How to Paint Hardwood Floors-No Sanding Required!
I painted our hardwood floors white! For quite some time now, I have not loved our kitchen hardwood floors. They were worn and dull in some areas and I’ve never really been a fan of their orange-ish/honey color. So, in Nicole fashion, I thought Why Not! What do...
Easy How to Build an Easel Chalkboard
An Easel Chalkboard is a great decor and fun-for-the-family item all in one. My kids (especially when they were younger) loved to write messages and draw pictures on ours especially around Christmas time. These fun chalkboards aren’t only great for your decor...
How to Make Your Own Sliding Barn Door
One of my all-time favorite builds is a sliding barn door. They make such a statement in any room and are a great way to fill a space. The barn door becomes the decor. With so many styles to choose from, here’s a look at a few of them I have built for my own...
How to Build a Large Word Sign
Do you love the look of a large word sign? Is the cost a little more than you want to fork out? Why not make your own? The inspiration for this project was a metal vintage sign at a local antique store, that I fell in love with. The cost was a little more than I...
Quick and Easy Coffee Table Makeover
Coffee Table Makeover…Friends, my poor husband has had to park his car out in the driveway for the last few weeks now. Between my evergrowing collection of tools, irresistible project pieces that I just can’t say no to, and furniture that I am building, I...
Creativity Comes to Life with Chalkboard Closet Doors
Continuing my series on Lauryn’s room makeover…I wanted to pop in here and share with you guys one of my favorite new elements to Lauryn’s room. Chalkboard closet doors!! This new feature to her room has been such a fun addition. I love to see her...
How to Restore Old Musty, Cigarette-Smelling Furniture
So, you found that perfect furniture piece to restore. Your thinking, “Everyone else is doing this. How hard can it be to restore furniture? After all, I’ve binge watched HGTV and they make it look so easy. I’ve got this.” Only to get the piece...
How to Restore the Look of an Old Dresser
Over the summer my daughter, Lauryn, asked me to do a makeover of her bedroom. Normally, I keep my summers free of more involved projects. However, my kids know my love and passion for building projects and creating new spaces, so she had me at makeover. 🙂...
How to Build a Chalkboard Display Wall Your Kids Will Love
Kids love to create and imagine. So, why not build a chalkboard display wall your kids will love? Encourage those creative juices in your little one by designing a framed chalkboard and art display wall. Such an easy, inexpensive DIY project. My adorable nephew,...
Featuring Saving Grace Vintage & The Winner Is…
Where is your happy place? You know, that place you go that evokes a sense of nostalgia or just an overall warm, fuzzy feeling. A place that brightens your mood and helps you forget about the stresses of life. Maybe it’s a favorite coffee shop, Starbucks anyone?...
The Beginner’s Guide to Applying Polyurethane
Poly, Poly, Poly, you are not my friend. (Polyurethane, that is). Isn’t it so discouraging when you’re moving along so smoothly on a project and then you hit a brick wall and have to redo everything you just did? If you’re anything like me,...
Let’s Talk About Paint–Is There Really a Difference in Quality?
So, you’re at the big box store, ready to buy paint for the big project you’re working on this weekend. In your mind, there’s a battle…do I need to buy the more expensive paint or can I get the same results with the cheap paint? Is there really...
How to Bring Life Back to an Old Furniture Piece–Updating a Sofa Table
How do you bring life back to an old furniture piece that has sentimental value but is very much out-dated? Of course, you don’t want to throw it away but it has become an eye sore amongst your up-to-date furniture. I had a client recently who had this very...
Add Character to a Room–Wall Treatment Two
So, you have a boring room that needs some livening up. What is a simple, unique way to add character to a room? This was the dilemma with Chad’s office space. Lots of white walls, a dated receptionist area, honey-colored trim throughout. It needed some...
Wall Treatment–Playing With (and spilling) Paint
How do you add pizazz to a boring room with all white walls and no creativity? A wall treatment is a super-easy way to add character to any room. Last week I completed a shiplap wall in the continued saga of my brother’s office remodel. But wall treatments are...
Wall Treatments: Modern-Industrial
Hey guys! Just wanted to pop in here real quick and give you an update on what I’m currently working on. My brother just moved into a new office space and it is in need of some updating. Natalie and I have some awesome wall treatments planned for this...
How-To Guide to Mixing Paint Colors at Home
Does anyone else get mesmerized by all the paint chips at say, Home Depot or Lowe’s? I can get lost in that section; ideas swirling around in my head of all the changes I want to make in that instant. But sometimes, even with all those gazillion different paint...
Farmhouse Bathroom Remodel
Hello Friend! So good to be back with you. It was nice to take the month of December off from blogging with all the hustle and bustle that comes with the holidays. But, I am ready to get back in the swing of things and what I love–projects and writing. I...
How to Make an Accent Chalkboard Wall
Hello Friends!! It has been a week of projects here at our homefront. I took on a project I have never done before and never imagined doing…I removed a toilet. :/ It was actually very simple. I must say I was very intimidated by it at first. But YouTube to...
How To Build a Barnwood Christmas Sign
Super-easy project coming your way today. A Barnwood Christmas Sign. Wanted to share this one with plenty of time to complete it before the holiday decorating is pushing in on us. On a side note: I saw a house in our neighborhood with their Christmas lights up AND...
Antique Painting Technique Using Annie Sloan Black Wax
Lately, I’ve had a few requests to do some custom projects. My latest project was from a lady (who is now a friend 🙂 ) who purchased a couple items, I had refinished and posted on a local vintage site. This new friend, asked me to paint some chairs...Craftsman Trim and Foyer Updates
Remember my aggressive plan of updating all of my trim to craftsman trim? My big idea was to complete one area of the main level per month. So back in January, (yes, almost a year ago) I got started. I was off to a great start and finished the...
How to Make a Coffee Table Using Pallets
We had a fabulous time last week down in Florida. Starting the week off with my cousin’s beautiful wedding (by far the most gorgeous I’ve ever been to) in Pensacola and spending the rest of the week (which went by way too fast!) in Destin. We had sunshine...The Nursery!! So Fun!
What a fun project!! A little over a week ago, I had the honor of creating my brother and his wife’s nursery. Baby Lucas is due to make his appearance at the end of April. And we. can’t. wait!!! I love, love, love the theme they chose…Monsters! Not...The Wall
Hello!! Hope you had a great weekend! And got to spend it with someone you love for Valentine’s Day. 🙂 I want to share with you “the wall” today. 🙂 In January, I put up new trim in the foyer. You can see that post here. For a while...Project of the year
One area down, ten to go….on the main floor. As I mentioned before, I have been wanting to change out our trim to craftsman trim for quite awhile now. Last year I actually ripped the trim off one of the doors, only to then go into a panic attack realizing how...
Command Center Board-A Great Organizational Tool
A girl needs a place to store all of her stuff….Right? To display her BFF’s pictures and all the fun memorabilia. A command center is just the place for that! For a long time, I had this old window I found and was unsure of what to do with it. But I knew...
Finally…The boys’ room
I’m back!!! I kinda disappeared for a couple weeks. Had a great time with family, friends, food…too much food. Time to reset and get back to real life..schedules, kids’ school, eating right (most of the time:) ), and projects. It was relaxing...
Sliding Barn Door
My goal was to have the boy’s room completed before Auston came home…but that’s not happening. I like to think I’ve made progress by the simple fact, they’re sleeping in their own beds now. That was a big...Board and Batten
Hello friends!! I’m a little late getting this post off. Unfortunately, we had a family health issue come up. My dad went in for a stress test on Monday and they immediately sent him to be prepped for a heart cath. He ended up needing to have 2 stints put in. It...Craftsman trim
The boys are sleeping in their own room tonight!!! This has been a long time coming! I started on re-doing their room back at the START of the school year and here we are in November and I’m still not done. 🙁 This has been quite the project. But we are...
How to Shiplap a Ceiling
I have been working on my current project for what seems like an eternity. I started redoing the two younger boys’ room at the end of August and I am just now seeing the light at the end of the long tunnel. I searched and searched my files and could not find a...
Hi! I'm Nicole
Fearless DIY. Sharing building project tutorials and interior design tips. Let’s build something beautiful together. For more projects, design tips and behind the scenes, follow me @designtobuild.nicole
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