instructional | So Pretty is as Pretty Does.

Oct 3

The “Guesthouse” Update

I’m happy to report that our chicken coop has made it one step closer to becoming our 12 x 12 guesthouse/office/studio (I know, it’s a lot to fit in 144 square feet). With the interior demo completed, which you can see here and the foundation repaired by my husband and father earlier this year, the next step was to make the building slightly less of an eyesore for our poor neighbors. It was just some lattice and paint, but I learned a couple of neat things along the way, so I thought I’d share. Plus, I have a strong affinity for before and afters.

Jul 30

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Privacy Window: The Kitchen

The privacy window I made during the bathroom mini-renovation last year (you can see that project here) has held up remarkably well. I worried a bit about peeling issues due to humidity levels inherent to bathrooms. But its stickiness hasn’t changed a bit since the day it was painstakingly applied. And, because we know that privacy and tons of natural light are not mutually exclusive, I decided to use this method again. This time I chose a simpler geometric pattern for a kitchen window that faces my driveway.

Sep 23

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Bathroom Mini-Renovation {Part 5: Flooring}

Not too long ago, some of the least attractive linoleum tile I’ve encountered was very loosely affixed to my bathroom floor. (This statement is even more meaningful if you’ve seen my old kitchen flooring.) As you might expect, I was nearly giddy at the thought of ripping it out and replacing it, even if I was going to replace it with more low cost flooring. After researching all available options, I opted for resilient vinyl flooring because it’s durable, comes in a variety of styles, and is super easy to install. Best of all, it was $58 for the whole bathroom or $1.60/square foot. Here’s how we did it:

Jul 17

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Bathroom Mini-Renovation {Part 4: Painting Tile Board}

As mentioned in earlier posts about my bathroom, the plastic tile wallboard was the big thing keeping me from updating the room. I was nervous to paint because the wall is plastic, so I didn’t know how well paint would stick especially since it has to withstand a lot of humidity. But, after some research and after staring at the gray/blue scattered floral wall tile, I decided to go ahead and paint – consequences be damned. I wanted a space that was more modern and felt larger. With that in mind, I chose to paint wide horizontal stripes in two neutral complementary colors. When working with plastic tile board, there is a lot of prep work – here’s how I did it.

Jul 15

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Fixture Fix: A Safer Way to Remove Paint

There are moments while crafting or working on a home improvement project when I’ll remember how toxic some of the paints, cleaners and adhesives can be. But, using that not so good for you product is sometimes the only way to get something finished with the desired look, which makes it even more exciting when I find a way to get something done without having to use any creepy chemicals. Such is the case with this method of oh so easily removing paint from door fixtures with items that I’m guessing you have in your kitchen right now instead of harsh chemicals.