Paint An Adjoining Living Room & Dining Room

Paint an Adjoining Living Room & Dining Room

One of the most important aspects of painting an adjoining living room and dining room is to keep a sense of flow. To do that, you can follow some basic steps to ensure that each room belongs in your overall design. Painting adjoining walls with different colors can be done quite easily with some painters' tape and little bit of patience.

Instructions

1. Choose a color palette for your living and dining rooms. To keep a constant flow, select different shades of the same color for the adjoining walls of your living room and dining room. Choose a lighter tone for the living room and a darker tone for the dining room or vice versa. You can also select an accent color to paint one wall in your dining room or living room to create a focal point and bring color to the room. Remember to pick a color that matches your decor.

2. Test your color choices by brushing a paint sample of each color on the adjoining walls. Remember, if you are painting over previously painted walls, make sure to use at least two coats on each wall to get the sample's true color. Once you've decided on the colors, purchase all the paint you'll need.

3. Tape the edges of moldings, trim and baseboards. This is optional, depending on how steady your hand is and your overall painting skills, but taping these places will give you clean lines and prevent paint from ruining moldings. You should remove the tape around moldings and trim very slowly, immediately after painting the second coat, in order to prevent the paint from drying into the tape.

4. Begin painting the first coat with the lighter of the two colors. Use a brush to cut in around trim and baseboards, and then use a roller to put on the first full coat of paint.

5. Allow the first coat of paint to dry for the recommend time and then add a second coat. Once you have completed the second coat, let the paint dry for a full 24 hours before working with the darker color.

6. Place a strip of painters' tape from the ceiling to the floor along the far edge of the wall. It's important that the darker color does not bleed into the adjoining wall (the lighter color).

7. Paint along the top of the painters' tape using a brush with the lighter color of paint, feathering the edge onto the wall where you will be painting with the darker color. This step is important so that the darker color does not bleed underneath the tape, and it will seal the tape.

8. Allow the paint to dry for the recommended time. Do not begin painting the darker color until the lighter color dries on the painters' tap and feathered edge.

9. Paint the adjoining wall with the darker color. Don't worry about getting the darker paint on the painters' tape, as you have already sealed it using the lighter paint. Use two coats of paint and allow to dry for a full 24 hours.

10. Remove the painters' tape from top to bottom very slowly, keeping a close distance from the wall. Do not pull the tape away quickly or from too far away, or you will risk pulling up the paint.

Tags: darker color, painters tape, adjoining walls, coat paint, dining room, lighter color, living room

Paint Bedrooms Brown

Brown paint can add warmth to a bedroom.

You can change the entire feel of a bedroom by changing the color of the walls. Adding paint to a room is a cheap way to give the area a face-lift, and rich shades of brown add warmth to the feel of the room. While it may seem like a large undertaking, you can finish a bedroom painting project in one weekend, making it a fun and easy way to update your home.

Instructions

1. Measure the length of the bedroom. Write this measurement down. Measure the height of the bedroom walls. Write this measurement down. Multiply the length by the height to determine the square footage for the room. Write down the total square footage.

2. Visit a local paint supply store or general hardware store. Review the paint samples and select a shade of brown. Use the square footage measurements listed on the paint can to purchase enough brown paint for the entire bedroom.

3. Remove all of the movable objects from the bedroom, including knickknacks, home decor items and furniture.

4. Cover the floor with a drop cloth to protect the flooring from spills.

5. Apply painter's tape along the edge of the wall where the wall meets the floor or over the baseboard, starting at one corner of the room. Carefully align the painter's tape with the edge of the wall. Run the painter's tape across the length of the wall with one hand, using your other hand to press the painter's tape firmly in place. Repeat this process for the top and bottom of each wall, and around the doors and windows. The painter's tape will keep the paint from bleeding on to the floor, baseboards or ceiling.

6. Insert a flat-head screwdriver between the paint can lid and the edge of the can. Press down on the handle of the screwdriver to remove the paint can lid. Set the lid aside.

7. Stir the paint in a clockwise direction using a wooden paint stirrer. Continue to stir until the paint blends well.

8. Lift the paint can and pour a small amount of paint into the holding dish on the paint tray.

9. Press the paint roller into the pooled paint. Roll the roller up and down the length of the paint tray one to four times to spread the paint equally across the roller.

10. Press the paint roller against the bedroom wall toward the bottom. Roll it up slowly toward the ceiling. Move the roller slightly to one side and repeat the process. Repeat using the roller for every wall, reaching as high as you can on foot.

11. Position your ladder within reaching distance of the wall. Climb the ladder. Press the paint roller against the end of the paint line and roll it up toward the ceiling, being careful not to press the roller against the ceiling. Move the ladder around the room, and use the roller to finish the highest areas of the walls.

12. Pour more paint into the paint tray if needed. Dip the 3-inch angle brush into the pooled paint. Run the paintbrush along the paint tray to wipe off any excess paint.

13. Press the 3-inch angle brush against the corner of the wall, toward the baseboard or floor. Carefully swipe the brush back and forth until you fill in the remaining unpainted gaps. Repeat for any unpainted areas near the floor, ceiling or baseboards.

14. Apply a second coat of brown paint to the bedroom walls using the roller and 3-inch angle brush.

15. Remove the painter's tape carefully from the edges of the walls, after allowing the paint to dry for 12 to 24 hours.

Tags: painter tape, paint tray, 3-inch angle, 3-inch angle brush, angle brush, paint roller, Press paint

Design A Boy'S Baseball Bedroom

A baseball room can be lots of fun to design.

A boy that loves baseball may want a baseball-themed bedroom. Design a room with a broader baseball scope if a young boy is just learning the game. Alternately, an older boy who has been interested in baseball for more time is likely to have more specific interests, so use a favorite team or player to play a bigger role in the design.

Instructions

1. Choose a consistent color scheme. If the room is going to focus on a specific team, consider using two or three colors from the team uniforms. Therefore, if there is other team-specific memorabilia, it will match the walls.

2. Stick to a theme. Home decorating stores have matching sets with baseballs and bats on items, such as quilts, throw pillows, lampshades and dressers, which make it easier to make your room match.

3. Find a personal touch for the room. If you want a framed picture for the top of the dresser, a little league team picture makes more sense than a picture taken while sled-riding. Other personal items, such as a framed autographed addressed to the boy or a picture taken with a beloved athlete, work well.

4. Keep the room simple if there is one important piece of memorabilia. For example, a framed and autographed Derek Jeter jersey may end up less noticeable it is sandwiched between multiple New York Yankees posters.

5. Utilize open shelving for rooms with a lot of memorabilia. Organize the memorabilia from shelf to shelf, such as placing baseball cards on one shelf and placing a collection of team hats on another.

6. Purchase well-built storage containers that are spacious and easy to clean. Bats, balls and gloves are likely to come into the room dirty, so select storage that can fit all the items and can be easily wiped down when used.

Tags: framed autographed, items such, picture taken

The Best Bathroom Deodorizers

Keep your bathroom sweet-smelling and save money at the same time.

Supermarkets generally carry an array of commercial bathroom deodorizers in sprays and solids. While they have a pleasant fragrance, most of these products do not actually clean odors from the air. In most cases, the product's function is to mask unpleasant odors, but some contain hazardous chemicals such as formaldehyde. Most do a good job of temporarily scenting the air; however, the best bathroom deodorizers are natural substances that can provide long-lasting effects without polluting indoor air.

White Vinegar

Mix together a 50/50 solution of white vinegar and water. Pour it in a spray bottle and clean bathroom surfaces and floors with it. The vinegar smell will be diluted by the water and will disappear as soon as it dries, taking offensive odors with it. After cleaning the toilet, pour some vinegar in the bowl and let it sit for a few minutes. Swish it around before flushing.

Potpourri

Buy ready-made potpourri or make your own from a mixture of your favorite dried flowers, herbs and spices. Place the potpourri in small bowls or baskets in the bathroom. Add in a few drops of essential oils occasionally to revive the fragrance.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is a naturally occurring salt that works as both a cleaner and deodorizer. Mix four tablespoons of baking soda with one quart of warm water. Dip a sponge in and wipe down bathroom surfaces. As it scrubs away soap scum on sinks and tubs, it also clears away bathroom odors.

Discourage Mold and Mildew

Bathrooms are a perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew that not only smells bad but is also a potential health hazard when inhaled. Hang up wet towels to dry instead of throwing them in a hamper while they are still damp. Leave windows open a crack or install air vents. Fix leaky plumbing. Wipe down shower walls and doors after showering. Cleaning with bleach is not necessary if the mold is not extensive. Scrubbing bathroom surfaces with detergent and hot water is sufficient to kill small areas of mold.

Tags: bathroom surfaces

Make A Wing Chair Work As A Dining Chair

zuse this type of chair for more comfort at your dining table.

A wing chair refers to a wingback chair, a traditional styled chair with a distinctive silhouette. Wings, rising up from the arms of the chair, join the back, creating a 90-degree or wider angle. According to the website Design Boom, designers created these chairs to protect users from drafts in old houses as well as to protect delicate skin from the heat of robust fireplaces. There's no reason that you must restrict your wingback chair to the living room. It is possible to make your wingback chair a comfortable seating option for your dining room table.

Instructions

1. Measure the height of your dining room table. Most dining room tables are generally anywhere between 26 and 30 inches.

2. Measure the seat height of your wingback chair. Most wingback chairs tend to have a lower seat, around 16 inches from the floor. The ideal dining chair should have a seat of 18 inches from the floor.

3. Measure the dimensions of your wingback chair seat and write them down.

4. Purchase a seat cushion that is the same length and width as the seat cushion on your wing chair but which is sturdy and at least 2 inches thick. Your goal is to bring your wing chair seat to a height of around 18 inches.

5. Spray your wingback chair with a fabric protector so that it resists stains. Your wing chair is now going to be in a vulnerable position to stains, so this is rather important.

6. Place your wing chair at the head of the table. This will isolate it from the other chairs, showcase its unique shape and ensure that it doesn't cramp the other more traditional chairs.

Tags: wingback chair, your wingback, your wingback chair, wing chair, dining room, your dining, your wing chair

Decorating A Bathroom With Wainscoting

Decorating a Bathroom With Wainscoting

Wainscoting

Wainscoting is a type of paneling that is most often used to decorate the lower 3 feet of a wall. It is usually a tongue-and-groove style. The most popular color of wainscoting is white, although darker colors and woods are predominantly used in formal dining rooms.

Decorating with wainscoting in a bathroom is a great way to add architectural interest without having to remodel. In addition, wainscoting is inexpensive and easy to install. Installation can be done with construction glue or wire nails. Wainscoting is usually topped with crown molding or a chair rail, as shown in the image above.

On the Walls

A popular look for wainscoting in bathrooms is to go all the way around the walls with the paneling, coming up only about 3 feet. White is most commonly used in bathrooms. Above the wainscoting, paint the walls a cool color to give the bathroom a relaxing feel, such as a soft tan or pale blue. To really make the walls and wainscoting pop, add crown molding to the walls where they meet the ceiling and above the wainscoting itself.

If your bathroom is larger, you could also consider completely covering a wall with wainscoting. This will give your wall texture without the mess of wallpaper. Use wire nails rather than glue, and you can easily remove the wainscoting if you tire of the look.

Other Ways

While wainscoting is traditionally used on the walls, there are other ways that you can use it in the bathroom. Apply wainscoting to the outside of the bathtub to give your bathtub a customized look. Place a 2 foot square section of wainscoting behind your mirror, framing it. You can even add wainscoting to the ceiling, which is a quick and easy way to cover up old-fashioned popcorn ceilings without the hassle of removing the popcorn texture. If you have outdated or simply ugly tile on your bathroom walls, you can easily cover the tiles up with wainscoting, although you will need to use construction adhesive. Finally, add wainscoting to the front of your vanity cabinet doors to give them an updated look.

Tags: with wainscoting, Bathroom With, Bathroom With Wainscoting, crown molding, Decorating Bathroom, Decorating Bathroom With, give your

Give Your Bedroom An Inexpensive Makeover

Do you want to give your bedroom a makeover but just don't have the money? I'll give you some easy and cheap tips to give your room a whole new look and feel without spending a lot of money.

Instructions

1. The first thing I did was decide what I could change versus what I wanted to change about my room. New carpet was definitely out as was new bedroom furniture. I didn't have a lot of money to spend but I wanted it to look like a new space without doing any major redecorating.

2. Next, check out on online auction sites, thrift stores and the local dollar store for blankets, decorative pillows, accessories etc. You can find some great deals and unique items to help change the look of your room.

3. Look in your other rooms to see if you can move them to your bedroom. Look in storage and see if any of those things you packed away can be brought out again and servce a new function in the bedroom.

4. Painting is an easy way to change the look of a room. I didn't want to completely repaint so I decided to change it up by painting just a border. It quickly changes the room and is cheaper than painting the whole room.

5. I found these small changes to be just the thing to update my space but not spend a lot of money. Don't be in a rush to complete your room. By being patient and shopping carefully, you'll find the best deals. Have fun and be creative!

Tags: your room, change look, give your, have money, your bedroom

Cover Dining Chairs With Crochet

If you're looking to spruce up your dining room decor, consider covering your dining chairs with crochet. You can purchase the supplies for a relatively low cost, and change them whenever you get the time and the inclination. Crocheting dining chair covers is simple due to the easy shape of the project, and you can easily customize your creation with embroidered embellishments. You will need a working knowledge of crochet to complete this project as it provides instructions on crochet dining chair covers without giving an explicit pattern.

Instructions

1. Gather your supplies. You will need yarn, preferably in a washable material such as cotton or acrylic in case you get food stains on your chair covers. Choose a crochet hook in the size recommended on the yarn label; to determine how much yarn you will need, proceed to step 2.

2. Make a gauge swatch. Choose the stitches you want to use for your covers; use any stitch pattern you like. Make a square of your stitches, and measure how many stitches you used per inch to help you determine how many stitches you need to use in your design. For example, if you used two stitches per inch and your chairs are 15 inches wide, complete 30 inches per row of your finished project. Unravel your swatch, and measure how many yards of yarn you used to make it; now you know how much yarn you used per that many inches, and you can calculate how much yarn you will use per chair by determining how many of those gauge swatches would cover one chair.

3. Begin your project. Crocheting in the round is probably the easiest way to do this, so you can slip your cover right over the back of the chair when you finish. Start with a foundation chain that gives you the number of stitches you need to go across the back of your chair, adding on an extra inch for "wiggle room." Crochet across your foundation stitches, and keep going around the other side of the foundation chain by crocheting three stitches in the last chain and going around the back of the work instead of turning. Crochet two stitches in the first chain, and join to your first stitch; continue to crochet in the round from here.

4. Build your project by continuing to crochet in the round until your chair cover is as tall as the back of your dining room chair. If your chair's width increases as it gets closer to the seat, make stitch increases as you go; you can measure this by simply trying the cover on the chair as you finish every few rounds to be sure it still fits. Increase as needed to make it slide easily over the back of your chair.

5. Finish your project. You may wish to add button holes to the bottom hem of your project so you can button the cover in between the rungs of your chair to secure it. Or add ribbon ties to the bottom hem of your finished project to help it stay on the chair or simply leave it and let it slide on and off more easily. Crochet flower motifs to embellish your project if you like, or crochet a large doily in a contrasting color to add to the middle of each chair cover for a visual spark. You can also hand-embroider your project using yarn and a yarn needle, if you prefer, or leave the chair covers plain for a simple look.

Tags: your chair, your project, chair covers, back your, much yarn

Remodel A Bungalow Bathroom

Add a larger window to make a bungalow bathroom seem bigger.

A bathroom in a bungalow home, which may have been built in the 1930s or earlier, typically needs more light and space. If you're fortunate, you can borrow space from another room or a closet to expand the bathroom. Otherwise, you can upgrade lighting, put in a new window or use soft colors to give your bathroom the feeling of more space. Keep special features such as beadboard that give your bathroom character and harmonize with the rest of your home. Add materials and fixtures that will make getting to work in the morning easy and allow you to relax and unwind in the evening.

Instructions

1. Measure the bathroom, and sketch out a floor plan. Keep the toilet in its present location, if possible, to avoid major plumbing changes. Other fixtures are easier to change. Plan for a larger window or a skylight, if possible. Also plan for additional overhead and wall lighting.

2. Rip out walls, flooring and the ceiling, if necessary. Add new plumbing and wiring for recessed lights and wall sconces. Add insulation on the exterior wall and in the ceiling. Replace plastered walls with drywall.

3. Install main fixtures and cabinetry. Build a tiled shower with glass doors. Use subway tiles around the shower for period authenticity, but choose contemporary colors and finishes, such as glass. Put in a clawfoot tub, but make it a fiberglass tub instead of cast-iron. Consider a dresser-style vanity with raised-bowl-style sinks. Don't seat the toilet at this time. This should be done after you've put the floor in.

4. Lay flooring, and finish the space. Install new light fixtures, shelves and wall cabinets. Add hardwood, tile or vinyl flooring. Seat the toilet on top of the new flooring with a wax seal. Paint the room in a color or colors of your choice.

Tags: give your, give your bathroom, larger window, your bathroom

Redo A Bedroom Cheaply For Teens

Update your teen's bedroom inexpensively with paint and fabric.

Updating your teen's bedroom from the themed kiddie room you designed years ago can give her a space that reflects who she is now and what she enjoys without dipping into her college fund or causing you to take on a second job. Set a budget for the bedroom makeover and work with your teen to take advantage of any talents you both have to save money. Turn the bedroom project into a creative way to bond and spend time with your teen, while giving her a bedroom she can truly enjoy.

Instructions

1. Paint the walls a light -- but interesting -- color. Include shapes, designs or special painting techniques, such as a sponging method for a more grown-up and sophisticated finish. Stripes, squiggly lines, circles or other shapes can add interest to one wall. Paint typically provides the biggest impact in a room for the least amount of money. The colors on the walls should complement the overall color scheme or theme you are decorating with to create the mood your teen wants.

2. Update your teen's current furniture with a fresh coat of paint, or let him pick out furniture from secondhand stores or yard sales. Paint all the furniture the same color for a uniform look without spending a small fortune for a brand new bedroom set. Put new knobs on old dressers for a finished look. Reupholster an old chair or ottoman in fabric that complements his color scheme or theme to provide extra seating for his friends.

3. Decorate with clearance fabric or plain flat sheets in a color or pattern she likes. Use the material to create coordinating curtains, throw pillows and duvet covers. For example, two flat sheets can be sewn together on three sides with snaps or buttons on the fourth side. Slide an old comforter inside and you have brand new bedding. Roll up old towels or T-shirts and sew the same fabric around them for instant throw pillows. Fabric can also be hung against one wall to mimic curtains and add color if you can't paint the walls.

4. Decorate the walls with artwork, pictures, posters or clothing that complement your color scheme and theme. For example, hang his old concert T-shirts on the wall for a music-themed room or sports jerseys for a sports-themed room. Reuse poster frames or picture frames to add new images or hang a clothesline across the room and let him pin his favorite pictures and posters to the line. He can easily update the images by changing them out without adding more expenses or damage to the room.

5. Create storage space in the room to corral her makeup, hair accessories, electronics and other small items that never seem to stop accumulating. Use paint, markers, stickers, papier-mache, tissue paper or scrapbook paper to cover old shoe boxes for instant storage containers that are decorative as well.

6. Accessorize the room with a new lampshade, rug or keepsakes. Install floating shelves if possible to give him a place to display his trophies, keepsakes and awards.

Tags: your teen, color scheme, color scheme theme, scheme theme, flat sheets, pictures posters, teen bedroom

Kids Bedroom Window Treatments

Duplicate stained glass inexpensively with colored tissue paper.

When it comes to decorating a child's room, few areas have as much visual possibility as the window. It's simple to create children's window design treatments to produce a "Wow" effect with little more than a few dollars and a bit of ingenuity.

The Girls' View

For full female appeal, think glamour and glitz. Lots of gauzy fabric can have an opulent look and feel---something appreciated by the girly-girl in all. If pulled to the side with a glittery star or a magic wand, the look screams "precious-princess." Or try stringing large, colorful beads to hang in a screen fashion. Not only will the look be exciting, but the beads also will sway in the breeze, creating a nice sound when she opens the window on a spring or summer day.

Stained Glass Alternative

By tearing or cutting shapes out of colored tissue paper, you can create a scene, pattern or abstract design for the window. When the sun shines through the tissue paper, the look is much like that of stained glass.

Frame it Out

Placing an intriguing frame around a window is a sure way to create a visual accent in a room. For a child's room, real tree branches give a rugged, outdoor look while wood or connective blocks are architecturally graphic. Purchase lattice in sheets, and cut to emphasize a window. Placed on either side of the window in a floor-to-ceiling style or framed on all four sides, the look is stunning. Adding wooden flowers, birds, bugs and all-things-garden further enhances the look.

Shades for Shade

Canvas panels or shades are the beginning of something excellent when it comes to designing a kid's window. Once you have sized the panels, a can of paint or waterproof markers and some imagination go a long way. A pint-sized Picasso can color away, making a one-of-a-kind impact while having a hand in his own room design. A realistic rendering of a cow or chicken poking its head into the room adds just the right amount of whimsy, while a space-age rocket ship drawn zooming through the air is enough to delight any young child.

Tags: tissue paper, child room, colored tissue, colored tissue paper, stained glass

Ideas For Remodeling A 5x7 Bathroom

A pedestal sink saves space in a 5x7 bathroom.

A small 5x7 bathroom is only 35 square feet of space. Many older homes have a small bathroom in need of remodeling. This limited amount of area requires planning when updating the bathroom. Since this is a small area, remodeling a 5x7 bathroom is possible with a limited budget. Being creative with storage and using corners in the bathroom saves space. Also, using lights and mirrors to make the room appear larger is a good idea when remodeling a small bathroom.

Floor

Replacing the flooring in a 5x7 bathroom is a good start. Remove the old, worn-out flooring and make any necessary repairs to the subflooring. The subflooring around the toilet and bathtub may need to be replaced since these areas see the most moisture. Choose a light-colored flooring for a small bathroom. Regardless of whether you use ceramic tile, vinyl or another flooring option, the light color helps make the room appear larger.

Walls

Remodeling the walls in a 5x7 bathroom includes choosing a bright color of paint or wallpaper. Start by removing any wallpaper or border in the bathroom. Use a color such as yellow, light green or white to make the room appear larger. Placing a large mirror over the sink adds depth, making the bathroom appear larger.

Bathtub

If you plan to replace the bathtub, consider changing to a corner shower. These units take up less space than a full-sized tub. Also, installing a ceramic shower prevents moisture that forms around bathtubs. For a new bathtub, look for one that takes up a small area, possibly a claw-foot tub that stands alone.

Sink

The sink may take up a large amount of space if it is sitting on a vanity or large cabinet. Remove the old sink and vanity and replace it with a pedestal sink. These sinks have bowls that sit on top of a small, decorative pedestal and work well in any size bathroom, according to Better Homes and Gardens.

Storage

Finding places to add storage in a small bathroom is challenging. The pedestal sink makes under-the-sink storage limited. Adding storage over the toilet is a good idea. These types of cabinets offer a place to store towels and other bath accessories while conserving space.

Tags: small bathroom, appear larger, make room, make room appear, pedestal sink, room appear, room appear larger

Choose Recessed Lighting For A Bedroom

The lights you choose for your bedroom should do more than just illuminate. Recessed lighting, for instance, can create a mood and offer focused illumination on specific areas for reading and other tasks. Here is choose recessed lighting for a bedroom.

Instructions

Create a Lighting Plan

1. Think about the activities that take place in the bedroom and the type of light you need for them.

2. Decide where to position recessed lighting fixtures for general lighting. Position overhead lights at least 6 inches outside the perimeter of the bed. Avoid placing lights directly over the bed.

3. Create mood lighting by mixing low-wattage lights for romance with high-wattage lights for task lighting.

4. Accent artwork and wall decor with focused recessed lights positioned approximately 3 to 4 feet away from the wall.

5. Place a row of high-intensity lights over mirrors for ease of grooming.

6. Light your closet interiors. Recessed overhead lighting is ideal for closet lighting.

Choose Your Lights

7. Measure the ceiling of your room to determine the number of lights you'll need.

8. Decide between fluorescent, high intensity discharge (HID) and incandescent lights.

9. Choose the right housing for your ceiling and construction. New construction housings can be installed from above. Remodeled housings are designed to be installed from below. Insulation contact (IC) housings are designed for ceilings that have insulation above them.

10. Choose trim to coordinate with your room.

Tags: housings designed, installed from, your room

The Best Outside Seating & Dining In Portland Area

People often dine outside in Portland in the summer.

Although Portland, Oregon is known for its rainy weather, there are still plenty of restaurants with outdoor seating. When the weather is warm, people want to remain outside for as long as possible. This makes outdoor seating a popular choice in the late spring, summer and early fall.

Veritable Quandary

The Urban Spoon cites the Veritable Quandary, located downtown, as one of Portland's best outdoor dining restaurants. Diners can sit at tables located on the restaurant's patio. The Veritable Quandary is open daily and serves lunch, dinner and weekend brunch.

Paley's Place

Gayot's lists Paley's Place as one of Portland's best outdoor dining restaurants. Located in Northwest Portland, Paley's Place offers outside dining on its patio and front porch. Its menu uses foods from local farmers and changes daily.

Aquariva

Aquariva is another one of Gayot's best outdoor dining restaurants in Portland. A large patio provides outdoor dining for this Southwest Portland establishment. Aquariva Italian menu includes pastas, small plates and entrees.

Tin Shed Garden Cafe

The Urban Spoon ranked Tin Shed Garden Cafe one of Portland's best outdoor dining establishments. Located in Northeast Portland, the cafe uses free-range meats and local produce for its menu items. Tables are set on the patio and in the garden.

Tags: outdoor dining, best outdoor, best outdoor dining, dining restaurants, outdoor dining restaurants, Paley Place

Paint A Nautical Themed Bedroom

The bright colors and clean stylings of lighthouses create a serene nautical bedroom.

Echo the bright colors and crisp styles of a nautical theme with straightforward stripes and subtle textures on your walls and decorate with repurposed oars and galvanized buckets. Combine tropical elements like surfboards with classic anchor and lighthouse decor for a trendy twist, or take a more traditional approach with vintage nautical items like diving helmets and old wood chests or foot lockers. Model sailboats make the theme fun for kids.

Instructions

1. Sketch the design patterns for the room on graph paper to determine the scale of any patterns or stencils and murals painted in the room. Account for molding, furniture placement, windows and doors when placing murals or large patterns.

2. Paint the main or base color on all walls. If the wall is textured, or if a lighter color is being painted over a darker color, you may need to use primer and an extra coat or two of the base color to fully cover the wall. Use rollers or large brushes for the first coat and smaller brushes for detail work around molding or to fill lighter spaces in the second coat.

3. Sketch any chosen patterns or murals onto each wall. Use a projector for detailed murals. Tape off molding, door and window frames as well as any chosen patterns. For example, if you are including bold red, white and blue stripes for your nautical themed room, you can use the tape to create the areas to paint within.

4. Cover the floors and furniture with dropcloths before pouring and preparing your paint. Plastic tarps can offer extra protection for furniture above and beyond canvas or other fabric dropcloths.

5. Paint stenciled depictions of nautical flags, rope and netting, lighthouse silhouettes or portholes and wooden ship steering wheels to add color to a neutral wall. Bold blue or red stripes and checks evoke the patterns of fishing and sail boats, while white accents and molding on dark walls create a crisp and serene space.

6. Remove the tape after all coats of paint are dry. Use smaller brushes to add detail to murals and stencils, or to touch up borders and lines. Throw away or recycle the dropcloths and painting trays.

Tags: base color, blue stripes, bright colors, brushes detail, chosen patterns, smaller brushes, smaller brushes detail

Paint A Bedroom Red

The color red adds spice to the walls of a bedroom.

Whether named after a food, such as Habanero Chile, Picante, Juicy Passionfruit, Cherry Tomato or whether given less exotic names, such as Ruby Shade and Enticing Red, it is clear that the color red is a fresh choice to paint a bedroom. It is essential to follow some traditional steps to ensure the red color applies evenly and dries to a satisfying finish.

Instructions

1. As with any paint project, certain steps must be taken ahead of time to prepare the room for paint. Repair damage to the drywall by patching any holes, cracks or other problem areas. Allow the patches to dry for at least 24 hours before sanding them smooth with fine-grade sandpaper. Wipe the wall with either a homemade mixture to clean the dust from the walls or a commercially prepared product before applying primer.

2. Masking the room with blue painters tape is a necessary step for clean cut ins and an acceptable finish. Apply the tape around the top of the walls, bottom of the walls and around trim, including windows and doors.

Red colors that are highly saturated require tinted primer to ensure a smooth, even application. Ask the paint salesperson with whom you are working to guide you to a pre-tinted primer or one that can be tinted to your requirements for your red bedroom. If you are painting over an old color that is also highly saturated, it is important to make sure you have the properly tinted primer so the red color will apply evenly onto the primer after it has dried over the old paint color.

Cut in, applying small but even amounts of tinted primer around the edges of the trim, top and bottom of the walls.

3. Primer the walls with the remaining tinted primer. Evenly coat the walls, allowing them to dry for 24 hours before moving on to the next step.

4. Cut in around the trim work, top and bottom of the walls with the red paint.

5. Apply 2 to 3 even coats of red paint to the remainder of the walls of the bedroom. Start by making an "M" shape with the paint roller or a "W" if you prefer. Roll the paint in a zig-zag pattern over the M or W shape. Finally, roll the paint from top to bottom, applying even pressure. Allow the paint to dry fully before hanging up artwork or curtain rods.

Tags: tinted primer, bottom walls, with paint, around trim, highly saturated

Display Photos In The Dining Room

Choose photo frames that match your dining room's decorating style.

The decor of your dining room should have as much appeal and personality as the other rooms of your home, and one way to add a personal touch to this room is to display your photographs. You can embrace more traditional methods of display or make your photos a part of the table itself. What you choose will depend upon your decorating goals for this space. However, the resulting display should bring added warmth to your dining room.

Instructions

Focal Wall Display

1. Paint a prominent wall in your dining room. If you have a dining table that's longer than it is wide, paint one of the walls that run parallel with this side of the table. Choose the color based on the decorating scheme in the room. For example, a Tuscan-style dining room would work well with a burgundy focal wall. Paint the other walls in the room a contrasting color; this will make your wall and the photos on it stand out more.

2. Choose picture frames that match your decorating style, and frame the pictures for the dining room in these. For example, plain silver frames would work well in a modern dining room. Select frames that are made for hanging on the wall and some that are free-standing.

3. Position a dining room buffet and sideboard next to the focal wall. This piece of furniture resembles a small cabinet and gives you extra space for your serving dishes so that you don't have to put them on the table during dinner.

4. Hang the pictures for your gallery above the dining room hutch. Choose one of the larger photos as the display's main photo and position the other photos around it. Drive the nails into the studs in the wall.

5. Display a few of your photos on the hutch below, allowing your photo display to extend downward. Place the tallest pictures in the back of the arrangement. This ties the pictures on the wall into the dining room space.

Table Centerpiece

6. Lay down a table runner that matches your dining room's decorating style.

7. Get several decorative jars and bottles in different colors, but make sure that they are not colored very darkly. You should still be able to see through the glass. Wide-mouth jars and bottles work best for this. Collect some cylindrical vases as well.

8. Place two or three cylindrical vases in the middle of the table on the table runner. Add tall, fat candles to each one.

9. Insert your photos into the jars and bottles.

10. Place the jars and bottles on the table runner with the tallest ones standing in the middle. Make sure you position them so that you can see pictures no matter where you're sitting at the table. Additionally, make sure that no picture is obstructed by another one as you place the jars and bottles. The candle vases should be in the middle of the display.

11. Add a few pieces of decorative fruit around the bottom of the jars. Choose items such as mini-pumpkins, apples or pears. Place just enough pieces so that your display has some color; the fruit provides you with a logical way to tie the photo display into the dining room.

Tags: dining room, dining room, jars bottles, your dining, your dining room, decorating style

Pick Colors For A Bedroom

Before you decorate your bedroom, you will want to consider several things: the type of furniture you want, the decorations that you want to include and, most importantly, the color scheme that you wish to apply. Choose your bedroom colors based on the mood and look you wish to create.

Instructions

1. Pick a color that works best with your carpet and furniture. You want to pick colors that match nicely with the rest of the room, not that sharply contrast it. Neutral colors are your best bet if you are unsure of the color's compatibility.

2. Figure out the mood that you want to create for the bedroom. Different colors reflect different types of moods. A room that uses a lot of blues and greens will create a sense of tranquility for your bedroom. Oranges and reds are vibrant colors that will energize the bedroom.

3. Avoid colors that are not mood-enhancing. Gray is a shade to avoid since it is often associated with sadness and depression. Brown colors can create a feeling of loss when used to decorate. These types of colors should be used sparingly or avoided altogether.

4. Consider your partner's tastes before you purchase the colors that you wish to use in the bedroom. You may love pink or beige, but your partner may despise these colors. Work together to choose a color scheme that you are both happy with.

5. Mix up the colors that you use to decorate the bedroom. An all red or all beige room will not be aesthetically pleasing.

Tags: colors that, your bedroom, color scheme, color scheme that, furniture want, room that, scheme that

Osha Bathroom Regulations

OSHA creates workplace bathroom regulations.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) creates workplace regulations that help ensure employers provide safe work environments for employees. Some of these regulations require employers to keep bathrooms up to certain standards to protect employees from unsanitary and unhealthy conditions at work.

Number of Facilities

OSHA requires employers to provide at least one toilet for up to 15 employees, two toilets for 16 to 35 employees, three toilets for 36 to 55 employees, four toilets for 56 to 80 employees, five toilets for 81 to 110 employees, six toilets for 111 to 150 employees and an additional toilet for every 40 employees more than 150. In men's bathrooms, 1/3 of the toilets can be urinals instead.

Facility Gender Standards

Employers must provide separate locking toilet rooms for each sex, unless they are single-toilet individually locking rooms, which can be unisex.

Mobile Work Crews

Employers are not required to provide toilets on site to mobile work crews, but the workers must have fast transportation to nearby bathrooms if they do not have bathroom facilities at the work site.

Sanitation

OSHA requires that bathrooms be kept sanitary. Waste receptacles should not have leaks and the garbage must be removed often enough to prevent it from overflowing or creating a health risk. Employers must keep vermin under control, according to OSHA regulation. The floor should be clean of splinters, loose nails, holes, loose boards and other hazards, along with any other workplace floors. Toilets, sinks, floors and urinals should be cleaned often enough to keep them sanitary and prevent any health risks. The OSHA does not specify the frequency of cleaning, since that varies with bathroom use.

Water Requirements

According to OSHA regulations, lavatories should have tepid running water or hot and cold running water for hand washing. Employers should also provide soap for hand washing and sanitary hand towels for hand drying.

Storage

OSHA forbids food and water from being stored in toilet areas. If employees bring food to work, employers must provide a storage area separate from toilet areas, such as a lunch room, shelving, lockers or refrigerators outside of the toilet area.

Tags: toilets employees, creates workplace, employees toilets, employees toilets employees, Employers must, employers provide

Tween Bedroom Ideas For Girls

A floral theme is a pretty way to decorate for a dainty and feminine tween.

For tween girls, young girls who are about to enter adolescence, a variety of changes are taking place in their lives, as they mature and begin the journey toward their teenage years. One change can be decorating their bedroom in a more grown-up way that's still appropriate for a young person. If you are decorating a bedroom for your tween girl, here are some ideas you can try.

Funky Shapes and Colors

Bold, and funky colors, with interesting shapes, are a great idea for a tween who wants to add some asymmetrical style to her room. You can try contrasting colors, like magenta and lime green or purple and orange. Paint walls one color and trim another, then you can add various-sized, and -colored, spots, squares, stars or triangles around the walls for an interesting look.

Flirty Florals

A gorgeous floral motif can be a relaxing and beautiful theme for your tween's room, and also very feminine if you've got a girly girl on your hands. You can paint walls a pastel color, such as a violet or blue, and paint flowers on walls, or do floral wallpaper. Throw in a floral bedspread and put out a few vases of flowers.

Rocker Tween

If you've got a young tween rocker on your hand, decorate with a girly rock vibe. A color scheme such as black and hot pink or black and another bold color works for this theme. You can paint walls hot pink, for example, then do black trim. Select one wall that you could paint a large guitar on, going from the ceiling to the floor. You can decorate trim with little musical notes, too, and for wall hangings use old records and vinyls.

Pretty In Pink

For another ultra-girly tween room, try a pink color scheme. You can do walls in a lighter pink, have a darker pink bedspread and pillows. Another good idea is a delicate pink canopy bed. Since your tween may start experimenting with makeup at this age, should you allow it, find a vanity set and paint it pink. This will give your tween a dainty little area to get ready for school in the morning.

Groovy Girl

For the earth-conscious tween, try a funky, hippie-style room. You can do green walls, and maybe even paint a few daisies and peace signs on them. You can do earthy-looking bamboo shades that will allow for some natural light. Another groovy idea is to let your tween pick out a tapestry wall hanging that she can dedicate one wall to, as many tapestries tend to be rather large.

Artsy Tween

If you've got an art-loving tween, let her express her artistic views when decorating. Decide on a color for walls, then let your tween have one wall to paint artwork on, and paint the other walls with the color you two chose. Set up an art desk in one corner, so that your tween can enjoy making her creations in the comfort of her own room. Always ensure that you have a separate rug under the art desk, though, to catch paint and other stain-making materials.

Movie Star Motif

A movie star theme can be another fun idea if you've got a budding thespian. You can paint the top half of the walls gold and the bottom half black for a dramatic Hollywood look. Make a gold star out of cardboard with your tween's name on it to hang on the door, and use red velvet rugs to resemble the glamorous red carpet. You can even buy a basic rectangular headboard and paint the infamous Hollywood sign onto it. Another fun idea is to have a vanity mirror outlined with light bulbs, to emulate the movie star vanity area.

Tags: your tween, color scheme, paint other, tween room

Decorate A Kid'S Bedroom In An Ocean Theme

Paint a child's bedroom walls turquoise.

If your child loves going to the beach, surprise him or her with an ocean-themed bedroom. A beach-inspired decor theme is versatile in that it will stay relevant and appropriate as your child ages. Even if you don't live near the beach, you can bring the beach to your child through the use of vibrant colors and themed decor pieces. If you're redecorating the child's room on a budget, slowly incorporate ocean-inspired pieces into the existing decor.

Instructions

1. Paint the bedroom walls with a shade reminiscent of ocean water. Choose vibrant turquoise or soft seafoam green, depending on your preference.

2. Decorate the walls with an underwater-inspired scene. Place tropical fish-, seashell-, dolphin- and seahorse-shaped stencils against the wall and transfer the designs with a brush dipped into paint. Use removable wall stencils as a less-permanent option.

3. Enhance the bed with a white comforter featuring turquoise or seafoam green seashell, fish, seahorse and dolphin designs. Place fish-shaped decorative pillows at the head of the bed.

4. Install two seashell-shaped sconces on either side of the child's bed for reading. Place a lamp featuring a whimsical seahorse-shaped base and a blue or green shade on the night stand or work desk.

5. Display the child's seashell collection in apothecary jars and display them on wall shelves or a bookcase. Use hot glue to attach seashells and sea glass around a wood mirror frame. Hang the mirror on a wall over a vanity table or dresser with a nail.

Tags: your child, bedroom walls, seafoam green, walls with

Build A Leaf For A Dining Room Table

Build a Leaf for a Dining Room Table

Extendable dinning room tables are both convenient and versatile. But when one or more of the extendable leafs are damaged or lost, the benefits of both convenience and versatility are greatly diminished. When replacing or repairing any part of an existing piece of hardwood furniture, there are three main elements to consider: the wood species, the coloring, and the age.

Instructions

1. Establish whether the table and its leaves are solid or veneer. Determine the wood species and stain pigment. If you are uncertain about the species, take one of the remaining leafs to your local hardware, lumber, or cabinetry shop. Take your sample to a paint store and ask one of their seasoned associates to help you find an existing stain or create a custom color match. Select a high quality lacquer with sheen to match the sample.

2. If the leaf is solid wood, purchase enough lumber, in the determined species, to glue up a plank two inches larger than the leaf to be replaced. Run all glue joint surfaces through a jointer. Glue the plank together using bar clamps. Surface plane the replacement leaf to a thickness equaling that of the original.

3. For solid hardwood, cut the replacement to the exact width and length of the original. Profile the edge to match. If the leaf is veneer, cut the matching veneer to the exact width. Cut the length short enough to allow for the hardwood edging and attach the edge profile.

4. Drill a series of holes in the lengthways edge to accommodate the original alignment dowels. Glue and insert the replacement alignment dowels along one of the lengthways edges.

5. Sand all of the surfaces to at least a 300 grit smoothness. If the original shows signs of ware, distress the replacement to match. Remove any dust.

6. If the original finish appears to have brush striations, apply the stain and lacquer with an old, clean bush. If there are no striations, Wipe the stain on and apply the clear coat with a new brush, or aerosol can.

Tags: alignment dowels, Build Leaf, Build Leaf Dining, Dining Room, Dining Room Table, exact width

Decorate Walls In Children'S Bedrooms

Creating a colorful theme for your child's bedroom often centers around wall designs and decorations. While wallpaper and paint are decoration options, these are time-consuming projects with permanent results. Children who are enthused with a certain character, animal or theme one year may outgrow the design as they age. Because of this, removable wall stickers and murals provide a less permanent and inexpensive option to traditional wallpaper and paint.

Instructions

1. Discuss decorating options with your child. If he is old enough, allow him to choose elements of the room's design and make it more his own.

2. Navigate to a website that sells wall stickers and murals, such as Wall Sticker Outlet, Fun D cor for Kids or Create-A-Mural (see Resources). These sites will provide you with sample images and ideas on designs that fit your theme.

3. Purchase the wall d cor with input from your child.

4. Create a mock-up design using the wall stickers and mural before you stick them to the wall. You can do this by holding stickers up the wall or arranging them out on a flat surface, such as the floor.

5. Apply the wall stickers to the walls based on your mock-up design. Depending on the type of sticker, some only require you to peel of a backing before applying. Other types of stickers require you to wet the back with a damp sponge.

Tags: wall stickers, your child, mock-up design, stickers murals, wall stickers murals, wallpaper paint

Retile The Bathroom

A bathroom floor can be retiled.

If it has been several years since you tiled your bathroom floor, or you simply want a change, you can retile the area yourself. This project is for the removal and replacement of ceramic tile and takes two phases. The first phase requires removing all of the old tile and the former adhesive. The second phase involves laying down the new tile. Depending on the size of your bathroom this project may take anywhere from one to two weekends to complete.

Instructions

1. Determine what type of flooring is underneath the tile. If you have a plywood subfloor, you can use a reciprocating saw to cut through the tile bed (but not through the subfloor). If you have a masonry subfloor, you can scrape up the tile.

2. Remove the old tile. Wear safety glasses and gloves for this project. For masonry subfloors, strike one tile in the center with a hammer to break it. Dispose the broken chips. It helps to have a small garbage can nearby as you work. Move to the next tile and break it as well. Use a chisel to remove any stubborn pieces. For plywood subfloors, break through the first tile and then insert a reciprocating saw into the space you just cleared. Use this saw to go through the plywood underlayment, but avoid the subfloor.

3. Sand down the floor. Use a belt sander with a heavy grade of sandpaper to grind off any remaining adhesive on the floor. Wear a mask for this portion of the project.

4. Lay down the new mortar. Start with the first row and spread mortar out on the floor with a textured trowel. Keep your coating even. Flip the trowel over and texture the mortar.

5. Place the first row of tile. Press each tile firmly into the mortar. Use grout spacers between each tile. These small spacers help you leave enough room in between tiles. Press at least two, at the top and bottom of the tile's side into the mortar right next to the tile. Cut the tiles using a tile saw if necessary. Finish the first row and then repeat until the entire floor has been covered.

6. Grout the tile. Remove the grout spacers and grout in between the tiles. Use a putty knife or a damp towel to wipe down the tiles and remove any excess grout as you work. Continue until all the tiles have been grouted. Let the grout and mortar set for at least 24 hours before allowing foot traffic in the room.

Tags: bathroom floor, between tiles, each tile, first tile, grout spacers, into mortar, next tile

Clean A Tile Floor In A Restroom

Clean floor tiles brighten the entire bathroom.

Tile on a restroom floor attracts dirt and odors from dusting powders, hairspray and soap residue. Bodily fluids, mold and mildew not only affect how your floors look, they also pose a health hazard. Unless the residue is removed from your tile floor, it will look dull and grimy, especially where grout is located. Maintaining the cleanliness of your tile floor is important for aesthetic and hygienic reasons, and by using a few common household cleaning items, the tile on your restroom floor will be sparkling clean in no time.

Instructions

1. Remove all items from your restroom floor before cleaning. These include throw rugs, hampers, bathroom scales and trash cans.

2. Vacuum all traces of loose dust, hair and dirt, making sure to focus on the corners and in-between tiles, where debris collects. Use your vacuum's crevice tool attachment to

vacuum in areas where the toilet, bathtub and vanity meet the floor.

3. Mix powdered oxygen cleaner with hot water per labeling instructions, making sure the solution is dissolved thoroughly before using it. Oxygen cleaner not only cleans and deodorizes, it also disinfects.

4. Wet the floor with your solution, allowing it to soak in for 20 minutes before mopping. This will allow its stain-fighting properties to work on brightening the tile and grout. Do not over saturate the tiles because it'll be hard to remove the excess solution.

5. Firmly scrub the grout with your soft-bristled brush to remove embedded dirt and residue buildup, then mop the entire floor with the sponge mop. When scrubbing around caulked area around the tub and toilet, avoid vigorous scrubbing because this might dislodge the silicone caulking.

6. Rinse the floor with your clean damp sponge mop. Keep mopping and squeezing the liquid out of your mop into the bucket until most of the liquid has been absorbed from the tile floor. Repeat the process until all the excess water is gone.

7. Wipe down the tile floor with a lint-free absorbent towel to remove any residual film and moisture, while detailing corners, baseboards and radiators.

Tags: floor with, tile floor, restroom floor, with your, floor will, floor with your

Decorate A Boys Bedroom

Decorating a boy's bedroom demands your considering how your boy uses the space. For some boys, the bedroom functions as only a place to sleep. For others boys, the bedroom serves as a playroom, a media center, a study, a library and a clubhouse for friends. While planning a boy's bedroom decor, begin with a couple solid, classic pieces and lay them out in ways that create vignettes of space within the larger space. Add thematic touches that reflect the boy's individual style.

Instructions

Boy's Bedroom Basics

1. Start with a clean palette. Get your son in on this part of the dirty work, helping you sort through all that is broken, too small or duplicated in the room. Recycle, sell or give away what you can, and then look through the remaining inventory to inspire some storage solutions.

2. Establish open and hidden storage spaces. Cabinets, toy boxes, dresser drawers, armoires and boxes or drawers under beds help you organize and hide away many of the belongings. Use bookshelves lined with transparent boxes or bins for organizing smaller toys and sets of toys. Small buckets and baskets can hold toys and also serve as sorting tools during playtime.

3. Establish a color theme for the room. A coat of paint works wonders to change a plain room into something more imaginative. You can paint all four walls ocean blue for a beach theme or green for a rain forest theme. You might opt to just paint an accent wall, either in a bold color or faux finish, or with a mural that reflects your boy's theme of choice, be it pirates, cowboys, dinosaurs or outer space.

4. Invest in some basic furniture. A raised bed allows you to store items beneath it, while a loft bed with a slide at the top adds fun as well as room for a tent or clubhouse underneath. Set a bookshelf in a separate corner to establish a different area for playing or reading. A desk near a window allows a boy to do art projects, science experiments or homework with the benefit of natural light. A beanbag chair on a thick rug adds a comfortable spot for relaxing, listening to music, playing games or building a tower out of blocks.

5. Accessorize with thematic pieces. Accessories make the best items for establishing or extending a boy's bedroom decor theme, because you can switch them cheaply and quickly when your boy's tastes eventually change. Frame a bulletin board painted with motifs from a chosen theme. Textiles such as blankets, comforters, pillow cases and curtains may feature prints or colors drawing upon the theme.

Tags: bedroom decor, boys bedroom

Gray And White Bedroom Ideas And Paint Colors

A gray and white color scheme in your bedroom doesn't have to be stuffy or boring.

Making your bedroom feel tranquil and welcoming can be a challenging task. A gray and white color scheme adds an element of drama, sophistication and calm to a room. Use gray and white paint, furnishings, fabrics and accessories to set the tone of your room and obtain the look and feel you desire in your bedroom sanctuary.

Dove Gray and Ecru

A soft dove gray and creamy ecru give a soft, calming feel to your room. Paint your walls subdued shades of dove gray and install crown molding and baseboard. Paint them ecru to offset the gray of the walls. Add few large pieces of ecru furniture. A large wooden bed painted ecru serves as a focal point to anchor the room and works well draped in dove gray and ecru toile bedding, which gives the entire room a gentle look. Install a few occasional chairs in a mixture of gray and ecru and hang drapes in either color in a soft fabric to finish the look.

Slate Gray and Stark White

Use a dark slate gray and stark white as contrasting, dramatic opposites to make a statement in your bedroom. Choose a paint color that is a dark gray without being too close to black, and select a pure white to really bring out the drama in the gray. Opt for bold, sleek furniture pieces such as iron bedding or stark white wood to enhance the contrasting colors and pair them with slate gray and white damask bedding. Use accessories, throw rugs, pillows and lush fabrics throughout the room to add texture.

Blue Gray and Eggshell

For a beachy look, select a bluish-gray hue and a soft eggshell color. Paint your walls in eggshell, giving your entire room a soft whitewashed effect that reflects light. Shabby chic and vintage furniture pieces, such as a cast iron bed or chipped-paint armoire, add to the relaxed look of this room. Select blue-gray and eggshell cotton bedding, and pile the bed high with fluffy featherbeds and down comforters for an inviting look. Accessorize with reading chairs slipcovered in blue-gray or eggshell cotton duck cloth for the ultimate reading corner.

Purple-Gray and Cream

For a rich, toned-down imperial look, select a purple-gray hue for your walls and accessorize it with rich shades of cream. Purple-gray is an elegant color for living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and baths. Select a softer tone, almost akin to lavender, or a richer, darker gray infused with violet for a more imperial look. Accent with furniture, accessories and textiles in a variety of cream shades to enhance the richness of this purple-gray shade.

Tags: your bedroom, dove gray, gray white, your walls, blue-gray eggshell, blue-gray eggshell cotton

Get Rid Of Ants In The Bathroom

Ridding your home of ants, especially if they are in a bathroom, can be a grueling task. By following the tried and true methods described in this article, you will be enjoying an ant-free home soon.

Instructions

1. Do thorough cleaning. Give your ant ridden bathroom a thorough cleaning, from top to bottom. Scrub the floor around the sink, tub and toilet with a disinfectant cleaner. Remove all contents from drawers and cabinets then clean shelves with warm soapy water. Ants may be attracted to soaps, lotions or shampoos that have spilled out of their containers.

2. Spray. Spray the inside of drawers and cabinets with ant killer. A great, non-toxic brand to try is AntFree. Keep all doors open for at least an hour, to allow spray time to dry before replacing the cabinet's contents. Spray around the base of the bathroom walls, toilet and sink, as well.

3. Continue preventative measures. Soak cotton balls with lavender oil and leave in strategically placed areas. Spray or wipe the ant trail with the lavender oil also, this erases the ant's trial and the scent of the oil with deter ants. Keep refreshing oil every few days until ants are gone.

4. Use ant bait. If ants continue to be problematic, spread ant bait or use ant traps under the foundation of your home to stop the ants before they come in. Search under your home for a possible ant mound, if you are able to local one, spray ant killer into the mound.

5. Call the exterminator. After you have tried ridding the ants by using the steps provided, and are still not successful, you may have to resort to calling the exterminator. Having your house fumigated is a chore, so before the exterminator comes to your home, inquire about what he will do so that you will be prepared to leave your home if needed.

Tags: your home, drawers cabinets, thorough cleaning, with lavender

Decorate A House With An Open Kitchen Dining And Living Room

Decorate your great room so that each space is defined yet related to the next.

Many new homes and apartments are constructed with open kitchens, dining and living rooms to promote an open space usually called a "great room." Decorating the open space so each room is distinctive while all rooms flow together poses a few different challenges. It is possible to decorate each room with its own style or color scheme yet keep the open space connected through the creative use of a few common elements.

Instructions

1. Choose a color scheme for each room with at least one common color. For example, cream, chocolate brown and lime green could work in all three rooms; or the lime green could be substituted with orange or turquoise in the other rooms. All three rooms should be decorated in the same style because a contemporary living room would look awkward and out of place next to a French country kitchen and Victorian dining room.

2. Paint the walls. Choose a neutral color for all of the walls and paint an accent wall in each room with a different color. Or paint each room with different colors that complement each other. Paint the trim and ceiling in the same hue in all three rooms to create a common thread that ties the spaces together.

3. Arrange your living room and dining room furniture so each space is clearly defined. The furniture pieces should complement each other but do not have to match in all three rooms. Neutral furniture might work best as the pieces will not compete and it is easy to update each room by changing the accessories. Area rugs can add to your decor and visually separate the rooms if necessary.

4. Cover the windows with the same window treatments for a uniform look that allows each space to relate to the next. If you prefer different curtains or drapes in each room, consider hanging the same color and kind of shades or blinds. For example, white blinds or shutters would work under pink and yellow floral curtains in the living room, pink and yellow plaid curtains in the dining room and a combination of both patterns in the kitchen.

5. Hang wall decor that directly relates to the space immediately below the art, but still flows with the other two rooms. If yellow is the common color in all three rooms, hang art in all three rooms that contain the color yellow or use yellow frames.

6. Place accessories in all three rooms that complete the individual rooms. Houseplants, vases, candles, rugs, pillows and knickknacks are some of the items you can use to decorate each room.

Tags: each room, three rooms, each room with, room with, dining room, each space

Paint Over Bathroom Ceramic Tile

Instructions

Make A Pool Table Into A Dining Table

Turn your pool table into a dining table to save space.

Standard pool tables are 8 feet long and 4 feet wide, with more room around the table needed to provide players with enough room to shoot. These dimensions take up a lot of space, which is why tables are typically placed in basements or other living spaces. If you are a fan of pool, but are concerned about space, consider putting the table in your dining room. You can convert your table from a dining table to a pool table and back again. This will allow you to play one of your favorite games, yet save space in your home.

Instructions

1. Measure your pool table and write down the dimensions. Standard tables are 8 feet long, but tournament tables are longer (9 feet) while bar tables are shorter (7 feet).

2. Visit a billiards store and purchase a pool table cover that fits your size pool table. Billiards stores have several options, including leather covers that fit over the table and foam inserts that fit into the playing surface of the table. Both options cover the felt and protect the table.

3. Cover your pool table and pull up dining chairs. With the cover in place, you can eat at your pool table. When you want to play pool, pull the chairs back and remove the cover.

Tags: pool table, your pool, your pool table, pool table, feet long

Paint A Dining Room Set Green

You do not have to redecorate an entire room to have a new look. Changing furniture will make a big difference in the overall design. Transform furniture by painting it a bold color to give the room a new look. Select large pieces of furniture such as a dining room set for a more dramatic change. A bright color like green will make a big statement and give the room an urban, modern feeling.

Instructions

1. Prepare the area for painting by laying down drop cloths and newspapers to protect the floor.

2. Use a coarse sandpaper to sand the dining room tables and chairs. Remove any existing paint or stain. Wipe down the furniture with a damp rag after sanding. Let dry.

3. Paint primer onto the dining set in the direction of the wood grain. Make sure excess paint does not pool or drip from the furniture.

4. Let the paint dry for 48 hours to a week before painting with the colored paint. If there are any areas where the paint has pooled or dried paint drips, sand those areas down.

5. Brush the green paint onto all the furniture, painting in the direction of the wood grain. Let dry for 48 hours. Use a fine grade sandpaper to sand away any brush strokes. Wipe down the furniture with a damp cloth. Repeat for second coat of paint.

6. Use a small paint brush to touch up any areas of the furniture that are missing paint such as joints in the furniture.

Tags: dining room, direction wood, direction wood grain, down furniture, down furniture with, furniture painting, furniture with

The Best Types Of Ducts For A Bathroom Fan

Bathroom moisture must vent out of the area to prevent mildew accumulation.

A warm shower is a comforting way to relax the body. However, the bathroom's enclosed area accumulates a lot of moisture, or humidity, from the shower's running water. Humidity appears as a fog throughout the bathroom, requiring adequate ventilation to the outside of the home. A bathroom fan and attached ductwork needs specific placement and design for the most effective movement of air.

Fan Placement

The bathroom fan should reside near the shower but not immediately above it. A homeowner can use a stud finder tool for locating ceiling joists before deciding on a permanent fan installation location. The ceiling joists maintain the building's upper structural framing and cannot be altered. Designers can determine the best ductwork for that specific building's architecture once the fan has a permanent installation location.