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Thoughtful touches abound. The office is stocked with supplies, making last-minute runs to the store a thing of the past. The laundry room windows, counter, and flatscreen TV make sorting, pressing, and folding clothes a pleasure—or close to it. And the mudroom corrals backpacks, coats, and even the dog’s bed in a central spot, blocking the mess from migrating into the rest of the house. Schoolwork Central A U-shape desk anchors the study area and is built with base cabinets and butcher-block counters....

How to Get the Look of Barnwood Supplies Needed: WoodDrillWire brush drill attachmentSandpaperTack clothDark wood stain (we used Special Walnut by Minwax)PaintbrushesLint-free clothWhite interior primer-paintClear polyurethane Step-by-Step Directions Create a weathered look on lumber with our how-to instructions for DIY aged barnwood. Follow our step-by-step directions, below, for the tutorial. Step 1: Scratch Surface Using a drill and a wire metal brush attachment, abrade the wood by running the brush along the surface....

Roll roofing is often installed over bare wood sheathing or sheathing that has been painted with a primer. Applying roofing felt first will better protect the sheathing against condensation, as well as against leaking. If the roof is sloped, you can use the exposed-nail method. For a slightly sloped roof, use the concealed-nail method shown. For a flat or nearly flat roof, use double coverage, although a torch-down modified bitumen or EPDM roof is a better solution....

No matter the occasion, it’s easy to wow your friends and family with your bow-making abilities. We’ll show you how to make a bow with ribbon in just four simple steps. How to Make a Layered Bow Supplies Needed RibbonScissorsTapeRuler Step-by-Step Directions Follow these simple directions to learn how to make a layered bow out of ribbon. You should be able to make one in about 5 minutes. Step 1: Cut Ribbon Cut several pieces of grosgrain fabric ribbon each two inches longer than the previous one....

Disguising the Joint Below, we provide the steps you’ll follow to make am undetectable scarf joint—but there are several other things you can do to disguise the joint. If you’re joining wood that will get a clear finish, join pieces that have the same subdued grain pattern. Joining a wildly grained strip with one that has straight grain will make the difference immediately apparent. If possible, locate the joint where a bed, bookcase, or other large piece of furniture will hide it....

What Is Self-Rising Flour? Self-rising flour is a combination of all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. How To Make Self-Rising Flour It’s easy to make your own substitute at home. Here’s our Test Kitchen’s easy method to make self-rising flour: For every cup of self-rising flour, substitute one cup of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon baking soda. There are self-rising flour substitutes that simply call for one cup of all-purpose flour, 1½ teaspoon baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt....

To make the sequin egg: Paint a spun cotton egg with crafts paint, then use a spot of sequin glue to attach large sequins, working from one end to the other and overlapping the edges slightly. Then use a thimble to insert a sequin pin through each sequin hole.

How to Make Beer Bread There are a lot of variations out there, but our Test Kitchen’s trials found this easy 4-ingredient beer bread recipe had the best flavor and texture. Step 1: Heat Oven and Prepare Loaf Pan Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan ($9, Target) with nonstick cooking spray. Step 2: Combine Beer Bread Ingredients Combine self-rising flour, beer, melted butter, and sugar in a large mixing bowl ($24, Bed Bath & Beyond) until just combined....

How to Make Buttercream Frosting To learn how to make butter frosting from scratch, start with a great buttercream recipe: Here’s our best Buttercream Frosting, which has been tested and perfected in our Test Kitchen. While the recipe is incredibly straightforward, the following tips will show you exactly how to make homemade buttercream frosting that turns out perfectly the first time and every time: Editor’s Note: Icing a cake is much easier when you use an offset spatula ($6, Bed Bath & Beyond)....

Seed balls make it easier to plant seeds, especially if you’re sowing small seeds that are difficult to see and handle. Coating seeds with clay also protects them from being washed away by rain or eaten by birds. Use one finished seed ball per small container, or use the balls to plant clusters of annual flowers in a garden.

Ahead, we’ll share our complete guide on how to make bread crumbs, including the best carbs for the task, how to recreate those store-bought Italian bread crumbs, plus how to save them for future use—in a way in which your homemade bread crumbs won’t spoil. How to Make Bread Crumbs Let your leftovers be your guide! Pretty much any kind of bread can be transformed into homemade bread crumbs: from squishy white to chewy sourdough and whole wheat to gluten-free....

Before You Get Started Acrylic craft paint is the best choice for painting clay pots because of its highly pigmented formula. Colors will be bright and saturated, especially if you use primer and multiple coats of paint. Coating the painted surface with spray shellac helps seal the finish and make it water-resistant so that you can use your pots outside. Although terra-cotta is a durable material, it’s best to bring the pots in when the weather gets cold as they can crack in freezing conditions....

How to Plant a Window Box Always make sure your window box has drainage holes. To aid drainage, place 2 inches of nonbiodegradable packing peanuts or old wine corks in the bottom of the box, and then cover with landscape fabric to prevent soil from seeping out. Next, fill the box halfway with potting soil, and add your plants. Make sure your plants are placed a few inches apart to give them room to fill out....

Shady Situations In many instances, shade gardens can be tricky to plant, especially when it comes to turf grass. With something as low maintenance as a mondo grass lawn, you can have the look of grass in shady spots; no mowing required! Mondo grass has no problem growing under large tree canopies, even between gnarled roots and rocks. However, if you’re planting black foliage varieties of mondo, they’ll need some sun, or the plants will be mostly green in full shade....

Varieties of Parrot Tulip Uncle Tom Tulip Double-flowered tulips stand out because their blooms are packed with petals. Some have so many petals that they are referred to as peony-flowered tulips for their resemblance to those flowers. Bloom time depends on type; some bloom in early spring and others bloom late. Regardless of when they show off their flowers, the blossoms last a long time because the flowers have so much substance....

Before You Start: Pick the Right Duvet Cover To achieve the right look and fit, ensure the size of your duvet cover aligns with the size of your mattress and duvet insert. If you skip this step, you might end up with sides of your duvet cover drooping if the insert is too small or vice versa, with layers bunched up inside if the insert is too big. Duvet Cover Size Guidelines: King duvet: 104 inches x 90-94 inches Queen duvet: 88 inches x 90-94 inchesTwin duvet: 64 inches x 68-88 inches...

A note on safety: Wear gloves and a mask while you clean, and work in a well-ventilated area. Do not mix cleaners, and follow all the manufacturer’s instructions on any products you use. Before Getting Started Note that bleach may cause discoloration on certain fabrics, so spot test an inconspicuous place before using. How to Remove Mold from Patio Furniture Mild cases of mold can be scrubbed off of most outdoor furniture with a mixture of water, soap, and a little bleach, says James Conner, former vice president at Molly Maid....