Easy Fixes for Home DIY Mishaps - A guest post from Aimee Lyons
Not every house can be your dream home the moment you step inside. Whether you’ve purchased a home filled with the previous owner’s design choices or you’ve decided on a house that’s bland and brand new, you are probably going to attempt some DIY.
Remodeling or “fixing” pieces of your home yourself can often go poorly, and you’re left wondering why Pinterest posts don’t include a “how to fix a mistake” section. Fortunately, most DIY mishaps are not the end of the road. There is usually an easy way to fix - or at least cover up - where you went wrong. Here are a few common DIY mistakes and their fixes.
Your Paint Turns Out the Wrong Color
Seeing a paint color in the fluorescent lighting of a Home Depot is a completely different experience than seeing it in your own home. You may not have realized this to be true until you begin painting. To correct this mistake, allow the paint to dry completely. Then, go back over the paint with a coat of primer. This will prevent the wrong color from impacting the new one and will also give you a blank canvas to paint color swatches on.
Many places will offer inexpensive paint samples. Use this sample to create a square of color on your newly white walls. This gives you the chance to see how the shade looks with your lighting, carpet, tile, baseboards, and whatever else may impact how your eyes perceive the color you have chosen. If you are testing several colors, be sure to separate the swatches thoroughly. Colors reflect off of one another and painting two colors together can alter the way you see each one, resulting in a repeat of your mistake.
Your Wood Stain is Too Dark
Whether you are staining furniture or home fixtures, a stain that does not match the rest of the décor can stand out like an obnoxious sore thumb. While it is easy to darken pieces with existing stain, lightening a piece finished with dark stain can be tricky. Depending on the type of stain, you have a few options.
The global method to remove all stains is to sand the wood back down to the original, unfinished surface. This can be a painstaking and is usually not the easy project most DIY-ers have in mind, but starting from scratch by completely sanding down the piece is truly the best way to refresh a piece of furniture. Using a commercial paint and stain remover before sanding down the wood is usually a good idea as well.
When you have removed the stain and are ready to try again, thin the stain with paint thinner. This will make each coat lighter than the previous attempt. To ensure you don’t unintentionally overdo it, allow each coat to dry thoroughly before adding another layer.
A Furniture Won’t Fit in Its Intended Space
It’s a very common problem to realize your new furniture does not fit where you had planned to put it. Even if you purchased your furniture from IKEA and assembled your new couch from scratch, things don’t always work as planned. This is where you should begin to think outside the box. If you had your heart set on a couch, but soon realized your living space simply won’t permit such a big piece of furniture, you should redirect your goals. Fixating on the initial dream home image will only lead you into more mishaps and greater frustration.
Two armchairs angled properly fit where a two seater couch won’t while still providing the desired seating. Floating shelves provide storage without taking up floor space. There is always an alternative as long as you are ready to re-envision the space you dreamed of.
Though it is best to hire professionals for a home remodel or redecorating project, it’s not always financially feasible. Redoing your own space is always a possibility but does tend to come with more risk. If you need advice for you DIY project, home improvement stores are often a great source of free information. A few minutes chatting with a paint specialist can eliminate the risk of spending money on a useless paint while careful measurements can work to ensure your dream furniture fits. Do your research so you can safely DIY.
Aimee Lyons, a native to colorful Austin,Texas, is a creative Jack of All Trades. It makes sense that a young creator from a city like Austin would want to form a supportive community for other innovative minds. That is why Aimee started DIYDarlin.com, a place for artists, crafters, and the like to share ideas and inspiration. A painter and vintage stylist, her work is her life, and Aimee continues to spread that same passion.
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