This article Transforming a Room with Windows and Doors is from The Inspired Room Republishing this article in full or in part is a violation of copyright law. © 2009-2013, all rights reserved.
Biyernes, Hulyo 31, 2015
Transforming a Room with Windows and Doors
How to create an artisan coffee space in your kitchen
There is little doubt that the UK has now fully embraced coffee consumption. Even the marketing men of the past were not sure that they could sell the dark stuff to a nation hooked on PG Tips, but trends washing in from the US have made coffee big business. With this comes a big dent on our wallets, so many are starting to seek out better ways to make coffee in our homes. It is definitely cheaper and it can often be better than the stuff that the chains serve up.
The outlay may be large, but even the more maths-fearing among us can work out that it doesn’t take many days without a £3 latte to pay off the investment in some decent home kit. So it is worth paying as much as you can afford when you consider creating your home barista set-up. Although there are also bargains to be had and shortcuts made if you don’t want to buy something that looks as if it would be at home in your local Costa or Starbucks. If you want to go pro, you can also have a counter or special coffee area built into your kitchen, complete with kitchen top fridge for milks and coffee to sit alongside your grinder and coffee maker.
Image source: Paweł Kadysz (photographer) via FancyCrave
First, you have to decide whether to go for simplicity or authenticity. Many brands now sell automated coffee makers that work with small pre-packed discs of coffee. You will get a good cup of coffee from these products (such as Tassimo or Nespresso), but it won’t be up to the standard of that place with the bearded guys and a queue out the door. On the upside you don’t have to grind the bins or clear up the mess, but you should probably stick to these if you are in a hurry and are not a coffee snob or someone with coffee snob friends and neighbours.
Starting at the bottom of the real, fresh coffee pile you have the cafetiere, which some also call a French press. You can make good coffee from these with good quality fresh-ground beans and using water just below boiling point. Some kettles are available that will switch off at a pre-set temperature and these are very good for this kind of coffee making. They also work well for pour-over filters, which some coffee fans still swear by. You could also use the simple Aeropress, which is almost like a pressurised syringe plunger that creates your coffee as you push down and force the hot water through the coffee and a filter.
Image source: Jeff Sheldon
Espresso fans could do worse than using the same kind of stove-top coffee maker that was issued to Italian troops during World War II. Coffee was obviously something of a priority even in hard times, so you can be sure that the Bialetti coffee maker does the business. You simply spoon ground coffee into the hopper inside the moka pot and then place it on the hob, being sure not to overboil the coffee. Physics does the rest, as hot water and steam are forced up through the coffee and into the pouring pot above.
If you want to go more expensive and more authentic then something like a Gaggia is what you should be looking for. This is the brand used by most coffee professionals and makes one cup at a time in most cases, pushing hot water and steam through your coffee to form a bitter-free cup with the creamy top that pros pride themselves on. Add-ons will also allow you to froth milk and even make those pretty patterns on top of your drink as you pour. This brand also makes ‘bean to cup’ machines that will grind and brew your coffee all in one place, although you can go even more high end for this level of service, with brands like Jura being favoured by those who have saved up around a year’s worth of daily latte spending money.
Of course, if you want to keep ahead of coffee trends then you should be forgetting about hot coffee altogether and making cold brew, which is like making filter coffee with cold water. Leaving the smooth-tasting brew to drip overnight or longer, your local coffee outlet is bound to be stocking it by the time you read this, served straight up or with your choice of milks, nut milks or iced water.
The post How to create an artisan coffee space in your kitchen appeared first on Rated People Blog.
Tour the Most Expensive Home for Sale
Ever dream about what you’d do if you won the lottery? (Who hasn’t? If you haven’t, tell us why not!) Topping the list for many is the purchase of a luxurious new home in an exotic location. So if you … Continued
The post Tour the Most Expensive Home for Sale appeared first on QB Blog.
Huwebes, Hulyo 30, 2015
Gorgeous Brick House {If I Lived Here}
This article Gorgeous Brick House {If I Lived Here} is from The Inspired Room Republishing this article in full or in part is a violation of copyright law. © 2009-2013, all rights reserved.
Cute & Easy Kids Play Kitchen from a Cube Shelf
Hi all! Ursula from Home Made by Carmona, back again for a fantastic new project! Last time I shared how to make a knock-off Restoration Hardware phone charger… so great for using up leftover scrap wood and SO stylish you’d never know it was scrap! Well since I’m all about using what you have, I have another fun project that you can use up some of your scrap on. And the best part, you get to be mom or dad of the year after this little project! (Go ahead, order a couple small sized shirts that says “My parents ROCK!” for the kids).
This cute little play kitchen is a huge hit in my house (granted I have 3 girls fairly close in age), but even the hubs was checking out all the little features. After this project, Pottery Barn play kitchens won’t have anything on you!
How to Make a Kids’ Play Kitchen from a Cube Shelf
Let’s get started. First you’ll need 2 cube shelves. If you happen to have a couple cheap shelves that aren’t quite cubes, just cut off the extra shelf space at the bottom with a jig saw, and presto…cubes! This really takes all the hard work out of your kitchen play set. If you are buying new cubes for this project (which are quite inexpensive at Walmart or Big Lots), assemble them without the backing (you can add the backing at the very end after you’ve finished the kitchen set). If any part of your cubes need to be painted, now is the time to do so. It is best not to paint it since they will see a lot of hard play, but if you really want I suggest Krylon’s plastic furniture spray paint and use a polyurethane spray after to seal it.
Moving forward each of the amenities is an optional feature based on what you want for your kitchen set. So pick and choose a set of features, al a carte style, and get started!
The Kitchen Faucet & Sink
Well, I suppose this is the only feature I’d definitely be sure to include. I mean, how weird would it be to have everything but the kitchen sink? Plus the sooner you get them to like the idea of doing dishes, the more awesome it is for you in the long run. Tee hee hee.
Use a small rectangular plastic container for the sink. A clear one is best, then you’ll spray paint the OUTSIDE with a metallic silver spray, then seal with clear spray paint. Why paint the outside and NOT the inside? You can see the silver show through since it is clear, but it won’t get scratched since the painted part will be recessed.
Use the plastic sink to mark the space you need to cut out. Drill around all four corners so you can place your jig saw inside and cut out a sink opening. Be sure you have left adequate space for your faucet and about an inch extra behind that (which you will need if you create a decorative “back splash” top piece).
You can use PVC pipe to craft a faux faucet, but you’ll probably pay about the same for a real faucet from the thrift shop. If you have a Habitat for Humanity ReStore nearby, that is your best bet for old outdated faucets. I salvaged mine from an old sink when I updated, but I also see people throwing away old sinks roadside from time to time, and that would be a good time to salvage the faucet part. Break off the extra piping from the faucet and just leave the attachment threads. Mark where they will go, drill your holes, and lower it into place. Secure using bolts at the bottom.
Isn’t it a cute little sink when all brought together?
Curtain Divider & Storage Rods
Of course this is one of the optional features, but look how cute it is! You can hide the sink bottom with a curtain divider, and the kids can still store little things in the leftover space underneath. Simply spray paint a dowel rod, drill a hole through the side of the shelf that will be facing the other shelf (so it will be hidden when you are done). Drill a shallow hole (don’t go through the other side!) on the opposite end where the dowel will be supported, and use a little wood glue to ensure it stays in place.
I did this a second time on the bottom shelf to create a cute little dowel rod where the kids can hang cups and utensils to make the most of the storage space. Then I hung them using shower curtain hooks!
Oven Doors & Light
I have a double oven at home, so my girls loved the idea of a double! You’ll need two basic hinges per door. Measure the inside of the shelf for height and width, and be sure to account for the space you’ll need for the hinges in the height. You want the doors to be a little snug, but not too snug (or too loose!), so measure twice and cut once.
Next you’ll draw a “window”, drill a hole for your jig saw to enter and cut it out. Be sure to sand it really well, we don’t want our little ones any possibility of splinters. Paint your doors, and add the plastic oven “windows” to the front, but don’t add pulls until after you have finished the oven doors attached the hinges.
For the “glass” oven window you will need an 8×10 sheet of thin plastic. You can find it in the glass section of the hardware store for about $2! Using some craft shears (or metal cutters work) round out the 4 corners before screwing the plastic into place on the inside. Then you are ready to attach your doors via the hinges! Place them as seen below.
Oven lights are a fun little addition. Your little ones will LOVE the little push lights adhered to the inside of each oven shelf. You can use the keyhole attachment it comes with, but even better use 3M strips instead so it won’t jostle about.
Stove Top Range (Electric or induction styled!)
Use the same 8×10 sheet of thin plastic used on the oven doors. Using some craft shears (or metal cutters work) round out the 4 corners. Trace circles to create “burners” using a gold or silver sharpie, then spray paint on top of the circles with black spray paint. Flip it over, and the non-painted side will face up to mimic an electric burner. Carefully drill through the 4 corners and secure in place with screws (which can be painted black to blend).
Now your kids have that induction stove top you’ve always wanted. Hahaha! Tell them how awesome that concept really is.
Oven or Stove Knobs
If you can salvage knobs off an old washer/dryer or oven, then it is even more authentic! However, if you can’t find any, use Sculpey clay to fashion some knobs. Use a cap or mini cookie cutter to create perfect circles, roll and cut out little tops for the knobs, and at the bottom imprint the screw size you will use. Then bake at 275 for 15-20 minutes. Once it is cool, spray paint it the desired color.
Decorative Top/Backsplash Area
I love the idea of creating a backsplash using vinyl tiles, but my girls wanted something a little different. So I created my decorative backing by folding craft paper in half and tracing the design I wanted the back to be. Make sure it fits the width of the single shelf, then cut the template out while still folded to maintain uniform consistency.
Once you get it to look the way you want, use it to trace the design onto the wood, and cut using a jig saw. Sand it well, little fingers will run all along this section especially.
This will be secured in place right behind the faucet space (remember that extra inch of leftover space?). Place it where it should sit flush with the back of the shelves, and trace. Now you know where to drill your guide holes. I used deck screws and wood glue and screwed it into place from the underside.
Add a little painted design if you don’t go the back splash faux tile route. I also added my knob to this area although it could have been placed on the stove top area.
Secure Shelves & Add Feet
Finally secure the two shelves together by adding your shelf backing, or if you don’t have one use connectors (either will work).
This kitchen playset can grow with your child. Leave it footless on the ground while they are small, then add feet to raise it up higher when they are a little older. Your little sweethearts are going to flip when they see what you have created. Yep, parent. of. the. year.
Hope you like this project! Summer has been great for DIY projects in the Carmona household. From outdoor West Elm knock-off projects, such as these DIY benches, to organizing projects like my easy-make Corbel shelves, to bigger projects like my DIY wardrobe, I think you’ll love them!
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The potential behind a humble cube shelf! You could also give it an amazing facelift to look like a wood console:
or if you’re in the market for a cute kitchen, you can also use a microwave stand
or old cabinets
or, of course, build it from scratch!
The post Cute & Easy Kids Play Kitchen from a Cube Shelf appeared first on Remodelaholic.
DIY Faux Marble
We needed a new top for the vintage credenza for Ali's house and this faux marble idea seemed like the perfect, super inexpensive solution!
I removed the old, beat up top and had a piece of 3/4" MDF cut to the same size and painted it with white zinsser primer.
You'll only need two paint colors for this project: black and white. You can mix in little bits of blue or brown to cool or warm up the gray if you want. Use the containers to mix up small batches of different shades of gray. You could just do this on a paper plate if you wanted and if you're doing a small surface like mine.
Next you'll want to cut your sea sponge down to a small piece and sponge on really loose veins. It's a good idea to reference a couple of photos of marble on google images to help you understanding what real marble looks like. Something I noticed is that veins branch off from each other and usually don't ever cross paths or create an X.
You just sort of get into a rhythm of sponging on different colors and tones of the gray mixture and then feather the edges with your big soft brush.
Then you use an artist's brush to drag in solid veins. I learned the the veins should be less curvy and more jagged. It's also best to pull and twist the brush toward you. Also, don't forget to continue the vein down over the edge.
After a while of playing with it, a marble-like pattern will (hopefully!) start to emerge. It's a good idea to leave it and come back to it a few times, but don't overwork the paint either. I probably should have stopped a little earlier, but I still like the end result.
Like with any epoxy, you just mix the two bottles together and then spread quickly before the epoxy hardens.
You can use a plastic spatula to spread the epoxy, but I just used a paint stirrer. I used an entire quart here.
After a few hours, the resin will be dry to the touch and fully cured within two days. It's a really cool product!
I love how this one turned out. I think the resin really takes the look to the next level.
It's not perfectly perfect (I think it gets better with some practice), but you just can't beat the price of a little paint on a scrap piece of MDF! :)
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