Living Room Decor

Our "formal" living room sat empty for about year after we moved in.  I always had a color scheme.  So, the walls were painted early on.  The rest came little by little.

Front Step Makeover and New Walkway Pavers

First impressions start at the entry of your home.  The pictures will show you that first impressions were sub par at our house.  The concrete step was in rough shape due to almost 30 years of water wear.  We had seamless gutters installed so water would no longer pound on and wear away the concrete.  My husband used Behr Deckover to repair the worn concrete.  We used the color Cape Cod Grey.  The walkway pavers also suffered from years of water wear.  In some areas the pavers were beginning to sink. The pavers were removed and an underground trench was dug.  In the trench a PVC pipe was placed connecting the drainage tile to an outlet that empties into our yard.  This prevents water from draining on to the pavers.  Next, new pavers were placed and sealed. We are thrilled with the results! 

Before


 

After

 

The Transformation...

 

 

 

Gutters

 

 

 

 

New Walkway Pavers

 

 

Front step makeover using Behr Deckover

 

 

 

Finished Product!!

 

  

Kitchen Makeover

 

This was a PROJECT! Before we bought our current home I loved white cabinets.  When we were looking to move I knew my next kitchen would have them one way or another.  Well, another for me meant painting them. The end result was totally worth it!

 

Before

 

After

 

DIY: Painting a Buffet Table

 

I really wanted a white buffet for my formal dining room.  I was looking for a particular style, and finally found what I was looking for on Craigslist.  I knew that I could transform this buffet to fit perfectly into my formal dining room.  

 

This is the "before" picture. 

Let the work begin!

 

To start, I took out the drawers and removed cabinet doors and hardware. I recommend putting the hardware in ziplock bags so pieces are not lost. I put a protective covering on my garage floor and moved the buffet and drawers out to my garage. Let the prep work begin.  I sanded and wiped all surfaces.

 

Spray primer was used for the legs (it was easier with the detail) and smooth roller for the rest. It is nice to have a sponge brush to smooth out any drips. Also, sand and wipe between coats of primer. Your finish will be much more smooth. See below picture for other supplies needed.



 

I used the same method for the cabinet doors as I did when I painted my kitchen cabinets.  I screw 1" hooks into the bottom of the cabinet door.  That way I can hang them in my garage to paint. 

 

 

 I normally put three coats of primer on before I paint.  The paint color I used was Behr's-Toasted Marshmallow in a semi-gloss finish.  Again, using a smooth roller I painted the buffet, drawers, and cabinet doors.  It is also important to sand and wipe between coats of paint.  I let the paint dry for one week before the putting hardware back.

 

The finished product!