Hi friends, I hope you’re doing well. I am so thrilled that we’ve already completed a major project for this year and we were only two weeks into the new year! That is unheard of in our house! The project was to turn a patch of grassy area on the front/side of our house into a well-needed extra driveway. While this wasn’t a DIY project, my husband/the contractor directed his employee on how to do this project. I can’t believe it’s complete! Here’s a step-by-step on how to install pavers and turf driveway to give pizzazz to your curb appeal.

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Our house sits on a corner lot, so two sides of our house have street frontage. Both sides have to have a nice street appeal.

Why do we need an extra driveway?

Let me tell you the reason for our driveway addition first. We live in a coastal area where from May to September 30th we cannot park cars on the street. They have to be parked in driveways. We have a driveway on one side, but we need more parking space for family and friends when they come to visit.

Before

We are limited with the space around our house because it’s not a big property. So we have to be creative to find more parking space and also have a nice curb appeal.

You can see our other outdoor projects like our DIY outdoor dining table, DIY pergola and our viral concrete planter that we did to our limited outdoor space to make it look beautiful and functional.

While I love greenery around my house, extra parking is a necessity. It’s not much space, but it is the only space we have…

Preparing to install pavers and turf for the driveway

There are so many different design styles for driveways to choose from. But I have always loved the look of pavers and turf laid out in diamond pattern. I love the timeless and elegant look of this pattern.

We could’ve used real grass, but we didn’t want to deal with the maintenance. Artificial turf requires minimal maintenance and stays green year-round, providing a lush and vibrant look so it was a no brainer.

It’s always a good idea to plan your project before you jump into the exciting world of driveway transformation. Consider the dimensions of your driveway, choose the right materials, and sketch out a basic design. This planning phase sets the foundation for a successful makeover.

You can also install artificial turf in between cement blocks as well, It may be more cost effective. Our driveway on the other side of the house has bluestone pavers so in order to keep the flow we used the same stone.

Gather the materials you’ll need for the project in advance. When it comes to artificial turf, look for high-quality turf that can withstand vehicals driving on it.

In our case, its not much driving but more parking. We also used a low pile turf so as not for the blades to get caught in the tire treads.

Equip yourself with the necessary tools, including a shovel, a level, a rubber mallet, and a plate compactor. These tools will makes the installation process smoother.

Material for 10′ X 30′ area – 300sq. ft.

Circular saw

Angle Grinder

Shovel

Level

Rubber mallet

Nails

Cement truck to pour approximately 2″ of cement across the driveway

Crushed gravel

Pavers-18×18’ Bluestone pavers

Artificial turf

Cement for pavers to adhere to

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to install pavers and turf driveway.

Preparing the ground is the key to a long-lasting driveway makeover. First we removed all the grass and dug down approximately 5 inches deep. Making sure to create a slight incline for water to drain away from the house.

Being that this area has to handle the weight of cars, it needed a solid concrete base. We had the ready mix cement truck pour concrete with 3500 psi.

Once the concrete was set and dried, the fun began. After figuring out the proper spacing around the perimeter and space between the pavers, they laid out the pavers with cement underneath in the diamond pattern. Using a level to ensure a flat surface, and tap each paver into place with a rubber mallet.

Once all the pavers have been laid, fill in the space in between with crushed stone just below the top of the stone making way for the turf. Roll out the artificial turf over the prepared area, cut strips of the turf to the size of the space. Secure the turf in place by using nails. When hammering the nails in, move the grass blade and sink in the nail below the blades to prevent divets in the grass where the nails are.

Rinse off all the excess cement off the pavers and area before they get too settled in.

Finishing touches step back and admire the transformed driveway!

I am totally in love with the way our driveway turned out. Hope you enjoy this post and come back for more!

The post How to Install Pavers and Turf Driveway appeared first on Houzewize.

How to transform your old dresser into a modern masterpiece-New life for an old dresser – Creative makeover idea that you will love.

Wait… Don’t toss that old dresser in the garbage just yet! If the bones are good that’s all that matters. Even if the dresser needs a few manageable repairs, it can be worth it. Let me show you how I transformed our old dresser into a modern masterpiece with a little creativity and elbow grease.

Remember the dresser I was transforming for the One Room Challenge? The plan was to update the old dresser till we ordered a new one for my daughter’s bedroom makeover.

But, once the old dresser was completed, my daughter fell in love with the new/old dresser.

So we held off from getting a new one for now. I definitely don’t mind saving a few bucks.

You can also see some of the fantastic room transformations from truly talented participants at the One Room Challenge.

I had a few DIY projects for this room makeover, but this dresser transformation is my favorite.

So let me show you how I updated this dresser.

Here are the steps to transforming this old dresser

Clean the dresser: Started by thoroughly cleaning the dresser to remove any dust, dirt, or grime. Use a gentle cleaner or a mixture of mild soap and water. Dawn dishwashing soap works great for this step.

Remove hardware and drawers: Remove any knobs, handles, or other hardware from the dresser. If the drawers are removable, it’s usually easier to work on them separately. This dresser had flower appliques on the sides of the dresser which didn’t go with the look I wanted. They were pretty for the original look of the dresser but not for the contemporary look I was going for. So I used a 2″ joint knife to pry off the appliques gently, It worked like a charm.

Repair any damage: Check the dresser for any damages like cracks, chips, or loose joints. Use wood glue to fix loose parts and fill in any cracks or gaps with wood filler.

Sand dresser: Sanded the entire dresser making sure to even out areas where I used wood filler. I used a 220-grit sand block to lightly scuff the surface for good paint adhesion and a smooth finish.

Wipe off dust: After sanding, I wiped off all the dust from the dresser with a clean cloth or tack cloth. This step will make sure the surface is nice and clean and ensure no gritty particle mix with the paint.

Apply primer: This dresser had painted floral motifs around it, I applied primer to the dresser and sanded it with 220-grit sandpaper.

Adding decorative elements:

I have been wanting to use pole wrap for one of my projects for so long and this was the perfect piece of furniture to add it to.

If you have never heard of pole wrap It is a pre-sanded thin oak-fluted wood panel with felt backing used to cover unsightly metal columns in basements.

Incorporating pole wrap gave such beautiful textural elements and visual interest to this dresser. The pole wrap took this dresser from a traditional to a contemporary piece of furniture instantaneously.

First, I measured the drawer front and cut the pole wrap to size using a compound miter saw. You can fold the pole wrap in half to make it easier to cut. You can also use a table saw if you have one.

When cutting the wood I would suggest using painter’s tape along the edge where you will be cutting to prevent any chipping.

Then I spread titebond glue onto the face of the drawer front and placed the cut pole wrap to fit the drawer front.

Paint base color:

Once the pole wrap was added to the drawer fronts, I painted the entire dresser and the mirror. Use a roller to apply an even coat of paint on the dresser and used a brush for the pole wrap drawer front to ensure that the paint gets in between the grooves. Allow the first coat to dry completely and apply more coats if necessary for better coverage.

Seal the finish: To protect the new finish and enhance durability, apply a clear topcoat. This step is particularly important for painted furniture.

Adding hardware: I opted for simple, sleek gold drawer pulls to create a contemporary tone. This type of hardware can enhance the dresser’s aesthetic without overpowering it.

Although this dresser and mirror have lots of decorative details, the casual tone of this paint color helped to simplify and calm it for a sense of comfort and ease.

Can you believe this is the same dresser?

It is so worth looking at an older piece of furniture you’re about to discard in a new light.

Why not give it a new life? Transform that old dresser into a modern masterpiece

The post How to transform your old dresser into a modern masterpiece appeared first on Houzewize.

Hi there, I hope everyone is having a great week! With all this snow we have been having, I’ve been busying myself with lots of projects around the house. One of the project is transforming an ordinary glass lantern and vase into weathered, aged vases. This is a simple tutorial on how to diy black burnished vase from boring to striking so easily.

Black burnished ware pottery dates back centuries from England. Burnishing is a treatment in which the handmade vessel that are polished. There are two different types of styles. One is coarse and gritty and the other is finer in appearance with more texture. I tried both textural effect on my glass vase and lantern. I love the way they turned out.

Two textural effects

Both effects have a beautiful burnished patina that transforms a vessel into a dramatic accent for the home.

There are so many diyers posting tutorials on transforming glass and ceramic objects on Pinterest and instagram that caught my eye and I just had to try my hand at it.

I figured I can recreate these burnished vases on a dime using simple paint techniques and with easy to find supplies.

If you want to learn how to make real burnished pottery, you can visit Ceramic Arts Network, there are step by step guide on how to create these beautiful wares.

This DIY black burnished vase project is so easy that after I finished I went scouring through my house to see what else I can get my hands on. No accessories in my house was safe from my grips:)

This project is a perfect way to introduce color, texture to accessories that otherwise may be dull and boring.

Today, I want to show you the method of using baking soda and paint to get an aged burnished appearance on a vessel. To get the two different types of looks it was merely using the different brush strokes and the thickness of the paint.

You only need a few simple supplies for these diy black burnished vases…

How to create the burnished look

• Find a glass vase, lamp, glass bottle, ceramic bowl or any glass or ceramic object you want to alter. If you can’t get your hands on one at home, you can easily find any of these at a Dollar tree store, thrift stores, garage sales, etc.
• Make sure the surface is cleaned with alcohol to remove dirt and oils.
• Mix the black paint with tablespoon of baking soda. You can add more or less depending on how thick you want the texture to be.
• Mix black and white paint to make a medium tone gray paint
• I created more texture on the lantern with thicker black paint. Once completely dried, dip the brush in the gray paint and remove the excess paint by blotting it on a paper towel. Then lightly stipple the lantern with the gray paint. Quickly, while still wet use a paper towel to wipe off and move the gray paint to create the look you want.
• For the vase, I used less baking soda in the black paint to create a thinner texture. Using the dry brush technique, I used horizontal brushstrokes around the vase.

This burnished patina transformed these vessel into a dramatic accent. These vases are perfect to use to showcase your beautiful blooms, leaves or have them stand alone on a shelf.

Next up, DIY found pottery

I also love these diy found pottery trend using mud to make glass vases and objects to look like they have been aged through time. My next project is to try my hand at making these pottery with a few different ingredients and compare the looks. My favorite shops like Pottery Barn , Restoration Hardware and West Elm and others have these gorgeous stoneware but with bit of a hefty price tag attached to them. So I have to try to recreate them, hope you stay tuned in.

Till then, hope you check out some of my other projects

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Pin it for later!

The post How to DIY Black burnished vase to create aged pottery appeared first on Houzewize.