Timeless Home Decor

The Little Details - How To Make Caulking Foolproof

2012-01-12T10:15:00.000-08:00

I think that one of the least expensive projects that has the most impact on the overall look of your home is painting the woodwork white. Now I guess I am saying white because it is my favorite and very popular right now. But everything comes and goes in and out of style. I recently was going through some of my Mother’s pictures. I came across this picture of our living room in the 1950’s and there to my surprise was a white mantel and painted woodwork.

The look of white wood work is a nice clean, crisp look that seems to make the wall paint color pop. But as in so many of my projects I am sometimes not totally satisfied with the end result because it may not look as professional as I want it to. Here is one of those tricks of the trade that I have learned from professionals over the years.

CAULKING

Caulking fills in the gaps between----anything, as long as the gap is not too wide. Caulk is wonderful because it contracts and expands with the wood unlike wood putty which would crack. Been there, done that!

Here is an example of the before and after of caulking a chair rail.

BEFORE: there are gaps above, below and between the boards.

AFTER CAULKING:A nice clean professional look.

I have to admit when it comes to applying caulk—it is challenging for me. I end up with this sticky gunk all over the place.

This is how I solved that dilemma. It is a little more prep work but after that it is foolproof!

Mask off the area you want to caulk with painters tape, above and below the line. Run a bead of caulk along the line. Run your finger along the line to give a nice smooth finish. Take off the painters tape. Again, run you finger again across the line of caulk--there is now just enough caulk there to get a nice finished edge.

Voila'

How to make a Valentine heart

2012-01-09T03:59:00.000-08:00

SHARE A LITTLE HEART FOR VALENTINE’S DAY

Decorating for any holiday gives your home that little extrasparkle. Many people do table arrangements, a pretty tablecloth, a floralarrangement or wreath. Sometimes just a little something will do. Let’s face it;we don’t always have the energy or the time to decorate for every holiday. Trythis little plush heart to hang from a handle, a door knob, or a lamp to give alittle festive flair for Valentine’s Day.
This is a simple pattern that is easy to make. Even if youhave never sewn before I urge you to try this. Borrow a machine from a friendor family member and give it a whirl. Sewing is becoming a lost art. It used tobe taught it school—really!! To be able to sew gives you so many more optionswhen you comes to decorating. You are not held to only what you can find readymadein stores.

Walk with me step by step and give this one a try. You can doit!

You will need:
· About a 1/3^rd of a yard(depending on what size heart you want) of Valentine fabric or any fabric. *** There are so many pretty prints out there. A pink rose pattern with lend itself to a shabby chic heart where a quilt pattern fabric will give a country cottage look.

· One clean, pressed linen napkin with a little embroidery or design stitched in one corner. This can also be tea stained if you want a vintage look to your heart.

· Polyester fiber for stuffing the heart.
· Thread that coordinates with your fabric.
Cut a pattern out of paper. Fold the paper in half first. It makes it easier to get a more symmetrical shape. Draw in half a heart--open up your fold and you have a pretty heart.

Position your pattern on the fabric.

Fold your fabric in half and cut out 2 hearts.

Lay the napkin on the fabric and decide how much of the heart you want as fabric and how much you want as overlay.
Pin and cut it out along the fabric line of the heart.
Now just lay the back piece of fabric over it with the wrong side facing up—you napkin is sandwiched in between two right sides of fabric. Pin. Lay you pins in the direction you will be sewing. It makes it easier to pull them out as you sew.

You need to make little cuts in the fabric just short of thestitch line. Use only the tip of your scissors as it is very easy to cutthrough the stitch line.

Turn the heart inside out and fill with polyester fiberfill.

Then just whip stitch the opening shut and you have a pretty little heart for Valentine's Day. Here are a few ways to use it.

Add it to a cabinet knob...

or a table lamp...

And everyone who knows me knows where I would put a heart—ina wreath or swag, of course!

Welcome to Timeless Home Decor

2012-01-09T03:31:00.000-08:00

WELCOME

HOME REMODELING AND DECORATING—ONE PROJECT AT A TIME!

I love home decorating and floral design. They are two ofmy absolute passions. They add the sparkle and shine to life that makes me wantto get up early and sometimes can’t fall asleep at night because my head isbusy designing.

I always have one project or another going. Usually many atone time and not all of them get finished. And I don’t mean small projects.These are big projects, as in total kitchen remodeling! Plus there are alwaysthe smaller things that need to be done to complete the larger projects; thecurtains to sew, the table the has to be refinished, the light fixture that hasto be installed and the list goes on and on.

As saving money is always self motivating, I try to do as manyof the items on the “to do list” myself. But some are just way beyond myexpertise or time available to learn and usually do it wrong once and then redoit correctly. Therefore there are some things that will be done byprofessionals. And that is another big topic to explore.

Jump on board if you would like to share in my adventures. Iknow we will all learn something along the way.

Kitchen Remodel Project

2012-01-09T02:13:00.001-08:00

WELCOME

Country French Kitchen

Our kitchen remodel is a project that I am beginning to believe will never end. My husband and I covered the soffits with wood and put moldings around it to give the illusion that the cabinets went all the way to the ceiling. I painted and faux finished the wall cabinets to give an aged look. I still need to pick out cabinet doors, paint and faux finish them. Our galley kitchen has quite a bit of counter space which I tiled in granite tile and put bull nose tiles along the edges. The granite tile gave the look of granite countertops without the cost of a granite slab.

Country French

I really enjoyed studying Country French style and seeing how I could apply it to my little kitchen. I think the sum of its elements adds up to an elegant yet country style. To me that says a style that is pretty and very livable.

I read that Country French is defined by its elegant look, with a touch of nature and country mixed in. Look at the French countryside for inspiration where you will see yellow sunshine over lavender fields. When you envision a rusty pail in that field, a worn plank swing hanging from a tree branch, and a whitewashed aged cupboard, where time and age have taken their toll; that will be my representation of Country French.

I always look at many pictures of the style I am interested in. I would love to say my design choices are based on some wonderful design scheme but for me that is just a very general idea.

This is so pretty—very neutral. Big kitchen!

Wow! There are lots of great ideas in this room. Notice the wood plank table top, big blue check seats on the chairs and the toile curtains. I think this might be the look I am going for. If nothing else, just to add a few of these elements.

Bright and cheerful!

I love the wood floor in this picture. It is so deep and rich. Of course, I love the wreath above the sink. It adds so much warmth to this kitchen.

I will be putting together a design board that pulls all my ideas and thoughts together.....

SO…STAY TUNED, THIS REDESIGN IS JUST BEGINNING :-0