Lots of Happy News

It's been too long since I shared some happy news and fun happenings behind the scenes so today I'm spilling some of my beans.  I hinted at a camera crew crashing the lakehouse and here are the very limited details I can share: I've partnered with my good friends at Canadian Tire again, this time with a roster of talented bloggers, to help promote the launch of a new line of products.  I've signed a contract that prevents me from sharing any more details just yet, but let's just say you might be a bit surprised!  I can tell you that crafting, styling, and DIYing were involved.  When I was first approached to submit ideas, it was explained that once we had all submitted ideas, suitable projects would be given the green light and we would be shipped products, after which we could go ahead and produce the content.  Ideas that really tickled the creative team would be chosen for videos that would further highlight fun ideas/projects/styling.  I didn't really pay too close attention to that fine print because I really didn't think my ideas would dazzle so much.  To my surprise, some of them were a hit and a camera crew came here to film me yammering away.  I took some photos of the process and I'll be able to share the videos (unless I look too goofy), more behind the scenes gossip, and the projects soon.  The neat thing is that a few of the crew members were hired locally and I'm now wondering if any of them would help me create a lakehouse video tour...

Neat, right?  In other news, some townhouse and lakehouse projects have been popping up here and there.
Apartment Therapy has showered my with a lot of impromptu love.  It's always exciting when a project or room I submit is featured, but when they share photos of my space in an article or story without my having to beg "pick me, pick me," it's even better, although it's a super weird feeling to be munching my breakfast, scrolling through my morning blog reading, and then stumble across photos of my own home.  It has a twilight zone feel about it.  Anyway, our budget-friendly lakehouse bathroom was featured in a story on 6 ideas for making a boring bathroom more dramatic.  My DIY black and white painting was highlighted in particular:

Additionally, the dark grey fireplace was highlighted on Apartment Therapy in a story about 6 bold design details to try:

Bliss at Home also featured the living room (still sporting it's chrome lamp and black chair) in The Style Mix. More recently, Kristin also featured the turquoise kitchen (which might be getting a splash of orange and might just be featured in a book - details soon):

It was really interesting to read a Hungarian article about my turquoise kitchen update.  I think I read correctly that the translation for cabinet/furniture hardware (like drawer pulls) is "furniture buttons".  I can easily see why my kitchen makeover was appealing for the Hungarian blogger who featured it.  The average home there has a small kitchen and the economy isn't awesome, so working with what you have is really appealing to many Hungarians.  We say things like "budget-friendly," "thrifty," and "work with what you have," a lot in Canada but I have a friend in Hungary who literally didn't buy a single new (or used!) item of clothing for three years.  Three years!!  Never mind home decor items - she just didn't have any disposable income.  She wouldn't consider buying accessories on clearance from Target, or budgeting only $100 on seasonal decorating, "thrifty".  Actually, although our kitchen makeover was proposed as a budget-conscious option, the folks who left comments complained that it would be too costly - it's not thrifty enough.

I recently found out that Good Housekeeping featured my layered sheer curtains (from the townhouse) on their website!  That's an older post, but my Mom and I are still pretty proud of that idea.  I wonder if the new owners changed the draperies...writing this I'm feeling kind of sad about the possibility.  I might be visiting a friend in Ottawa soon and I'm hoping she'll drive me slowly by our old home so I can peer in the windows and hopefully not make eye contact with the new occupants.

Knock Off Decor featured the mod raised bowl stand Hubby and I made for Szuka (see the original tutorial here). 

Did you read about the Ikea Hackers controversy?  Hopefully Jules can keep her url - and keep making a profit from advertising - moving forward.  So far, so good it seems!  Ikea Hackers featured my floating credenza with DIY plywood top (before we added the shiny new grommets):

Speaking of the credenza, Apartment Therapy just gave it a little love tpo, in a round up of eight Ikea credenza-fauxdenza hacks.  I'm thinking about hacking some Ikea to build a long desk for two with storage in the office but I wonder if that's not a smidge too much Ikea...?

One last bit of news before I sign off to put the finishing touch on my latest DIY project: I'm thinking of having an Instagram sale this week - probably Thursday evening - to celebrate the Etsy shop re-opening (I hope to have it official open by next week).  Mom and I finally unpacked everything and we have SO many goodies that I've forgotten about - so many great gift ideas and fun things for holiday entertaining.  I'll share more details here and on Instagram soon.  In the meantime, tell me what you'd like to see in the sale: Pyrex?  Bakelite?  Dansk Enamel?  Mid-Century Pottery?  Iittala?  Lots of variety or a carefully curated selection hinged on a theme or colour?  I think I might limit it to 10-20 items and then do follow-up sales in the weeks to come if all goes well, with more concrete themes so you can decide whether to take a peek or pass.  I hate sitting through twenty listings of things I don't give a hoot about, waiting for the one thing I want to buy!  In the future, I might do just a Pyrex sale, maybe a vintage bar ware sale, one with textiles and linens...

One Note Wonders - Gorgeous Monochromatic Rooms

The lakehouse is far from being complete.  I think at least 80% of what we've done so far have been budget-friendly, temporary fixes while we plot more permanent changes, save up, and settle in.  I've had a lot of fun making bold design decisions because it's been liberating knowing that I don't have to commit to them for long if I don't want to.  Along the way, I've learned a lot about my taste and personal style.  I've needed this freedom to really figure out what I like.  For the first time since I picked up a decorating magazine at the age of eight, I'm really happy with my choices.  Really happy.  In the townhouse, I was always fussing, rearranging, and fiddling with things.  It was partly because I just like fussing and rearranging, but it was also because I was never content.  I'm obviously actively working on decorating the lakehouse, so you'll still see lots of fussing I'm sure, but it's no longer done with the same frustrated twitchiness that propelled my townhouse tweaking.  Here I make decisions, see them come to fruition, and then sit back and sigh contentedly. 

As we slowly start to embark on round two: tackling the permanent, less-gentle-on-the-wallet updates, I'm really thinking about what it is that has made me so satisfied with the lakehouse, so I can be sure to capture that feeling again.  Surely, the location helps - the lake is so calming that most days I feel totally blissed-out when I'm at home.  But there's more to it than that.

I joke that it's because everything is aqua, but there's some truth to how integral the colour palette has been to my enjoyment of the lakehouse.  A cool, watery palette inspired by our lakeside locale has long been my goal and although I've been encouraged to add pops of red, I've held steadfast to my vision.  Even though my palette isn't super regimented - I allow a little yellow, pink and orange along with my more heavily emphasized greens, turquoises, blues and greys - I'm finding myself drawn to rooms with a restricted colour palette, even monochromatic spaces: 
 

Lonny

Better Homes and Gardens

The Interior Collective

Better Homes and Gardens

Photo Via

Better Homes and Gardens

House of Turquoise

Emily Henderson

Striking, aren't they?  There is something soothing about so many of these spaces - even when they feature a bold, saturated colour.

I'm still deconstructing what else I love (bolder textiles, the addition of walnut-stained wood, statement-making draperies...) about the lakehouse.  Ultimately I'm learning to follow my instincts, even when they tell me to do wacky things and paint all the things aqua.  What do you love most about your home?

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How to Spray Paint Plastic Lawn Chairs

The previous homeowners left us a pair of plastic lawn chairs but I didn't love the beige, so I decided to try spray painting plastic!  It turns out that it's easy to spray paint plastic and painting my beige plastic lawn chairs immediately made them look crisp and new.

Here's a peek at our "new" aqua lawn chairs!

And here's what they looked like before:

Painting plastic is nearly identical to painting other surfaces.  Although many Rust-Oleum paint products can be applied without a primer - or include a built-in primer - it was recommended that these chairs be primed first.  I cheated and used a Rustoleum paint + primer combo in flat white as my first coat, because that's what I had on hand.  Other than that, the steps for painting plastic were simple!

How to Paint Plastic Chairs:

• Scrub the chairs with Mr. Clean.  I used Q-tips to really get into the corners (there was a lot of gunk on these).
• Rinse with a garden hose to thoroughly remove soap and let dry.
• Using multiple, thin coats apply the primer.
• With one hour (or after 24) apply multiple, thin coats of paint (I chose Painter's Touch in Satin Aqua).

Tips and Tricks for Painting Plastic Chairs:

I didn't flip the chairs over to paint the undersides, because they will never be seen.  Instead, I painted what could be seen underneath the seat with a few blasts of spray paint.  These new-fangled spray cans that can spray in any direction are excellent for speeding up a project because instead of flipping a piece of furniture back and forth (and wasting paint on the bottom), I just crouched down and sprayed upwards to cover what's visible of the underneath area.  So easy!!  I did make sure, however, to spray the backs, under the arms and the insides of the legs thoroughly.  It's definitely an aerobic activity making sure that the surface is evenly covered from all angles. 

Although this paint dried quickly - it was dry to the touch in an hour - it takes a bit longer for paint to fully cure on plastic (about a week), so I made sure to set these chairs aside to ensure they could cure in peace. 

Unlike metals and woods, there's always a chance that not all plastics will accept paint well, but these turned out perfectly.

It took one can of primer and three cans of paint.  The only reason I required so much paint was all of the nooks and crannies at the back of my chair!  Plus it was a kind of windy day.  Every day on the lake is a windy day, so sometimes I don't even notice.  A simpler chair and calmer weather would require far less, I'm sure. Time-wise, it took less than an hour (including scrubbing, but not including dry time).

The former owners left all kinds of goodies behind.  Did you catch Szuka and Handy Hubby in the paddle boat we unearthed last week?  I shared an adorable photo on Instagram but I'll admit something just to you: the whole boat ride Szuka was pretty calm as we paddled back and forth close to shore.  She leaned against our backs, which was so cute.  I hopped out and Hubby paddled away so I could snap a photo.  She started to fuss and fuss and fuss and ... SPLOOSH - found herself in the water.  Seconds after she hit the water, she was already booking it to shore.  The girl can paddle.  I'm not even sure the top of her head got wet, thanks to her awesome doggy life jacket.  Once she made it to shore, she looked at me like, "we're both safe, but what about him? Who cares about him? Let's escape while we can" and she took off toward the house, looking back to make sure I was behind her. 

Special thanks to Rust-Oleum for providing the product for this makeover and many more upcoming projects!

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Deck Makeover, Part II - Staining Pressure-Treated Wood

Last week I showed you how I prepped the deck for staining and now...drumroll please...here's a look at the deck with its lovely new coat of Cape Cod Grey:

As a refresher, here is the deck pre-stain and post-scrub:

And a side-by-side comparison, for fun:

I originally had a genius idea for the stain: I wanted to find a really close match to our walnut-stained maple hardwood flooring so it would look like the house extended outside.  When I looked at stain samples, however, my bubble was burst because the closest matches just looked really drab (and really red). 

No problem, I had a plan B: a pale, driftwood grey.  Something about this fresh lake air has me wanting everything to look driftwood-y, have you noticed?  The plan for kitchen counters (but luckily the white worked better), and then the credenza top... I'm really feeling grey right now.  I also figured that grey stain would be forgiving and hide any irregularities in how the wood absorbed the stain, because there isn't too great a contrast between the unstained wood and the grey stain.  If a little natural wood peeked through...meh.



I decided that variations would only enhance the (artfully) weathered, driftwood look I wanted.  Genius, right?  A design scheme that lends itself well to colossal screw ups!  Unfortunately, I didn't account for the stain complementing the existing exterior because I had hoped we'd have time to paint the house almost-black this year.  I'm not loving the grey with the concrete faux stone, but it doesn't loo bad either.  Hopefully next spring a darker exterior will materialize and my plan will come together.

At that point I'll also garden a bit (what's a weed?) and then (more excitingly) style the deck a bit!  The thought of sewing outdoor pillows and accessorizing will keep me going through the winter.  We pushed our patio table to the side and use the built-in bench in lieu of some of the chairs because this way it's functional but doesn't block a view.  Positioned elsewhere it's all we saw.  Plus this way we have room for our patio loungers for weekend reading!

I chose CIL brand Exterior wood stain (in semi-transparent), from Canadian Tire, and was pleased with the application.  It took almost three gallons and three days to apply the stain, however, so I only got one coat on.   The maximum applications recommended is two coats.

There are some variations in the stain intensity, but that's 100% attributed to my application and the wood.  A second coat would even out the stain, but it would be more opaque.  I'm going to leave it, and possibly apply another coat next season.  We've had some rainfall recently, and the stain is causing water to bead up on the deck.  This means it's working well to protect the wood, so I'm beaming with pride.    

Once again, here's the before:

Applying the stain was straightforward: I just brushed it on with a large brush, keeping a wet edge and working in small sections.  The stain had a nice consistency: not too thick, not too drippy.  It was easy to clean up (just soap and water).  We used three brushes: a big thick wide one, a 2" angled brush, and one with a super short handle for tight spots.  This combo was ideal.

We also tried the Wagner Deck Mate stain applicator and it was terrible!!  No matter how much I fiddled with the settings, the stain either gushed out or barely flowed.  The pad made it streaky and uneven.  I was so disappointed, but it was a valuable life lesson: in DIY, as in life, there are no short cuts!

I did figure out some tips (most of them near the end), so hopefully next time I stain the deck it will go even more smoothly:

• The best time to stain a deck is spring or fall when the humidity is low and it's not scorchingly hot.  If it's too hot or humid, the stain might dry too quickly (or slowly), ruining the finish
• Having a small broom is handy to brush out debris from the cracks - even if the deck was recently cleaned and swept 
• Starting on the most tedious sections (while energy levels are high) makes this task easier
• To stain railings, having one person applying the stain to the front and another on the opposite side works well because each can catch the others' drips - this makes the railing process go a lot more smoothly
• Working away from the house seems like common sense but it's easy to loose sight of an exit strategy in the heat of the moment
• Working in long sections - the entire length of a few boards, not 1/3 of the length of 6+ boards at once would ensure a more even application (I learned this on the second last board)
• Buying a set of cushy knee pads isn't a waste of money
• Following the manufacturer's instructions to the letter is always a good idea!

I'm happy!  The deck looks fresher.  And hopefully the deck will last longer with this protective coat (which will protect against rot, mildew, cracking, and more).  One thing I hadn't thought about was how much the grey would brighten the house from inside.  It reflects more light inside (if that's possible), which makes me think a darker stain would have had the opposite effect, so I'm even happier my walnut-stain idea was dead in the water.

We still need to re-build the deck step and next year I'm going to paint the lattice black so it fades into the abyss that is the space beneath the deck.  Oh yeah, and garden...

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Canadian Tire.  With the help of my local Canadian Tire paint department, all products were chosen by me.  I was not encouraged to choose a certain brand or use certain products.  I was not asked to provide a review of any of the products used.  I was simply asked to stain my deck and show it off!  All opinions and editorial decisions are my own.  

P.S. I'm over at Cuckoo 4 Design, gabbing about Szuka for Julia's famed Living Pretty with Your Pets series!

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Hiding Lamp Cords inside Furniture

Lamp cords + furniture have long stumped me.  Many years ago I read an article that exposed decorating magazine tricks, like taping lamp cords to furniture for photos or photoshopping them out completed.  I felt cheated!  And deflated.  If the design experts and interior decorators of the world couldn't show us how to actually deal with unsightly cords, I figured it was impossible.  After we welded Hubby's desk, a genius reader asked if we could our fit lamp cords through the hollow square tube legs.  We couldn't, but that's when it dawned on me: if we were making/DIYing our own furniture, why weren't we creating secret spots for lamp cords?!?  If we had chosen wider tubing, the reader's suggestion would have been totally feasible.  It definitely got me thinking.  The dining room credenza was our first opportunity to create a cord solution.  As you already saw, we drilled holes through our DIY wood top and threaded the lamp cords down into the unit, and out of sight.

What you didn't see was the inside of the cabinet:

To manage the cords, which are threaded to the outlet behind the centre unit, Handy Hubby drilled a 1.25" hole (using a hole saw) between the Besta units.  Using a jigsaw, he then notched out the back of the two shelves in the centre unit to allow the cords to be routed down the back and to the outlet positioned conveniently behind the wall-mounted credenza.



Honestly, I stop and admire our floating credenza daily, because it just looks so polished.  Normally I nitpick and eventually find fault with our projects, but the credenza is still in my good books.  Recently we added furniture grommets to complete the look!  Furniture grommets are just little caps that slide into a hole and make it look tidy, similar to the function of fabric grommets.  The grommets we bought (from Lowe's) were so easy to install: we just pushed them into the hole.  Done.

When Hubby and I build a desk for the office, we're going to do something similar and cut holes for all of our cords and hide them somewhere inside.  Next time, though, I'm going to order the grommets before we make holes.  It seemed like 1.5" was a common size for grommets, so we made the holes that size.  When I went to actually order them, weeks after putting the top on the credenza, I realized that many of the available 1.5" grommets looked more appropriate for an office conference table.  The sleek, metal ones I wanted were all a different size.  (You know, for someone with a PhD, sometimes I really bomb in the areas of research and preparation).  I was thrilled when I finally tracked down these silver plastic ones at Lowe's.  They were $17.00 for the pair, which I thought was a bit steep for two plastic rings (and they're not even turquoise!), but they look great and don't feel cheap, so I think they were worth the price.  And the six hour drive to Minneapolis, MN to pick them up.

If you're going to add furniture grommets, find the ones you want before you drill the holes.  The styles and sizes really vary, but there is an abundance online.  This pair is cute and so is this one.

Do dangling lamp cords ever bother you?  Do you have any fabulous suggestions?  I'm on the hunt for more ideas!

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