For a saw that’s great on the curves, no workshop is complete without a good saber saw.
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Everyone agrees that you should change your HVAC filter on a regular basis, but not everyone agrees on the type of filter you should use. Next time you go shopping for a furnace (or AC) filter, here are a few things to keep in mind. These tips can save you a bundle and perhaps even prevent you from inadvertently damaging your HVAC equipment.
Close-up of washable filter
Chances are that, languishing in your basement or garage, you have an old wooden ladder splattered with coats of paint and worn from years of use. If not, old ladders can usually be found for a fair price in antique and vintage stores. Repurposed, they are a great way to bring character into a modern interior.
What exactly can you do with a dilapidated ladder? We’ve got five ideas on how to transform your time-worn climber into something useful again.
1. FASHION A NIGHTSTAND
Photo: Martha Stewart
The small stature of a step ladder makes it an ideal nightstand, no alterations required. The steps provide multiple levels, so a reading lamp, books, beverage and even flowers can share the real estate. Spied on Vintage With a Twist.
When you’re painting, windows are often the hardest things to get right.
Photo: windowcleanerchicago.com
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A century ago, knife-maker Wenger (of Swiss Army Knife fame) started a debate that only got louder in 1983 when Tim Leatherman, the eponymous inventor of his multi-tool, started selling pocket toolboxes. The question is how many tools are too many in a multi-tool? Or conversely, how many are too few? Sages wiser than me haven’t divined the truth, so I won’t try.
Photo: CRKT
I have a tiny, urban townhome kitchen. You can’t open the refrigerator door more than 60% without banging into the oven, and the oven can’t be opened more than 80% without hitting the fridge. And don’t get me started on having any more than two people in the kitchen at once.
My mother, on the other hand, has a newer home where the kitchen/dining area takes up more than half of the “great room”. The walk-in pantry is bigger than my entire kitchen, and I’d estimate that that Mom enjoys 15 times more cabinet space, and roughly 30 times more counter area, than I do.
But even with these differences in our kitchens, we do share one thing in common: we’re both out of storage space. Everyone, everyone, needs more kitchen storage space. And if you’ve gathered a respectable set of cookware—pots, pans, skillets, griddles and gadgets—you probably want to keep them where you can get to ‘em.
You, my friend, need a pot rack! And through the magic of S-hooks, you can turn all sorts of objects into a custom option with plenty of character. Here are five creative kitchen storage ideas that will should help you maximize available space.
1. LADDER POT RACK
Photo: Deborah Ory
This ladder pot rack is certainly my favorite. It’s got the warmth of the wood and plenty of places to hang your cookware. I love that you can still distinguish the original object while it does double duty as a functional pot rack. Old ladders can be found everywhere. If damaged, simply cut off the problematic areas, hang, and put to new use. See how it’s done at Women’s Day.
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When it comes to re-painting, everyone’s least favorite part of the job is prepping the surface… but it’s also the most important. Using the right tools can make it a lot easier.
Photo: borealispalace.wordpress.com
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You never know why a previous homeowner made the decorating decisions they did, but sometimes you just have to scratch your head and wonder why in the world they chose a particular paint color, wallpaper, or floor covering.
Our entry hallways perfectly illustrate this point. For some inexplicable reason, both the front and side entryways to our house were carpeted—and the carpet was always a mess.
We experimented with a variety of doormats, both inside and outside the doors. And over the years, we’ve enjoyed a fair number of attractive and whimsical looks, including my favorite, a coir mat that said, “Go Away!”
But even the best doormats can’t keep up with the combined effects of rainwater, snow, ice, dirt, grass and grit.
Removing the carpet to expose the concrete subfloor
Warm summer nights make me want to lounge back with a cool beverage and watch the sunset from our back deck after the kids are in bed. I’m currently doing that in a camp chair—we’ve yet to acquire deck furniture since moving to the suburbs from the city.
So I’m on the hunt for the perfect piece of furniture for outdoor relaxation. I keep being drawn to an old classic: the Adirondack Chair. There’s something about its sturdy simplicity and clean, unfettered lines that attracts me. It looks like something to settle into for the evening… or the weekend.
Slideshow: Adirondack Chairs: 10 Classics for Today
The Adirondack chair was designed by a man named Thomas Lee. Suffering a shortage of patio furniture at his family summer home, Lee began to experiment on his front lawn with the chair design that is now so recognizable by its slanted back and seat, and its oversized armrests.
After perfecting his design by testing it out on his family, Lee showed his “Westport plank chair” to a local carpenter, Harry Bunnell, who saw the potential profit to be made from tourists flocking to the mountains every summer.
In 1905, without Lee’s knowledge, Bunnell secured a patent for the chair design that is now ubiquitous. For 20 years, he manufactured them as quickly as people snapped them up.
The original Adirondack chair was constructed from 11 pieces of wood, all from a single plank. Characterized by a low-slung seat, slanted back, and wide arm rests, it’s ready to accommodate a cool, summer drink or a sleepy, summer book.
Bunnell’s chairs were made of hemlock or basswood, and stained a dark green or medium brown hue. Over the years, artists, craftsmen, and carpenters have all put their own twists on the design.
You can find Adirondack chairs in wood, recycled materials, and plastics—And in any color of the rainbow. They’re made in varying shapes and sizes: reclining, gliding, folding, with leg rests, for dining, bar stool height, cushioned, built for two, built for kids, and everything in between. They are as at home on the beach as they are on a mountain slope, in any season, in any setting. There’s a style of Adirondack chair for just about everyone.
I’m afraid if I buy one, I might never want to get out of it. There are even a surprising variety of plans available for purchase, so with a weekend and the right tools, I could make one myself. Hmmm… I feel a project coming on. And the perfect place to kick back and relax once I’m finished.
For more on outdoor living, consider:
10 Fire Pits We Love
Care and Repair of Outdoor Furniture
Bob Vila Radio: Choosing Outdoor Furniture
It’s not uncommon to find beautiful woodwork with coat after coat of paint obscuring its detail, especially in older homes.
Photo: From Bob Vila's Home Again "Bob's Shingle Style House"
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