Rustic Wine Crate with Rope Handles

Have you ever stumbled across a wine crate and wondered what you could do with it? I have just the idea for you and it will take less than an hour to create. Today I’ll show you how to make a Rustic Wine Crate with Rope Handles. This is a great decor item that doubles as storage. And you can also use this as a gift basket if you fill it with goodies.

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Instructions:

1. Clean your crate with a damp rag. Then brush the stain on and let it sit for a minute.

2. Wipe any excess stain off with paper towels.

Add a second coat if you like a darker colored crate. Allow it to dry thoroughly. (This might take several hours or overnight depending on your humidity. Hand raised…hot and humid North Carolina dweller here.)

3. Sand any words and printing on the crate until you start to see some of the wood coming through. Be careful not to sand too deep and expose the bare wood. Wipe off the crate.

4. Mark the location for the rope handle on the sides of the crate. Be sure to measure the same distances from the top and edges on both sides.

5. Choose a drill bit slightly larger than your rope. Drill holes at the marks.

6. Insert one side of the rope through the hole.

7. Tie a double knot inside the crate to keep the rope from slipping back through.

8. Determine how long a handle you desire and tie a single knot in the middle of the handle.

9. Feed the other end of your rope through the other hole and tie another double knot on the inside of the crate.

10. Fray the edges of your rope by untwisting them.

Fill your crate with magazines, blankets, or décor goodies and display it proudly!

Better yet, fill it with several gifts to create a unique gift basket. Keep with the wine theme by adding some wine, crackers, cheese, and nuts.

Easy tutorial right? How many of you are running to your local wine shop and begging for wine crates now? P.s. I’ve seen them at Costco, too.

 

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How to Get a Smooth Paint Finish without a Paint Sprayer | Pretty Handy Girl

A smooth factory finish is the ideal paint finish for cabinetry. A professional cabinet finisher would normally use a paint sprayer, but today I’m going to show you

How to Get a Smooth Paint Finish without a Paint Sprayer.

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The first step in getting a factory smooth finish is to prep your cabinets by filling any imperfections with wood putty.

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When the putty is completely dry, sand the cabinet face to perfection. Start with a medium grit sand paper and finish with a fine grit paper.

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Use a high quality primer with a hard finish to seal the cabinet and prepare it to accept paint.

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After the primer dries, sand it perfectly smooth again. This will remove any imperfections.

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A big factor in getting that factory smooth finish is using good quality paint made for doors and trim like Benjamin Moore Advance or Sherwin Williams ProClassic. Add a small amount of Floetrol (affiliate link) to help the paint level better.

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Brush paint onto the cabinets.

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Spread the paint and smooth your brush strokes with a foam roller.

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And that my friends is How to Get a Smooth Paint Finish without a Paint Sprayer

Pretty Handy Girl's Holiday Home Tour 2014

Get more painting tips and techniques from my painting tutorial gallery.

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How to Save a Dated Vanity | Pretty Handy Girl

How to Save a Dated Vanity | Pretty Handy Girl

If you have a dated vanity, you may think you have to rip it out and buy a new one. Well, think again. It’s not hard to save that dated vanity and make it look like new without spending much money! All you need is a little prep work and the right type of paint.

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Ready to learn how to take your dated vanity from drab to fab in no time? Keep reading to learn How to Save a Dated Bathroom Vanity. Plus, I’ll share with you the best paints for this task.

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

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Are you looking at your bathroom vanity thinking it has only one place to go—the trash? Well, think again. It’s not hard to save that dated vanity and make it look like new without spending much money.

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The best way to get a flawless finish on your paint job is to spend some time prepping the cabinet for paint. Begin by cleaning the surface with a mild cleanser to remove any toothpaste splatters, greasy fingerprints, and who knows what else.

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Remove the doors from the vanity to give you easier access for painting.

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Remove hinges and knobs.

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Store hardware in a ziploc back to prevent tiny screws and parts from being lost.

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Look over the vanity for scratches, gouges and holes. Fill them with wood putty and a putty knife. Allow the putty to harden.

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Sand the repaired areas smooth with a sanding sponge. Lightly sand the rest of the vanity to give it some “tooth” for the paint to stick to. No need to completely sand the existing finish off.

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Wipe off any sanding dust with a damp rag.

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Choosing Paint:

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You can use one of three types of paint on your vanity. In the past an oil-based paint was usually preferred for cabinets in the bathroom or kitchen because of excellent leveling properties and a hard finish that was resistant to chipping. Unfortunately, oil paint has a strong odor and is harder to clean up. Luckily improvements to latex paints have made them almost as durable as oil paint. Latex (water-based) paints made for doors, window and trim are a good choice for cabinets. This type of paint has an added hardener and excellent leveling properties. Both latex and oil paint require a coat of primer on your vanity before painting.  For wood with knots or some reddish stained cabinets, you’ll need a shellac based primer like BIN primer. A third option is to use a chalk paint. Many furniture painters like the ease of painting with chalk paint because it doesn’t require a primer coat first. There are many brands of chalk paint available on the market today. Even Lowe’s carries their own brand of chalk paint.

If using latex or oil paint, prime your vanity. If you are using a chalk paint, go straight to painting. Follow the woodgrain of the cabinet when applying paint.

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Allow to dry and add a second coat of paint.

Chalk paint enthusiasts like the matte buttery finish of a furniture wax applied over the paint. Use a wax brush to apply furniture wax in circular motions onto the vanity.

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Wait a minute and buff off any excess wax with a clean dry rag. Apply a second coat of wax if the finish feels dry and chalky.

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You may choose to apply a polycrylic coat for a more maintenance free finish. That’s up to you and the users of the bathroom. (Have small kids that are rough on your home? Opt for the polycrylic.)

Replace dated knobs and hinges if desired.

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Now, about that countertop and faucet. Do you need to trash those? If so, I give you permission. You can purchase new ones online or at your local home improvement store.

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Enjoy your newly saved vanity! Aren’t you glad you didn’t throw it away? Looking for more bathroom DIY updates? You’ll love this surprise weekend bathroom renovation for under $5oo!  And here’s another bathroom vanity updated with paint.

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Chalk Painted Wooden Stool | Pretty Handy Girl

Chalk Painted Wooden Stool | Pretty Handy Girl

While helping my client get her house ready to sell, I’ve been looking through her furniture and decor for items to use for staging. She had this old stool that had seen a lot of wear and tear. I asked her if I could paint it and use it to bring some color into her master bathroom.

Chalk Painted Wooden Stool | Pretty Handy Girl

She agreed to let me take it home, and soon we had a Chalk Painted Wooden Stool to use for staging!

Materials:
(contains affiliate links)

Instructions:

Lightly sand the stool to remove any dirt and rough spots. This gives the wood a bit of a tooth for the paint to grip to.

Chalk Painted Wooden Stool | Pretty Handy Girl

Use any chalk-like paint to paint your stool (I used Farmhouse Paint in Dijon.) Brush the paint on with the grain. Start from the bottom first.

Chalk Painted Wooden Stool | Pretty Handy Girl

Flip the stool over to paint the top and outside legs. Read more

My Home Paint Colors | Pretty Handy Girl

Paint Colors in My Home

I owe you an apology. This post has been on my “to do” list for at least two years. But like many of my “to do” list items, it got pushed back many times.

I get many questions about the paint colors I use in my home. Each color has been chosen to evoke an emotion in the specific room. At this point, I’m very happy with all the colors with one exception. I’ll explain later.

Without any more delay — you’ve waited long enough — here are the paint colors in my home!

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Paint Colors in My Home

Mudroom: Benjamin Moore Majestic Mauve

This is actually a color match. I liked the color I used in our old home’s hallways so much, that I used the leftover paint in our new home’s mudroom. Unfortunately, I used up the can and forgot to write down the color. It’s the perfect neutral lavender color. The color picks up some of the purple tones in our faux slate floor.

Laundry Room - Glidden Tropical Surf | Pretty Handy Girl

Laundry room: Glidden Tropical Surf.

 I tried using Glidden paint for a sponsored post years ago. I absolutely love the color, but the paint — not so much. It just doesn’t have the coverage that Benjamin Moore Aura paints have and therefore I had to paint three coats to get good coverage and scrubability without taking off the paint. Many people ask what the valance fabric is. It’s Waverly Pom Pom Play Spa (affiliate link). And the Flow Wall organization (affiliate link) has really held up and gets my stamp of approval!

Kitchen - Cabinets: Sherwin Williams Copen Blue and Benjamin Moore Oxford White - Walls: Sherwin Williams Aesthetic White | Pretty Handy Girl

Kitchen: Sherwin Williams Copen Blue, Aesthetic White and Benjamin Moore Oxford White.

Adjacent to the mudroom is our kitchen. The colors were carefully chosen to be soothing and cheerful. The white color was pulled from the Kith Cabinets as the closest match to the white cabinets and used on all the trim and planks.

You may remember the year long saga of our kitchen. We had a leak and I built it back by myself from the subfloor on up. It was definitely a defining year in my life which has lead to some amazing goals I’ve set for myself.

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Living Room: Sherwin Williams Sea Salt.

The living room was the most recent room I painted and this is a color I’ve admired in many bloggers’ homes. The blue/green/gray color blends in perfectly with the kitchen since they share an open doorway. I get many compliments on the color and like how it changes into many hues depending on the weather and time of day.

Powder Room: Sherwin Williams Quietude | Pretty Handy Girl

Powder Room: Sherwin Williams Quietude.

 This is another color match. Oftentimes I’ll mix several leftover paints until I get the desired color. Quietude is a close match and I’ve since seen the same color in a friend’s home and it is almost an exact match.

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Dining Room: Benjamin Moore Elmira White. 

This is the first room I painted a light off-white. Previously I thought to have a colorful home you had to have colorful walls. Over time I learned that I had more “color freedom” if the walls were a neutral color and I could change the look of a room by swapping out rugs and fabrics.

Interior Doors - Benjamin Moore Yellow Hilighter | Pretty Handy Girl

Foyer: Benjamin Moore Hilighter and Sherwin Williams Aesthetic White. 

After painting our kitchen walls Aesthetic White I knew I wanted to extend it into the adjacent foyer. This color is the perfect off white but not too fleshy colored. It continues up the stairs and will eventually be painted in our upstairs hallway (another lingering “to do” list item.) The yellow doors was a last minute decision when I was struggling to paint the exterior doors. I ran into an issue with the exterior paint and had to spend 5 days stripping them. I needed some sense of accomplishment so I painted the insides before continuing on the outside. This is the color that greets me every morning and I love it’s sunny disposition.

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Exterior: Benjamin Moore Perennial and Sherwin Williams Anonymous.

This is the outside view of those same doors. The color was one I experimented with and had to change twice. Now it’s such a bright and welcoming color that stands out from the traditional black and red doors in the neighborhood. One of the most asked questions I get is “What is your house color?” Sadly I don’t know, but recently matched it with Sherwin Williams Anonymous. The color is a deep warm gray and it doesn’t show dirt or the mildew that plagues our southern local.

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Master Bedroom: Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal and Revere Pewter. Dresser: Benjamin Moore Deep Ocean. 

When I set out to paint our master bedroom I had fallen in love with the dramatic look of white furniture against dark gray walls. But, I couldn’t bring myself to darken an entire room with the charcoal color. My compromise was to paint the headboard wall dark, but create an ombre effect leading into a lighter greige. When we are headed to bed, we climb into bed looking at the dark charcoal. But, when we sit up in the morning it is facing the lighter walls. It’s a nice way to set the mood.

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Boy’s Bedroom: Benjamin Moore custom color.

Remember how I like to mix paint colors? That’s exactly what I did to get this color. I knew what color I wanted in my mind’s eye. But, I none of the color swatches I brought home were working for me. This gray has a bluish cast, but it’s not harsh or cold. The color works perfectly with the red/white and blue theme in the bedroom.

Bathroom - Benjamin Moore Slate Blue | Pretty Handy Girl

Boys’ Bathroom: Benjamin Moore Slate Blue. 

I painted this room many moons ago and a color was chosen that would transition from childhood to adulthood and never need to be painted again. So far, this paint color has lived up to that goal and acts as a perfect backdrop to the gray and aqua accents in the room. Many ask and sadly I can’t remember where the shower curtain is from. It was either Ross, Marshalls or HomeGoods several years ago. The vanity received a makeover and was painted Valspar Beige Shadow (a good match to Annie Sloan French Linen.) I have a funny story about that branch towel bar. When Better Homes and Gardens came to photograph my home, the art director wanted me to paint the branch white. I flat out refused for many reasons. The main reason was that it was a memento of one of the camping trips my husband and I made to Yellowstone, Acadia, Nova Scotia or somewhere else. It’s funny that it’s a memento and I can’t remember which trip it was from. Regardless, we were young and un-married, but that branch holds many memories and has moved with us many times. I’m sure the movers thought I was nuts for packing up a branch. The other reason I wouldn’t paint it is because it would blend in with the walls. And this branch needs to stand out because it’s not “just a branch” to me.

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Guest Room: Ralph Lauren Climbing Lily.

This is the one room in the house that I can add feminine touches. This is my English Garden room and the light green works well with the pink flowers.

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Art Studio: Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter 75% strength.

The art and craft room needs a neutral color so as not to influence the colors we use to create. I love the Revere Pewter, but wanted a light color to help bounce more light around the room. Ask your paint person to mix this color at 75% strength and you’ll agree, it’s the perfect greige that doesn’t darken the room.

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Home Office: Benjamin Moore Hot Spring Stones. 

I almost left this room off because I’m not thrilled with the color. I painted this room when I began blogging. It’s a big improvement from the dark and dreary color that used to be here. But, I’m still craving more light and a color that has less warmth. At night the color turns a bit fleshy. This is the next room that will get a makeover this year. I plan on adding a much needed window to the back wall where the desks are. I’m also planning on repainting the room (not sure on the color yet. Do you have a favorite paint color?) and adding wall shelving on the same wall as the window.

Final notes: 

I didn’t mention my trim colors. Most of the trim paint is the straight up white paint from the Benjamin Moore Impervo line. But, I’ve fallen in love with our white kitchen cabinet color and have been using Benjamin Moore Oxford white more.

I’m a huge fan of Benjamin Moore (especially their Aura low VOC paint.) But, this past year I’ve been using more Sherwin Williams paint (Pro-Classic and Cashmere.) And although it has a different consistency (not as thick as the Aura), I’m really liking their paint as well.

Paint colors are challenging. They can change color depending on the time of day and the season. If you live somewhere that has deciduous trees, I urge you to never pick a paint color in the winter. The green outside your window the other three seasons of the year can change the look of your paint color. Need some tips on picking the perfect paint color? Read this post.

Any other questions for me? Did I forget anything?

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Questions on home paint colors? Pretty Handy Girl shares all the details on the paint colors in her home | Home Paint Color Scheme #prettyhandygirl #paintcolors #homepaintcolors