Showing posts with label some. Show all posts
Showing posts with label some. Show all posts
Need Some Curb Appeal Dress up Your Front Door with a DIY Rag Wreath
Need Some Curb Appeal Dress up Your Front Door with a DIY Rag Wreath
And one simple way to greet house hunters with a friendly hello is with a fresh, colorful wreath.
Heres how I made a wreath using cloth strips on a foam ring. Its so simple you can do it while watching a movie at home.
The beauty of these rag wreaths is that you cannot make an ugly one. Their nature is to be a little on the funky side, but -- depending on the fabrics you select -- they can be downright elegant.
I love that these wreaths can be propped in a fireplace opening in summer, hung in the kitchen for a bit of charm, or placed in a bedroom for some soft textures.
I am sure you will find other places in your home that need a touch of whimsy. And you can do it all on a shoestring!
Outside, a rag wreath, unless made from outdoor fabrics or plastic, will need some protection from the weather. But most front doors offer enough shelter.
I also like that rag wreaths, because they have a finished appearance front and back, can be hung in a window opening or on a mirror, and still look fabulous. They look pretty from a distance, and interesting up close. Ready to make yours?
 |
| All kinds of fabric are suitable. For your base, choose one made of foam, straw, wire, or vines. |
What You Need
- One wreath form
- A collection of fabric in coordinated colors
- Some kind of seasonal embellishment, such as a silk flower, seashell, ornament, toy, or fake fruit.
- A wide ribbon or fabric strip to use as a hanger
You should have at least three different patterns in a complimentary color scheme. Ive blogged about how to mix patterns when you decorate. You can also tie on pieces of ribbon or tulle to the finished wreath.
How to Do
1. Determine how long you need your fabric strips to be by tying a test strip of fabric around the ring.
2. Tear your fabric into strips, and separate them into piles. The fabric can be torn on the crosswise grain or the lengthwise grain of the fabric. Be prepared for lots of loose threads, but just pull away the tangled ones for now.
You can use this simple formula to create wreaths for each season your home is on the market. Buyers will notice that your home is being given attention and care.
In spring, a collection of pastel fabrics and florals is perfect. Bright colors and flowers rule all summer long, and in autumn, youll want something seasonal like orange leaves, small gourds, bittersweet berries, and dried flowers. In winter, you can bring on the glitzy fabrics, colorful bows, and gilded ornaments!
You can even start with the same wreath form to make each of your wreaths.
 |
| For this Spring, I chose a palette of warm greens and whites to make this "leafy" wreath, and I added strips of white tulle to soften the look. |
 |
| A few yellow, silk, day lilies brought this rag wreath to life. |
Need Some Curb Appeal Dress up Your Front Door with a DIY Rag Wreath
Does Your Home Have Some Wow Factors
Does Your Home Have Some Wow Factors
 |
| A powder room is the perfect place to go for wow. This BHG shot shows a fabulous vanity, tile on one wall, new faucets, and a mirror that can all be part of a modest budget. |
Hes right.
In case you havent noticed, its not exactly a sellers market out there. If you want your home to sell fast at a price you can be happy with, you need to stand out from the competition.
Price is one way to do that. Wow factors are another.
Lets Get Specific
Understand, I am not saying you need to start dumping money into your home to make it far more luxurious and up-to-date than it is. The last thing you want to do is price yourself out of the market.
But if you are really motivated to sell, or need to sell fast, some wow factors are what could put your home over the top.
Here are some typical wow factors that fall midway between gutting-it-all remodels and simple, gussy-up staging. Theyll cost you some money, but theyll help sell your home!
- New walk-in shower
- One or two obviously high end lighting fixtures
- An outdoor hot tub
- Private, outdoor enclosed space or garden
- Professionally designed landscaping
- Outdoor shower, even if its cold water only
- Stylish overhead garage door or refurbished existing one
- New kitchen appliances that match each other
- New washer and dryer that stay
- Built-in bookcases, beautifully staged, of course
- Built-in window seat, so charming!
- Media room with basic home theatre
- The fenced backyard that parents and pet owners crave
- Fully finished garage and/or basement that attracts the male buyer
- New toilet and sink, maybe in all baths
?
 |
| A "sun tunnel" in the ceiling adds great lighting! |
So, whats the big deal about features that wow?
- Buyers are immediately impressed, and favorably so.
- Your home becomes memorable. Its the one with the bathroom skylights, or the one with the luscious, secret shade garden.
- You can include these features in your MLS listing and all your literature. Include specifics like brand names and measurements when possible. Specifics impress.
- The longer buyers stay in your home during a preview, the better. Improvements that wow encourage lingering.
If you cant justify spending money on new appliances or bathroom upgrades, examine your home for almost-wow factors. Is that awesome sunroom being wasted as a clutter collection point? Has your view of the distant mountains been obscured by overgrown weed trees? Are there heart pine floors under carpeting? Is the working fireplace currently not working? Does your formal dining room look more like homework and crafting headquarters? Is that killer shelving system for the garage still in boxes? These are missed opportunities to wow buyers.
?
?
 |
| Could a charming and functional garden shed be your wow factor? This one belongs to my friend, Julie. |
Maybe youve always wanted to add crown molding to the living room. Maybe youve wanted a chandelier in the foyer, or a beautifully stylish ceiling fan in your sunroom, or an outdoor fountain by the patio. If these are changes you would enjoy in your own home, as long as they arent particular to unique tastes, they are the kinds of things that buyers will want as well.
Dont let the idea that all these upgrades are expensive scare you. Get some estimates. Work with an experienced handyman who can come up with economical alternatives. Purchase from mid-price range.
You can upgrade just the half bath. Who says baths must match?
You can install hardwoods in just the downstairs, or just the living and dining rooms. Hardwoods can be laid for the cost of wall-to-wall carpeting. I did it in my own home.
You can buy scratch and dent appliances. Very often these deeply discounted appliances are high end, and the ding isnt visible once installed.
You can buy mid-range bookcases you assemble yourself and screw to the wall. Centsational Girl did this and blogged about it.
You can DIY a board and batten treatment in the hallway. Blogland is full of tutorials for this project.
You can put together a home theater system from Craigslist. First adopters sell their systems to upgrade to the latest. And you can always negotiate price. Maybe they will offer to install it for you.
You can trade skills with friends or family for what you need. Feed your cousin the tilesetter for a week while he lays new ceramic flooring in your kitchen. Trade babysitting services for your neighbor who has a hot tub to sell.
???
 |
| Hardwood flooring is going to wow most people. Prices can be comparable to carpeting. |
Remember that every month your home doesnt sell you are paying carrying costs to stay there. The sooner your home sells, the more money you make, because homes that stay on the market grow stale, and that fact influences what you can ask for it. Agents and buyers wonder whats wrong with these stale homes and they stay away. You need to tempt buyers and do it at the start. When you list!
So dont fall into the rut of thinking, "If its good enough for me, its good enough." Buyers are spoiled. You wont change that. But can can still wow them with some amenities.
Get more ideas to help you prepare your home for the real estate market by downloading my $4.99 eBook, DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar.
Does Your Home Have Some Wow Factors
Drawing with Bleach Some Tutorials Dont Pan Out
Drawing with Bleach Some Tutorials Dont Pan Out
My second mistake was not to own a bleach pen.
So, I thought it was a good idea to mix a 50/50 solution of bleach and water, and then use an eye dropper to draw on good ole, cheap construction paper.
I liked the results, shown in the photo on the right. And I should have stopped there. But I wanted to do another "kitchen-themed" printmaking tutorial. My mind turned to cookie cutters.
"Itll be great!" I told myself, envisioning soft, thick-lined drawings of birds and stars and hearts on dark colored papers.
But the results were a disappointment. None of my cookie cutters, whether they were metal or plastic, upside down or right side up, on hard surfaces of soft, would produce a reliable outline. It wasnt foolproof either: one drop or splatter of the bleach solution and the page was ruined.
How to Do
You can still produce a beautiful piece of art using bleach in a eye dropper. Or better yet, a bleach pen.
 |
| If youre not comfortable doing a rapid freehand drawing, you can do more careful but still simple drawings like these dandelions I drew. |
To draw on construction paper for staging, I suggest you use a free hand and dont plan on a detailed picture. Play Picasso. Do a bunch and frame the best.
Yes, you CAN stage your own home. Its easy with help from my $4.99 home staging eBook, DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and for Top Dollar. It comes with my money-back guarantee.
 |
Cookie cutter prints = no go. Even my dog (left) turned up her Beagle nose at them.  ? |
Drawing with Bleach Some Tutorials Dont Pan Out
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)