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For complete information onthis project go to page 127 ofHome Improvement 1-2-3.

For other great design ideaspick up Bathroom Design andPlanning 1-2-3.

Both on sale at The Home Depot®.

No-sweatDo-it-yourself remodeling has ballooned in popularityfor one reason: it's so easy. Consider these modestprojects as examples of what you might accomplishwith a little enthusiasm and a few tools.

bath updates

THE HARD WAY

New hardware revives the beauty in a bathroom’saging features. Start the process of replacing outdatedhardware by modernizing the room’s light fixtures.You might replace brass or chrome strip lightswith brushed nickel sconces. Or swap out a boringceiling-mounted light with a graceful chandelier.Installation is a simple matter of turning off theelectricity, twisting a few wires, and tighteningthe screws that hold a fixture in place.

Complement the light fixtures with new faucets.Make sure the faucet stems are spaced for theholes in your sink, and don’t forget a shower headif you need one.

Finish things off by replacing the cabinet hardware.You’ll find a wide assortment of options at yourneighborhood home center. Knobs, pulls, andhinges comes in several sizes, so make sure thereplacements match the dimensions of theirpredecessors. Doing so not only saves time butalso preserves the integrity of the cabinetry.

MIRROR, MIRROR

Large frameless wall mirrors, like those found inbathrooms dating back a few decades, make anintensely personal space feel cold and antiseptic.

Set a cozier mood by replacing a large wall mirrorwith several smaller framed mirrors.

Or, if you feel creative, leave the mirror in place andbuild a decorative frame around it. You can find anassortment of moldings at your local home center.Simply select a style you like and, after paintingthe molding, cut it to size using a miter box. Finally,glue or nail the pieces in place on the wall. You canhide the corner joints with a thin line of acryliccaulk and some touch-up paint.

COLOR ME BOLD

Homeowners typically shy away from dark paint in a bathroom, fearing a flood of bold color could drowna tiny space. For the most part, they’re right. A thicklayer of midnight blue or royal purple on all fourwalls would make any room feel dark and heavy.

That doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style in yourbathroom. You can incorporate the brashest of colorsinto any décor simply by limiting its application.All you have to do is pick a wall—preferably onewith plenty of visible surface—and paint it thecolor of your choosing. Cover the remaining wallswith a harmonizing tone of gray, cream or beige.

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INSTALLINGWIDESPREAD

FAUCETSpresented by

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Tell us your story for achance to win one of five$10,000 prizes. For entrydetails and restrictions,visit www.deltafaucet.com.Contest runs from March 15through June 30, 2004.*

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®The Home Depot is a registered trademark of Homer TLC, Inc.

© Copyright 2004 Homer TLC, Inc. All rights reserved.

PaintingClever planning and a fresh coat of paint is all ittakes to rejuvenate the dullest room

PAINTINGTRIM

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• Use neutral colors to paint the trim. You won’t have to redo the trim if youdecide to change the color of the room.

• Use blue painter’s masking tape to avoidgetting paint on the wall. Remove tape while the paint is still wet.

• Prime the entire surface with a stain-blocking primer.

MATERIALS: TSP solution, plastic scrub

pad, primer, paint, sandpaper, blue painter’s

masking tape, paintable caulk

TOOLS: Paint scraper, tack cloth, bucket,

sponge, angled sash brush, square-edge

trim brush, oval brush

made easy

THE VIRTUAL PALETTE

A fabulous paint job starts not with the selection ofa single color but with a whole palette of matchinghues. Fortunately, many paint manufacturers offersoftware or Web-based tools that help you quicklyidentify coordinating colors and visualize how thosecolors will look on the walls, ceiling, and trimin your home. With these tools, switching fromMountain Mint to Dinner Mint is as easy asclicking an icon and you can change the entirecolor scheme in a matter of seconds. After settlingon a palette you like, save it for viewing againlater or print a list of colors and their correspondingpaint numbers for easy shopping.

START SMALL

There’s only one thing worse than buying a gallon ofthe wrong paint: finding out it’s the wrong paintafter you’ve put a coat of it on every wall in yourliving room. Such a mistake not only requires youto buy more paint, but it also causes you to spendseveral more hours repainting. Before updatingyour rooms with an entirely new paint scheme,

invest in quart containers of the colors you like.Apply the paint to a portion of a wall or corner ofa room. Let it dry, then rehang framed artwork andmove a few pieces of furniture back into place. Ifyou like what you see, purchase several gallonsof the same color and get to work painting theremaining walls and trim. But if the staging areafails to meet your expectations, you can take solacein the fact that little was lost on the effort.

BEYOND WHITE

One of the most effective ways to change the moodof a room involves painting the ceiling. Pick apaint that has some kick. Choose an eye-catchingburgundy or gold to accentuate recessed trays andcoffers, or select a shade of khaki to soften a room’sforest green walls. Choose a tinted white for smallrooms or rooms with lower ceilings. For best resultswhatever the color, stick with a flat or eggshellsheen on your ceiling. A glossy sheen reflects lightbut also draws attention to surface imperfections.

The Home Depot is a registered trademark of Homer TLC, Inc. © Copyright 2004 Homer TLC, Inc. All rights reserved. ®

For complete information on this project go to page 31 of Home Improvement 1-2-3.

For other great paintingideas pick up DecorativePainting 1-2-3.

Both on sale at The Home Depot®.

Fuss-freeWho says washing clothes has to be a chore?With a little attention, your laundry room can blossominto one of the most vibrant areas of your home.

INSTALLINGLAUNDRY ROOM

SHELVESpresented by

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For complete information

on this project go to

page 417 of Home

Improvement 1-2-3 on

sale at The Home Depot®.

advertisementY

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• If the wall is concrete or brick, use plasticanchors to hold the screws.

• In addition to the shelves, consider stacked recycling bins on sliders and wire containers.

• Add a bar support to the shelf to give yourself an additional clothing bar.

MATERIALS: Wire shelving, hanging

hardware, screws

TOOLS: Tape measure, level, drill with bits,

stud finder, Phillips screwdriver

laundry roommakeovers

ACCESSORIZE

Dress up the laundry room up by investing in a fewsimple throw rugs, window treatments that matchthe paint, and a handful of pictures for the wall.Drape a sink apron around the laundry tub, andreplace bare light bulbs or fluorescent lights withdecorative fixtures. If you spend a lot of time sortingand folding in the laundry room, consider wiringthe room for cable TV or a stereo system. Finally,you can hide clutter by putting in a custom closetsystem or a state-of-the-art electric drying cabinet.

WASHING WHIMSY

The laundry room is the one area of your home whereyou can get away with a paint scheme that iscompletely different from anything else you’veever done. You might put a coat of cobalt blue orelectric yellow on the wall behind your washer anddryer, for instance, or let your teenagers have funwith a few gallons of primary colors. The laundryroom also serves as a good place to experimentwith decorative painting techniques, such as faux

marbling or color blocking. If you like how it turnsout, you then can exercise your newly honed skillselsewhere in your home.

COME TO THE TABLE

A table can change the dynamics of your laundry room forever. Not only does it provide a flat surfacefor folding and ironing clothes, but it also doublesas an all-purpose project space. Where better to potplants, sculpt modeling clay, or undertake otherequally messy tasks than at a table a mere four orfive feet away from your laundry tub and washingmachine? Choose a sturdy table with an easy-to-clean surface, and partner it with a comfortablechair so you can sit down during lengthy projects.If you don’t have room for a large table, considera drop-leaf table or hinge a plywood board to thewall for a collapsible table that folds out of theway when not in use. Ask your favorite handymanfor assistance with the installation.

The Home Depot is a registered trademark of Homer TLC, Inc. © Copyright 2004 Homer TLC, Inc. All rights reserved. ®

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