annown: bathrooms

Showing posts with label bathrooms. Show all posts

green idea: diy wood counter and table top

Yesterday I showed you the lovely vacation home that my uncle and aunt renovated. They did all of the work themselves, and my uncle is quite the handyman. He hand-made the polished wood counter top for the bathroom instead of buying new.

He was kind enough to give me instructions on how he managed to get that rich, dark, ultra-smooth finish, and so I'm sharing his secret with all of you.

1. Top is made from 2' x 4' x 3/4" knotty pine plywood (you can purchase from hardware stores in 1/4 sheet size).

2. Edge is made from 1" x 2" x 4' pine.

3. Cut plywood to size and draw and cut out the hole for your sink.

4. Attach edging with water-based carpenter's glue and by countersinking a finish nail on each end. Make sure to wipe up any excess glue with a damp cloth right away. Use a non-shrinking and stain-able wood filler to fill in the holes - he likes LePage.

5. After drying for 24 hours, sand with 320 grit sandpaper.

6. Apply wood sealer as per manufacturer's instructions.

7. Apply 3 coats of stain (waiting 6 hours between each coat) in your choice of colour- he used Flecto Varathan Diamond Wood Stain in Dark Walnut. But here's the trick- DO NOT wipe off excess stain when applying the coats. It allows it to sink into the wood for a darker finish.

8.Once dry, apply 5 coats of latex polyurethane - he used Flecto Varathane Diamond Wood Finish in satin. Sand with 320 grit paper in between each coat until smooth to the touch. Make sure to use tack cloth to wipe the counter down after each sanding.

He also made this side table from scratch, with the same kind of smooth wood top, but painted instead of stained.

1. Made from 3 knotty pine 2" x 6" boards, cut to 24" lengths (an old butcher block would also work well).

2. Ideally, use biscuits to join the boards together; alternatively use wood glue and clamps and let dry for 24 hours.

3. Sand and prime.

4. Apply 3-5 coats of black satin paint, lightly sanding with 320-400 grit between each coat.

5. He never mentioned a protective coat on the top, so don't think he used one here, but you could use a latex polyurethane if you want, sanding after each coat.

Don't these look amazing? What a great way to be eco-friendly and not over-spend or over-consume. Sustainable design that is within reach for all of us!

PS- I have the full instructions on how to build the rest of the table if anyone is interested- just ask.

I'm linked up here. Check out some other great projects!

decorating according to home style - a home done right

In yesterday's post I wrote about my affinity for homes that in some way reflect the geographical area that they are in. Continuing with that thinking, I also believe that the interiors of homes should reflect the style of the outside of the home. It is always best to work with, not against, the architecture of your space. For example, if a house has modern architectural lines, decorating the inside with ornate and very traditional furnishings will make the home feel "off", no matter how well done. The flip side is tougher- many of us have older, traditional style homes but want to live in contemporary fashion. Updating to all the modern conveniences that we want can be done while still staying true to a home's architectural style - it just takes a little creativity. Use the architecture as a jumping off point, add in the modern and comfortable elements you want, and accent in a fashion suiting the house style.

A great example of this is the vacation home of my uncle and aunt in Eastern Canada.

They have a rustic log home, and though they live a modern and contemporary lifestyle, they renovated and decorated the interior in a way that stays true to a country log cabin aesthetic.

Red is an unexpected punch of colour and works well with the modern black appliances and the newly painted black hutch. The ceiling is clad with plank boards to keep the country-cozy feel, also accomplished by displaying antiques and collectibles on open shelving. Today's everyday kitchen things are out on display and easily accessible, but the old jars and baskets are mixed in with them to add charm.

Natural materials throughout are consistent with the logs used for the home's frame. Family items found in the house were brought out and used for decoration instead of buying new artwork or decorative items.

Trim around windows and floors needed replacing, and the new ones were square-cut and stained to keep the wood look. Even needed new furniture like this side table keeps the look of the rest of the home.

The bathroom counter was made by hand from wood. The rich dark colour is amazing and complements the modern nickel accents. Check back tomorrow to see how it was done!

Isn't this a fabulous reno? Do you agree that a home's decor should stay true to its roots?

Thanks Larry and Jill for giving us a glimpse into your wonderful home!

friday favourites!

I just love the rustic modern style and I'm so glad that it is making a big splashy return all over the world of design. Just look at this fantastic renovated Spanish farmhouse, posted by The Style Files. I am in love and booking my ticket to Spain...

bathroom refresh

Hi all. I wanted to show you another of my refresh projects while visiting my family and friends in East Coast Canada. This bathroom is in a '60's bungalow with the original hand-made cabinets (painted many times over) and built-in shelving unit. This had to be a low-cost makeover, so no new cabinetry or countertop. But some paint and a few key additions like wainscotting made a big difference.

Here's what we did:

-new tile floor

-added wainscotting (beadboard) panels and painted above

-painted the cabinetry and shelving white

-painted existing light fixture and towel hooks brown

-added a bamboo roman shade

-hung a new white waffle weave shower curtain

Keeping things white with natural accents really ups the wow factor. Low cost and high impact, don't you think?

Got any good tips for a budget friendly bathroom makeover?

Check out this and other great projects over at:

green idea: eco-friendly countertops

Countertops are an important element in a home, since they make a huge impact aesthetically and add value. They are also an easy way for homeowners to start incorporating eco-friendly elements into their space. There are more and more choices these days, and although most options cost more than the standard laminate, I recommend making the upgrade- it will pay off both for the environment and for your pocketbook due to the durability and impact.

Let's start with what is NOT eco-friendly: laminate and stone, the two most popular choices for countertops today. Laminates are made of plastic-coated synthetics, and most include urea formaldehyde. If you need to go with laminate because of the low price, look for ones without the formaldehyde.

Stone options are not good for the environment because they are not renewable, and they are a massively energy and water- intensive product to produce. Yes, use of stone countertops gains some LEED points for the indoor air quality, but they are still not a responsible option when thinking of the planet. Along that same thinking, while solid surface countertops such as Corian, Swanstone and Avonite could be considered slightly more friendly than stone, because they don't require sealants, they still don't have the same kind of low-impact manufacturing process as the choices below.

So what are good options?

1. Composite and recycled materials - fantastic countertops made from recycled paper or glass mixed with resins or concrete to form a hard surface. They come in many colour variations, have a long life span and are heat and scratch resistant. Products include:

PaperStone - an alternative to laminate in that it looks similar but better. Made of paper, but hard as stone.

Richlite- another paper-based alternative made from both FSC certified pulp and post-consumer paper waste products.

Ecotop - the next step from the PaperStone people. Made of 50% recycled wood & paper, and 50% bamboo. The resin that binds the wood, paper, and bamboo is 100% water based, and VOC and petroleum free.

Vetrazzo^® - a recycled glass surface comprised of 100% recycled glass. As their website says, "A high glass content ( 85% by volume), expansive color palette, and story in every surface make this material sparkle."

IceStone - manufactured with 100% recycled glass in a cement matrix. "It is the only durable surface in the world to receive the Cradle to Cradle™ Gold certification, which assesses products on a number of criteria, such as the use of safe and healthy materials, design for material reuse and recycling, efficient use of energy and water throughout production, and the instituting of strategies for social responsibility."

EnviroGLAS - 100% recycled glass and porcelain terrazzo.

Squak Mountain Stone - a fibrous-cement material made of recycled paper, glass and low-carbon cement. Resembles soapstone or limestone.

Environite - 90% composed of recycled glass, refractory and other commonly discarded post consumer and post industrial materials.

Fuez Glass - 100% curbside recycled glass, low-carbon cement, natural aggregate

3Form - transforms 100 percent post-consumer HDPE (high density polyethylene) into elegantly designed engineered panels

2. Recycled ceramic tile- recycled ceramics are biodegradable, inexpensive and durable.

3. Recycled stainless steel and aluminium - again, because it is a product that avoids going to the landfill, it gets the green thumbs up. Check out Alkemi, which make a countertop made of post-industrial scrap waste of the fine flakes left over from aluminium milling.

4. Bamboo - rapidly renewable, water resistant and naturally bacteria resistant. Teragren has a few different bamboo countertops to choose from that are durable and up to 154% harder than red oak.

5. Wood or butcher block - hardwoods such as maple or oak with FSC certification and use of low-VOC sealants and water-based finishes are a great choice and have a beautiful warm look.

6. Glass - Glass countertops can be as simple as a transparent sheet of glass or they can be designed into translucent sheets with smooth, etched, sandblasted, patterned or grooved finishing. Most glass countertops are made of recycled glass that includes mirrors and windows. Great for a modern look.

7. Concrete, but only if recycled - concrete manufacturing is one of the most energy and water-intensive practices around, but lately some companies are coming out with recycled concrete products, replacing 80-90% of the cement with recycled cement materials. Once such company is Concrete Elegance, which uses an interesting process and makes beautiful finished counters.

source

I hope this helps clarify some of the green options for countertops, and I hope you consider making the switch! I would love to hear your thoughts on sustainable countertops and if you think they are worth the investment.

a showhouse-inspired slow home

The real life Houston home featured in the latest issue of Traditional Home is based on ideas gleaned from show homes, but it also stands out as a great example of what I consider a slow home. Virginia Mary Brown carefully considered the design of her home to suit her family's needs, to preserve history, and to responsibly re-purpose materials salvaged from her grandmother's home that used to sit on the property.

For example, look at all of the light coming through the windows that were put on three sides of the house for maximum ventilation. The sofa is handed down from grandma and recovered in white cotton duck.

The wonderful brick pavers that run from inside to outside are from her grandmother's home. The downstairs is open concept in order to keep the family close together, but the big sliding barn doors can be closed to separate the family room from the kitchen when needed.

The reclaimed pine floors are warm and stand up to kid traffic.

The kitchen is deliberately placed so that everyone goes through it to go in and out of the house. It is therefore a gathering spot, and has a big table in the middle to accommodate all kinds of activity.

All of the bedrooms were placed upstairs, bucking the trend for a downstairs master.

The fantastic marble mosaic tiles in the bath were purchased at a hotel salvage sale.

This home was obviously well thought-out and its contents were found and purchased with deliberation and patience. Finding the right pieces can take time, but it is worth it in order to end up with a home that is highly functional and durable, will grow with your needs, and will last for generations. All that and high style as well! Not bad.

green idea: save old bathroom tile

So you're tackling a reno on a bathroom that looks like it belongs in a highway rest stop. In the '60's. Before you swing the sledgehammer, stop and really take a look at all of the individual elements in the room. Can anything be saved? Take a close look at the floor tiles. They may be a garish colour and look horrible with the pink tub, but picture them in a new and modern room. Will they actually work? The answer is often, surprisingly, yes. Retro tiles in unusual patterns and colours are making a comeback, and look great with contemporary fixtures and a neutral colour scheme in the rest of the room.

Take a look at this bathroom reno featured in Country Living. Simple and cost-efficient.