Home-DzineIt’s all about caring for and improving your home

February 2011

online

In this issue ...• Freshen up your living room• Coffee table manners• Valentine crafts • Making slipcovers and more...

Love your home

Makeit

Home-Dzine Online is written and compiled by Janice Anderssen. All projects in this issue, or any other issue, remain the property of Home-Dzine and Janice Anderssen, or the respective copyright holders, and may not be copied or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission.

Image and content credits:meredith publishing - good homes - family handyman - sunset publishing - popular mechanic - house & home - georgia pacific- expert village - channel4 - pottery barn - flikr - nkba - resene - mitre10 - lowes and any others.

Do it!

This year is going to be a very exciting one for me, and for all the DIY Divas. Not only are we collaborating in a fantastic DIY magazine due for launch later this year, but we’re also bringing out our very own books: DIY for Divas / DIY vir Divas.

The DIY Divas book is hopefully the first ina series of books intended for all you Divas out there who want to “Do-It-Yourself” and it should be on the shelf just in time for Mother’s Day - so start hinting now!

Enjoy!

Janice

a word or twoFEBRUARY 2011 WORKSHOPS

JOBURG05 Advanced - Power Tools & Basic

Electrical12 Cut Out Headboard 19 Garden Bench26 Upholstered Ottoman & Dremel

Carving CLICK HERE TO BOOK

EAST RAND05 Advanced - Power Tools 12 Cut Out Headboard 19 Garden Bench26 Upholstered Ottoman

CLICK HERE TO BOOK

FAR EAST RAND05 Beginners - Woodwork12 Basic Electrical19 Advanced - Power Tools26 Wall Clock

CLICK HERE TO BOOK

PRETORIA19 Beginners - Woodwork

CLICK HERE TO BOOK

CAPE TOWN05 Beginner - Power Tools19 Beginner - Woodwork

CLICK HERE TO BOOK

DURBAN05 Beginners - Power Tools12 Beginners - Woodwork19 Shoe Storage26 Upholstered Ottoman

CLICK HERE TO BOOK

Find living room design ideas for furniture, wall colour,

lighting, and more to take your living room from blah to

beautiful.

Freshen Upyour living room

2

Rearrange the furniture

For a freebie room trans-formation,

move furniture around. Put

some pieces on a diagonal or group them

into smaller conversation areas instead

of letting them hug the walls.

Even swapping artwork from

another room can create a refreshing change of

pace.

Arrange your living room to reflect theway you and your family like to live, the location of the room, and its trafficpatterns. If the room is designed for conversation, gather furniture around a central point and keep it cosy. If it’s used as a serene getaway without a television, add a chaise lounge to complement a sofa. If reading is the main activity, plan for book storage, easy chairs, and adaptable lighting. Be sure to allow for access to furniture and a pathway through the space.

3

ABOVE and BELOW: Before, During and After: Play around with furniture in the room. Move all the pieces out - or to another room - and introduce back into the room piece by piece. You can also bring in furniture from other rooms for a completely new look - or makeover existing furniture in a new colour. A slipcover for the sofa makes all the difference!

4

ABOVE: Placing one sofa with its back to this path underscores the separation between the two groups, as do the area rugs anchoring them.

This arrangement offers people inviting places to land and talk face-to-face. Unify the groups by using identical rugs, coffee tables, and sofas in each.

Visually Break Up Larger Open Areas

A fireplace, room divider,or half-wall can be used to divide open spaces without losing the flow oflight and energy through the space.

RIGHT: In this spacious open-plan loft, the fireplace separates anddefines the living anddining areas.

Divide Large Spaces with

Seating

If your living room is the setting for

large parties, bring intimacy and

a comfortable sense of scale

to the room by dividing it into two

conversational groupings with

a path between them.

5

Set the Tone with Artwork

Use original artwork to add personality and create a focal point. Here, dramatic art and accessories give the room design attitude.

For a cohesive look pair similar colours and shapes.

Highlight Wall Art with Paint

Turn your walls into dynamic, graphic designs with paint and shadow boxes. Paint rectangles so they relate to the

width of the furniture below or to the shape and size of the wall space. Also consider the shape and size of the three-dimensional piece you want to hang within the painted rectangle.

Whether you hang original sculpture over the painted rectangles or just use simple box shelves with ordinary vases, the effect is contemporary and exciting.

Repeat Elements for Visual Rhythm

Rhythm - the way colours, patterns, and shapes filla room - keeps a space interesting because it requires constant eye movement.

6

This living shows how shapes can add rhythm.

The key shape is curvy, from the lampshade to the coffee table to the modern vases and even the pattern on the pillow.

Spreading like objects around the room keeps the eye moving.

Use Mirrors as Wall Art

Large mirrors leaning against the wall offer a dramatic and effective way to expand the sense of space in small rooms, enhance light in dark ones, and add interest anywhere. Three identical mirrors in plain dark frames suit the contemporary style of this loft living room.

7

8

Cool and Contemporary

This dark wood table is a study in rectangles. Go with the theme, and arrange a shapely collection of accessories - square plates, tall cylinders, and an oval bowl - on top of it. The final result is like ageometry lesson with style.

Apples are too traditional for this mod vignette, so opt for something with more zest. Limes are lovely on stacked square plates.

Sunny lemons become something special in a sculptural bowl. They also add a spot of cheerful colour.

Gain height from a trio of slim bottles.

Fill the prime piece of real estate in front of your sofa with the right building blocks. The key is to use objects of varying heights.

TableManners

Make your own Coffee Table

See page 26 for instructions on how to make the above Coffee Table.

NEXT PAGE (top): If you attended the DIY Divas Basic Ottoman workshop you will know how easy it is to make this ottoman table. A base, cushion and slipcover are all that are required.

Makeit

9

Light and Bright

Instead of a coffee table, choose an upholstered ottoman with a crisp white slipcover for a soft, cottage-inspired look. This piece can also be used for additional seating when entertaining. A large, low basket adds a stable surface for display.

Pretty votive holders set the colour scheme. Plus, small candles are an easy way to light up any arrangement.

A decorative box adds hiding space for the remote controls.

A dramatic orchid stands tall over the basket. Its thin silhouette is unobtrusive. Warm and Elegant

A two-tiered glass-and-iron coffee table is a great choice for an elegant look. Warm up the sleek surface with a punch of colour. Accessories in red do the trick here.

The coffee-table book is a classic choice. Pick one with a cover in tones of orange and red.

Granny Smith apples are the go-to accessories of photo stylists because they lend a striking pop of colour. Put them in a red bowl.

A tall, spiky plant is dramatic, especially in a planter with a floral pattern. Such anaddition brings life to the table arrangement.

10

When is it better to slipcover a piece of furniture rather than have it reupholstered or replaced?

Slipcovering furniture costs a fraction of the cost to reupholster or replace your existing chairs or sofa - if you make your own covers. However, if you have custom slipcovers made, these can cost almost as much as reupholstery - so the choice is up to you.

If you have children or pets, slipcovers are great because they can be removed and washed as often as required.

Slipcovers are also wonderful for transforming furniture - and a room. And they’re great for mismatched chairs.

Here are some tips to bear in mind when slipcovering furniture:

LEFT: Slipcovers have become more tailored. Excess fabric tucks into crevices between cushions, and bare wooden legs show rather than hide behind gathered, full skirts.

All Dressed

Up

11

Choose the right fabricThe best fabric to use for slipcovers is a light- to medium-weight cotton or linen fabric. I have used upholstery-weight fabric before, but it doesn’t drape as well.

How much fabric?To calculate how much fabric you will need, measure the entire sofa or chair: arms front and back, back rest front and back, seat and cushions, front panel, and add an extra two metres to this for seam allowance, edges and any decorative finishing, suchas ruffles and pleats.

Have a designDo some research be-fore you start. Decide on whether you want casual, formal or country slipcov-ers - there are so many op-tions to choose from. You’ll find plenty of ideas on theInternet.

You can add welting (also know as cording) to trim, or perhaps you want to add a pleated or ruffled skirt.

Wash before makingIt is always a good idea to pre-wash fabric before sewing together, to pre-shrink. I advise washing it on hot and drying the fabric all the way to get as much shrinkage as possible out of the way before the slipcover is made. You will also get a good idea of how the fabric holds up.

12

Don’t be afraid of white

With bleach and other whiteners, tough stains will disappear.

Tight and Tailored

Tailored slipcovers on the dining chairs in this dining room allow the eye to travel to the view outside the doors.

Living Large

Slipcovers on the generously scaled living room furniture invite guests to sit a while.

FAR LEFT: White slipcovers make any room feel fresh and previously mismatched furniture gets a new look.

13

Let’s slip one on...Once you get the hang of it, making slipcovers is easy. After the first oneyou’ll want to cover all your upholstered furniture in slip-covers!

Before

14

Here’s how to recover a sofa or chair

• Remove all the cushions and fitted sofacushions.

• Place the fabric face down (nice side down) and drape it over your sofa or chair.

• With smooth gentle strokes fit the cornersinto place at the back, bottom and sides, while allowing the fabric run all the way to the bottom of your sofa at the back and front.

• Tuck into the creases of your sofa about 5 cm to ensure a comfortable fit oncefinished and reversed.

• Pin the outline of your sofa starting at the top along the side all the way down to the floor,pinning two pieces of fabric coming together.

Once you’ve done that the back will be in place and should not move on you while you work on the front and sides. The reason for starting with the back is sofas are mostly simple straight backed and it just makes it easier to work with.

• The next step is to smooth out the seat area, again, ensuring small tucks into the corners. Take the extra fabric you have from the side overhanging and using your pins, pin a straight crease following your armrest all the way to the front of your furniture. Don’t worry if you have some looser corners, as the cushions (once slip covered) will tighten down the cover once in place.

15

• Turn inside out and check on the fit overyour sofa. Some adjustments may be required. Reverse the piece and make any adjustments with your pins and re-sew the area.

• Check the bottom of the sofa for length and make your length adjustments. It is all right to leave a puckered effect if you prefer, which means extra fabric is left to drape over the floor. Whichever thecase, ensure the edge is folded under and finished to prevent fraying.

Covering cushions

Measure against your cushions and cut your fabric. Make a pillow style cover (again with raw face showing, this is where you always stitch) and stitch along 3 sides leaving one side open to insert your cushion. Once finished turn it inside out andslip your cushion inside. If they are zippered type, do not worry about putting a zipper on the new slipcover. You can use Velcro - either stitching or glued in place or simple ties can also be attached to ensure the cover closes snug over the cushions.

Once everything is complete, put your sofa back together using your slipcover and

• Continue to pin the entire outline of your sofa design for arm rests front and back, ensuring the fabric stays shaped and smoothed by your hand.

• Once you have pinned the entire outline, you can trim off the larger pieces not needed. This will

allow you to sew your cover easily.

Note: Do not cut too close to the stitches.

• Slowly peel off the cover and use a sewing machine to stitch along the

pinned mark, removing your pins as you move along.

TipTrim excess fabric

with zigzag scissors to prevent the fabric fraying.

covered cushions. You may have to gently push down into the corners of your sofa to ensure the fabric fits snug all around.Some people use a stick (such as a broom stick) - cut to the length of the crevice, and placed is in the back crevice of your entire sofa length in the 1 to 2 inch tuck. This will ensure the fabric stays in place under your fitted cushions.

Slipcover TipsIf you’re thinking about slip-covering, particularly in high-traffic areas, pre-shrink to ensure shapely slips.

Add dressmaker details. Buttons and ties are a great way to bring in colour.

Slipcovers are not upholstery, and they shouldn’t look like it. A loose-fitting form ensures a casual look.

Combine fabrics for a fun effect. Cover a club chair in white duck, then use a soft velvet on the cushion.

16

cred

it: isa

bella

and

max

17

It is so easy to makeover and re-upholster old chairs. I love to go bargain hunting to see what I can find.It’s just so satisfying to see an old chair transformed and made pretty!

• Start off by removing the old cushion. It is normally just screwed on from underneath. If the cushion is in bad condition, keep the backing board and add new batting or foam.

• Sand down the chair with 120- and then 240-grit sandpaper to remove old paint or varnish and smooth out any damaged areas. Wipe clean with a cloth lightly dampened with mineral turps.

• Take the chair outside and spray on one coat of primer and two coats of Rust-Oleum painters touch - in this project we used Espresso. Allow each coat to dry before applying the next.

• To make a new seat cushion, use the backing board as a template to cut out your foam and fabric. Leave plenty of fabric for wrapping over and attaching to the back with a staple gun.

• Pull tightly to the back and staple at the centre of each side - staple one side and then tightly pull the other side. Continue to staple along the sides, leaving the corners for last. This allows you to play around with the corners until you have a nice neat edge, which is then staple down.

• Re-attach the seat to the chair.

Dressed for Dinner

18

cred

it: br

ian

patri

ck fl

ynn

19

Update an eclectic mix of chairs by painting them a single colour and recovering the seats to create a unified look.Hunt flea markets, auction sales and secondhandstores for single or pairs of dining room chairs in different shapes and sizes. Try to keep all chair back heights within a range of 10 to 12cm of one another.

Use 120-grit sandpaper to remove the old finish fromchair frame and finish with 240-grit sandpaper; wipeaway dust with mineral turps and a cloth.

Remove chair cushions with screwdriver. Nine times out of ten they are attached by screws underneath the seat. Put these aside for now.

Keeping a distance of 30cm from surface, spray a light coat of Rust-Oleum primer on each chair frame and leave to dry before applying two coats of Rust-Oleum gloss brilliant white or heirloom white. Let this dry completely.

While you wait for the paint to dry, wrap batting and fabric around existing cushion and then attach to back of the seat with a staple gun (see previous pages for detailed instructions).

Place your newly upholstered cushions on chairs and re-attach screws from underneath.

TipIf old screws

are loose use a thicker diameter

screw.

20

This year we still have our Beginner and Advanced workshops, plus a few extra

specialist workshops - for those who want to learn more.

This year we’re bringing you even more DIY, with a new selection of projects, DIY and craft workshops and more fun!

Thanks to our Sponsors, Dremel, we are launching Crafty DIY workshops to cover the Dremel range of tools. Use

the Dremel TRIO, or get carving with the Dremel Multitool.Crafty

DIY

All our workshops are now project-based, which means that you always make something to take home with

you - just to show your hubby YOU CAN DO IT!

gardenbench

upholsteryprojects

tiling, practical building, basic plumbing & electrical, plastering, closets & cabinets

21

cred

it: cr

afty

sist

ers

Love You

22

Here’s how:

1. Clamp the 32mm dowel and drill 4 holes through the dowel at equal intervals along the length. Hold the drill/driver per-fectly level and straight so that you drill perfect holes.

2. Push the smaller dowels through the drilled holes. If you find it very tight, drillthe hole again.

3. Hot glue the washers onto the ends of the smaller dowels.

4. Use a 32mm spade bit to drill a hole in the centre of the base.

Optional: I used my Dremel Trio to add a decorative edge around the base.

5. Hot glue the large centre dowel to the base.

6. Spray the entire project with Rust-Oleum silver metallic.

You will need[1] 32mm dowel or broom handle[4] 8mm dowels in different lengths[1] 300mm diameter pine circleDrill/driver and 8mm wood bit32mm spade bit[8] steel washers[20] eye hooksHot glue gun and glue sticksRust-Oleum silver metallic spray16-gauge wireLong-nose pliersCraft stickers - heart shapesTins and tin snipsCotton glovesClamps

23

Cut out lots of birdiesYou can use a scrollsaw or jigsaw to cut the bird shapes. Cut one and then use this as a template to cut more.

Sand the edges with 240-grit sandpaper to make painting easier.

Paint the birdiesUse Rust-Oleum silver metallic spray to spray over the front, back and sides. You can spray the birds any colour that you like, I sprayed them silver to contrast with the red colour of the hearts.

For extra effect I cut open some empty cold drink cans and use tin snips to cut out individual heart shapes for the birds. Use the decorative stickers as templates to cut out the various sizes you will need. Stick the tin shapes to each bird with a couple of blobs of hot glue.

These are what your finished birds shouldlook like.

Each bird has an eye hook at the top to allow you to hang with wire. Use pliers to bend the wire into curved hangers.

24

Lovebags of

These handmade hessian bags are filled with rice and embellished withlove. Display on your mantel or shelf for Valentine’s Day.

Before sewing the bags together, use a stencil and apple red Rust-Oleum Painters Touch to spray the letters onto the fabric. When dry, sew each bag down the sides and bottom, fill with rice and close with jute or string.

25

LOVE YOUR HOMEThe Gauteng HOMEMAKERS Expo is certain to make you fall in love with home all over again this February.

Apart from the 620 stands showcasing the latest in home lifestyle, the expo also highlights consumer trends with some exciting new features. Landscapers put a spin on garden lustre in Courtyard Couture, demonstrating that a beautiful garden design can be achieved in a small space. At Décor on a budget six top designers show you how to achieve creative brilliance without breaking the bank. Young creative artists will illustrate their latest work in the ever popular Future of Design and HOMEMAKERS will be doing their part for charity by fully supporting the Joburg Child Welfare 100 doors project. This initiative sees artists and celebrities creatively jazzing up over 100 doors, many of which will be displayed and auctioned at the expo.

Show Details:Dates: 24 -27 February 2011Venue: Coca-Cola Dome, North RidingTimes: Thursday & Friday 10:00 – 19:00 Saturday & Sunday 09:00 – 18:00Entrance: R60 Adults, R30 Pensioners, Children under 12 free

For more information visit www.homemakersonline.co.za or call 086 111 4663

26

Quick Clamps

Invest in a pair of Gator Clamps.

These handy and versatile clamps are ideal for using when

gluing wood together.

Find them in the tool hardware aisle at your local Builders Warehouse.

You will need:A. [2] of 16mm SupaWood 500 x 800mm*B. [2] of 16mm SupaWood 100 x 500mm*C. [4] of 16mm SupaWood 80 x 500mm*D. [4] of 16mm SupaWood 80 x 300mm*[4] 5 x 30mm cut screwsWood glueWood fillerQuick clamps360-grit sandpaperProminent Paints Sheen - blackProminent Paints Acrylic SealerFoam roller and tray

*Have all the board cut to the exact sizes at your local Builders Warehouse.

NOTE: The design above will not take any weight. For a sturdier table use wood screws as well as wood glue.

No power tools needed!

Makeit

You can easily make this

coffee table in a day - without any tools if you

have all your board cut to

size at your local Builders Warehouse.

27

Table Top Assembly

Table Base Assembly

A

B

B

A

C C

C C

D

D

D

D

1. Glue to top and bottom [A] to the sides [B] and clamp firmly together until the glue is

2. Glue base sections [C] to base sides [D] and clamp firmly together until the glue is dry.

3. Glue the base section to the top assembly.

If you possess a drill/driver - use 5 x 30mm cut screws to attach the base to the top to provide additional strength and stability.

TipUse wood screws

for additional strength and

stability

28

Sunshinestarburst mirror

If you already have a small mirror lying around somewhere at home, you can make this project for nothing more than the cost of a few sheets or cardstock.

29

1. Cut one sheet of cardstock into strip, fold them in half and use these as templates to cut more strips. The smaller the mirror the more strips you will need. If you cut too many strips - make more sunbursts!

2. There is no rule for the size and shape of the strips - you can play around with different designs until you are happy. The original design had much thicker strips but I prefer the thinner strips cut to varying lengths for effect.

3. Start with your smallest strips first andremember to work in fours with strips at north (N), south (S), east (E) and west (W). The next row will be at NE, SE, SW, NW and so on.

4. Hot glue each strip to the back of the mir-ror as you move around until it’s all done. It only takes about 5 minutes of hot gluing, such a rewarding little project.

30

Girl TalkWe have seen so many Divas coming through our DIY Divas workshops, many of whom have taken the next step and started making their own decor accessories and furniture.

The biggest problem that is experienced is not knowing how to start a project. Where do I get plans? How do I know the measurements? What type of material do I use? How do I finish it? These are all commonqueries that we get.

After attending a Beginners and Advanced Workshop you will be reasonably equipped with the skills needed to make something yourself. The next step is to actually attend a workshop and make a specificproject. All the projects are designed to build up your skills.

This month we’re talking timber and board and the best materials that we recommend that you use for particular projects...

If you’ve tackled the Beginner Workshops and are wondering what comes next... time to go shopping for timber and board and start making stuff!

31

With emphasis on reducing deforestation and looking for alternative materials, SupaWood (or MDF as it is commonly known) has become the most popular choice for furniture and decor projects.

Stronger than pine and other board products, SupaWood is affordable and can be painted, laminated or veneered.

DO wear a dust mask when cutting or sanding SupaWood. The bonding resin contains Formaldehyde, which can be dangerous if inhaled.

BisonBord, not to be confused with cheap and nasty chipboard, is manufactured using wood chips that are bonded and pressed to create a versatile board that is ideal for use in projects where the board will be covered up. EG. headboards, ottomans. A laminated version - MelaWood - is available in a wide range of wood grain and colour finishes, and is ideal forbookcases, cabinets, tables, etc.

Do not use chipboard in bathrooms or areas of high moisture as the board soaks up water like a sponge!

Plywood is made up of layers of thin strips of wood that are pressed together to create the ply. The thicker the board - the more layers there will be.

Plywood is fairly strong and ideal for projects that you want to finish with a woodgrain. The downside of plywood is that the finish is not that great and intensive sandingwill remove the thin veneer on the top and bottom of the board.

Marine plywood can be used outdoors, as it has been specially treated to offer protection from moisture.

Always specific PG Bison SupaWood,

BisonBord and MelaWood when

purchasing board products at your local

hardware store.

Sand the edges of supawood with 240-grit

sandpaper to make painting

easier

32

Teachingan old birdNew Tricks!Never has the saying, “You can’t teach an old dog bird new tricks been so far from the truth.

In the last couple of years I have discovered how to use so many new tools - and had so much fun doing it!

Yesterday I treated myself to a wood turning lathe, so that Nancy and I can get stuck into projects for our new baby... Shabby Chic.

In next month’s issue of the magazine I will no doubt have a couple of made projects to show you.

You’re never too young (www.DIY-Kids.co.za) or too old (www.DIY-Divas.co.za) to do-it-yourself, and a couple of workshops to help you overcome the fear, build con-fidence and provide information on tips,tricks and techniques will definitely get youprepared.

My personal experience is that if you can’t get someone to do it - or make it - for you then DO-IT-YOURSELF!