Two DIY Projects
I received a couple of emails from readers who have seen my portfolio over at Houzz asking me how I did a couple of things. I thought I’d answer them here and share the wealth.
How did you paint that armoire?
Ann wants to know what paint I used for this armoire. Originally, it was plain pine. Here are the steps to do this yourself.
- First, primed the furniture with a low VOC primer. Or, you can use Kilz. Have the paint shop tint the primer for you.
- Painted the furniture with Benjamin Moore’s Chili Pepper (#2004-20). You can use latex, but an oil-based paint will show fewer brush marks. Alternatively, you can use a sponge roller, but I can’t vouch for the results since I’ve never done it this way.
- Yet another idea is to ask an auto body shop if they can do it for you. I’ve had furniture painted there, but I used Bondo and car paint. I don’t know if they can set up latex.
- Expect to use 4 coats to cover; that’s typical with red paint. The warmer the red, the fewer the coats.
- Please remember that colors vary widely from monitor to monitor. The red you see might not be the exact red you want. Any deep-based red you like will work fine.
How did you make that metal wall?
I created this metal-clad, magnetic wall using perforated, galvanized steel from McNichols. I ordered the sheets online and had them cut for me. Here’s how to do it.
- First, choose the perforated style you like. If you want a magnetic wall, you must use galvanized steel. Stainless won’t work.To see the selection, follow this link.
- Make sure you choose a perf size with holes large enough for your mounting screws to fit through the holes.
- Measure your wall carefully to create a template. McNichols cut the sheets to fit my template. For example, I bought 3 sheets. Two were flat. The third was cut to fit over the wall and then over the door.
- Paint your wall the color of your choice.
- If you live in a humid climate, the steel might rust, so you’ll need to prep it by spraying it with a clear coat of Rustoleum.
- Mount your sheets you will need flat metal pieces I bought at the hardware store. I used those to frame out the edges of each sheet. Then, I used flat screws, up the middle, to attach the panels to the wall more securely.
Now, have fun buying all kinds of magnets. You can use hooks for hanging calendars and hats. I like this idea because your child (or you) can change out the decor easily. My son is not longer interested in space and ships. He’s 16, so what do you think he has on the wall now?
By the way, if you’re wondering why my portfolio isn’t on my site, it’s coming soon! I’m planning a redesign to launch in January.
Do you have a DIY project you’d like to share? Have you seen something somewhere and need ideas on how to make it yourself? Contact me and I’ll create a plan.
Interview with LitShades’ Dawn Bassett
Lampshades are important. They spell the difference between a ho-hum lamp and one that looks beautiful when lit. A good one, one that starts with a good quality fabric, is amazingly hard to find. Lampshade designer and fabricator, Dawn Bassett, feels my pain. Dawn is the owner of LiT, a Seattle shop devoted to the creation of beautiful lampshades.
Dawn became interested in making lampshades while working as an interior designer. The lack of interesting options caught her attention. She knew she could make something better and so LiT was born. Dawn creates ready-made and custom shades. We recently had a chat about her craft. Here’s what Dawn had to say.
DH: I often find the shades on lamps in shops are pretty inferior. What are your thoughts?
DB: Generally, they’re just not well made. First, they’re smaller than I recommend for the size of the lamp. And the sizes are too limited. They’re tapered or conical shaped, which makes them stackable and less expensive to ship. Sometimes conical is okay. But often a different shape, such as round, would suit the lamp’s style better.
Another problem is that the average shade is made using cheap materials. They use plastic backing and paper tape at the top and bottom. The fabrics are poly-rayon blends instead of silk or linen. Also, “hand-sewn” shades often aren’t really hand-sewn. They’re held together with rubberized glue.
DH: With so many people shopping on-line, what advice would you give shade shoppers?
DB: When shopping for a shade, measure the lamp first. For a tapered shade, I¬†stick to 3/4 of the lamp’s height¬†with a¬†bottom diameter twice that of the lamp base.¬†For a drum shade, go between 13 – 15″ diameter and between 9 – 11″ in height for a mid-sized table lamp.¬† These are very subjective guidelines, but I hope they help.
DH: Are there any lampshade guidelines?
DB: What I like people to be aware of is that a lampshade is a functional object. Pay attention to the size and material of the shade to determine how much and what color of light will be diffused.  One other pointer is to buy a harp or a shade extender to make sure the shade fits the lamp correctly.
DH: How can a shade be spruced up on the cheap, i.e.: DIY?
DIY Project: Make your own shelves
Built-in shelves add a lot of character to a room. And they’re not too difficult to make. I love this DIY shelving from Marie Claire Id?©es.
You could easily create a version of this using LACK shelves from IKEA. These versatile shelves come in 12″, 43″, 48″ and 75″ lengths. If you don’t like the color, simply paint them in one you love. Notice the piece of decorative paper in the shelves shown here. That’s a nice touch, don’t you think?
To make these shelves you’ll need a metal L-square and a level to make sure your angles are at 90 degrees. Work your design out on paper before you start.
Want some other ideas for things to do with LACK? Check out this post from Apartment Therapy. And this one from Ikea Hacker.
Do you have a DIY shelving project you’d like to show off? Send me a photo!
