Save energy: Just read the packages and you’ll see that LED lights use less energy than traditional holiday lights – about 90% less. When you multiply the number of strings of lights you use by the number of hours each day and the number of days, you see that the energy savings really add up.

The US Department of Energy estimates that if every household switched to using LED holiday lights, the country would save approximately $410 million in electricity costs. Want to figure out what cost savings goes along with your energy savings? Plug your info into this holiday light cost calculator.

Save time: Are your old strings of lights in a tangle, again? Grab that ball of old, energy-inefficient lights and trade them in for new LED lights. Some stores provide trade-in discounts (Home Depot is one) when you make the switch. Or you can recycle your old lights at the Holiday LEDs site,  and they’ll email you a coupon for $25 off your next purchase.

Look great: Now that LEDs are becoming the norm, they are available in more and more styles to meet the need of every holiday decorator. Whether you like colored or white, round or flame-style bulbs, regular strings or icicle style, you’ll be able to find the look you love in LEDs.

And while I’m a big fan of strings of LED holiday lights, I’m an even bigger fan of the new LED bulbs for inside the house. With our long, dark winter days here in the Pacific Northwest, we’re using more lights for more hours during the day and night. Switching just a few of your most-used bulbs to LEDs can save energy and money. We did a story on the cost savings of LED bulbs more than a year ago and I can assure you that prices have gone down. While the bulbs can be expensive, they last up to 25 times as long and use only a fraction of the energy as a regular light bulb. No matter how you look at it, LEDs are a bright idea.

The house was originally built in the 1920s, and the basement had been added about 40 years later. Back then, homes weren’t build as waterproof as they are today, so for the past 20-25 years water has seeped into the basement. The homeowner has taken care of the problem on the inside, but it didn’t stop the seepage from the exterior. So we’re going to address the problem from the outside to stop the water from penetrating the basement wall. By opening up the outside of the house and addressing the issue from the outside, we’ll make sure this leaky basement is taken care of the right way and that the homeowner will never see this problem again.

Examining the problems

The basement wall had been leaking for some time and was covered in mold and mildew.

Inside the basement, water intrusion along the entire concrete wall has left stains and a perfect environment for mold and mildew. You can see the water seepage especially in the corners where you see the cold joint, a joint that occurs as result of pouring a foundation at two separate times. This happened at this house when the basement was added years after the original house was built. Water proofing on the outside of the house will eliminate the water seepage at the cold joint.

When we inspected the outside of the house, we noticed that the window frame had rotted from constant exposure to water. The wood frame of the window abutted the concrete and had dry rot.

In this basement, the concrete has absorbed a lot of the water and much of it wicked up into the window frame causing dry rot. So we replaced the frame with pressure treated wood, replaced the window, and placed a block outside to keep the water from running down to the window.

Digging the hole

Outside, we dug a deep, narrow hole, about six or seven feet deep to access the wall. As with any project where you dig, it is important to call the utilities and have the area pipes marked. In our work zone, a gas pipe runs right through the area. We used machinery driven by professionals to dig the bulk of the hole and then dug out the area around the gas pipe by hand for maximum safety. Then we could begin addressing the water issue.

Keeping water out of the basement

A drain, drain rock, waterproof board, and a tar-like waterproofing sealant on the wall all contribute to making this one basement that should be leak free for years. See the video for how we got to this point.

The easiest way to resolve the issue of the wet basement is to keep the water away from the house in the first place. A downspout situated near the window and basement was feeding the problem. First we directed that water away from the house. Second, we installed a vapor barrier on the outside of the basement wall. In this case we used a tar-based material to keep the water from coming through. Next we added a drain board to deflect the water away from the wall. When water does hit it, the water will drain down where we want it to go.

Finally, we added drain rock, a drain pipe, and pump to remove the water from the house. Any water that comes down into the area will run down the wall and be pumped away from the house.

What you can expect to pay to fix a leaky basement

When you consider tackling a basement waterproofing project, expect to pay anywhere from $6,000 to $10,000 for waterproofing, excavation, and materials. It may seem like a lot of money for a repair that you really won’t see on a day-to-day basis. However, the cost to not resolve an issue with a leaky basement could be much greater. If water keeps entering the basement, it will lead to foundation repair that will cost substantially more to repair. Breathing in the mold and mildew that has built up on the walls inside your home can lead to health consequences.

It is best to try to get leaky basement projects done in the dry season, but if necessary you can accomplish the waterproofing you need in the rainy season. With the cooperation of Mother Nature, the team at Fazzolari Custom Homes and Renovations was able to complete this project in about two and a half days. Check out the video for more details and start-to-finish photos.

The decision to build a home or do a remodel project in your home is a big one. There is a lot of expense involved, and a lot of time and effort on your part. Don’t let a bad paint job ruin the final product.

High priced construction is devalued by poor paint jobs. A kitchen and dining remodel, for instance, will cost tens of thousands of dollars. You will be selecting new cabinets, countertops, plumbing fixtures, flooring and appliances, each of which has their own hefty price tag. Painting of the walls and trim will also need to be done, but the cost of this compared to some of the other items may seem small.

Unfortunately I see it all the time – people think painting is painting, and every paint job is the same. So what do they do? They choose the lowest price. Why not – it’s like buying gas, right? Wrong! Let’s face it, to do it right it takes time, and time costs money. The good news, if you pay to have it done right, you will not have to paint again for a long, long, time!

Interiors

A poor masking job on some nice crown molding isn't doing this homeowner any favors.

On interior painting work my experience is that prep work is the main driver of costs. Filling nail holes, sanding them, priming and doing this a second time is often critical to getting that finish look we demand. Unfortunately that low bidder is not usually prepared to do this. Make sure you know exactly what prep work is being done, and what the final finish to look like. Get it in writing.

As for sheen, on the interior I prefer flat on the ceilings and a velvet or eggshell on the wall. If you are doing a remodel and there are patches in the ceiling don’t consider anything but flat. Flat paint will hide irregularities in the surface, whereas the shinier the surface the more light that will be reflected … and consequently the more irregularities that will be visible. I have had people tell me how they can match the color sheen exactly or that their drywall person can make any ceiling repair match – but I have never actually met the person that can make this happen. Save yourself the trouble, flat paint for ceilings.

Exteriors

On the exterior the application is the main driver of cost. Prep work is important, but the primer and finish coat and how they are applied is the main difference that I see in cost. Are you getting one coat of paint or two? Is it only being sprayed on or is it being back brushed or rolled as well. We always apply two coats of paint and back brush the first. While it takes us about 30% longer to paint the home than the “spray and pray” applications, the paint job lasts at least two to three times as long as the typical spray application. And it looks better immediately.

Back brushing and rolling is especially critical when applying paint to real wood with knots or rough surfaces. Spraying alone just doesn’t work. It does not fill the voids in the surface that brushing and rolling will. And doing this right ultimately leads to a longer life span of the paint job and the home it is protecting. Also, what type of paint is being used and what is the paint guarantee. Get it all in writing!

The sheen for exterior should be satin or velvet for the body, because it adds a nice glow and semi-gloss for the trim to provide some contrast.

Additions

One of the true tests of a successful addition to a home is that it looks like it is part of the original structure. Everything inside and out should flow seamlessly from the old into the new. If the exterior painting is not done right, the addition will stand out like a sore thumb to anyone driving by. In some cases a professional painter will be able to match the existing paint to maintain the continuity. But what I find most often true is that if it has been there a few years it will be necessary to repaint the entire house in order to avoid a mismatch in color tone.

Color Selection

For both the interior and the exterior painting of a remodel, color selection is going to be very important. It is very common to choose new color schemes when doing a remodel. Color trends change with time and most homeowners want to update their paint colors along with the other finishes. Painting stores usually have displays and sample boards with some of the latest color combinations. Trust a paint professionals or decorator to give you guidance in this area or read our story on how to choose a home paint color you will love.

There are plenty of ways to save money on your construction project, but cutting corners in the wrong place such as the painting can end up costing you more if it has to re-done.

If you’d like some help with painting or color selections for your interior remodel, let let us know at Fazzolari Custom Homes. Or, if you are painting the exterior of your home, consult the painting professionals at our new company, Salmon Creek Painting, in Vancover WA, and we’ll be happy to make an appointment to assist you. We offer a five year warranty on all our exterior painting, but that is easy to do with the correct application.

Drive Around and Ask About Paint Colors

We picked the color of our house by driving around until we found something we liked.

Avoid poor color selections by getting professional advice or by my favorite method, finding a home that you like the colors on and knocking on the door. Most people are happy to share their color with you. It just confirms their selection – and who doesn’t like to know that others like their home.

When Shae and I were building a colonial style home in Vancouver, WA, we drove around the Grant High and Washington Park areas of Portland, OR. Not only was it fun looking at all the old classic homes, but we also found a lot of color options that we really liked. And yes we found our paint color as well – but I did it the hard way since no one was home…I stood on the front porch and took out my paint color fan deck and went through it as fast as I could to match the color. Luckily I escaped, color in hand, before the police arrived!

Double-check the Paint Color

Now – I will warn you. Don’t assume when someone tells you the color of their home that they are correct. Especially if they are a builder(me) or painter that has painted hundreds of homes! All those homes and all those colors get confusing after a while. I once had someone knock on our door and ask me the color of our house. I gave them the color name and they walked away happy to have the color they looked so hard to find. But as I basked in the glory and pride of knowing that at least one person liked the color I had selected, I realized I had given them the interior paint color of the home and not the exterior color. They were of course gone before I realized this. Let’s just hope they checked the color before they bought their paint. I can only imagine what they think of me now! Okay – I digress. But be sure to check that color before you buy it.

Test the Color

A few years back we were building a home for a client that was in Japan while the house was being built. They had picked a nice light blue color that they thought looked great on the color chip. I called in the order and my guys picked up the product. I then left to review other jobs for the day – only to come back six hours later to find the nicest “Smurf Blue” colored house we had ever painted. A couple of international phone calls and e-mails later and everyone agreed – the color had to change. So I started thinking – wait – we painted a home a few years back in a beautiful light blue. Off I went to a past clients home, took a few pictures and e-mailed them, and within one hour we had our new color – and a full size home to confirm it.

But be careful again – get the color wrong and you will hear about it. The following morning before we applied the new blue we had already received two notes complaining about the color and how we would cause all the home values in the area to fall. Come to think of it, it was 2007. Maybe we started the housing crisis with that “Smurf Blue”!

All of this could have been avoided if we tested the color on a wall of the home first. Lesson learned!

Sheen: Matt, Eggshell, Satin, Semi-gloss, or Gloss?

My advice regarding the sheen – on the outside of your home never use a flat finish! It will look dull. I prefer a satin or velvet on the body of the exterior and a semi-gloss on the trim.

Oil or Latex?

You should also consider a professionals advice on whether to use an oil or latex paint, since some of this will depend on what was used originally. Cut out a piece of the existing paint and bring it to the paint store. And if you are not sure, buy a quart of the new product and test how well it adheres to the existing paint.

If you are painting the exterior of your home, consult Fazzolari Custom Homes and Renovations or the painting professionals at our new company, Salmon Creek Painting, in Vancover WA, and we’ll be happy to make an appointment to assist you. We offer a five year warranty on all our exterior painting, which is easy to do with the correct application.

• Power washer – If you are repainting an entire building, (your home, garage, storage shed etc.) a power washer can be used to clean off any dirt or debris. It can also remove paint that is not well bonded to the surface. Paint that has bubbled or chipped. It is this very reason that it is NOT recommended to use a power washer for standard cleaning of painted siding if you are not planning on repainting.
  

  A hammer for exterior painting? Yes - use it to pound in loose nail heads as you find them.

• Paint scraper – This little tool is a must have for any time you are painting over existing paint. There will be areas where the old paint has begun to bubble, chip or peel. The paint scraper will help you to remove the paint in these areas. If the paint scraper will remove it, then that paint needs to be removed.
• Wire brush – Use the wire brush for final cleanup after scraping to remove any leftover flakes. The wire brush can be used for tight areas and crevices too.
• Extension ladder – If you are painting your home, you are going to need an extension ladder to help you reach anything above the top of your head. If your home has two or three stories, you will need to put up scaffolding to reach all the areas safely.
• Hammer – You may not have been expecting this item to be on the list, but you should have one ready and available in case you need it. Many times you will find nail heads that are beginning to work themselves loose. This is the perfect time to pound them back into place.
• Caulking gun – If you find areas around your window or door trim where paint has bubbled, you will want to put a fresh bead of caulk in that joint to prevent the problem from recurring.
• Paint brushes – You may need several different widths of paint brushes, depending on the width of your trim and siding. You will always want to use a brush that fits the area that you are painting as closely as possible. It will help the job go faster and look smoother. Always purchase high quality bristle paint brushes. When properly cleaned and stored, they can be reused over and over again.
• Paint sprayer – The best means for painting the exterior of a home, quickly and evenly, is to use a paint sprayer. These can take a little practice to master, so a smaller trial project would be recommended before taking on the painting of your home. Coverage of any plants or items that might catch the over-spray is very important when using a paint sprayer. You will also want to avoid using one outside on a windy day if you don’t want angry neighbors.
• Drop cloths – You’ll want to use drop cloths to cover your landscaping around the building that you are painting. Even professionals need to cover the ground and plants when they are painting out of doors.
• Razor blade – You should have masked off any windows before you started painting, but paint still often ends up on the glass. The paint is very easy to scrape off with a utility razor blade, just have one available if painting around windows is part of your exterior paint project.

Local Resources

Parr Lumber Co. has locations in both Vancouver WA and Portland OR, and an excellent selection of tools for all your home maintenance needs, or visit one of Vancouver’s many other hardware stores. You can find a list of locations by clicking here.

If you decide you’d rather not do it yourself, we’ve recently taken our experience in building and painting high-end homes and joined the ranks of Vancouver WA Painters with our new company, Salmon Creek Painting. Check out the site and make an appointment for a free quote.

We’ve decided to come back to our series on high-end finishes with an installment meant for Spring: High-end exterior home finishes.

You see you can spend a lot of time during a project considering all the interior finishes that go into a major renovation or new home. The kitchen alone offers an array of cool gadgets and beautiful fixtures from which you can choose. But you should take as much care in selecting the finishes outside of your home, because that’s where you are projecting the true quality of your home to the world.

Beyond Curb Appeal

Curb appeal not only shows the quality of your home to the world, it can also help you sell your home. First impressions matter, and your curb appeal is the first impression people get when they come to the home. There is a lot of information out there about simple curb appeal updates, like this Better Homes and Gardens article. But we’re talking about more than simply taking care of the basics such as nice grass, weed-free beds, pruned plantings and tidy landscaping. We want to add some special touches that add a real high-end feel to a home.

Copper Accents

We’ve incorporated copper accents into several homes, and it’s a really good way to add an accent to the front of a house. We’ve installed copper roofing sheets above front bump-outs. What’s great about them is that as they weather the copper changes color and can give a newer home an old-world look. You also can add copper gutters or downspouts. It’s a classic touch that although expensive can really make the front of a home stand out.

Water Features

Whether you’re using waterfalls, small ponds, or bubblers, there’s no doubt that a water feature, if done correctly and tastefully, can add a welcoming touch to any home. Here in the Pacific Northwest, many homeowners create bubblers out of small basalt columns (3-4 feet tall) that are cored lengthwise. Then they add a water source, reservoir, pumps and small rocks. These are a nice and easy feature to install and can have a great impact for modest cost. You can check out some basalt columns here.

Custom Art

This is my favorite way to add high-end finishes to the exterior of a home. This is especially good because you can have a talented sculptor or glass-blower create something custom just for your home. I like metalwork for homes and have turned to local artist Vlad Sumchenko of Art of Rain to create some really stunning pieces.  Some of my favorite pieces are his downspouts, which are made from copper and can be architectural or can flow the water into water wheels, fish mouths, or kettles. We’ve used these on projects with the Parade of Homes and installed them on others and the owners love them.

If you live in the Portland or Vancouver, WA areas and are looking for some special touches for your home, call Fazzolari Custom Homes & Renovations at (360) 571-7027 or fill out our form for a free consultation.

1. 

   Under-counter appliances clean up the clutter in modern kitchens and are also part of universal design, providing access to everyone.

   The Big Three are Still Big: Granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and hardwood floors have always been favorites for a trendy kitchen. We’re seeing a little more quartz and even soapstone for countertops, but the classic looks are still in right now.

2. Two-Tone Cabinets: Mixing materials such as wood and glass or mixing wood styles and stains can achieve this effect and we’re getting customers asking for it more and more. You can also think about having the cabinets and island be different types of materials.
3. Maximum Dining & Prep Space: Island/peninsula combinations, dual islands and tiered islands leave plenty of room in the kitchen for meal preparation, storage and dining, and are still very popular. Tables and pullout cutting boards are also great space savers.
4. Functional Storage Space: Kitchen storage is an important issue. Pullouts make it easy to organize your pots, pans, dishes and bake ware. A pullout pantry is a great way to organize your dry and canned goods. You can keep all of your utensils in place by organizing them neatly in kitchen drawers.
5. Convenient and “Niche” Appliances: There’s an appliance for almost any task these days: small refrigerators, drawer dishwashers, wine coolers, beverage coolers, trash compactors, and warming drawers accompany the traditional over and microwave combos. Even better is many of these are made to fit under the counter and are a great way to add functionality to your kitchen without creating clutter. Also, we like to add “appliance garages” to the kitchen to hide the toaster and coffee pot. Consider a universal design when you choose your kitchen appliances and install them where they can be accessed easily by everyone.
6. Going Green: One of the easiest ways to help the environment is by using Energy Star appliances. More people this year will choose a “green kitchen” featuring sustainable products, such as concrete counters, bamboo floors, recycled wood and recycled glass. Some of these products are still a little higher in price, which might keep them out of the mainstream.
7. A Splash With a Backsplash: The purpose of a backsplash is to protect your kitchen walls from water, oil and other elements. However, it may also be used to give your kitchen a more elegant, decorative look. The higher they are the better (within reason, of course). Glass tiles, especially the ones that come from recycled glass, are becoming more and more popular in the kitchen this year for easy-to-clean backsplashes behind stove and sink areas. In addition, backsplashes are also commonly made from solid surface materials, metal, laminate and porcelain tiles. No matter if your kitchen design is traditional, country, modern, eclectic, cottage or Tuscan, you should be able to create a backsplash that perfectly accentuates you own personal style.
8. Crown Molding: When you add crown molding to your kitchen, it will give it a more finished look to your cabinetry. In addition, it will also add a little more architectural appeal to your space. There are a number of types of crown molding from which you can choose for your kitchen remodeling project, including Dentil, Ogee and Rosevine. The type of crown molding that you choose should depend on the style of your home and the way the crown molding conforms to your specific kitchen.
9. Combining the Kitchen and Dining Rooms: OK, I’m going out on a limb with this one, but I’m finding that for many people in these days of downsizing that one of the least frequently used areas in most homes is the formal dining room. Take a look at your floor plan. If possible, you may want to consider tearing down a wall separating your kitchen from the dining room. This will open up your kitchen space and make you home more functional. An extended space will make it possible to add additional storage space or even add an office area.
10. Lighting Under the Cabinets: Compact florescent and LED lights are incredibly energy efficient and easy to install under the cabinets in your kitchen to brighten the room and illuminate workspace.

Remodeling your kitchen in 2011 is a great way to add function and appeal, while increasing the overall value of your home. You may choose to build new kitchen cabinets and countertops or reface the old ones. Plan carefully for a kitchen design that will not only look great, but will also maximize space and efficiency.

And as always, if you’re planning a kitchen change and live in the Portland, OR, or Vancouver, WA area then call Fazzolari Custom Homes & Renovation at 360-571-7027 or fill out our form for a free consultation.

Now that we’ve turned our clocks back in Vancouver, WA and Portland, OR, it is getting dark earlier and earlier. Throughout the Pacific Northwest, we’re missing the sun, so you can be sure that paying attention to your lighting this holiday will keep your Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations festive and bright. Remember, the right lighting can do wonders for your home, making rooms look bigger and the décor seem fresh and inviting.

Interior Lighting

Before the relatives arrive, be sure to check the lighting in your home. Move systematically through the house inspecting the lighting in each room. Change out any light bulbs that are burned out with new, energy efficient ones. Clean off lamp shades, ceiling fans, and chandeliers to ensure maximum brightness.

As you work through each room, note places that seem dark or incorrectly lit. Then you can decide how to remedy the issue. You can relocate your current light fixtures or purchase new lamps to fill the spaces. Table top lamps work great for task lighting and augmenting ceiling can lights. Floor lamps add brightness to larger areas where there is no access to a table. Replace bulbs in nightlights or consider purchasing new nightlights to make your home more comfortable for overnight guests. A nightlight in the bathroom can help eliminate slips and trips, and one in the guest room is ideal for visitors with small children.

Dramatic Lighting

Now that you’ve covered the basics, you can consider more dramatic lighting to give your home a festive look and achieve that mini-renovation you’re after. Adding LED lights to a room is an energy efficient way to add some sparkle. For example, you can tuck LED rope lights above your kitchen cabinets as an invisible accent. (You may also want to check out a story we did recently on LEDs: Converting Your Home to LED Lighting: Is It Really Worth It?)

LED "candles," many of which flicker, are popular choices for dramatic lighting because they last a long time and are family- and pet-friendly.

Add votive candles to table top displays and bookshelves for even more decorative lighting. I like the new battery operated votives that turn on and off with the flip of a switch. With those, you get all the glitter of a real votive without any of the fire hazzard.

Also, a strategically place uplight can show off a simple houseplant or illuminate a dark corner with style.

Exterior Lighting

When you are reviewing your lighting situation for the holidays, don’t forget about the lights outside of your home. Most of us augment the lighting and decoration outside our homes for the holidays in December, but tend to neglect exterior lighting at Thanksgiving.

For starters, check that all the bulbs in your outside fixtures are working and are bright enough. Walk outside your front door at night to discover spots where you may encounter unsure footing. Add some lighting along the path that guests will take when returning to their cars at night. Simple solar garden lights can augment your exterior lighting and are easy to install. You could even create hand-crafted luminaries to line your walkway on Thanksgiving.

Gratitude

Take a little time this holiday season to give your home a mini-renovation. Both you and your guests will be thankful for it.

Choose the right room

Creating an accent wall with paint can be a quick way to add life to a room. This wall in an entry adds depth and drama.

If you are hosting Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner this year and want to inject some new life into your home before the guests arrive, consider carefully which room you want to paint. You may not want to spend your time repainting the guest room if your guests are not traveling and staying over. If you plan to host a traditional seated dinner using the best dishes, the dining room might be the right choice. If your family and friends are more casual, congregating in the kitchen or around the TV watching football, repainting your den or kitchen might make more sense.

Consider carefully how you use your spaces throughout the year and at holiday time. If you have narrowed your choices down to a select few, consider the condition of the walls and the intricacy of painting. When choosing between two rooms ask these questions:

• How big are the rooms?
• Are there lots of cabinets and countertops to paint around?
• What is the molding like?
• How easy will it be to move the furniture?

You may decide not to paint an entire room at all, but choose to paint one wall of a room as an accent. This is a great way to inject a little new life into a room without revamping your entire color scheme.

Choose the right color

Once you’ve decided on the room to paint, you’ll need to choose the right color. Perhaps you like the color you originally selected for the room, but just want to clean up the walls with a fresh coat of paint. This is a great solution for a fast fix. Some of my clients have even done this when their children colored on the walls with crayon. They were having a difficult time removing the drawings, so ultimately decided to paint over them. Problem solved.

Color matching can be difficult if you haven’t planned accordingly. I recommend that everyone keep samples of the paint colors in their house. If you don’t want to store old paint cans, simply paint a square of the color on a clean sheet of paper and label it with the color name, paint brand, and number. That way you’ll always have an easy time of matching your colors. Otherwise, if you take a sample chip to the paint store, they can come very close in matching your colors.

If you are in the market for a new color, consider something that blends with your current decorating scheme. Remember, you want to freshen your look in a day, not redecorate your entire house. Miller Paint has great northwest colors to choose from and locations throughout Oregon and Washington. They even sell designer paint like Devine Color. It is a great place to start.

Prep and Paint

When you get ready to paint, remember that preparation is key. You will want to wash all the walls that you are planning to paint, repair and sand any imperfections, and carefully tape off the surrounding areas – molding, ceiling, windows, etc. – with blue painter’s tape. Use drop cloths to protect your floors and furniture, because nothing is worse than starting a quick home project and ending up with accidents and a mess. Send the kids out to play, put the cat out, and clear the deck when you’re ready to paint.

When you begin painting, pay careful attention to the cutting in and roll the walls with smooth, crossing strokes like a “W” until the entire wall is covered. Use a primer first or choose a one-coat paint designed to cover color if you are changing your color scheme.

When you are finished, close the paint cans tightly, clean your brushes thoroughly, and remove the tape carefully. After the paint dries, replace your furniture and enjoy your home’s new look, just in time for the holidays.

*Interested in more painting tips? We’re planning to share more detailed information on painting like a pro in the months to come. What would you like to know? Let us know in the comments below.

During the coming days, we’ll share a few ideas you can use to spruce up your home quickly to prepare for the onslaught of visitors. Of course, these tips are DIY friendly and economical. You’ll have plenty of time to complete your mini-renovation and will save enough money for grocery shopping. And maybe you’ll be inspired to plan your major renovations for after the holidays.

Kitchens and Baths

When there is no time to renovate your kitchen or bathroom before visitors arrive, concentrate on cleaning the big surfaces. Countertops, floors, and cabinets occupy major space in your kitchen and bath, and polishing them to nearly new appearance can make you feel like you’ve done a custom renovation in a matter of hours.

Grout

Grout is a great place to start to get your tile surfaces looking good as new.

For tile countertops and floors, grimy grout can make a once-stunning surface look old and worn, despite the condition of the tile. Here in Vancouver, WA, we’re already into the season where we are tracking in a lot of mud and gunk from the rainy season, all of which accumulates in the grout lines in the floor. Whether you’ve got mold and mildew, kitchen food stains, or high-traffic grime, you can work your own renovation magic by cleaning the grout on your ceramic tile counter or floor.

For a natural green approach, mix equal parts vinegar and water to use as a cleaning agent. Or make a paste with baking soda and water. For more stubborn stains, you may need to try generic household cleaners or a commercial tile and grout cleanser.

No matter what cleaning agent you use, be sure to follow the instructions to the letter. Rinse first with water to remove any debris. Then use a stiff brush to scrub away the dirt and stains – a toothbrush may not be strong enough for stubborn stains. Avoid metal bristle brushes because they will eat away at the grout.

Once clean and dry, seal the grout to keep that clean look. A couple of coats should to it, and be sure to purchase the correct sealant for the type of grout you have. Enjoy the look of your freshly cleaned counter or floor.

Cabinets

Kitchen cabinets get coated with grease and grime from cooking meals throughout the year. Bathroom cabinets are subjected to dirt and soap scum from hours of use. Spruce up those cabinets for your pre-Thanksgiving mini-renovation by cleaning and polishing them to look like new.

Begin by using a microfiber towel to dust the exterior surface of the cabinets. This removes any dust and loose debris on the outside of the cabinets and exposes any greasy spots. Then clean the outside of the cabinets using a rag or microfiber towel and a solution of vinegar and warm water. Dip the rag into the solution and then rub the cabinets thoroughly to clean them. Make sure to get into all the crevices and areas where dirty fingers repeatedly touch the cabinet doors. Don’t let water stand on your wood surfaces. Dry the cabinets promptly with a clean cloth to prevent any damage to the wood.

Once the cabinets are clean and dry, polish them to a high shine with the polish of your choice. Some people polish with a tiny bit of olive oil on a paper towel, working it in a circular motion into the wood. There are other oils for sale that are specifically designed to polish wood. You can also use a light coat of wax or a commercial polish like Old English or Murphy’s.

Your Mini-Renovation

Next week, we’ll discuss some other ways to give your home a mini-renovation when you’re short on time. In the meantime, what areas of your home do you focus on when you are planning to host the holidays?