For the lucky ones, summertime means taking a vacation away from home for a week or two for some well-deserved R&R—actually, make mine a G&T. Weeks before a trip, pet owners call up their neighbour for feeding and walking duties; others hire house-sitters to come and water plants. Obvious stuff, really.

But why stop with plants and pets? The fine folks over at Charles & Hudson recently wrote about having your hardwood floors refinished while away on vacation. Instead of living through the messy, five-day refinishing process, why not have it done when you’re not around? Same goes with any type of flooring, whether it’s hardwood or you’re having wall-to-wall carpeting installed, putting down laminate.

Of course, you’d have to trust the contractors working while you’re away, so make sure you hire a reliable company.

Now that I think about it, many home-renovation projects suit this while-we’re-away timetable. Is your driveway looking tired? Have it repaved, resealed or bricked when you’re gone. Same goes with any exterior paths and patios.

What about your deck, does it need refinishing? No use having this done while you’re home barbecuing and entertaining guests. Speaking of backyard parties, who wants up a big whiff of paint fumes? Nobody, so if you’re home’s in need of an exterior paint job, get it done while you’re gone.

Of course, there’s something to be said for DIY projects or even keeping an eye on the contractors at work, but there’s a big difference between being watching and “living through” the job.

OK, so earlier in the week we covered the beginning stages of an exterior paint job. If you’re still with us and actually want to go through with this grueling work, then read on because there are a few more steps involved.

Step 3: Washing, Sanding and Priming

Once the old paint is removed, fire up the ole power washer for a quick deep cleaning. As the name implies, these washers are extremely powerful, strong enough to rip apart wood, so don’t set it to high and start blasting. The idea is to remove any surface dirt and leftover paint. Once finished, allow two or three days for the wood to completely dry before sanding.

Sanding smoothes the surface and removes any loose, splintering material, which is especially important if you’re going to be walking on the wood. For small surfaces such as windowpanes, a palm sander (electric or manual) works well; for larger spots, use a random orbit sander (rentable). To avoid clogging up the machine, start with coarse, 100-grit sandpaper, moving on to a finer grit (120-grit) as you sand down.

Once sanded, wood needs to be primed to protect against moisture. There are two main primer types: alkyd primer, also called “oil base,” is usually used on wood trim and siding, treated lumber and metal surfaces. Alkyd primers are good for blocking stains, can be diluted using mineral spirits, and usually dry within a few hours or overnight. Apply with a natural bristle brush.

Acrylic, or latex primer, is similar to alkyd primer and can be used underneath any type of paint, even oil-based paint. Unlike alkyd primer, acrylic primer can be diluted using water and—the real benefit—has a reduced drying time, about four hours max.

Step 4: Picking Paint

Finally, time to get painting. But what’s better for exteriors, oil or latex? The answer used to be oil for its durability, but the quality of latex paints (and primers) has improved to the point of equality, with latex leading the pack for its ease of use and better environmental properties. Moreover, some contractors believe oil paint chokes wood, not allowing the material to breath and making it prone to moisture problems whereas latex allows moisture to pass through without causing the paint to pull away from the wood and peel or crack.

I’ve been using the word “paint” but really I’m talking about paint or stain, and when it comes to exterior wood, stain is usually your best bet for two reasons: one, it allows for the natural beauty of the wood to shine through, showing off the grain patters; but even more importantly, stain tends to penetrate deeper into wood whereas paint just coats the outside. Unlike paint, however, oil-based stain tends to stand up to exterior abuse better than latex-based stain, but if you prep the wood properly, the difference between the two is negligible.

The combination of stained wood with painted accents (windowsills, trim, and so on) is timeless, so consider adding some splashes of colour.

As for choosing a brush, there are two basic types: those made with natural bristles, used for applying alkyd or oil-based paint; and those with synthetic bristles, which can be used to apply all types of paint. As for quality, look for tapered ends (the centre bristles should be slightly longer than those at the edge to help lay down the paint smoothly. Also, choose a brush that is at least half-again as long as it is wide (e.g., the bristles on a two-inch-wide brush should be at least three inches in length).

For size, a four-inch brush with tightly packed bristles, about ¼-inch thick, is best for exterior painting, and an angled one-inch sash brush is great for painting trim and window frames. Lastly, don’t skimp on quality. Well-made brushes create a deep, smooth finish that naturally fends off mildew and dirt.

Step 5: Are you sure you want to do this?

Unlike indoor painting, exterior jobs require a lot of work (especially if you’re up on a ladder all day) and require about a week’s worth of dry days and nights. Depending on the size of the job, scraping, sanding, priming and painting can take up to a week, with three or four days of drying time.

Depending on where you live, the best outdoor painting weather is spring or early fall. The middle of summer might seem dry, but the hot, humid weather creates bad conditions for the paint—it simply won’t dry in high humidity; and in extreme heat, paint will dry too fast, causing uneven drying and even wood warping— to say nothing of the painter.

If it’s a small job, like refinishing a deck or painting a garage, this is certainly doable for most seasoned DIYers; if it’s painting an entire house, hire a pro and don’t waste your holidays.

When I was a kid one of my summer jobs was painting and staining decks and cottages. I’d arrive in my little tin boat and spend a day scraping off peeling paint and stain, maybe sanding a few rough edges before slapping on a new coat of finish. Two days work, easy cash. After all, what’s so hard about painting, right? Pick your colour and get rolling, or brushing or spraying. Done and done — if you can make the decision.

But not quite. I bet most of the exterior paint jobs lasted a season or two—at best; more likely, the finish was coming off before Thanksgiving closedown. Unless you want to repaint every year or be left with a spotty, craggy finish, exterior painting requires both mental and physical prep work, as Katie at Besotted Cottage found out. Here’s the scoop.

Step 1: Wood Inspection

Before you argue with your spouse over which hue of green best matches the dog’s fur, trek down to the hardware store and purchase a $30 moisture meter. These simple-to-use (think of those BBQ fork thermometers) devices check the moisture level of the wood. If the wood is too wet, paint won’t adhere properly. As a general rule, if the wood has more than 16 per cent moisture, it shouldn’t be painted. If this is the case, wait until later in the summer, when the wood is dryer from summer sun.

Step 2: Scrape

Scraping is perhaps the most straightforward task. For really loose paint, a simple flanged scraper works well; for harder-to-remove surfaces, use a sharp hook-type scraper. Scraping quickly dulls the blade, so if you’re working with a large area, keep checking the blade to make sure it’s not dull, and keep scraping until the old paint is removed.

For really stubborn areas, you can use an electric heat gun, but make sure you’re wearing a proper face mask to prevent against inhaling dangerous fumes from old oil and lead paint. As well, be aware that a heat gun can burn the wood, so keep water on hand to douse any flames.

Also, a word of warning: don’t fiddle around with sandblasting or chemical paint removers. These are professional-level tools that can easily ruin the wood if you don’t know what you’re doing. If the job requires this level of removal, consider hiring a pro.

Up next in Part 2: Washing, Sanding, Priming and, finally, Painting!

By now, global-warming naysayers are fringe folk who probably also believe the world is flat. We know the benefits of recycling, and energy efficiency has become the buzzword in home building and renovating. Your highly efficient stove and windows may cost more upfront, but the real savings—and your home’s resale value—come through reduced energy bills and increased life spans while also helping make the planet a better place.

But green building isn’t just about the planet—it’s also about the health of the homeowner. Newly renovated homes often have that “new car” smell, which is really a stew of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) often found in oil paint, as well as formaldehyde off-gassing from engineered wood, like the medium-density fibreboard (MDF) used to make kitchen cabinets and furniture.

According to the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, indoor air quality—especially in tight, new homes—can be three to four times more polluted than outdoor air, which may be the reason 20 per cent of North Americans have some form of lung disorder, likely linked to dust and mold in your home. We spend an average of 90 per cent of our time indoors, either at work or at home, so eliminating VOCs is crucial.

Luckily, homeowners today have options not readily available even five years ago. Most paint, for example, is virtually VOC-free, and engineered wood such as MDF is now available without formaldehyde. For flooring, CMHC recommends hard surfaces, such as prefinished hardwood flooring, or ceramic tiles laid down using a low-toxin grout. The reason: hard surfaces are easier to clean, they don’t collect dust as easily as carpet and they are last longer, which means, beyond better air quality, you’re also reducing repair costs and trips to the dump to plonk worn-out carpet.

The U.S. National Institutes of Health website includes a page dedicated to household products and toxins. Click Products and then choose Inside the Home (for bathroom, kitchen, etc.) or Home Maintenance (for grout, insulation, paint, etc.).

Still unsure how indoor air quality relates to you or how you can easily reduce harmful VOCs? Health Canada has a section containing information, resources, and even a few quizzes to help you get your air quality where you want it to be.

Up next in the Part 3 of the Green Your Home series: the appliances available that keep you feeling good about the earth.

Almost every article you read these days uses the word “chic,” referencing everything from residential interiors to hotels to personal style. But what is “chic,” and in particular, what is “chic decor?” And how can you achieve this in your home? By definition “chic decor” means elegant or stylish decoration. An elegant home is one that has been well-planned and appointed using a number of the design principles outlined here to help you achieve this goal.

Cohesion
One of the key factors in achieving a “chicly decorated” home is cohesion. Nothing is more attractive and soothing to the eye than a home where all components of an interior (furniture, flooring, colour, etc.) relate to each other. This doesn’t mean that everything is an exact replica of each other, but rather that when it comes to choosing furniture, as an example, that the pieces harmonize with each other, and that there is a sense of continuity from room to room.

Scale
This is particularly important when choosing furniture. Each piece should relate to the others in terms of scale and proportion. Scale, of course, refers to the size of one piece of furniture in relation to others that will be adjacent to it. The scale must be similar in order to achieve the most desirable effect. Having a large scale wing chair looming over a low minimalist sofa would make both pieces appear out of context. A lower back chair, in this example, would relate much better to the sofa and create a more harmonious composition.

Repetition
Continuity, or repetition, in design creates a space that is not only harmonious, but is integrated with adjacent rooms, particularly on the main floor where the likelihood of viewing more than one room at once is higher. Repeating the style of furniture, cabinetry, lighting, window treatments and colour into each of the adjoining rooms lends unity to the disparate rooms, creating flow and elegance. Distinction can then be achieved through artwork, fabric and accessories.

Eclectic interiors can also be very chic provided that no more than two different furniture styles are chosen throughout; otherwise the look will feel disjointed and busy, thereby creating a space that is unsettling to the eye. Be extra cautious when combining styles. Consider the lines, scale and proportion and overall feel of the styles to determine their compatibility. Mixing formal Louis XIV furniture with rustic Canadiana would create an incompatible marriage.

Colour
Can you really have a chic home and use colour throughout? Absolutely, the key here is to use restful versus vibrant tones throughout. Neutrals should serve as the principal colours throughout the main wall areas as well as on soft furnishings. Accessories and accents can then be added using either complementary or analogous tones, depending on the overall look desired and the need for definition. Beware of using too many hues as this will create a chaotic interior, however, using very little colour will create a dull and lifeless interior.

Line
Chic decor means employing clean lines. Choose furniture and accessories that have a minimal amount of embellishments and suit the context of the room. Similarly, adopting a less is more philosophy is wise when purchasing items for a room. Overfilling a room with furniture or accessories only creates congestion and confusion as to the room’s focal point.

Keep the lines and embellishments simple and you will have a home that will reward you by being both timeless and beautiful, as well as the envy of your friends and neighbours.

Article by: Margarida Oliveira, designer and owner of Chic Decor a full-service decorating firm. For design/decorating services, you may contact her at: 905 337 8463. Or visit her website at: www.chicdecordesign.com

Home Renovation Guide Artile Posted by Nikki Rollins nrollins@homerenovationguide.com

Painting Like the Pros: Interior

If you proceed logically through the steps below, soon you will be painting like the pros. Be sure to read the instructions on the paint can label for information specific to the product you are using. Your retailer also has a product manual with complete specifications.

Start out the easy way
Always start with the ceiling. Follow with the walls, then the windows, trim and doors.

Begin brushing
Dip bristles one third of their length into the paint and tap gently against the inside edge of can or pail to release excess. Try not to drag the brush across edge of can. Holding the brush near the ferrule, use light strokes with slight pressure from your fingertips. This helps eliminate lap marks. Always use a quality brush designed for the type of paint you are using.

Rolling
Work paint into the roller by moving it back and forth in the deep end of the tray. Make sure it is distributed evenly and remove excess by rolling lightly across ridges at shallow end of tray. Work the roller in slow, smooth strokes to prevent bubbles or spattering.

Ceiling
Begin by brushing a hand-wide strip around the perimeter of the room where the walls meet the ceiling. Then roll paint in one-metre strips across the shortest width of the ceiling. Avoid lapping by maintaining a wet edge. Here is how: when reapplying a loaded roller to a surface, first place it on an unpainted area of the strip. Then work backwards into the strip of wet paint. This will eliminate the risk of seeing lines where one strip ends and the next begins.

Wall to wall
Work in approximately one metre segments from the top down. When using a roller, lay initial paint on in a broad M pattern starting at the bottom of the letter. Then even out by rolling lightly with horizontal strokes followed by vertical strokes.

Windows
Open slightly at top and bottom and paint inner sash. Finish with frame and sill.

Doors
Paint frame first, then top and side edges. On panelled doors, paint mouldings and panels starting at the top and working across and down sequentially. Finish by painting areas surrounding panels from the top down. Treat flush doors the same as walls.

Trim
Gloss and semi-gloss paints require less brush pressure than flat paints. Complete small areas at a time, brush with even strokes. Never try to touch up a spot that has begun to set. A plastic shield for the floor or wall is handy when painting trim. Remember, if you are not sure how to paint a particular area, your Benjamin Moore Retailer would be more than happy to answer your questions.

**Courtesy of Benjamin Moore Paints - www.benjaminmoore.ca

When you are dealing with limited finances, and still want to add a new look to your home, here are some easy home makeover solutions that can be done in an afternoon.

Foyer
If you have a small entranceway, and you want to brighten it up while adding some depth, a carefully selected mirror can do the trick. An inexpensive mirror can be found at a garage sale, and then touched up with some textured spray paint. The textured paint will cover minor flaws better than a smooth surface.

If like the look of natural wood, pick up an unframed square mirror for $12 - 15 at any home accessories store, a few pieces of wood doweling and a glue gun. At the hardware store, ask them to cut the wood to size for you to avoid added work at home.

Living Room
Changing your artwork can add a completely new perception to your home and cost little or nothing. Remember that anything can be art, so put that antique silver serving tray that your grandmother gave you to use. Hang it over you mantel with some well-chosen candleholders to frame it and a few suitable pictures that may explain the serving tray’s history.

If you have an abundance of books, and do not want to get rid of them, make your bookshelf part of your home makeover. Freshen the bookshelf with new paint or perhaps stencil a pattern around the edges to give it some new life. Your books can be placed both vertically and horizontally, and in between, add a few photos, baskets or collectibles. It makes your bookshelf something intriguing, instead of just a cluttered space in the corner of a room.

Bedroom
Headboards seem to be missing from many bedrooms. They are expensive and deemed unnecessary, often getting pushed to the end of the decorating list. A few easy solutions in lieu of the traditional headboard:

• Give the picture you removed from your mantel another purpose. You may have to update the frame to match your bedroom, but it does make an easy headboard. Pick up a few extra matching frames and make a theme for your room.

• If you have low ceilings, head to the fabric store and pick out some inexpensive patterned sheer fabric, a curtain rod, and two-way tape. Hang the curtain rod close the ceiling. Ensure your fabric is long enough to tuck in between the bed and wall. Two-way tape the curtain loop onto the fabric (simple, and no one will see it!) and you have a fresh new look that makes your bedroom larger.

With less than $100 and only one day, your foyer, living room and bedroom now have a great new feel, and your home has the appearance of a total home makeover.

nrollins@homerenovationguide.com

There are several ways to improve your kitchen without having to incur a great deal of cost and using only a few basic skills.

When the kitchen becomes outdated and you find yourself tired of your flooring … ceilings … light fixtures … even cabinets, it’s relatively easy to repair, upgrade or replace these individually with less cost than an entire kitchen renovation.

First, search for pictures of other kitchens that you like to get inspired. To take a look at others’ projects or get some opinions on your own, the HomeRenovationGuide has an excellent PhotoShare site, where you can post pictures of your kitchen and see what people have to say.

Some ideas to consider are:
• Changing your cabinet handles or knobs, a small but very simple change that can modernize your kitchen. If you are not interest in painting your cabinets, then ensure that the holes line up to prevent having to drill new holes and fill the old ones.

• Lighting can create a new ambiance, using elements as simple as dimmers or purchasing all new fixtures. These are easily installed, and you can ask the lighting store specialist for helpful ideas to achieve the mood you desire.

• Paint the ceiling and the walls. Don’t be afraid to be bold with the wall colours if you have a lot of cabinets.

• You can paint your cabinets as well, even if they are melamine. Prime with a specialty primer first (this is very important for melamine, so do not cut costs here). After you have primed, add two coats of paint to the cabinets and varnish for durability.

• Flooring renovations are all the rage right now. With click laminate floors, or peel and stick tiles, you can give the illusion of hardwood or ceramic tiles at a fraction of the price.

Remember to take your time and do one thing at a time.

nrollins@homerenovationguide.com

Home sellers have one goal: to sell their home for the most amount of money they can get. A home in move-in condition makes meeting this ideal easier.

Many of today’s prospective homebuyers have busy lifestyles and are looking for properties that don’t require a lot of work. Homeowners should be proactive by making needed repairs before putting their homes on the market. Inspect both inside and outside the home, and make a checklist of practical and aesthetic repairs.

Some things to improve upon:

• apply a fresh coat of paint on the walls, doors, and shutters

• clean the carpet and buff and polish wooden floors

• repair cracks in sidewalks and driveways, and clean any stains on them; reseal the deck

• replace missing or warped roofing

• clean or re-grout kitchen and bathrooms

• repair dripping faucets and drains or plumbing fixtures that aren’t operating; tighten and polish hardware

• fix sticking doors and replace old locks and doorknobs

• replace burned-out bulbs and broken electrical sockets, as well as cracked windows, torn screens and broken fencing

• clean up stains on the tiles and countertops

We also recommend hiring a certified home inspector to thoroughly and impartially evaluate the property. A standard report will review the condition of the home’s heating system, central air conditioning, plumbing and electrical systems, the roof, attic, walls, ceilings, floors, windows and doors, the foundation, basement and visible structure. If the pre-inspection results in a checklist of things to be done, let your agent look over the report with you to help prioritize the list of repairs. Your goals and local market conditions may dictate how extensive your repairs need to be.

The kitchen is the centerpiece of the home. It’s where your family gathers for meals, and is always the busiest room at a party. Over the years, the kitchen sees a lot. That’s why when you are remodeling your kitchen, you want the design, and especially the kitchen cabinet design, to reflect your own personality.

Although cabinets can be made from many materials, they usually are made from wood. Typically, they are stained to reflect the wood grain from which they are made. These woods can range from a deep richly stained dark woods to light and airy bright stained woods. You can stain any wood any color, but the outcome will be quite different depending on the wood. So if you put a dark stain on a maple cabinet, it will look a bit different when applied to an oak cabinet.

Modern kitchens today are colorful and many are breaking with the traditional wood stain kitchen cabinet design and going with cabinets that scream with color. Choosing a bold color for the cabinets can make a statement in any kitchen. There are cabinets of deep blue or apple red to match everything else in the kitchen. A colorful kitchen is also a great answer for the problem of older cabinets that are showing their age due to heavy usage. Paint can work to hide the flaws and update these older cabinets.

Your drawer pulls and cabinet knobs are another thing to consider. This is what you’ll be opening and closing your cabinets with for years to come, as well as looking at when you enter the kitchen. Your options for this hardware are many. There are handles and pulls which will require two screws into the wood per cabinet. Long handles are great for long cabinets and drawers. If your cabinets and drawers are shorter, there are knobs and pulls to use with them also.

Pulls are usually mounted in the center of drawers, on the opening bottom side of cabinet doors on the ground and lower opening side of cabinets above the countertop. If you don’t want handles, you also have the option of knobs. If you only want to put 1 screwhole in the cabinets, the knobs are the way to go. On some cabinets, pulls look better, but on others knobs might be a better choice.

Cabinet hardware comes in all different styles and colors. When we think of traditional cabinet pulls, we picture bright gold, black or pewter colored hardware. Today’s consumer has a lot more to choose from. You can buy steel or themed knobs to match your kitchen. You can get knobs that are painted with pretty flowers and ones in whimsical shapes.

Today many people put a lot of money into remodeling their kitchens. Make sure your kitchen is an attractive and comfortable place to be. And your kitchen cabinet design will add to that comfort when you’ve put your own finishing touches on them.

Lee Dobbins writes for Look 4 Decor