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All Things Home

All Things Home

dining chair slipcover tutorial (updated)

I recently made slipcovers for my kitchen chairs and, I reserved the last one for the purposes of making a tutorial as I worked on it.   I posted a dining chair slipcover tutorial HERE a few years ago, but the style is slightly different and the tutorial is in pictures and written directions.  You can check that out, though, if you learn better that way.  This tutorial is all on video, because I think that’s an easier way to show you everything I’m doing. The style of the slipcover is tie-on with a ruffled skirt.  You can make variations of this slipcover to have a longer skirt, a micro ruffle, a pleated skirt, or even something that looks cleaner and more modern, like a kick-pleat.  You can also change out the ties to be thinner, use ribbons or twine, etc.  The principles are all the same. Here’s is what my

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All Things Home

kitchen backsplash details

If you missed the reveal of my new kitchen counters, you can see them HERE.  In this post, I’m following up with some details about the backsplash. I thought it might take a few weeks to have it done, but I was referred to a local “tile guy” who was able to fit our project in around larger jobs.  I had considered doing it myself, but after installing the tile backsplash in my last house, I decided tile work was something that was best left to the professionals.  The end result looked nice, but let’s just say that grout covered a multitude of errors! I selected venatino marble subway tiles from Lowe’s.  It had just the right amount of gray in it, so it would add some texture and color, but would still be neutral.  I decided to have it installed in a 1/3 running bond pattern, with 1/16″ grout

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All Things Home

kitchen counters reveal

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by HanStone Quartz.  As always, all opinions expressed are honest and my own. I am so excited to finally share my new kitchen counters! More than one person thought I was a little crazy for replacing granite counters, but they weren’t my taste and we hope to live in this house for a long time.  The kitchen is the heart of the home and we want it to be “us”. And, I have to say, I am completely over the moon with how it turned out.  I have wanted white marble counters for as long as I can remember and now I have beautiful quartz counters (HanStone Quartz in Monterey) that give me the exact look I want without the concern about etching and staining.  They are perfect. Before I gush, here is how the kitchen looked when we first moved in…   What a

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All Things Home

antique finds from cannon falls

I decided it was finally time to start exploring my local area a bit more in search of new-to-me antique honey holes.  I’ve been so busy with the house and the kids and just trying to establish a routine in our new city, that I haven’t been outside of the bubble of Rochester very many times.  I haven’t even done a lot of exploring within that bubble, but have stuck to a few places I know. I found myself missing my antique spots in PA and the days away from my workspace.  It’s nice to step away and get some inspirations, new ideas, and maybe a few new finds for my house. A couple of weeks ago, I went to Stewartville and found a couple of antique shops to mill around in.  I have a list of things I’m looking for, like a large gilded mirror for the dining room,

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All Things Home

a simple fix to a fuzzy situation

You know those annoying little things around your home that you just live with, because you figure that’s just the way they are?  Like a chair with a leg that wobbles or a remote button you have to push at the top right corner to make it work, or the oven you have to set 20 degrees higher than the dial, so it gets to the proper cooking temp? ….or the fuzz and dust that collects around any chair, stool, or table leg that has a sticky felt slider underneath to protect your wood floor?  That’s been bugging me for years!  Sometimes, it’s so bad that it looks like a small furry animal was pinned under a leg. I finally decided to try something different.  On the bottom of each leg of my barstools are plastic caps nailed into wood.  Those are not wood-floor friendly, so I stuck a felt

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All Things Home

DIY & ready-made tie-up shades

I’m bringing you a “twofer” in today’s post – a tie-up shade tutorial and a ready-made version! So, a few months ago, I made three linen shades with my mom for my studio.  I did the cutting, pinning, and sewing, and she did the ironing.  With the two of us working together, we were able to get three done quickly, but we didn’t have time to finish the remaining three before she left.  I’ve been dragging my feet since January, feeling like the project would eat up a couple of days of my time.  I finally got to work on them and finished all three in about three hours!  It’s so ridiculous how I can build projects up in my own head when they really won’t take that long. Anyway, while I was stalling, I spoke with Decor Steals about making a reproduction shade for those who don’t sew or

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All Things Home

kitchen chair makeovers

Remember the French-style chairs I purchased for our kitchen eating area last fall?  Here’s a reminder of what they looked like… I knew when I purchased them that I would eventually make a slipcover for the seats and reupholster the backs.  I can have some light-colored upholstery in the house, but I knew it was not going to survive in our main eating area long term. And it didn’t.  Even Jeff pointed out how spotty they were getting and that’s saying a lot. They finally got so bad that it was time. I used a checked fabric called Zippy in the color Lakeland by P Kaufmann for the seat slipcover and the front of the back.  The back of the chair is upholstered in an antique grain sack. Now, I goofed on the fabrics a bit.  Not a big deal, but I was actually planning on using the larger scale

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All Things Home

installation of the new kitchen counters

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by HanStone.  All opinions and words are honest and my own. Monday was the day and it was like counting down the days to Christmas.  I think HanStone needs to make an advent calendar to countdown to counter install day.  Filled with dark chocolates and bite-sized samples of coordinating backsplash tile. Anyway, before the install could happen, our fabricator and installer had to come to the house to measure for the new counters.  We used a local company, The Pinske Edge in Rochester, MN.  (And, just to explain, the material for the counters was provided by HanStone as a part of the sponsorship, but we paid for the fabrication and installation.) On the day of measuring, I had to clear off the counters, so they could have full access to those as well as the walls and cabinets.  I was expecting a guy with a

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I’m Marian, a painter, writer, and lover of all things creative. From art and antiques to home projects and everyday life, I share my journey in hopes of inspiring you to embrace your own creativity and make beauty in the spaces you live.

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