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Five Minutes With

LEIGH-ANN ALLAIRE PERRAULT, DIY EXPERT

IT WAS a desperate act of decoupage that kicked off Leigh-Ann Allaire Perrault’s career path. Aged seven and frustrated with her parents’ refusal to repaint her bedroom orange, she decided to take matters into her own hands. “I pulled an all-nighter and duct-taped scraps of orange paper from newspapers and magazines all over my bedroom wall,” she says. “When my parents made me pull it down the next morning, I ripped off most of the drywall, which led to patching the walls— and painting my room orange!” In the years since, Allaire Perrault has refined her skills to become one of Canada’s most recognizable renovators and a champion of homegrown home improvements. We recently chatted with the stalwart of TV’s Cityline about the dos and don’ts of doing it yourself. — Brett Walther

What’s the biggest mistake people tend

to make with DIY projects? They either run out of time or run out of steam. When painting a room, they’ll get so anxious to see the colour, they might skip the step of laying down drop cloths or priming—but they always regret it after. It’s important to take that deep cleansing breath before starting and to estimate the time it will take, the materials needed and the expected cost. If you’ve got those three things worked out, you’re golden.

Is there a particular DIY you’d never

attempt again? I really thought I would be awesome at drywalling. I was, like, “I can ice a cake. How hard can this be?” I was literally two sheets in before I called for backup. I’ll never say “never again,” but it’s not something I’ll be doing on my own!

What are the basics every tool kit needs?

First off, you’ve got to invest in a damn good hammer. A lot of people think those compact little hammers are cute, but bigger is better: The larger the strike face, the more likely you’ll actually hit the nail. Next, instead of buying 25 different standard screwdrivers, get a ratcheting screwdriver that comes with multiple bits. It will save your wrists and a lot of space. A tape measure is also important, and again—size does matter. You’ll want a measure with a long “standout,” which means you can pull it out quite a ways before it collapses. A tape with a magnetic tip can be really helpful when you’re up on a ladder hanging pictures: If you drop a nail, you can just extend your tape measure to the floor, snag it with the magnet and reel it back in. Finally, a toolbox itself is a must. So many people dump their tools into drawers, but you want everything in one place so you’re not wasting time looking for a tool when you really need it.

ORANGE CRUSH

It was her favourite colour as a kid— and although the tone has recently shifted toward coral, orange remains Allaire Perrault’s go-to hue. Here are her favourite shades:

Adobe Orange 2171-30, benjaminmoore.ca.

Pink Mix 2089-30, benjaminmoore.ca.

LIFT THIS LOOK SUSPENDED ANIMATION

Instead of scattering hanging planters across the deck, group them together for maximum impact. Arranging the baskets in a tightly packed row blurs the distinction between individual pots, creating the effect of an unbroken canopy of blooms—the perfect complement to a chic alfresco soirée! Strawberry

Kiss hanging baskets (Superbells Pink Calibrachoa hybrid, Supertunia Mini Appleblossom petunia hybrid and Superbena Royale Whitecap verbena hybrid), provenwinners.com.

GAME- CHANGER MAGNETIC NAIL STARTERS

If you have a hard time hitting the nail on the head—without also hitting your fingers—consider this helpful new hammer design. The magnetic groove above the strike face holds the nail in place for that first driving tap, taking your other hand out of the line of fire. 14 oz.