Table of contents for Fall 2019 in Do It Yourself

Organizing can be life-changing. As the editor of our sister publication Secrets of Getting Organized, I’ve seen organizing evolve from niche topic to trendy hobby to fundamental way of life. Why? I believe organizing has grown in popularity over the past decade because it truly makes a difference. Simply put: Your world may be chaotic, but your closet doesn’t have to be. This issue of Do It Yourself takes a hands-on approach to decluttering your rooms and storing your best stuff in the smartest ways possible. While buildable cubbies (page 62) and shelving (page 92) require effort, I promise that the more personalized your storage solutions, the more successful you’ll be at staying organized. So start small by optimizing your pantry containers (“Order in the House,” page 18), then…

THE MAKER: ASHLEY OWENS This stay-at-home mom of two runs weaving business Black Sheep Goods from her hometown of Nashville. Q: What’s the story behind the name? A: I’ve always been called the black sheep of my family and friend group. I’m just the silly, out-there, goofy one. I also feel like I don’t have a set artistic aesthetic. I’m like a Picasso who has different periods—I can’t just stick to one thing. Q: How did you come up with the idea for the Pop Out Loom? A: As I started weaving, I realized that there wasn’t an easy, all-in-one way to learn how to weave. I wanted to design a weaving kit that included everything—the loom, needle, shuttles, pickup stick. With a laser-cut loom, there’s so much negative…

SEASONS COME, SEASONS GO I enjoy the shift in home improvement goals as I move from summer to fall. I hope you do too with these helpful tips and ideas to tidy up outdoors and do more indoors. AN ODE TO THE HUMBLE WIRE CUTTERS. WITH THEE, I CAN… SNIP MY VEGETABLE GARDEN FENCING SO IT FITS PERFECTLY, PROTECTING PLANTS FROM PESTS… CUT A NAIL THAT’S TOO LONG AND LEAVE IT WITH A FLUSH EDGE… TRIM HARDWARE CLOTH WITH EASE (SO I CAN FINALLY FIX THAT HOLE IN THE DRYWALL)… AND SNIP AND STRIP ELECTRICAL WIRES (OF COURSE!). CLOTH TALK THESE ESSENTIAL CLOTHS ARE ALWAYS ON HAND IN MY TOOL AND SUPPLY ROOM. DROP HEAVYWEIGHT CANVAS, GREAT FOR PROTECTING SURFACES AND FURNITURE WHEN PAINTING AND STAINING TACK USED TO…

IN & OUT Over the course of 10 months, Brian and Kathrin Smirke, above, overhauled every inch of their one-bedroom desert cabin. Practical upgrades (the plumbing and roofing are prime examples) were accompanied by many stylish updates. The exterior of the home features a handsome horizontal plank fence, above, hand-painted planters, opposite, and a chevron accent wall, page 50—all fabricated by Brian using wood scraps recovered during the renovation. Even the street number sign features his custom wood detailing. KATHRIN AND BRIAN SMIRKE BELIEVE IN DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH. EMPHASIS ON ROUGH. WHEN THEY PURCHASED THEIR CALIFORNIA DESERT CABIN, IT WAS BEYOND FIXER-UPPER STATUS IN MOST PEOPLE’S EYES. “There were broken windows, broken pipes, and no septic system,” Brian says. “The word disaster comes to mind.” But with the…

1 The full-size bed at one end of Patrick Neely and Kerri Cole’s Airstream is for both sleeping and sitting. Patrick fit IKEA cabinets around the wheel wells to balance the interior’s weight and make the most of awkward spaces. 2 Kerri refreshed the original overhead cabinets with leather pulls. Coordinating leather straps hold the window treatments in place. Airstream Dreams After flipping vintage cars, houses, and shipping containers, Denver husband-and-wife team Patrick Neely and Kerri Cole, above, set their sights on remaking an Airstream. They advertised on Craigslist and connected with someone selling a 1969 Globetrotter for $2,500, promptly nicknaming it Bonnie. Inspired by the makeover, which included taking it down to the studs and updating all plumbing, electrical, AC/heating, and insulation, the couple launched Colorado Caravan, a…

DO IT BETTER STAY SAFE AROUND OPEN FLAMES AND MAKE SURE TO SUPERVISE A FIRE CONSTANTLY. KEEP KIDS, PETS, AND COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS AWAY FROM FLAMES AND FUEL. TABLESIDE DELIGHT Gather with friends in the flickering light of a flaming tabletop centerpiece, opposite, to lift spirits and savor the after-dusk ambiance. The centerpiece consists of a steel mesh basket fitted with liquid-fuel burners and bits of sparkling fire-safe glass. Easily snuffed out, the colored-glass burners produce moderate flames and minimal smoke. Wear heavy-duty gloves when handling the steel mesh (lath) and use metal snips to cut it. To make a 4×18×4-inch oblong basket: Cut the lath (A) (get the template at BHG.com/Fireplace), then fold up the sides and ends. Overlap and fold edges to secure them. Use a hacksaw to…

DO IT BETTER SIMPLE AND ATTRACTIVE, THIS DIY PEGBOARD HOLDS EVERYDAY OFFICE ITEMS, DOUBLES AS WALL ART, AND IS CUSTOMIZABLE. BHG.COM/PEGBOARD PANTRY Turn your good intentions into an efficient pantry. A customizable solution converts any size space into an organizer’s dream. BHG.com/DIYPantry BAR CART Running out of room for your fancy glassware and cocktail mixers? This industrial-style bar cart offers additional storage and serves as a pretty (and portable) party station. BHG.com/BarCart KITCHEN SHELVES Clear your kitchen countertops with easy-to-build wall-mount shelves perfect for spices, oils, or on-display kitchen decor. BHG.com/DIYShelf…

SMARTER LABELS In addition to identifying products and labeling shelves, you can use an electronic label maker to print details like cooking times or extra ingredients for a recipe, left. Stick labels on the side of the container for easy reference. SKINNY SOLUTION Utilize every inch of space by building a pullout, right. Attach a drawer slide to one side of a 1×3 board and hooks to the other, creating holders for items such as brooms and mops. FOOD SAVERS Ensure freshness and guard the environment with reusable (and sealable!) silicone bags, above. Dishwasher- and microwave-safe, these plastic-free pouches are perfect for packing snacks or sandwiches. Stasher Bags, from $10; stasherbag.com SHELF LIFE Any space can be transformed into a pantry by lining it with adjustable shelving, this photo.…

COWHIDE CATCHALL A simple piece of leather can be shaped into a modern bowl for stashing essentials, above. First, do some math. Multiply the diameter of a cylinder vase by 3; divide that number by 2, then add a half inch. This measurement is the radius of your circle. Use a compass or string to draw a circle on the leather then cut out with a utility knife. To stain the leather, we used Eco-Flo Waterstain. (We chose Slate Grey and Bordeaux for our two bowls.) Let dry overnight. Place the leather, stained side down, on a smooth nonporous surface and use a spray bottle to saturate it with water. Center the vase in the circle. Pinch and fold leather around circumference a total of eight times but starting…

LAYERED EFFECTS Layer colors to achieve subtle dimension. Dip a medium rounded-tip watercolor brush in water and, without blotting excess, drag brush on 80-pound watercolor paper, applying water where you want pink design to be. Load brush with pink watercolor and brush over the wet area. Let dry. Load a large square-tip watercolor brush with blue paint and drag to create a swath over the pink paint. Let dry. Using a green pastel, draw three loops over the pink paint. CIRCLE SWOOSH Simple shapes have great impact. Dip a large rounded-tip watercolor brush into water and, without blotting excess, drag brush on 80-pound watercolor paper, applying water in a circular swoop where you want blue design to be. Rewet brush as needed. Load the brush with blue watercolor and…

1 The kitchen faces the backyard, so pretty views were a priority. Homeowner Jenni Yolo opted for windows instead of wall cabinets, allowing the whole kitchen (and the adjacent dining and living rooms) to shimmer in sunlight. 2 Somewhat splurgy copper sconces are absolute eye-catchers, and they elevate the rest of the room. She balanced the budget with $60 glass-globe pendants (from Amazon) over the peninsula. 3 “I moved things around quite a bit” when planning the kitchen, Jenni says. The trickiest part was where to put the refrigerator. Settling it opposite the range and surrounding it with cabinetry let other elements fall into place. DO IT BETTER MUCH OF THE FOCUS DURING THE REMODEL WAS TO UPDATE WIRING, PLUMBING, AND INSULATION—IMPROVEMENTS NO ONE SEES BUT THAT MAKE A…

[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. [T] To the Trade Contact a design professional to find more information about this product or service. TRY IT: CLOCKS PAGES 6–12 THROUGHOUT All clock movements and hands—ClockParts.com; clockparts.com. PAGES 6–7 Gold metallic spray paint Krylon—Home Depot; homedepot.com. Rug—HomeGoods; homegoods.com. PAGES 8–9 Polymer clay for clock body Sculpey—Blick; dickblick.com. Paper for face Garden Party Flat Wrap—Paper Source; papersource.com. Cactus sculpture—West Elm; westelm.com. Black vase Black Matte Relief Anemone Vase, similar available—Jonathan Adler; jonathanadler.com. White desk lamp, dachshund bowl, black lamp, framed black-and-white geometric…

DO IT BETTER FOR A UNIFORM LOOK, HANG CLOCK AMONG MULTIPLE ALBUMS AND ENJOY THE CONVERSATION YOUR NEW DECOR SPARKS. IN RECORD TIME Put your favorite album on display with this easy wall art hack, left and opposite. Use painters tape to mask the center of a record, then cover the vinyl with several coats of metallic spray paint, letting dry between each coat. If needed, drill a larger hole through the center of the record, then insert the clock movement and attach clock hands on the front. Hot-glue a picture-hanging hook on the back or use peel-and-stick wall hangers. CHILD’S PLAY Fire up your imagination—this easy-to-make clock, left, is ready for customization. Roll polymer clay into a thick round in the size of your choice, leaving edges a little…

1. This kombucha kit has everything you need to make your own fizzy brew. Drink, fill, and repeat for multiple batches in the custom jar. Cheers to your health! Kombucha Brewing Kit, $45; thekombuchashop.com 2. Bug banishing at its best. With a battery and refill cartridge, the petite Radius Zone Mosquito Repellent will keep bugs at bay within 110 square feet. Radius Zone Mosquito Repellent, $50; thermacell.com 3. Sync this clever coordinator with smart home devices to monitor your front-door camera, check your schedule, or play your favorite tune. Wake gently to sunrise simulation or set it to turn on your coffeemaker. Lenovo Smart Clock, $80; lenovo.com 4. Get photos off your phone and onto your walls! Download the MixTiles app to choose photos and frame style for the…

1. WOOD MULTI FUNCTION HAMMER TOOL Hammer, file, and saw, oh my! This multipurpose hammer from Kikkerland also drives screws, opens bottles, cuts wire, and more. Tools store within the handle and lock when engaged. $22; kikkerland.com 2. WOODEN YARN BOX Stash a yarn cake plus any notions needed in a box that doubles as a sizer for knitting needles. Wood is sustainably harvested and local to Pennsylvania, where maker Hannah Simons lives. $72; uncommongoods.com 3. TRIVAC 3-IN-1 BLOWER / MULCHER / YARD VACUUM WITH METAL IMPELLER When it comes to yardwork, the electric-only Trivac does it all one-handed: blow, mulch, and vacuum—and at only 9.7 pounds! The attached collection bag will hold up to 1.2 bushels of mulched leaves. $80; worx.com 4. ROAMWILD MULTI PULL SAW PRO The…

1. Built-in Storage BUY IT. Stock cabinets are an economical way to kick-start a built-in drop zone. We chose 12×18×30-inch double-door cabinets from Lowe’s in a painted white finish, then added stylish pulls at the bottom to give the appearance of lift-up doors and to be easier to reach. Installed near the ceiling, they provide closed storage for out-of-season gear. BUILD IT. A simple box built with shelves creates a vertical unit of cubbies that is perfect for organizing mail, school, or sports paperwork, plus other items you grab when walking out the door—keys, wallet, sunglasses, and the dog’s leash. See the full how-to for building this cubby unit on page 64. INSTALL IT. The DIY cubby unit defines the right-hand edge of the drop zone. Ours is cozied against…

MAKE IT LEATHER STRAP WOOD SHELVES MATERIALS • Raw-edge board• Leather straps• Leather punch• 1/4-inch grommets• Grommet pliers• Screws• L brackets• Drywall anchors Step 1 Secure board to desired height on wall using L brackets and leaving a gap at the wall wide enough to slide leather straps around. Step 2 Determine the placement of the leather straps (ours are 10 inches above shelf and 4 inches from either end). Mark locations on wall for securing straps. Step 3 Loop straps one at a time around shelf, pulling taut and forming a triangle. Using a leather punch, make a hole about 1 inch from the top of the wall-side of the leather strap. Attach the two ends with a grommet. Trim any excess leather from the front strap. Repeat…