Ice House

While I am sitting here, getting ready to move into my newly-remodeled house, it is easy to forget that there is a downside to the mortgage crisis and the fluctuating housing market. While some of us are able to take advantage of it, there are many who are suffering because of foreclosure and repossession. Putting politics aside, this is still an issue that is affecting every American in one way or another.

Gregory Holm and Matthew Radune intend to highlight the crisis with their Ice House Detroit installation. The two artists (the former a photographer, the latter an architect), helped purchase an abandoned home in Detroit (they actually "bought" it by paying back taxes on a different home; read the article) and spent weeks covering it is water from nearby hydrants. The result is a beautiful, glittering, foreclosed home.

Holm and Radune brought a little beauty to a run down area of the Motor City, and in the process bring attention to a crisis across the country. Every home can be a palace, and someone lost theirs because of bank mismanagement and poor financial preparedness.

Just something to admire and consider this snowy morning...

And if you order now...

OK so I always thought that those paint-edger things you saw on television were a gimmick. I mean, I don't think Billy Mays actually ever hawked that exact item, but you know what I'm talking about... those paint pads with a handle that make it so you don't have to tape off an area.

I thought I was kinda a big deal. I thought I knew what I was doing. I thought tape was rad. I thought I was above paint pads.

I thought wrong.

Oh my god. So I was in Home Depot getting paint samples (sadly, sans Ian) when I decided I needed just one more roller. Next to the rollers was a little Shur Line display... and I was taken in. I had always assumed these paint pads (not to be confused with an iPad) were overpriced and ineffective. I don't know why, I think I just have a natural distrust of "As Seen on TV" items. But I was amazed because these Edge Like a Pro paint pads were on sale for $2.54. I will buy almost anything for $2.54. So I figured, where's the harm in trying these out?

So I took them home and started edging the ceiling in my bathroom. No tape, just using this little pad to butt up against the ceiling. Was the line perfect every time? No. Was it good enough after a few coats that I had saved valuable painting time by not having to use a brush? YES.

The only downside I saw in this product resulted from human error. Surprise surprise, if you load the pad up with too much paint, it is very likely that it will push out too much during application. By applying the paint to the pad in an even coat with a brush, I solved that problem immediately.

So now that I know how awesome these paint pads are, I think I am going to run out and get a HandyPeel and a ShakeWeight. If Billy says it's good, it's gotta be good right?

Hardwood Makes Me Giggle

As it seems to go with the house, I can always rationalize additional projects with the excuse that we are already doing so much, what is one more little thing added on? So when mom suggested refinishing the hardwood floors that run through my living room, dining room, hallway, and guest bedroom, it was just another 'sure, why not?' moment.

Very few of us will ever get to choose the type of hardwood floors we have... only if you invest in a new construction option. I originally thought the type of wood used determined the look of your floors, and while it definitely plays a role, it is not the defining factor.

The most popular hardwood choices are oak, maple, Brazilian cherry, white ash, bamboo, and Douglas fir. Of these, Brazilian cherry and oak are the most resilient to wear and tear. Fortunately, my floors are red oak. Originally, the color was a blonde... which I assumed I had to live with. Wrong.

By sanding the floors and stripping it of its color, you can introduce a new stain that will give your home new classic character and life. I do not recommend sanding on your own. It requires one of those big sanding machines that look like a vacuum cleaner and it is just too easy to do permanent damage to your floors. I thought I wanted to play that game... I was wrong.

Instead, I chose a beautiful dark walnut stain that provides a uniform look while at the same time allowing you to observe the natural grain and inherent classical feel of genuine hardwood floors. Laminates may try (and they will try in my basement, haha) but it just is not the same.

So don't feel limited by the floors you have now... the color can be easily changed and completely refresh your home. Go for some sleek modernity with blonde bamboo or classic chic with imitation cherry... the choice is your's and the floor's the limit.