Home-Dzine Online December 2011

online

Home-Dzine IDEAS AND INSPIRATION FOR YOUR HOME

Dec/Jan 2011

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

a word or two

4 DESIGN DILEMMA

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RUSTIC OTTOMAN

Happy Holidays to all During the month of December I will be spending time on the Home-Dzine website and magazine to look at how both can be improved. From the 1st of January next year, I hope to have more interactive elements on the website, and I am working on adding even more to the magazine - so be sure to pop in after the holidays!

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CREATIVE GIFTS

Don’t forget to drop us a line at any time (home-dzine@iburst.co.za) if there is a particular project you would like to tackle.

Enjoy!

Janice Home-Dzine Online is written and compiled by Janice Anderssen.

All projects in this issue, or any other issue, remain the property of Home-Dzine and Janice Anderssen, or the respective copyright holders, and may not be copied or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission.

24 DIY PATIO SWING

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MOD PODGE TREE ORNAMENTS

REPAIR CORNICE

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VINTAGE CHRISTMAS

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TOOL TIME

38 PAINTED KITCHEN

42 WHICH ONE ARE YOU?

AS FROM JANUARY NEXT YEAR YOU WILL BE GIVEN AN ACCESS CODE TO VIEW THE HOME-DZINE ONLINE MAGAZINE. IF YOU HAVEN’T YET SUBSCRIBED - CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE NOW. NEXT YEAR PROMISES TO BRING YOU MORE PROJECTS, CRAFTS AND FEATURES, AS WELL AS COMPETITIONS, SPECIAL OFFERS AND GIVEAWAYS.

DESIGN

DILEMMA ABOVE and LEFT: It’s hard to believe that this is the same room, but look closely and you’ll see that nothing has been removed - only improved!

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If you’ve got the space in your home for a playroom, this is a wonderful opportunity to not only create a fun place for young children to hang out, it’s also a place that they can call their own.

Many playrooms are filled with old, discarded furniture that has no place else to go. It’s that old sofa that is old-fashioned and dull, a coffee table full of scratches, rugs that are full of holes - not at all fun!

BRIGHTEN UP WITH PAINT It’s so easy to add colour with paint - and kids do love colour. Pale blue and green walls are splashed with pops of colour that stand out and provide interest and even more colour.

DRESS UP WITH FABRIC You can still keep that old furniture - just give it new life with foam and fabric.

You can buy medium- or heavy-weight batting at your local fabric store and use this to wrap the old sofa in softness before covering with new fabric. Old cushions can be replaced with new pieces of foam - cut to the exact size - for comfy seating.

In this project a boring playroom was transformed into a colourful, popping play space - and nothing was bought to replace the existing furniture.

Use a combination of plain and patterned fabrics to breathe life into the room - in this case the fabric is perfect with the circular spots of colour on the walls. But don’t stop there...

Circles and stripes abound in the room to add an even more fun element.

On the following pages we’ll show you how easy it is to make a slipcover for an old sofa using cotton fabric that can be washed as often as needed.

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STAGE SETTING

images: design star

LEFT: Perhaps a love of blue encouraged the over-use of colour in this bedroom.

The effect of the blue walls and white ceiling make the bedroom look like a stage set.

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It’s always better to err on the side of caution when using bold colour. In the transformed bedroom the walls have been toned down to a taupe but the blue has remained - just in smaller doses.

UNBALANCED ROOM Not every room can be perfect, and for those that have a quirky feature here and there, there are solutions.

images: willey design

This large master bedroom has a single, small window on the main wall, which makes the room look unbalanced.

ABOVE and BELOW: Although not seen in these images, there is a large picture window facing the bed, which makes the position of the bed as the obvious choice

There are two solutions to this problem: hide the window or make it a feature. In this case, a dramatic shade mirrors the artwork on the side wall, creating a more balance effect.

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BLAND AND BORING RIGHT: I’ll admit that yellow and blue go well together, but this room is more orange and beige.

This living room is painted in a soft, lemon yellow that warms up the cool, ice blue of the upholstered furniture.

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images: willey design

Unless you’re looking to create your grandma’s parlour, stick to cool, modern colours in pale shades.

DON’T BE SQUARE There’s no rule that says you can’t cut corners, especially in a small room that where it’s difficult to arrange furniture to fit everything in.

Two small windows close to a corner can make it difficult to arrange furniture around, so instead of trying to manipulate everything around the windows - place furniture at an angle and use the space for storage or as a focal point.

ABOVE and RIGHT: Two small windows in the corner of this room make arranging furniture a nightmare.

A bed or sofa can easily be arranged at an angle to cut off the corner.

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WALK THE LINE Don’t let a long, narrow room get the best of you. Make the most of the space by dividing the room up into specific areas to visually break up the length.

One end can be a living space, while a small section becomes a dining area or home office, or whatever you need in your home.

Large rugs also help to define a space.

In an open plan dining and living area, use a rug to define the seating area.

ABOVE: This long living space becomes two defined areas, one for relaxing in the evening, and the other for making notes, or taking time out to relax in a sunny spot by the large window at one end of the room.

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Alternatively, on the next page an open entrance and living space have been defined by using different colours, but do be careful and pick colours that work well together.

BELOW: The lounge in this small home is directly off the front door. Pretty boring when visitors arrive. The walls are painted white and everything else is a shade of brown or beige.

IMPRESS WITH PAINT What a difference!

A combination of pale lemon yellow and soft teal work beautifully together to brighten the room.

The dark entrance is much lighter and welcoming, while the living room is colourful and trendy with a couple of new chairs and a reupholstered sofa.

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UGLY DUCKLING BECOMES A SWAN This urban apartment is typical of what you might find in any area. It’s white and lacks character or personality. Time to put your stamp on it!

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Don’t be afraid to experiment with paint colours. The worst that can happen is that you don’t like it, in which case you can paint over it. A trip to your local Prominent Paints Decorating Centre will provide you with professional assistance on choosing colour and the best paints to use for the various rooms in your home.

S’il vous plaît vous asseoir

For this project you can use tongue and groove pine to create a worn, yet sophisticated ottoman finished off with a touch of French design.

You will need:

Tongue and groove planks Wood glue Jigsaw and clean-cut blade Orbital sander 80-, 120- & 220-grit sandpaper Rust-Oleum Oiled Brass spray paint 4 Lockable castors and small screws Cotton or linen fabric and filling Fabric pen Sewing machine and accessories

http://akadesign.ca

We have recently posted quite a few articles on he Home-Dzine website that looks at recycling timber pallets, but not everyone has access to pallets. In this project we show you how to get that time worn look without using pallets.

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Here’s how: 1. Join the tongue and groove planks together with wood glue and let this dry. Create two large square panels that will be big enough to cut out two circles of 500mm diameter (or the size that you require).

2. Use a template the draw a pencil circle onto the glued planks. I have previously used my braai lid for this but anything large enough will work.

GOOD TO KNOW It’s easy to draw a perfect circle in a square. Draw a line from corner to corner - where the lines intersect hammer in a panel pin and slip a piece of thin chain link over this. Place the tip of your pencil in the link that will give you the desired circle size and draw!

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3. To provide reinforcement for the base of the ottoman, cut three battens and screw these to the bottom circle.

4. Cut 8 blocks to serve as supports between the two circles. The height is around 100mm.

5. Before assembling all the pieces, use Woodoc Gel Stain in your choice of colour and then apply three coats of Woodoc 5 or Woodoc 10 as per the instructions. If you prefer a more natural finish, apply Woodoc Antique Wax. 6. Assembly by inserting the blocks between the two circles and screw through the top and bottom circles to fasten in position.

7. Attach lockable casters underneath each of the four blocks for support and function.

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8. Transfer printed numbers onto the blocks with carbon paper or by rubbing a soft pencil over the back of the printed letters. Paint with black acrylic craft paint.

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Voulez-vous marcher avec moi le long de l’avenue de la vie, avec des routes secondaires de tristesse et de larmes, mais vers une destination finale de l’amour Êternel design

Fabric cushion For the ottoman cushion you need to mark and cut two 550mm circles and one rectangle of 1700 x 200mm for the surrounding strip.

Pin the circles to the rectangle, making sure the wording is on the inside and folding over the ends of the rectangle.

Sew on your sewing machine.

Print out French script on your PC and transfer this onto the fabric. You can use Google Translator to translate any English into French.

Pack the cushion with evenly distributed medium-weight batting or foam chips and then hand sew the rectangle closed.

Place velcro strips on the top of the base and the underside of the cushion to hold in place.

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CREATIVE

gifts

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Sometimes a box is more than just a box. It can be a beautiful keepsake box, or a bejewelled trinket box, or a place for treasured memories.

Think out of the box and be creative to design boxes that are great for gifts.

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This plain box is wrapped in plain and patterned fabrics in shades of cream, pale green and gold. The main box is covered in cream - the lid in contrasting pattern. To dress up and add detail, tasselled trim in matching colours are added around the outside of the lid and left to hang down.

Wrapped in contrasting stripes and pattern in a decadent velvet brocade, this fabric adds rich detail. A tasselled trim is fastened to the inside of the lid, allowing only the tassels to hang down over the base.

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With its flap lid and tassel handle, this romantic box is perfect for storing trinkets and treasures.

Wrapped in contrasting plain and pattern shimmering silk, with added trim, who wouldn’t love this box on their dressing table.

Dress it up • •

Jennifer Taylor gifts boxes available at Amazon.com

• • •

Make a selection of boxes for BFF’s and close friends and dress them up in a variety of fabrics, gimp braid and tasselled trim.

Use spray adhesive to apply the fabric to the base and top of the box.

A Dremel glue gun - on low heat setting - will make attaching braid and trim quick and easy.

Have some medium cardstock on hand for your boxes and then use our box template on the next page to cut out the shape.

Glue the sections together withspraycontactadhesiveor double-sided tape.

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BOX

LID

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PRINT OUT AND ENLARGE TO THE REQUIRED SIZE.

HOW TO MAKE A SQUARE BOX 1. Print out and enlarge the template on the previous page.

2. Place on a cutting mat and use scissors or a craft knife to cut out. Use a blunt, pointed object to score along the dotted lines.

3. Apply double-sided tape to the flap, or spray adhesive to the flap and the side where it is to be stuck.

4. Gently fold up the box so that the flaps attach to the adjoining panel.

Make the lid in the same way.

Recycle!

Empty cereal boxes, cardboard containers and the like make perfect gift containers.

Once they are wrapped up in pretty paper, ribbons and bows, no one will know how they started out, and if they do - you’re doing your bit for the environment!

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http://elizabethhallphotoblog.blogspot.com/

Empty aluminium cans can be recycled in so many ways, and you will ďŹ nd plenty of ideas on the Home-Dzine website for other projects. But in this feature we show how you can use aluminium cans as containers for gifts. All you need is some fabric or wrapping paper and a few embellishments.

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Gift in a can

Pop-top tins can be used to make a gift in a can by using a tin opening to remove the BOTTOM of the tin - leaving the pop-top section intact.

Empty out the content and clean the tin, before putting in your own unique gift and then using a glue gun to seal the bottom of the tin.

Decorate with paper, ribbons and embellishments.

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credits: ďŹ skars

Bag It Stock up on brown paper bags and decorate them with colourful card to create your own range of gift bags!

Not only super for Christmas gifts, you can use them all year round simply by adding a suitable design.

Scissors and craft scissors with various cutting blades

Medium-weight cardstock in rainbow colours

Brown paper bags

Sticky Dots

Craft punches

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LAZY DAYSof

Su mmer

What better place to relax this summer than on a porch swing. No porch? Don’t worry, you can still kick back. This relaxing ride can be suspended from an arbor, a swing stand, the joists of a second-story deck or even an old swing-set frame. Simply scout out the perfect location and think creatively about your hanging options.

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You will need: A B C D E F G H I J

QTY

6 3 4 2 2 7 1 2 2 2

ITEM

seat supports back supports arm supports arm posts arm-post ďŹ llers full seat slats short seat slats wide back slats narrow back slats armrests

MATERIAL

20mm pine 20mm pine 20mm pine 20mm pine 20mm pine 20mm pine 20mm pine 20mm pine 20mm pine 20mm pine

30 and 40mm wood screws 4 of 19mm x 130mm eyebolts 8 of 19mm washers 8 of 19mm nuts 2 of 12mm x 150mm hex lag bolt Chain strong enough to hang Exterior wood glue Drill/Driver plus assorted drill and screw bits Countersink bit 180-grit sandpaper Rust-Oleum spray primer Rust-Oleum 2X spray paint in your choice of colour

Fixings for mounting the swing must be of the highest quality. Fischer Fixings manufacture a variety of bolts and fastening that are rated for specific weights.

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SIZE

90 x 560mm 90 x 565mm 90 x 570mm 90 x 254mm 90 x 120mm 64 x 1220mm 64 x 1145mm 140 x 1220mm 64 x 1220mm 90 x 530mm

Cut out and prime the parts

Begin by cutting all of the parts to the lengths and widths in the cutting list.

Use the pattern grid to cut out one seat support and then use it as a template to create five more.

To make the seat supports, transfer the seat support pattern to a piece of 100mm-wide pine. Draw a grid of 25mm squares on the pine to help lay out the pattern.

Use a flexible piece of wood to lay out the arched profile on the top back slat. Trace the arch and cut along the line. Use cutoff scrap as a pattern for the other half of the arch.

The angles on the ends of the seat supports, back supports, arm supports and armrests are all 20 degrees. If you don’t have a mitre saw for cutting the boards to the correct angle and length, use a speed square to establish the 20-degree angle and a circular saw or jigsaw to make the cuts.

Use a flexible strip to draw the arched profile on the top back slat. Drive a screw near the end and 50mm from the top of a 150mm wide board. Mark the centre of the top of the board, and flex a thin strip of wood between the two points to establish half of the arch. Trace the arch and cut along the line. Then use the cutoff scrap as a pattern for the other half of the arch.

Sand all parts with 180-grit sandpaper to soften the edges; apply Rust-Oleum spray primer before assembly to protect those little nooks and crannies that would be difficult to reach after assembled.

Make the frame sandwiches

The support frame work is made up of three sets of sandwiched parts: two outer frames and one centre frame. The two outer frames are made by sandwiching one back support and one arm post between two seat supports and two arm supports.

Position one seat support and one arm support parallel to one another. Then place an arm post and back support on top, aligning the edges of the adjoining parts.

Cut rounded curves on both front corners and the back outside corner of each armrest. Wait to lay out the curve profile on the bottom of the arm-post filler until after the frame supports have been constructed.

Attach the parts with exterior wood glue and 30mm long screws. Drill a countersink pilot hole for each screw. Complete the frame by attaching the second seat and arm supports on top of the back support and arm post with glue and screws.

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Build the centre frame the same way, but leave out the arm post and arm supports.

Add the slats and armrests

Position the two end frames so the outer edges are 1220mm apart; then centre the armless frame between them. All of the seat and back slats are attached with 40mm long screws. Drill 2mm-dia. pilot holes to prevent splitting the slats.

Avoid installing screws where the four hanging eyebolts will be installed later.

Attach the front seat slat and bottom back slat to establish the support-frame positions and alignment.

Attach the front seat slat to the front edges of the outside and centre seat supports, overhanging the bottom edge of the front seat slat about 10mm below the bottom of the support frames.

Cut notches in the bottom back slat to fit over the arm supports. Check to make sure the frames are parallel to one another and attach the bottom back slat with screws and then attach the rest of the seat slats, spacing them roughly 3mm apart.

Notch the second and fourth seat slats to fit around the arm supports. Cut the third slat shorter to fit between the arm supports. Once the seat slats are in place, install the back slats.

Lay out and cut the arm-post fillers to fit on the outside of each arm post. Trace the slight curve along the top of the seat support onto the bottom edge of the arm-post filler.

Coat the exposed end grain with primer and then attach the fillers with glue and 30mm long screws. Finally, attach the armrests to the arm supports with glue and screws, overlapping the inside edge of the arm supports by about 5mm.

Installing the back bolts higher than the front bolts helps to prevent the seat from tipping forward.

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The porch swing hangs from four eyebolts that are placed at the bottom of the seat, centred on the intersection of the seat support and arm post. The back bolts are positioned higher, centred on the intersection of the back support and arm supports.

Drill a 19mm-dia. hole at each bolt location. Install a nut so it’s just short of the eye of the eyebolt, add a washer and then tap the eyebolt into the hole.

Add another washer and nut; then use a wrench to tighten the outside nut so the swing frame is pinched tightly.

It’s a lot easier to paint the swing before you hang it.

First, remove the eyebolts and cover the screw heads with wood filler; sand smooth.

Rust-Oleum Stops Rust Gloss Protective Enamel Spray provides lasting protection and beauty in a wide variety of colours and finishes.

Apply to metal, wood, concrete or masonry. It features a comfort tip with a wider finger pad to reduce fatigue caused by continuous spraying. In addition, there is an anyangle spray feature that allows you to spray in any direction, even upsidedown.

Hang the swing

Install two heavy-duty steel eyebolts in the ceiling at least 1350mm apart. These bolts must be securely anchored from above with washers and bolts. Alternatively, use eyebolts and expanding steel anchors to secure.

Temporarily support your swing to establish the hanging height — a seat height of 400 to 450mm is comfortable for most people.

Add a slight backward tilt. If your supports are sturdy enough, do a “test sit” to make sure the swing feels comfortable.

AVAILABLE AT BUILDERS WAREHOUSE

Build, hang and use at your own risk - We are not liable for personal injury, loss or death from use of swing.

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Make your own very affordable tree ornaments using styrofoam balls, scraps of paper and Mod Podge.

These decoupage ornaments are so easy to make and you can cover them with assorted wrappings.

Tear up your wrappings into small strips.

Apply Mod Podge to the ball and place your strips onto this, coating them liberally with Mod Podge. As each coat dries, apply another coat until you are satisďŹ ed.

Pop a hairclip or small piece of bent wire into the top of the ornament, add some ribbon and then place on the tree!

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Mod Ornaments

http://www.creativejewishmom.com

This little craft idea is so simple and looks absolutely stunning - to use as party favours or even for decoration! You just need the right combination of colours with a little texture and a little bit of shine, and a few empty toilet roll holders.

Here’s how:

You will need:

3. Tie at top and bottom with silver curling ribbon and embellish mid section with ribbon or cord.

Toilet and paper towel tubes Crepe paper Sheer fabric with a bit of sparkle curling and at ribbon Paper doilies Silver cord and matching ribbon Double sided tape or Sticky Dots Craft scissors

metallic

1. Fill tube with treats or prizes.

2. Wrap tube in crepe paper, and then a second time with either a doily or sheer sparkly fabric. Carefully stick with tape.

4. Trim top and bottom with craft scissors.

Have a party and serve up a platter of these gorgeous favours, or put one at each place setting.

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Vintage

Christmas Party I’m excited to be sharing a special Christmas project. This year I wanted to create a special table for a home holiday party. I took my inspiration from some vintage pink pottery I’ve been collecting and then added some colour accents of light blue and aqua.

I made flower arrangements that included pink roses, pink and white mini carnations, light pink alstroemeria, and seeded eucalyptus.

I also tucked in some pretty ornaments along with the flowers.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting 1/2 cup butter (at room temp) 230g cream cheese (chilled) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 4 cups icing sugar 1 to 4 Tablespoons heavy cream

Directions: Place butter in a large mixing bowl and blend slightly. Add cream cheese and blend until combined, about 30 seconds.

Add vanilla extract and icing sugar and blend on low speed until combined. Increase to medium speed and beat until it begins to get fluffy.

Slowly add the cream, a little bit at a time until desired consistency is met.

(Don’t add too much if you want the frosting to stay in place when piped on cupcakes.)

Beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.

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Royal Icing Snowflakes

The snowflakes are pretty easy to make, and will last a very long time (stored in a airtight container). Make a nice stiff consistency batch of royal icing and pipe a snowflake shape onto a piece of waxed paper.

Allow to dry completely (about 1 day) before trying to remove from the paper. Be prepared... many WILL break as you try to move them, so you need to make at least twice the amount.

The thicker the line of royal icing you make, and the longer you let them dry, the better your chances of avoiding breakage, but they are still very delicate, and you are bound to have some break.

Rolled Sugar Cookies

3 cups cake flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup unsalted butter (room temp) 1 cup sugar 1 large egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Greased paper Directions: In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and baking powder; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy; about 3 minutes.

Add the egg and vanilla and beat another minute or so.

Add the flour mixture slowly. (Be careful not to add too much at a time or you will have a snowstorm of flour.)

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Blend until all of the flour is incorporated and the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Take the dough out of the bowl and place it on a piece of greased paper.

Using your hands, knead the dough a few times.

Place the dough in a large plastic (ziplock type) bag and refrigerate for about 2 hours. If you want to speed up the chilling process, place the bag of dough in the freezer for about 2030 minutes.

When it’s almost time to remove the dough from the refrigerator (or freezer), preheat oven to 180 deg C. When the dough has chilled and is firm, take out about half of the dough, leaving the rest in the refrigerator (until your ready to work with it).

Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface. You’ll notice the sticks I have on either side of the dough.

These are paint stir sticks - two glue together and they equal about the perfect thickness for sugar cookies.

Place a piece of greased paper on top of the dough. This helps you roll out the dough without adding additional flour (adding too much flour can make the dough a bit tough, and can create little pockets of flour in the dough that cause bumps to form on your cookies during baking, making it more difficult to decorate later).

Roll out the dough to about 3mm thick.

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Cut the dough with your choice of cookie cutters.

Place cookie shapes on a prepared baking sheet. Make sure to only put cookies of similar size on each bake sheet. If you try to bake smaller cookies with larger ones the small ones will be over done before the large ones are baked.

Place entire baking sheet (with cookies on it) in the freezer or refrigerator for about 3-5 minutes. Chilling the cookies this way will help ensure they keep their shape while baking.

Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes depending on the size of the cookie. Bake until they are just barely beginning to take on a golden tone. They will continue to bake as long as then are on the pan, so don’t let then get too brown. Cool for just a minute or so on the pan, then carefully remove cookies from the baking sheet and place on a cooling rack.

This recipe yields about 30, 60mm diameter cookies.

Once cooled, the cookies can be decorated with frosting, royal icing or rolled fondant.

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image: polish the stars

Due to the flexibility of materials used for ceilings and cornice, you’re going to get gaps around the top and bottoms edges of cornice, as well as cracks where there are any joins.

Here’s how: 1. Start by cutting off the end of the tube of sealer. There’s been many a time where I squeeze until I’m red in the face, only to realise I forgot to cut the top off!

2. You also need to cut the end off the nozzle, which you hopefully got when you bought the tube of sealer. Cut this at a 45-degree angle to make application easier.

GOOD TO KNOW Pop down a drop cloth before you start - it makes clean up so much easier.

3. Use a stiff paintbrush to clean away any loose flakes of paint or dirt from around the cornice.

However, you don’t have to live with this ugly sight. It’s quick, easy and inexpensive to apply a bead of acrylic sealer to the edges for a look that is as good as new.

You will need: Acrylic sealer* Caulking gun Craft knife Stiff paintbrush Paper towels Drop cloths Stepladder

*Be sure to purchase acrylic sealer, as this can be easily painted over if necessary. Silicone sealer, on the other hand, is almost impossible to paint with acrylic PVA.

4. Starting at one end, apply the sealer to both the top and bottom of the cornice. Only do a length of about half a metre, so that you can use to tip of your finger to smooth and get rid of any excess. Have a paper towel handy to wipe your finger.

GOOD TO KNOW Acrylic sealer is easily cleaned with soapy water, unlike silicone sealer that is harder to clean up.

5. Now continue to apply sealer in this way, working on a small strip and smoothing with the tip of your finger.

6. Fill any gaps by placing the nozzle over gaps and squeezing sealer into the gap. This will help prevent the cracks re-occuring in the near future, as acrylic sealer is flexible.

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Starter Home to Dream Home takes on a kitchen renovation

Kitchen Facts:

The cost was under R7500 for the whole thing - including the new granite countertops.

The

Painted Kitchen

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The cabinet doors were painted with Rust-Oleum 2X spray paint in Heritage White and the cabinet frames matched in Prominent Paint UltraSatin.

The only thing we bought was the new dining table and chairs - to match the look of our new kitchen.

http://starterhometodreamhome.blogspot.com

100% do-it-yourself - from painting to installing the plumbing.

Remove doors and all hardware Don’t get lazy and think “oh, I’ll leave that on and paint around it”... no no, take it all off!

Sand and clean before priming I found the cleaning was even more important than the sanding.

I washed the cabinets with sugar soap and warm water with a damp rag.

Get yourself a Dremel MultiMax - they’re amazing at getting into small corners and make sanding soooo much easier.

Paint We used a quality paint for the cabinet frames. Prominent Paints UltraMatt or UltraSatin are waterbased paints that are as durable as enamel paint. The cabinets had deep wood grains that required a brush full of paint to fill the grain so it was a better option than spraying and made the best finish.

I used a small, medium and large foam roller and 5cm and 10cm paintbrushes to paint the cabinet frames.

The doors were spray painted with three coats of Rust-Oleum 2X spray paint.

We thought we would never have our kitchen the same again.... well, it isn’t the same, it is amazing!!!

Weeks of hard labour were all worth it when I saw the change. It looks like new cabinetry, I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

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Every DIYer should have an angle grinder as part of his/her tool collection. These versatile power tools can perform a wide variety of tasks, simply by changing the accessories.

While angle grinders are the leading cause of DIY accidents, it’s not the tool that is at fault, but rather the person using it.

Safety First

An angle grinders must be fitted with a safety guard to protect hands and face.

As you use an angle grinder you will note that the disk or attachment spins at high speed. When cutting into stone or grinding metal, chips and sparks will fly.

During my research for various projects

• cut ceramic and terra cotta tiles • remove rust from steel furniture • sharpen metal tools • cut pavers, bricks and roof tiles • smooth rough welds • remove paint from metal surfaces • grind metal surfaces

and features on Home-Dzine I have come across many accidents that involve angle grinders, and a large percentage of these are caused by incorrect use. Always make sure that the cutting disk cuts away from your body - to prevent kickback, or the tool sliding back - and stand with legs slightly apart.

Don’t force the grinder - allow it to work at its own speed.

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It is essential to wear safety goggles, dust mask, tight-fitting gloves and hearing protection (if you are going to be using the tool for a while), plus long sleeves and trousers. While this might not be comfortable on a hot day, it will protect your body.

If you have never used an angle grinder before, take the time to acquaint yourself with the instruction manual before use, and put in some practise on spare tiles. If you are confident when using an angle grinder there will be less chance of an accident.

Every bathroom needs power points and switches.

The key to cutting rectangles and squares in tiles is to avoid cutting beyond the corners.

STEP 1 Mark out the shape Mark the cut-out on the front and back of the tile. Score the front of the tile about 1.5mm deep along the line with your angle grinder.

STEP 2 Finish the cut Turn the tile over and plungecut from the back, checking frequently. Stop when the cut lines up with the marked corners. Then plunge-cut the remaining three sides.

STEP 3 For installation Have a qualiďŹ ed electrician prewire the bathroom before tiling.

When the tiling and painting is complete, have them connect all power points, light switches and fans.

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Which one are you?

The reasons why people engage in DIY have always been numerous and complex. For some,

DIY out of necessity There is a significant number of homemakers for whom there is no option but DIY. Their home, bought on a mortgage which consumes a major slice of their income, will often require essential refurbishment and even structural repair.

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While some of these people are reluctant first-time DIYers -- they would much prefer to hire professionals, but can’t afford to do so -- the majority, welcome the opportunity to get involved for the first time in the real business of creating a home.

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DIY provides a rare opportunity for creativity and self expression. For others it’s an unwelcome necessity, driven purely by economic considerations. Then there are those that feel that a building can never be a home unless it has been altered and modified to reflect personal touches. Finally, there are those who take the line that if you want a job done well, you must do it yourself.

DIY adds a personal touch Even those who have bought a brand new ‘starter home’, the type which increasingly proliferates around the edges of our towns and cities, will feel compelled to add personal touches of a less dramatic kind to disguise its otherwise bland and expressionless nature.

DIY as self-expression Many young people today are frustrated artists – their latent creative talents just waiting for the chance to reveal themselves. There are also those seeking opportunities for a sense of achievement and personal fulfilment.

This sense of creative achievement comes both from the choices made by the first-time DIYer – the selection of colours, textures and components to apply to the ‘canvas’ of the home – and from the application of specific skills and techniques.

The manufacturers of DIY materials clearly understand this and now provide a wide range of ‘arty’ products to fuel creative urges. At the same time, they make the materials themselves much easier to use – the DIY equivalent of painting by numbers.

Special paint effects, which once required the specialist knowledge and training of the true professional, can now be achieved straight out of the can with a simple brush.

While ragging, dragging and distressing may be considered passé in the colour supplements, a new generation of home decorators takes pride in new-found talents.

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DIY is not a macho, boastful world. Rather it is one where the large majority accept their own limitations but, because of their personal dedication to achieving a ‘good job’, often obtain better outcomes than the more qualified, but uninterested professionals.

DIY as perfection-seeking It’s no news that a large proportion of first-time DIYers distrust builders and contractors. They feel that most are ‘fly-by-night’ and that even the more reputable ones are very unlikely to have the same loving attention to detail and care as the DIYer. Many homeowners have first-hand experience from the alleged bodges of small ‘so-called’ reputable builders, while others were proud of the fact that no tradesman of this kind had ever set foot in their home.

While many DIYers are content to let builders perform basic or structural work, and to undertake tasks such as plastering, which are beyond the competence of most DIYers, the finishing was something these people did themselves – the final ‘perfecting’ of what otherwise would be just a mediocre result.

DIY as leisure activity For a significant minority of first-timers DIY is seen as a novel and entertaining pastime. It is not really work, but something akin to entertainment, shared by both partners and even the children in the case of young families.

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With 128-pages of tips, tricks, techniques and projects for the beginner DIY enthusiast, there’s something for everyone in the new English and Afrikaans books.

Full colour and detailed step-by-step instructions guide you through each and every project, with tips and techniques on using the various tools, accessories and attachments.

Buy online at www.lapa.co.za, Exclusive Books and Kalahari.net

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