Nesting With Heidi

Thursday, March 6, 2014

A Paper Floor - Inexpensive and it lasts and lasts!!!

12:20 PM Decorating on the cheap , DIY , Faux finish technique , Flooring , Illusionsmalerei , the painted house , Thrifty decorating , Toller Shabby Chic No comments

Hello from St. Louis,
Yes, a paper floor lasts and lasts!!!!

Approximately 15 years ago, I installed a paper floor. The existing floor was "tile look alike" linoleum. At the time, I did not know, if it would last. Well it did!! Although, I do have a very high traffic home, to say the least.

Recently, I decided that it was time, to give my paper floor some TLC.

Shiny and it looks like New

I fell in love with one of my client's antique, wide plank floors. The next morning a box truck arrived, including a carpenter. A few hours later, I had an antique wide plank floor in my family room. I am in love with that floor. Many compliments after, I decided that I wanted the same floor in my kitchen.At one time, I even climbed in the dumpster to get all the left over pieces, to see if I had enough wood to lay a kitchen floor. NO WAY!!!

Well I am a designer and a faux finisher. Wood graining came to mind. However, I did not want to spend money removing the linoleum floor. I decided to use plain old, cheap construction paper.

Here is what I did fifteen years ago!

Step One:

Cut construction paper into strips.

Step Two:

Step Three:

Thin VOV (Vinyl over Vinyl) with water and paste the strips onto the floor. Let dry.

Step Four

Prime. Let dry. Apply two coats of yellow. I use BM Sunbeam.

Now that all the necessary prep work is done, you are ready to "wood grain". Don't be afraid, you are going to simulate wood and it can be done very easily.

Colors used:

Although "wood graining" seems complicated, it's actually not. It's about color and pattern. Once you understand this, you can imitate almost any wood. To make it easy for you, we just simulate an antique floor, with some knot holes and grain.

Step One:

Mix your color glazes. I mix my graining glazes with water, because I work fast. With an acrylic medium you will have a longer "open time".

Step two:

Tape off the first plank. Brush on the raw Sienna glaze. Wipe off your 4"chip brush. Brush through the wet glaze, until you created a wood-grain effect.Start at one end of the plank, and keep going in a continuous motion to the end of the plank.Continue stroke after stroke.

Keep wiping your brush. Let Dry. Care fully pick up some burnt Sienna glaze and create some additional values. Soften with a clean chip brush. Let dry. Add additional darks ( burnt Sienna and Black). Once you are satisfied with the grain, you may add some knotholes and or additional graining.

Now that my floor is completed, I decided to re-vamp my whole home. Is that OCD??? No, it's because of the long winter!!!

Take care and be safe sending blessings your way,

Fondly,

Bringing a kitchen from the eighties to this century......done with paint.

10:08 AM No comments

As promised here is a project you can duplicate for little money.

Don't like your kitchen any longer? Here the step you can take to re-design your habitat for little money. Only sweat, tears and blood. Yeah, we hate it,but with a tight budget, we are willing to invest those.

Here are the kitchen and dining room we were gong to start on. The client had a proposal for $27,000.00 for the kitchen only. I suggested that I would do office, dining room, hallway, bathroom and bedroom for less. Well, I got the job.

An interior designer had suggested to take the wallpaper off, replace it with breadboard, replace the cabinets, re-do the beautiful wood floor, and paint the walls. Looking at my client (now a friend) I realized that she was not a breadboard kinda lady. Very pretty, slender(great figure) dressed elegant, sporty classic, not cutesie or fussy. Classic.... and that stuck to me.

As I looked around, the ideas just came flowing. Where as the designer wanted to paint the kitchen a different color, I suggested to use one color for dining room, kitchen and hallway, but different techniques. That would ascertain that the whole area would seem to be much larger when done.I suggested my "old faithful" Tuscan plaster for kitchen and dining room, however, in the dining room I wanted to create an accent wall for additional interest.

In addition I wanted to eliminate the chair rail (open that place up!!!!), have crown molding installed, make a faux brick back splash and add a granite counter. Replace the furniture and the lighting, re-vamp the cabinets with a French Country finish, add window treatments and classic artwork. And that's what we did. What fun to work with this lady.

Here is the spacious NEW LOOK of this ignored space.

Painting Upholstered Furniture

11:52 AM No comments

Wow, I am embarrassed and guilty. BUT, I just did not have time or energy, to enlighten you with my thoughts, work and ideas. I was several times in Germany last year, and going again this year. My health was dilapidated, doing much better now. I was in Dallas, teaching the Idal chapter. Met wonderful faux finish artists and made new friends. Thank you IDAL Chapter Dallas/Ft. Worth.

Anyway, many of you know, that I am sharing my home with Bella

and my sweet cats "Bärli and "Sammy"

Don't' they look like they are "trouble free"? NOT!!!!!

I don't believe in de-clawing my sweethearts, thus they developed a very bad habit. They are ripping my furniture to pieces. And that is like a thorn in my eyes.

After deciding not to order slipcovers, because they too would be ripped in a short while. I did what I know best. I decided to paint my upholstery. I am a firm believer, that everything can be painted.

Years ago I painted my kitchen counters and I really got in trouble for it. Colleagues, friends and family, claimed that I would poison them and that the finish would not last. Well, we know better now. My family is still kicking..... and the finish did last.

Back to my upholstery. I messed around with paint etc. and came up with a paint recipe, which I am still experimenting with. However, I did paint my chair and I love it. In the beginning the fabric was kind of stiff, but it has become much softer. The chair is very easy to keep clean(washable), feels kind of cold, like leather. I don't mind that. But, what I really, really love...... Bärli and Sammy don't like the chair any longer. That is a great bonus. Pretty soon I will be working on the rest of my furniture. I will keep you posted.

Here the results:

Sorry my first banner!!!

First paint strokes. I am wondering "is this crazy"?

First coat completed. See all the rips and tears?

Second coat completed. Now I began to sand, sand, sand and applied an additional coat. Thoroughly sanded again. Never did I say, that it would go fast. Just to make sure I applied a fourth coat. And ....here it is......My new jewel!!!! To all my friends, clients and colleagues......Guess you have to eat your words. LOL

I used Plaster of Paris, mixed it with Downy to a smooth paste (yoghurt), added it to flat paint to thicken the paint. Sprayed the furniture before painting with Fabric medium. Kept the furniture somewhat damp, so the paint would spread better. And sometimes, when I thought it was necessary I sprayed the still wet painted areas.

In the meantime, I have started with my red couch and changed the recipe a little to

replacing the Downey and fabric medium with water. Stay tune......

Take care and be save, until next time.....

Heidi

PS: Preview.....I am bringing back a eighties kitchen to this Century......and mostly with paint

Before. Kitchen with oak cabinets, melamine counters and wallpaper.

Stay tune and see how this becomes an HGTV jewel

I missed you all

3:27 PM about Heidi No comments

....and I am feeling the ever so painful "Guilt".

I don't even know how to start this post. For days, I have been thinking about a "catchy" headline (according to the wisdom of many professional bloggers, a catchy headline is an absolute "MUST"). I am wondering if I have I succeeded with this "headline" thing? But this "Headline" came from the heart!

I do know that my limited English is one of the reasons I seem to suffer from a self-inflicted pain, called writer's block. But, I want "the show to go on", consequently, I do hope that you overlook my "accent". All of the above being said, I also must tell you:

I love and appreciate your comments.
I really did miss you and I appreciate each one of you.
I hope that I will see you again and often.
I will try to overcome my accent complex......

And BTW, in Germany and Austria I am always being asked where I learned such good German? My native tongue is German. However, living for such a long time in the USA, it seems that I have developed a heavy American accent, speaking German. I am homeless, and I can't win for loosing.!!!!!!!!!!

During my long silence, I was not idling in La, La land. I was ill for a long time, but now I am much better. I traveled several times to Europe, teaching these German master painters the art of faux painting. My, my, there are only male painters!!! It is extremely hard to get them to believe that they can actually design and create a beautiful wall finish, instead of just whipping out a fan deck.

Another apparent and challenging difficulty I constantly come across, is to convince these budding faux finish artists to create sample boards. The sample boards are created by manufacturer reps and sales representatives who I also trained. Yes, it is true..... the painters just call and request a sample board and the reps oblige. Totally hard for me to understand!!!! And I am being told that I can not change the "German way".

I finished some really great projects, which I will introduce here soon, if not sooner. LOL

I taught several classes, one of them in Dallas, the local Idal chapter.

I am re-inventing myself and trying to "smell the roses" at times. One of my students told me come up for air and breathe a little. Kathy, I am trying very hard!!!!! LOL..
I finally created a German blog

Again, I miss you all. I am glad to be back and please stay tune and check out the completed projects:
.

Before and after.... Bringing a dated dining room to today's style.
Before

After- Back to the Future - Classic and up-to-date

Sending blessings and good wishes,
Fondly,

99 bunte Ostereier!!!

8:27 AM DIY , Grüße aus Amerika , Toller Shabby Chic No comments

Noch ganz schnell ein paar kreative Ideen für Eure Ostereier.


Blümchen herstellen: Mit dem Locher ausstanzen und auf das Ei kleben.Southern Living.com

Sorbische Ostereier sind die schönsten der Welt


Sorbische/Batik Kunst

Ostergrüße! Eier in Tee färben und dann beschriften.

Süße Blumengrüße

Die klassische Variante Ostereier zu verzieren ist natürlich das Färben. Aber vielleicht wollt ihr ja in diesem Jahr eure Lieben mit sehr kreativen Ostereier überraschen.

Anstatt des klassischen Färbens, versucht doch mal eine Schablonentechnik.

Werkzeug

Kleine Blätter ( Thymian, Farn, Pfefferminz etc.)
Gekochte Eier
Nylonstrumpf, in ca 10cm lange Stücke schneiden
Wasser

Essig
Eierfarbe
Gummibänder
Große Gläser,ein Glas pro Farbe
Löffel

Anleitung

Blättchen auflegen und dann das Ei in den Strumpf legen.
Den Strumpf drehen und dann mit dem Gummiband befestigen.
das Ei wird in die Eierfarbe gelegt.
nach ungefähr 5 Minuten wird das Ei mit dem Löffel heraus gehoben und der Nylonstrumpf wird sorgfältig entfernt.
Ich finde diese Eier ganz künstlerisch super. Was meint ihr????

Ostergrüsse aus den USA

1:50 PM Decorating on the cheap , Grüße aus Amerika , Hot Trends , Thrifty decorating , Toller Shabby Chic 7 comments

Hallo meine Lieben,

Hatte heute ein bisschen Zeit auf der Internet herum zu surfen. Ich dachte mir, dass es vielleicht für Euch interessant wäre zu sehen wie kreativ die "Amis" sind. :)