Dining Room Wainscoating Tutorial: The most diffcult 2" picture ever

Elizabeth has asked me, her husband, to do a guest blog on the first project in our house.
Wainscoating.

When we moved into our 1954 rancher it was covered in shades of green, walls, ceilings and floors. It was like walking into a giant fungus. The worst part by far was the shag green carpeting, but a close second was the green barnwood wainscoating in the dining room. It had to go. So Elizabeth gave me my tasking and I went to work. It sounded easy enough, and the DIY website said it should take about 1-2 days.

I started by removing the current chair rail. I then asked Elizabeth if she had a picture of what she wanted this to look like and she did. On one of our many trips to Lowe's she showed me a 2" picture of a beautiful wainscoating the only problem was that 1) really small picture 2) no dimensions 3) tons of detail.

I looked and looked for a magic way to make this work, something to give me dimensions so I could avoid just throwing pieces of wood at the wall, and hope it looked good. There wasn't, but I did find out that if you base the whole thing on the golden section it should work. The good thing is that most products you buy and use are made using this ratio, everything from picture frames to wine bottles.

The Golden ratio = 5 to 8

I later found out the golden ratio is more than just 5 to 8, there are a few other ratios that work, but I went with 5 to 8.

Part1: Planning out the project

1) Measure length and width of room.
2) Determine ratio that you want to use for height and width. 5 to 8 should work in most homes.
3) Determine number of tiers of depth you want for your wainscoating. We went with 3 because that was what was in the tiny picture.
4)Determine what size divider you will use. We went with a 3 1/2" wide vertical piece. Any size will work.
5)Measure the depth of the vertical piece.
6) Calculate the panel widths. (Warning: Hardest part) this is where my 1-2 day project turned into so much more. I am a perfectionist and this is a project that I only wanted to do once. You can make the panels different sizes on adjacent walls, but I wanted them all to match. Use the following process to do so. Excel helps. I will give an example afterwards.

Room Width= W
Room Length =L
Vertical Divider Width = V
Vertical Divider Depth = D
Number of panels on width wall = #

a. Pick a number of panels that you want on the width wall.
b. (W-(V+V*#)-(2*D))/#= panel width
This will give you a width for the panel.
c. (L-(D*2)-V)/(Panel Width+V)= Number of panels on length wall.
d. Step C will probably not yield a whole number on the first attempt. You need to cycle through multiple numbers to try and get a whole number. If none of your attempts yield a whole number then select the number of panels on the width wall that is closest to a whole number of panels on the length wall. ie. 9.1 is better then 9.3.
e. The panel width can be calculated using the formula in step B for each wall. Be sure to replace the W with L.


Hard example:
Room Width = 110 inches
Room Length = 160 inches
Vertical Divider Width = 3.5 inches
Vertical Divider depth= .5 inches

a. 4 Panels on the width wall.
b. (W-(V+V*#)-(2*D))/#= (110-(3.5+3.5*4)-(2*.5))/4=22.875"
c. (L-(D*2)-V)/(Panel Width+V)=(160-(.5*2)-3.5)/(22.875+3.5)=5.895(Not a whole number but very close.
d.Step C didn't yield a whole number. Unfortunately, this is a weird room and nothing does. The closest number of panels is the one we used above. We round to closest integer 6, if the closest number is less ie 2.1 then use 2.
e. (L-(V+V*#)-(2*D))/#=(160-(3.5+3.5*6)-(2*.5))/6=22.416"


If one wall had an odd number of panels then we can make all the panels the same size, and make the odd panel in the center larger or smaller as needed. Example as follows

Room Width = 140 inches
Room Length = 160 inches
Vertical Divider Width = 3.5 inches
Vertical Divider depth= .5 inches

a. 6 Panels on the width wall.
b. (W-(V+V*#)-(2*D))/#= 19.083"
c. (L-(D*2)-V)/(Panel Width+V)=6.885
d.6 Panels on width wall
7 Panels on Length wall.
e. All panel widths = 19.083"
and
Center Panel on Length Wall = 19.083*.885=16.888"

OK Confused? Let us continue. End Hard part.

7) Determine panel Height: divide panel width by 5/8.

Elevation and Dimensions of our wainscoating

Part 2: Materials

8)Now is the fun part. Go to your local hardware store with your dimensions, and select your materials. I say this is the fun part because as you select your materials you get to "build" your wainscoating on the spot. Sort of like Legos. Furniture Grade Pine should work for everything. You will need:

• plywood paneling
  
• 1/4" lattice trim as a minimum. The trim is to be used as a backer for other pieces. Select your pieces and "build" your wains-coating on the floor of the store. You look like a crazy person, but its better to find out what it looks like at the store rather than drive all the way home and realize you need another piece.
  
• primer
• glue ( the caulk gun type)
  
• sandpaper
  
• a level
• putty

Part 3: Build

Now you build the wainscoating. The hard part is finished, but now comes the labor. You want to start from the bottom and build up.

9) Remove electrical plugs and air vents.

10) Cut plywood paneling: We had it go from the length of the floor to just below the chair rail, but you only need to make sure that it will cover the area where it will be exposed. Also make sure that you cut holes for the plugs and air vents,and anything else that you will want access to.

11) Prime: I found it easier to prime the pieces of wood before I attached them. This will prevent drips, and you can take a sanding block and smooth out the surface.

12) Apply plywood paneling: Glue the panel on and reinforce with trim nails. A nail gun is extremely handy for this project other wise it will take a lot longer. Try to nail the board onto the wall where you will place other wood pieces later. This will prevent extra work later. Ensure that the paneling is level, using the level. Wait about an hour to let glue dry, but not mandatory.

13) Build Layers: Start attaching your pieces to the paneling. Go from the bottom up, and make sure that you prime and sand before you attach.

14)Build frames: When it comes to the vertical dividers, wait until after the top horizontal pieces are in place and leveled. Use the level to make sure the vertical dividers are vertical. Don't worry if you need to cut into a vertical divider to make room for a electrical plug,and you don't need a vertical divider at door frames.

15) Now it is time to remove the blemishes. Use the putty and sanding block to conceal the nail heads, and gaps in the wood. Wait for it to dry.

16) Sand the putty. I recommend a mask, unless you want a white lung, and chalk boogers. A trick to minimize the dust in the rest of the house is to hang a sheet across the doors, and a drop cloth.

17)Paint: We used a White Oil Based Semi-Gloss. It was a little more expensive, but the result was amazing. The oil based paint has a cleaner, shinier finish than the latex, and prompted us to paint all of the trim in our house with this paint. We used the Benjamin Moore, not the orange or blue store paint. The price was a little more, but the results were worth it. Again use a mask, the VOC's on the oil based paint are pretty high, and gives you some really really weird dreams if you don't have a mask.

18) Replace Air registers and electrical plugs, once everything is dry.. If the electrical plugs won't fit, use an electrical box extender.

19) Clean up and enjoy.

Total time: 3 weeks( ~10 hours a day) It was a long, long process, but looks great. It was a serious undertaking, not the 1-2 days that the DIY said it would be. Then again I'm a perfectionist, and an amateur who was doing a project way above my experience. Just remember, as long as nobody is dead, all the mistakes you make are repairable or replaceable. Plus mistakes just mean that your learning. Good luck. Please ask questions.

Sewing Table Build

Hi everyone,

Have I mentioned one of my New Year's Resolutions is to learn how to sew? Until recently, November to be exact. I had absolutely no desire to learn this skill. 7th grade home ec I sewed a nice little dog pillow and I was content with that being my one and only sewing project.

That was until, we bought our Airstream. The lady we bought it from was sewing the most beautiful draperies for her home and showed me her collection of gorgeous fabrics and slipcovers that she had made. It was then and there I knew I had to learn this wonderful craft. I started day dreaming of all of the wonderful design projects that would be open to me. I have searched high and low for overly priced pillows and draperies. Sewing could open up a whole new world.

January 1st, I took the first step...I built a sewing table (I just happen to own an inexpensive sewing machine).

I found the plans on Ana-White furniture blog. It looked easy enough. I thought I would build it while my husband was watching one of the football games....Rosebowl? I didn't think it would take long to build, maybe the afternoon.....boy was I naive and wrong. After 4.5 days of good solid work, it is finished and I love it. Definitely worth the time it took to build....and I have already used it, twice.

Here is the link: DIY Expanding Sewing Table

Two great things about this table are;

1) it can be stored anywhere, when folded it is 18" wide, but opens to 56"
2) it can be built from 1 piece of plywood or mdf.

Need:

1 sheet of plywood or mdf
2 1x3's
4 casterwheels, with 2 1/2" clearance, I bought locking casters
5 sets of hinges
2 1/2" screws

Cut List – all pieces of plywood are 32″ wide (referred to as 1x32s) TIP: Cut the plywood at 31 7/8″ to account for the saw blade.

• 1 – 1×32 @ 15 1/2″ (Top)
• 2 – 1×32 @ 26 3/4″ (Sides)
• 2 – 1×32 @ 12″ (Shelves)
• 2 – - 1×32″ @ 20″ (Leaves)
• 4 – 1x2s @ 29 1/4″ (Legs – Measure these!)

After cutting all of the pieces. It is time to build the box. Presink your screw holes. Then build the box using 2 1/2" screws and wood glue. Be sure you keep a 1" overhang on both sides of the top. This is so you can attach a leaf to each side.

This is me countersinking holes (before tonight I didn't know what that meant). Thank goodness for husbands.

Step 2: Flip the box over and add 2 1/2" caster wheels. Preferably locking, so when you are sewing you don't accidentally move the table. That could be disastrous.

Step 3: Screw the leaves on using three hinges for each side.

Step 4: Add the legs. I used 1x3's in case of heavy load, but the legs are still a little wobbly. (See plans for how to attach legs).

It should now look like this:

Now is the fun part. Finishing it. I decided to paint it. I wanted something fun. I was fortunate to find the perfect, semi-gloss latex at Lowe's on sale. It was a discarded quart on sale for $5. Crocodile Tears is the name, it's a great sagey/apple green. But first, sanding a priming.

I used mdf, which means it soaks up paint like no body's business. Before it could be painted I had to spackle all of the raw edges

Once the spackling has dried, sand down all of the surfaces and prime.


Almost finished...after priming (I used 1 coat of Kilz latex primer). Paint.

It took two coats of Crocodile Tears semi-gloss.


Overall, I am ecstatic! I love building furniture (after it's done of course). The only fault I find with the piece are the legs. I am not sure how to overcome them. They seem a little floppy. However, we only spent about $50.00 for materials. I have found sewing tables on the web for $150-$300. I would say we did alright. What do you think? Have you ever tried building furniture? If so, how did it turn out?

Easy to Sew Pouch

Today I wandered to the local coffee shop to get out of the house, grab some coffee and catch up on my daily blog reading. I didn't want to lug my big laptop with me, so I decided to take my nifty Barnes and Nobles color nook. Can I tell you how much I love this thing?! My wonderful husband got it for me for Christmas and I am addicted. I typically use it like an ipad, only it was way less expensive. I also love that I can keep my books and magazines together, plus surf the internet and play pandora.

I didn't want to scratch it today, so I unfortunately had to wrap it in a hand towel. I decided then and there I needed to make a case.

I was inspired by the brassy apple tutorial I found on finding fabulous's blog for making sweater pillows. So I went to the thrift store and found the perfect sweater for my nook pouch. It was a small turquoise abercrombie cable sweater for $2.67! (Please pardon the terrible lighting on these pictures).

I came home and made an easy template by tracing the nook onto a piece of paper. Then I added 1/2" to each side (and a little more at the top to make a channel for my drawstring).


Next, I simply pinned the template to the sweater and cut out the first piece. Then I flipped the template over and cut out the second piece.

I then folded the top piece down approximately 1/2" and pinned, then sewed the channel for my drawstring. Repeated with piece 2.

Finally, I placed the right sides of the fabric facing each other, pinned them together leaving approximately 1/4" seam allowance and sewed.

This is how it turned out. Not bad for my 2nd time sewing ever (except for home-ec in 7th grade).



Definitely, not bad for $2.67! I am not saying I wouldn't love to have something like this, but for now I am ecstatic that I don't have to wrap it in a towel to take it out of the house!

The great thing about this little sweater pouch, it can be used for anything. They're so easy to make and the size is easy to change. Simply trace your item on a piece of paper, add 1/2" to all sides and sew.

Two Birds with One Stone

Today was a great day! I managed to pry myself away from the computer and blog designing to get outside in the sunny 65 degree weather to organize the garage and shed before the snow flies tomorrow. Can you believe it?! 65 and sunny today, tomorrow snow? What crazy weather we have here in NM.

I woke up this morning with the burning desire to exercise (crazy, right?) I wanted to do it right then. I didn't want to get dressed, get in the car, drive 20 minutes to base, fight for a machine...so I started dreaming once again of our dust covered gym....the one sitting in our garage....so I compromised.

I thought well the gym is gross (after months of neglect) and I need to exercise (after months of neglect). I can kills two birds with one stone and clean it. It was the perfect day, sunny 65, no excuses.

Here are the before pictures:



Awful, right? Honestly, I don't know what is worse the mess, the color, or the fact its half-primed (that's another project though). I am embarrassed to put them online. I scrubbed, bleached, organized and trucked things from the garage to the shed in the backyard.

After:




Once I started, I thought I might as well tackle our shed too. It was a safety hazard to even step foot in that door.

Before:


After:



Overall, I feel good about the day, I got a workout, spent the day outside and organized two rooms that have been on my list for ALOOOOONG time!

1 of my resolutions for 2011, organize the house. My plan was to start in the home office, but this works too. Now, no excuse not to exercise. I just killed two birds with one stone.

Time for a Home Office Intervention

Well, as you can see, no new blog face yet....I am still working on it. Hopefully, it will be there tomorrow.

In the meantime I am also busy working on new projects for the house. One of my 2011 Resolutions is to get the house organized....starting with our home office.

During the remodel we transformed our coat closet into a small home office. We took off the door, tore out the coat rack and my wonderful husband built tall bookshelves, with storage cubbies and a desk.

I use this little nook all the time. That being said it needs reorganized and if I'm feeling frisky, maybe a new paint color to spice it up. Finally getting this space under control, will be a great way to kick off the new year and get me focused for other projects around the house.

I have round up some inspirational photos to get me going today, enjoy!








It is truly amazing how a small closet can be dressed up with a little paint, shelving and elbow grease. These few simple steps create a newly functional space in your home.

I am in the planning stages now and would love to hear from you with organizing tips/design ideas for our "cloffice."

photos: 1. decorpad 2.betterhomesandgarden 3. freshome.com
4. sarah ehlinger 5. decorpad 6. mustknowhow

I am Ready for a New Look

I am very excited about tonight, my blog is getting a face lift!

When I decided to start a blog, I surveyed through the blogs that I love and found two commonalities that wet my appetite and make me want to read.

1. the name- it has to be witty, or at least intriguing. I am always trying to find new design blogs, so I scroll blog rolls and a catchy name will grab me every time.

Some of my favorites:

the little green notebook
the pleated polka dot
a fly through our window
pink wallpaper
isabella & max rooms
the newlywed diaries
centsational girl


2. the blog design- blog designs have become really creative and fun they, like the name, really make the personality of blog writer shine.

When I decided to start themustardceiling, I knew 1. I wanted a catchy name and 2. I wanted a personalized design.

So I investigated design blogs and found many great designers on the web, specializing in blog design. After many hours of research, I also stumbled upon a blog designer teaching people to design their own blogs using photoshop. In my opinion, this was the winner! I could pay someone $90.00 for a one time design, or pay $85.00 for a 4 week course teaching me to do-it- myself (the D-I-Y in me always wins!) I have always wanted to learn photoshop, well actually not until the past couple years....so this gave me a great excuse.

The blog design course was my birthday present from Alfred, and I am having a blast with it! Tonight is the second week out of 4. Last week we learned to design the blog, and tonight we are learning how to apply the templates to our blog. So TOMORROW (if all goes well), my blog will have a facelift, designed by me! I am still learning, but I feel like I'm finally catching on to the whole photoshop thing.

The wonderful blog design course I am taking is from the blog designer April Showers.


Keep your fingers crossed that tomorrow I will have a new face on themustardceiling.

Talk to you tomorrow!

Natural (and Cheap) Cleaning Tips

About three weeks ago, right before Christmas, I went on a cleaning rampage. This rampage was fueled by two things:

1) The fact that we had JUST found our air filter after living in the house for 2 years....gross!!
* Not that we didn’t try, we had been searching for the past two years. We even called the previous owner to ask where the air filter was and she said there was not one. That means when we finally did find it...it had not been changed for at least 6 years-Poor hubby had to wear a mask to pull it out!

Can you imagine the air we were breathing? We live in the dust bowl and have two dogs....I was constantly cleaning.

2) My hubby and I had both been away from the house for five months and trusted a friend to watch it for us, bad idea!

We came home to four ft. tall weeds in the yard, a disaster in the kitchen and a really stinky guest bedroom that I am still trying to recover from.

So...I went on a cleaning bender. It started with my bedroom, which took about three hours to clean. I used all of the normal cleaning products and when I was finished I felt like I was walking out of chem. lab. The smells billowed through the house and started to give me a headache. That’s when I decided it was time to try something new.

I started researching online different ways to make my own cleaning recipes and found some great ones! I have been using them for the past three weeks and am excited every time I clean.
My house now smells fresh (although I’m not going to lie sometimes Alfred says it smells like
I’ve been making pickles), but a small price to pay knowing that I’m cleaning the house with natural products that have been tried and true forever.

Products that you need:

* White distilled vinegar
* Baking soda
* Borax (optional)
* lemons
* black tea (if you have hardwood floors)
* micro-fiber cloths
* spray bottles

Easy enough, right? And price these babies, they’re all really cheap to buy. I read somewhere it costs about 1/10th ounce per ounce of what normal cleaners cost.

Recipes:

All- Purpose Cleaner- removes water deposit stains on shower, bathroom fixtures, windows, bathroom mirrors. I also used it to clean the counters in the kitchen, to spray and wipe down the cabinets.
* Mix 1/2 c. vinegar and 1/4 c. baking soda (or 2 tsp. Borax) into 1/2 gal (2 liters) water.
*Store in spray bottle

Air Freshener- I have been using this one to try and get rid of the nasty “boy” odor in my guest bedroom.
* baking soda or vinegar with lemon juice (place it in small containers around the house to absorb odors)
* grind up a slice of lemon in the garbage disposal
* boil 1 tbsp. of vinegar in 1 c. of water on the stove while cooking, it will prevent cooking odors.

Chopping Block cleaner- simply rub a slice of lemon across the chopping block to disinfect.

Disinfectant- (not an ant-bacterial cleaner, which most kitchens and bath do not require)
* 2 tsp. of borax, 4 tbsp. vinegar, 3 c. hot water
* wipe on damp cloth or spray bottle
* to disinfect sponges, throw them in the dishwasher when running a load

Floor Cleaner
* vinyl and linoleum- mix 1 c. vinegar and a few drops of baby oil in a gallon of warm water (can add 1/4 c. borax for tough jobs). Use sparingly on linoleum

* wood- for damp mopping wood floors. mix equal amounts of vinegar and water, add 15 drops of pure peppermint essential oil; shake.
( I spray it on the floor with spray bottle, and mop it up with a micro-fiber mop)
** MY FAVORITE: to get your wood floors sparkly clean- Use tea
* boil 3 (black) tea bags in a qt. of water. Let them steep for 15 min.
* (only use black tea, because it is the tannic acid that makes your floors shine)
* allow the tea to cool to room temperature
* put it in a spray bottle, dampen your floor and wipe with a rag or microfiber mop
* buff the floor with dry cloth to increase shine
I love this one, every time I use it, I want to go get a big glass of tea. (tea is my favorite drink on the planet)

Furniture Polish
* add a few drops of lemon oil into 1/2 c. warm water, spray onto a microfiber cloth
( I have not been able to find lemon oil yet, in the booming metropolis of Clovis, NM)
* I tried a few drops of peppermint oil and warm water, it works well to grab all of the dust
* wipe furniture once more with a soft cotton cloth

Scouring Powder- use for stove top, refrigerator, sink, surfaces that should not be scratched
* apply baking soda with a soft sponge or rag

Toilet Bowl Cleaner
* 1/4 c. baking soda and 1 c. vinegar, pour into toilet and let it sit a few min.
* scrub with brush and rinse

Window Cleaner
* 1/4 c. vinegar to qt. of water
* put in a spray bottle
* spray windows and wipe with old dry newspapers, it will really make the windows shine!

Those are just a few that I have tried, I will try more and post them. I do feel like when I’m cleaning with these few simple ingredients I am making our home healthier for us and from my experience these simple ingredients do a stand up job getting the house clean.

Can you think of any additional recipes that you have tried? How do you feel about cleaning products?

It is one of my goals, by the end of 2011, to do all of my cleaning with simple homemade recipes.

Eye Candy and Inspiration...

House Beautiful
designed by: Sherrill Canet
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La Dolce Vita
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ohdeedoh
House Beautiful
Currently, there is a big trend sweeping across the design world...painted ceilings.

I first noticed the trend in 2008, during our early renovation stages. From the moment I saw the mustard ceiling in House Beautiful (last photograph in the post), I was inspired.

I love the whimsy, the cheer of walking through our front door to be greeted with a ray of sunshine above my head each time...

I just want to say, mustard ceiling, thank you for bringing a little bit of sunshine to my house everyday.

Here are some photos, mostly oldies, but goodies to re-inspire you today.