We Built Some Stuff!

First up, a nail polish shelf. I finally ran out of space in the box I was keeping them in, and rather than just get a bigger box I decided to display them in my closet so I could see them easily (and because they are pretty). This way I'm also limited by how much more I can buy. If I fill up those last few spaces in the bottom then I'll have to start throwing some out in order to get more. Self-regulation! Anyway, since I came up with this all by myself, even though it's absurdly simple (I mean, I came up with this all by myself after having never built anything ever) I thought I'd give a step by step in case anyone else wants to see how easy it is to make one for yourself!

Step 1: Figure out the size of your shelf and cut your boards to length. I actually cheated on this part because Nick did the cutting for me. Cutting without a workbench sucks. I chose my measurements to fit into a wall I had in mind in my closet and to use as much as possible of two 6-foot 1x3s (which are actually 3/4x2.5s...), and I ended up with about an inch of scrap from each board, so I feel like I did a very good job!

Step 2: Stain! Not a necessary step but I had never stained anything before and wanted to give it a shot. This is after coat 1.

And after coat 2. After I started I read some more online and found that it's best to seal pine before staining so it doesn't get blotchy, but obviously I was too late on that one. Anyway this is just for my closet so it doesn't have to be amazingly beautiful. Blotchy cherry stain is fine by me!

Step 3: Figure out which sides of your boards are nicer looking. I marked the front left side of each board with a piece of painter's tape so I would remember which side goes in front so I could hide all the extra-splotchy parts or weird knots on the back side of the shelf.

Step 4: Measure out where your shelves will attach to the sides and drill pilot holes. I also drilled shallow pilot holes at the ends of each shelf. Anywhere you are going to put a screw you probably should use a pilot hole so you don't split your wood. Since I used #10 screws I used a 1/8" drill bit. I used two screws per side.

Step 5: Start screwing boards together! (See my terrible non-work-bench setup? I had to just clamp the thing to the deck railing...) First attach all the shelves to one side.

 Then attach the other side to the shelves, making sure they are all level as you go.

Finally attach the bottom and top pieces.

Step 6: Attach whatever you are using to hang your shelf. I just used these D-ring brackets and I screwed them into the side pieces so the top board wouldn't have to support the whole shelf and so that the brackets would be hidden when the shelf is on the wall.

Done!

To attach the shelf to the wall I just used a monkey hook into drywall on one side and a screw into a stud on the other. I use monkey hooks for hanging heavier items all the time and I would have totally trusted using two of them to hold the whole thing up! If the shelf was much bigger than this I probably would have wanted to use two screws directly into studs to support all the weight, but for this size it's fine with only one.

The second thing we have built lately is this amazing deck gate! I found the plans and Nick did the building on this one. We installed this back in October on our back deck between the smaller fenced-in yard and the rest of it. I got the free plans online that were roughly the same as the dimensions of the hole we were filling, which made it easier to buy the things we needed, but since they were off by about an inch we had to recalculate several of our cuts anyway. Still, the plans were helpful and we now have a deck gate that was made by Nick and makes me happy every time I walk by it! Not to mention it saves us from having to use a piece of old lattice supported by a patio chair to block the dogs off.

 To hold it open or shut we just used this cane bolt and drilled holes for it straight into the deck board on either side. Maybe now that I've had some staining practice I'll do this guy next!

2014 Home Goals, Part 3

I have had a running list for some time now but I thought it would be nice to add it to the blog along with some links to a few things that we've already done! I think I will make it a tradition to update this list at the beginning of each year. The Etc. sections just include all the things I would like to do at some point but that likely won't happen this year. This post includes the outdoor areas, including the garage.

Garage:
Completed:

• Add SO MUCH SHELVING
• Add a (painted!) peg board or similar system with hooks for large tools & power equipment
• Replace the garage door opener
• Remove the extension cord powering the opener & instead replace with an outlet using the same power source as the lights

2014 To-Do:

• Add a clothes rod or clotheslines for drying things
• Hang the bikes
• Always add more storage

Etc.:

• Close off the laundry/storage area with a wall so it's more like a room and less like the garage
• Get stacking laundry machines to save space
• Get a tank-less water heater

Front Yard/Outside of the House:
Completed:

• Plant something besides weeds in the front flower bed
• Hang some plants
• Add a plant bed around the entry walkway
• Cover the Longhorns-themed house number on the curb with something more our style
• Replace the useless gutters with seamless gutters & downspouts
• Replace the rusty old outdoor light with a motion-activated light combined with an outdoor outlet

2014 To-Do:

• Add more flower beds & various xeriscaped areas
• Replace the leaning, beat-up mailbox
• Replace the privacy fence & gate that are falling over

Etc.:

• Add a paved driveway extension to the left of the driveway & continuing to the backyard for the boat and/or additional parking
• Paint the garage door
• Paint the brown trim
• Paint the house siding, maybe light green

Back Yard:
Completed:

• Get a hammock
• Get a grill
• Replace the pool ladder
• Get a picnic table -- Still need to stain and/or seal it
• Plant more things! -- But this is never-ending
• Get a two-seat bistro set for outside the living room
• Clear out all the overgrown nonsense -- Nick and several friends have been making great progress here!

2014 To-Do:

• Hang string lights EVERYWHERE
• Fill the super-old brick grill pit with flowers
• Build a raised vegetable bed
• Start a compost pile
• Replace the old non-weatherproof shed with one that is weatherproof and put it in a different part of the property
• Add a seating area on the concrete pad where the shed currently is

Etc.:

• Add a non-privacy fence across the entire back part of the property along the creek (this will be about 240 feet of fence!!!)
• Remove the chain-link fence in the middle of the property
• Get a large patio dining set (seating for 8+) maybe with an umbrella
• Get chaise lounge chairs for the pool area
• Remove the peeling "greige" paint from the deck
• Repaint or re-stain the deck
• Add a terraced garden on the slope
• Add a pergola somewhere
• Add a retractable awning over the pool side of the deck
• Start rainwater collection?
• Landscape everything!!

2014 Home Goals, Part 2

I have had a running list for some time now but I thought it would be nice to add it to the blog along with some links to a few things that we've already done! I think I will make it a tradition to update this list at the beginning of each year. The Etc. sections just include all the things I would like to do at some point but that likely won't happen this year. This post includes the common areas, which basically just means the living room & kitchen.

Living Room:
Completed:

• Tear up old floors & baseboards
• Lay new "wood tile" floors -- 2/3 there! Only grouting is left... and it's on the to-do for 2014!
• Remove the badly installed crown molding
• Remove the crummy old MAROON full-wall curtains
• Tear down weird mirror framing
• Tear down sheet-rock in front of the fireplace
• Paint it gray
• Get a fancy rug
• Drop new cables so the TV antenna & internet router are in the attic
• Get some kind of overlay for the mirror to make it less in-your-face
• Hang some art
• Replace double single light switches with a single double one
• Do something with the mantel?
• Get a new wide and low TV stand to replace the cheap-o stand bought from Target four years ago -- I ended up getting a Besta combination sort of like this from IKEA, but white with brown doors
• Spray insulation in all of the crevices uncovered by the crown molding removal

2014 To-Do:

• GROUT!
• Paint the beige beam dark brown so it will look more like wood again
• Add new white baseboards
• Add new properly installed crown molding
• Replace the curtains with something white and maybe semi-sheer
• Add a beadboard or paneled ceiling
• Add decorative molding around mirror
• Get a new loveseat or chairs or chaise for more seating (if I can ever decide what I want)
• Replace gross old light switches with new clean ones

Etc.:

• Replace the brass fireplace cover
• Paint corner shelves white -- Angela did sand it, so it's ready for painting, but then I covered it with things and it would take lots of effort to remove those things, and, well, I'm too lazy for this right now
• Clean up fireplace stone (cover it?)
• Add more plants!! -- This will probably never really end until we have a whole forest in here, pretty much just like this

Kitchen/Dining: (Updated list from here)

Completed:

• Remove the badly installed crown molding
• Paint it blue
• Install an outlet in the microwave cabinet where there was previously just a microwave hard-wired to the wall??
• Replace the hole in the wall with a microwave
• Hang some plants

2014 To-Do:

• Replace the crown molding in the dining room
• Replace the brass 90s light with a more modern chandelier -- Something is in the works for this! We got a light from a friend who didn't want it and I'm going to paint it and see if I can get some prettier bulbs than the generic chandelier ones for it to see what I can do with it
• Find hanging pot storage? I'm still hoping this can happen somewhere

Etc.:

• Replace the kitchen-to-garage door with one that is fire-safe (and pretty)
• Replace the old over-the-sink window with a greenhouse window; I didn't even know this was a thing until I saw one in Nick's parents' house and I love it!
• Paint lower cabinets gray & upper cabinets white
• Install a built-in storage bench in the bay window
• Add matching blinds to the dining window? This is still undecided

Hallways:

Completed:

• Remove the old baseboards & 1970s white tile
• Paint a base coat of satin white
• Paint the side of the built-in cabinet with magnet paint for magnetic poetry
• Paint the built-in cabinet white
• Replace the old non-programmable thermostat with a Nest
• Hang some paintings, photos, or art
• Remove the dusty old doorbell cover
• Lay new "wood tile" floors
• Paint a birch tree stencil throughout the narrower halls -- one wall down, three to go!

2014 To-Do:

• Replace old crummy plastic handles on the built-in cabinet with pretty glass knobs
• Sand and paint the built-in cabinet doors white
• Finish the tree stencil
• Add new baseboards
• Add crown molding

Etc.: 

• Paint the hall-facing sides of all doors black pretty much just like this

Entryway:
Completed:

• Paint it yellow
• Paint the brown trim white
• Replace the doorbell
• Replace the grimy old lantern

2014 To-Do:

• Replace the doorknob with a keypad lock
• Add wall planters & plants

Etc.:

• Replace the glass bricks with something from this century

2014 Home Goals, Part 1

I have had a running list for some time now but I thought it would be nice to add it to the blog along with some links to a few things that we've already done! I think I will make it a tradition to update this list at the beginning of each year. The Etc. sections just include all the things I would like to do at some point but that likely won't happen this year. This post includes the bedrooms and bathrooms.

Master Bedroom:
Completed:

• Remove ugly crown molding that was only on a single small wall and in the closet (??)
• Remove mirrored closet doors
• Paint it purple
• Paint the insides of the closets green
• Arrange the bookshelf so it's pretty
• Get a new shoe shelf
• Get storage boxes for in the closet for prettier organization
• Put up a curtain rod & green curtains in the closet
• Get a new gray light quilt that doesn't clash with purple walls or black dog hair
• Install a switch for the outside flood light

2014 To-Do:

• Get curtains for the French doors -- We have some temporarily, but they were ones we had already and they don't fit in here
• Adjust bifold closet doors so they close properly -- Halfway there
• Add new crown molding
• Get bedside tables
• Replace closet light with small chandelier -- I have my eye on this one but I found a tutorial that suggests I can make something similar!
• Replace old blinds with matchstick blinds

Etc.:

• Paint the door white
• Replace or paint the ceiling fan
• Replace the old closet window with a double-pane one

Master Bathroom:
Completed:

• Paint it green (same green as closets)
• Paint the ceiling white
• Paint the cabinets white
• Paint the mirror frame white
• Add oil-rubbed bronze knobs to the cabinets
• Paint brass nonsense oil-rubbed bronze -- Towel bars, etc. are done
• Tear down the weird textured glass partitions -- One is down, but the other remains until we decide if we're going to replace it

2014 To-Do:

• Decide if we should paint the brass faucets or shower stall oil-rubbed bronze or just wait until a remodel
• Decide what to do with the other weird textured glass partition
• Add more ceramic shelves to the shower corner

Etc.:

• Replace brass light with something pretty
• Replace the glass brick window with a frosted window, larger if possible?
• Replace tub & shower with different (smaller) tub & (larger) shower -- This glass shower is amazing

Guest Room:
Completed:

• Paint it turquoise
• Put up matchstick blinds to replace the too-short ones
• Hang the curtain rod & bird curtains we already have

2014 To-Do:

• Get a queen bed & bedding -- Angela was in here before so it's totally empty now!
• Add crown molding

Etc.:

• Paint the door white
• Replace the old window with a double-pane one

Office:
Completed:

• Remove crummy old closet doors
• Put up matchstick blinds to replace the too-short ones
• Put mirrored doors from master closet in here

2014 To-Do:

• Paint it green... or magenta... or yellow-green...
• Hang a curtain rod we already have
• Get curtains after a paint color is chosen
• Turn it into one shared office (for now)
• Frame the Austin map that's currently just pinned to the wall
• Frame the piece of textured glass from the master bathroom to use as a marker board

Etc.:

• Paint the door white
• Maybe build a cool built-in headboard with side table like this?
• Replace the old window with a double-pane one

Guest Bathroom:
Completed:

• Paint the blue cabinets white
• Paint the blue trim white
• Paint the blue medicine cabinet white
• Remove the crusty old doors from the cabinet
• Add a toilet paper holder
• Add a curtain in place of doors

2014 To-Do:

• Paint the walls (leaning toward minty green)
• Add a nice wood cabinet above the toilet

Etc.:

• Add a white mirror frame
• Paint the door white
• Replace the tile floors with "wood tile"
• Complete remodel eventually?

Upstairs Guest Room:
Completed:

• Move the two twin beds upstairs to make a king
• Hang the curtain rod we already have
• Maybe use the light-blocking curtains we already have?

Etc.:

• Paint it (no idea what color yet, something bright; maybe add a stencil!)
• Install some kind of low-profile overhead lights or wall sconces
• Replace the not-to-code stairs with a pull-down staircase, circular staircase, or something similarly space-saving & less terrifying