paint gold over areas you aren't happy with and redo, but you won't have to.

My finish is a burnished gold. You can experiment with different acrylic tints to get different effects, like bronze or copper.

• Prepare practice surface as needed
• Paint it gold, 2 coats
• Dry between applications with blow dryer
• Gold will look splotchy. Don't worry
• Start with 3T clear glaze, 1T water, and tiny amount of acrylic (like 1/2 tsp.)
• For 2nd glaze, mix some gold into your 1st glaze, thin with water
• Write down your glaze recipes so you can duplicate later
• Test on the poster board, adjusting til you get translucent shades you like
• Observe in different lighting in your space
• This is trial and error, you have to play with it

When you like your practice results, your ceiling should be dry and ready to glaze.

faux it

• Mix glaze in your darkest desired tone, enough for your space
• Roll it on randomly with the natural sponge roller
• Vary the pressure and coverage
• Leave some spots gold
• Work in sections, about 3 sq. ft.
• Lightly blend sections into each other as you go
• Think organic, you don't want a discernable pattern
• Let dry thoroughly, 4 hrs. min.
• Mix your 2nd glaze, you won't need a lot
• Roll on with natural sponge roller
• You'll start to see how it goes, layering glazes
• Go back over areas you want to improve
• Dab on gold paint where you made boo boos
• Have fun!

my tips

• WEAR A HAT!!! I forgot this and had gold highlights for awhile
• Dilute 1-2 oz liquid fabric softener with water for the BEST brush cleaner
• Don't waste time and water washing roller covers and trays, unless you believe that doing so will help save the planet
• Store your wet brushes and rollers in the sealed bags...for weeks!
• NEVER paint out of the can. Pour into tray and seal can immediately
• Buy the best brushes you can afford, you'll reuse them many times
• To prevent peeling, always remove painter's tape less than 45 mins. after you painted the area
• Apply new tape before next coat if necessary

After I painted, DH and I installed the two tiers of crown molding (Sherwin Williams "Alabaster," gloss). We used the poly kind from Home Depot (or Lowe's) because it's so lightweight, easy to handle and doesn't need priming. You only need a simple miter box. The rest of the living space had crown and the dining room needed it as a finishing touch.

Dining room wall color is Sherwin Williams Harmonic Tan satin latex (SW 6136), which reads as varying shades of green in different light conditions. How-to on the niche faux painting is here near the end of the post.

Printable version of this page here.

So are you going to try it? I dare you! LOVE to see your "after" photos.

UPDATE! After photo from RMS's gumby here.

Cost to pay someone to do this - ?
Doing it yourself - priceless!

Update: Here's a short video showing how I made the dining room's silk curtains, along with some shots of the ceiling. More on the curtains here.

Mantel+TV+DVD = Faux fireplace

Here's how we created our great room's media wall featuring a "faux fireplace," featured in HGTV Ideas magazine.

Hanging a 50" TV above a fireplace was not an option - we'd have to crane our necks to see it from the sofa only 9 feet away. So we made the TV look like a fireplace in a mantel instead of hiding it in a cabinet. My inspiration was a very realistic fireplace DVD online ($14.95) from plasmawindow.com.

Here's how we did it...

Our builder built the arched niches from my drawing above. Jim and I did the rest in about 3 weeks using economical paint-grade poplar, pine and MDF from Home Depot.

We installed the Fairfield mantel in poplar from Premier Mantles, custom sized for the 24" deep niche. Then we built the removeable frame above that fits inside the mantel and around the TV. That was the hardest part of the entire project.

Our first-ever woodworking project (winter 2006). I did the miter cutting, trim and finish work. Jim handled the table saw and router. We now have a garage full of power tools. Our favorite is the Paslode nail gun. Everyone should have one.

BTW, I never knew DH had these skills until he retired from the business world and started watching HGTV with me.

Jim built the cabinet boxes out of sandeply plywood. Shelves are MDF. TV is a 50" Samsung DLP HDTV. The arched plantation shutters were custom made to fit the back of the niches by Blinds4Less, St Augustine.

The mitered doors with euro hinges were not quite so easy. I applied the trim and stapled on the speaker fabric from Acoustical Solutions, Inc.. after Jim assembled them. Hanging them was frustrating, but we had patience and got it right.

Cabinet painting, wall colors and painting, and other room details are here. If you want to try this and need more info, please let me know.

How do you handle YOUR big screen monster TV?

how-to: old pine hutch transformed

The hutch was dark and dated when DH inherited it from his parents. It was our dining room set, with its matching table and chairs, until we moved and got new furniture in 1993. (Just back from winter vacation, it was apparently too cold to wear JUST the Hawaiian shirt).

I completely stripped, refinished & painted the hutch and table so we could use them in our new white kitchen's breakfast area.

Here's what I did over a 2 week period in my living room!

• Removed hardware, doors, drawers, and separated the hutch and base cabinet
• Stripped off the old finish completely, using 3M's safe stripper
• Bleached it thoroughly with good old Clorox
• Sanded it thoroughly, then removed dust with vacuum, then tack cloths
• I was lazy...didn't prime areas to be painted but...there's a happy ending
• Brushed on 2 coats of creamy white oil-based enamel, semi-gloss (very close to Sherwin Williams Dover White (SW 6385)
• Major drying time allowed between coats
• Painted the base cabinet but left the counter top natural
• Left the inside back of the hutch natural and painted the rest
• Filled the screw holes left by the door hinges
• Applied 2 coats of Polyurethane matte finish to the natural wood areas
• Sanded between coats
• Repeated all the above on the matching table
• Donated the clunky matching chairs to a church rummage sale

In 2004 when we chose the floor plan of our current home, we were thrilled there would be a perfect wall in the kitchen for the hutch.

The builder intended to put upper and lower cabinets there, but instead it holds a unique piece of furniture that inspired the style, colors and finishes of the entire kitchen.

After we moved in, I added 3 halogen puck lights (Home Depot, 5/$30). They plug into an Intermatic Z-wave dimmer plugged into a hidden wall outlet, connecting wirelessly to my PC-controlled lighting system. Confused? You should be. Details here.

Over the years, my failure to prime with Kilz caused a "happy accident." Knots have bled through the paint at random giving the hutch even more character.

Don't you love it when a screw-up looks like genius? LOL!