Love the look of stone but you can???t even afford the rocks in your head? (That???s a joke, son!) If you have old newspaper lying around, you can have the look of stone you love ??? inexpensively! Here???s how:

1. Paint the wall with a cote of white latex enamel. It is best to use low-luster enamel with a sponge brush applicator (available at most discount stores for around $1). Let the paint dry to the touch.

2. Choose a flat earth-tone or neutral glaze using a clean sponge brush. Apply the glaze in random strokes over one-half the surface.

3. Repeat this step with a darker glaze, but leaving small random areas unglazed.

4. Next we wash! Apply a white wash in some areas and a earth-tone wash in others. Again, the more random the better!

5. Fold an old newspaper in half and then in half again. Place it flat against a small part of the wall and press. Lift and repeat in another area. Each time you lift, more glaze will be removed.

6. Turn the paper in different directions to help blend the colors into random patterns. Fun, huh?

7. If you feel that one area needs more color, spread glaze on the newspaper and press it flat to the desired area.

8. Repeat the process until you are satisfied with the look. Leave some light and dark spots in the pattern.

9. Let the paint dry. (Don???t watch it - it???s deadly dull!)

10. Finally apply more white wash to the entire surface. Soften the colors by dabbing with a clean cotton cloth.

11. Allow the paint to dry once more. (I didn???t say this process would be exciting, did I?)

The look you will achieve with this technique will mimic the depth, color variations and rough look of more expensive stone tiles. Not bad for a little paint and some old newspaper, right? Now go out there and dab!

Pamela Cole Harris has been a writer and designer for 35 years (Yikes, has it been that long?) Enjoy her tongue-in-cheek approach to inexpensive interior design at:
http://www.homeandgardenmakeover.comand
http://www.diy-homedecor.com

If you like the soft look of watercolors, why not try using a color wash on your walls? In addition to a softer color, color washing can accentuate the texture of your plaster or stucco walls. And it???s so simple that even I, a faux-finish-impaired decorator, can do it

There are two techniques for color wash application: sponge or brush. Each requires a slightly different glaze formula.

Sponge Technique:

Color Wash Glaze: Mix together 1 part latex paint and 6 parts water in a bucket.

1. Mask off (using painter???s tape) parts of the room which will not receive the wash. Its best to cover the floor with plastic drop cloths (especially if you are as messy as I am).

2. Prime the wall with a low luster latex paint and allow it to dry completely before the next step.

3. Dip the sponge into the color wash glaze and squeeze lightly.

4. Beginning in a lower corner, apply the glaze to the wall in short, overlapping strokes. Change the direction of the strokes frequently. Work on a small portion of the wall at a time (3 foot by 3 foot is a good size).

5. Repeat moving upward until all the wall is covered.

6. Allow to dry completely.

Brush Technique:

Brush Color Wash Glaze: 1 part flat latex paint, 1 part latex paint conditioner (available at your local home improvement center), and 2 parts water. Mix in a bucket.

1. Mask off (using painter???s tape) parts of the room which will not receive the wash. Its best to cover the floor with plastic drop cloths.

2. Prime the wall with a low luster latex enamel paint and allow it to dry completely before the next step.

3. Allow the paint to dry.

4. Dip a paintbrush in the glaze and remove the excess against the side of the bucket.

5. Apply the paint in a criss-cross pattern.

6. Brush over the surface repeatedly to soften the look of the paint.

7. Wipe excess glaze away, if necessary. (Better get the industrial-sized package of paper towels!)

There you have it! A soft paint look perfect for your newly decorated room???And since you have the technique down to a science, why not come and do my family room? Powder room? Closet?

Pamela Cole Harris has been a writer and designer for 35 years (Yikes, has it been that long?) Enjoy her tongue-in-cheek approach to inexpensive interior design at: http://www.homeandgardenmakeover.comand http://www.diy-homedecor.com

Everybody has had one or two. You know, those little hole or indentations in the walls ??? behind a door, or behind a picture. If you live in a home, hang a picture, or have children ??? accidents happen! But repairing those accidents is easy. I kid you not ??? even yours truly, Little Miss Fumblefingers, has done it! All you need is a little spackle compound, a putty knife, some 150-grit sandpaper, and some peel n???stick wallboard tape.

Patching Peeling Paint:
a. Scrape away all the loose paint with a putty knife (A table knife will do in a pinch, but come one! Putty knives are cheap!).
b. Apply spackle to the edges of the remaining paint with the putty knife (that you just bought!).
c. Sand the dry patch with 150-grit sandpaper until it is smooth to the touch.
d. Paint with matching paint (always keep a little bit of your original paint color for small jobs such as these.)

Filling Nail Holes:
a. Using your trusty putty knife, apply a small amount of spackle to the nail hole.
b. Let the spackle dry.
c. Lightly sand the area with the sandpaper.
d. Dampen a sponge and wipe away the dust residue from the patch.
e. Before you paint, touch up the spot with primer.

Filling Shallow Dents and Holes:

a. Again with the putty knife, scrape away any loose plaster, paint or drywall paper.
b. Fill the hole with a small amount of spackle.
c. Using the smallest putty knife you have that will reach from one side of the whole to the other (to avoid making a dent with the knife edges), smooth out the spackle until even with the surrounding sheetrock.
d. Sand the area with sandpaper and prime.

Cracks in Plaster:

a. Scrape away any wall texture or loose plaster with a putty knife (do you know it makes a good pancake turner too?)
b. Use the wallboard tape to reinforce the crack.
c. Apply spackle to barely cover the tape. Don???t make the spackle repair too thick or the spot will just re-crack and you will be right back where you started!
d. If you must, apply a very thin second coat to cover the edges of the tape.
e. Sand lightly with sandpaper and prime. It might be necessary to re-texture if your wall is textured.

There you have it! Simple, isn???t it? Come on, admit it! So with patching holes and dents under your belt, you are ready for another challenge. How about replacing those kitchen cabinets? A new hardwood floor? Just check http://www.homeandgardenmakeover.com to learn how!

About the author:
Pamela Cole Harris has been a writer and designer for 35 years (Yikes, has it been that long?) Enjoy her tongue-in-cheek approach to inexpensive interior design at: http://www.homeandgardenmakeover.comand http://www.diy-homedecor.com

Stone wall Clocks the underappreciated dcor -

Natural dcor is making a comeback, as more and more people feeling distanced from the real world make moves towards reconnecting with nature. One way people are making this move is with stone wall clocks.

Stone clocks are made from different kinds of rock. There can be granite, slate, marble, or cement clocks. They can be hung on the wall, or placed on a desk. They come thick, thin, square, and irregular, and there are an enormous number of color options.

Most people buy stone wall clocks to match countertops or stone floors. Many homes are decorated with natural materials such as woods and stones, and a stone wall clock fits very easily into such a setting.

Many times a stone wall clock can be purchased without a face, allowing you to choose what kind of design you would like. This gives you the ability to use other pieces of stone, paint, or wooden numbers glued to the surface of the clock as a face. As long as the stone is smooth enough, you can end up with countless options for your wall clock.

Stone wall clocks are also completely unique. The nature of stone is to have deformities in it. These deformities take the form of intense colors, or lines running through the stone. Since the stone is cut from a larger quarry, it is only a small portion of a greater shape, and is completely unlike any other piece of the stone.

Stone wall clocks are wonderful additions to any home. They match with stone flooring and counters, and provide a beautiful addition to your rooms dcor.

About The Author

This article was written by Joey Lewitin, an author, webmaster, and designer of truely incredible stone home decor. See them at http://decorative-wall-clocks.com for a view.

info@decorative-ewall-clocks.com

Mike Yeager Wallpaper is often overlooked as a key part of an attractive home. The right wallpaper will add character to any room in the house, and will also allow a homeowner to cheaply and quickly change the look of their house. From a brightly decorated nursery to a soft bedroom background, wallpaper will create the right tone for any room in your house. It also gives a homeowner a great chance to express their home decorating talents. Unlike paint, so many different patterns and colors are available a homeowner is able to choose exactly the right one. There are so many wallpapers available, you are almost sure to find the one that is just right.

Some tips on maintaining your wallpaper.

If you have old wallpaper that is dirty, be sure to never wash it with water. Instead, try gently rubbing it with a steel wool pad, and afterwards be sure to apply a dry cleaning solvent. If you want to remove wallpaper, try making a mix of hot water and white vinegar. Fill a spray bottle with one half hot water and one half white vinegar and spray it on the wallpaper. Wait about five minutes, and then the wallpaper should be ready to be removed.

No matter which room in your home youre planning to decorate, you cant go wrong with colorful, decorative, wallpaper.

About The Author

Mike Yeager

Publisher

http://www.a1-interior-design-4u.com/

mjy610@hotmail.com