Bathroom Counter Top Transformation Part 4

Well we're finished with our counter top. Unfortunately my video recorder went on the fritz so I was unable to do the final video for you.

After the colors were dry it was time to add the metallic veins in both our copper and gold.

I used two very fine topped artist brushes one for each metallic and this wide tipped brush to accomplish the metallic look.

Here you can see the lines of metallic that I've added. 

To accomplish this lightly dip the fine point of the brush into the metallic color picking up a very small amount of paint. Drag the tip of the brush along the top in a line and roll it from side to side at different points to get the wider lines. Take the stubby wide brush and tap along the lines to create definition. Use a very small piece of sponge to dip into the metallic and lightly tap at the start and end of your lines.. Again there is no right way or wrong way to do this. Add as much or as little as you like but spread the lines out across the entire counter top.

This is a shot of one end of our top after I've completed the metallic.

Once the metallic is dry we taped off over our sink and sealed the counter top with Min Wax Helmsman High Gloss Urethane. This product sprays on easily with no streaking and is moisture resistant and flexible to changes in humidity and temperature. All the features we wanted in a sealant for a bathroom counter.

 We purchased ours at Wal-Mart for $8.78. One can is more then adequate for our surface area.

We're going to allow this to set for 48 hours before we put anything on our counter but it was dry to the touch in about 2 hours. 

And here is the finished counter top drying after being sealed.

I want to show you the example image we used to pick the colors and pattern for our faux top.

This granite is called Santa Cecilla. We priced it at $ 695.00 for a 72" x 23" slab with one cut out for a round sink.

This is our version of Santa Cecilla. Total cost $47.87 cents.

Overall this project went better then I expected. A little time, and patience to get the pattern right is really all you need. DO find a good image of the granite you want to create and match your paint colors as close as possible. Then let your imagination take over and we're sure you'll love the results.

We'll be back in the bathroom to do some painting and replace the drawer handles in a little bit. Once the wall over the counter is painted as well as the base vanity it will be time to install the back splash.

That's all for the bathroom this week.. I've got painting to do in the kitchen and living room before we proceed with the next phase of remodeling in those rooms.

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Bathroom Counter Top Transformation Part 3

Back to work on the transformation of the bathroom counter top this morning. We've let the dark brown Truffle color dry over night.

This is how the counter top looks with just the truffle color over the base coat.

With that completely dry we added a coat of our medium brown color Hazelnut over the entire surface of the counter using a different sponge to get a different pattern then we did with the Truffle.

While the Hazelnut was still slightly wet I added the black or Ink color with a bigger sponge and tapped it on with varying intensity so there were actually little piles of paint in certain areas of the counter.

Here you can see the Ink that I've tapped on basically in ribbon patterns along the top.

I want to use the dark black of the Ink to resemble the veining of natural granite when we're done.

Now with both the Hazelnut and Ink colors still wet we're going to use our lightest color Cashew to add the depth we're looking for in the overall top.

Here's the counter after we've finished adding the Cashew over the other two colors.

Don't forget to bring the color pattern down to the front edge trying to keep the colors consistent with the top pattern.

Remember the bad crack in front of the sink? Thanks to our wood putty it is invisible in the new look.

We're going to let this top dry completely before using artist brushes to add the metallic veins found in real granite. The final step is sealing it with our glossy top coat.

 Stay tuned.

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Bathroom Counter Top Transformation Part 2

We have let the base coat on our counter top dry for about 48 hours. This is more then enough time for it to be dry and ready for the next step which is sponging on the colors for our granite effect.

We've assembled what we will need to do the granite effect and are ready to begin applying the base color.

We have our bottles of base colors, a natural sea sponge for each color, artist brushes for adding the veins and detail and throw away Glad storage containers.

We've added about a tablespoon of paint to a container and picked one of the sponges to apply it with.

I've recorded video to show you exactly how to begin applying your color to the base coat of the counter top. 

We're going to wait until this is completely dry and then apply the second layer of color which is the next lightest brown  Hazelnut. I'll be using a different piece of sea sponge to change the pattern and will update this post with more photos and video.

Stay tuned!

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We're Going To Turn An Old Bathroom Vanity Top Into Look Alike Granite

We haven't said much about our bathroom remodel. It's a room that involves a lot of work. From removing the entire ceiling ruined by the leaky roof to repairing the old shower to replacing the floor.
It is a room that I wanted to be special, so we've picked out some very special things for this remodel project.

After getting rid of the horrible leaky faucet I was in the mood to test out an artsy project that I found on the web. This time turning the old wood look composit counter top into look a like granite. Now, there are kits that you can buy at Home Depot and other stores that are quite pricey. Home Depot sells theirs for $79.99! That just wasn't in the budget, so I set about to do the same look for a lot less.

This is the bathroom as it was when the home was purchased. The counter top and cabinets are all original. The vanity top was cracked and the front edge chipped and pealing.

A shot of the counter top as we start our project. Let the transformation begin!

We had to first deal with the damaged front edge of the top. I also wanted a more custom look for the front edge so it was off to Home Depot.  We found this molding by House of Fara. It's 3/8" by 1 1/4" and the perfect fit for the front edge of the vanity. Cost $ 6.69  for an 8 foot strip.  We only needed 72" so it was the perfect option. 

We used Gorilla Glue Wood and finishing brads to attach it to the front. The Gorilla Glue was super easy to work with and allowed us to attach the piece and re position it as needed while we tacked it for extra hold.

Perfect edge for our counter top!!

Next we had to fill the crack along the top of our molding and one really bad crack in front of the sink. For that job we choose JB Weld Kwik Wood Epoxy Putty(Home Depot for $5.77) I used a sharp putty knife and my finger to run the putty into the crack and along the top edge of our molding. This wood putty is easy to work with, stays workable for up to 25 minutes and drys to be sanded / painted within an hour. 

The crack along the top edge is filled with putty and drying.. We'll sand this down smooth and it will be ready to paint in about an hour.

To transform the counter top itself I visited the craft section of the local Wal-Mart. Here I found a great selection of Waverly Super Premium Acrylic Paint. This paint is semi gloss with great coverage and tons of colors including the metallic colors I would need.

Before you choose your paints take a look at real granite or pictures of the color granite you are wanting your counter to look like. Most natural granite has several colors and lots of patterns within a single slab. Choose colors that will compliment the look you're going for. You'll need one solid base color that will be applied as the first coat. This color will be brushed on and allowed to dry for 24 hours. 

For our project I choose the color Mineral. A putty colored stone look. This will be the base color so I bought the large 8 ounce jar for $ 5.88. Next I chose 4 additional colors that will be used to create the main pattern of the granite. These 2 ounce jars will be enough since I'm going to be sponging them on with natural sea sponge and using an art brush to do the veins seen in real granite. For our project I chose Hazelnut, Truffle, Cashew and Ink. Real granite also has reflective metallic patterns throughout. I picked out two, copper and sun stone (gold). The 2 oz metallic are $2.47 each and the 2 oz semi gloss jars are $1.47. 

Believe me you'll find every color combination available in this paint.. just let your imagination go wild!

We'll be sanding the wood putty later today and applying the base coat of paint so it can dry over night. I'll video some of the actual sponging when the top is ready. 

Total cost for this counter top transformation so far is less then $50.00! Stay tuned.

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Distressing Our Faux Tin Panels

Just wanted to show you how easy it is to work with our faux tin that is going to become the back splash in our Country Shabby Chic kitchen.

The panels can be ordered in numerous colors and finishes. We purchased them in matte white both for the ceiling and back splash. The ceiling panels will be installed in their original finish but we needed to tie in the wall color to the panels for the back splash.

Using the green Paloverde paint and a natural sea sponge provided the perfect "distressed" look that we wanted.

We started by laying out a panel on a flat surface. Then let creativity and the paint take over. By touching the sponge to the paint and then tapping the surface of the panel we got the effect you see here.

We let the embossed surface of the panel dictate the pattern and intensity of the color. This is the finished first panel.. I suspect no two will be alike and that is exactly the look we were going for.

Drying time was mere minutes ( this was done out of doors on a warm day). 

Here is the finished panel against the already painted wall. We like the finished look. It pulls in just enough of the wall color while it brightens the area behind the kitchen sink. Once we distress all 5 of our panels we'll be ready for the install !! 

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Kitchen Update - Faux Tin Arrives and We Test our Colors

Today we're posting just a quick update on the kitchen remodel.

First, UPS delivered the first order of our faux tin panels which we are using both as the back splash behind the sink and on the ceiling. We were both anxious for them to arrive and to see how they would be to work with.

First of all let me say these four by two foot panels weigh no more then a sheet of cardboard but the design and texture on them is remarkable and beautiful. No one will ever know from looking at them or touching them that they are not the real deal.

This shot really doesn't do justice to the rich detail these panels have but hopefully you'll get some idea of the depth of the embossing. In the photo below I stood one of the panels up against a wall for you to better see the size and detailing.

We ordered enough panels to complete the back splash since we wanted to see what they were like to work with. Based upon what we've seen we'll be ordering the balance of panels needed to complete the kitchen ceiling and a couple of other projects in Sylvia.  Delivery was less then a week, they are well packaged and can be stored in the shipping box while waiting to be used. You'll have to order them online as they are not sold in the Home Depot stores.

Below we started the painting. Once of the biggest challenges was taking the dark chocolate brown base cabinets to the bright and airy yellow we wanted. We started with a color sample ($ 4.00 at Home Depot) of our color Honey Tea. For this project we selected Behr Marquee Enamel Paint and Primer.

I am absolutely floored by the result.. We started brushing our sample right over the dark brown base and the result is amazing.. Truly ONE COAT COVERAGE!! This paint went on so quickly and easily with a brush ( no brush marks or streaks) that I can't stop looking at it.  Clean up was so quick and easy with warm water and Dawn dish soap. There were very few drips, no running and the photo below does not do justice to the coverage!!

On the left is the dark chocolate door and on the right is the freshly painted "Honey Tea" door with only one coat of the Marquee paint. 

Below is a shot of the wall where we are testing our color choice using Behr Home Decorator Custom matched semi gloss. 

                             

Once again the paint went one smooth with great coverage! No streaks and only one coat, this time rolled on. Second shot shows the nice contrast between the green wall and the Honey tea cabinet.

Next we'll be adding some patina to the faux tin with sea sponges and the green paint. After that the top cabinets will be removed and the back splash with new outlets will be installed. We'll be adding open shelves over the sink to add to the old country cottage feel.

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Kitchen Back Splash, Ceiling - Faux Tin Panels

Well it's time to start the kitchen!

Wanting something that followed along with our "Shabby Country Chic " that would cover the damage to the kitchen ceiling quickly and at a reasonable cost we went online and ended up with our stand by source --- Home Depot!

These Faux Tin panels are lightweight  glue up, surface mount  .020 thick styrene. They lock together for seamless installation and are paintable, washable and have a real look of old style tin!

Home Depot sells the 2' x 4' panels in a wide variety of colors. We chose matte white and will be giving them a burnished finish that will match the colors in the room for the back splash and leave the ceiling panels white.  We're so impressed with the look and cost effectiveness of these that they will be showing up in the bathroom and the Expando,

Find these panels here Global Specialty Products Tin Style Panels

 Stand by for pictures of the back splash install and updates on the ceiling installation.

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Furnace Repair One O One

“If desperate times call for desperate measures, then I'm free to act as desperately as I wish.” 
― Suzanne Collins, Catching Fire

That is precisely how we felt when on a reasonably cold day in March when the furnace in Sylvia refused to turn on even with the thermostat set at 90...

Sylvia had a unique set of thermostats on the living room wall.. as in two  identical ones  within inches of each other.  The top one was the one that was supposed to work but the previous owners had warned that it was sometimes difficult to get it turned on.. well I had found the difficult and woke up to a chilly 51 degrees!

So, not really knowing diddly about thermostats I pulled off the cap, got the model number and a general view of what it looked like inside and off I went to Valu Home Center at the crack of stupidity... that's 7 AM.

Sue joined me about an hour later and thanks to her know how the new thermostat was installed within minutes.. Surprise!! IT WORKED...

Our enthusiasm was very short lived as later that day.. once again "Ol Grumpy" ( what I started calling the furnace) refused to kick on.. So.. plan B?

A little research determined that the little green flashing light on the control panel was really a code for what was wrong.. so within a few minutes  we determined that a 2 flash meant a problem with something called a Pressure Switch .. which looks like the picture below

Now, first off this is NOT something furnace repair people keep in stock.. so it would have to be ordered and then the repair "scheduled" and all of that sounded like many cold days and nights to Sue and I.  

Searching the Internet we found and downloaded the repair manual for this furnace.. Part number in hand we went in search of someone on line who had it in stock and could ship it immediately. It didn't take long to find Mobile Home Solutions . Part ordered with priority shipping !! YEAH!! Cost under $40.00!!

Now, two women with no real background in furnace repair.. were about to embark on removing and replacing a "Pressure Control Switch"... it was back to the manual and online research while we waited the 48 hours for the new part to arrive.

IT'S HERE!! and it looks like this:

Time to test Sue's technical skills ... 

Removing the old one was easy just two screws and unplugging the two hoses.. Installing the new one in the space we had required switching the mounting bracket so it would line up with the connections for the tubing..

Power off..  gas off ... screwdriver ready.. she went to work. I was in charge of the flashlight.

Five minutes later the new one was where the old one had been and we were ready to hit the breaker and turn on the gas..  Breaker on.. gas on.. and WHOOSH.. pilot lights and "Ol Grumpy" kicks in!

Heat!!! Glorious Heat!  And two very excited, newly ordained "furnace repair women"!

Ol Grumpy has been renamed "Furnace" and has functioned beautifully..

The second thermostat has been removed from the wall  leaving a beautiful three inch wide hole behind which.. I'm proud to say has been filled and Spackled by yours truly... newly ordained "hole patch person".

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The New Gas Range

One of the worst parts of moving into and living in a home while it's being renovated is the short comings it might have.

For Sylvia the worst was the lack of a functional gas cook stove. The old stove was not only non functional it was dirty, grease loaded and a relic from some yesteryear. It had to go!

Worse then that the electrical behind the stove had been left uncapped and simply sticking up in mid air. It's hard to see in the blow up below but trust me.. it was just there.. hanging out of the wall.

While waiting for another stove  cooking was accomplished in an electric skillet, on a hot plate or in the microwave.. It's amazing what one can fix using these three appliances....

Installation of the new range started with installing a Leviton 20 amp, 125 volt GFCI outlet.

Once the outlet was functional we laid down the new plywood sub floor and brought in the new range.

It became a short test of nerves when the wrench we had available wouldn't fit the range side of the flex hose coupling. A quick run to Home Depot for a larger adjustable wrench solved the problem.

Sue works behind the range attaching the flex hose to the back of the range. It was tight quarters both for her and the wrench!

It's a big thumbs up as the burners light for the first time on the new range!! Can't wait to bake a big loaded pizza in my new oven!!!

The new black Frigidaire range in place on the new sub floor... what a beautiful sight this is!!

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We Sought Out Home Depot's Advise and Behr Paints For Our Color Palet

With lots of painting to do and lots of surfaces to cover we sought out the help of the paint experts at Home Depot. They took the time to understand the surfaces we were covering as well as the look and style we wanted. There recommendation? Behr paints.

Behr had all of the colors, textures and coverage options we were looking for at a reasonable price. Together,they helped us put together a color pallet for Sylvia using the full array of Behr textures and colors.

The kitchen was going country chic. We were using faux tin panels for the back splash and ceiling and wanted some bright yet traditional colors to enhance the natural light that poured through the windows.

We found a green/gray we liked in Ralph Lauren's collection of "Suede". Home Depot was able to take that paint chip and color match it into a Behr Marquee paint that would become the base wall color.

With dark chocolate brown base cabinets and dark granite counter tops the cupboards had to "POP" We selected a simi gloss in Behr Fundamentals called Honey Tea.. it's a rich mustard yellow that pops against the darker green walls.

Behr custom matched green on the left and Behr Fundamentals Honey Tea on the right.

Since we had already decided to treat the expando as a separate room ( more on that later) we needed to complement the totally "country" look of that in the connected living room. There was lots of dark chocolate brown trim in the room that we would keep plus the need to accent one wall in a color that would both connect with the "country" expando and  kitchen.

    Home Depot found the perfect combination:

This is Meditation Time  a cool gray toned green that blends perfectly with the darker green from the kitchen .

For the rest of the room including the ceiling we chose Behr Home Decorators Collection Warm Marshmallow. This image doesn't do it justice as it is a much warmer cream.

For the trim we stayed with the creamy earth tones and chose another color from the Behr Home Decorators Collection this time selecting Merino Wool. A warm toned natural beige .

The hallway in Sylvia is twenty eight feet long so it needed to stay light and bright. We had already decided to use lightweight plywood on the bottom half of the exterior wall and add a chair rail molding and a light gray white brick motif. So the color had to be equally light and bright. For that we selected  Behr Home Decorators Collection Weathered White.

This color worked well with the choices I had made for my craft room. It would be the perfect ceiling and trim paint as well as coordinate with the rich style we had selected for the bathroom.

For my craft room I wanted WOW. Bright, happy colors that would make the smaller room a unique spot. It only took one look at the Behr Marquee Odyssey Collection to choose my "style"

This fabulous blue is Adonis and it will be on the exterior wall and on the hallway wall. 

Because this room used to have a closet with under storage there is a alcove and for that wall I choose this popping, hopping green called Pistachio. It will make the entire room just pop. The largest wall, trim and ceiling will be painted in our hallway color of  Weathered White. On that wall we plan to use stencils to do various color Zinnias.. 

We're not going to reveal the Expando, Master Bedroom or Bath decor just yet. But stay tuned. The painting is about to begin!!

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