STEPS TO LEARN SAVING WATER IN THE KITCHEN

The tip is to make doing dishes difficult on yourself so that you can understand exactly how much water you are wasting. It feels drastic when you start it but it’s a rapid way to get a good understanding of how much water goes down the kitchen sink drain without you even realizing it. Here are the steps to follow if you’re curious:

o   Let your dishes pile up for as long as you possibly can. This means that you keep adding dishes to your sink and counter tops until you actually run out of something that you need (like glasses or silverware). Now will be the time to do your dishes. But before you do …

o   Get underneath the kitchen sink and take apart the pipe down there. Typically there is a U-shaped pipe and all that you need to do is to remove the U-part. Now place a bucket underneath the pipe. When you run water from your faucet now, it will fall directly into the bucket that you’ve placed underneath the sink instead of draining down into your kitchen pipes like it normal does.

o   Okay, now you’re ready to do the dishes. As you do, of course, the water is going to fill up in the bucket. Each time that it fills up, you’ll need to stop doing your dishes and take the bucket over to your tub or toilet to dump it out. Then you’ll have to start over. Finish doing all of your dishes in this manner.

WHAT’S THE POINT?

You may be asking yourself what the point is of going through all of this hassle and headache. You’ll really be asking yourself that by the time you’ve taken a fourth or fifth trip to the tub to dump out that soapy water from the kitchen sink. But here’s the thing – you’ll learn a lot from the experience. Some of the things that you’re going to learn include:

o   You’ll see how much water is being wasted. The major thing that you’re going to learn when you do this little experiment is that you’re wasting a whole lot of water every single time that you do dishes. This is something that you may be vaguely aware of but you don’t really understand the full extent of that water waste until you’re physically lugging those buckets of water across your home for an hour. This will give you a much greater appreciation of the water that is being wasted in your home, which will in turn encourage and inspire you to take water saving measures.

o   You will immediately begin to spot ways to reduce water waste when doing dishes. It will only take a couple of trips to dump out your water before you begin to start thinking of ways to allow less water to get into that bucket as you do your dishes! You’ll start to turn the faucet off while you soap up the dishes so that the water isn’t filling up the bucket while you’re soaping. You’ll start to soak the dirtiest dishes in a bit of water to get the grime loosened rather than allowing the water to continue running onto them while you scrub. These are little tricks that you may be aware of but you just don’t pay them a lot of attention because you don’t realize how much water you’re wasting by not doing these things. When you’re standing there watching that bucket fill up and dreading taking it across the house again, you’ll start to really appreciate how each little bit of water waste can really add up and you will find a lot of creative ways to reduce that water waste while you do those dishes!

o   You will get a lot of ideas about how to utilize all of that water that is going down the drain.  Inevitably, you can think about grey water usage in the home. Grey water is a topic that a lot of people know about but don’t really bother with or appreciate.

The post Drastic But Efficient Way to Learn to Save Water at Home appeared first on House Beautiful.

• The walls are painted a sage green color to make the space flow with the rest of the rooms on the floor.

• An entire wall is filled with an activity area made of painted fiberboard cutouts in the shape of a whimsical village. One section houses a magnetic board, another a chalkboard and on a “window” the shade is actually a roll of paper to pull down and draw on.

• A magnetic board is created by attaching metal flashing to a piece of plywood. It’s trimmed with molding to cover the sharp edges. Painted shutters hinged to the molding and a painted fiberboard roof peak frame the piece.

• Another cutout is hinged to the front of the corner TV cabinet to make it fit in with the room’s theme.

• The adjacent wall features a cork board made by gluing a piece of cork to a plywood board. The edges are framed with small wooden blocks screwed on from the back. Tip: Mount the board out of reach of small children to prevent them from reaching the push pins.

• Two salvaged kitchen cabinets are re purposed into rolling storage benches for under the picture window. Locking casters allow them to be moved anywhere in the room and a cushion provides comfy seating while watching the TV.

• More storage is brought in with a small cabinet. Above, they add a fiberboard window to the wall and accent the top with a “window box” created by drilling holes into the top and inserting small flower-shaped windmills.

• A little color is brought down to the floor with a painted sisal rug made into a game rug. Game pieces are created out of clothespins and polar fleece.

• Polar fleece squares are knotted into a patchwork design to create a doorway partition and matching curtains.

How-to: Painted Fiberboard Village

Steps:

1.Draw a village skyline onto the fiberboard and cut out with a jigsaw.
2.Cut out a space for a door. Spray chalkboard paint onto a piece of plywood and attach to the back. Reattach the door with hinges.
3.Tape off the design and paint. Outline the edges with black paint for a whimsical cartoon look.
4.Secure to the wall with screws.
5.Add a paper roll to one of the “windows.”

How-to: Polar Fleece Patchwork Curtains

Steps:

1.Cut polar fleece into squares with notches on all four sides.
2.Lay out design if using different colors and knot each piece.
3.Paint small wooden pegs, as desired, and attach to wall with double-ended screws.
4.Knot the drapes around the pegs.

How-to: Magnetic Board

Steps:

1.Cut metal flashing (wear heavy duty gloves when cutting) and plywood to size and attach the two pieces.
2.Frame the edges with molding to cover the sharp edges.
3.Attach hinged shutters to each side and add a painted roof peak cutout to the wall above.

The post Playroom Makeover Ideas appeared first on House Beautiful.

Adjustable Rate. The rate of your interest on this type of loan may change over time depending on the market. That means that sometimes you’re paying a really low interest rate but sometimes you may pay a lot of interest. This can mean that your monthly mortgage payment will go up and down which can be hard when budgeting. If you’re considering this type of loan, be sure to look at the related terms “cap” and “ceiling” later in this glossary!

Amortization. This is a type of repayment structure that some people choose. In general it means that the interest is paid off in the first few years and the principal balance owed is paid towards the end of the repayment plan. It just has to do with how your loan payments are applied to the loan.

Annual Percentage Rate (APR). This is a really important number to look at when choosing any loan especially a home mortgage loan. It’s the amount of interest that you’re going to pay on your loan. You want to choose the lowest APR possible.

Application Fee. In order to get your home mortgage loan you are going to need to go through an application process. There will be a fee associated with this process. The fee covers such costs as the cost of requesting your credit report. Make sure that you are aware of what the application fee is before you apply for a mortgage loan.

Appraisal. This refers to when an expert comes in to state what the value of the home is. It is important for you to get an appraisal before buying a home so that you know the value of the home. It’s generally required when you get a home mortgage and you may have to pay a fee for it.

Balloon Payment. Sometimes the loan that you get requires you to make a balloon payment at the end of the loan term. This is a large sum that pays off the entire loan in one shot. Usually you make small monthly payments until the time when the balloon payment comes due and then you pay the remaining balance at once.

Cap. This is a term that you might see if you’re getting an adjustable rate mortgage and it’s a really important term. It refers to the limit allowed for increasing the interest rate or payment on the loan. In other words, it may say in your mortgage agreement that you have a variable rate but that it’s capped at a 5% increase for 5 years. (Also see the term “ceiling” below).

Cash Out. If you decide to refinance your home mortgage in the future then you may choose to “cash out” at that time, which literally means that you get cash back when refinancing.

Ceiling.Like “cap”, this is an important term to know if you’re getting an adjustable rate mortgage loan. It refers to the total highest interest rate you’re allowed to be charged on this type of loan. So you may have an interest rate that varies but it may have a ceiling of 15% and can never go higher than that.


Closing Costs. These are fees that are charged to the buyer (and may be shared with the seller) at the time of a home sale. Make sure that you understand whether or not the closing costs are covered by the home mortgage and what those costs are before you agree to them.


Contract of Sale. This is the legal agreement that you make with the seller of the home. It outlines all of the terms and conditions of the sale. Issues like the closing costs (defined above) may be included in this contract.

Credit Limit.As you probably know, this is the total amount of credit that you will be allowed to take out on your loan. It is determined by a number of factors including your income and your credit score.

Down Payment.This is the amount that you pay down on the total price of the home before you get a mortgage. It is typically required that the buyer of a home put down some type of down payment. The more you can pay down, the less you need to borrow from a mortgage loan.

Due on Sale. This is a term that means that if you sell the home before you have finished paying off the mortgage then you will owe the total amount at the time of the sale. Be on the lookout for this term so that you know what you’re agreeing to on your mortgage.

Effective Interest Rate.This is a number that considers not only the traditional interest rate charges but also the effect of other fees on the total cost of the loan. When you are comparing different mortgages it is helpful to look at this number instead of only looking at the APR because it provides a more accurate representation of the total cost of the mortgage.

Equity. This is the difference between the appraised value of the home (see the definition of appraisal above) and the amount you owe left on your mortgage. This is a number you’ll need to know if you’re interested in refinancing your home mortgage.

Fixed Rate. In contrast to an adjustable rate loan, this type of mortgage has a specific set rate. This is nice because it means that your payments remain the same over time and it’s easier to budget for them. Ideally, you will lock in a low fixed rate for your mortgage.

FHA Loan.This is a type of loan that is backed up by the federal government.

Grace Period.You should always make loan payments on time. However, you may have a grace period after the due date during which time you won’t incur fees even though you are late.

Home Equity Line of Credit or Loan. 
This is a loan or line of credit that you can get.

Jumbo Loan.This is a mortgage loan that is given for a higher amount than a traditional mortgage loan. It may be tougher to qualify for this type of loan. Only get one of these if you can truly afford it.

Loan to Value Ratio (LTV). This is a percentage that represents the ratio of the home’s appraised value (see appraisal defined above) to the loan amount. It is important to know because people with a high LTV number may require additional home insurance.

Minimum Payment.As you probably know, this is the minimum amount due each month on your loan. Make sure that you always pay this amount in full and on time.


Mortgage Banker vs. Mortgage Broker. These are both people who process your mortgage loan paperwork. The difference between them is that the banker actually funds the loan whereas the broker works with investors to get the loan funded for you.

Mortgage Insurance.You may be required to carry a certain amount of mortgage insurance if you are considered a risky borrower. For example, if you have a high LTV number (see definition above) then you may have to get this insurance.

Mortgagee vs. Mortgagor. The mortgage is the person who is borrowing the money (you). The mortgagor is the lender. This is important to remember when reading through the documents for your mortgage loan.

Negative Amortization. In some cases the “amortization” (defined above) is not actually enough to repay the entire loan. This happens sometimes when there are “caps” or “ceilings” in place that limit repayment. The result is that your loan gets bigger and bigger over time instead of smaller as you make payments. Beware of this situation.

PITI. This is the amount that you will pay in total each month on your mortgage loan. The term is an acronym that stands for the principal, interest, taxes and insurance that you are paying together each month.

Points.Mortgage payments are often discussed in relation to points. A point is the amount that is paid to keep the interest rate or to lower it. One point is the equivalent of 1% of the loan amount.

Prepayment Penalty.Sometimes you will be charged a fee if you choose to pay back your loan balance before the date due. Make sure that you are aware of this when you get a mortgage.

Qualifying Ratios.This is a number that you’ll hear about during the mortgage loan application process. It looks at the ratio of your debt to income to see if you qualify to get a home loan.

Right to Rescission.This is a right that the lender retains to void your contract. In other words, they can cancel your loan. This isn’t an issue for people who are getting a basic mortgage. However, it’s something to look out for on mortgage related loans such as home equity loans (defined above).

Servicing a Loan.This complex term simply refers to the process of collecting payment on the loan. Don’t get confused by it.

Title. This is the document that says that you legally own the home. It will be referred to in some of your mortgage paperwork.

Variable Rate.See adjustable rate above.

The post A-Z Glossary of Mortgage Terms appeared first on House Beautiful.

The post Tip: Use a High Interest Savings Account to Save for a Home appeared first on House Beautiful.

miter saw
1/2″ poplar lumber
wood glue
finish nails
drill
sponge
hammer
1/8″ luann plywood
wire brads
measuring tape

Steps:

1. Cut the pieces to size and lay them out to check the fit. The cabinet is made up of three sections: the tall one (with a small drawer and dividers), the middle (just a shelf) and the shorter compartment that has a drawer.

The tall section has two 22-inch sides and an 11-inch top piece. The middle section uses a side from the taller portion along with an 11-inch side and an 11-inch top piece. The shorter section uses the middle side along with a six-inch end piece plus an 11-inch top. The shelves fit inside the sections so just measure the distance and cut to length. The bottom board is the total length of all three sections (33 inches).

2. After drilling small pilot holes, attach all but the bottom board together using wood glue and finish nails. Wipe excess glue off with a damp sponge. Once all the sides and tops have been assembled, attach the bottom board.

3. Cut three topper boards so that they are a 1/2 longer and wider than the existing top boards and add decorative trim to the edges after they’re in place (figure A).

4. The drawers are very basic and consist of a front and two side pieces made of poplar along with bottom and back pieces of luann plywood (figure B). To determine the size of the drawer, measure the inside of the drawer section and subtract an eighth inch so it will slide easily.

5. Cut two pieces of luann for the vertical dividers in the tall section of the chest. Attach them with glue and small wire brads toe nailed into place.

6. Apply desired finish and hang it on a wall or place it on top of a desk once dry.

The post Wall Storage Chest appeared first on House Beautiful.

Some good choices for shag rugs and wool area rugs are available online and are quite reasonably priced. For example, the Mohawk Home Shag Rug Collection (60×90″) is only $80, and for the young pink lady in you, how about the Pink Shaggy Shag Rug (39 x 58) for under $60, or the LA Rug in Lavender Shag (39″x58”) for less than $50.

Although you may want to stick with a wool area rug for durability, there are some shag options in other natural fibers that are good value and soft to the touch. There is the St. Croix Trading Company and their shag rug called the “Marsh”, which is a leather shag area rug in brown, and is huge at 4′ x 6′, for only about $80. And there is also the cotton shag Premium Ultimate Cotton Shag Rug 5′ x 8′ in neutral beige, also large at 5’ x 8′ for under $130. Also the Jersey Cotton Shag, which is thick and plush, although small at 30″ X 50″, but it’s only about $55 and comes in pink if you like. Or a similar one only in green for about $40.

Where to Put a Shag Area Rug

A shag area rug on a hard wood floor is perhaps the most popular use of all and they are not only for those seeking a retro theme or for people with extremely eclectic tastes. They can be used to compliment gray, black and white themes or even traditional wood rooms or classic white styles with Scandinavian furniture.

The reason they have made a comeback is not so much because all things that go around come around and not only because of the retro revival, but because they are a comfy carpet or rug solution, and they are an inexpensive young decorator’s tool, especially when deciding on rugs for a small studio, on a small budget but with loads of individual creativity.

Cleaning a Shag Rug

This is a little tricky. You can vacuum if the shag rug isn’t tooooo long and shaggy, but try not to run the upright over your shag as you would other low pile wool area rugs because the rotary brush in most vacuums will pull out the hair or yarn quite quickly and not only destroy your rug but clog up the small access to the vacuum and leave long hairs all twisted around the brushes. Use an attachment or the hose or the regular vacuum wand. If it’s not very large you can take it outside and shake it like crazy.

Spot cleaning is a toughie – it’s best to take it to a dry cleaner or carpet cleaning expert. But the good thing about shag area rugs is that they are usually placed in areas of relatively low traffic, like in a living room or bedroom and not in a kitchen or dinning area where food and spills will be more likely. For long hallway shag rugs or runners, they are usually treated with a stain resistant product, but they will eventually get a little soiled and matted. Wool area rugs that are of the new shag rug style are best in low traffic areas and households without children or pets. That said, depending on the child and the pet, a shag rug, if not abused, can be the favorite place for a toddler to play or for your feline pet to curl up in front of a fire.

The post Know About Shag Area Rugs appeared first on House Beautiful.

Reasons to improve your credit score before getting a home loan

You want to improve your credit before you get a home loan for several key reasons. Those reasons include:

o   Better credit means better home loan terms. The biggest reason to improve your credit before applying for a home loan is because this will allow you to get the best rates for your loan. The better your credit score, the more favorable your rates will be. This means that you will have lower monthly payments. You will also pay less in interest on the loan over the lifetime of the loan. This can save you a lot of money in the long run, making it well worth the effort required to improve your credit score so that you can buy a home.

o   Reducing your debt will allow you to more easily make payments on your home loan. One of the things that you might do to improve your credit score is to pay off some of your other debt. This frees up your income so that you have more money to put towards your home loan. This helps to make the loan repayment more manageable. It may also mean that you can accept a shorter term home loan with larger monthly payments. This allows you to pay the loan back more quickly.

o   You’ll get a good sense of whether or not you can really afford a home. Taking the time to work on your credit score before you apply for a home loan will provide you with valuable information about your spending and your debt. This information may let you know that you actually can’t afford a home right now. Although this would be sad to find out, it is a lot better to learn it before you get a home loan than after. If you take out a home loan that you can’t afford then you’ll be dealing with payment issues and possibly even home foreclosure in the future.

How to improve your credit score to get a better home loan

The first thing that you need to do if you want to improve your credit score is to get a copy of your credit report. You need to know exactly what your credit situation is before you can begin properly addressing it. Once you’ve done that, there are many different things that you might do to improve your credit score. Some of those things include:

o   Dispute any errors on your credit report. One of the easiest things to do to improve your credit score is to clear up any errors that exist on your credit report. If your credit report says that you still owe on a loan that you’ve already paid off or that you made some late payments when you didn’t then you need to dispute those errors. It can take a few months and a lot of paperwork to get these errors straightened out but it’s a great way to boost your credit score.

o   Begin making on-time payments immediately on all of your accounts. If you have late payments on any of your accounts then your credit score is going to go down as a result. You need to start making on-time payments immediately so that you can build up a solid history of on-time payments to improve your credit score before you apply for a home loan. You should have 3-6 months of on-time payments on your report before you apply for that loan. Also, you should take this opportunity to consider why you are struggling with making on-time payments. If you really don’t have the money to make those payments on time right now then you may need to get your finances in order before it’s financially smart for you to apply for a home loan.

o   Reduce your debt and increase your income. One of the things that a mortgage lender will look at when determining whether or not to offer you a home loan is what your debt to income ratio is. You want to have a small amount of debt in comparison with your income. There are obviously two ways to make that happen. One is to reduce your debt. The other is to increase your income. Ideally you will tackle both of these options at once in order to rapidly improve your debt to income ratio. This step is important because not only will it give you a better credit score but it will also put you in a much better position to make payments on your home loan once you do get it. One key thing to remember with income is that it needs to be legitimate income that gets reported to the credit bureaus (not just side jobs that you pick up around your neighborhood).

How long will this process take?

Many people wonder how long it is going to take for them to improve their credit in order to get a good home loan. The answer varies depending upon your current situation. If you have a lot of debt and a long history of late payments then it will take longer for you than for someone who has very few credit problems and just wants to get the best rates possible. Typically you should assume that there will be a 3-6 month waiting period between the time when you start addressing your credit report issues and the results are reflected in a better credit report. Although waiting can be tough, keep in mind that you’ll be in a better financial situation as a homeowner if you go through the process.

The post How To Improve Your Credit So You Can Buy A Home appeared first on House Beautiful.

These days it has become fashionable – not to mention trendy – to turn back the clock with a contemporary twist.

Many a modern home now embraces the 40′s, the 50′s and so on. We decorate with an eye of days long past, our granny’s kitchen, our mother’s shabby but genteel and comfortable lounge.

We purchase vintage enamelware for our kitchens and shabby chic decor for our bathrooms.

Modern home accessories don’t have to be arty, they don’t need an edge sharper than a steel blade or to be covered in swathes of color as a means of appearing trendy.

We don’t all want monochrome, we don’t all need blah … some of us want cosy, we want what we miss – and vintage decor is what we want the most.

There are a wide variety of beautiful vintage vases available, whether you’re looking to acquire something from the art deco range or a timeless classic – the archetypal glass vase.

Whichever style of vase you prefer, Amazon will have something to suit all tastes – and let’s not forget their great value for money prices!

Vintage Vases

A set of matching or contrasting vintage vases will add a certain beauty to a gloomy corner, a little chic to a bland hallway and maybe a touch of country elegance to a tired looking living room.

You can choose from among lots of different styles, brands and colors, not to mention shapes and sizes.

You can also purchase a vintage vase for as little as a few dollars – or blow the budget and go wild with retro delight!

You can choose to finish off your bedroom decor, or create a center piece in your lounge. Maybe you require something special for your bathroom or you’re looking for a gift for a loved one or friend.

There are many reasons to treat yourself to a pair of matching classic vases but then again … you really don’t need to have a reason.

Perhaps you just appreciate a fine looking home or love to add to and enhance your home decor overall – is so there are plenty of vintage vases to choose from.

Whatever your reason, at least there’s plenty of choice available on Amazon, as well as some great bargains!

Retro Vases

A set of retro vases, or even individual ones placed around your home, will bring a distinct air of beautiful yet stylish retro chic to your home decor.

You can choose muted designs and styles, one’s that have the used look about them, or opt instead for something that has a distinct 60′s and/or 70′s appeal.

Amazon have lots of great examples of retro vintage vases on offer and many are at great value for money prices.

Some of the more stunning vases are the multicolored styles – so reminiscent of the 50′s and 50′s.

Whatever your own sense of style and taste, there is a good selection on offer and many are at ‘too good to miss’ prices!

The post Modern Home Accessories – Vintage Vases appeared first on House Beautiful.

Wool rugs, from Himalayan or New Zealand sheep, are well known as are the Persian wool rugs of legends. However, since the rugs we purchase come already dyed and woven or knotted into intricate masterpieces of artistic design, it is sometimes easy to forget that even the most colorful Tibetan rug or Indian carpet is in fact made of natural fibers just as natural as cotton, bamboo, sea grass, mountain grass and sisal, but more durable. Sea grass natural rugs and mountain grass area rugs may not be for snuggling into by the fire, but they are great for entrance ways and hallways and even as mats bellow another pile wool rug.

Wool and Sisal Area Rugs

One curious thing about natural fibers in rugs is that wool can be blended with sisal. If you’re not sure what such a natural fiber rug may feel like, especially something as unique a wool and natural grass blend, you can ask for a rug dealer to send you a sample. Then you’ll be able to choose. Another good reason to try a wool and sisal blend for an area rug is that sisal acts as a natural anti-static and anti-stain ingredient as well as being a sound absorber and a flame retardant. Some of the best area rugs will have a blend in this proportion: 53% wool, and 47% sisal, which should create a soft durable rug. Sisal is said to help make your home air fresher, naturally helping to eliminate small amounts of home pollutants and not adding to the mold or bacteria that many synthetic rugs may produce.

Although the word “Sisal” may be new to you, it is one of oldest materials used in making rugs, used by skilled ancient Egyptian rug weavers. Sisal fiber today is primarily produced in Africa, where the long, strong fibers are taken from the agave plant. Some good quality sisal rugs to check would include one called the Boston, another is the Concord and two others called the Echo and the Embassy which are really nicely finished with cotton bound edge.

Wool Area Rugs

Contemporary area rugs made of 80% to 100% wool are the best rugs you can own. It’s just that simple. Wool is durable, easy to care for and not easily matted or scrunched even in high foot traffic entryways and halls. The downside to wool carpet is small but important for you to know. A wool rug will absorb humidity and lingering bad smells and so it is best to shake well or vacuum them more than once or twice a week. If they are small, it’s no problem to lay them out in the sun for a few hours each week. Perhaps once or twice a year you may want to take them for a good professional carpet cleaning.

Natural area rugs are a choice you should seriously consider instead of cheap synthetic rugs, because after you have enjoyed your rug and it is time to let it go, a natural fiber carpet, even a wool Persian rug will decay with no harm to the environment, one of the reasons we have so few ancient carpets – they decomposed. The one rug that survived 2,500 years was frozen! Oddly, a wool rug or a natural fiber shag rug or a sheepskin will last a lot longer than man-made versions with the same use if kept indoors and properly cared for.

Natural wool area rugs are obviously not made with chemicals that harm us or the environment and many companies, including Indian, Chinese and Tibetan carpet traders will even allow you to specify that you want only natural dyes as well. Many New Zealand wool rug makers say their sheepskins and wool rugs are naturally anti-bacterial, and although wool, as said above, can retain odors, in some cases they can help to eliminate bad odors because they become trapped in the wool. Then the wool rug can be set in the sun or shaken and returned to its original freshness. Curiously, rug runners, that take a lot of daily abuse underfoot, are primarily made of wool.

Corner Sofa Bed

If you are buying yourself a beautiful contemporary wool rug for a living area in your home then you might want to update other furniture in the room. At the same time you might want to add some functionality to the room. What about looking into getting a corner sofa bed? They look great when matched with a suitable stylish wool area rug and you can even find them with build in storage space. Check them out if you really want to revamp your living room and give it a whole new look.

The post Wool Area Rug appeared first on House Beautiful.

latex satin paint (base coat: mixture of SW6360 and SW6367; top coat: SW6128 Blonde mixed with glaze; accent colors: SW6127 Ivoire and SW6307 Fine Wine) (Sherwin-Williams)
glaze
paintbrushes
roller/roller covers
artist’s brushes
flat wallpaper brush
pencil
measuring tape
level
painter’s tape
paper towels

Steps:

1. Apply the base coat and let dry.

2. Determine the desired width of the “wallpaper” panels (the featured dining room’s were 36 inches), and then measure/mark the panels around the room. Using a long level, lightly pencil in the vertical lines, and then tape-off every other panel.

3. Cut-in with the top coat glaze mixture where necessary, and then quickly roll the mixture over the first panel. Then, use the artist’s brushes to add horizontal streaks of the Ivoire and Fine Wine here and there throughout the panel. Make sure to add the accent colors randomly to get a more realistic appearance.

4. Pull the wallpaper brush horizontally through the wet paint, starting at the top of the panel and working your way down to the floor. Wipe the brush off after a couple strokes through the paint, and then continue down the panel quickly before the top coat dries. Overlapping is fine as it gives the grass cloth look even more texture.

5. After one panel is complete, move around the room, skipping every other panel. Be sure to remove the painter’s tape periodically before the paint dries completely. By the time you’ve moved around the room once, the first panel will be dry so you can tape over it to start filling in the remaining panels. Remove the tape before the paint dries completely, and then let this second layer of the technique dry completely.

6. For the third layer, tape-off the original panels again. Apply a layer of the top coat glaze mixture again and pull the wallpaper brush vertically through it to soften the effect. Complete the room in the same manner as above. The entire process may take a few days to complete.

The post Paint Technique: Grass Cloth appeared first on House Beautiful.