CasaSugar

How-To: Fixing a Leaky Faucet

CasaSugar — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 08:30:31 -0700

A leaky faucet is a pretty common annoyance . . . but it needn't be! It's actually fairly simple to fix, so I figured this was an excellent start to your home schooling. So rather than letting water go to waste, and taking migraine medicine to remedy drip-drop-orchestra-induced headaches, just take a few minutes to conquer the inconvenience on your own. You'll just need a washer, faucet stem or O-ring, six-in-one interchangeable screwdriver, and eight-inch adjustable wrench or six-inch slip joint pliers. To learn the steps to saying sayonara to your leaky faucet, read more.

Here's how, from Barbara K!:

First, check to see if the leak is coming from the faucet tap or the handle. If it's the former, you'll need to replace the washer. The latter, you'll need to replace the faucet stem or O-ring.
Turn off the water by turning the knob under the sink.
Drain out any remaining water by opening the faucet.
Next, close up the stopper in the sink bowl and then place a towel in the sink to protect against scratches or chips.
Now, take off the decorative top of the faucet handle.Unscrew the screw that is exposed, so you can then remove the handle.
Remove the stem assembly by turning the locknut counterclockwise with your wrench, and then lifting the stem assembly out. Turn it counterclockwise to loosen the stem if it sticks.
Then, take off the washer underneath.
Pick up an exact match to your washer at the hardware store. Replace the screw with an exact match as well if it looks worn.
Before replacing the stem, clean off any corrosion.
Then replace the washer and screw with your new purchases, and reinstall the stem.
Put the locknut, faucet handle, and decorative cap back on.
Turn the water back on via the valve below the sink.
Turn the faucet on and off, and then listen for any drips. Fini!
If there are any drips, run through the steps again, making sure everything is securely tightened.

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What Would It Take?

CasaSugar — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 09:20:12 -0700

I've found a rather amazing faucet that I simply must ask you about. No, it's not this one.

It's somewhat NSFW, so you'll have to take a look when you read more.

Um, yes. Words fail me.

What would it take for you to put this in your home - or is it better off in a gentlemen's club? If you did buy it, how could you make it work?
Source and Source

Etsy Find: A Real Turn-On Coatrack

CasaSugar — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 06:00:48 -0700

I've been hoping to DIY one of these for a while, but haven't found the time. I suppose I could drop some cash on this Faucet Coatrack $30 instead, from Etsy seller Rustics Reborn. Constructed out of weathered barn wood and antiqued water faucets, this would look especially adorable as a towel rack in a bathroom.
Have you ever tried to construct a similar coatrack?

Link Time!

CasaSugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:00:37 -0800

Danny Seo made a visit to the new Crosby Street Hotel. - Daily Danny
This DIY button lighting has me looking for my sewing kit already. - AT:NY
Learn to make this cute felt circles ornament. - Craftzine
Crow over this farm-chic decorating. - Shelterpop
Find some new tree ornaments to love, and hang. - Poppytalk
I adore these faucet handles used on kitchen cabinets. - Shelterrific

Before and After: A DIY Kitchen Reno

CasaSugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 08:00:15 -0700

Su Casa member and ambitious home renovator Jenn1979 and her husband recently bought a home. However, they also assumed ownership of a not-so-pretty, poorly working kitchen in the process.

Jenn writes, "We bought our house just over a year ago. It was built in 1900, and the kitchen had been partially renovated sometime in the '50s or '60s. The faucet had very little water pressure, there was only one small drawer (the rest were fakes), and the countertops were only 32 inches high with only 15 inches between top and bottom cabinets. Plus, the ventilation for the stovetop was the ceiling fan (which was also the main source of light)."

To see how Jenn and her hubby took this kitchen from dysfunctional to fabulous, read more.

With a lot of hard work, the new kitchen looks great. Jenn and her husband demo-ed everything, and then rewired the kitchen themselves to bring it up to code. One of the real wow factors, in my opinion, is Jenn's smart decision to rip up the vinyl floors and refinish the original, beautiful fir floors.

It took Jenn and her husband seven months of "weekend warriorism" (as Jenn aptly describes it) to rebuild their kitchen, but their efforts were well worth it. Now, the kitchen has 11 drawers instead of one, as well as a coffee bar, additional counterspace, a new window over the sink, a baking nook with butcher block and beadboard behind the fridge, and a lot more lighting. Amazing effort and result!

Have you joined my Su Casa group yet? Show off your home reno projects, just like Jenn did!

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Casa Verde: MetroShip

CasaSugar — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:00:27 -0700

Do you want to get away for a weekend, but don't have the land or Summer cabin to flee to? Consider taking to the seas instead. The MetroShip, a new houseboat design that favors modern aesthetics and high-efficiency materials, makes it possible.

MetroShed and MetroShip founder, David Ballinger, writes, “ I wanted [the MetroShip] to be like an updated Frank Lloyd Wright home but with an open New York-loft-condo style mixed with a midcentury Eichler home post and beam style. Using structurally sound lightweight aluminum panels was important. Using a single piece roof was important. Using the very best doors and windows available was important. Design, as they say, is in the details.”

To find out all of the details, and to take a complete photo tour, read more.

The spacious design is 48 feet in length by 12 feet beam and 7 feet interior height, though custom sizes are available. The kitchens feature islands, top of the line Viking appliances, and Iin the open-living area, entertainment is provided for with an HD-TV projector for TV, movies, gaming, and Internet access, while sound is piped in through in-wall Jamo speakers by one of the best Danish speaker manufacturers. The bathroom features a Kohler corner full-size shower, imported Italian vanity with a Sloan touch-free water-conserving faucet, full-size touch-flush toilet an LG Steam Fresh Washer Dryer.

You'll keep cozy in your MetroShip no matter what the season with remote-controlled heat and AC, air conditioning units. Rest assured your heat or AC won't disappear out of the boat's doors or windows, etiher, since the MetroShip is constructed with double-glazed low-E door and windows. The entire boat is built out of UV-coated aluminum grid opaque walls, which are opaque, and cause the MetroShip to glow at night like a lantern. MetroShips start at $239,000.

Are you interested in boating away down the nearest river, lake, or bay? Check out all the photos if you need convincing.

View 30 Photos ›

Source

How-To: Renovate Your Kitchen to Accommodate a Wheelchair

CasaSugar — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:00:25 -0700

Su Casa member Hihowareya recently updated her kitchen with a cool DIYed backsplash, some fresh paint colors, and new lighting. She also made an important, practical change to her kitchen as well: she added an island and sink that allowed her wheelchair-bound mother to maneuver around the space and use the kitchen to her best advantage.

To find out how Hihowareya created this island on a tight budget, read more.

She writes,

The island is lower so [my mom] can reach the sink. The sink is a bar sink and we picked out basically the cheapest sink and faucets out there that would suit our needs, and that total came out to be less than $100. The sink is 15 inches by 5 inches deep, so it's tiny but it serves its purpose. The countertop to this island is a butcher block we custom ordered from Home Depot for $227 (that's including tax) and measures 42 inches x 25 inches. We bought two unfinished oak wall cabinets, placed them back to back, and then I stained them with the same stain as our original cabinets so they'd match (my mom wanted matching). There's also an electrical outlet on it, so my mom can plug in her teapot to boil water and make her tea, or plug in her bread maker and make bread and such. It's awesome how something so little can improve someone's independence tenfold.

Hihowareya reports that the entire island and sink renovation cost less than $400. What a great investment! She was able to give her mom more independence in the kitchen, and I bet that now, Hihowareya has another set of helping hands in the kitchen now as well. Have you made any renovations that improved accessibility for a wheelchair-bound family member? How did you go about it?

View 5 Photos ›

Link Time!

CasaSugar — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:00:25 -0700

This bedroom makes a color change.- Making It Lovely
I love the idea of a cake vase.- Shelterrific
Make a patchwork pet bed.- AT:LA
Fix a leaky bathtub faucet.- Charles and Hudson
Whip up some handmade paper.- Craft
Check out this wild and crazy kitchen.- AT:LA
Does clearing clutter make you feel better? - Simply Stated
Create a balcony vegetable garden.- LA Times

Casa Quickie: Steamer-Free and Wrinkle-Free

CasaSugar — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 15:00:00 -0800

I'd love to own a garment steamer, but I really don't need another space-hogging appliance lying around the house. While I do actually enjoy ironing, I tend to leave it to the last minute, so it's impractical for my morning routine. Wrinkles aren't practical either, though.
Instead, I hang my clothes from the rod at the end of my shower (far from the faucet), close the bathroom door, and then take my morning shower, letting the steam do all the work. By the time I'm finished, my clothes are wrinkle and odor free! If you don't have a shower rod in your bathroom, you can really hang your duds anywhere in the bathroom. Just make sure you close the door so the steam is contained, and don't allow your clothes to get wet.
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Casa Verde: Removable Kitchen Sink

CasaSugar — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 14:00:50 -0800

Considering the current water shortages around the world, it's scary how much water is wasted by simply running the kitchen faucet when washing dishes or produce, etc. So, I was delighted to come across the Australian-made Hughie Sink ($25), a removable kitchen sink that captures 80 percent of the water that would normally be wasted, so you can reuse it to water plants, wash your pets or car, etc.

The sink is made of biodegradable plastic, is lightweight, comes with a sturdy handle, and fits most kitchen sinks. It's also available in a range of colors, so you can find one to match your existing sink. If you don't have any current use for the graywater, you should consider getting a rain barrel to store it, so you have it when you need it! Pretty clever and simple, isn't it?