Home-Dzine Online February 2011

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Home-Dzine It’s all about caring for and improving your home

February 2011

Love your home

In this issue ...

• Freshen up your living room • Coffee table manners • Valentine crafts • Making slipcovers and more...

Make it

a word or two FEBRUARY 2011 WORKSHOPS JOBURG 05 Advanced - Power Tools & Basic Electrical 12 Cut Out Headboard 19 Garden Bench 26 Upholstered Ottoman & Dremel Carving

CLICK HERE TO BOOK

Do it!

This year is going to be a very exciting one for me, and for all the DIY Divas. Not only are we collaborating in a fantastic DIY magazine due for launch later this year, but we’re also bringing out our very own books: DIY for Divas / DIY vir Divas.

The DIY Divas book is hopefully the first in a series of books intended for all you Divas out there who want to “Do-It-Yourself” and it should be on the shelf just in time for Mother’s Day - so start hinting now!

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.

Image and content credits: meredith publishing - good homes - family handyman - sunset publishing - popular mechanic - house & home - georgia pacific - expert village - channel4 - pottery barn - flikr - nkba - resene - mitre10 - lowes and any others.

EAST RAND 05 Advanced - Power Tools 12 Cut Out Headboard 19 Garden Bench 26 Upholstered Ottoman

CLICK HERE TO BOOK

FAR EAST RAND 05 Beginners - Woodwork 12 Basic Electrical 19 Advanced - Power Tools 26 Wall Clock

CLICK HERE TO BOOK

PRETORIA 19 Beginners - Woodwork

CLICK HERE TO BOOK

CAPE TOWN 05 Beginner - Power Tools 19 Beginner - Woodwork

CLICK HERE TO BOOK

DURBAN 05 Beginners - Power Tools 12 Beginners - Woodwork 19 Shoe Storage 26 Upholstered Ottoman

CLICK HERE TO BOOK

Freshen Up

your living room

Find living room design ideas for furniture, wall colour, lighting, and more to take your living room from blah to beautiful.

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Rearrange the furniture For a freebie room transformation, move furniture around. Put some pieces on a diagonal or group them into smaller conversation areas instead of letting them hug the walls.

Even swapping artwork from another room can create a refreshing change of pace.

Arrange your living room to reflect the way you and your family like to live, the location of the room, and its traffic patterns. If the room is designed for conversation, gather furniture around a central point and keep it cosy. If it’s used as a serene getaway without a television, add a chaise lounge to complement a sofa. If reading is the main activity, plan for book storage, easy chairs, and adaptable lighting.

Be sure to allow for access to furniture and a pathway through the space.

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ABOVE and BELOW: Before, During and After: Play around with furniture in the room. Move all the pieces out - or to another room - and introduce back into the room piece by piece.

You can also bring in furniture from other rooms for a completely new look - or makeover existing furniture in a new colour. A slipcover for the sofa makes all the difference!

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Divide Large Spaces with Seating If your living room is the setting for large parties, bring intimacy and a comfortable sense of scale to the room by dividing it into two conversational groupings with a path between them.

ABOVE: Placing one sofa with its back to this path underscores the separation between the two groups, as do the area rugs anchoring them.

This arrangement offers people inviting places to land and talk face-toface. Unify the groups by using identical rugs, coffee tables, and sofas in each.

Visually Break Up Larger Open Areas A fireplace, room divider, or half-wall can be used to divide open spaces without losing the flow of light and energy through the space.

RIGHT: In this spacious open-plan loft, the fireplace separates and defines the living and dining areas.

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Set the Tone with Artwork Use original artwork to add personality and create a focal point. Here, dramatic art and accessories give the room design attitude.

For a cohesive look pair similar colours and shapes.

Highlight Wall Art with Paint Turn your walls into dynamic, graphic designs with paint and shadow boxes. Paint rectangles so they relate to the width of the furniture below or to the shape and size of the wall space. Also consider the shape and size of the three-dimensional piece you want to hang within the painted rectangle.

Whether you hang original sculpture over the painted rectangles or just use simple box shelves with ordinary vases, the effect is contemporary and exciting.

Repeat Elements for Visual Rhythm Rhythm - the way colours, patterns, and shapes ďŹ ll a room - keeps a space interesting because it requires constant eye movement.

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This living shows how shapes can add rhythm.

The key shape is curvy, from the lampshade to the coffee table to the modern vases and even the pattern on the pillow.

Spreading like objects around the room keeps the eye moving.

Use Mirrors as Wall Art Large mirrors leaning against the wall offer a dramatic and effective way to expand the sense of space in small rooms, enhance light in dark ones, and add interest anywhere.

Three identical mirrors in plain dark frames suit the contemporary style of this loft living room.

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Table Manners Fill the prime piece of real estate in front of your sofa with the right building blocks.

The key is to use objects of varying heights.

Cool and Contemporary This dark wood table is a study in rectangles. Go with the theme, and arrange a shapely collection of accessories - square plates, tall cylinders, and an oval bowl - on top of it. The ďŹ nal result is like a geometry lesson with style.

Apples are too traditional for this mod vignette, so opt for something with more zest. Limes are lovely on stacked square plates.

Sunny lemons become something special in a sculptural bowl. They also add a spot of cheerful colour.

Gain height from a trio of slim bottles.

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Make your own Coffee Table

Make it

See page 26 for instructions on how to make the above Coffee Table.

NEXT PAGE (top): If you attended the DIY Divas Basic Ottoman workshop you will know how easy it is to make this ottoman table. A base, cushion and slipcover are all that are required.

ď ś Light and Bright Instead of a coffee table, choose an upholstered ottoman with a crisp white slipcover for a soft, cottage-inspired look. This piece can also be used for additional seating when entertaining. A large, low basket adds a stable surface for display.

Pretty votive holders set the colour scheme. Plus, small candles are an easy way to light up any arrangement.

A decorative box adds hiding space for the remote controls.

A dramatic orchid stands tall over the basket.

Its thin silhouette is unobtrusive.

Warm and Elegant A two-tiered glass-and-iron coffee table is a great choice for an elegant look. Warm up the sleek surface with a punch of colour. Accessories in red do the trick here.

The coffee-table book is a classic choice. Pick one with a cover in tones of orange and red.

Granny Smith apples are the go-to accessories of photo stylists because they lend a striking pop of colour. Put them in a red bowl.

A tall, spiky plant is dramatic, especially in a planter with a oral pattern. Such an addition brings life to the table arrangement.

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All Dressed Up When is it better to slipcover a piece of furniture rather than have it reupholstered or replaced?

Slipcovering furniture costs a fraction of the cost to reupholster or replace your existing chairs or sofa - if you make your own covers.

However, if you have custom slipcovers made, these can cost almost as much as reupholstery - so the choice is up to you.

If you have children or pets, slipcovers are great because they can be removed and washed as often as required.

Slipcovers are also wonderful for transforming furniture - and a room. And they’re great for mismatched chairs.

Here are some tips to bear in mind when slipcovering furniture: LEFT: Slipcovers have become more tailored.

Excess fabric tucks into crevices between cushions, and bare wooden legs show rather than hide behind gathered, full skirts.

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 Choose the right fabric The best fabric to use for slipcovers is a light- to medium-weight cotton or linen fabric. I have used upholstery-weight fabric before, but it doesn’t drape as well.

How much fabric?

To calculate how much fabric you will need, measure the entire sofa or chair: arms front and back, back rest front and back, seat and cushions, front panel, and add an extra two metres to this for seam allowance, edges and any decorative finishing, such as ruffles and pleats.

Have a design Do some research before you start. Decide on whether you want casual, formal or country slipcovers - there are so many options to choose from. You’ll find plenty of ideas on the Internet.

You can add welting (also know as cording) to trim, or perhaps you want to add a pleated or ruffled skirt.

Wash before making It is always a good idea to pre-wash fabric before sewing together, to preshrink. I advise washing it on hot and drying the fabric all the way to get as much shrinkage as possible out of the way before the slipcover is made. You will also get a good idea of how the fabric holds up.

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ď ś Don’t be afraid of white With bleach and other whiteners, tough stains will disappear.

Tight and Tailored Tailored slipcovers on the dining chairs in this dining room allow the eye to travel to the view outside the doors.

Living Large Slipcovers on the generously scaled living room furniture invite guests to sit a while.

FAR LEFT: White slipcovers make any room feel fresh and previously mismatched furniture gets a new look.

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

Let’s slip one on...

Once you get the hang of it, making slipcovers is easy. After the first one you’ll want to cover all your upholstered furniture in slipcovers!

Before

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 Here’s how to recover a sofa or chair • Remove all the cushions and fitted sofa cushions.

• Place the fabric face down (nice side down) and drape it over your sofa or chair.

• With smooth gentle strokes fit the corners into place at the back, bottom and sides, while allowing the fabric run all the way to the bottom of your sofa at the back and front.

• Tuck into the creases of your sofa about 5 cm to ensure a comfortable fit once finished and reversed.

• Pin the outline of your sofa starting at the top along the side all the way down to the floor, pinning two pieces of fabric coming together.

Once you’ve done that the back will be in place and should not move on you while you work on the front and sides. The reason for starting with the back is sofas are mostly simple straight backed and it just makes it easier to work with.

• The next step is to smooth out the seat area, again, ensuring small tucks into the corners.

Take the extra fabric you have from the side overhanging and using your pins, pin a straight crease following your armrest all the way to the front of your furniture. Don’t worry if you have some looser corners, as the cushions (once slip covered) will tighten down the cover once in place.

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 • Continue to pin the entire outline of your sofa design for arm rests front and back, ensuring the fabric stays shaped and smoothed by your hand.

• Once you have pinned the entire outline, you can trim off the larger pieces not needed. This will allow you to sew your cover easily.

Note: Do not cut too close to the stitches.

• Slowly peel off the cover and use a sewing machine to stitch along the pinned mark, removing your pins as you move along.

Tip

Trim excess fabric with zigzag scissors to prevent the fabric fraying.

• Turn inside out and check on the fit over your sofa. Some adjustments may be required. Reverse the piece and make any adjustments with your pins and resew the area.

• Check the bottom of the sofa for length and make your length adjustments. It is all right to leave a puckered effect if you prefer, which means extra fabric is left to drape over the floor. Whichever the case, ensure the edge is folded under and finished to prevent fraying.

Covering cushions Measure against your cushions and cut your fabric. Make a pillow style cover (again with raw face showing, this is where you always stitch) and stitch along 3 sides leaving one side open to insert your cushion. Once finished turn it inside out and slip your cushion inside. If they are zippered type, do not worry about putting a zipper on the new slipcover. You can use Velcro - either stitching or glued in place or simple ties can also be attached to ensure the cover closes snug over the cushions.

Once everything is complete, put your sofa back together using your slipcover and

covered cushions. You may have to gently push down into the corners of your sofa to ensure the fabric fits snug all around.

Some people use a stick (such as a broom stick) - cut to the length of the crevice, and placed is in the back crevice of your entire sofa length in the 1 to 2 inch tuck. This will ensure the fabric stays in place under your fitted cushions.

Slipcover Tips

If you’re thinking about slip-covering, particularly in high-traffic areas, preshrink to ensure shapely slips.

Add dressmaker details. Buttons and ties are a great way to bring in colour.

Slipcovers are not upholstery, and they shouldn’t look like it. A loosefitting form ensures a casual look.

Combine fabrics for a fun effect.

Cover a club chair in white duck, then use a soft velvet on the cushion.

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credit: isabella and max

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

Dressed for Dinner

It is so easy to makeover and reupholster old chairs. I love to go bargain hunting to see what I can find.

It’s just so satisfying to see an old chair transformed and made pretty!

• Start off by removing the old cushion.

It is normally just screwed on from underneath. If the cushion is in bad condition, keep the backing board and add new batting or foam.

• Sand down the chair with 120- and then 240-grit sandpaper to remove old paint or varnish and smooth out any damaged areas. Wipe clean with a cloth lightly dampened with mineral turps.

• Take the chair outside and spray on one coat of primer and two coats of Rust-Oleum painters touch - in this project we used Espresso. Allow each coat to dry before applying the next.

• To make a new seat cushion, use the backing board as a template to cut out your foam and fabric. Leave plenty of fabric for wrapping over and attaching to the back with a staple gun.

• Pull tightly to the back and staple at the centre of each side - staple one side and then tightly pull the other side. Continue to staple along the sides, leaving the corners for last. This allows you to play around with the corners until you have a nice neat edge, which is then staple down.

• Re-attach the seat to the chair.

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credit: brian patrick flynn

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Update an eclectic mix of chairs by painting them a single colour and recovering the seats to create a unified look.

Hunt flea markets, auction sales and secondhand stores for single or pairs of dining room chairs in different shapes and sizes. Try to keep all chair back heights within a range of 10 to 12cm of one another.

Use 120-grit sandpaper to remove the old finish from chair frame and finish with 240-grit sandpaper; wipe away dust with mineral turps and a cloth.

Remove chair cushions with screwdriver. Nine times out of ten they are attached by screws underneath the seat. Put these aside for now.

Keeping a distance of 30cm from surface, spray a light coat of Rust-Oleum primer on each chair frame and leave to dry before applying two coats of RustOleum gloss brilliant white or heirloom white. Let this dry completely.

Tip

While you wait for the paint to dry, wrap batting and fabric around existing cushion and then attach to back of the seat with a staple gun (see previous pages for detailed instructions).

If old screws are loose use a thicker diameter screw.

Place your newly upholstered

cushions on chairs and re-attach screws from underneath.

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This year we’re bringing you even more DIY, with a new selection of projects, DIY and craft workshops and more fun!

Crafty DIY

Thanks to our Sponsors, Dremel, we are launching Crafty DIY workshops to cover the Dremel range of tools. Use the Dremel TRIO, or get carving with the Dremel Multitool.

This year we still have our Beginner and Advanced workshops, plus a few extra specialist workshops - for those who want to learn more.

All our workshops are now projectbased, which means that you always make something to take home with you - just to show your hubby YOU CAN DO IT!

upholstery projects

garden bench 20

tiling, practical building, basic plumbing & electrical, plastering, closets & cabinets

Love You

credit: crafty sisters

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

You will need

Here’s how:

[1] 32mm dowel or broom handle [4] 8mm dowels in different lengths [1] 300mm diameter pine circle Drill/driver and 8mm wood bit 32mm spade bit [8] steel washers [20] eye hooks Hot glue gun and glue sticks Rust-Oleum silver metallic spray 16-gauge wire Long-nose pliers Craft stickers - heart shapes Tins and tin snips Cotton gloves Clamps

1. Clamp the 32mm dowel and drill 4 holes through the dowel at equal intervals along the length. Hold the drill/driver perfectly level and straight so that you drill perfect holes.

2. Push the smaller dowels through the drilled holes. If you find it very tight, drill the hole again.

3. Hot glue the washers onto the ends of the smaller dowels.

4. Use a 32mm spade bit to drill a hole in the centre of the base.

Optional: I used my Dremel Trio to add a decorative edge around the base.

5. Hot glue the large centre dowel to the base.

6. Spray the entire project with RustOleum silver metallic.

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Cut out lots of birdies

You can use a scrollsaw or jigsaw to cut the bird shapes. Cut one and then use this as a template to cut more.

Sand the edges with 240-grit sandpaper to make painting easier.

For extra effect I cut open some empty cold drink cans and use tin snips to cut out individual heart shapes for the birds. Use the decorative stickers as templates to cut out the various sizes you will need. Stick the tin shapes to each bird with a couple of blobs of hot glue.

Paint the birdies

Use Rust-Oleum silver metallic spray to spray over the front, back and sides. You can spray the birds any colour that you like, I sprayed them silver to contrast with the red colour of the hearts.

These are what your ďŹ nished birds should look like.

Each bird has an eye hook at the top to allow you to hang with wire. Use pliers to bend the wire into curved hangers.

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

bags of

Love

These handmade hessian bags are filled with rice and embellished with love. Display on your mantel or shelf for Valentine’s Day. Before sewing the bags together, use a stencil and apple red Rust-Oleum Painters Touch to spray the letters onto the fabric. When dry, sew each bag down the sides and bottom, fill with rice and close with jute or string.

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

LOVE YOUR HOME The Gauteng HOMEMAKERS Expo is certain to make you fall in love with home all over again this February.

Apart from the 620 stands showcasing the latest in home lifestyle, the expo also highlights consumer trends with some exciting new features. Landscapers put a spin on garden lustre in Courtyard Couture, demonstrating that a beautiful garden design can be achieved in a small space. At Décor on a budget six top designers show you how to achieve creative brilliance without breaking the bank. Young creative artists will illustrate their latest work in the ever popular Future of Design and HOMEMAKERS will be doing their part for charity by fully supporting the Joburg Child Welfare 100 doors project.

This initiative sees artists and celebrities creatively jazzing up over 100 doors, many of which will be displayed and auctioned at the expo.

Show Details:

Dates: 24 -27 February 2011 Venue: Coca-Cola Dome, North Riding Times: Thursday & Friday 10:00 – 19:00 Saturday & Sunday 09:00 – 18:00 Entrance: R60 Adults, R30 Pensioners, Children under 12 free

For more information visit www.homemakersonline.co.za or call 086 111 4663 25

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Make it You can easily make this coffee table in a day - without any tools if you have all your board cut to size at your local Builders Warehouse.

You will need:

A. [2] of 16mm SupaWood 500 x 800mm* B. [2] of 16mm SupaWood 100 x 500mm* C. [4] of 16mm SupaWood 80 x 500mm* D. [4] of 16mm SupaWood 80 x 300mm* [4] 5 x 30mm cut screws Wood glue Wood ďŹ ller Quick clamps 360-grit sandpaper Prominent Paints Sheen - black Prominent Paints Acrylic Sealer Foam roller and tray *Have all the board cut to the exact sizes at your local Builders Warehouse.

NOTE: The design above will not take any weight. For a sturdier table use wood screws as well as wood glue.

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No power tools needed!

Quick Clamps Invest in a pair of Gator Clamps.

These handy and versatile clamps are ideal for using when gluing wood together.

Find them in the tool hardware aisle at your local Builders Warehouse.



Table Top Assembly

B

A A

B

1. Glue to top and bottom [A] to the sides [B] and clamp firmly together until the glue is

Table Base Assembly

C

C D

D

D

D C

C

2. Glue base sections [C] to base sides [D] and clamp firmly together until the glue is dry.

3. Glue the base section to the top assembly.

Tip

Use wood screws for additional strength and stability

If you possess a drill/driver - use 5 x 30mm cut screws to attach the base to the top to provide additional strength and stability.

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Sunshine

starburst mirror If you already have a small mirror lying around somewhere at home, you can make this project for nothing more than the cost of a few sheets or cardstock.

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1. Cut one sheet of cardstock into strip, fold them in half and use these as templates to cut more strips. The smaller the mirror the more strips you will need.

If you cut too many strips - make more sunbursts!

2. There is no rule for the size and shape of the strips - you can play around with different designs until you are happy.

The original design had much thicker strips but I prefer the thinner strips cut to varying lengths for effect.

3. Start with your smallest strips first and remember to work in fours with strips at north (N), south (S), east (E) and west (W).

The next row will be at NE, SE, SW, NW and so on.

4. Hot glue each strip to the back of the mirror as you move around until it’s all done.

It only takes about 5 minutes of hot gluing, such a rewarding little project.

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

Girl Talk We have seen so many Divas coming through our DIY Divas workshops, many of whom have taken the next step and started making their own decor accessories and furniture.

The biggest problem that is experienced is not knowing how to start a project. Where do I get plans?

How do I know the measurements?

What type of material do I use? How do I finish it? These are all common queries that we get.

After attending a Beginners and Advanced Workshop you will be reasonably equipped with the skills needed to make something yourself.

The next step is to actually attend a workshop and make a specific project. All the projects are designed to build up your skills.

If you’ve tackled the Beginner Workshops and are wondering what comes next... time to go shopping for timber and board and start making stuff!

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This month we’re talking timber and board and the best materials that we recommend that you use for particular projects...

 With emphasis on reducing deforestation and looking for alternative materials, SupaWood (or MDF as it is commonly known) has become the most popular choice for furniture and decor projects.

Stronger than pine and other board products, SupaWood is affordable and can be painted, laminated or veneered.

DO wear a dust mask when cutting or sanding SupaWood. The bonding resin contains Formaldehyde, which can be dangerous if inhaled.

Sand the edges of supawood with 240-grit sandpaper to make painting easier BisonBord, not to be confused with cheap and nasty chipboard, is manufactured using wood chips that are bonded and pressed to create a versatile board that is ideal for use in projects where the board will be covered up. EG. headboards, ottomans.

A laminated version - MelaWood - is available in a wide range of wood grain and colour finishes, and is ideal for bookcases, cabinets, tables, etc.

Do not use chipboard in bathrooms or areas of high moisture as the board soaks up water like a sponge!

Plywood is made up of layers of thin strips of wood that are pressed together to create the ply. The thicker the board - the more layers there will be.

Plywood is fairly strong and ideal for projects that you want to finish with a wood grain. The downside of plywood is that the finish is not that great and intensive sanding will remove the thin veneer on the top and bottom of the board.

Marine plywood can be used outdoors, as it has been specially treated to offer protection from moisture.

Always specific PG Bison SupaWood, BisonBord and MelaWood when purchasing board products at your local hardware store.

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

Teaching a n old bird New Tricks!

Never has the saying, “You can’t teach an old dog bird new tricks been so far from the truth.

In the last couple of years I have discovered how to use so many new tools - and had so much fun doing it!

Yesterday I treated myself to a wood turning lathe, so that Nancy and I can get stuck into projects for our new baby... Shabby Chic.

In next month’s issue of the magazine I will no doubt have a couple of made projects to show you.

You’re never too young (www.DIY-Kids. co.za) or too old (www.DIY-Divas.co.za) to do-it-yourself, and a couple of workshops to help you overcome the fear, build confidence and provide information on tips, tricks and techniques will definitely get you prepared.

My personal experience is that if you can’t get someone to do it - or make it - for you then DO-IT-YOURSELF!

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