Tabla de contenidos para Summer 2021 en Do It Yourself

Warmer days remind us to get back to basics. For me, that means building a raised garden bed, power-washing the deck, and repainting our dingy front door. Whatever the essential to-dos on your list this summer, Team DIY is here with tested techniques and surefire tool recommendations for you to be successful. Start by letting go of any power-tool anxiety with our comprehensive Cool Tools roundup (“Absolute Power,” page 16). We can’t guarantee you’ll be building barn doors like Holly and Brad Lauritzen, the couple behind the outrageously popular Instagram @ourfauxfarmhouse, but even this dynamic duo started as beginners. Check out their full story and inspiring home tour (“Nothing to Hide,” page 84). And don’t miss our lineup of eye-popping projects based on the most basic materials. You’ll never…

MINI MUDROOM Customize an underused closet to create a mudroom that meets your needs, opposite and left. Jessica removed the doors from a hall closet near her garage, then added a bench and shelving to get the storage and organization she needed. Use a low TV stand for a bench and add matching bookcases for side cubbies. Be sure to anchor all pieces to the wall. Pull the pieces together visually with plywood planks in the center for a cohesive look. Add hooks (A) for coats and backpacks, and use crates and bins (B) to store shoes and more. DO IT BETTER FOR ALL-WEATHER DURABILITY, REMOVE ANY CARPETING FROM THE CLOSET FLOOR. JESSICA PAINTED THIS STENCILED GEOMETRIC DESIGN (TUMBLING BLOCKS STENCIL, $55; ROYALDESIGNSTUDIO.COM) RIGHT ON THE CONCRETE FLOOR USING PAINT IN THREE SHADES OF GRAY…

HEY, FELLOW DIYERS! I don’t know about you, but I’ve needed lots and lots of zen this year, and I look to my home to supply it. These indoor and outdoor projects and your DIY skills are just the ticket to more “om” from your home. DO YOU OBSESS OVER THE LITTLE THINGS IN ANY RENOVATION PROJECT? I do. We can hang new drywall, paint the walls, and replace trim, but if there’s a scratch on the floor, I’m digging into my toolbox of Handy Girl ideas to fix it. When we replaced some trim this year, all I could focus on was the rusty, dingy vent covers. Luckily, there’s an easy solution: paint! Start by removing the vent covers and giving them the wash of their lives. (I…

IN LIVING COLOR “I had big dreams of having a fireplace. A painted white brick fireplace to be exact,” homeowner/designer Brooke Christen says. That dream came true when she had an electric fireplace insert installed, opposite, built a shallow frame around it, covered the frame in thin brick, and painted the brick. “I was nervous to paint my grandma’s piano, above, but finally just went for it and wished I’d done it sooner,” Brooke says. Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Antoinette is cloudlike against Tempaper’s Feathered Flock wallcovering. Kevin and Brooke, above left, with kids Ella, 11; Lola, 9; and Finn, 3. Brooke writes the blog Nesting With Grace. BROOKE CHRISTEN HAS A PLAN. ALWAYS. WHEN SHE AND HER HUSBAND MOVED THEIR FAMILY from Utah to Connecticut and into…

DO IT BETTER FOR A BIGGER BREAK FROM THE SUN: USE A FREESTANDING PATIO UMBRELLA, FIT A RETRACTABLE AWNING ONTO THE PERGOLA, OR INSTALL A SAIL CANOPY TO THE CORNERS OF THE PERGOLA AND TO A POLE CONNECTED TO THE HANDRAIL. A STEP UP This modest 12×12-foot deck, above, and patio expand the family’s living space. With cascading corner steps that extend an additional 4½ feet and a pergola, the cozy niche boasts plenty of personality. The right tools make a big difference when completing a project like this. For help in getting decking boards straight, perfectly spaced, and connected easily to joists, we loved the EasyGo board straightener and Jig-A-Deck spacer tool. For the step corners, a miter saw proved indispensable. THE HANG OF IT Once cleaned, sanded, and…

GATHER AROUND Upgrade your patio or deck with a comfy pair of DIY chairs and a matching coffee table, this photo. Each piece’s frame is constructed from sturdy 4×4 cedar. Nylon strapping and cushions made from outdoor foam, batting, and fabric add softness to the linear design of the chairs, while a round concrete tabletop complements the table’s blocky base. PULL UP A CHAIR Only simple woodworking and sewing skills are needed to create this comfy furniture. See the how-to, page 96. MAKE IT OUTDOOR LOUNGE CHAIR MATERIALS • 8-foot 4×4 cedar or fir posts (need 3)• 36-inch lengths of 1-inch oak dowel (need 2)• Miter saw or circular saw• Sander and sandpaper• Wood glue• Clamps• Drill• ⅞-inch spade bit• 15/64-inch wood bit• 5×⅝-inch stainless-steel lag screws (need 10)• Ratchet…

Senior Editor BRIAN KRAMER Contributing Editors NATALIE DAYTON, SAMANTHA S. THORPE Associate Art Director JESSICA ENO Assistant Art Director EMILY BUTTERWORTH Contributing Copy Editor NANCY DIETZ Proofreader MARTHA COLOFF LONG Administrative Assistant RENAE MABIE HOME & GARDEN Executive Editor SAMANTHA HART Senior Editors BRIAN KRAMER, SALLY FINDER WEEPIE, KRISSA ROSSBUND, NICOLE DEAN TEUT Design Directors KIMBERLY MORGAN METZ, MICK SCHNEPF Associate Art Director JESSICA ENO Assistant Art Director EMILY BUTTERWORTH Senior Graphic Designer BRITTANY MUELLER Administrative Assistants RENAE MABIE, KATIE MORT, KIM O’BRIEN-WOLETT Photography Coordinator ALYSSA RICHARDSON Better Homes & Gardens Test Garden® Manager SANDRA GERDES FOOD Executive Editor SHELLI MCCONNELL Senior Content Manager JESSICA SAARI CHRISTENSEN Senior Editor LAUREN LASTOWKA Style & Design Director STEPHANIE HUNTER Associate Art Director RAE DANNEMAN Administrative Assistant COURTNEY BUSH Culinary Specialists SARAH…

THE MAKER: MILITZA MAURY Little Green Dot takes a holistic approach to beauty products by using natural ingredients and simple recipes. Q: How did Little Green Dot get started? A: About 10 years ago, I was trying to live more naturally and didn’t have access to natural products. I remember looking at the ingredient list of a product I really wanted to buy for my baby—it was lavender, chamomile, and oats. I thought, I wonder if I could make that? I went into the kitchen and ended up making a bath tea. The first time I used it, it made the bath water so creamy. When I bathed my baby, it made her skin so soft. I was hooked. It opened up my curiosity of what else I could…

PRETTY PAPER Easy to remove and reposition, this laminated vinyl shelf paper, above, is twice as thick as traditional contact paper. Sold in multiple sizes, it’s easy to find the right length and width for your cabinet or shelves. Sage Interlocking Circles Shelf Paper, $21 for 12×36-inch sheet; chicshelfpaper.com WRITE ON At 7 inches deep, these stackable translucent drawers, right, are ideal for small bathroom items like jewelry, hair accessories, and beauty samples. Metal drawer pulls feature an integrated frame that holds the included labels. Like-it Accessory Drawer, $9; containerstore.com ROOM REVERSAL Repurpose kitchen storage supplies for a bathroom cabinet that’s customizable, above. Here, a ceramic egg crate keeps jewelry organized. A wiry metal utensil holder is the ideal heatproof corral for hair styling tools—and can easily be brought…

THAT’S A WRAP Love the instant update that comes from layering a natural fiber rug atop a larger one made of cotton or wool? Try a similar trick at the dining table. Small touches of sisal breathe new life into candlesticks, vases, and more, this photo. HURRICANE SEASON Set the table with scene-stealing centerpieces that pair perfectly with great conversations on a summer night, left. Take any large glass hurricane or candlestick to the next level with sisal rope. Starting from the bottom, hot-glue the end of the rope (ours is ¼ inch thick) to the glass and slowly wrap rope around to your desired stopping point, applying a dot of hot glue about every 6 inches (A). Embellish by tying a separate piece of rope around the exterior, finishing…

WORK FROM HOME The office, this photo and opposite, is where Holly Lauritzen posts videos of what she and husband Brad are dreaming up and digging into, so of course it’s stylish! The gray wall was carefully clad in 4-foot strips of MDF, which Brad painstakingly beveled and laid in a herringbone pattern. This “family crest” is a laser-etched sign from Two Daughters Heirlooms (@2daughtersheirlooms). BRAD AND HOLLY LAURITZEN KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THINKING: Anyone who gazes around their modern, merry farmhouse, with its handsome paneled walls, customized kitchen, and designer details in every room, may assume the Lauritzens have generations of building experience under their (tool) belts or their decorating budget is through the roof. But here’s the truth: “We have always needed to do DIY because we never…

[P] Paint Color Because of the magazine printing process, paint colors depicted on our pages might vary slightly from manufacturers’ colors. Use paint color names or numbers, when provided, as a starting point. To get a color as it appears in the magazine, take the page to a paint retailer for matching. [V] Product Line Varies Product selection frequently changes on retailer websites. Cannot guarantee availability. ON THE COVER Striped fabric for chairs—Sunbrella; sunbrella.com. Lantern—Canoyer Garden Center; canoyergardencenter.com. SEW EASY: TECH CASE PAGES 20–22 Laptop case fabrics Mid Century Droplets (Kaleidoscope) by ceciliamok and Stella Ikat Small by holli_zollinger, tablet case fabrics Stella Ikat by holli_zollinger and Sierra-Floral XS by crystal_walen—Spoonflower; spoonflower.com. Desk—West Elm; 888/922-4119; westelm.com. Glass jar with wood lid—Hobby Lobby; hobbylobby.com. Color pencils, glass container with pencils—Cost…

LIVEN IT UP Bring a cool vibe to your exterior with decor that taps flea market finds and retro scores. BHG.com/OutdoorVintage DIY PATIO Want a stone patio? Follow this six-step how-to and you’ll have a new hangout in a weekend. BHG.com/EasyPatio ELEVATED PLANTINGS Raised beds take gardening to an easier level. Build your own one-stop veggie section. BHG.com/DIYRaisedBed Or pick up a kit made for small spaces. BHG.com/RaisedBedKits…

TURNING TABLES With a raised border on the top, this online bargain coffee table was a perfect candidate for a tile facelift, this photo. Planning is key for a project such as this. When shopping for tile, map application options on graph paper to determine the easiest fit. Cut scrap paper to the size of your selected tile and lay out the design with tile spacers between the patterns. With your visual cue in place, determine any tile cuts and whether finish tiles are needed. Once all your materials are assembled, position the tiles on a protected work surface—using spacers between. Apply a thin layer of tile adhesive to the tabletop. Apply border tiles using the spacers and then the larger center tiles, adjusting spacing as needed. Let dry. Before…