I love everything about this new paint job. The yellow exterior and fancy corbels are bright and cheery. Wouldn’t it be nice if all paint stayed looking as fresh as when it was new? Dreaming. Then, the white in-between the slats of siding sets them off nicely. The red/rust shutters and door screens pop nicely.…
How cute is this 1866 double shotgun in the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans? And just in time for Christmas. What makes this charming house so unusual is that only two colors are used. Here’s what they did: Siding, doors, shutters: Red Quoins, door frames, window frames: Hunter green That’s it. Short, sweet, simple and…
This beautifully restored little cottage is right on the levee in the Holy Cross area of the Lower 9th Ward. The exterior colors include: • House siding: Bright yellow • Doors, window mullions and foundation: Pumpkin orange • Door jambs, door trim, window frames, fascia, and corner quoins: Periwinkle blue • Steps, cornice above windows:…
This is one of the best budget kitchen remodels I’ve seen. While you can see a dramatic change from before (bottom) and after (top), notice that the cabinets are the same, the window is in the same place, all the appliances are in the same locations and the floor and ceiling are the same. So…
How can you go wrong with this combination? (click on photo for a larger view) This lovely raised Creole cottage just off Marconi near City Park is luminous with its periwinkle lap siding, softly yellow doors and bright white trim. It’s simple and stunning. Siding: Periwinkle blue Trim: White Doors: Yellow Roofing: Gray
I admire the entrepreneurial spirit, and passion about one’s work, and courage. So when Steve Broujos, a painting contractor and educator in Wilmington, Del., asked if I’d like to see his new book, I thought: Why not? The title is not exactly dynamic: “The Homeowner’s Guide to Surface Preparation for Interior House Painting.” But I’ll tell…
How do you protect your kids from lead poisoning during a remodel? Here are tips for homeowners from the National Association of Home Builders: Professional remodelers who have achieved EPA Lead-Safe Certification are trained and prepared to work in pre-1978 homes for minimizing dust and potential lead paint exposures. These workers also have certified their firms…
Michelle Kolb of Nantucket, Mass., won Grand Prize in the DIY category of American Clay’s Second Annual Makeover Contest. See her room before and after below: After: Before: The judges for the competition included Mary Cordaro, president of Mary Cordaro Inc. a certified Bau-Biologist; Eric Corey Freed, LEED AP, Hon. FIGP, author, green building expert…
One day, when I wasn’t looking, my once-charming front porch went from shabby chic to just plain disgusting. I waited for the crew from HGTV’s Curb Appeal to show up. When they didn’t come, I decided to take on the job. Here’s the porch I started with: As you can see, I had many challenges:…
Q: What’s even better than blocking stains with KILZ primer-sealer? A: Doing so without poisoning yourself. I’ve been a fan of KILZ stain-blocking primer for years. It’s one of those rare products that lives up to its hype. And now it come in a formulation with no volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. That word “organic”…