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Home Survival Skills: Dealing with a Flooded Basement

by Jessica Yonker August 28, 2012 14 Comments

With Tropical Storm Isaac set to hit the Gulf Coast this week, a lot of rain is on its way to the surrounding states. For me, the storm is reminiscent of two years ago, when my father called and said there was a “river” rushing through our backyard caused by 13 inches of rainfall over just two days, resulting in the most serious flooding Nashville had seen in 75 years.

Luckily, my family was safe and our home was spared – save for some flooding in our basement. Our house was built fairly recently, so unlike older homes that may not have proper or clogged drainage systems, our basement held up pretty well to all that water.

You can take action now to prevent basement flooding by clearing out gutters and drains and clearing snow and ice away from the house during winter months.

Waterproofing your basement is vital, especially right before winter months to prevent snow and sleet from building up and causing damage; waterproofing will also ward away growth of mold and mildew.

But when the storm has already passed and water has already taken over your basement, it’s best to take action as soon as possible. Follow these simple steps to drying out and sanitizing your basement or crawlspace:

-Start by opening vents and windows to let fresh air flow through. You’ll want to wear a face mask to protect yourself against mold, mildew and allergens.

-If you have carpets in your basement, you and your family will avoid health risks if you remove the carpet entirely. It’s highly unlikely you will ever be able to completely dry it out once it’s been saturated with water. Tile and concrete floors, on the other hand, are much easier to deal with. Use a mop to soak up as much of the water as possible, then use old towels or cloths to dry up smaller pools of water.

-Next you’ll need to sanitize the floor – water and bleach will work just fine, but use whatever cleaning solution you prefer. Set up fans to help continue to circulate air; investing in a dehumidifier will also ensure the space gets dry completely.

Once your basement is clean and dry, you will want to consider going back and looking at waterproofing solutions to prevent future flooding.

Our thoughts go out to all our friends, family, and readers affected by the storm. Everyone be careful and stay safe, sound and dry!

DIY Kitchen Backsplash: Before and After

by H. Camille Smith August 22, 2012 36 Comments

Let me start by saying that I have the best daddy in the world. Yes, I said “daddy.” I’m a Southerner through-and-through and that’s what we call our fathers — especially the doting, do-anything-for-their-kids type. There’s no home-improvement project he can’t conquer and I’m proud to say that I inherited my can-do gene from him.

My 1950′s kitchen has seen quite a few upgrades in the five years I’ve owned my home but the backsplash has always seemed lacking. So this summer, I decided the time had finally come to install a tile backsplash. Because I like to go big, I chose marble subway tile — fragile, costly, moisture-sensitive Carrara marble. Probably not the best choice for my first tiling project, but that’s how I roll.

My parents made the drive from North Carolina so my Dad could teach me the ways of the force while I did my research and sourced all the materials we’d need so we could knock it out in a long weekend.

Before: Not bad but it could be better. The paint color is Valspar Jekyll Club Pulitzer Blue, if you’re wondering:

kitchen backsplash before

See The After Shots

Home Survival Skills: Repair a Hole in Drywall

by Jessica Yonker August 22, 2012 3 Comments

Sometimes accidents happen. Some, bigger than others:

Drywall Repair

Your first instinct will most likely be to panic, but don’t. Your walls are bound to get damaged eventually, so it’s crucial to know how to fix them when a problem arises. Even the gigantic hole pictured above is fixable with a trip to the hardware store and some patience.

There are a couple of methods for fixing drywall, and it all depends on the size of the hole. For smaller ones, a simple patch job will usually suffice. You can buy kits at your local hardware store, which include most of the items you’ll need to get the job done.

Larger holes or cracks will require some more materials and a little more care, but can still be repaired without having to call in a professional — freeing you from having to sit and stare at the hole for days until the pro comes to your rescue!

For how-to’s and more information on fixing common drywall problems, see:

Repair a Large Hole in Drywall

Video: How to Patch Drywall

Repair Cracked Plaster with Drywall or Washers

How to Repair a Drywall Ceiling

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Daily Delight: Paint-by-Numbers Wall Murals

by Grant Dudley August 18, 2012 14 Comments

Create whimsical hand-painted wall murals for your kids, or beautiful stylish ones for yourself (the kid ones are so darn cute!).

Kid Wall Mural

Images From Elephants on the Wall

A LOOK BACK: WALL MURALS ON DESIGN HAPPENS

Dorm Daze: Must Love Rugs

by Jessica Yonker August 15, 2012 9 Comments

If there is one thing I took away from living in dorms for the last four years it’s this: I hope you like tile, because you’re going to be seeing a lot of it.

Your typical dorm with typical dorm tile, courtesy of the Lovely Undergrad.

I groan now, but I’m actually kind of relieved I’ve never had to deal with dorm carpet that’s seen student after student over the course of several years. Yuck. I’ve always had carpets at home and unless I somehow manage to sneak them into the car, my mother usually makes me toss them at the end of the school year (Dorm hack: at the end of the school year the dorms become a burial ground for abandoned items; I once watched someone walk off with a 50-inch television), so collecting rugs turned into an accidental hobby of mine. You can put a rug anywhere — you can put a rug on a rug, if you want.
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Daily Delight: Moth Wallpaper

by Marianne Canada August 5, 2012 5 Comments

The website might be in Norwegian, but I think this gorgeous moth wallpaper from Fargerike transcends language, don’t you?

Moth Wallpaper

Real moths in my house? Freak me out. But delicate, colorful moths on my walls? Yes, please.

Daily Delight: Shadow Puppet Wallpaper

by Marianne Canada July 25, 2012 10 Comments

Even though my walls are all a stark white, I’ll admit that I love to pore over new wallpaper designs. And while Paper Boy may call their “Hand Made” design children’s wallpaper, I think it would make a statement in a powder room or even an office.

paper boy shadow puppet wallpaper

Don’t you want to try and recreate all of the shapes yourself?

HGTV HOME by Sherwin-Williams: Infuse Your Home With Pattern + Color

by Kayla Kitts July 16, 2012 13 Comments

As of last year, HGTV and Sherwin-Williams have teamed up to bring you HGTV HOME by Sherwin-Williams. This line is chock-full of beautiful and inspirational color collections that make painting easy. Each collection offers a variety of hues, patterns and decals that work together, no matter which set of colors within the collection you end up choosing. They have literally taken all the guesswork out of the color matching process for you, making your next home decorating project virtually stress-free.

I’m excited to announce the newest HGTV HOME by Sherwin-Williams products: wallpaper and exterior paint. By choosing one of the eight color collections, you can then narrow down an exterior paint color, interior colors and even wallpaper patterns to create a room-to-room color flow. Now that’s beautiful. And with color palette names like Neutral Nuance and Livable Luxe, how can you resist? Plus, if you’re torn between several palettes (like I was), there’s a quiz to help narrow things down and choose the collection that suits you best. Take the Quiz and Find Your Color Style >>

My quiz results are revealed at the bottom, but in the meantime, I couldn’t help but share a few of my favorite wallpaper patterns from some of the color collections. Go ahead and take a look!

hgtv home sherwin-williams wallpaper coastal cool Coastal Cool: Peaceful | Inviting | Fresh

As you can imagine, this collection draws inspiration from the sea, tying in aqueous hues of blue and green in various tones. I’m most drawn to this pattern, not because of its coastal influence, but because of its vintage and retro-inspired look.

hgtv home sherwin-williams wallpaper color pizazz Color Pizazz: Creative | Dramatic | Eclectic

With energy, optimism and eclectic flair, Color Pizazz pulls in vibrant, upbeat colors. I could see this luscious pattern in my living room, where bold, bright colors are a must for me.

Check Out More of the Mini Collections

Quick and Easy Bathroom Tile Refresh

by H. Camille Smith July 4, 2012 37 Comments

If you’re like me and this summer’s (crazy!) record-breaking high temps have you looking for a weekend project that won’t cause you to break a sweat, then I have just the project for you: reviving your bathroom’s stained grout. Don’t worry, this is WAY easier than it sounds, costs less than $20 and no grinder or chisel is needed.

bathroom tile before

My sad bathroom floor before. This is the original 1950′s tile and, although you can’t tell, is a beautiful Robin’s egg blue.

HGTV How-To: Stain a Wooden Deck in 6 Steps

by Kayla Kitts June 5, 2012 10 Comments

With summer almost officially here, it’s time to get your outdoor space in tip-top shape. Whether you plan on hosting summer shindigs every weekend or casually spending time on your deck with friends and family, you can ensure your outdoor space is looking its best for the season. In just six simple steps you can enrich your wooden deck — old or new — by staining it with a warm finish that will keep it beautiful for years to come.

So, pick a nice, sunny day with no rain in sight and get started! You can have your deck stained and looking like new just in time for Fourth of July festivities (or maybe even Father’s Day, if you plan on working this weekend). Take a look at the step-by-step instructions below.

How to Stain a Wooden Deck

how to stain a wooden deck Transform the appearance of your deck for summer in just six simple steps.

how to stain a wooden deck before and after Before :: After

Check out that before and after — what a difference! You won’t believe how simple this project is. First, make sure your deck is completely clear of all dust and debris. If you’re staining an older deck, you’ll need to pressure-wash the entire surface. If you’re working with a newer deck, however, you just need to sweep with a broom. After cleaning, use painters’ tape to protect your exterior walls from stain.

how to stain a wooden deck 1. Gather supplies on your work surface. 2. Apply solid coat of stain to entire surface of deck.

Next, gather your supplies. Here’s what you’ll need: a gallon of high-quality deck stain, broom, drop cloth, paint pad, paint pole, paint-pad tray, 3-inch paintbrush, painters’ tape, paint stirrer and a pressure washer (only if you have an old deck).

Lay down your drop cloth in the corner of the deck to be stained last and pour your stain into the paint-pad tray. Attach the pole to the paint pad, dip it into the stain and apply a solid, even coat of stain to the entire deck surface. Once the top is complete, apply stain to the sides with a paint pad. If you can’t cover the creases with the paint pad, use a paintbrush for ultimate coverage. Allow 24 hours for stain to dry completely before moving furniture back onto deck. Get the Full Step-by-Step Instructions >>

What outdoor projects are on your to-do list this summer? We’d love to know! Share them with us in the comments below.