Adhesive Backed Tile DIY {EAsy}

This peal and stick tile update DIY project turned out so stinkin' cute! My daughter was looking for an affordable way to tile her kitchen back splash. With two dogs, a cat, a bunny, and a toddler running around, she didn't have a lot of time or energy for messy grout projects, and she needed to be able to drop everything in an instant, if the baby cried.

She went online to do some research, and found peel and stick tiles (check the bottom of this post for affiliate links to similar products). Her builder grade kitchen had basic drywall back splashes, and she wanted something more attractive and easy to clean.

She was able to do her entire back splash in one afternoon!

She ordered a brand called Smart Tiles, that came six 12" x 12" tiles to a pack. She needed two packs for her project.

The dimensional tiles seem to be a vinyl type of material, and are very thin.

You can see how flexible the tile sheets are.

The tiles are designed so that the pattern interlocks from tile sheet to tile sheet.

My daughter found the instructions to be very easy to follow. It couldn't have been easier. Start by cleaning the wall with a good degreaser. Next, use a level or chalk line to create a guideline. Then, measure and cut. A utility knife and metal ruler make it easy to create perfect cuts. Cut out holes for outlets before installing the tile. Finally, fold back half of the paper backing and carefully align the tile. Once you are happy with the placement, press into place, while peeling back the rest of the adhesive backing. Rub your hand across the tile sheet, to make sure you have good adhesion.

The finished result was beautiful.

There are so many different tile patterns and colors available -- I seriously plan to try this in my own kitchen!

If you enjoyed this post, you might also enjoy this post about decorating with a brown sofa.

If you enjoyed this tutorial, please subscribe to House Revivals in the sidebar, so you won't miss the fun projects we have scheduled. Find us on Facebook, too, so you can catch all the "in between" stuff, and see what I'm working on daily on Instagram. Feel free to link today's post to your favorite social media sites.

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Amanda

How to Create a Beautiful and Functional Kitchen

If you are thinking about renovating your kitchen, you will want to read this post. It could save you a lot of money and frustration in the long run. As an interior designer, I've seen a lot of badly designed kitchens.



Kitchen design takes careful planning. Did you know there are recommended linear feet of shelving that depend on the size of your home and household?

Steel and Glass Home in a Mesquite Bosque {Tour}

We waited too long. Over the last few years, we've been trying to figure out where we want to live when we retire. We love Arizona -- it's where we met and fell in love and married. Now, thirty plus years later, our kids are raised and are starting families of their own. Retirement is on the horizon.

Last year, we traveled to Arizona to see some properties near Tucson.

An Arts and Crafts Limestone

At this time, last year, we were in the process of making some big life decisions. Do we stay in the Pacific Northwest? Go back to Colorado? Stay in the same job? Take a job in Colorado? Take a new job in the Pacific Northwest?  We traveled back to Colorado, where I met with my old boss from the design firm where I'd worked, and where we touched base with many dear friends. We visited our oldest son, who had just opened a new business, and spent a little time hanging out with two of my husband's sisters, who also lived in Colorado. We knew our daughter's husband was soon to be transferred to Colorado, as well. While we were in our old hometown, we discovered "The Lion House" was for sale.

A five thousand square foot limestone, the hundred plus year old Lion House is a local landmark. We made a quick call to our real estate agent, and toured the property.

Easy Pineapple Casserole Recipe for Lazy Cooks!

This is one of my most favorite and most versatile recipes. It is wonderful as a brunch dish, a side dish for your ham dinner, or as a hot dessert served with a scoop of ice cream!

I first tried this dish waaaaaaaaaay back, when my husband was a young lieutenant at Ft. Riley, and I was home with three tiny babes. It was a lifesaver for a busy mom, and it always impressed our guests.

How to Decorate With Zinc

Don't you just love an old-fashioned kitchen work table with a zinc top? Zinc can feel charming or industrial -- or even a little bit of both!

You may feel like zinc is out of your price range, but you can add zinc accents to your space on any budget.

For a big splurge, you might use this vintage architect's table as a kitchen island. This table would be equally at home in a farmhouse kitchen or an industrial urban loft.

factory20

Anything with chippy goldenrod paint makes me giddy, but add a zinc top and I am in love.

1stdibs

If you can't find just the right vintage piece for your space, SDS Designs builds custom zinc topped tables!

You can even use zinc for you countertop material. The zinc countertops in this kitchen, from Country Living, are simply gorgeous.

Country Living

Zinc countertops and tables may not be within your budget, and that's okay. You can add just a touch of zinc, with this boot tray, from Crate and Barrel.

You can organize your desk in style, with this zinc wire basket.

(affiliate link)Zinc Austin 3-Tier Paper Tray - World Market

Keep track of incoming papers with this beautiful zinc-finished tray. I love that it has a surface on top to put a pen holder and a few office supplies. I'm pretty sure I NEED this!

(affiliate link) St. Laurent Paper Tray - World Market

I am a big fan of mail sorting baskets, and these are no exception. This first sorter would be perfect in the mudroom for school papers.

(affiliate link) Urban Trends Metal Mail Organizer with 3 Shelves, Galvanized Zinc

(affiliate link)Urban Trends Metal Mail Organizer with 2 Shelves, Galvanized Zinc

craigslist

For an even smaller budget, I found these vintage Ball jars on Craigslist yesterday. I LOVE Craigslist. You can find vintage ball jars and Mason jars, with their original zinc lids in antique stores, on EBay, on Craigslist, and even at garage sales. They are a wonderful way to add storage to a kitchen or craft room.

Do you love zinc? Zinc lends such a warm patina to a space. I would seriously LOVE to have that chippy yellow table as my kitchen island, with lots of blue Ball jars for storage.

If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to House Revivals. We have lots of projects and tutorials planned for 2015.

Thanks for stopping by!

Creative Ways to Add Storage to Your Kitchen

Are you one of those people who vows to get more organized with the new year?  I love new years and new beginnings! It's a great time to tackle those projects we've been putting off for ages. Sometimes we need to organize our kitchens a little bit better, but our space and resources are limited.

Here are some easy and pretty ideas to help you get your kitchen in shape for the new year!

bhg

Convert a thrift store desk into a one of a kind kitchen island. Add shelves in the knee space for storing wine and serving dishes. A towel rod on the side and a cutting board on top turn this into a hardworking island!

homelife

Use an old ladder (or crib rail!) to hang pots and pans. Store baskets on top. Such a pretty and functional solution!

thekitchn

Add an eclectic mix of open shelving to add texture and interest while providing easy to reach storage. This is a great solution for those items you use every day!

via design sponge

Use inexpensive wood crates from a discount store to create a custom shelving unit! This is an especially good idea for renters and students. When it's time to move, put your things in the crates and carry them to the next place!

bhg 

Use a vintage plate rack to keep your dishes handy! Hint: seal the piece well, with polyurethane, to prevent chipping of old paint.

bhg

Stack vintage (or new) picnic baskets for out of sight storage in plain sight! The baskets add texture to the space and repeat the warm tones of the wood floor.

bobvila

This one is not as pretty as the other ideas, but it sure is clever! Cut the top and bottom off an old soda bottle and use it to dispense plastic bags. Screw the bottle upside down to the back of a pantry or cabinet door.

bobvila

Screw T-mold strips to the bottom of your cabinets for wine glass storage!

classy clutter

Do you have a little bit of extra space next to your fridge? Build this pull-out on wheels to store spices and canned goods! Brilliant!

What do you think? Are you inspired to tackle an organization project in your kitchen now?

Upcycle Your Christmas Tins!

Here's an idea for all those Christmas tins you received this year! Use them to organize your kitchen and your life.

Last year, I up-cycled this tin into a container for sweetener packets. It was functional, but considering that it lived out in the open, the snowman theme was a bit much.

So You Want to Be an Interior Designer!

Do you love beauty? Do you love being creative? Do you love helping others put together beautiful and functional spaces? Maybe you should be an interior designer!

(This post is participating in Blogging A to Z.  I is for Interior Designer.)

If designing spaces is something think you want to do, here are a few facts you need to know:

Six Reasons to Buy a Vintage Appliance for your Home

Over the years, I have loved many vintage appliances.  When it comes to making a statement, buying a retro appliance can give you a great return on investment!  Here are six great reasons to consider a vintage appliance for your home.

Beauty. There is no denying that many antique and retro appliances have style and grace. They make a statement.  While a new professional quality stainless appliance also makes a statement, a vintage appliance makes a statement that is unique to your home.

Tips for Finding the Perfect Vintage Stove

We've decided to go all electric at the beach house.

Our propane stove is gorgeous, and we plan to keep it, but it will go to another property we own.  For the beach house, we want to make things really simple, thus going all-electric. Plus, our climate is really hard on propane tanks and valves.

High Chair Makeover

Several months ago I found this little wooden highchair at a local thrift store.  We do a lot of entertaining at the beach house, and our guests often include babies and toddlers, so a good sturdy highchair has been on our list of things to get.

When I saw the price of this highchair, I knew it was coming home with me.  Are you ready for this?  It was $4.99!  I loaded that baby into my shopping cart!

What You Should Know Before You Start Your Kitchen Remodel

This is a re-visit of a popular House Revivals post, with a few updates. Enjoy! 

A popular topic in on-line forums and on blogs is kitchen design.  All the amazing new cooking shows have contributed to the interest, as have many of the real estate and decorating programs on cable TV.  And, I have to tell you, there is a lot of great stuff out there!

Our Newest Make-Over Project

We signed our closing documents today for our newest project!    It's another condo in our building -- right in the middle of a big city, but right on the edge of a lake and wetlands.  The seller signs tomorrow, and hopefully the rest of the closing will go smoothly. (closings are different here -- sellers and buyers don't sit down together, and you usually sign a day or so before the actual closing)

I was waiting to share more on this project till the closing was completely finished, but I was too excited, so here is a peak of the views from the new condo.

Using Mirrors in the Kitchen

Do you use mirrors in your kitchen?  While we are in the midst of a bathroom remodel in our marina condo, we have been without a vanity.

photo credit: Francesco Lagnese

Mirrors are placed on the recessed panels of these cupboard doors!  Gorgeous.

All teeth brushing and face washing and make-up applying, and so on, has moved to the kitchen sink.  We simply leaned our vanity mirror behind the kitchen sink.   Sitting down so close to the faucet, it was constantly getting splattered, and keeping it clean was turning into a big PAIN.  It looked so bright and pretty when it was clean, but it never stayed clean for long.....   Well, it occurred to me that we don't actually have to watch ourselves brush our teeth, so I moved the mirror to an adjacent wall -- about twenty inches from the sink -- and I LOVE it!  It is far enough from the sink that it does not get splashed, but it reflects light, and makes the space look larger. 

I think mirrors can work beautifully in the kitchen, depending on placement, 

and how you prepare meals.  The mirrored back splash shown above reflects 

light, and makes the space feel larger.  For the occasional cook, an application like

this could work very well.  For a busy mom, it might become a maintenance problem.

I decided to look around and see how others are using mirrors in their kitchens.  Years ago, we lived in a rental house that had a mirrored back splash behind the stove.  Ours was a busy family -- I worked, my husband worked and attended grad school full time, and we had three children under the age of six.  The mirrored back splash was a nightmare.  Three meals a day were being prepared at that stove, and keeping that mirror clean, on top of diapers, and laundry, and housework, and yard work, and paid work, and homework, was just too much. All these years, I've allowed that experience to cloud my judgment!  

Be sure to check out An Urban Cottage to see lots of remarkable transformations!

After the eye opening experience in my condo kitchen, I saw Steve's beautiful kitchen at An Urban Cottage.  He has a mirror above his sink, but it is mounted high enough to avoid being splashed -- it should stay just as clean as any vanity mirror mounted several inches above your lavatory.  I love that the traditional styling references his home's history, while still being unexpected.  And I love that it reflects light and visually enlarges the space.

Camille, at The Vintage Object, uses a long framed mirror to support a focal point in her kitchen.  It is such a pretty way to style her space!   Camille has done a beautiful job styling her entire home, so be sure to check out her blog.

In the modern kitchen shown below, mirrors are used to define the dining area in an open concept space.

Here is another example of using a traditionally framed mirror above the sink.  In this simple streamlined space, the mirror creates a focal point.

photo credit: Photo by Don Freeman

This tiny mirror might not create too much of a maintenance burden behind the stove -- what do you think?

These smokey mirrored tiles might be a little more forgiving than my old back splash. 

This back splash made. me. swoon.  The diamond shaped mirrored tiles, with darker accents at the intersections is just stunning!

So tell me, would you use mirrors in your kitchen?  I'm definitely scheming about the best way to use a mirror in my kitchen!