Category: DIY Decor & Crafts

Projects you can make to decorate your house.

How To: Update a Room with Trim

Published on by Our Humble Abode8 Comments

Over the weekend, a few readers asked about our trim and how we make it.  Well, it’s your lucky day, because I’m here to do just that.

I’m going to explain my how to with the dining room as my example, but it’s almost the exact same for each room.

First, determine the design you would like to have.  In our case, we needed a plate rack and that determined the 67 inch height of our trim.  We already had our 5 inch tall baseboard installed, so we left those.  Ben had installed chair rail, so we removed that.  We decided to place the top of our horizontal piece at 36 inches from the floor.  We measured the length of our wall to find the center.  Once the measuring was done, we bought our trim and got started.

Most of the trim we use throughout our house is MDF (medium density fiberboard – pretty much sawdust glued together).  I will note where we have used real wood.  We use MDF for several reasons.  1.  It’s cheaper than wood and we know we’re going to paint it anyway.  2.  MDF is very flexible, especially compared to wood, so it’s easy to work with.  3.  Because MDF is mostly sawdust, it’s a green material.

We went to a local home improvement store and bought several pieces of 3 1/2 inch wide by 1/2 inch thick square style trim.  This trim does not have any decorative cuts, but does have slightly rounded edges.  We also got one piece of MDF crown moulding , 2 pieces of wooden symmetrical trim for the horizontal center, one piece of 3/4 inch wooden quarter round moulding and one sheet of 3/4 inch thick MDF.

As I said before, we left the existing painted MDF baseboard.  We knew we wanted the reveal (the amount on each side of the symmetrical piece) of the horizontal piece to match the width of the verticals.  Our vertical trim pieces are 3 1/2 inches wide, so we doubled that and added 1 1/2 inches for the symmetrical trim spacing.  So, Ben cut an 8 1/2 inch piece from our 3/4 inch thick MDF sheet.  Then he nailed that piece at 36 inches from the floor, making sure to nail into studs.

Ben cut another piece from our MDF sheet for the top horizontal, to be almost completely covered by the crown moulding.  To determine the size of this piece, measure the height of your crown moulding and add 1 inches.  Secure the trim to the wall 3/4 of an inch lower than your final height.  Nail your crown moulding in, making sure the top of the crown is even with the top of the MDF piece.  Cut another piece from the MDF sheet 1/4 inch deeper than the crown moulding and MDF backing.  Secure this piece on the top of the crown, leaving a 1/4 inch overhang, completing our ‘shelf.’  If you choose to display plates or rest other items on top of this, add your quarter round trim.  Keep the quarter round flush with the edge and nail it into the 3/4 inch MDF piece.

After completing the plate rack portion, Ben started installing the vertical trim pieces.  First, he placed one in the very center of the room.  If you can’t locate a stud, angle your nails toward the center of the piece, helping keep the trim on the wall.  Next, place verticals in the corners as shown on the diagram below, leaving a dead space.  This will leave the same reveal of the corner pieces.

Depending on the length of your wall, you can place additional verticals centered between the middle and corners or break it up in to thirds.  Our verticals are 12 1/2 inches apart.  Do this to the entire room and you’re ready to fill and sand about one million holes.  Caulk all the seams and smooth out.  Prime and paint all the trim pieces as well as the wall.  The end result will be a seamless panel look.  Stand back and enjoy the view.

Additional Notes:  Measure the depth of your trim.  It is much easier to create a wall of trim if your depths a slightly different (1/2 inch and 3/4 inch).  If you use all of one depth, you may have uneven joint that will require sanding until smooth.

If you don’t already have baseboard, it may be easier to install square stock.  This will allow butting the verticals right up to the baseboard, rather than notching out the baseboard to accommodate the verticals.

If you have any questions or need clarification, please ask!

How To: Add a Personal Touch

Published on by Our Humble Abode5 Comments

I have already given some ideas on how to add a personal touch to framed photos, and now I have some ideas to add personal touches throughout the home.

1.  Add monograms or your family name.  Monograms are a quick and inexpensive way to make a room your own.  Michael’s and Hobby Lobby are great places to look.  The letters on the picture rail hail from Hobby Lobby and cost $9.99 each. 

I had some scrap fabric lying around, so I made custom monogrammed pillow covers for each of our boys.  You can’t really tell, but the painting in the photo above has their monograms, too.  If you don’t want to spend $10 on monograms, craft stores also have cheaper MDF and paper mache versions, like the ones in my office. 

Just add a few coats of paint and you’ve got a custom art piece.  We also have a few monograms in our living room.  I recently picked up some Power Ball-esuqe monograms from Pier 1.

You could also use monogram hooks in an entryway or bathroom to keep each family member’s items separated. 

2.  Choose prints and art with personal meaning.  I also create custom prints if I am in need of a personal touch. 

I love this bird print we have in our entry way because it shows our little family, wedding date, names and the colors are specifically coördinated to our room. 

Another easy DIY project to inject a little more of you into your space are custom silhouettes.  When I make our silhouettes, I take photos of each person in complete profile.  Kids can be much more difficult, but with digital cameras, just keep taking pictures and eventually something will work.  Then I open my photos in Photoshop and trace the outlines.  Then I print right on to my colored cardstock and cut them out.  Simply tape the silhouette onto another piece of cardstock and frame. 

Don’t limit yourself to silhouettes of your family.  The process is the same for making anything, so choose your favorite flower, tree, whatever and make another design.

Choose prints that have a meaning to you, not just something that looks pretty.  Again, I make my own prints, but my I Love You This Much print began as something I say to my boys.  Other typographic prints could look great, too.  Choose a favorite quote, song lyric or phrase.  Translate a phrase to another language for a less obvious, but still meaningful print, like the Je T’Aime (I love you in French) print above.   A great place to start your search is Etsy because you can talk to the seller and ask to have something customized. 

3.  Spruce up a box store item.  Don’t be afraid to spray paint something to take it from the big box store look to fit your home.  Spray paint frames, sculptures or figurines, even furniture.  It will definitely become more personal with little time, effort and money.

Customized Stationary Giveaway Winner!

Published on by Our Humble Abode2 Comments

I’m pleased to announce random.org chose lucky number three as this week’s winner of a set of custom stationery or 8 inch by 10 inch print.  Congrats to Chandeen Santos who likes the Anemone Stationery in pink and orange. 

Sad you didn’t win, fret not.  You can purchase any of the items shown over at Customized Stationary.  Buy now through August 15th and receive 10% off your purchase when you mention Our Humble A{Bowe}d.

Recent Finds: Pier 1 & TJ Maxx

Published on by Our Humble Abode3 Comments

I guess I’ve been doing more retail therapy than usual.  It has to be becuase so many cute things are for sale this season.  Like these Power Ball-esque letters from Pier 1. 

Aren’t they cute?  And for $2.00 each, they don’t break the bank, so I got one ball for each member of our family.  My glass thrift store jar was a perfect vessel for displaying my new purchase, too.

While wandering through Pier 1, these pillows caught my eye. 

I love the texture of both, although the round red pillow seems uncomfortable and impractical.  I might try to make a similar version of the green pillow, though.  The Pier 1 version is made of felt, so it should be cheap and easy to work with.  We’ll see if it will make the cut.  Pun intended.

I also liked this lamp.

After Pier 1, I stopped in TJ Maxx and found matching white rubber backed rugs to replace our old bathroom rugs. 

Note: don’t send a straight man to buy a specific color rug.  I sent Ben out to buy white rugs.  What did he come back with?  CREAM!  There is a difference.  So, we finally have nice quality matching white rugs, all for the low price of $7.99 each.  Who’s happy?  I’m happy.

Gimme A Giveaway: Customized Stationary

Published on by Our Humble Abode19 Comments

*This giveaway is no longer accepting entries, Thank You!*

We’re back with another giveaway!  I wanted to give one lucky reader one customized 8 inch by 10 inch print OR one set of 12 folded notecards from my shop, Customized Stationary.

Here are some print options: 

Carved Initials:

Bird Family:

I Love You This Much:

Love Math:

Love Tree:

And here are some stationery options:

Carved Tree Stationery:

Stump Stationery:

Anemone Stationery:

Want a chance to win?  Here’s how it works:

To Enter:  Comment on this post to tell which print or stationery set you prefer and the colors you’d like.

Bonus:  Blog, Twitter or Facebook with the giveaway link.  Then, leave another comment including your blog post, Tweet or Facebook link.

Contest Closes:  Wednesday,  August 4, 2010 at 9:00 pm, central time.

Number of Winners:  One!

Ships:  Anywhere in the US of A.

Other Info:  The winner can customize their print with colors, text such as names, family names, dates, and initials, and quantity of birds in the Bird Family print.  Only one entry per e-mail address.  The winner will be selected using random.org and announced on Thursday, August 5th.  Good luck!!