Table of contents for Fall 2014 in Do It Yourself

1 Dresser, 4 Ways See how four of our favorite bloggers put their own creative spins on the same plain-Jane IKEA dresser. BHG.com/DresserHacks Wow-Worthy Walls Combine DIY art, objects, and other accents to create statement-making decor in your home. BHG.com/DIYWallArt Laundry Love Refresh your hardworking laundry room with free printable artwork, stain removal tags, and labels. BHG.com/DIYLaundry Quick Crafts If you have a few minutes, you can update the look of your home. Turn to these super-simple ideas for project inspiration. BHG.com/EasyCrafts…

Under cover A DIY fabric skirt attached with hook-and-loop tape conceals shelving on this unfinished table we painted white ($116–$160; readytocover.com). The Casa Natural Wooden House ($50; cb2.com) opens to reveal storage areas inside. And slide the nifty top on the sleek Matrix Keira Coffee Table ($306; wayfair.com) to unveil a compartment to stash your favorite reading material. Lidded baskets are my favorite organizing solution. They flaunt pretty texture, shape, and color, but these decorative accessories double as storage dynamos. The lids allow the baskets to be stacked on the floor, a shelf, or anywhere, but best of all, they conceal the contents. Out of sight, out of mind. Finding ways to stow your stuff where you don’t constantly see it helps you control clutter and stress less. Whether you…

DEAR HANDY GIRL, My toilet has been running nonstop, and I have a giant water bill to prove it. Do I have to get a plumber involved to fix it? DEAR READER, You’re smart to address this issue quickly. The American Water Works Association says a running toilet can leak 1 gallon of water per minute—up to 1,440 gallons per day! Most toilet leaks are caused by an old rubber flapper—the gatekeeper inside the tank that allows a certain amount of water into the bowl when you flush. It’s an easy DIY fix. Start by shutting off the water valve to the toilet and removing the tank lid. Flush, holding the lever down until all the water drains from the tank. Soak up the last of it with a towel.…

Natural dyeing is an adventure in alchemy that takes you from gathering garden plants to crafting finished projects. Botanical dyes work on natural materials—paper, wood, and fibers galore, including cotton, linen, wool, silk, and hemp fabrics, yarns, and trims. We’ve simplified a few dyeing methods—cold dye baths, hot dye baths, and hammering. Before you begin, read “Dyeing 1, 2, 3” on page 55 for helpful tips. METHOD: COOL DYE PROJECT: MULTICOLOR WOOD BEADS What you’ll need: Wood beads Alum 1-or 2-quart pan Enamelware or glass bowls Turmeric powder Blackberries Pink flowers and leaves Fine-mesh strainer PREP We soaked the beads overnight in a solution of 1 teaspoon alum dissolved in 2 cups water; let them dry before dyeing. For yellow dye, we dissolved 3 tablespoons turmeric powder in 1 cup…

Two in one Take bedside storage options up a few notches with a built-in combination headboard and nightstand, left. Download the plans at BHG.com/BuildHeadboard. Measure and mark the headboard, shelves, and nightstand boxes on medium-density fiberboard (MDF). Cut using a table saw (or have pieces cut at a home improvement store). Sand all pieces and wipe clean with a cloth. Prime and paint all wood with a durable latex paint; let dry. Assemble headboard pieces according to the plan, and hang using French-cleat-style brackets. Learn the ropes Industrial metal piping and rustic rope pair in this wonderfully woven headboard, opposite. It’s natural yet modern, intricate yet totally doable. And when combined with bed linens in subtle tones and justbright-enough accents—channeling the vibe of a relaxed beach house—it’s a refreshing look.…

What they did... OPPOSITE: Rie Sterling educates four of her children at home, and she wanted a map on the office wall for reference. She loves the vintage colors of this 4*2/2-foot design from Rand McNally, and the additional chalkboard welcomes teachable moments. BELOW and RIGHT: David Sterling incorporated the map into an educational triptych. Spray adhesive secured the map to a sheet of inexpensive hardboard; chalkboard paint covers the right-hand side of the board and burlap the left. David made a simple frame using cheap 1*2 pine and attached the board to the frame from the back using wood screws. Rie mixed her own stain to age the frame’s new wood by steeping steel wool in apple cider vinegar for a day or two. The color gets deeper with…

1. Pattern play More than 170 hand-folded origami pyramids made from woodprint paper adorn this lantern. $90; applyart.etsy.com 2. All hung up Paint or decoupage this customizable banner for any occasion. $10 for 15 pennants; sayhelloshop.etsy.com 3. A cut above Order a custom-engraved cutting board for a personalized housewarming gift. Starting at $25; engrainit.etsy.com 4. Paper pal Sort mail and supplies in style with an alder-wood organizer. $30; thebirdonthetree.etsy.com 5. Against the grain Bring new meaning to "family tree" with custom art that’s hand-cut from cardstock and mounted on stained wood veneer. $85; ourhumbleabode.etsy.com 6. Eco-chic greeting Say hello and save the planet when you choose a 1.8-inchthick laser-cut sustainable wood postcard. $10; cardtorial.etsy.com…

Chain of Creativity It doesn’t take long browsing Etsy, Pinterest, or your local newsstand to find a macramé plant hanger, a cross-stitch tea towel, or a funky piece of string art. Even major retail stores (Target, West Elm, Urban Outfitters) have taken these techniques of yesteryear and updated them with fresh, modern style. Skills that have been around for years never go away. Rather, they are reinterpreted by crafters and DIYers again and again, each time with new motifs or colorways, another link in a chain of dynamic craft that connects generations. Mother to daughter. Grandmother to granddaughter. Recently, my beautiful, creative mom and I collaborated on a few pieces for her gallery wall of photos that chronicles our family tree. Walking the hallway, I see photos of one grandmother,…

Strung up Craft pom-poms and string them into garlands. Kit includes plastic pom-pom maker, two balls of wool, and a plastic sewing needle. $15; macaroonkids.etsy.com Best buds Show off your best blooms with a 3-inch flower-arranging frog that screws onto any standard-size canning jar. $6 per frog; reproduction Mason jars start at $13; piperclassics.com 1. Get in shape Available in chevron, scallop, and wave versions, precut Shape Tape adheres easily and removes without sticky residue. PaintBlock adhesive technology ensures crisp lines when creating intricate painted designs. About $15 per roll; frogtape.com 2. Rescue plan Revamp weathered wood decks and concrete patios with this restorative acrylic coating. The waterproof, barefoot-friendly finish fills splits and cracks up to ¼-inch deep. $35 per gallon, $100 per 3 gallons; olympic.com 3. Say cheese The…

1 Ryobi 12V Compact Lithium-Ion Drill (HJP003K) ryobitools.com $69 WEIGHT: 1.5 pounds MAX TORQUE: 110 inch-pound KEY FEATURES: LED work light, 3.8-inch keyless chuck, bit holder COMES WITH: Two lithium-ion batteries, charger, tool bag WHAT WE LOVE: The light weight, ergonomic grip, and budget-friendly price make this a great entry-level drill 2 Black & Decker 20V Max Lithium 3.8" Drill Driver with Autosense (BDCDE120C) blackanddecker.com $80 WEIGHT: 2.6 pounds MAX TORQUE: 149 inch-pound KEY FEATURES: 3.8-inch chuck, battery holds charge for up to 18 months, LED light, bit holder COMES WITH: One lithium-ion battery, charger WHAT WE LOVE: Autosense ensures the drill “knows” to stop driving screws when they’re flush with the work surface. 3 Skil 18V Lithium-Ion Cordless Drill Driver (2898LI-02) skiltools.com $93 WEIGHT: 3 pounds MAX TORQUE: 400…

“Even novice DIYers can create this bench. You’ll save hundreds—maybe more—compared to custom built-ins. CATHY KRAMER PROJECT DESIGNER Special thanks to: Pergo, pergo.com; Simonton Windows, simonton.com; Surya, surya.com; Whittier Wood Furniture, whittierwood.com What we did... ABOVE: A 2-inch frame of poplar boards, similar to a toe-kick, raises the cabinets to the right height. The frame is easy to construct: a basic rectangle with additional perpendicular pieces creating a ladder look. Each stretch of cabinets sits atop a frame; make sure to account for any filler pieces between the banks. See “Construction Tips,” page 65, for more tips. TOP RIGHT: Avoid scraping your legs on hardware by cutting the MDF top at least an inch wider than the cabinets, creating a slight overhang. Install the pulls horizontally across the top of…

What we did... LEFT: Nothing fussy here! To achieve this airy style, we made the space all about casual comfort yet with refined lines. We kept the color palette light—gray-blues, soft pinks, and soothing neutrals. For texture on one accent wall, we installed wood planks over drywall and painted them creamy white. Vintage style can easily take the distressed and shabby route; instead, to keep things fresh and current, we chose modern and industrial furnishings, softened with pillows and other sweet accessories. Elements of nature—branches, botanicals, wood finishes—keep things interesting and down-to-earth. What we did... OPPOSITE: Here’s a fun approach to botanical artwork. Find free botanical images online and print them on old book pages (or purchase printed pages from Etsy). For the mat, cut linen a little larger than…

What we did... LEFT and BELOW: Sharpen the style of a lamp base with the glimmer of pencil ferrules. Use a saw to cut pencils into 2-inch pieces. Hot-glue the pencils in a staggered design to a thin ribbon. Either hot-glue the ribbon around the lamp, or use repositionable adhesive dots to affix the ribbon temporarily to the base. BELOW LEFT: Make hardworking coasters out of cork, pushpins, and plexiglass. Cut cork and plexiglass into 3½-inch squares. You will need two pieces of cork and one piece of plexiglass for each coaster. Glue two pieces of cork together with Diamond Glaze glue. Stick colorful pushpins into the cork. Put a drop of Diamond Glaze glue on each of the corner pushpins and press a piece of plexiglass on top. What…

All the Right Angles ABOVE: Felt comes in a range of thicknesses; thicker felt is more difficult to cut but is generally sturdier and smoother. This stylish catchall gets its structure from midweight 3-millimeterthick felt. Download and print the octagon pattern from BHG.com/DIYFelt. Use packing tape on the underside to attach the pattern to the felt sheet (a). Cut out the felt shape using sharp scissors; notch each corner, stopping at the marked point on the pattern. Pinch the cut corners and sew using a straight stitch and matching thread (b). Over and Under BELOW: Felt doesn’t fray. We took advantage of this property by weaving strips of felt for a clean-lined lattice table runner that’s simpler than it looks. Cut a 9-inch-wide piece of felt to your desired length…

Kitchen catchall OPPOSITE: This countertop kitchen utensil organizer is made from an assemblage of segments cut from 2-, 2½-, and 3½-inch-diameter PVC pipes. LEFT: Using a compound miter saw, we cut the pieces to 4, 6, and 8 inches long and cut one end of each piece at a 45-degree angle. To remove the lettering and degloss the pipe, we wiped the pipe sides with mineral spirits before spraying them with primer. (Skip the primer if you choose a spray paint that will adhere directly to plastic.) After spraying the pipe with metallic paint, we glued the flat ends of the cut pieces to a painted wood base using PVC cement. Cutting edge If you don’t have a miter saw, try a hacksaw with a miter box, which allows you…

What she did... THIS PHOTO: Homeowner Mandi Gubler’s living room showcases her masterful mix of vintage finds and DIY projects. The sofa she bought from a friend is next to a wall she “wallpapered” using a marker. OPPOSITE: Mandi’s creative dexterity is on display in the string art that serves as the focal point of the gallery wall in her living room. Four years ago, Mandi Gubler had never used a jigsaw. Or made a light fixture. And certainly not built furniture from scratch. Jump to 2014: Mandi’s blog, Vintage Revivals (vintagerevivals.com), which chronicles her do-it-yourself projects and flea market adventures, is awarded the Readers’ Choice title in the DIY category in the Better Homes and Gardens® blogger awards. Fans fell for her indefatigable spirit for updating the St. George,…

What they did... OPPOSITE: Homeowner Christie Chase combined a sink base and a wall cabinet to make a custom vanity that fits the tight space at the door to her home’s bath. Birch plywood cut with a jigsaw connects the two cabinet pieces and allows space for the bathroom door to swing open. ABOVE: The wall cabinets are designed to be hung vertically, but Christie painted them blue, hung them horizontally, and added ring pulls so they open from the top. A dated bathroom bedecked in wood paneling and pink floral fabric sent Tyler and Christie Chase into triage mode when they moved into their 1919 Houston bungalow. With a whole house of projects to tackle, the do-it-yourselfers prioritized. They installed a new shower, toilet, and wallboard to make the…

OSB panels A modern take on traditional wainscoting, this treatment contrasts refined details with the rustic appeal of raw materials. To make the 36-inch-tall covering, this photo, we framed same-size panels cut from 1/4-inch-thick OSB (a type of engineered-wood particleboard; find it at lumberyards and home improvement stores) with crisp, painted 1*4 boards. To start, nail a 1*6 board along the base of the wall, then add a vertical 1*4, the same height as the panels, above the base at the corner. Use construction adhesive to add an OSB panel next to the 1*4, and secure it with pin nails. Nail a 1*4 next to the panel. Repeat the process along the length of the wall, finishing the top with long 1*4 trim. Fill nail holes and paint. The recessed…

CONTAIN IT Any shallow bowl can be the foundation for a mini moss garden. Look for a low-profile vessel at a flea market or antiques store. (Avoid metal containers as mosses are sensitive to metals and chemicals.) FIND IT Check local garden centers, floral shops, and online stores for live moss. Ask permission if collecting moss from private property. It’s illegal to remove moss from protected areas, such as state and national parks. Find dried moss online or in crafts stores. What we did... Moss is perfect for creating low-maintenance indoor container gardens. These simple projects bring a dose of green to any space. 1. See how to make this free-form hanging kokedama (an ancient Japanese art that uses moss as a vessel to hold the roots of a plant)…