Category: decorating

Giving your kitchen or bathroom a new lease of life is a great way to upgrade your property, but a complete refit can be expensive so that may be out of the question. The simple and much more cost-effective solution is to update tiles already in place for a fast and funky refresh, and this week we’re going to share our top tips on sprucing them up without breaking the bank.

 

It’s all about the grout

 

Freshly laid tiles always look beautiful because the grout is clean, but after a period of time high traffic areas start to appear tired or downright dirty. Even regular cleaning of the tiles and grout can’t completely revitalise them and keep that perfect white finish, so the question is, “what are our options?”

 

Grout pens

 

Grout pens offer a simple and cost-effective solution to the problem, but it’s still important to do the job properly. Clean the grout beforehand with a toothbrush and abrasive kitchen cleaner – the longer you spend on this step, the longer the effect of the pen will last. There are downsides to pens, however: after a while the nibs wear down and need to be replaced, and the result can look a little amateurish if you’re not careful during application.

 

Regrouting

 

For a quick touch-up, grout pens are fine, but if you really want to do the job properly it’s worth buying a grout scraper and getting that old stuff out! Go for a steel scraper because even though they’re not as strong as carbide, they’re a touch softer and less likely to damage your tiles if you slip. You’ll also need a Stanley knife with lots of spare blades for areas the scraper won’t fit. If you have a big bathroom or kitchen to regrout, we recommend a grout grabber – an attachment for a reciprocating saw that will make the job whizz by!

 

When regrouting mix the grout in small batches because it’s a race against the clock to get it on the wall. As soon as it starts to firm up (between 5-20 minutes depending on the weather and subsequent conditions) begin sponging it down to create a smooth finish.

 

Tile paint

 

If you’re not happy with the colour of your tiles, you can also find lots of different coloured tile paint in DIY stores. You can choose to paint alternate tiles, then alternate again on the next row for a checkerboard effect, or simply paint the whole lot – loads cheaper than removing them and replacing them, and much less labour-intensive too.

Something different?

 

White is the standard colour for grout, but what if you fancy changing the feel of your room? Switching from white grout to black will give your bathroom or kitchen an art deco look for almost no money – a great style change that will get your visitors talking. Or you may have your own colour scheme in mind.

Another way to update tiles is to use some transfers – there are loads on the market so you’re sure to find something that suits your personal taste.

 

As long as you take your time, all of these jobs are possible for the enthusiastic DIYer, but, of course, if you think that it might be a little overwhelming you can call a professional… just like us!

 

 

In your ideal home space is probably not a problem, but not all of us are living in the house of our dreams just yet! That’s why it’s useful to know how to create the illusion of space, turning that tiny little box room or study into an environment you feel happy spending time in. This week we’ll give you our top decorating tips for doing just that.

Keep things light
Try to keep a smaller space as bright as possible by painting your walls with light colours and avoiding dark floorboards or carpets. Dark colours absorb light and make you feel closed in, where light colours reflect the light in the room, making it feel airy and giving the impression of openness and space. Light blues, greens, creams and greys are great choices.

Use stripes!
Every woman knows that the careful use of stripes in clothing can make you appear taller and slimmer, and you can utilise the same approach in your room, by painting stripes on your floor to give the illusion of depth. This trick works with your walls to add the appearance of height too, but don’t try both together unless you want your room to look like a boiled sweet!

Use your ceilings
We rarely think too deeply about how our ceilings are decorated, but in a small space every surface counts. Adding a bolder colour to the ceiling, or stencilling in some conversation pieces (stars look great) will help to draw the eyes upward and further enhance the illusion of spaciousness.

Ditch the overhead lights
Wall uplighters spread around the room work much better in a cramped environment than a single overhead light source, because they give the eyes more focal points to dance around. The bonus is that is also allows you much more control of the ambience too – switch individual lights on and off to adjust the atmosphere from bright and vibrant, to calm and relaxed.

Use colour cleverly
What do you do if you want to give the illusion of height to a room but don’t want to turn the ceiling into a feature? That’s easy: just add a little colour to the very top of your walls to draw the eyes upwards and give the impression of height. You can be as creative as you like with this decorating tip – go for anything from a single block of colour to a softer more organic ‘splash’ effect.

Follow these top decorating tips and you can convert your tiny room from an oppressive and stuffy space into a more open and inviting area that’s a pleasure to use.

Over the last thirty years or so it’s become more common for cornice, coving and ceiling rose work to be moulded from polystyrene, which is cheap and easy to fit. But period houses will probably still have traditional plasterwork, which is generally very hardwearing – after all, some of it will have been in place for well over 100 years!

Over time though, wear and tear will start to have an effect on the finish of these intricate pieces, and you’ll be required to show them a bit of TLC. This week on our blog we’re going to show you the process we use to restore these beautiful features back to their former glory.

A job for the pros!

Whilst we’re happy to encourage DIY wherever possible, it’s definitely best to leave plasterwork restoration to a pro. Old plasterwork that’s seen better days can be very fragile, and the clean-up and restoration process needs to be done with a steady and slow hand – there’s no room to rush this job.

Langlow Peel Away

We have always had excellent results using Langlow Peel Away for this work. It’s a chemical paste designed to melt away the old paintwork without damaging the plaster underneath. It has to be applied carefully, ensuring that every part of the paintwork has a good coating before being covered with clingfilm and left for 24 hours. This product works wonders and, if used correctly, can easily strip through 30 layers of paint!

Neutraliser

After stripping back the paint, it’s crucial to treat the uncovered plasterwork with a neutraliser to stop the newly applied paint from coming away from the plaster. We use a proprietary solution, but the job can be done just as effectively with a solution of distilled vinegar.

Hidden gems

We’re always amazed at some of the beautiful features we uncover during this process: it’s not uncommon for us to find original brass fittings and detail pieces that have been hidden away under layer after layer of paint for years – what a shame!

We treat these with a liquid paint stripper and then give them a new lease of life with a liberal application of Brasso to make them shine like new.

The right paint

Because of the delicate nature of this old plasterwork, modern paints rarely work, so when we work to restore them, we apply handmade and traditional paints from local Yorkshire companies like Womersley’s in Heckmondwick and Hicks and Weatherburn in Leeds. Both of these companies produce beautiful period paints made with traditional ingredients designed to stay up for years.

So if you live in the Leeds area and have some plasterwork that you’d like restoring back to its original beauty, then please give us a call and we’ll be happy to come take a look.

Most people feel that they have the skills to tackle a bit of home decorating. After all, how difficult can it be the throw up some wallpaper or splash a bit of paint over the walls and woodwork? There’s a difference, however, between doing a job and doing a great job! This week we’re going to share some top tips for finishing off your decorating like a pro. But first you need to be prepared…

Preparation is half the battle

Prepare properly by planning exactly how you’ll approach the task. Invest in the best quality paint, wallpaper and tools you can afford, because these will make it so much easier to work. Professional decorators don’t make do with inferior gear so you shouldn’t either – let’s face it, it’s almost impossible to paint well with an old brush you found in the garden shed!

Spend as much time as possible preparing your walls by filling in any imperfections, sanding and washing down with sugar soap. This task can seem tedious, but it’s worth the effort – especially if you’re painting rather than wallpapering.

Masking off

It’s the finishing and detail that separates a pro’s work from the average amateur, but that doesn’t mean that you have to be sloppy. Mask off your light and plug fittings with neat straight lines of masking tape, and do the same with your walls or ceilings, but with decorator’s tape instead, which isn’t as tacky and will not pull paint from the wall or paper.

Prevent paint from bleeding under the tape by making sure that you press it down firmly at the edges. Paint away from the tape rather than towards it, and use a fairly dry brush for the first coat to create a seal along the tape – another great way to prevent bleeding.

It’s also worth taping down drop cloths to protect your carpets and floors from paint. You’ll be amazed (but not in a good way!) at how much mess a single drop of paint spread around the room on your shoes can make.

We also suggest wrapping a black bin liner around your light fittings and covering any furniture that isn’t being removed from the room.

Work from the top down

There’s little point painting or wallpapering your walls and skirting boards and then doing the ceiling and alcoves! Always start at the top and work down to prevent ruining your work.

Touching up

Okay, so we know that you’re exhausted and you want to put your feet up and forget about the decorating, but it’s well worth going around the room and checking for imperfections. In our experience, DIYers who don’t touch up the little imperfections straight away tend to leave them forever – something a pro would never do!