Tag: DIY

DIY, Paint

How to Paint Your Walls to Look Like Wallpaper Using a Paint Roller

by Elliott Katy
How to Paint Your Walls to Look Like Wallpaper Using a Paint Roller

A bedroom with painted walls that mimic the look of wallpaper

I love wallpaper. I especially love hand printed wallpapers. I have admired the work of Marthe Armitage for years. Her papers are hand drawn and then printed using a linocut press. The papers are mostly two-tone and the create the most wonderful  scenes. I was instantly attracted to her print, Jungle Birds. See below in a bedroom posted on her Instagram. All her colors are hand mixed and the handmade quality is undeniable. It’s exquisite. Find out more about her and her work at marthearmitage.co.uk.

In many places in my house investing in wallpaper just doesn’t make sense right now. I have areas that eventually will be rearranged or the hallways are so narrow that through the process of renovating the walls will inevitable get scraped. The rooms are fine as is but they do need to be refreshed.

My bedroom painted with printed roller

The Painted House designs printed rollers to mimic the look of wallpaper. A technique that involves a two-part roller that paints and prints a design onto a wall. She offers 18 different designs and are for sale through her Etsy shop. To watch the technique in action check out her how-to video below.

There are two parts to the roller system: firstly, there are the 6 inch wide, embossed patterned rollers in 18 different designs; then there is a choice of two applicators, one for use on fabric and the other for paper, wood & walls. The rollers are reusable and interchangeable. The fabrics have the look of traditional handmade block-printed fabric, and are not for heavy use. Like any other hand-printed fabric, they need very delicate hand washing with a mild detergent. The paper and walls roller gives a sponged, gently handmade look, like old, forgotten, sun bleached wallpaper. It particularly suits old walls.

The Painted House

I can confidently say, this technique is totally doable if you are not a perfectionist. You have to accept a certain level of variation. The designs will be hand made so you need to accept the mistakes. There are ways to clean up large “mess ups” but overall it’s impossible to make perfect. I don’t mind this process but I have read reviews that it drives other bonkers. Accept who you are and don’t choose to attempt if it will make you crazy.

A detail view of the birds. Flock patterned paint roller from The Painted House, $29, etsy.com.

I would suggest testing on your walls before actually painting with your final base color. In this room I did just that…I painted over the white walls that were there. This is the only good wall. They have been this way for a few years and I have yet to go back and clean everything up. I hung up some art to cover the mistakes but this Spring I would love to get them a refresh. I am thinking a brighter white and slightly different blue for the birds.

The wall on the left is from my bedroom. The image on the right is the roller and shown in a different colorway.
Learn how to create a no-sew upholstered headboard, view here.
Flock patterned paint roller from The Painted House, $29, Etsy.com

In the kids’ room I used the #4 roller by The Painted House which is not currently for sale on her website. I would suggest if you do see a pattern you like on her Etsy shop pick-up ASAP because they do sell out and they take awhile to get back in stock. I also own the tulip pattern which is quite lovely.

The walls here are painted blue with a dark kelly green motif. The two color tone in a matte finish makes the wall feel and look like wallpaper. And I noticed when there is less contrast between the wall color and motif you see fewer mistakes.

A display of flower paintings on the wall above a twin bed.
I trimmed the room out in a darker blue with a yellow painted floor. Read more about the floors here.
This is design #4 but currently out of stock with walls I hand block printed in the hallway. Find out how to block print walls here.

Once you master the wall technique you will mind will wander to all the other things you might decorate with the rollers. The options are endless. But I have made wrapping paper which is quite easy. I would also love to try printing fabric for curtains or even rolling onto a light shade.

What will you make?

wreaths

How to Make A Living Wreath For Spring with Pansies

by Elliott KatyLeave a Comment on How to Make A Living Wreath For Spring with Pansies
How to Make A Living Wreath For Spring with Pansies

I am a big fan of wreathes and love to display them on my front door. Many times you see floral wreaths that are made with fake flowers. They are adorable but I wanted to try making a living wreath using real pansies.

I bought the wreath base from the garden supply website, kinsmangarden.com, $24. They offer the wreathes in three different sizes. I choose the medium base for my door. A smaller version might be sweet on a gate or hung next to your door. The kit includes an inner liner but you will need to buy moss and potting soil too.

I started my wreath two weeks ago. Shown above is how it looks today. It’s the beginning of the growing season in New England (it’s only late April) so I imagine it will grow in much more. I tend to put too many plants in pots and not allow them room to grow. This is my first time with this project but I tried to be mindful that it will probably be covered with larger plants by June.

Below are step-by-step photos on how I created my wreath. I realized I did make mistake. After placing the larger liner and soil in the base I should have added a top liner cover before planting my pansies. View Kinsmans correct instructions here.

You cut into the liner to make room for the flowers. I didn’t do that. I just planted the pansies directly into soil and added moss around the plants and wreath. I am sure both ways work but maybe the extra liner keeps them moister and more secure?

By July, I assume my pansies might be struggling. I tend to have a hard time keeping them going once the heat of the summer sets in. I can easily pull out the pansies and reuse the base for a different flower. I am excited to experiment and see the different variations I can come up with as the seasons change.

Currently the wreath is on my back door leading to my someday garden. The door is waiting to be painting. I think once I have color on the door the wreath will really pop.

Here is the base, flowers, and the top of the base in the upper left corner.
I soaked the liner in water and laid inside the base. I then added a layer of potting soil.
I separated the pansies from the packs and placed around the ring. I placed them next to each other but did not squish them. I wanted to leave room to grow.
Secure the top ring over the base. This clips onto the base and helps to hold everything inside the base.
Take the moss and wrap around the base covering all the dirt. I wrapped it around the outside too but found I didn’t feel like I needed it in the middle. The liner is there and holds the materials inside. (I forgot to add the top base until I was half way around wreath, it was freezing out and I was working fast)
I soaked it with water and let sit on the table for about 4 days.
This is the wreath after two weeks of growth.
Make sure to check how moist the soil is every few days. It rained last night but the door is protected and the wreath hardly got wet. I just brought inside because it’s so cold and windy today.
A tip I learned while the wreath has started to grow more and to pull back the moss a little. I hope this encourages the plant to grow out more and really fill in the wreath.
Lighting, Paint

The Jelly Jar Flush Mount Light

by Elliott Katy
The Jelly Jar Flush Mount Light

When you are renovating you spend thousands of dollars on structural fixes and then furnishings. But when it comes to the lighting budget you might not have much left. I offer a simple solution that won’t break the bank. The simple jelly jar flush mount. It is aesthetically pleasing and solves the problem of lighting hallways, pantries, bathrooms, closets and porches. A simple glass jar illuminated with a clear light bulb is quite elegant.

You can find Jelly Jar lights at most big box stores. They are under $20 and come in oil rubbed bronze, white or antique brass steel bases. Flush mounts are perfect for halls or closets where a sconce would be super sweet in a bathroom with a a vintage vibe.

I bought a set for my hallway in the oil rubbed bronze. Once I installed them I liked them but I didn’t love them. I kept thinking about Thomas O’Brien’s Perry Flush Mount and this updated jelly jar light by Deborah Ehrlich . I was worried I was being cheap in buying in the basic jelly jar and I should have just sucked up the extra cost and chose a different designed light.

I decided to try giving the base an antique brass treatment using Rub n’ Buff wax metallic finish paint. I only used a tiny bit and squirted on onto a piece of cardboard. I used a soft cotton rag to rub onto the lamp base. I added just a tiny bit of paint and rubbed back and forth all over the base. I wanted the black tone to show through so I was careful not to over apply the paint. I think it gives it more of an aged brass look rather then flat brass. I then covered the screws with paint to match too.

The installation is pretty simple but if you are new to installing lighting please contact an electrician. The glass jar screws into the bottom of the base with three screws.

I am super happy with how they turned out and can’t be more satisfied with the results. Step-by-step photos below.

Bedroom, Easy

No-Sew DIY Headboard

by Elliott Katy
No-Sew DIY Headboard

An Old Block Curtain and Fabric Sash Headboard

I have wanted to make a slipcover for my headboard for years. I am not the most skillful seamstress and I was trying to figure out how to make a box to slip over my headboard. But then it occurred to me, Why am I fussing about this so much? I can just wrap the fabric around my headboard like a flat sheet.

This is how you do it. Make sure your fabric is largest enough to cover your headboard with a little extra to wrap around. Lay the fabric against your headboard, centering it so you have equal amounts on each side. Then start at the top corners and fold like you would do a hospital corner on a sheet. Tuck behind the headboard. My headboard is pretty close to the wall so the fabric stays behind. But you could also use a few pins to secure. I then drape and tuck down the sides. The piece that hangs down onto my mattress I tucked between the mattress and headboard.

This technique is so easy. Now when you wash your sheets for the week you can swap out your headboard fabric too. You might also need to be a fabric hoarder like me but you can buy pretty tapestries, tablecloths, quilts or even fabric yardage if you don’t own anything. Be creative and layer, layer, layer. I will be updating this post with new ideas every week.

Read: 3 Ways to Reuse Your Hippy Tapestry From College

My Hippy Tapestry Headboard
My Quilt Wrapped Headboard
My Old Curtain and Fabric Found at a Tag Sale Headboard
Stripe fabric with a rattan table I found at The Swap Shed
Paint

Why It’s Completely O.K. To Have Painted Plywood Floors In A Bedroom

by Elliott Katy
Why It’s Completely O.K. To Have Painted Plywood Floors In A Bedroom
When we bought our house one of the first things we did is rip out the old gray wall to wall carpeting on our third floor. It was old and smelled of cat pee. Underneath was plywood floors (sub floor) painted brown in one room and blue the other.
I covered the floors with sisal rugs and left it that way for years. We always had plans to do a complete gut job of the space and knew the floor would probably get covered with new wood flooring or carpet.
In the meantime life happened. The older you get the more expensive life gets. I decided to stop waiting and just spruce the floors up with some paint.
In this photo I am reinstalling the beds and touching up any places I missed.

What I learned in the process is that plywood floors are perfectly O.K. They are wood and once you paint them and put down a rug you will literally not notice it’s plywood.
I painted the kids room floor in Benjamin Moore’s Floor and Patio paint. The color is a color match to Farrow & Ball’s Babouche. The difference in price is about $54 a galloon vs. $137 for the Farrow & Ball. I know the Farrow & Ball color is probably a bit more outstanding and multi dimensional but I was unsure about the color and couldn’t commit. In hindsight I wish I would have just gone for the Farrow & Ball but this looks great too.

I prepped the floor by doing two coats of primer. I did not sand. After the primer had dried overnight I rolled on the yellow. Be warned: yellow is a hard paint color. It takes 4-5 thin layers to get the paint to completely cover. I did this using a small roller but also filled in spots with a brush.

Floor Paint by Benjamin Moore

I ran into a little trouble when I pulled up a the rug that was under the kids beds. It had a large worn spot from an office chair. I decided I needed to sand it.

I sanded it just enough to take off the top where the wood was hanging. I did not sand it to a full hand smooth finish. If I would have kept going I think I would have ended up down a road of me sanding the entire floor. The floor is dented and dinged but overall it’s smooth. I then mixed a cup of epoxy and poured over the damaged spot and spread with a roller. I added an added an additional coat about an hour later. I let dry overnight. The epoxy is like glue sticking everything together and down. I can still see divots but none of the wood is pulling up. The next day I primed and painted.

I sanded the floors first and then did an epoxy layer and then primed and painted.


The floors have a beach house vibe and since plywood is laid in large sheets it’s a sea of flat color with very few seams. It looks cohesive. The amount of money I saved from not laying new hardwood and painting would probably be thousands. I feel like this is a compromise I can live with and does not have me thinking I am waiting to gut it. I think unpainted plywood could be really slick too with a poly to seal. I think plywood is totally overlooked and can be seen as low brow. But it has so many brilliant uses that feel modern and smart.