D.I.Y

1st April 2019 D.I.Y

Home Improvements: What to do with shells from the beach

When you think of home improvements, you would most probably think about them costing you a dime or two. Well it doesn’t have to be that way, all it takes is getting your hands dirty, some elbow grease and our help to improve your home in a number of ways by using the seashells from your favourite beach.

You’ve most probably collected shells before with your little one, perhaps for one of their own art projects or easy shell crafts they can do at home. But we bet you’ve never collected them to improve your home. There are plenty of ways you can use shells to add attention to detail in a bathroom or dining area, keeping you up to date with the latest home decorating trends 2019.

Here are just some of the things you can do with them.

But before we get into that, you’ll want to know how to properly clean your shells so you can get a spotless look which will match perfectly with the rest of the home…

How to Clean Shells from the Beach

There’s actually quite the debate always going on about how to clean seashells from the beach, do you use baking soda? Regular fresh water? How about the water the shell was found in?

There are many different opinions across the web, here is ours;

MURIATIC ACID, shells will finally have their natural colour back and you’ll see a more beautiful side to them!

But don’t worry, muriatic acid for those of you who don’t know is just another word for hydrochloric acid. Which can be found in many household products such as toilet bowl cleaner and tile cleaner. This exact acid can be used to clean your shells.

Here is a safe solution for you and your shells and how to get them clean;

¼ cup of muriatic acid and ¾ cups of water.
Dip for a maximum of 3 seconds and neutralize in fresh water straight after.
Avoid contact with skin and stainless steel

If you want to see the process of cleaning shells from the beach and you want to be mesmerized by the dirty to clean to shells, check out the how to bring back color to seashells tutorial.

How to make Seashells shine

It’s one thing cleaning your shells and making them look like they would in the sea, but it’s another thing completely to have them featuring their natural shine. With some mineral oil, you’re going to want to rub over the shell to give it a deep clean, it does 2 things:

It restores the natural shine of the shell
It preserves the shell

How to keep Seashells shiny

Finally you’ve got that shine back, but how do you go about keeping that beautiful shine so that after you’ve created your masterpiece, you can be happy knowing nothing is going to ruin ti design?

You can spray satin-finish polyurethane or coat with clear nail polish. Although this may be a lengthy process for each shell you have, you’ll be able to reverse the shells organic shiny look and give it an even extra glossy shine.

Decorating with Seashells in a Bathroom

Just like using old storage pallets to create your very own DIY furiture, there are plenty of ways you can use seashells to bring out a natural vibe in your home, especially in the area of your bathroom where these shells will fit the most.

Here are some end results, from the people who are already using this cost efficient way of bringing stylish design to their homes.

Seashell Display Jars

You’ve probably seen plenty of these from the image above, seashell display jars are one of the most common and probably the most stylish way of bringing the beautiful gems of the ocean into your home. Without compromising on the design of your home.

The best part about beach in a jar is that there is no limitation to what you can do and no two jars look the same so this way you can have something unique that only you own.

Jars with sand and shells are not limited to a bathroom, although we think they do look the best in there, these wonderful creations can also work to work with their environment, making them great in kitchens and lounge areas that feature ocean colours.

Now, we bet you’re excited to go ahead with going to your local beach, picking out some decorative shells and making your own sand and shells in glass jars. But we also know you’re probably wondering how the hell you go about gluing your shells to glass? Or how you even managed to get the sand to stick without it looking complete without purpose?

Read on to get some pro tips on how you can achieve your seashell in a jar dreams.

How to Glue Shells to Glass

Less is always more, as they say. Applying glue to shells is no different, there are many different techniques and practices for going about this. You’ll need some form of hot glue, typically that will from one of the craft glue guns from your local craft store.

Once acquired, you’ll want to squeeze a sizeable amount of glue on the outside of the glass, then you’ll want to take your best looking seashell and press down firmly on the glue. Hold for a minimum of 60 seconds to ensure the glue can harden around your shell. Repeat this process till you’re happy with your final design.

How to Glue Sand in a Jar

It’s important you get the consistency right, with to much glue you’re going to look you made this with a blindfold on, alternatively with not enough glue your sand won’t stick to the glass and you won’t get the desired effect.

To get the desired look, you’re going to want to follow our golden rule:

For every 1 cup of sand, you’ll want to have 1 cup of glue.

Doing this, you should get a thick mixture, with a little mixing you’ll be ready to add your gooey sand to the surface of your jar, spread out evenly for a balanced finish.

Other creative uses for seashells in your home

Beyond the basics of using shells and sand to make glass shell jars, there are other creative uses for seashells that you can use within your home, outside of the bathroom area.

As a side note, seashell crafts for adults is fun but it’s even more enjoyable once you get your kids involved. Allowing them to help you create something that is going to be a cherished part of your home for potentially many years.

Seashell Display Case

For collectors out there, this is one of the ways you can proudly put your favourite seashells on display.

These seashells were probably left over from your glass jar projet, you’ve probably thought to yourself ‘these are just too beautiful to use’ and instead just threw them in a draw never to be seen again.

Making something out of them and putting them on display gets you the best of both worlds. You can admire a natural resource whilst adding a personal touch to your home, wherever you choose to feature your brand new display case.

There are many ways you can come up with to add shells to a display case, one of them would be to use a wooden, sort of like a larger display cause would be used from and assigning compartments for your favourite seashells. Maybe in order of size, type, or even colour.

We have yet to cover how you’re going to manage to add shells to the display cabinet, so here’s how to glue shells to wood.

How to Glue Shells to Wood

Just like glueing to glass, you’re going to want to get a hot glue gun from your local craft store, so that the shells you attach will stay attached. However it is advised that you clean your wood before hand as dust and other particles can be visible even after the job has been completed, mostly this goes unnoticed with glass surfaces.

Seashell Shadow box

Similar to display cases, using a shadow box to display your shells will offer you another way of bringing in the natural design. However, these should be used as an alternative if you truly take pride in the design of your home, and you’re looking for a way to add shells that won’t compromise the general design.

This is because, unlike display cabinet, shadow boxes feature a more organized finish making them ideal for people who like to have a modern home looks like each decor piece was placed with purpose.

Shell Shower Curtains

You’ll most probably see some form of shell shower curtains in your home, but I bet they are all printed designs and not the real thing. Well why not use the real thing and create some fabulous curtains from them?

Whether you start off with a blank curtain or you use a shell design that is going to compliment the actual shells which you’re going to feature. However you choose to go about this fun craft, make sure to glue everything down properly and have some fun with it.

Seashell Animal Crafts

With seashell crafts, with usually think about larger designs, whether that’s shell curtains or seashell jars. But what about little dinky ornaments that can fit on any tableside in your home that can bring you some unique style that has been made from seashells?

These little dicnky ornemants are seashell animals, whether you’re a lover of foxes, ladybirds or any other animal in existence, we are sure you can achieve the design with a couple of sea shells, some paint and a great deal of imagination.

How to make Seashell Animals

Now, this would depend on what sort of animal you’re looking to create. Thankfully we live in the age or internet so having resources for this information won’t be too hard to find, however we want to give you a head start, here are some tools you’re going to need if you want to create one of these beautiful pieces for yourself.

Hot glue gun
Some of your favourite paint and paint brushes.
And a creative mind

If you’re unsure what to create, perhaps you don’t have a favourite animal or you’re just looking for a unique idea, here is over 100 seashell animal crafts to inspire you.

Broken Seashell Crafts

When we’re looking for seashells, we usually look for the most pretty and eye catching ones, I mean that’s just the way we are naturally as humans to seek out the most beautiful thing as possible.

But that means we waste materials that could add to our home, such as broken seashells.

Broken seashell crafts are unique in the sense that they take something that seems to be at the end of its life time, soon to be washed away or thrown away and turn it into something that is elegant yet charming and a piece that could become a great addition to a bathroom, lounge or bedroom area in a home.

18th March 2019 D.I.Y

How to Cover Unsightly Boiler Pipes

Check latest price of radsnaps here

Although we are deeply grateful for the warmth that boilers provide, they’re certainly not the most alluring item you will have in your house. They don’t add much to a room’s décor. The pipes mess up the interiors and make rooms look lousy. Actually, they are an eyesore and can neutralize the elegance in any captivating décor – unless of course your home is of the rustic style, then move along because boiler pipes can add to the design of the home.

Otherwise, to counter this effect most homeowners often find themselves investing in false ceilings, new cabinet designs and even reconstructing and breaking down walls just to ensure that the boiler pipes are not exposed. Though very effective, these approaches are very expensive and need a lot of time to implement.

What’s more, you will need to hire qualified professionals who charge exorbitant amounts for these sort of ‘home improvements’. This essentially means that if don’t have deep pockets or know the right people, you will have to put up with unsightly bathrooms and rooms that look like dreary for a very long time! Very depressing right?

Fortunately, there are some things you can do to salvage the situation affordably. Read on to find out about interesting but cheap ways on how to cover unsightly boiler pipes:

Conceal with design tapes or radiator pipe sleeves

Design tapes can transform unsightly pipes from an eyesore to beautiful and attractive pieces. You can find decorative tapes at local stores for a price tag that won’t break your budget. Try them today and watch as your space changes from drab to fab!

You can use radiator pipe covers that come in various decorative colours, like these chrome radsnap radiator pipe sleeves/covers below delivered fast from places like Amazon.

chrome radsnap radiator pipe sleeves and covers — Chrome radiator pipe sleeves

Check the latest prices on radsnap radiator pipe sleeves here

Radiator pipe collars also known as rad rings or pipe roses are a nice finish for the base.

Check the latest price on these pipe collars

Box in the pipes

Consider boiler casings if you want to spruce up the pipes underneath the boiler. They are specially designed cases that cover the pipes completely concealing them safely and giving the house a tidy appearance. Just ensure that pipework, as well as the boiler, have enough ventilation and that the casings you use meet the standard requirements.

Check latest prices on this thermopanel boxing

Use DIY chalkboard covers

If you have time, why don’t you create your chalkboard cover (You will need to be an expert DIYer)? Create an MDF frame that goes around the boiler and the pipes then box the entire unit. For a practical cover that keeps the pipes discreet, use a lick of chalkboard paint.

Cover them with fake foliage

This is an amazing boiler pipe cover that will definitely give your home a tropical feel. Fake foliage offers a seamless solution to ugly pipes blemishing your home décor. For those who can afford real foliage, go for creepers and climbers. Though they require some effort and time in conditioning, watering and pruning them, they look excellent!

Check the latest prices on fake foliage here

Paint the pipes in lively colours

Don’t just paint them like everybody else, do it with a twist! You can get ideas from your kids or spouse. Help each other with ideas and skills and you will be surprised at how creative you are. The results will definitely be spectacular. Not to mention you will spend time with your family and have memories to treasure forever whilst adding a unique touch to your home that the entire family can be proud of, since they were a part of it.

Check the latest styles & prices of radiator paint here

Conceal with a Curtain

One convenient way to hide your unattractive boiler pipes is to hang some fabric or a small curtain in front of them. This way the pipes will not only be easily accessible in case of a malfunction, but you will also not see them whenever you visit this particular room. Don’t forget design matter, so don’t just use a random curtain to hide the pipes, ensure it will complement the space in its own right too, as to not draw unnecessary attention towards it.

Check out these ranges of curtains here

Factors to consider

Now, before you choose any concealing method, it is important to consider a few factors:

Which approach is the best for me?
Where is the boiler located?
What happens there and how exposed are the pipes?
Should you camouflage, detract or integrate them into the room’s décor design?

These should be answered before you start buying what you need to cover your boiler pipes, simply because even if you like the idea of let say…painting over them, they may not look right in your home. You’ll want to have a great balance of doing something you like and that you’re going to enjoy creating whilst making sure whatever it is your doing works for the home, since this is the purpose of the project after all.

Your Budget

Finally It is very important to consider these factors beforehand so as to help you pick the most stylish and appropriate solution for both you and your house. Also, when doing this, keep in mind that ventilation is very important. Be careful with what you cover and it should not interfere with the boiler’s functioning as well as your ability to access its internal parts.

Final Thoughts

Every apartment or house whether small or large has something that is plainly ugly, oddly placed or just weird. While these small problems may drive you nuts, stay they must because they are valuable as they are a part of the character of your home, which could offer a unique look when decorated properly using the tips we have just discussed.

Ultimately, the only viable solution is to be creative and make it your own. Luckily for you covering boiler piles is not that difficult, especially if you follow these handy tips. Good luck!

4th April 2018 D.I.Y

The DIY Mistakes Interior Designers Wish You You’d Stop Making

Deep down, we all fancy ourselves as a bit of an interior design/DIY guru. After all, pretty cushions are pretty cushions, and when it comes to painting a wall, how hard can it be? Right?

RIGHT?

But if you take the time to watch pretty much any renovation reality show, you’ll quickly realise even the most capable (or not-so-capable) DIY decorators aren’t immune to making some pretty epic stuff-ups.

So we spoke to three Aussie interior designers at the top of their game to find out the most common DIY mistakes they see on a day-to-day basis… in other words, what NOT to try at home.

Darren Palmer
Interior Designer, judge on ‘The Block’ and author of HomeSPACE.

“I truly believe the biggest mistake DIY’ers make is not setting a brief. By working out exactly what they need to achieve, what their family requires and what they need to add or subtract from the home to make it work properly as well as considering things like style, mood and budget, people are able to create a plan and plot a path.

“Without the briefing process and having a document to adhere to along the way you can end up with a completely different, or at worst a completely disparate, result than you intended.”Don’t just dive in head first without a plan.
Don’t spend more than you have or more than you should
Don’t worry about what your friends think if you love it
Don’t please only yourself if you plan to sell your property within the next 2 years.
Don’t fall in love with one solution. there are always myriad options and plan b is often better than your first intention.
Don’t be timid. Use your character and personality to inform decisions and commit to them wholeheartedly. It’s not the risks you take that you regret, it’s the chances you missed that keep you awake at night so just have faith, plan and commit to a bold solution that you are passionate about.

Vivian Panagos
Interior Designer and Blogger

“The most common DIY decorating mistake that I see is not taking the time to space plan and draft a furniture floor plan before buying ‘big ticket items’ like a sofa. Furniture needs space to “breathe” and often I see a too-big-for-the-room sofa pushed up against a wall because that’s the only way it will fit in the space or coffee tables that are difficult to navigate around.

“Pushing furniture away from walls and allowing the right amount of space to move freely makes a big difference to how a room feels.

“What you don’t have in a room is just as important as what you do have and a floor plan can help you work through any space planning issues by experimenting on paper before committing to the real deal.”

Jen Bishop
Publisher of Interiors Addict and Reno Addict.

“I think something many people get wrong is being in rush! When you move house or decide to make over a room, it is so tempting to want it all done in a week. We have all become too used to have things immediately!

“The worst thing you can do is go out shopping one Saturday (or worse, online) with the mission to get everything you need for your new kid’s bedroom or living room. It will end in disaster! Even worse if you try and get everything from the same shop.

“Great, authentic, unique interiors which you’ll love coming home to, take time. The best decisions are the ones you sit on for a couple of weeks or even months and keep going back to. This also gives you the time to save up for the couch you really want rather than making do with the cheaper one just because it’s on sale. So my top decorating tip is always to take your time and buy things you really love.

Never paint a room without first trying out some decent sized sample pot patches on the wall, or a few walls, and looking at the effects at different times of day.
“Another mistake we all make is buying things because they’re on trend. Yes, copper, Mongolian sheepskins, fiddle leaf figs, knot cushions and Scandi coffee tables may be all the rage now, but what happens when the magazines have different things next year? By all means buy on trend items but make sure your investment pieces are classics.

“Something you must never do is paint a room without first trying out some decent sized sample pot patches on the wall, or a few walls, and looking at the effects at different times of day, in daylight and artificial light.

“Another mistake to avoid is buying furniture without measuring your space first. The best plan is to mark out your new lounge or rug with masking tape on the floor so you can see how big or small it will feel in the space and if you can walk around pieces comfortably.”

If you’re interested in continuing reading this post, please go to the original article which can be found here at HuffingtonPost!

20th November 2017 D.I.Y

Creative ways to hide ugly parts of the home

Here is something about living spaces though unfortunate, that is a proven fact-99 % of all of them probably have something that is either oddly placed, weird, or merely plain ugly! Whether it is that luxurious apartment across the street, or the secluded bungalow adjacent to the park, every living space possesses some common persistent minor concerns (pipes cords, vents, accessories) that do not necessarily add to the beauty aspect. And while these little ugly problems’ might be annoying and somewhat embarrassing, most are a must stay, especially for you the one paying the rent or mortgage. The best and only solution, however, is getting creative.

If you are in search of some creative ways to help you conceal your home’s eyesores, here are several tricks to get you going.

Fake Rocks

Are your outdoor pipes ruining your otherwise well-manicured lawn? Do away with these necessary eyesores with the help of fake rocks! Easily purchasable online such as on Amazon, these accessories will ideally blend well into your lawn or garden effortlessly.

Air Vent Cover

Although they may appear messy or even ugly, some fixtures and accessories simply cannot be eradicated from home, and one such fixture is an air vent. In most cases, these immovable accessories are not any pleasing to look at. Nonetheless, one easy way to conceal this eye sore is nailing a standard decorative rug on the house wall like these from ZARA, just above the vent. Although this will not ensure it is out of sight, it will nonetheless dress it up pretty well. Be sure to leave it fairly loose or use one that can let air pass so that you dont fully cover the vents air flow.

AC Unit Curtain

If it is yet to come, it is of course just around the corner. With summer comes several annoying and embarrassing concerns around the house, and few can match the unsightly and obnoxious AC Units. Other than the difficulty they pose during installations, they look horrendous in your house windows. A simple fix, however, is to cover it with an appealing yet functional half-window curtain to create a refined cover-up.

Decorated Dryer and Washer

As we would all agree, trying to make an item as large as a dryer or washer disappear entirely from sight is difficult. What then do you do? Bring them to the front instead! As crazy as it sounds, you can use simple decorations such as classic colored tape to add polka dots or fun stripes patterns to jazz these accessories up.

Hidden PEX Manifold

While a PEX Manifold is an integral fixture for the overall functionality of a homes heated floor plumbing, this is not to say that they are appealing or something that you want visible. For a quick fix, you may need to incorporate a bit if your DIY flair. You can hide this necessary evil directly behind a characteristic shabby chic radiator style cover or encased wooden unit, and only you have to know about it. However, in a statement from someone more experienced in these systems…

Brett from https://consumerhomedecor.com says that although these parts may be very ugly and are often hidden during the house build, they should be somewhat accessible in case of a leak or need for extension. The last thing you want if you are unlucky enough to have a leak of some kind is to have to break down other parts of the home/walls to get to the pex manifold so try and make a removable cover or access point.

Copper Boiler Vent Cover

While your hose cannot function without them, boilers need vent covers and may at times seem very ugly particularly when they are spoiling the beautiful garden appearance being in line of sight looking out down the garden from the side of the house. However, by placing a simple copper boiler vent cover round these eyesores, like this one from Luxury Metals you can ensure they blend in very well in fact become quite an attractive piece.

Boiler Pipes

On top of boiler vents, we also have boilers pipes. If you’re unfortunate enough to have this eyesore in your home you will be already to familar with how they give you an unfinished look in a space that would otherwise look beautiful. Thankfully for you, we’ve already have a great article on how to cover unsightly boiler pipes that will really serve as a godsend if you’ve had exposed pipes like this in the home for a while and you haven’t quite yet decided whats the best way of ‘removing’ them from your interior.

1st September 2017 D.I.Y

DIY shed building – should you do it?

A shed is simple roofed structure or building usually made of wood where gardening equipment or tools can be kept. This building is usually made within the homes back garden for particular purposes depending on the intentions of the owner. The sheds differ in the simplicity of their structure and to the size, from the small sized roofs to the large structures with either windowless walls or toughened plastic or glass. Some people have also been known to turn them into bars which is a trendy idea that people keen on home brewing tend to do as a hobby and are a great way to relax after a hard days work, often referred to as a man cave.

The sheds are made from different materials, including metals or wood, while others made from pure rocks which is a lot less common than wood or metal due to the precision needed and the extra cost although it definitely looks amazing done with rocks. While those made for farming materials or for industrial storage are in most cases large and are built over wooden frames, those for home and garden storage tend to be wooden flat-pack or custom built from wood as it is much cheaper and easier to do and can last a very long time when properly protected from the elements with a protective covering like creosote and felt.

Pros and Cons of building own outdoor sheds

Advantages

The top most advantage of building a shed is that the individual will have complete control over its structural and aesthetic design. Doing this means that you can build in added features that fit your exacts needs based on the items you intend to store there or for the plan you have in mind overall, whereas with a bought shed your constricted by its preset dimensions and features.

In addition to this you may take your time when building the structure according to your own schedule rather than that of a professional who may be booked up for weeks which is quite common for local tradesmen. Be cautious of the weather though in this approach as you may attract spores and damp if left exposed during a rough, wet and windy period. It is a good choice to use pressure treated wood. Pressure treating is a preservative process that helps wood withstand the elements and wards off termites, microorganisms and fungal decay.

These are chemicals likely to be used in pressure treated wood:

Alkaline Copper Quaternary (ACQ) (click here to learn about ACQ)
Copper Azole (CA) (click here to learn about CA)
Micronized Copper Azole (MCA) (click here to learn about MCA)

Disadvantages

Christopher Loft from Cad Joinery says that “the major disadvantage of having your typical home owner build their own shed is the lack of professionalism and training they have”. A professional will always have their work done according to the specifications required in the field of joinery. However, if an individual who lacks the professional training tries to build a shed from scratch, even a flat-pack, the result may not be as appealing or structurally sound as that of someone in the joinery profession, because of a lack of understanding in the construction process and lack of proper standards. A professional joiner will almost always be listed on bwf.org.uk and so must abide by a professional process to ensure they can be trusted to do a good job, especially since their reputation is at stake.

A number of things can, therefore, be noted from this, for example, the general resulting quality of the shed may be poor. This may result from the usage of low-quality materials which would not have been used if it was a professional carrying out the build. This could in turn incur more cost for repairs as more money might be needed to correct issues or replace wrongly used materials.

Moreover, the choice of location of the site also comes into play. A professional builder will be able to detect locations suitable for building such structures depending on its nature, whether wooden or metallic sheds and spot any potential risks hazardous to the structure in the long term such as subsidence, rot or incorrect placement which may hinder future maintenance like being too close to a wall or fence.

Where minimal skills are held by the homeowner, it becomes difficult for the individual to detect such minute precautions which may lead to bigger and more dangerous problems, if not prevented. For example, a wooden shed cannot be built in a higher place prone to heavy winds. The winds may bring down the structure affecting the cost to the owner.

Tools & Materials

If you are going to do this yourself you have the added cost of materials and tools, a builder will already own their tools and can cost the build efficiently. A home owner if doing something like this for the first time might not have all these tools or materials and the cost of doing a one off build would be highly inflated and maybe not worth the hassle unless you plan on doing more D.I.Y projects in the future and being able to reuse your tools.

Here are a few reviews and tips of various tools you may need to buy:

Decision

Whereas the individual always has an upper hand of creativity in the choice of design in building their own shed, it is required that the individual in question should plan more thoroughly in doings so. The individual need to have a plan for materials, layout, maintenance, organization and must be aware and be ready for challenges which may arise during the whole process.

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