Table of contents for Fall 2021 in Do It Yourself

CAST IN STONE Make your own high-end accents, this photo, from a concrete mix. Countertop mixes will give a smooth, light texture as with the taller vases. Choose a regular mix for a rough-hewn look. DO IT BETTER EASE THE REMOVAL OF CONCRETE FROM FORMS BY COATING ANY SURFACE THE CONCRETE WILL TOUCH WITH NONSTICK COOKING SPRAY BEFORE FILLING WITH CONCRETE MIX. DRYING TIME WILL DEPEND ON THICKNESS AND TYPE OF MIX USED AS WELL AS THE ROOM’S TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY. WAIT AT LEAST 24 HOURS FOR FORM TO DRY. COOL VESSEL To make an in-vogue bowl, start by combining packaged concrete mix like Quikrete and water according to manufacturer’s instructions. Stir in black pigment powder (from earthpigments.com) to achieve the desired charcoal hue. Spray inside of a large plastic…

Senior Editor BRIAN KRAMER Contributing Editor 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 BREKKE, JULI HALE,…

  1. MILWAUKEE M18 FUEL 18-VOLT LITHIUM-ION BRUSHLESS CORDLESS COMPACT ROUTER Expect the power of corded 1.25 horsepower trim routers and 31,000 rpm, cutting up to 250 feet—that means all-day run time with fewer charger trips. Tool only. $200; homedepot.com 2. FASTCAP BLUEDOG Make your workbench work harder with Fastcap Bluedog adjustable bench dogs. Install in pairs on your workbench using a 2½-inch hole saw and then dial to the desired height to hold projects in place. $16 per four pack; fastcap.com 3. RYOBI 18V ONE+ CORDLESS AIRSTRIKE 18-GAUGE BRAD NAILER Co-owner of the Builders Challenge, Adam Beasley of Lazy Guy DIY recommends Ryobi’s 18-gauge nailer as one of the best on the market. It drives nails from ⅝ inches to 2 inches long. $129; homedepot.com 4. SILICONE PROJECT MAT…

SIDE ORGANIZER Stick an acrylic bin to the inside of a console, above, to take advantage of unused space and make small items like decks of cards and dice easy to corral. MULTIUSE STATION Turn an entry console, opposite, into a family room problem solver with these easy solutions. Stow board games, large books, and a catchall bin or basket for workout equipment on lower shelves. Stock higher shelves with open baskets for more frequently accessed items like dog toys and game controllers. Upper drawers serve as a home for small game pieces, handheld games, and crafts supplies. Nolan Console, $699; westelm.com EASY ACCESS Leave this basket, above, handwoven from rapidly renewable water hyacinth, open to grab and go or use its lid to conceal clutter. An interior metal frame…

PLAN YOUR SHELF PLACEMENT SO YOU CAN SCREW INTO WALL STUDS. IF THAT’S NOT POSSIBLE, USE HEAVY-DUTY DRYWALL ANCHORS RATED FOR THE PROPER WEIGHT. ON THE CURVE Create sky-high architectural interest with floating shelves, left, and an ombré arch paint treatment, opposite. To make the arch, determine the placement for your top shelf; mark with a horizontal line that’s an inch wider than your shelf on either side. From the line’s ends, draw plumb lines to the baseboard. Insert a pushpin into the wall at the center of the horizontal line. Tie opposite ends of a string to the pushpin and a pencil—the distance between the two should be exactly half the distance of your horizontal line. Draw an arch that connects the vertical lines; mask off the outside edge…

DO IT BETTER MAKE PICKING PAINT COLORS A BREEZE BY BRUSHING SWATCHES ONTO CARDSTOCK OR BLANK RECIPE CARDS. LABEL THE BACK OF EACH CARD WITH THE PAINT NAME. HANG ROWS OF TWINE AND SUSPEND THE CARDS FROM SMALL CRAFTING CLOTHESPINS. BONUS, THE SWATCHES BECOME INSTANT DECOR FOR YOUR PARTY. FUN BITES Pull out your favorite pedestal and other pretty serving ware to put tiny appetizers on display, this photo. Toothpicks make small snacks easy to grab during a crafting break. For drink labels, use washi tape and mark names with a permanent pen. A CRAFTY BUSINESS Based in Austin, Craft is an open studio for makers (madeatcraft.com). The Creative Ladies Night Troop, this photo, gathers monthly to make something new, including these marbling projects. The studio is a space for…

ROUND ABOUT Have an hour? That’s all it takes to make a stylish circular project, this photo and opposite. Mark the center line of an 18-inch wood round in pencil; apply painters tape along the line to mask the half to remain unpainted. Brush matte medium (found at crafts stores) along the tape’s edge. Prime half the round, then brush with two coats of exterior paint; remove tape. Fill any gaps with a fine paintbrush. When dry, seal the round with clear polyurethane. Attach numbers. Hang from a picture hanger or screw into siding. DO IT BETTER ADD DIMENSION AT THE FRONT DOOR BY STACKING YOUR HOUSE-NUMBER PROJECT OVER A NEW OR EXISTING MAILBOX. AIM FOR COLOR CONTRAST WITH YOUR PROJECT—THE BLUE HERE IS A COOL COMPLEMENT TO THE WARM…

HANGING AROUND Yes, you can build this swing! Start by constructing a frame from cedar 2×4s, 1×4s, and 1-inch dowels, then weave polyester webbing to fashion the back and sides. Find tips on the following pages and see the step-by-step instructions on page 100. COMFORT COUNTS Focus on the seating details for a first-rate lounging experience with a comfy seat cushion, above. Cut 2-inch-thick mildew-resistant foam, such as Nu-Foam, to desired size, then cut two panels from outdoor fabric that are 1½ inches inch wider and longer than foam (to allow for ½-inch seam allowances and ¼-inch flange). Machine-stitch the panels right sides together leaving a 6-inch opening. Clip corners and turn right side out. Slip foam through opening and stitch closed. Finish by topstitching around the perimeter to create…

FALL POTS GO FOR A STUNNING DISPLAY WITH THESE 31 AUTUMN CONTAINERS THAT PROMISE LASTING COLOR. BHG.COM/FALLCONTAINERS LIGHTEN UP Follow these landscape lighting tips to enhance your home and make it safer. BHG.com/LandscapeLights CREATE COZY VIBES Try our best harvest-theme decor and recipes for toasty fall gatherings. BHG.com/HarvestParty DIY HAVEN Sit back and relax! You can turn your deck or patio into a backyard oasis using privacy tricks. BHG.com/DeckPrivacy…

WOVEN BEAUTIES Capture autumn’s essence with simple weaving projects, this photo, that turn grasses, stalks, blooms, and more into unexpected decor that shows off nature’s textures and forms. See how-to tips, page 35. DO IT BETTER TAKE LONG CUTTINGS WHEN HARVESTING PLANT MATERIAL TO GIVE YOURSELF MORE DESIGN OPTIONS. COMPLETE THE PROJECTS SOON AFTER GATHERING THE NATURAL MATERIALS WHILE THEY ARE STILL PLIABLE. WARM RAYS Welcome good spirits with a dream catcher-inspired piece made from feather reed grass and a 20-inch metal hoop sold at crafts stores, this photo. Set 25–30 feather reed grass stems on a flat work surface. Thread one stem under and over another at a perpendicular angle to create an organic, crosslike shape. (See “Daylily Weaving,” page 35, for tips.) Tuck in an unexpected element, like…

THERE’S NOTHING LIKE DUMPSTER-DIVING IN THE RAIN. BUT FOR KATE KEESEE, A SOPPING-WET SCORE IS ALL PART OF THE FUN—AND A GREAT WAY TO FIND PROJECTS FOR HER CONSTANTLY evolving Orange County, California, home. This time, the loot was a vintage equipale chair—a hallmark of Southwest style—in sad shape. “It was like treasure!” Kate says with the gushing enthusiasm that has earned her more than 150K followers @katekeeseeoc on Instagram. They watch and learn as she spiffs up the chair, using oil to restore its wood base and then painting the stained leather. Yep, she painted the leather. “Paint is a miracle worker,” she says. “It’s the one thing I’m fearless about. I’ll paint any surface.” And she means it. Kate used paint to update a ceramic tile backsplash and…

PURE JOY The two elder girls, Madison, 17, and Lilly, 16, share this frothy, fun room. 1 A new wall was key to fitting in bunk beds and trundle. 2. Parents Ginger and Eric Curtis built the ladder to the top bunk right into it. “It was a small thing to do to get big gains,” Ginger says. 3 Painting the bottom portion of the walls dusty pink, and the ceiling and rest of the walls white created a crisp feel. GINGER CURTIS DIDN’T HAVE MUCH TO WORK WITH WHEN PUTTING TOGETHER BEDROOMS FOR HER FOUR CHILDREN STILL AT HOME. OH, THE DALLAS INTERIOR DESIGNER HAD CREATIVITY AND KNOW-HOW TO SPARE, BUT THE bedrooms presented plenty of challenges. They were small (less than 115 square feet apiece), they each had…

MAKE A SPLASH The Yokotas opted for inexpensive changes to give their kitchen big impact until they can do a major redo, this photo. They went with a wallpaper backsplash and refreshed the formerly dark granite countertops with a durable marble-look contact paper that hasn’t scratched or ripped even though it’s not waterproof. IT’S ALL IN THE FAMILY Anita and Travis Yokota, above, have an all-hands-on-deck mentality when it comes to DIY. They taught their daughters (Rachel, 15; Emily, 12; Natalie, 7) how to use tools and listen to their input on projects. WHEN IN DOUBT, TRY IT OUT. AT LEAST THAT’S THE THINKING FOR ANITA AND TRAVIS YOKOTA WHEN IT COMES TO UPDATING THEIR IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, HOME. The Yokotas bought the Mediterranean-style home a little over 12 years ago,…

[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 Wall paint Natural Choice SW 7011—The Sherwin-Williams Co.; 800/474-3794; sherwin-williams.com [P]. Wood shelves, bird artwork, white side table, planter, wood frame on lower shelf, pillow, basket—Target Stores; 800/800-8800; target.com [V]. White vases—Crate & Barrel; crateandbarrel.com. Cloud artwork—Anthropologie; 800/309-2500; anthropologie.com. Succulent artwork—Tangletown Gardens; tangletowngardens.com. WHAT TO DO WITH: CONCRETE PAGES 6–13 PAGES 6–7 Packaged concrete mix—Quikrete; quikrete.com. Dry powder pigment in black—Earth Pigments; earthpigments.com.…