Eric Masterson – Better Living Home Improvement http://betterlivinghomeimprovement.com Home Improvement Tips & News Mon, 01 Jul 2024 01:29:04 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5 http://betterlivinghomeimprovement.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/cropped-better-living-home-improvement-32x32.png Eric Masterson – Better Living Home Improvement http://betterlivinghomeimprovement.com 32 32 Studio Desk Makeover – Part 3 – Adding Trim, Furniture Feet, and Other Details http://betterlivinghomeimprovement.com/studio-desk-makeover-part-3-adding-trim-furniture-feet-and-other-details/ Thu, 27 Jun 2024 21:39:54 +0000 http://betterlivinghomeimprovement.com/?p=9666

This desk makeover for my studio has been the epitome of “make it up as you go along.” When I started the makeover, I had a general idea of what I wanted the desk to look like when it was finished, but I had none of the details worked out. I knew I wanted to add some decorative panels to the sides, and I knew I wanted to add some drawers. Beyond that, the details have just evolved as I’ve progressed on this project.

The whole “make it up as you go along” doesn’t always work out, as I shared in my last post about this desk. But last night, I finally got the build for the base finished. Now I just need to do some sanding, caulking, priming, and painting, and the base will be finished. So let me show you what I’ve done to get to this point.

First, let me back up and remind you of the mistakes that I made on my first attempt to add panels to the existing desk. Not only did I install the side decorative vine panels upside down. (To my eye, the vines needed to “grow” up and not down.) But I also made the mistake of thinking I could just add boards to the inside of the upper area to hide the drawers that I’ll be adding.

So what I ended up with was this — an upside down vine and an upper area that looked like it wanted to be an inset panel but failed because the board was set way too far back. And it looked awkward having the upper panel and the lower decorative panel set at different points on the 2″ x 2″ boards that formed the frame of the desk.

To correct my mistakes, I needed to start by removing the decorative panel. I used my Dremel Multi-Max to cut along the edges through the nails that were holding the panel in. That left some gouges in the frame pieces, so I had to fill those with wood filler and sand to smooth out the damage.

And then after cutting the piece for the upper panel on my table saw so that it would fit inside the frame pieces, I used a piece of 1/4-inch board as a spacer to attach it. This is one of those specialty boards that you can find at Home Depot or a craft store.

So I used this as a spacer while installing all of the panels to make sure they were all set into the desk frame at the same point.

Here’s what the top panel looked like set inside the frame as opposed to attaching behind the frame.

It looked so much better this way! I attached it using 16-gauge nails shot through the frame pieces above and below the panel, and into the edges of the panel. (The desktop isn’t currently attached, so I just moved it over to access the top frame piece so I could nail through it and into the top edge of the panel.)

And then I used the same spacer to re-install the decorative panel.

That looked so much better! Everything looked planned and intentional this time. Before, it looked haphazard and like an afterthought.

In the pictures below, you can really see the difference that it made to bring those upper panels forward inside the desk frame. Here’s what it looked like before with the boards attached to the back of the desk frame. Like this, the boards were set back 1.5 inches…

And here’s what it looks like after cutting the boards to fit inside the desk frame, and moving those boards forward inside the frame so that they’re set back only 1/4 inch…

After getting all of the panels in place, I started adding trim. This is where I really started making stuff up as I went along. 😀 I used some cabinet trim from Home Depot (the kind that is sold by the 8-foot piece and not by the linear foot) and decided to attach it to all of the horizontal desk frame pieces. I liked the trim, the panels, and the leaf design. What I didn’t like was how those square legs looked from the bottom trim to the floor.

It looked like I had taken a Parson’s table and added trim to it to make it look traditional in style. It looked very odd to my eye. So I headed to Home Depot and bought some furniture legs. The length of the leg from the bottom of the trim below the decorative panel to the floor was six inches. The only six-inch furniture legs that were narrow enough to use on my desk and that I could find locally were these…

I wasn’t thrilled about it. I had vowed never to use these legs again on any project because they’re so ubiquitous on DIY furniture projects simply because they’re so readily available at both Home Depot and Lowe’s. But I either had to use these or wait several days for an online order to show up, and I just wasn’t willing to wait. So that left me with one choice. I had to use these.

So I flipped the desk over on its back…

And then I used a handsaw to cut off the leg below the trim…

And I was left with this…

Home Depot didn’t have the metal inserts that fit the screw on these legs, and the plates they sell to easily attach these legs to furniture were way too big to fit this area of my desk. So I just drilled a hole in the desk leg that was a size smaller than the screw top on the furniture leg, coated the top of the furniture leg with wood glue, and then screwed it in. Then I reinforced it with some nails shot at an angle through the top edge of the legs and angled into the bottom of the desk leg. Once the glue dried, the new legs were very secure.

After flipping the desk over and repeating that on the back leg, this is what it looked like.

Even though these aren’t my favorite furniture feet, I thought this looked so much better than having those plain, square legs going all the way to the floor.

After repeating that process on the legs on the other side of the desk, the basic build for the desk base was finished.

I did get all of the wood filling done last night before I went to bed (nail holes, mitered trim corners, etc.), so I’m hoping that I can get this base finished today.

I’ll need to sand all of the wood filler, and then prime the whole thing and give it a quick sanding again before painting. I’ll also need to do some caulking to fix some of the areas around the decorative panels where my Dremel Multi-Max left some pretty rough cuts. But I’m really hoping that I can have this finished today and get started on the desktop. I won’t be able to attach the drawers until the desktop is finished and in place.

But it’s coming along! I was having my doubts about halfway through this. In fact, I starting thinking I should just get online and buy a new desk. The only reason I decided to push through is because I have already purchased the walnut veneer for the top, and I didn’t want that to go to waste. So I pressed on. And I’m so glad I did! I think once it’s finished, this desk is going to be really pretty, and another one-of-a-kind for my studio.

 

 

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]]> 9 Easy Low-Light Indoor Plants http://betterlivinghomeimprovement.com/9-easy-low-light-indoor-plants/ Fri, 21 Jun 2024 16:36:14 +0000 http://betterlivinghomeimprovement.com/?p=9661

I used to think every houseplant needed a sunny corner or bright windowsill to thrive. But it turns out many of our favorite go-to houseplants do just fine in shady corners and low-light locations. So before you write off your house as too dark to sustain plant life, check out this list of the best indoor plants for low light. You might be surprised at how many good options there are!


Houseplants In Living Area Without Much Sunlight Pothos Snake PlantHouseplants In Living Area Without Much Sunlight Pothos Snake Plant



Our upstairs family room is the brightest room we’ve ever owned thanks to big unobstructed windows on all 4 sides. But most of our indoor plants live downstairs, where we get far less natural light. Luckily, that hasn’t stopped us from growing our collection of happy healthy houseplants.

9 Houseplants That Don’t Need A Lot Of Light

Here are our favorite low-light indoor plants. We list a lot more info on them below, but here’s a quick list to bring on your next trip to the plant store:

  1. Snake Plant
  2. ZZ Plant
  3. Pothos
  4. Heartleaf Philodendron
  5. English Ivy
  6. Aglaonema
  7. Cast Iron Plant
  8. Monstera
  9. Parlor Palm

Perhaps our favorite part of this list is that these aren’t ugly “consolation plants” that people begrudgingly buy for dark homes. Most of these are plants we’d buy anyway because they’re beautiful, lush, and colorful additions to any room. The fact that they’re easy low-light options too is icing on the plant cake.

What Does “Low Light” Mean For Plants?

Let’s be clear: low light doesn’t mean no light. All plants need light to survive. This means windowless spaces like basements, bathrooms, or closets will need artificial lights to keep plants alive (full spectrum grow lights are best). But if you don’t want to mess with any of that, think of “low light” spaces as spots where your plant can see a window, but not the sky. This is a general way of thinking of spaces that receive indirect light, which is the type of light many houseplants love most!


Houseplants On Surfaces In Low Light Sitting Area Pothos Monstera ZZ PlantHouseplants On Surfaces In Low Light Sitting Area Pothos Monstera ZZ Plant



Low light can also mean rooms that only receive limited or shaded sunlight. These tend to be North-facing rooms, areas with few or small windows, and spaces where trees, porches, or window coverings block most of the sunlight. The room shown above checks almost all of those boxes.

And before you get down on your house for not being “sunny enough,” remember that most indoor plants don’t like direct sunlight anyway. Houseplants that sit in the sun tend to get burnt, brown, or crispy leaves. So your shadier spots away from windows may actually be more perfect for plant life than you realize!


Wood Butcher Block Nightstand Next To Bed With Penny The Chorkie Sleeping On Pink PIllowWood Butcher Block Nightstand Next To Bed With Penny The Chorkie Sleeping On Pink PIllow



In fact, low light conditions often emulate these plants’ natural environment. You may notice that many popular houseplants are tropical varieties. That’s because tropicals do well in the consistent, warm temperatures inside our homes. But in nature, these plants grow on the forest floor, where they’ve adapted to living in the shade of a dense tree canopy.

Thriving or Surviving?

Lots of round-ups like this will proclaim these plants “thrive” in low light. That might be a bit of an oversell. Most plants truly thrive – meaning grow faster, fuller, and brighter (maybe even bloom!) – the more light they receive. So if your goal is to cultivate some big, award-winning plant: by all means, get that baby more sunlight. Just keep it indirect or diffused.


Monstera And Pothos In Low Light HallwayMonstera And Pothos In Low Light Hallway



But for most of us, simply keeping a plant alive and generally happy-looking is the goal. We don’t want it to die. We don’t want our money to be wasted. We don’t want some scraggly, brown plant on the verge of death shaming us from across the room. But we also don’t need it to double in size and look brighter in color than every other plant in the world. That’s where these plants come in. They may not grow super speedily in low light, but they live, are low maintenance, and appear to be generally happy with that low-light life. I mean, that feels good enough to me.

Our Favorite Low-Light Indoor Plants

This list is built from personal experience, expert input, and crowd-sourced advice (we love a good Reddit thread on plants). We also narrowed it down to plants that we think look nice indoors. Because – no offense – but some popular low-light plants aren’t our favorites. I’m looking at you Peace-Lily (who dramatically deflates and looks downright dead every time it’s thirsty). So here are the ones we love and would put (and have put!) in our own home:

Snake Plant


Snake Plant Leaves In White PotSnake Plant Leaves In White Pot



Snake plants (Dracaena trifasciata) are one of the most popular low-light plants. They will grow faster in medium light but still look tall, striking, and colorful in dimmer spaces. Snake plants are especially great for bedrooms because they convert large amounts of CO2 – even overnight. Other members of the Dracaena plant group- like the corn plant (Dracaena fragrans), dragon tree (Dracaena marginata) and lucky bamboo (Dracaena braunii) – are also good options for low-light spaces.

ZZ Plant


ZZ Plant In White Pot Next to Front DoorZZ Plant In White Pot Next to Front Door



Ourl ZZ Plants (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) have been some of our fastest growers, no matter where we put them. Also sometimes called Zanzibar Gem, the ZZ Plant is very drought tolerant because they store water in rhizomes in the soil. Pictured above is one that sits near our north-facing front door, so it gets no direct sunlight. It previously lived happily in a dark corner of our hallway too. These are SO EASY.

Pothos


Neon Pothos Houseplant Vine Trailing Off Floating ShelfNeon Pothos Houseplant Vine Trailing Off Floating Shelf



Pothos are our very favorite, low-maintenance houseplants and they do well in a variety of conditions. The neon pothos pictured above lives in a high, shady corner of our bedroom and has grown a lovely trailing vine, even with minimal light. Pothos are hard to kill (they’ve earned the nickname “devil’s ivy”) and add a great tropical vibe to any spot, no matter the lighting condition.

Heartleaf Philodendron


Close Up of Heartleaf Philodendron LeavesClose Up of Heartleaf Philodendron Leaves



Heartleaf Philodendrons (Philodendron hederaceum) are extremely similar to pothos, and are often confused with one another. They are both vining tropical plants with spade-like leaves (although the philodendron’s leaves tend to be – you guessed it – even more heart-shaped). We don’t currently own any of these, but they’re a great alternative to a pothos plant, and they also do great in low light.

English Ivy


Close Up of English ivy leafClose Up of English ivy leaf



English Ivy (Hedera helix) is another vining indoor plant that isn’t picky about its lighting. Like the pothos or heartleaf philodendron, you can train it to climb or let it drape off the side of a cabinet or shelf. We prefer the tropical look of a pothos, but if you want a more traditional vibe, English Ivy is a great option.

Aglaonema


Aglaonema Varieties Pink On Shelf With Disco MushroomAglaonema Varieties Pink On Shelf With Disco Mushroom



Sometimes called a Chinese Evergreen, plants in the genus Aglaonema are shockingly low-light tolerant considering how lush and tropical they look. We have two varieties on top of our daughter’s closet – one of the darkest spots in our house – and they love it up there. Aglaonema are also great because they only need watering every other week or so, making them good options for out-of-reach spots.

Cast Iron Plant

Cast Iron Plants (Aspidistra elatior) are another tropical species that has grown a reputation for being nearly indestructible, hence its nickname. They grow large tropical leaves (similar to Aglaonema) and also use rhizomes to store water for periods of drought (similar to ZZ Plants). They like lots of indirect sunlight, but do just fine in low-light spots too.

Monstera


Monstera deliciosa houseplant next to gray couchMonstera deliciosa houseplant next to gray couch



Often called a Swiss Cheese Plant, the Monstera deliciosa is another tropical beauty we’ve kept in not-so-bright locations in our home. More light will earn you larger, more dramatic leaves. This is why most monstera owners recommend bright locations. But we included it on this list because having a dark space shouldn’t stop you from bringing a monstera home. We have one that does just fine in a low-light hallway.

Parlor Palm

Parlor palms (Chamaedorea elegans) are a bushy, delicate-leaved palm that grows in lush clumps. They’re a great way to make an indoor location feel sunnier & more tropical. They’ll grow bigger in brighter spots, but will stay just as happy in a dim corner.

Other Low-Light Plants


Hanging Snake Plants At StoreHanging Snake Plants At Store



If none of our favorite 9 low-light plants above feel like the right move for you, here are some additional varieties you can look into. We haven’t owned as many of these, and some aren’t our preference visually, but we wanted to toss more options out there for you. Some may also take a bit more care.

  • Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
  • Dragon tree (Dracaena marginata)
  • Lucky bamboo (Dracaena braunii)
  • Peace lily (Spathiphyllum)
  • Staghorn fern (Platycerium bifurcatum)
  • Maidenhair fern (Adiantum pedatum)
  • Dumb cane (Dieffenbachia)
  • Wax plant (Hoya carnosa)

Signs Your Plant Needs More Light

If you are worried your plant isn’t getting enough light, here are some things to look out for. But also keep in mind that plants die for a variety of reasons. In fact, overwatering (not underwatering) is a frequent culprit. It can cause yellowing leaves and rotted roots. This is especially true of plants in lower light because they may not need as much water as plants in sunny locations, since soil dries out faster there. Make sure your pot has a good drainage hole and your plant isn’t sitting in water.

Leaning

Plants will seek light by growing towards the closest source. This could cause your plant to lean or look lopsided. THE FIX: Rotate your plant a little bit every time you water it. Or move it to a spot with multiple light sources.

Leggy Growth

“Leggy” refers to long, sparse stems or vines with lots of space between leaves. It can be a sign that your plant is straining to get taller to find more light, but can’t sustain lush leaf growth as it does. THE FIX: Leggy growth may continue if you don’t move your plant to more light or add a grow light. But you can also prune back leggy stems to make it look its best. Use clean, sharp shears to clip a stem above a leaf node, trying not to take more than 1/3rd of the stem at a time. Propogate in water to develop new roots, and replant in the same pot to make it look fuller.

Leaf Appearance

If your plant has changed leaf color or size since purchasing – maybe they’ve become less glossy, green, or variegated – this may be a sign that your plant is conserving energy. Or if new growth is minimal or smaller than previous leaves. THE FIX: If you can’t move your plant to a brighter spot permanently, consider a grow light or a temporary move to a brighter location to let it soak in more light for a few weeks, especially during the spring & summer.

More Plant Guides


Collage of House Plant Care GuidesCollage of House Plant Care Guides



If you’re looking for more information on some of our favorite plants, check out some of these posts below:

*This post contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.

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]]> A Few Updates – Pendant Light Progress, Desk Accent Decision, and New Desk Chair Fabric Swatches http://betterlivinghomeimprovement.com/a-few-updates-pendant-light-progress-desk-accent-decision-and-new-desk-chair-fabric-swatches/ Sun, 09 Jun 2024 19:34:55 +0000 http://betterlivinghomeimprovement.com/?p=9658

I’m still working on the pendant light to go over my desk in the studio. Every. Single. Day. But I am making progress, and I’m starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I really do think I can finish all of the components this weekend, but I’m not quite as confident that I can actually get it all assembled and finished by Monday. But I can assure you that I’ll try my hardest!

So far, I have the first (and biggest) ring finished and ready for the next ring to be assembled.

And I have seven more rings finished and ready to be assembled.

I have two colors that are completely painted and gilded. I still need to drill holes and attach them to rings.

And then I have four colors that are painted on the fronts, but still need gilding on the backs and fronts. Then I need to drill holes and attach them to rings.

And then I have one color that is painted on fronts, gilded on backs, but still needs to be gilded on the fronts before I can drill holes and attach them to rings.

So there’s still quite a bit of work to be done, but I passed the halfway point a while back. I hope to have a finished pendant light in the next few days.

Now moving on to the desk. As several people suggested, I took a look to see what I could find locally for my desk makeover. I did find the Target panels and the Kirkland’s panel locally, but they just didn’t do anything for me. Then at Hobby Lobby, I found this panel that I really liked, but the middle part (i.e., the actual decorative part) was made of very thin wood. I don’t even think it was 1/4-inch thick, which means that it could break very easily.

But look what I found…and bought!

As soon as I saw these, I thought they might be perfect. They look very similar to the darker green leaves in the wallpaper mural.

I love that! It’s like these were made for my desk! Well, kind of. I absolutely love the design, and I think they’ll be perfect once they’re incorporated into the design and everything is painted the same color.

But, as you can see here, the cutout design is about an inch too short.

I’m not quite sure what I’m going to do about that, but I’ll figure out something. Because these are too perfect to pass up!

And finally, let’s talk about the desk chair fabric. My last round of samples didn’t really work out. I realized almost immediately that green wasn’t the right color for my desk chair. So while I was at lunch with my mom last week, we talked about some other possibilities. She suggested that I look for a solid fabric in the darkest color on my favorite striped fabric.

I loved that idea! Instead of looking for a contrasting color, I loved the idea of doing the chair in a color more similar to the cabinets, but in a darker shade. So I ordered every dark pinkish red velvet sample that I could find from KOVI. Obviously, one of them was an immediate “no”.

So that left me with these four as possibilities. They are all very similar, but they do have very subtle differences.

I liked all of them, but the one of the far left seemed a bit too true red to me. It seemed too harsh against the cabinets.

So then I was down to three, and I tried to determine which one looked best not only with the cabinets, but also with the darkest red color on the pendant light. My eye keeps going to the middle swatch.

I’ll show you a close up of each one. The far right swatch has some variation in color which almost makes the velvet look shimmery, but it’s not.

This is the one that my eye keeps getting drawn to. It has a bit of a texture to it that reminds me of a tiny, micro corduroy.

And then there’s the left swatch, which has more pink in it than the middle one.

So it’s down to these three. Whichever one I choose, I’m going to cover the whole chair in this fabric, and then add white piping and a white three-letter monogram to the middle of the front chair back (i.e., where my head rests). I’m pretty excited about this idea! But I just need to make a decision about the fabric. As of this moment, the middle one is the winner for me.

 

 

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]]> Best Air Purifying Plants | Young House Love http://betterlivinghomeimprovement.com/best-air-purifying-plants-young-house-love/ Mon, 03 Jun 2024 15:15:29 +0000 https://betterlivinghomeimprovement.com/?p=9655

We love any excuse to buy more plants, and you may have heard they can improve your home’s indoor air quality. But before you blow your paycheck in the name of a healthier home, let’s dive deeper into plants’ air purifying powers. We’ll share which plants we recommend and what benefits you can actually expect from them.


Ikea Shelf With Light Decor And PlantsIkea Shelf With Light Decor And Plants



We’ve heard for years about how plants act as natural air filters for your home. So let’s dive a little deeper, shall we?

7 Air Purifying Plants

If you just came here for a list, our favorite air purifying houseplants are bulleted below. The best part is these are all beautiful, low-maintenance plants. Many also appear on our best low-light indoor plants list too!

  1. Dracaena (including Corn Plant)
  2. Snake Plant
  3. Aglaonema
  4. English Ivy
  5. Pothos
  6. Bamboo Palm
  7. Spider Plant

There are certainly more that could be included here, but we narrowed it to the ones that are most often cited by experts AND the plants that we think look best too.

Do Plants Really Purify The Air?

They do! Plants not only convert carbon dioxide to oxygen, but they also remove harmful VOCs like benzene and formaldehyde from the air. This was most famously proven in a 1989 NASA study. It’s often cited as definitive evidence that plants are the secret to better air quality in your home. Unfortunately, the truth is a bit more complicated.


Shelves with Houseplants At Plant House In Mount Pleasant Charleston South CarolinaShelves with Houseplants At Plant House In Mount Pleasant Charleston South Carolina



NASA’s closed lab conditions aren’t a good indicator of what plants do in real homes. Houses aren’t sealed, air-tight boxes. Your indoor air is regularly exchanged thanks to activities like opening doors and running HVAC systems. These do a much better job of improving air quality than any plant ever could. In fact, recent studies have concluded that you’d need hundreds or even thousands (!!!) of plants in your home to achieve the air purification levels reported by NASA.

What Benefits Do Houseplants Have?

Luckily, plants are still beneficial additions to your home – even if they aren’t air-purifying workhorses. Beyond their pretty aesthetics, they have a variety of psychological health benefits!

Plants Improve Mood

Spending time near houseplants has been scientifically proven to boost positive emotions and quell negative feelings in as little as 20 minutes. When compared to rooms without plants, people report everything from increased happiness, greater life satisfaction, and a more positive outlook.


Sherry sitting with fiddle leaf fig in carSherry sitting with fiddle leaf fig in car



Plants Reduce Stress

One study demonstrated that caring for plants was able to reduce stress in participants, as compared to a computer task. Another study showed that exposing hospital patients to plants – even pictures of them! – reduced their stress. And adding plants to a windowless office not only lowered stress, but increased productivity among some test subjects!

Plants Improve Productivity & Concentration

Some also say these improvements in mood and lowered stress help us with productivity and concentration as well. A small study of elementary school students showed looking at plants increased their attentiveness and comfort in the classroom. Another study showed plants help stave off “attention fatigue” during demanding office tasks.

We could go on, but we think that this shows there are more than enough reasons to justify your next plant purchase.

How To Purify Indoor Air

If plants aren’t your ticket to better indoor air quality, what is? Here are some tips from experts at the EPA and American Lung Association.

Reduce pollutants coming in

The best thing we can do to improve air quality is not introduce pollutants in the first place. Eliminate or cut back activities like smoking and using natural gas stoves. Even burning candles or using fireplaces has been shown to decrease air quality. Pay attention to VOCs and off-gassing from products like paints, sprays, and even furniture and clothes. If a new product we buy ever has a noticeable “new” smell, we leave it outside in the sun to let it air out.

Open a window

Opening doors or windows for as little as 10 minutes a day is a great way to let fresh air inside, since outdoor air is typically cleaner than indoor air. This is a free method that is recommended by experts even in the winter.

Purchase an air purifier

Home air purifiers do the job you hoped plants would. They are workhorses for removing dust, pollen, VOCs, and more. We’ve sworn by this air purifier for years and have several in our home. You can read more about why we love it here.


Smaller Blueair 411 Air Puriifer In Front Of Colorful Wall MuralSmaller Blueair 411 Air Puriifer In Front Of Colorful Wall Mural



Keep a clean house

Dust and dander can aggravate allergies, so regularly vacuuming, dusting, and washing bedding are great ways to help clear your indoor air. Also be sure to clean wet areas that might grow mold or mildew.

Change your HVAC filter

It’s typically recommended that you change the filter on your heating and cooling system every 3 months. Put a reminder on your phone so you don’t forget. We always keep a spare filter on hand so we’ve got it ready! The second we pop the last one in, we order the next one.

Test for radon & carbon monoxide

Our first two homes had high levels of radon, a cancer-causing gas released from within the earth. We had to have mitigation systems installed in our crawl spaces. So whenever you move, use a cheap at-home test kit to see if your location has high levels. We also recommend having a carbon monoxide detector to alert you to leaks of this deadly gas.


Close up of Edgecomb Gray Bedroom With Mirror and PlantClose up of Edgecomb Gray Bedroom With Mirror and Plant



Shrink your plant collection

We know, you came here looking for new plants, not to be told to get rid of them. But remember that plants – when not properly maintained – can be counterproductive to your air-purifying goals. Wet soil and rotted roots can foster mold. Leaves collect dust. And, oh yeah, blooms may trigger allergies. So make sure your plant collection isn’t so large that you can’t care for them.

Plants For A Healthier Home

I feel like this post has been a buzzkill, so let’s get back to the fun stuff: PLANTS! Now that we understand houseplants are good for us (just not in the ways we thought) here are some of our faves. They’re easy to care for, many are low-light tolerant, and guess what? You can still tell everyone they’re purifying your air, because they are… just a little bit.

Dracaena


Corn Plant Varieties In Pots On Wood BenchCorn Plant Varieties In Pots On Wood Bench



Dracaena is the category of plant most often cited in that infamous NASA study. Three species were studied, including the popular corn plant (Dracaena fragrans ‘Massangeana’) as well as the dragon tree (Dracaena marginata), and two varieties of Dracaena deremensis (Janet Craig and Warneckii). We love them because they’re easy, affordable, and have vibrant green foliage.

Snake Plant


Snake Plant In White Pot On WheelsSnake Plant In White Pot On Wheels



Snake plants are another super popular, low-light tolerant plant that is technically a Dracaena also. NASA listed it by its old genus Sansevieria, but it’s now classified as Dracaena trifasciata. They’re special for their ability to convert CO2 overnight, making them better oxygen producers. But just like their air purifying effects, you likely won’t notice the difference, but people still like to put snake plants in their bedrooms for an overnight oxygen boost.

Aglaonema


Close Up Of Pink Aglaonema LeavesClose Up Of Pink Aglaonema Leaves



Aglaonema are some of our favorite low-light tolerant plants (NASA uses the common name Chinese Evergreen in their study). Their big tropical leaves come in a variety of bright colors, and they’re remarkably easy to care for. Again, their air-purifying skills might be dubious, but these sure are great mood boosters in our home!

English Ivy


Close Up of English ivy leafClose Up of English ivy leaf



As one of the few vining plants in the NASA study, English ivy (Hedera helix) was one of its best performers in the lab environment. It is also very easy to care for and tolerate low-light conditions.

Pothos


Neon Pothos Vine Trailing Off BookcaseNeon Pothos Vine Trailing Off Bookcase



The other vining plant in the study – and our very favorite houseplant – is the golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum). We have pothos varieties in nearly every room of our home because they’re tough to kill (they’re often called Devil’s Ivy) and look great draping off a shelf or climbing atop a bookcase. Above you can see a golden pothos next to one of our neon pothos plants.

Bamboo Palm

Bamboo palms (Chamaedorea seifritzii) are great indoor-friendly palms that can grow up to 8ft tall inside. They’re a bit larger than another low-light variety, called parlor palms. We have so many palms outdoors in our part of Florida that we don’t have any of these inside, but they’re a great way to inject a tropical vibe to any room.

Spider Plant


Hanging Snake Plants At StoreHanging Snake Plants At Store



Spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum) are small, grassy houseplants that are super popular because of their lush, variegated leaves. They’re very easy to care for and are a great alternative to a pothos if you want something for a shelf or tabletop that doesn’t vine.

More Plant Guides


Collage of House Plant Care GuidesCollage of House Plant Care Guides



If you’re looking for more information on some of our favorite plants, check out some of these posts below:

*This post contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.

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]]> DIY Gradient Wood Tasting Spoon Pendant Light – Part 2 – Mixing Paint For A Rainbow Gradient http://betterlivinghomeimprovement.com/diy-gradient-wood-tasting-spoon-pendant-light-part-2-mixing-paint-for-a-rainbow-gradient/ Tue, 28 May 2024 10:11:17 +0000 https://betterlivinghomeimprovement.com/?p=9652

It’s been a while since I’ve shared about the rainbow gradient pendant light that I’m making out of wood tasting spoons. This light will go over my desk in the office area of the studio, and I’m basically taking the idea I used for my favorite piece of artwork that I’ve ever made, and recreating it as a pendant light.

Here’s a look at my favorite piece of art that I’ve ever made. I made this out of over 800 tasting spoon bowls after cutting the handles off.

I shared Part 1 of this gradient pendant light project a while back. I built the frame for it out of 15 lampshade rings, beading wire, and screw-on crimp beads.

This light will take even more tasting spoon bowls than the artwork did, so I’ve been tackling those as I have time. I already have all of the handles cut off of all of the spoons that I’ll need, so I’ve been taking an hour here and there to sand the spoon bowls to prep them for primer and paint.

So that brings me to yesterday. We spent most of the day yesterday without electricity because of storms, so by the time our electricity came back on, I didn’t have much time to get a lot of work done. So I decided to play with paint!

I had purchased a few colors to use on my pendant light, and I needed to use those few paints to create a 15-color rainbow gradient for the pendant light. I purchased six colors, all Americana brand of craft paint: Tuscan Red, Royal Fuchsia, Cadmium Yellow, Hauser Light Green, Peacock Teal, and Purple Pizzazz. When I got them all lined up, I realized that I had forgotten orange, so I went into my stash of craft paint and grabbed a FolkArt Pumpkin to fill in that gap.

Since I need 15 colors for my pendant light, I lined up 15 little cups for paint.

And then I added the seven colors I had to every other cup.

And then I started on the fun part — mixing the paint to create the gradient from one color to the next. To do this, I mixed equal parts of each color in the empty cup between those colors. For example, in the second cup, I mixed equal parts of Tuscan Red and Royal Fuchsia.

I continued this process until I had all of the empty cups filled. For the two last empty cups, I basically circled back to the red. So the first one was the purple (which I lightened with white) with a tiny bit of red added. The last cup was the purple, a little white, and even more red added.

With all 15 cups filled, I was ready to test out the gradient. Here’s how it looked.

It was a good start, but there were some obvious problems. To my eye, that third color stood out like a sore thumb. I decided to eliminate the pure color altogether, but keep it for mixing in with the neighboring colors. The yellow looked too bright. The transition between the yellow-green and the green looked too drastic. Same with the transition between the turquoise and teal colors. And that last color looked completely out of place.

So I got to mixing again. I removed that third paint color, but mixed in a bit of it with the neighboring colors to smooth out that transition. I did more mixing to smooth out those other transitions with the yellows and greens. I added a touch of green and white to the yellow to tone it down. And then I removed that last bothersome color, and just mixed something completely new, leaving out the red altogether.

This second attempt was definitely better, but it still had some problems. The first red seemed too dark. The transition between the coral/pink color and the orange was too drastic. And the transition between the turquoise, teal, and purple wasn’t working for me. And finally, that last color didn’t seem much different from the one next to it.

So on my third attempt, I softened the first red with a bit of white and just a touch of that fuchsia that I removed front the lineup. To soften the transition between the coral/pink and the orange, I mixed a bit more orange into the coral/pink, and I mixed a bit of the pink into the orange. And then I I smoothed out the transition in those last colors by adding more teal to the purple, and adding some dark blue (from my stash) and red to the last color to make a darker eggplant color.

And I think the third attempt is it! I might tweak the colors just a bit more, but I think I have my colors worked out for the most part. Now I just have to finish getting all of those spoons sanded so that I can get them painted! This might end up being the most time-consuming art project I’ve ever made. I sure hope it will be worth it!

 

 

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]]> A Weekend In New Orleans With Kids http://betterlivinghomeimprovement.com/a-weekend-in-new-orleans-with-kids/ Wed, 22 May 2024 05:47:23 +0000 https://betterlivinghomeimprovement.com/?p=9649

Since our travel guides to Charleston with kids and Palm Springs with kids have elicited requests for more travel ideas with kids, we’re back with an overdue recap of our 3-night trip to New Orleans. We’d never been to The Big Easy before and were impressed by how family-friendly the city is. It’s not all booze, beads, and Bourbon Street! So here’s a look at where we stayed, what we did, and what we’re excited to do next time we go back – because we will definitely go back!


Greeting From Nola Mural With KidsGreeting From Nola Mural With Kids



The four of us (well, five if you count our chihuahua!) went to NOLA for 3 nights in November of 2022. At the time, our kids were 8 and 12 years old. So unfortunately we can’t vouch for our suggestions being a good fit for toddlers or younger children. Although I’m sure ours would’ve loved the Louisiana Children’s Museum and Storyland playground back in the day!

Why Vacation In New Orleans With Kids?

New Orleans is a one-of-a-kind city in the United States because of its diverse cultural influences, including French, Spanish, and African heritages. It’s known for its music, food, festivals, art, and even for ghost tours & the history of voodoo. It offers a wide variety of sights and activities for all ages, and its unique architecture and flavors sometimes make it feel like you’ve traveled to a whole new country!


Mom And Kids Walking In French Quarter New OrleansMom And Kids Walking In French Quarter New Orleans



We chose it for many of the reasons above, and now that we live in the Florida Panhandle, it’s only a short drive away. We heard so many good things about it from friends and neighbors that we quickly added it to our “must visit” list after moving here.

When To Visit New Orleans

Unsurprisingly, the most popular time to visit New Orleans is around their world-famous Mardi Gras celebration (typically in February or March), but since we were going with our kids and aiming for a more laid back experience, we chose a less busy time for our inaugural visit (November). Coming in the late fall is a great way to avoid the hot, muggy summer months. Plus we got to see some holiday decorations start to pop up around New Orleans! Lots of beautiful wreaths were hung on the historic old homes too.


Shopping on Magazine Street New Orleans During Christmas HolidayShopping on Magazine Street New Orleans During Christmas Holiday



The only downside to visiting in November was that it was a bit cold and rainy one day (which is why you’ll see heavy coats on in some of these pics). Luckily, by the end of our visit, we were wearing shorts again. Good thing we’re used to fickle weather here on the Gulf Coast! But next time we might time our visit for September or October when we’re more likely to get warmer weather.

Where We Stayed In New Orleans

Our family loves finding walkable cities to vacation in (that’s another reason we loved Charleston so much). So we chose to stay in this artsy Airbnb in Uptown New Orleans near the Garden District. It’s located right on Magazine Street, one of the main shopping districts in New Orleans. That meant we could access tons of restaurants, stores, and parks without getting in our car. Plus, it only a short drive or steetcar ride to the French Quarter. It was an awesome location!


Pelican Mural On Wall Of Airbnb In New OrleansPelican Mural On Wall Of Airbnb In New Orleans



The Airbnb itself was fun and colorful, with lots of cool murals and bold wallpaper. Our kids loved drawing on the big whiteboard in the hallway and we appreciated that it was also dog-friendly. We recommend bringing a sound machine because the front bedrooms face Magazine St and there is some street noise, but nothing crazy. The Airbnb is located on the second floor (the first floor is a shoe store) but we heard basically nothing from below.


Dog-friendly Airbnb In New Orleans Magazine Street With Large WhiteboardDog-friendly Airbnb In New Orleans Magazine Street With Large Whiteboard



Our favorite part of the Airbnb was definitely its location. Not only did we have easy access to Magazine Street, we also could easily peruse beautiful areas like the Garden District, St. Charles Avenue, and Audubon Park. The architecture in the Crescent City is just so unique, we could’ve spent all day just walking around looking at houses!


New Orleans Garden District Home Decorated For Christmas HolidayNew Orleans Garden District Home Decorated For Christmas Holiday



When we come back, we’ll stay in a similar area for sure – probably somewhere between St. Charles Ave and Magazine Street. The only reason we’ll probably pick a different Airbnb is because we always love trying new houses!

What We Did In New Orleans With Kids

We tend to be more go-with-the-flow travelers, rather than cram-in-all-the-sights tourists. A lot of our 3-day trip to New Orleans was spent winding our way to various meals & destinations, just taking in the sights along the way. But don’t worry, we hit up some must-see spots too. Here’s a quick overview of our favorite kid-friendly activities.

Walk & Window Shop On Magazine Street

Magazine Street is a six-mile walkable stretch of restaurants and shops, both local and chain. We spent one evening and the following morning leisurely exploring about half of it. From our Airbnb near Napolean Ave, we mostly walked East toward downtown. One of our kids’ favorite shops was Lionheart Prints, thanks largely to this mesmerizing wall of colorful pens and markers.


Colorful Pens At Lionheart Prints Magazine Street New OrleansColorful Pens At Lionheart Prints Magazine Street New Orleans



We also all had a great time exploring H. Rault Locksmiths. Sounds strange, I know, but this is a nearly 200-year-old locksmith that has fascinating collections of old locks and other architectural salvage.


Antique Doorknob Plates On Wall At H Rault Locksmiths New OrleansAntique Doorknob Plates On Wall At H Rault Locksmiths New Orleans



Our kids especially loved this bin of tiny novelty keys.


Bin of Novelty Keys At H Rault Locksmiths New OrleansBin of Novelty Keys At H Rault Locksmiths New Orleans



Some other favorite stops were Peaches Records & Tapes and our daughter really loved checking out Buffalo Exchange. It had a particularly good range of secondhand clothing when we ducked inside, and it ignited her love of thrift store shopping, which is still going strong two years later.

Explore The Garden District

I’m probably using the term “Garden District” a bit generally, but the neighborhoods between our Airbnb and St. Charles Avenue (which is part of the Mardi Gras parade route) were fun to walk around. In addition to the charming homes, there were random bookstores, cafes, and restaurants that we’d pop into along the way.


Colorful Painted Signs On Street Post In New Olreans Garden DistrcitColorful Painted Signs On Street Post In New Olreans Garden Distrcit



St. Charles Avenue reminded us a lot of the downtown area of our former town, Richmond, Virginia. There are beautiful, huge trees, stunning houses, and – oh yeah! – an iconic streetcar that goes down the middle of the road!


New Orleans Real World HouseNew Orleans Real World House



I actually went for a run one more along the streetcar tracks and it was one of my all-time favorite runs. The tracks aren’t electrified and the street cars are relatively slow & infrequent, so lots of people use the area (referred to as the “neutral ground”) for jogging or walking. Obviously, just stay aware of your surroundings and step off to the side whenever a streetcar is approaching.


Mom And Child Walking Near New Orleans Street CarMom And Child Walking Near New Orleans Street Car



Oh, and for any of my fellow MTV generation kids out there, you may recognize that big house a couple of photos up as the one from Real World: New Orleans.

Visit Audubon Park

New Orleans’ City Park is its largest and most popular public park, but our Airbnb was closer to the smaller Audubon Park. It’s still plenty big and is even home to the Audubon Zoo. We didn’t have time to visit the zoo, but there’s still plenty else to enjoy in the park. They’ve got playgrounds, fountains, tennis courts, a golf course, and a great paved walking & biking path. There are also picnic shelters and giant shady trees to grab lunch under.


Paved Bike Walking Path In Audubon Park New OrleansPaved Bike Walking Path In Audubon Park New Orleans



The southern end of Audubon Park borders the Mississippi River so there are also views of the water with nearby playgrounds and sports fields.

Ride A Streetcar

The St. Charles Avenue Streetcar line is the oldest continuously operated streetcar line in the world… and it’s just a short walk from Magazine Street. A ride is only $1.25 for adults and $0.50 for children, so our whole family rode it to the French Quarter and back for only $7! You can pay in cash, or download the Le Pass app. There are plenty of clearly marked stops along St. Charles Ave and the ride to the turnaround point at Canal Street took about 30 minutes.


New Orleans Streetcar Up CloseNew Orleans Streetcar Up Close



Riding the streetcar felt like a step back in time and a nice leisurely way to see more of the city. But it’s still an active public transit system so be mindful of the locals using it to get to work.

Experience The French Quarter

NOLA’s French Quarter is probably its best-known and most popular tourist destination. You could write a whole post just about things to do, see, and eat in the French Quarter. We spent an afternoon there after checking out of our Airbnb, and it was truly like visiting another country. Wish we could have spent more time there. We definitely will be back.


French Quarter New Orleans Live Music And ArchitectureFrench Quarter New Orleans Live Music And Architecture



Even in the daytime, there’s an exciting energy with artists, performers, and musicians on almost every corner. We parked in one of the paid public lots and spent a fun couple of hours popping into shops, exploring different streets, and listening to some great live music along the way. We stayed between the river and Royal Street (pictured here) because we heard Bourbon Street (one block further up) isn’t always as kid-friendly.


Band Playing On Street Corner In French Quarter New OrleansBand Playing On Street Corner In French Quarter New Orleans



The historic centerpiece of the French Quarter is Jackson Square. The fenced square isn’t dog-friendly (we had our pup with us since we had already checked out of our Airbnb) but we still got to enjoy the open-air artist market around the perimeter. Across the street is the iconic coffee and beignet shop called Cafe du Monde and the artisan booths of the French Market.


New Orleans Farmer Market With KidsNew Orleans Farmer Market With Kids



We were in the French Quarter the morning before Thanksgiving, so it was fairly busy with holiday vacations. For those unaccustomed to busy cities, it might be a bit overwhelming. So you might want to plan for a less busy day if you want to avoid crowds.

Check Out The Audubon Aquarium

When rain washed out our plans one afternoon, we happily checked out the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas downtown for a fun indoor activity. This was in 2022 before its recent renovation added the Audubon Insectarium and butterfly garden as well. But even then it had tons of fun features like touch tanks, virtual reality experiences, and more.


Kids At New Orleans Aquarium Shark TankKids At New Orleans Aquarium Shark Tank



As an adult, I also enjoyed visiting a local aquarium that taught me a bit more about the unique ecosystems of Louisiana and the Mississippi River. If you plan to visit the zoo and aquarium, be sure to buy your tickets at the same time – you’ll receive a discount!

Where We Ate In New Orleans

New Orleans has a famous culinary scene, and the food was great! We easily found some great restaurants that we all loved. This is definitely not a fancy-foodie list of the hottest “must-eat” restaurants in New Orleans – but if you’re traveling with young diners, these were some of our favorite places to grab a bite.

French Truck Coffee


French Coffee Truck Restaurant In New OrleansFrench Coffee Truck Restaurant In New Orleans



We walked to breakfast at French Truck Coffee one morning (the location on Dryades St) and had the yummiest breakfast on their patio. The kids had waffles and my only regret is that Sherry and I hadn’t started drinking coffee yet because it smelled delicious in there! We’ll be back.

Dat Dog


Sherry Holding Chihuahua In Front Of Dat Dog Mural New OrleansSherry Holding Chihuahua In Front Of Dat Dog Mural New Orleans



Another place I’m excited to go back to is Dat Dog, which is a funky hot dog spot with really cool outdoor dining. It was pretty low-key on the chilly November night we went, but we can imagine it being super lively and fun in better weather. I got their special Thanskgiving-themed hot dog and it DID NOT disappoint!


Special Thanksgiving Hot Dog From Dat Dog In New OrleansSpecial Thanksgiving Hot Dog From Dat Dog In New Orleans



There are multiple locations in New Orleans, but we went to the Freret Street location. Their pictures online give you a good idea of its vibe.

Cafe Beignet

You can’t come to New Orleans and not get beignets. Cafe du Monde is probably the most well-known spot to get these warm powdery pastries, but it had a really long line so we ended up grabbing some from Cafe Beignet, which has a convenient location on Canal Street near the end of the streetcar line.


Beignets On Cafe Table In New OrleansBeignets On Cafe Table In New Orleans



I’m no beignet connoisseur but my review would be five stars, no complaints. And it was really fun to ride a streetcar and hop off for some New Orleans beignets. Some other iconic New Orleans dishes include gumbo and red beans & rice, so we’ll have to get some when we return.

Sucré


Sucre Art Deco Cafe In New Orleans Magazine StreetSucre Art Deco Cafe In New Orleans Magazine Street



To keep our kids’ energized on our day walking Magazine Street, we popped into a beautiful sweet shop called Sucré (there are other locations in the city too). We shared some gelato and macarons for a nice sugar boost, while soaking up its Art Deco decor.

La Boulangerie


Pastries For Kids From La Boulangerie In New OrleansPastries For Kids From La Boulangerie In New Orleans



Another stop on Magazine Street was a French bakery cafe called La Boulangerie that’s known for its breads and pastries. It was pretty busy, but we were able to snag a table outside and treat ourselves to (more) yummy carbs.

Barracuda

My main regret from our trip was getting takeout from Barracuda Taco Stand (to eat at our Airbnb) instead of dining in person. The weather was a bit chilly so dragging everyone out to a “margarita garden” on a dark November night didn’t sound enticing. But when I went to pick up the food it looked like a fun place to hang out (and they had outdoor heaters!). The food was still delicious when we ate it at our Airbnb, but I wish we had gone to the restaurant. Next time!

Empanola

Empanola was a cute little empanada place on Magazine Street that offered us some quick fuel on our shopping day. There were a ton of flavors of empanadas to choose from, and they were warm and delicious.

Other Kid-Friendly Activities In New Orleans

We will definitely be going back to New Orleans! There’s so much we didn’t get a chance to do yet (and lots of stuff above that we want to do again!). So here are some of the things we might add to our itinerary next time:


New Orleans French Quarter Royal Mask CompanyNew Orleans French Quarter Royal Mask Company



Mardi Gras World

This self-guided tour grants you behind-the-scenes access to the artist studios where the extravagant Mardi Gras parade floats and decorations are made. It sounds like a great way to experience Mardi Gras without coming during that wild week of actual Mardi Gras.

City Park

The largest green space in New Orleans is City Park, located north of Downtown. It’s twice as large as New York’s Central Park and has everything from an Art Museum, Botanical Garden, and Sculpture Garden to attractions like mini golf and even a small amusement park.

National WWII Museum

The sprawling National World War II Museum may not seem like a place to take your kids, but the TripAdvisor reviews are stellar for people of all ages. Families say its fun, interactive, educational, and eye-opening. It sounds like another great rainy-day alternative to the Aquarium!

Riverboat Cruise

Several companies, like Steamboat Natchez, offer daytime and evening cruises along the Mississippi River complete with live jazz music and a meal. This seems like a fun way to see the city on a charming old paddlewheel boat.

Swamp Tour

Slightly outside the city are boat and kayak tours of the swamp where you can spot wildlife, including alligators. Cajun Encounters seems to be a popular option because their flat-bottom boats aren’t as loud as airboats. They also offer transport from the French Quarter.

Ghost Tour

This ghost tour company offers a family-friendly tour that promises a fun glimpse into New Orleans’ haunted side without being too spooky. It feels like a cool way to learn some history while keeping the kids entertained.

Things To Do In New Orleans With Kids: A Summary

If you’re someone who likes having a list of things to do, here is a quick bulleted summary of all of the sights, eats, and activities we discussed above.


Things to Do In New Orleans With Kids CollageThings to Do In New Orleans With Kids Collage



Other Kid-Friendly Trips We’ve Taken


Collage of Family Vacations In Tropical And Urban LocalesCollage of Family Vacations In Tropical And Urban Locales



If you’re interested in our take on other destinations or are in search of family-friendly trips, you might also enjoy these posts:



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]]> C.O.P. – I Have A Shoe Closet! (A Quick, Easy, and Very Satisfying Organization Project) http://betterlivinghomeimprovement.com/c-o-p-i-have-a-shoe-closet-a-quick-easy-and-very-satisfying-organization-project/ Thu, 16 May 2024 01:30:19 +0000 http://betterlivinghomeimprovement.com/?p=9646

It’s been quite a long time since I’ve done a C.O.P. project (cleaning, organizing, purging). But in the last few days, my patience ran out with my closet situation in our bedroom. Right now, Matt and I use the guest bedroom as our main bedroom, and we’ll continue to do that until we build our addition. That addition will have a much bigger bedroom with a large walk-in closet, and another smaller closet.

But for now, we have these two closets flanking the window…

guest bedroom - finished - closet and window wallguest bedroom - finished - closet and window wall

I built those closets knowing that we’d be using this bedroom temporarily as our main bedroom, and I just assumed that Matt would get one closet, and I’d get the other one. But Matt doesn’t really need an entire closet for himself. In fact, he doesn’t need a closet at all.

Since Matt has M.S., and was homebound for over a decade, he didn’t need a variety of clothes and shoes. And even now, he still doesn’t. Matt wears very comfortable clothes, and he only has one pair of shoes that he can tolerate being on his feet. So all of his clothes can fit in the dresser in the bedroom.

But for some reason, when I realized that Matt wouldn’t need a closet, I didn’t take over the other closet for my stuff. Instead, I used it to store things like the comforter that we use in the winter, the quilt and large decorative pillows that go on the bed in this room, and lots of other things that don’t really need to stay in this room.

And because I was trying to force myself to use one small-ish closet, this was my shoe situation…

There’s no way all of my shoes would fit inside the closet along with my clothes, so I’d line up the rest of my shoes neatly outside the closet. But that neat lineup would only last a few days before my shoes would end up in a mound like this. And just imagine trying to step over and through that mound in order to open the closet and pick out an outfit or put clothes away!

So on Monday, I had to go to Lowe’s to pick up some things for the studio, and I decided to take a stroll down the shelf and closet organization aisle to see if they had any small shelves that I could use under the TV in the studio. And while I was on that aisle, I got inspired to go ahead and purchase what I needed to organize that other closet. I didn’t want anything expensive or elaborate, so I found a very simple closet organization solution that would work inside this closet to create a shoe closet.

So last night, I decided to take a couple of hours and resolve my shoe storage problem. I started by clearing out everything from this closet so that I was left with nothing but an empty box..

I started by adding these two Closetmaid ShelfTrack metal tracks for adjustable shelving. Since I was screwing these onto a solid plywood backing, this process took about five minutes. The tracks come in various lengths, and these 84-inch tracks were perfect for my closet.

These shelf brackets slip into the notches on the tracks, so the shelves are fully adjustable to any height needed.

For the actual shelves, I decided not to use the Closetmaid wire shelves that are made to go with the ShelfTrack system because I don’t really like wire shelves, and I figured I could find something cheaper.

I ended up using stair treads! I was pretty excited about finding this option. Not only are they one of the cheapest options (cheaper than 1″ x 12″ x 8-foot lumber, cheaper than pre-primed MDF, etc.), but they’re thicker than most standard lumber. The stair treads are actually one inch thick, whereas standard lumber is called 1-inch, but it’s actually three-quarter inch thick. These stair treads also have a nice bullnose on the front edge which I think looks really nice.

So I bought seven stair treads, cut them to length with my miter saw to fit inside the closet on the brackets, and then sanded them before putting them in the closet. Because I wanted to get this project finished quickly, I opted not to stain or paint the shelves. I didn’t clear coat them, either, but I may end up doing that later. For now I just needed to get this done quickly so that I could get my shoes organized and out of the way. I’m so ridiculously excited about this shoe closet.

I ended up being one shelf short, which is why the bottom of the closet looks a bit cluttered. I need to get one more stair tread and make room for one more shelf so that those shoes currently occupied the middle part of the bottom of the closet can have their own shelf.

In the process of organizing, I ended up getting rid of six pairs of shoes that I don’t wear anymore. So this was not only an organizing project, but also a purging project! I’m so excited to have this taken care of now. And when Matt and I are finished using this room as our main bedroom, the shelves are completely adjustable, so I’ll be able to store anything I want to in this closet.

This is one of those organizing projects that seems insignificant. I mean, it’s just a shoe closet. And yet, going from this before to this after will have a huge impact on my life.

Being able to stand in front of that other closet to put clothes away or choose an outfit without having to stumble over shoes is going to be a dramatic improvement in the way I use these closets, and will definitely improve my mood when I have to get ready to go somewhere. I can’t believe how quick send easy this project was, and I can’t believe I put it off so long!!

 

 

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]]> How To Remove Wallpaper: 4 Proven Methods http://betterlivinghomeimprovement.com/how-to-remove-wallpaper-4-proven-methods/ Thu, 09 May 2024 21:21:38 +0000 https://betterlivinghomeimprovement.com/?p=9643

Method #3: Stripping Solution

You can also use a homemade or store-bought stripping solution to loosen the wallpaper glue. The homemade recipes aren’t complicated and use ingredients you likely already own. Here are a few options:

  • Fabric softener + hot water
  • Laundry detergent + hot water
  • White vinegar + hot water
  • Dish soap + hot water

For each solution, mix the two ingredients about 50/50 – maybe a little heavier on the water for the last two. The hot water helps reactivate the glue, while the detergents help dissolve it.


Hand peeling off large section of gridded wallpaperHand peeling off large section of gridded wallpaper



With a spray bottle or sponge, dampen your wallpaper with the solution and wait a couple of minutes to let it work its magic. If you are using a storebought stripper, follow the label instructions for how to apply. Then you can peel it by hand or with a small putty knife. Again, your paper may come off separately from the glue. We often had to go back around a second time, respray the glue, and remove it separately.


Sherry spraying sections of wall to remove wallpaper glueSherry spraying sections of wall to remove wallpaper glue



For small sections of glue, we also found that rubbing it with the rough side of a small, damp sponge helped get off little bits that were hard to see. They also sell wallpaper scrapers to help with this task, but we didn’t use one.

Read the full post about using homemade stripper to remove wallpaper.

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]]> Big Progress On The Horizon http://betterlivinghomeimprovement.com/big-progress-on-the-horizon/ Fri, 03 May 2024 17:11:44 +0000 https://betterlivinghomeimprovement.com/?p=9640

Progress has been slow in the studio this week, but I feel like things are about to start happening! My main goal this weekend is to get the resin petri wall finished. I showed y’all my plan for this wall next to my desk earlier this week (you can read the details here), but my original plan was to use 5″ x 5″ gallery wrapped canvases. Well, in order to have enough for my art installation (it makes me feel important to call it an “art installation” 😀 ), the canvases would cost me about $190.

I don’t think that’s a terrible price for something that’s going to have such a big, colorful impact in the room, but I also wasn’t completely sold on how the canvases looked. They looked a bit too thick for my taste, so I went in search of something else that would work. I really wanted to avoid having to DIY 45 frames if I could.

And I think that these are going to look great! I’m going to paint them all white before I mount the resin discs on them.

You can see how nice this thickness is. It’s about half the thickness of the wrapped canvases, but with the added thickness of the resin disc, I think it’s perfect.

Here’s a look at the two side by side. I also like the cleaner look of the wood over the not-so-perfect look of the canvas-wrapped corners.

So now that I have everything I need for that project, my main goal this weekend is to get that wall finished, which also includes getting the trim (baseboards) caulked and painted.

But also, another very exciting package is arriving today for the big, blank wall, and I’m so excited about it! So I’m hoping that I can make some progress on that wall as well.

If you’ll remember, I had our landscape design plan printed a while back so that I could frame it and hang it in the studio.

After I had that printed, I decided that I wanted to have it reprinted to include the plant key on the side. So the new design would look like this…

But before I could have it printed again, a very kind and generous reader contacted me and said that she could have it printed for me at her work, and she had the capability to print it really big! Of course, that intrigued me, but I couldn’t think of where to put a really big print like that.

So it took a while, and a few back and forth email exchanges, but I finally came up with a plan. She had it printed 52″W x 78″H, and it’s arriving today! I’m so unbelievably excited about it. I can’t wait to see it, and then I’ll need to figure out how to mount it, frame it, and hang it on the wall. But here’s the overall plan for the big, blank wall now.

Because of the placement of the outlet and the size of the big calendar, the landscape design will go on the left side of the wall. It’s the perfect space for it. And then the calendar will go on the right side. That will still leave plenty of room for the TV (y’all convinced me to keep a TV in the plan for the wall), and then I’ll add some very simple shelves under the TV. I have three different ideas for the shelves. They won’t really be display shelves like the ones in the breakfast room where I’ve displayed colorful artwork. They’ll be more utilitarian, but the end result will be lots of color. But I’ll wait to share those details when it’s finished. I’m excited to see how much I can get done this weekend!

 

 

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]]> Bathroom Remodel Designs: Top Trends and Innovations for 2023 http://betterlivinghomeimprovement.com/bathroom-remodel-designs-top-trends-and-innovations-for-2023/ Fri, 05 Jan 2024 16:42:00 +0000 https://betterlivinghomeimprovement.com/?p=9161 Embarking on a bathroom remodel offers an opportunity to customize your space and enhance your home’s value. With the right bathroom remodel designs, you can transform a purely functional area into a personal sanctuary of comfort and style. This post delves into innovative design trends that maximize both aesthetics and functionality, ensuring every square inch contributes to your daily well-being. Whether updating fixtures or overhauling the entire space, these insights will help steer your project toward success.

bathroom remodelling cabinet modern

Inspiring Bathroom Remodel Ideas

Stylish Concepts

Modern bathroom remodel designs often feature geometric shapes. These add a contemporary vibe to the space. For instance, hexagonal tiles or angular light fixtures can transform an ordinary bathroom into a modern sanctuary.

Floating vanities are another element of chic design. They create an illusion of more floor space, making the bathroom appear larger. Plus, they are easier to clean under!

Smart technology is also becoming integral in stylish bathrooms. Think automatic faucets and toilets, or showers that you can start with your voice.

Luxurious Upgrades

For those seeking comfort in their primary bathroom remodels, heated flooring is a must-have upgrade. It’s especially welcoming during cold mornings.

Rainfall showerheads offer an indulgent shower experience akin to a luxury spa retreat right at home! Their gentle water flow feels like standing in warm rain.

Using high-end materials like marble or granite for countertops adds instant glamour and durability to your bathroom remodeling project.

Timeless Designs

Subway tiles have stood the test of time for good reason—they’re versatile and classic. Whether used on walls or floors, they maintain their appeal year after year.

Freestanding tubs serve as focal points while exuding elegance that lasts through trends. A neutral color palette complements these features by ensuring the design remains appealing over time without needing frequent updates.

Budget-Friendly Tips

To save money without sacrificing style:

  • Replace old hardware on existing fixtures.
  • Paint cabinets instead of buying new ones.
  • Hunt for discounts on designer-like materials at outlet stores or sales events which can lead to significant savings without compromising quality or aesthetics.

Transforming Bathroom Layouts

Narrow Spaces

Narrow bathrooms challenge homeowners. Wall-mounted fixtures are key. They free up floor space and make rooms seem larger. Think sinks and toilets that attach directly to the wall.

Installing sliding doors is smart. Unlike traditional doors, they don’t need extra room to open. This saves precious space in a tight area.

Light colors also help. Pale tones on walls give an illusion of more space in narrow bathrooms.

Airy Layouts

Openness can redefine a bathroom layout. Removing unnecessary partitions does wonders for this effect. It creates one large, breathable space instead of cramped sections.

Glass shower enclosures are sleek and modern; they contribute to the airy feel of a bathroom while still providing privacy where needed.

A minimalist approach goes far in maintaining an uncluttered environment—fewer decorations mean less visual noise, enhancing spaciousness.

Functional Combos

In small bathrooms, every inch counts. A combo tub-and-shower unit capitalizes on available space without sacrificing functionality.

For shared use, dual sinks cut down morning congestion significantly—they allow multiple people to get ready at once efficiently.

Smart storage solutions like built-in niches or shelves within shower walls keep essentials handy but out of the way, maximizing your usable area.

bathroom remodelling modern cabinets

Modernizing Bathroom Cabinets

Cabinet Refresh

Bathroom cabinets significantly influence the room’s style. A cabinet refresh can transform the space. Start by updating cabinet faces with new veneer or a coat of paint. This change alone can make old cabinets look new.

Next, consider the hardware. Changing out old knobs and pulls gives a fresh look without much cost or effort. It’s an easy DIY project that has immediate impact.

Under-cabinet lighting adds both ambiance and functionality to your bathroom remodel design. It makes for easier grooming and adds a soft glow to the room.

Countertop Styles

Countertops are another major element in bathroom remodel designs. Quartz countertops offer durability and come in many styles, making them a popular choice for modern bathrooms.

Edge detailing is an often-overlooked feature that can add character to even simple countertops. Options like beveled or rounded edges provide subtle elegance.

For those seeking uniqueness, mixing countertop materials offers a custom look. Combining different textures and colors can create visual interest and define areas within the bathroom.

Vanity and Sink Transformations

Vanity Upgrades

Upgrading your vanity can transform your bathroom’s look. A dark, dated vanity might make the space feel small and closed in. To modernize, consider replacing dark tiles with glossy white ones. This change can brighten the area significantly.

Matte black fixtures against a light background create a striking contrast. They add an elegant touch without overwhelming the space. Use black accents sparingly for just the right amount of sophistication.

Single to Double

For families or those who share a bathroom, switching from a single to a double vanity is practical. It increases functionality dramatically. However, it’s important to ensure there is enough space between sinks for comfort.

Above each sink, hang matching mirrors to achieve symmetry and style. This not only looks good but also enhances usability.

Creative Sink Solutions

Beyond vanities, sinks themselves offer opportunities for creativity in bathroom remodel designs.

Vessel sinks serve as artistic statement pieces that catch the eye immediately upon entering the room.

Undermount sinks provide seamless countertop transitions which are not only stylish but also easy to clean.

For smaller bathrooms, corner sinks are ideal solutions that save space while maintaining functionality.

Bathtub and Shower Revamps

Tub Refinishing

Refinishing an old tub can save money. It keeps the bathroom’s classic look. Non-slip finishes are important for safety. They also look good. For future remodels, choose neutral colors when reglazing your bathtub.

Old bathtubs gain new life with refinishing instead of replacement. This preserves their unique charm and is often more cost-effective than buying new ones.

Bathtub-Shower Combos

Glass partitions on bathtubs create a shower combo that feels open and airy. Overhead showers in bathtubs work well in small spaces. Built-in shelves add convenience to these combos.

  • Install glass partitions for a spacious feel.
  • Optimize space with overhead showers.
  • Choose tubs with storage solutions like built-in shelves.

Shower Space Enhancement

If possible, make the shower area bigger by taking out rarely used tubs. Install various types of showerheads for a luxurious experience. Include places inside the shower to keep toiletries handy, like recessed niches or corner shelves.

To enhance your bath experience:

  1. Expand the shower area if you have extra room.
  2. Install multiple types of showerheads.
  3. Add built-in storage within the showers for essentials.

 

bathroom remodelling trending

Maximizing Light and Space

Natural Light

Natural light can transform a bathroom from gloomy to vibrant. To achieve this, enlarge windows if the structure allows. Larger windows let in more sunlight, brightening up the space significantly. However, privacy is key in a bathroom. Using frosted glass for these enlarged windows ensures that while natural light floods in, prying eyes stay out.

If your home’s design permits, consider installing skylights. They are excellent for bringing daylight into rooms without compromising wall space or privacy.

Spacious Feel

After addressing bathtub and shower updates, it’s important to focus on creating a sense of spaciousness within your bathroom remodel designs. A well-placed large mirror not only serves its functional purpose but also reflects light and views, giving the illusion of an expanded area.

Maintain a clean look with a monochromatic color scheme, which can make the room feel larger than it is. Subtle textures add interest without overwhelming the senses.
Remember to avoid bulky furniture as they take up valuable floor space and can make even large bathrooms feel cramped.

Unique Design Elements

Vibrant Wallpapers

Waterproof wallpaper designs are perfect for bathrooms. They stand up to humidity well. Choose bold patterns for just one wall. This creates a strong focal point. Make sure colors match towels and other bathroom items.

Wallpapers can transform a space quickly. For example, a floral design might make the room feel like a garden. Or geometric shapes could add modern flair.

Elegant Tiles

Tiles aren’t just practical; they’re stylish too. Lay them in herringbone or chevron patterns to catch the eye. You don’t need lots of decor when your floor makes a statement.

Brighten your bathroom with reflective tiles, like glazed ceramic or polished stone. These materials bounce light around, making everything look lighter and more open.

Decorative border tiles work great as transitions between areas in your bathroom—for instance, separating the shower area from the vanity space.

Mixing Metallics

Mixing metals adds sophistication to any design—like pairing brushed nickel faucets with brass light fixtures for contrast that’s still harmonious.

But remember: use only two metal finishes at most to keep things elegant without overwhelming the senses.

Metallic accents should also tie into other elements such as cabinet handles or mirror frames for consistency throughout the design.

Accessorizing Your Bathroom

Wall Art

Bathrooms come alive with the right wall art. Hang framed pieces that can withstand moisture. Place them where eyes naturally rest. Choose art that matches your bathroom’s colors.

Wall sculptures add depth. They serve as bold, three-dimensional accents. Pick designs that echo the room’s style.

Window Treatments

Window treatments offer both function and flair in bathrooms. Install waterproof blinds to handle humidity well. Shades should be durable and stylish.

Patterned treatments elevate design elements already present in the room. Go for top-down bottom-up options for adjustable privacy levels where necessary.

Spa-Like Fixtures

For a touch of luxury, consider spa-like fixtures in your bathroom remodel design:

  • Integrate chromotherapy lighting into showers or tubs.
  • Add high-end features like steam generators or towel warmers for extra comfort.
  • Opt for ergonomic bathtubs designed for ultimate relaxation.

These enhancements transform ordinary bathrooms into personal retreats.

Summary

Bathroom remodel designs offer a plethora of options to enhance both functionality and aesthetics. From the inspiring ideas that ignite creativity to the transformative layouts that redefine spaces, each element contributes to a personalized sanctuary. Modern cabinets, stylish vanities, and revamped bathtubs elevate practicality while integrating contemporary trends. The strategic use of light and unique design elements can turn any bathroom into a luxurious retreat. Accessories add the finishing touches, encapsulating individual style and preference.

Embarking on a bathroom renovation journey requires thoughtful planning and attention to detail. As you consider these transformative ideas, remember that quality and expertise are paramount. For those ready to take the next step in their remodeling project, seeking professional guidance ensures that your vision becomes a reality with precision and excellence. Let’s create a space that resonates with comfort and sophistication—begin your bathroom transformation today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Modern bathroom cabinets often feature clean lines, floating designs, and innovative storage solutions to maximize space and enhance functionality.

How can I improve the lighting in my small bathroom?

Consider adding layered lighting with a combination of overhead lights, vanity lights, and possibly natural light through a skylight or frosted window to make the space feel larger and more welcoming.

What unique design elements can I include in my bathroom remodel?

Incorporate elements like bold wallpaper patterns, unique tile shapes, or statement pieces such as a vintage mirror to create a distinctive look that reflects your personal style.

Are there creative ways to update my bathtub and shower area?

Yes. Consider frameless glass enclosures for showers or freestanding bathtubs as focal points. Using new materials like stone composites can also provide an updated aesthetic.

Can transforming the layout really impact my bathroom’s functionality?

Absolutely. Redesigning the layout can significantly improve flow within the space, increase usability, and even accommodate features like double vanities or separate toilet areas for enhanced privacy.

How do I choose accessories for my remodeled bathroom?

Select accessories that complement your overall design theme while providing practical benefits. For example, heated towel racks add luxury while serving a functional purpose.

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