Home Improvements

[Cardinal]

This weekend I finished one of the home improvement projects I have been working on for some time. Back in December I got tired of looking at the plaster surrounding my fireplace and the nook for the television. I decided to build a new mantle.



The design was inspired by the blue tile I picked up at Lowes. It filled the vertical dimension perfectly, but there would be a gap on the horizontal sections. I filled this in with two black strips. I also used black to frame the entire tile area. Since the tile was two inches out from the face of the fireplace, I used a black bullnose tile to frame the inside as well. I continued the two vertical strips through the wood in the base and mantle, and repeated this in the television nook to the left.



Finishing this project was important, as my realtor is holding an open house today. Yes, that sucks. As I am getting the place comfortable I am moving. I may not sell, but rent the place out instead. Here's a final shot. By the way, the stuff on the mantle and the picture are not what I would normally have there. I have (I hope) better taste, but I did not want to leave my favorite artwork out with people constantly walking through.

[spokanite]

Finishing this project was important, as my realtor is holding an open house today. Yes, that sucks. As I am getting the place comfortable I am moving. I may not sell, but rent the place out instead.

Nice work Cardinal. The tile color goes well with the wood finish. One word: SOLD!

Good luck with the open house today.

[Zoning Goddess]

Nice work! I have never attempted tile work (actually, nothing more complex than painting....). Are you self-taught?

[noottamevas]

Nice work. Did you take a before picture?

[Planner Hottie]

The mantle is very pretty - I love the combination of light blue tile and dark wood.

I wanted to share our experience with granite tile - we just redid our kitchen cabinets and wanted solid granite countertops but decided to go with the tile instead. It cut the cost to less than a quarter ($500 total materials as opposed to $2000 for just the granite slabs) and they look great! We used large 36" and 24" tiles and a hardwood trim to cover the edges.

[michaelskis]

Have you been watching HGTV and DIY again?

I am very impressed. I wish I could do something like that with my apartment… but it looks like sometime between this October and next summer I will have the opportunity with a house!

[CosmicMojo]

I wanted to share our experience with granite tile - we just redid our kitchen cabinets and wanted solid granite countertops but decided to go with the tile instead. It cut the cost to less than a quarter ($500 total materials as opposed to $2000 for just the granite slabs) and they look great! We used large 36" and 24" tiles and a hardwood trim to cover the edges.

I'd love to see pics, your's or a company's example photos. We're still finishing the upstairs bathroom, but eventually we'll get to the kitchen, and a new countertop is my dream!

[Planner Hottie]

I'd love to see pics, your's or a company's example photos. We're still finishing the upstairs bathroom, but eventually we'll get to the kitchen, and a new countertop is my dream!

I will take pictures when the dust settles.

[CosmicMojo]

I will take pictures when the dust settles.

I googled 'granite tile countertop' and could only find one example pic.
I must say I'm excited to learn about granite tiles, I"ve seen ceramic tiles before, but not granite.
Once I find a new job, we're on our way to Newkitchenville!

[Planner Hottie]

Here is one site:

http://www.rd.com/content/openConten...ontentId=17870

There is very little on the web about granite tile counters - I looked at this just to make sure we were on the right track. My husband had just done the floor so it was about the same process. I have to say that ours looks a lot better than the example on the website - we used a black granite with some speckling called "Uba Tuba."

[CosmicMojo]

http://www.rd.com/content/openConten...ontentId=17870

That's a great site, thanks. I'll show it to my husband (the handy one in our household). Oh, I'll dream pretty tonight!
(good thing, I've been having nightmares ...but that's another thread)

[Cardinal]

Nice work. Did you take a before picture?

A before photo...

[Jaxspra]

Great job Cardinal, it looks great, the entire house looks great actually!!

[abrowne]

The workmanship looks good and so does the tiling, though personally I'd have chosen a darker wood and a shade darker olive/green wall paint.

[Jen]

Oh Yeah! that looks so much different, love that sagey green and nice way to trim it out!

YOur TV is undersized I see!

I say sold in 30 days!

[Bear Up North]

Looks good, Cardinal!!!

I hope my wife doesn't open up this thread. She'll want me to jump into some new project. If she does, I will seek you out.

Nice work.

Bear

[Richmond Jake]

Rather than start a new thread--anyone know how to fix horizontal blinds? The cord fasteners broke on one of mine. The separation happened in the part that connects under the window header. Would an image help to describe? Thanks.

EDIT: a couple of pix.

[Rumpy Tunanator]

Wow, you guys must have been playing rough over the weekend

Cough I built a deck over Labor Day weekend cough

[Zoning Goddess]

Wow, you guys must have been playing rough over the weekend

Cough I built a deck over Labor Day weekend cough

Good grief, it's in an extra bedroom. Didn't you and Budgie stay there last?

[mendelman]

Rather than start a new thread--anyone know how to fix horizontal blinds? The cord fasteners broke on one of mine. The separation happened in the part that connects under the window header. Would an image help to describe? Thanks.

IMO, I say kill the mini-blinds and put up some curtains - curtains are much easier to use, don't break as easily, are easier to install, and 100 times easier to clean.

[Zoning Goddess]

IMO, I say kill the mini-blinds and put up some curtains - curtains are much easier to use, don't break as easily, are easier to install, and 100 times easier to clean.

It would look funny, he's got the plantation blinds on all the other windows in the house!

[mendelman]

It would look funny, he's got the plantation blinds on all the other windows in the house!

Granted, but I, personally, would then trash them all, but that's my opinion.

[the north omaha star]

Granted, but I, personally, would then trash them all, but that's my opinion.

Personally, I don't like curtains. They look to 'old-fashioned' for me. My wife bough some individual curtains for our 2 windows in the living room. The windows are nearly 4' in width and 6' feet length so custom blinds was must. My MIL comes in town for July 4 and they go out and buy curtains. They look strange because the windsows are so far apart. But I lost that argument.

[Jen]

arent mini blinds super cheap? replace them. I hate the dust that accumulates on blinds, they are not easy to clean. Ive just had pleated shades hung in our new upstairs addition, from Hunter Douglas, top down bottom up cordless shades. No more tugging on cords or having long cords flying in the breeze or entangling the cat (when we had a cat).

And I hated my bedroom closet doors, ugly hollow things that kept sliding off track, then I put the hole in one with the phone so off they came, rippped up the track and hung curtains, silk red ones from the Company Store now I want a small chandeleir for the ceiling light and that room (now an antechamber to the new master bedroom)is transformed into a lounge/boudoir!

[michaelskis]

We picked up some rather nice real wood blinds at Lowes. They have several sizes so they should be able to help you. (as long as you do not bust into flames when you walk into a big box retailer)

Well since my past post in this thread I have:
Removed Walls
Installed outlets
Installed Lights & Switches
Installed a bathtub
Installed a kitchen sink
Installed a dishwasher
Installed Kitchen Cabinets
Built new walls
Installed a ceiling fan
Tiled a bathroom floor
Tiled a bath surround
Textured a ceiling
Installed new doors
Installed hard wood floors
And more...