Decorate Your Stairway For Christmas

It truly is the most wonderful time of the year! And decorating for the holidays can be a pleasure in itself. Your house can be alive with the holiday spirit without putting a huge dent in your time and budget.

It is helpful to simplify things. The tips offered here are fun and easy to do-you don't need to be a professional interior decorator to have a lovely holiday house!

Decorate

If you have a staircase or railing in your home or on the porch, it is easy to make it festive. Start by choosing fir garland. You can use real or fake, and there are upsides to both choices: the real thing has that Christmas tree pine smell that delights our senses, while the fake garland can be reused year after year, and doesn't pose a fire hazard.

Decorate Your Stairway For Christmas

Once your garland is hung at even gently curved intervals from the stair railing, you can add your own personal touch. Use the following suggestions to get your creative holiday juices flowing.

You may choose to string cranberries or popcorn as in the olden days. Or you can paint the edges of pine cones white to suggest snow (or leave them natural). Now add these winsome lovelies to your greenery by fastening with bright ribbons in white, green, red, blue, gold, or silver.

If an outlet is handy, string indoor/outdoor Christmas lights to your garland. Make sure they are cool-burning, and do not leave unattended when lit.

If your staircase or railing is long enough, you may want to hang Christmas wreaths at even intervals.

If you have a landing at the bottom or middle of your staircase, group poinsettias or small potted pine trees in a corner or two. Decorate with ornaments, ribbons, and bows. Or you can fill decorative baskets or containers with fragranced potpourri for an interesting display.

Experiment to see what works for you. Once your staircase or railing is pleasing to your eye, you know you are finished!

Decorate Your Stairway For Christmas

Lisa Herbik is the author of Decorate Your Stairway For Christmas. Find affordable, easy to install wall murals for beautiful rooms even after the holidays at http://www.ArtisticHomeowner.com

Decorative Cabinet Hardware (i.e. Handles And Knobs For The Rest Of Us)

Adding or replacing decorative cabinet hardware is one of the easiest facelifts you could possibly do for your cabinets.

If your cabinets are in pretty good shape, and not too dated, changing pulls or knobs is an easy thing to do. You'll need to invest 0 to 0 on average to replace all the pulls and knobs in your kitchen (figuring 25-30 or so pulls or knobs).

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If you cabinets look really old, brand new decorative cabinet hardware might stand out like a sore thumb. Depending on the situation, though, you could add rustic pulls or knobs to your cabinets, and they'd still look good (and would fit right in).

Decorative Cabinet Hardware (i.e. Handles And Knobs For The Rest Of Us)

Your cabinets might also just need a good cleaning to get them sparkling again.

If you are starting fresh, and don't already have pull or knob holes in your doors or drawer fronts (good for you!), the choices are almost endless. You can get 3" center pulls, or knobs, or 96mm, or 128mm, or just about anything you want.

Keep in mind though, that handles with 3" centers are the most common decorative cabinet hardware that there is. If you ever want to change handles in the future, there will certainly be tons of choices. If you go with, say 128mm handles, your future choices for handles will be limited, because you'll have to get 128mm handles again. Also, these handles are larger (longer) than normal, so cost more. For example, a 128mm handle in stainless steel could cost or more, where the same handle with a 3" center could be or less. Finish is also a factor in your cost. Stainless steel will cost much more than a nickel finish, but will look almost identical.

Replacing What You've Got

If you already have pulls, knobs (or both) then you must keep that in mind when choosing hardware. You have some alternatives, but you may be limited.

If you have pulls, measure the distance from mid-point to mid-point of each hole. This will give you the size pull you will need. You will often find they are 3" centers.

If they are 3" centers, you are in luck, because you will find most styles of decorative cabinet hardware are available with 3" centers.

If you have a measurement other than 3", you can look for that size. It may be difficult to find pulls that fit those holes. If you do find something in that measurement, it might not be the style you like.

What You Can Do if You Have Odd Sized Holes or Need to Cover the Holes Left by Previous Handles

Add a back-plate to your door or drawer front before you put your pull or knob on. You can simply drill new holds that work for your new handles (usually 3/8" holes are what you need to drill, sometimes 1/4"). In this way, no one will see the old holes because they will be covered up by the back-plate.

Another easy alternative is to put two knobs where the pull holes were. With this option, you are only limited in the knob's diameter. You will want to make sure the knobs aren't so big that they will be touching each other when you put them on.

STYLE! What's available in Decorative Cabinet Hardware?

Recent years have seen a surge in sleek, new styling. There are literally thousands of styles of pulls, knobs, and back-plates to choose from.

Anything from contemporary to rustic, colored or clear glass to solid brass.

You will also find several choices in theme-based hardware. There are several choices for children's rooms, hunting themes, fishing, bugs, butterflies, frogs, and stones to name a few.

There are even pulls out there (from Amerock) that look like knives, forks, and spoons.

Popular Finishes to Choose from Include:

Oil Rubbed Bronze

Polished Brass or Chrome

Brushed, Satin, or Sterling Nickel

Brushed Brass

Flat Black

Antique English (a bronze looking finish)

Wrought Iron

Weathered Nickel

Rustic Bronze

Burnished Bronze

Copper

Pewter

Stainless Steel

Champagne

Anodized Aluminum

Ceramic and Ceramic Crackle Finishes (be careful - ceramic looks nice, but will crack very easily)

There are several other decorative cabinet hardware finishes to choose from too, including solid colors and several actual woods, finished and unfinished.

Some brand names that manufacture good and reasonably priced hardware include:

Amerock

Belwith-Keeler

Epco

Stanley

Wood Technology

What's This Going to Cost?

The cost will vary as much as how many styles are out there.

You might find small knobs for as little as .00 or less a piece.

Several pulls fall into the .00 to .00 range for each pull.

If you are going for a contemporary, sleek European style, where the pulls can be as long as 12" or more, you may pay .00 or more for each pull.

Some glass knobs and pulls can also run you into some money, from the low teens to as high as .00 each.

Pulls for appliances (appliance pulls - that are used if you have a wooden insert over your appliance and basically need a handle for it) can be quite costly as well, over .00 on up (but they are very large and long).

Reminder

Be sure to count each door and drawer front you have, twice. You'd be upset with yourself if you ordered your pulls or knobs online or made a special trip to the hardware store, just to find you are short one pull or knob! It's been done!!

Where to Get Decorative Cabinet Hardware

Online is a very convenient place to get hardware. Home improvement stores carry decorative cabinet hardware, but it may actually cost you more to get hardware there, and they won't have as big of a selection as online stores.

You may even be lucky enough to find just what you're looking for at your local thrift store. If you can, you'll no doubt save money, but most likely won't get good quality products.

Amerock hardware (and almost every good company has this guarantee for many of their hardware products), has several handles and knobs that have what they call their Guardian Finish. It is a lifetime guarantee on your hardware finish to never tarnish, or they replace the hardware free of charge.

If you enjoy garage-saling or auctions, you may find something there. Usually though, when you use those types of venues, you will be very limited in your choices and only find a few of what you need.

In my experience, the best place to purchase hardware is either online or at your local home-center. If you really want to see and feel your handles before you purchase them, go to your home-center and pick something out. If you have the time, write down who manufactures the hardware, its product number, and then check out prices on the internet. You'll no doubt find the same product for less over the internet.

Bottom Line: Get what you Love

The possibilities for decorate cabinet hardware are endless. Look for hardware that is not only practical and will last a long time, but that you also fall in love with and enjoy!!

And remember - HAVE A HAPPY KITCHEN!!

Decorative Cabinet Hardware (i.e. Handles And Knobs For The Rest Of Us)

Crystal co-owned a custom cabinet shop for 14 years (1992-2006). She is now a stay-at-home mom who writes on the web, sharing all that she's learned from her years building and installing kitchen cabinets.

For more free information check out the websites: http://www.kitchen-cabinets-and-hardware.com and http://www.thewoodworkersdepot.com (an online kitchen hardware store).

You can also check out a great lawn care site: http://www.easy-lawn-care-help.com

DIY Designer Wooden Exterior Doors: How to Install Decorative Door Moulding

If you value simplicity above all else, then you may appreciate the straightforward look of wooden exterior doors. They're flat, they're straight, and they're clean and simple. But if you like a bit more personality in your surroundings, standard doors just won't do. If you feel the need to add some charm, there's a great little trick you ought to know about. With just a little decorative molding, you can make your standard wooden exterior doors look like designer masterpieces! And this way, you'll get all the style at just a fraction of the cost it would take to buy new doors. All you need is some flat trim molding, wood glue, and a miter saw. Here's how it's done.

Removing the Doors

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Before you get to work creating your DIY masterpiece, you have to remove the doors from their hinges. This can be done by tapping the pins up and out by using a hammer and chisel. If you have a friend around, ask them to help hold the door while you remove the hinges so it doesn't fall. You can certainly do this yourself, but it's easier if you have an extra set of hands. Now, set the door down in the area where you want to work. Face its front side up.

DIY Designer Wooden Exterior Doors: How to Install Decorative Door Moulding

Measure and Mark Your Panels

Using your tape measure and pencil, decide where you want to place the door trim. Usually, paneled wooden exterior doors have four or six panels, so you'll need to measure four to six squares (or eight or 12, if you so desire). The panels should start at about three to five inches from each edge of the door, so they don't get in the way of the doorknob.

Measure the Molding

Now it's time to measure and cut the molding. The old adage "measure twice, cut once" definitely applies here. Take note of the measurements you made for the panels and then double check them. Use a pencil to mark where you'll cut on the molding; just be sure to mark the inside. You don't want to leave visible marks on your finished wooden exterior doors.

Cut the Molding

Place the molding on your miter saw with the marked side facing in the direction of the blade. Position the mark right under the blade and turn the blade to a 45 degree angle, pointing inward. Now, it's time to make the cut. Do the same on the other side, except this time, you reverse the blade. It should still be sitting at a 45 degree angle, but just in the other direction. Cut again. If this process is completely new to you, you may want to keep a few extra pieces of molding on hand to account for mistakes.

Assemble Your Paneling

Place a thin line of wood glue on the underside of the piece of molding you plan to start with. Please keep in mind that a small amount goes a long way. Too much wood glue will leave a mess that could potentially ruin your project, so use it sparingly. Affix the cut piece to line up with the pencil mark you made on the door. Continue placing molding until you've completed one square, and then continue completing all of the boxes. It's surprising how quickly your wooden exterior doors begin looking paneled.

Finishing Touches

The glue will need to dry for at least one day, but then you're free to paint or finish as you'd like. Of course, the paint or finish will also need to dry, and then you're ready to hang the door!

Just because you bought a house with plain wooden exterior doors, it doesn't mean you have to live with it forever. You don't even have to spend a fortune replacing them! All you have to do is use this handy DIY guide to add the illusion of paneling to your doors. Guests won't know the difference and you'll have money left over to put towards the other home improvement projects on your list. If you're planning to paint the doors anyway, it's a great time to consider adding these easy decorative elements to your wooden exterior doors.

DIY Designer Wooden Exterior Doors: How to Install Decorative Door Moulding

Learn more about exterior wood doors and their design possibilities.

Decorative Window Film - Make Your Windows Sparkle With Style

Using decorative window film is one of the easiest and most unique ways to give windows a makeover. With a variety of styles to choose from, it is no wonder that this amazing trend in window treatments is spreading so rapidly. As featured on popular design shows, it is easy to install and offers privacy without compromising a room's décor. But its usefulness doesn't stop there, as this film also offers an element of privacy and energy efficiency.

Modern window cling can be used to give windows a stained glass, etched glass or frosted glass effect without the high cost of replacing windows for the real thing. Also referred to as window wallpaper, this product can be ordered online or purchased at home improvement chains. Customers rave about the ease in which it can be applied. It can be purchased in large sheets and cut to the exact measurements, shape, or pattern of the window it will cover. Made of vinyl, it also is without need of toxic adhesives since it remains in place using static electricity.

Decorative

Of the many reasons to use wallpaper for windows, the beauty it can add to windows and its ease of installation are only a few. Decorative window film is also an environmentally friendly choice for window treatments. The natural lighting that is allowed entrance to a room through the decorative film helps increase the room's brightness without the need for additional lighting. Further, decorative window film filters UV rays and minimizes the heat that can become trapped in a room during warm weather. By insulating windows using a decorative film, energy bills are reduced.

Decorative Window Film - Make Your Windows Sparkle With Style

Decorative window film is also an excellent choice for those who would like privacy, but still enjoy the refreshing feel of natural sunlight in a room. From the outside, all passersby see is the beautiful design featured on the film. At the same time, however, sunlight is allowed to pass through the film and fill the room. There is no glare to be concerned about and, even at nighttime as indoor lighting is used to illuminate a room, outsiders cannot see in. Wallpaper for windows offers full privacy during the day and night, all while offering freedom from additional blinds or draperies.

As it is not affected by humidity, steam or moisture, decorative window film is an excellent choice for windows all throughout the house, even in bathrooms. In fact, some designs are perfect for shower enclosures and can be used to help redecorate a bathroom in a flash. Though window film is a great decorating choice for small or large spaces, it is especially good for smaller spaces as curtains and blinds can make a room feel smaller, while decorating with window film has the exact opposite effect.

Those who have used decorative window film are deeply impressed with the concept of updating a room with such a simple design tool. With varying colors, styles and design choices, wallpaper intended for windows is a designer's dream. Films are completely reusable, so they can even be transported when a homeowner relocates. With this option, the look and feel of a comfortable home can be recreated anywhere thanks to the unique styling of decorative window film.

Decorative Window Film - Make Your Windows Sparkle With Style

Jason Harrison is an avid amateur home decorator. He also loves writing and sharing detailed step by step guidance on how to turn new home decorating ideas into beautiful reality. Lately, working with Decorative Window Film and Privacy Window Film consumes the bulk of his weekend projects.

Decorative Painting - How to Stencil a Colorful Piece of Hand Painted Furniture

Stenciling is a decorative painting technique that is fun and quite easy to learn. As a designer and decorative painter of children's furniture, I have used various decorative painting techniques and stenciling is one of my favorites. I often combine stenciling with other techniques. It adds a great deal of versatility to the designs that you create. Even though stenciling is most often used on walls, for the purpose of this article, I am going to explain how I use stenciling when creating a unique and colorful piece of hand painted furniture.

The first step is to prepare the furniture through sanding and base coating the wood with a good primer. The example I'm going to use is the step stool I created for a small child which I call "Night Frog". I decided that this stool should be very colorful and suitable for a boy or girl. I sanded and primed the legs of the stool, but since I planned to stain the top of the stool black, I only sanded the top. Once this initial preparation was finished, I selected the colors for the stool, stained the top black and painted each leg a bright color-lime green, yellow, orange and fuchsia with black accents.

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The next step is to select the stencil that works with the colors you're using and adds the right amount of design or whimsy to your piece of furniture. Stencils come in multiple layers or sometimes in just one layer. If the stencil you're using is more than one layer, make sure you mark the surface of the wood with the registration marks you find in the corners of the stencil. Each layer has a matching mark and once the marks are lined up, you are assured that each stencil layer is placed correctly. In my example, I selected a red-eyed jungle frog sitting on a leaf. Then I added stars around the frog because the background was black-hence a night frog. But you're not ready to stencil the frog on the stool until you see what it will look like once you have all the colors together.

Decorative Painting - How to Stencil a Colorful Piece of Hand Painted Furniture

The last step of preparation is to paint a piece of cardboard or watercolor paper with the same color as your background. Once that dries, place the stencil on the prepared paper and tape it with painters tape so that it doesn't move. Don't forget to match up the registration marks if you're using a stencil with multiple layers. Select the colors for each part of the stencil and begin. Most instructions will tell you to use a stencil brush in the size that fits what you're doing but I prefer to use a sponge. I take a piece of sponge about 4"x 4" and pull the four corners together and secure with a large safety pin. The result is a rounded piece of sponge that fits nicely in your hand. This works well for large areas of color. For smaller areas I use small sponge daubers to apply small amounts of color or to add shading. Just like using a stencil brush, you want only a small amount of paint on the sponge. Once you have dipped your sponge into the paint, wipe it on the sides of the container and dab the sponge on a paper plate or paper towel a couple of times. You don't want the sponge wet. It will appear dry but still leave color wherever you dab it.

The next step is to apply the color with the sponge. This is a step that needs to be done a few times until you're comfortable with your technique. I can't tell you the right way to apply the paint-you'll find that out for yourself as you do it. That is the main reason you need to do this on a prepared board before starting on your furniture or on a wall. As you dab or pounce the sponge, you'll develop your own technique.

Once you've finished the stencil with the colors you've selected, you can see how all the colors go together and how they look on the background color. If you aren't satisfied with the results, you'll want to do it again with different colors. Once you are happy with the colors and satisfied with your technique, you're ready to stencil your own unique piece of decorative hand painted furniture.

Decorative Painting - How to Stencil a Colorful Piece of Hand Painted Furniture

As a small business owner and crafter, Marilyn Mocker is accomplished in the art of wood finishing and has developed a distinctive style in both staining and painting furniture. Marilyn specializes in hand painted furniture hand painted furniture for children and creates small colorful and often whimsical stools, table and chair sets and hand painted rocking chairs for children. The pieces she creates are shown and sold at craft shows in Pennsylvania and online at [http://www.anglerandsillysalmon.com/index.php?p=catalog&parent=6&pg=1]