Transforming a Room with Borders

The busy holiday season is over and we are well rested after our winter vacation so it is now it's time to spend a little time on the inside of the house before the weather turns nice and we want to be outdoors. We haven't been in this house for a full year yet so we are still trying to determine what we want. At the same time we have three large indoor projects planned involving the most expensive rooms of the house (kitchen and two baths). I have commented to my husband that this house unlike our previous houses is going to end up being more of "being at the right place at the right time" and "when we see it we will know" type of decorating. So it was on Friday when we stumbled upon a border that I thought would match perfectly for a wall I actually had been looking for a mural.

If you recall we used Behr 480E-1 Country Mist on the lower level family room that merges into the kitchen walls. We carried shades of this into the upper level. To make a long story short I still haven't found a mural but this border at Home Hardware just popped out at me. It had all the colours of the family room so I thought it would work on the upper accent wall. It was a total fluke finding a border that matched the way it did. When we arrived home one look was all it took to decide to use the border in the family room and kitchen as a finishing accent. The wainscotting and ceilings in both rooms are tongue and groove wood. The kitchen cabinets are matching wood.

I've used borders for decorating in every house we've owned. Borders are an inexpensive way to pack a lot of impact with very little effort. They are very easy to install and need only a few very simple tools. Borders are easy to remove if you decide you no longer like the look as well. There are a couple of things I don't like about borders. My biggest pet peeve is some tend to go overboard using borders forgetting that they are meant as accents not as main decorating elements. Trust me that is very apparent in our master bedroom that will soon be remedied! The second thing I don't like about borders is often they are sold in pre-packaged lengths so you would end up buying a 15 foot roll to get that extra foot you needed. However, Home Hardware has changed that. Border sold by the food it now available allowing you to buy just what you need.

Before

The very pale bluish green does not photograph well. It takes on a pale off white colour. The colour works well with the wood walls, trim and ceiling. It also works nicely with the massive field stone fireplace. The wood fireplace has been converted to natural gas which is nice but we would like to put in a new gas fireplace to fit the opening better. Around the wood ceiling and all the beams is rope instead of corner round. My husband loves the look of the rope so we decided to leave it. A few spots need to be retacked after painting.

There are such massive and overpowering elements in the family room. The right hand photo shows the window in the family room. The left hand photo shows the same window well but going into the kitchen. Painting really brightened up both rooms but to me there was something missing. It was clean, crisp and matched while accenting both the stone work and wood but it was almost too plain. The new border brought a bit of whimsy and warm as well as adding a finished touch to both rooms.

Materials

Installing border requires few tools but it does require patience and as you read about my installation, a degree of pickiness. Measure the length of where you want to install the border. Add at least 4 feet extra if not a bit more to compensate for errors. You will need sharp scissors, a tape measure, sharp utility knife, ruler, a wallpaper tray or large bin to hold warm water, a dry cloth and a wet cloth. I couldn't find my wallpaper tray so used my huge stainless steel bowl. You will need a cleared space to roll out the border for cutting and a smaller cleared space that can get wet for booking.

The first step is to square the cut border edge. When bought by the foot this is necessary. Take your ruler, line it up so the narrow edge is on the long edge of the border leaving about 1/2 inch inside of the cut end. Now using the utility knife cut down creating a straight edge. You are now ready to start.

I am picky to the point of being anal when installing border but the end result is well worth it. There are no gaps and seams are invisible. Most important is the continuity of the pattern is maintained something that is a given when working around the entire perimeter of a room but also something that can easily be overlooked when dealing with a room such as ours with lots of breaks. There is the temptation to fit in a piece on a short wall section but trust me, do not do this. The savings will be minimal and it will never fool the eye! My rule of thumb is to start at one wall then work your way around the entire perimeter, cut end always following cut end so if you have a room with a lot of doors or windows the continuity is maintained.

Booking

Starting at one corner or end wall as in my case, measure the piece of border then add about 1/2 inch. I work left to right which becomes important for how I install the border. Roll the piece of border and place it into the warm water. Let sit briefly then carefully pull through to make sure the border is well wetted. Book the border. That is, fold over but do not crease the pasted sides so they are on top of each other with good side facing out. Fold over again without creasing. Let sit for about 5 minutes. This gives the glue a chance to activate resulting is better adherence. Once the border has been booked it is time to install.

Open the border then place the right cut side tightly to the right side of the wall. Position the border to eliminate gaps then smooth down with the dry cloth. Bend over the excess on the left cut side to form a crease. Carefully cut leaving a little extra that can be trimmed when the border is dry and smooth down with the dry cloth. Go over the strip a few times with the cloth to ensure all edges are secure. Now move to the next sectition. Because all of the walls I was working with were in short pieces I worked with left cut end flush and trimming the right to keep the continuity of the pattern except for corner walls.

Corners

Corners can be quite problematic because walls especially in older homes tend not to be quite level or even. For corners I worked left to right for the cutting but right to left for installing. The natural tendency when coming to a corner is to simply bend the border around. If the wall is out it will throw off the rest of your border. At the same time ending the border right at the corner with a cut end then starting on the next section to continue the pattern can leave a gap at the joint if the wall is off. So what I do is turn the right cut end just over the corner keeping the turn less than 1/4 inch. Once the piece is in place you can adjust slightly at the turned end and at worse overlap the adjoining piece slightly to get a perfect corner. I did not need to overlap or adjust much but if you have to overlap, do so then using a sharp utility knife and straight edge cut through both layers, remove the excess then wipe with a dry cloth to get a clean seam. The end result regardless of the method used should be an invisible seam to all but the closest scrutiny.

After

We were really surprised at what a difference the border added to the family room and kitchen. The border cost $25.96 for 44 feet giving a lot left over and it only took me a couple of hours of slowly nit picking my way through installing it. For some reason, I was extremely picky. One piece was trimmed a little too tight. Now mind you, I'm the only one who would have known but I pulled it off anyways. Well, my husband took that piece and cut it down to fit perfectly between the laundry and bathroom doors. It looked great until working left to right I got to the other side of the laundry room door (by couch, lower right). I stood back and immediately could see the continuity in pattern had been broken. It was only a slight difference but my eyes picked it up right away so off came the salvaged piece to be replaced with one that kept the continuity. Ok, so yes I admit to being very picky about the installation but there is a reason. The difference between professional finishing and the standard do-it-yourself (DIY) is metticulous attention to detail. The problem many run into when completing a DIY project is to not pay attention to detail. When it comes to DIY being nit picky is a good thing. Take your time and be very nit picky to get the professional look you want.

Honestly, the pictures do not show how nice this border looks. The top picture is the common wall between the two rooms and the only painted wall in the kitchen. Lower left is the main feature of the family room, the massive fireplace. This is one of the best pictures of the wood ceiling with beams that matches the wainscotting. Lower right is the couch under the pass through. I'm not really sure what the pass through was for originally as on the other side is the large laundry room. We leave the shutters open for air flow and light most of the time.

Garden Gnome
© 2007

conserving our resources

Garden Path
Cypress House
January 16, 2008

I apologize for not making an entry sooner. Somehow with respect to homemaking aspects I had a serious case of writer's block. It's not like I didn't have ideas, I just couldn't get them to come out right in writing. So winter preparations gave way to Christmas then we were off on our winter vacation. Energy conservation is weighing heavily on my mind as so it was while on vacation so I thought I would share some of my observations and our recent changes.

We vacationed at Cypress House in Key West, Florida for part of our vacation then rented a condo at Hallandale, Florida for the remainder. There seemed to be a huge difference in terms of energy conservation. There were no CFL bulbs at Cypress House in the rooms however there was a friendly tag asking us to conserve electricity by turning it off when not in the room and there were recycling bins. They also asked that we be conservative in our use of water and re-use towels if at all possible. Walking around the area of Cypress House and Duval Street seemed dark compared to what we are used to in even smaller towns. There were street lights but the streets themselves appeared to be quite dark. Even Duval Street is not bright and glittering but more of a quiet ambiance. One reason for this is electricity is expensive and water resources are being stretched. In a region surrounded by a lot of water, water is becoming precious. This should serve as a warning to all. On our way to the Fort Lauderdale area we stopped at my husband's aunt and uncle's home on No Name Key.

Their house is beautifully located, looking very much like a home one might find in a subdivision except this house is very different. It is 100% solar and let me tell you I am in awe! Not only that under the large covered porch entrance was their water storage. This space had to be a good 10' x 10' x10' for water storage alone. Both just absolutely amazed me. Here they supplied their own electricity and water subsidizing only a bit of heat by propane as needed. So of course I looked for energy efficient appliances, CFLs and other signs of saving. Aside of using a laptop as the primary computer there were none! The washer and dryer were old (>15 yrs old) models and the fridge was a normal likely older than 10 years old. I saw no CFL bulbs but only one television instead of more. I didn't see a dishwasher or chest freezer either. What they would save in freezer costs would more than be made up in traveling to a grocery store and in fact it would likely be more expensive factoring in the traveling.

Onward to the condo in Hallandale. The condo was on the 14th floor overlooking the ocean with a view of the intercostal waters. All cars were valet parked. Each floor had a laundry room with energy efficient washer and dryers. That is where it ended. There were no recycle bins anywhere. This was a one bedroom condo with two baths. The main bath drove me completely nuts because when you turned on the lights three 150 W flood lights blared down but if you turn on both switches five of these flood lights would light up. That's 600 W total for one rather small room just for lighting! None of the appliances (all GE) were EnergyStar rated. Now this doesn't see like a real problem for one unit but given that in this building alone we caluculated there were 300 units not factoring in the common areas. This one building is a huge source of energy wastage! Now times that by the number of buildings just like this one we could easily see and that amount would increase almost by 10x. See where I'm going here? As a single family homeowner (single family) we are encouraged to save as much as possible yet a unit that could easily sit on our property with perhaps a bit of our neighbour's yet instead of an impact of two families could have an impact of 300 families and there is no incentive for those 300 families to conserve at all? It's this kind of thing that does really bother me. Conserving seems to be left up to the little guy with multi-family units and industry doing little to conserve.

Yesterday our Smart meter was installed. When fully functional we will be paying for electricity according to time of use (TOS). For the time being until the new rates become effective (yet to be announced) we are still paying the winter rate of 5 cents per kWh but when you factor in the service charges the real rate is about 11 cents per kWh. The new rates will be 3.4 cents per kWh off-peak, 7.1 cents per kWh mid-peak and 9.7 cents per kWh on-peak hours. One thing is for certain, the little guy who takes the measures to conserve will be taken advantage of by the mult-family units and industry. Mark my work on this one. While I am a bit bitter that those who use more electricity continue to do so without any seeming measures of conservation, I for one will continue to conserve and move towards the time we can move off the electrical grid.

Garden Gnome
© 2007

January 14 - 24, 2007

Garden Gnome
© 2007

Garden Gnome
© 2007

Garden Gnome
© 2007

Winterizing Project #4 - Door Snakes

Door thresholds can be chilly even if the door is well sealed and insulated. Not only does cold air fall to the threshold area, thresholds are often made of metal that is a good conductor of cold. The simple solution to this problem is a door snake aka draft stop. I prefer to not call these draft stops because ideally there will not be any drafts around the door or at the threshold.

Door snakes can be purchased to fit average sized doors. Some are plain Jane but there are some really cute ones that have faces on or are made to look like animals. However, finding door snakes for patio doors or off sized doors can be a problem. The easiest solution is to make your own. That way you will have a custom made door snake that meets your needs.

Method

This is an ideal project whether you own your home or are renting. It is one of those things you can easily take with you when you move. The first step is to measure the spot where you are putting the door snake (1). If it is an inside application as here, add 2 inches to the end plus the seam allowances to give a bit of bend to fit both doors. If the application is for a single door, measure from the edge of the trim furthest from the door. Cut a length of fabric this length and 16 - inches wide. Fold the fabric in half along the long side.

You will need a sewing machine for this project. Mine happens to be a very loved, well maintained, older Brother (2) that my Mom gave me for my thirteenth birthday. It works as well as the day I got it. The only thing that has changed is the skill of the user! Start at one open end and working along the long side, sew a seam 5/8 - inch wide (3), reinforcing at each end. Repeat along the bottom open end and up the remaining long side. Cut across from the short end to the long end about 1/4 - inch from the reinforced corners to reduce the seam bulk when you turn the tube. Turn the tube and fill leaving about 2 inches. Turn 5/8 - inch inwards. Sew the end closed.

Filling the tube is rather easy but choose your filling based on your circumstances. Dried corn, rice or peas are cheap fillers but should not be used if you have a rodent problem or a potential rodent problem. If the door snake will be in an area where it may get wet, grains my mold too. Aquarium gravel can be used that will eliminate both problems but is more expensive. I decided to use kitty litter that will eliminate any rodent problems and is less expensive but can be a slight problem if it gets wet. Drying out well should solve any wetting problems. A layer of plastic can be sewn into the tube if moisture is a concern.

Finished Door Snake

The finished door snake for a patio door is quite heavy. It is higher than a store bought door snake so it comes up higher on the door. The extra length allows for a bend for patio doors. Using the door snake is quite easy. Lay it along the doors creating any bends as necessary. Once in place, lightly kick the snake to snug up against the doors.

On an unused patio door, the door snake will not get dirty enough to worry about. At the end of the season, gather up the snake and store as is. If the snake has become dirty, you can remove the end stitches, empty and wash the covering or you can simply make a new slip covering for the snake to fit into, much like a miniature, elongated pillow case.

DIY Skills: beginner level with beginner level sewing skills

Materials:

length of firm woven fabric
filler

Garden Gnome
© 2007

Winterizing Project #3 - Window Sill Insulator

Window sills, especially wider ones, can be cool even if the window is well sealed. The reason this happens is because the window pane itself is always colder than the frame or wall. Cold air is heavier than warm air so falls to the window sill where it pools. If the window frame happens to be metal, the sill can be even cooler. On narrow window sills this effect is counteracted by using window treatments however on some windows, heavy window treatment is not desirable during the day, usually because of a great view. These include bay windows, picture windows and larger sliding windows.

Our walls are about 18 - inches thick on the lower level so we have deep window sills. We would prefer leaving those widows with the water view uncovered. We've all seen it where the homemaker tries to compensate this cooling effect by rolling up a towel or sheet and placing it along the window sill. While this can be low cost and effective, aesthetically it isn't very appealing. I came up with a simple window sill insulator that is inexpensive, easy to make and looks nicer than a rolled up towel. With care, it can be used for several years. The fabric covering is optional but I think it will protect the insulator and it can easily be changed to suit your decor.

Before (1) & With Foam (2)

Measure the area you want to insulate (1). Transfer the measurements to the sheet of foam. Draw the lines in using the Sharpie marker. Using the utility knife carefully cut outside the line. This way you will be able to make small adjustments as necessary. Fine cut along the edges until the foam fits snugly into the spot (2).

Attaching Fabric

Remove the foam and lay good side up on the wrong side of the fabric you are using . Working on the wrong side of the fabric cut around the foam leaving 3-inches on each side (3). Along each edge of the foam, fold the fabric up and secure at intervals using push pins. The corners need to have a square cut out then one side of the corner folded and hot clued before gluing the other portion of the corner (4). This eliminates too much bulk on the corners. Once the corners are secured, hot glue each short end. Then glue one long end, working from one push pin to the next and removing each push pin as the fabric is secured. Repeat along the other long end but pull the fabric slightly and secure by hot gluing (5). If you wish, you can cut another piece of fabric to fit just the bottom then secure by hot gluing but this is not really necessary. Now turn the insulator over and pop into place.

Finished Insulator

The finished insulator in place looks quite nice. I like that it can be popped in and out when needed and can be customized with other fabrics. Slight wrinkles may occur at inner corners if you have them. It will take a day or two for these wrinkles to flatten or they can be carefully flattened using a medium warm iron. If using this method you may have to weigh the insulator down for a few minutes after ironing.

DIY level: beginner level skills

Total Cost: approximately $10

Materials

1 half sheet Styrospan R 5 foam board
piece of firm material of your choice
Sharpie marker
measuring tape
utility knife
straight edge
scissors
push pins
hot glue gun
multi-temperature glue sticks

Garden Gnome
© 2007