RENOVATIONS: Holiday projects refresh your home

Perry Como said it best when he sang "there's no place like home for the holidays." After all, family get-togethers and friendly dinners are what Decembers are for.

But what's missing from the classic song is a lyric about the joy of renewing your home before the company arrives. You know all those DIY projects, you've been putting off all year? Now is your chance to get them done.

Even something as simple as new window treatments can "create warmth and interest in a room," says Naveed Hyder, owner of Interiors by Art of Living in Toronto.

For her part, Samantha Pynn, host of HGTV's Pure Design, says painting "can make the room fresh and clean and, in some cases, give you a whole new room." No matter what's on your DIY wish list -- or your spouse's list -- we've put together some suggestions about what you'll need, how much you'll need and the steps to pull off your DIY project disaster-free -- and be ready to drink in all the compliments you'll receive when the holiday guests arrive.

CHANGE UP YOUR COLOUR

When it comes to choosing the right paint, Pynn opts for any paint with a flat finish. "It diminishes that textured look," says Pynn. "The eye won't even notice any imperfections in the wall."

While grey is still the new beige -- "it's a classic and here to stay," says Pynn -- bolder, moodier colours like equestrian green are making a comeback.

Andres Jolly of Calgary's A.J. Painting and Decorating, says beige, chocolate brown and soft green are also trendy colours in addition to faux marble textures and hand-painted murals. Jolly also stresses the importance of choosing the right finish depending on what you're painting. For instance, baseboards, doors and frames should be done in a semi-gloss; bathroom walls in a semi-gloss or eggshell; regular walls in a eggshell; and ceilings in a flat finish.

Budget: $32 -$45 per gallon of paint plus $50 for supplies

Tools you'll need: Latex brush, roller sleeve, roller cage, tray, tape, sandpaper

Steps: Before you paint, clean dust from baseboards and walls, tape baseboards with painter's tape, remove any electrical plate covers and sand the wall lightly with 120-grit sandpaper. Cut the corners with a brush (where the roller will not be able to reach) and then roll the paint on the wall with the roller, making sure to work from top to bottom approximately three-feet wide in order to apply the paint as evenly as possible. Let the paint dry and apply the second coat.

CROWN IT

Crown moulding can not only make a room look bigger or higher but it can also be a great way to disguise non-aesthetic cracks on the outside corner of the walls in a highly aesthetic way.

"It dresses up a room," says Alan Hawkins, millwork associate with the Home Depot in Winnipeg. "It gives a room a touch of class."

Crow moulding comes in different forms -- wood, MDF (medium density fibreboard) and foam. Most DIYs choose the foam variety because of its simplicity. "Their manufactured corners make them simple to put in," says Hawkins. "You cut them to length and that's it. You don't have to cut any miters."

Budget: $60 - $75 for simple crown moulding

Tools you'll need: miter saw, sliding bevel, nail gun

Steps: Measure room and purchase the right amount of crown moulding, making sure to buy 10 to 15 per cent extra in case of error. Try and do each straight wall in one continuous length. Measure the distance out from the wall and down from the ceiling. A standard typical crown mould from the ceiling comes down 2 5/8. Put marks on the wall.

"This is something that is going to ensure your crown moulding is going to be nice and level all the way around," says Hawkins. Cut miter at 45-degree angle. Repeat that process on all four walls, from internal corner to external corner so the miter will run in the same direction. Once you have each miter cut, nail gun the crown moulding to the wall.

MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL

Decorative mirrors can not only spruce up a space, they can be a great reflection of style.

"Any decorative mirror can add style and elegance to a room," says Mila Herenda, owner of Mizo Design Solutions in Vancouver. "It can be sexy, it can brighten up a room and make it look bigger and better."

Tiling a framed mirror is an inexpensive way to add a splash of colour to any room. When choosing to tile a framed mirror, mosaic glass, glass tiles or even glass beads are trendy options.

Budget: $10 - $50

Tools you'll need to tile: Tile, tile cutter, hammer, grout, bucket, stir stick, tile adhesive

Steps: Give the mirror and frame a good wipe down. Map out the design you want to do with your tile. Apply adhesive to the back of each tile (or if you have purchased a sheet of mosaic tile, simply paint the adhesive all over the frame), and place on frame. Mix grout using directions until it makes a smooth paste, similar to the consistency of cake batter. Smooth it over top of your tile and wipe it off with a damp clean cloth until the grout is all gone.

STEP UP YOUR FLOORS

Laminates and hardwood for flooring have really stepped up and become more DIY-friendly. Floating floors, which are loose-laid are especially hot with the DIY crowd."Glueless floating floors (hardwood, cork, laminate) with cork backing are the fastest and easiest floating floors to install," says John Kocemba, vice-president of marketing for TORLYS Inc.

"I literally did our laundry room in one day and it was no effort whatsoever," adds Jason Walker, business development manager for flooring division of Toronto-based Cantrex Group.

When it comes to selecting the right shade, Kocemba advises to consider your lifestyle. "Remember, dark and glossy floors show dirt and dust," he says. "Medium-toned floors with grain camouflage the dust until you are able to sweep your floor."

Budget: Laminate: $1 per sq. ft.; Hardwood: $4 - $8 per sq. ft.; Cork: $4 - $9 per sq. ft.

Cost-cutting tip: Measure the room twice to ensure you don't order too much or too little.

Tools you'll need: measuring tape, tapping block, saw (chop, skill, table or jigsaw), pencil

Steps: Establish a starting point (most people lay planks lengthwise along the longest wall). Cut boards in one, two and three foot lengths. Lay down two to three rows of material, choosing varying lengths. "You want to make it look as random as possible," says Walker.

"When I get to the far end, whatever I cut off becomes my starting point in the next row so the randomness will be created by itself."

Depending on the product, there are different locking systems - some are drop and lock (which fall into each other) and some are uniclic. "Not all joints are created equal," says Kocemba.

"Several companies offer the uniclic joint that can be clicked together in two ways -- two planks can be joined while both are laying flat or they can be clicked from an angle, which is the fasted installation method."

Make sure to leave spacers around the perimeter of the room (about about the thickness of material used) to accommodate for expansion and contraction.

Once the floor is done, remove the spacers. Sweep and vacuum.

(Source: Vancouver Sun)