For weeks I dreamed of a stellar staircase with dark stained treads, white risers and swirling teal stenciled leaves. Then reality happened and I found out there were some questions I should have answered first. Now that we have the answers, here is where we arrived. Those stairs needed padding and floor covering. Not wall to edge as it had been before, but at least the path up and down the stairs had to be covered for appearance, sound control and traction for our pet. At first I could not find stair runners anywhere, then the nearby home center restocked. Their runners were expensive and not what I wanted at all -- dark and/or busy patterns. I bought regular hallway rugs in a neutral gray beige and planned to install those. And then I found a stair runner at a discount home ... [Read More]
DIY tutorial
Fireplace Weatherization
Our fireplace has been a cold spot in our life ever since we moved in. You could feel the air move around it -- and see it because it was enough that lighted candles would flicker in the wind! A couple of years ago, we installed a fireplace balloon which helped enormously. However, there was still a draft around the bottom of the fireplace and the hearth. Last fall we were working toward winterizing the house and noted a huge vine had separated this door from the chimney. A two inch wide opening for winter air to pour into the house! How do we weatherize the fireplace? A little exploration along the aisles of Lowe's and Home Depot and we were able to solve the problem with the fireplace and a couple of other outdoor openings. The answer was a spring loaded access panel, a ... [Read More]
How to install picture frame moulding
Boxy and boring! Our dining room needed all the help it could get! We added ceiling interest with a faux tray and chandelier moulding here. And a new chandelier. Added a chair rail. Then came picture frame moulding to change everything. Adding picture frame moulding is a quick and relatively inexpensive way to add architectural interest to a room. It was well worth the learning curve, the time and energy doing it and every penny it cost. Setting down with paper and pencil and thinking things through beforehand is a huge time and money saver! The first step is to determine placement of top and bottom of picture frame molding. I used the Golden Ratio formula to determine a pleasing placement for the chair rail. It made sense to use the same formula to determine where to ... [Read More]
Five Things to know about replacing a chandelier
A chandelier is jewelry for your room. It’s like the statement necklace or exquisite brooch that takes an outfit from good looking to beautiful. Chandeliers come in a variety of sizes and styles to fit any room or decorating style. Replacing your outdated light fixtures is an easy way to update a room. New lights add style, make a design focal point and provide illumination for living in that space. Chandeliers can be used in every room of the house, but they are most often the light fixture of choice for a dining room. Here are five tips to make choosing, installing and using your new chandelier easier! 1) Choose your style: Stroll through any home store lighting department and you will find contemporary, traditional and every style in between, a variety of materials ... [Read More]
How to Install a Chair Rail
Installing a chair rail was a step in giving our boxy plain dining room some architectural character. Here's what we did: You can purchase 12, 10 or 8 foot lengths of moulding and trim. Before buying, measure the room and take note of windows and doors. Determine the longest unbroken run and that will determine the length of the stock moulding. For example, if the measurement is over 10 foot, buy 12 foot long stock. This will allow you to make as few splices as possible and save you time and work. With a little thought, you can figure out how to make those three dimensions work in your room to make as few cuts as possible. Just be sure the pattern is exactly the same in all lengths. Remember when figuring length of stock that straight ends will butt up against door and window ... [Read More]
Fireplace Draft Stopper Balloon
Preparing for winter. Just the thought of winterization sends shivers up my spine! But that has been on the agenda at Chez Charlene spurred on by predictions of a "brutal" winter for this area. Where we live, there seems to be more misses than hits with weather forecasts. Something about jet streams that change their mind - crossing fingers that's true again. Our fireplace damper is tightly closed, but there was always a draft. We caulked, inside and out, and still a draft. If drafts come in, then heated and cooled air can go out. So at the end of last winter we did a little research and decided to invest in a fireplace draft stopper balloon. It is just what it sounds like -- a heavy duty inflatable bag that fits across the chimney out of sight above the firebox. We ... [Read More]
