Hot Interior Design Posts

How To: Remove wallpaper with tips from Lowe's

Lowe's presents a video that can give you a few tips on removing wallpaper from a room. First off you do not want anything to be in the way so clearing the room out is a must. This video shows you a abundance of products that can help you with the task. Also it shows some safety precautions to take before you take on this task. This video will show you a few different methods that can help you when giving a room a new look.

How To: Remove old wallpaper for dummies

Learn how to remove old wallpaper with this video! Put down a pre taped plastic drop cloth. Tape it to the top of the baseboard. Then score the wallpaper with a wallpaper perforator. Roll it over the wall and it will make little holes in the wallpaper. You can use a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water or a 25/75 mixture of downy and water as a solvent to loosen the glue. Apply the wallpaper solvent with a paint roller. You can put the solvent in a paint pan so you can get it on the roller. Rol...

How To: Strip old paint and varnish

The hardest part of stripping off old paint and varnish is getting all of the residual residue out of the details such as the panels and the raised or indented parts of the piece you are working on. You can make the job a lot easier by using the right tools. Use a small bristle brass brush to get into crevices and cracks. Brass is good because the brass bristles are softer and won't scratch the piece you are working on. Next take a piece of dowel and sharpen it in a pencil sharpener. The shar...

How To: Install cabinet organizers for pots, pans & trash cans

This do-it-yourself video from Lowe's describes how to plan and install a pull-out wastebasket and a two-tier shelf. He explains how storage should work within the kitchen triangle. The pull-out wastebasket frame attaches easily with screws. He then adds a slide-out feature so that the door pulls the wastebasket out. The two-tier wire basket is used to hold pots and pans. Slides are attached to support brackets, the frame is set inside the cabinet and attached with screws. Cabinet organizers ...

How To: Install laminate flooring with the glueless method

This video shows you how to install laminate flooring using a glue-less method. You will need a tape measure, hand saw, and circular saw. You will also need spacers, a rubber mallet, tapping block and a pry bar. Make sure the sub-floor has been prepared. Remove all debris. A moisture barrier should go down first. Next use an under laminate or padding. Measure the room to determine which sizes you will need. For complete instructions you should visit findanyfloors.com.

How To: Install laminate floors in your home with Lowe's

Lowe's home improvement expert Mike Kraft is back again to show to help us install laminate wood flooring in our homes. It has been assumed that proper sub-floor preparation has been done. All the tools, equipment, and materials are gone over in detail for your safety. Proper tests for moisture are described which is very important when dealing with concrete. Laminate floors are called "floating floors" because they are not physically joined to the sub-floor and can be installed over many dif...

How To: Clean and remove wallpaper glue and paste

Wallpaper On Walls shows you how to easily remove wallpaper glue and paste with a sponge. You should use a dulcet sponge because it easily removes wallpaper glue. The scrubby side is used to soften wallpaper glue and the cellulose side is used to clean the residue. Next mix wetting agent with water and wet sponge. Using the scrubby side move in a circular motion to loosen the paste. Flip the sponge over and wipe the paste from the wall. Always rinse the sponge and change the water frequently.

How To: Make your own custom lampshades with Lowe's

In this video Lowe's shows you how to make custom lampshades out of a plain old lampshade so that it looks great for the kids room or classy for any other room in the house. Decorate an old or plain lampshade using stencils, paint, decals, or in any way you can imagine. Then attach a wire plug and the light holder and hang the lampshade using an appropriate chain, as shown in the video. All accessories required for this job are available from any hardware store.

How To: Add molding to a door for character and detail

Looking for an inexpensive way to dress up those boring old doors in your home? Well, look no further as Ron Hazelton from Ron Hazelton's House Calls, and [ronhazelton.com], has got the cure for your ailing closet doors. In under two minutes Ron shows us the tools we will need, the materials, and techniques to use to take those doors from boring to beautiful in this amazing how to video that is sure to pique your interest and keep you coming back for more.

How To: Install window blinds with Lowe's

This video, brought to you by Lowe's, a leader in the retail "do-it-yourself" industry, hosted by Lowe's home improvement expert Mike Kraft explains, in detail, how to install horizontal window blinds in your home. Once you've measured and obtained your window blinds, you will also need a drill with bits, screwdrivers, tape measure, pencil, and a level. The video also suggests some other tools you may need to complete your project, as well as links to Lowe's website, for complete instructions...

How To: Install a bifold door like a professional

This video is about installing a bifold door. This door opening is 54" so we will use a 30" and 24" door to fit. To align the door: Scribe a line on the ceiling which is the distance on either side of the door opening. Run the line down the bottom so the hooks are in the same position and the doors are vertical. Start at the bottom. Use a square on both sides of the wall which is set as half way point. Put the larger door on the right. Have the doors open inward. Place the tract on top of the...

How To: Remove wallpaper with vinegar

Do you dread tackling those wallpaper remodeling tasks on your home maintenance list? Many homeowners choose to let professionals deal with the removal of their old wallpaper, but this can be an expensive choice. Learn how you can remove even the most stubborn wallpaper and wallpaper accent trim with a little white vinegar, a spray bottle and a paint scraper in just 7 minutes. Find out, too, how you can make this project a fun, family challenge by involving the little ones.

How To: Install decorative window film for privacy

Frosted glass windows are perfect for bathrooms, allowing light to pass through while giving you privacy. "Wallpaper for Windows" is a useful window film that you can use to create the frosted glass windows without having to replace or remove your windows. First, you should measure out the size of the window that you plan to cover and clean the glass thoroughly. Also wash your hands to avoid oil getting on the glass. After spraying the window with soapy water, peel the backing off the film an...

How To: Install vinyl plastic fencing

There is a great cost effective and durable fence option that is available now. It is fence made from plastic PVC. Start by putting a stake in the ground to mark the location of the first fence post. Use a string tied to the first stake to mark the rest of the fence line. Drive stakes in the ground to mark the location of additional fence posts along the string line every eight feet. Dig your fence post holes with a post hole digger or rent a motorized digger. Once you've dug the hole put gra...

How To: Remove bits and pieces of wallpaper

Here are instructions on removing wallpaper bits and pieces. You will need: a circular electric sander and a microfiber clothe. Simply place the microfiber clothe over the electric sander. Begin to move your way over and across the wall. Much as you would if you were painting; moving up and down and diagonally. Adjust the microfiber clothe as necessary - it may wiggle around as you glide across the wall. You will notice quite a dramatic difference after finishing. Doing this saves a lot of time.

How To: Measure and prep for hanging wallpaper with Lowe's

Lowe's a leader in the retail home improvement business, brings you this instructional video on how to measure and prepare for hanging wallpaper, for the do-it-yourselfer at home. In this video you will learn useful tips on calculating just how much wallpaper you will need to wallpaper your room, as well as a list of the tools and materials you will need to achieve a good finish, and get the job done right the first time, every time.

How To: Install a kitchen garden window

Ron Hazelton shows a great way to bring the outdoors indoors with a garden window. First remove the existing window. Pry off the exterior trim and remove the old window framing. Build a new frame for the new window with 2x4's and shims. Trim away any exterior siding if necessary. Use waterproof flashing paper and caulk to make the new window watertight. Install the new window into the frame with rust-resistant screws. Add another run of caulk, then trim off the excess flashing paper. Use anot...

How To: Paint window frames

The big question is do you tape or scrape those window frames? If you want to tape. Put two pieces of tape that are longer than the length of each pain. Put them on the top and bottom of the pain. Use your putty knife to hold the tape in place and tear it off a little bit short of the edge. Then put two strips length ways on the pain that is also longer than you need. Take your putty knife and put it in the top corner to hold the tape and tear it off flush to the window frame. Then you paint,...

How To: Prepare a concrete subfloor for flooring with Lowe's

Lowe's home improvement expert, Mike Kraft, demonstrates how to prepare your concrete sub-floor for the installation of hardwood or laminate flooring. Brought to you by Lowe's, a leader in the home do-it-yourself retail industry, Mike details the steps, tools, and techniques you will need to complete this step of your project so that you may enjoy your new floor for a long time to come. After you have properly prepared your sub-floor to receive your new flooring, the video provides you with i...

How To: Wallpaper a switch plate

This video shows you how to wallpaper a switch plate. You should take a piece of paper and match it. You will need wallpaper, scissors, a razor knife and spray glue. Shake the glue and spray the backside of the paper and the front of the switch plate. Match the pattern to the wallpaper on the wall. Turn the switch plate over and trim off the excess on the corners. Fold the ends in. The switch plate is covered. Next you need to cut it out. Take the razor knife and run it along the edge of the ...

How To: Tile a custom ceramic tile shower

Start by putting tile backer board tape on all the joints on the wall board and then put mortar over the backer board tape. Let the mortar dry and then you can begin the tile job. Install a ledger board at the base of the shower stall about one tile high. Draw some vertical and horizontal lines on the wall to help keep the tile going straight. Also use tile spacers to help keep the tile going straight. Mix up some thin set mortar. Put the thin set mortar on the wall. Apply it with the flat si...

How To: Install a tubular skylight

A tubular skylight is a fast and inexpensive way to bring natural light into your house. The tubular skylight has three parts a dome, reflective tubing, and a diffuser. First locate the ceiling joists in the area that you would like to install the skylight and mark them with tape. Make sure you stay in between the joints. Once you have the spot marked off with tape drill an exploratory hole through the ceiling into the attic. Shine a flash light through the hole up into the attic and onto the...

How To: Stain a concrete floor

Using acid stains on concrete floors can be cheaper and easier to maintain than laying down tile on your floor. Here, Gaye Goodman shows you how to make acid stains on your concrete floor, a nice, economical way to make beautiful floors. First, you should test on samples of your floor in order to decide which color to use and to determine how the acid stain will look. After covering the bottom of your walls with painter's tape to avoid splashing, mix about 1 cup of TSP to 4 gallons of water. ...

How To: Make a curved cut in ceramic tile

If you lay tile it is rare to do a job and not have to cut a curved piece of tile. If you do have to cut a curved piece there are two ways to do it. First, you have to draw outline of the cut that you need to make on the tile itself and mark the part you are going to remove with an X. The low tech method involves using a pair of tile nippers. You nip away pieces of the tile until you have nipped away the whole area until you have a circular cut out. For a more polished cut you can use a spira...

How To: Create a plate wall

To build your plate display you will need a plate collection, some plate hangers, and a hammer. A good part of hanging plates on the wall is you can use cracked and chipped plates in your display. To get the plates ready to hang all you have to do is make sure they are clean and measured correctly so that you can get the right hangers for the plates. When purchasing plate hangers go with the smaller size. If the plate is 10 inches buy the 7-10 inch hanger rather than the 10-14 inch hanger. Yo...

How To: Hide screw holes with wood plugs

There are a number of ways to deal with screw holes that are visible. You can buy some wood buttons and put them in the holes. You put a little wood glue in the hole and then tap the wood buttons into the holes using a hammer. This is a decorative solution to cover up screw holes. If you want to completely cover up the holes completely put a plug cutter on your drill and cut a plug out of a piece of wood that matches the wood that the hole is in. Take the plug put a little glue on it and tap ...

How To: Install wainscotting (wod paneling)

Ron Hazelton brings you this video on wainscoting. Wainscoting is paneling that runs about a third of the way up a wall. Ron shows you how to use a chair to figure exactly where to place the chair rail. When installing around electrical outlets be sure to turn off the electricity. Next cut all the panel sections to length. When you attach them to the wall be sure to attach at top and bottom. Next attach the paneling, you can use a scarf joint to hide the seams. When installing the chair rail,...

How To: Paint quicker and more evenly with a roller

To save time and get a more uniform result when painting with a roller pour your paint in a five gallon bucket rather than a roller pan. Put a painters screen down into the bucket and hook it over the edges of the bucket. Dip the roller into the bucket and roll the excess off of the roller by rolling it on the screen in the bucket. This allows you to have far less stops refilling the pan and if you keep the bucket near the wall you save time loading the roller with paint. When you are ready t...

How To: Install invisible shelving brackets

Hardware and home improvement expert Ron Hazelton describes his strategies for using invisible shelving brackets. To begin with, he advises that a shelving installation, invisible or not, be installed beginning at the center point, because upon attaching the main support, it will automatically be leveled. Ron suggests that mounting brackets have the same color as the background, so that the brackets depend not only on being hidden for the most part, but that the portions that are present do n...

How To: Create a sunprint cork board & jewelry tray

Grace Bonney from Design-Sponge shows how to create a corkboard and tray from sun print fabric (similar to the craft sun print paper, and available at bluesunprints.com). First iron the sun print fabric, far away from a light source. If printing leaves, first flatten them in a book. Arrange the leaves, then put the fabric in the sun for 10-30 minutes. The longer the time, the darker the print will be. Rinse the fabric in water until the water runs clear, then dry the fabric and re-iron. To ma...

How To: Hang heavy objects using toggle bolts

Ron Hazelton shows the most secure way to hang heavy mirrors or art on plaster walls using toggle bolts. Attach a sturdy hanging wire to the piece if necessary. Draw a level line on the wall where the top of the piece will go. Stretch the hanging wire taut and measure the distance between the wire and the top of the frame. A two-bolt system will keep the piece level. Drill two holes this distance below the wall line. Using masking tape prevents the plaster from chipping. Fold the toggle wings...

How To: Create a birch holiday wreath with terrain

This video will show you how to make a birch holiday wreath step by step. The best part is that there are two options for this project. One for inside and another for outside. The projects focus on using items that you can find your backyard making finding supplies easy and accessible. By following these easy and simple tips you can create a wonderful wreath display for your home during the holidays. All these tips are shown by Terrain staff.

How To: Set-up a home office with an extra room

Starting to work at home? With more and more people trying to make a solid living at home, it's important to know the best way to set up a home office – even if you don't have a spare room. Learn how to set-up a solid work environment with tips from this video on how to create the perfect home office.