Epilogue - Tips, tricks and other stuff

Well now that it's all said and done, it's time to look back on the good, the bad, and the ew of the reno road that I have been on.

Now I must say that I have had an advantage over some when it came to renos, painting and whatnot. I grew up with a Dad who was, and still is, the master of all reno masters. I grew up watching walls go up, walls go down and importance of using a level. So fear was not something I felt going into this. I picked up a paint brush, hammer, toxic substances without hesitation, or in some cases, proper gloves. I wielded them without fear and hoped each time that I wasn't totally screwing things up. Luckily there is this lovely little helper called Google and it told me tales of how easy it was to do this and to do that, and it was mostly correct.

So the quest was to make my shambles of a townhouse into something to be proud of. But, as with any quest, you want to be sure that you have gathered all your tools that you will need for such a quest (just don't take anyones Battle Ostrich...lol).

Of course you have your basic tools and such...hammer, screws, nails, x-acto knife, tons of paper towel...but there are some handy-dandy tools and supplies that you may not think of at first...and that's the purpose of this entry - to share the wisdom...or the dumb luck.

So here's my fav's:

Metal spray paint - just because something is not the right colour doesn't mean you can't use it!

Dremel - you must own one of these

If you can't use it for makeup, use it for reno!

Spackle that goes from pink to white when it dries...perfection

The name says it all...goo is gone

Didn't actually use this brush but since my Dad loves this trim brush so much, it deserves an honorable mention

I don't know the name of this tool but it's great for removing staples and screws and nails

fix a wall, fix a popcorn ceiling, do faux wall textures...very versatile

you really are out of your mind if you don't have a can of this stuff lying around...bonkers!

no one can have enough wall anchors

Stanley staple gun...a must!

cuz you might want to find yourself a stud...

This step ladder is worth it's weight in gold...(thanks Mom!)...yes that's a stuffed dog in the picture....his name is Boomer...what?

 

Paint Edger - major, major, time saver - takes a special touch to use though

 

and finally - get yourself a big honkin' tool kit...makes you look like you know what you're doing

Now for the tips and tricks...

1) Tremclad is not just for metal
2) Number your cupboards when you take them off your cabinets...they don't all face the same way
3) A paint edger can be used for painting the entire wall - surprisingly it saves paint
4) Don't be afraid of colour!
5) If your cabinet hinges or other hardware are in great condition and you like the shape - don't toss them, paint them!
6) get a Parental Patrol, or other good people...they provide cheap labour and the odd meal :-) and they keep you from going totally insane - THANKS MOM AND DAD FOR ALL YOUR HELP!!! LOVE YOU!!
7) Eggshell for walls, semi-gloss for cabinets - please don't be a moron like the former owners of my home and think that semi-gloss is good on a living room wall...it's really not...really
8) Painting the inside of a cupboard takes longer than you think
9) Great knobs really do make a kitchen - takes it from drab to fab
10) and finally; when it's all over, sit back and take the time to admire what you have accomplished. Give yourself that mental pat on the back. It takes a little bit of crazy to take on reno and it is full of surprises. Surprises in what you'll discover, and surprises in yourself - of what you are capable of when you combine some imagination with a little know-how.

I am proud of what I've done and I look around my living room tonight and take pride in the fact that I did all this - I made this room what it is. That's a good feeling. So all of you reading out there who feel unsure about taking on a reno or decorating project - don't be scared or intimidated...you'll be amazed by what you can accomplish when you set your creative self free.