A wall fountain gives you the relaxing feeling of sitting next to a babbling brook right outside your home.
By installing a ready-made one like this one, you don’t have to rework any plumbing in your home. All you need to do is decide on the location, drive in a mounting screw, and hang the fountain.
However, if you don’t have an electrical outlet nearby, you’ll need to have one installed for your wall fountain to work.
Electrical work is best done by professionals. Here’s what they’ll do to set up an exterior outlet.
Installing an Exterior Electrical Outlet
The fountain will be hung on the other side of this wall, so we can use the wires from this outlet to power an exterior outlet. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
The electrician will find an interior outlet near where you want the exterior outlet to be. He’ll use the wires from this outlet to power the exterior outlet.
To access the wires, the electrician must first remove the electrical box. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
With the power turned off, he’ll disconnect the outlet and remove the box.
To mark the location for the new exterior outlet, the electrician uses a pencil and the electrical box. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
Next, the electrician will mark the location of the new box with a pencil. Make sure the electrician centers the box under the wall fountain.
The electrician runs the wire through the electrical box to connect it to the wall. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
After cutting a hole for the exterior electrical box, he’ll fish a new wire through that hole over to the inside box location.
A ground fault circuit interrupter outlet like this one constantly track electrical current flow; if they detect a change, they immediately cut power to the outlet. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
Finally, the electrician will secure and wire the new box with a ground fault circuit interrupter outlet, which the local building code requires for outside locations.
Once the electrical work is complete, all that’s left to do is connect the wall fountain’s pump and fill it with water before plugging it into the new outlet.
Now, we can begin enjoying the relaxing sound of water falling gently.
Inspired by currently trending raffia-covered furniture, I’m showing you how to build your own TV console table covered in wallpaper for $150!
**I partnered with Titebond for this project which makes me really excited because…I used their original wood glue and ONLY their wood glue to hold my entire table together! What?!**
The goal for my house was a tall and wide table without any visible supports that broke up the clean lines. The overall dimensions of my finished table are 70″ wide and 35″ tall. So keep that in mind with the materials and cut lists below!
What to Buy
What to Cut
1x2s:
(4) @ 32″
(7) @ 14-1/2″
(2) @ 70″
3/4″ plywood:
(4) 32″ long x 16″ wide
(2) 70″ long x 16″ wide
Building the Console Table Boxes
Essentially we are creating 3 separate boxes. 2 will be the legs and 1 will be the tabletop.
Start with the 2 smaller boxes (legs) to get your feet wet. Lay a 32″ piece of plywood down and add your Titebond wood glue along the top side of all 4 edges. Then lay a 1×2 on its side on top of the glue, making sure it’s flush with the edge of the plywood.
The 32″ pieces of 1×2 will go from edge to edge of the plywood while the 14.5″ pieces should fit snuggly between.
Once you have the 1x2s lined up on the edges just so, run a bead of wood glue on the top of them.
Gently set another 32″ piece of plywood on top. Now your box leg is complete!
Repeat for the other leg, using a few clamps if necessary to create super tight joints!
You’ll follow the same steps to create the tabletop, only you’ll add an additional 14.5″ 1×2 support somewhere in the middle. This will help keep the long 1x2s from sinking in and add overall stability to the table.
Waiting is the Hardest Part
If you’ve ever tried to pry wood apart that’s been glued with Titebond, even for a few minutes, you know it’s basically impossible to do well.
And that’s why you don’t need any nails or screws to hold your table together. Wood glue, when fully dried and cured, is actually stronger than fasteners! So crazy but oh so true!
Let your 3 boxes dry and set up for at least 30 minutes before moving on to the next step.
Adding Legs to the Table Top
Assuming your floor is level, set your leg boxes upright, approximately 70″ apart. Apply ample amounts of wood glue to the tippy top of your legs and gently set the tabletop in place. Adjust the top so it’s flush with the outside of your leg on one side before adjusting the other leg.
For a table this large, it would be helpful to have a friend or spouse hold the good side in place while you manipulate the other side. But with a few back-and-forths, you can handle it yourself too!
I used a speed square to make sure the legs were at 90-degree angles. Not a bad tool to have in your arsenal if you don’t have one already!
When you’re satisfied with your leg situation, let it sit for about 30 minutes before you start covering everything in wallpaper!
Adhering Wallpaper to the Console Table
I love the texture of a raffia or light-colored wood table. And after a friend shared an inexpensive peel-and-stick wallpaper she used that looked like faux grasscloth, I knew I could use that to create the texture I wanted for this piece of furniture.
I also wanted the table to look like one slab of wood. To create that effect with the wallpaper, I started at the bottom of one leg, took it up and over the top, and then down the other leg without any cuts or seams. I also lined it up with the back edge of the table so it could fold and go down the front edge without any seams.
Hopefully, the video better illustrates how I handled the corners, so watch it above! I had the paper that came from the tabletop under the paper from the legs. Then I scored on the paper itself the 45-degree angle from the inside corner to the outside corner of the wood structure. I cut any excess paper from the top and then stuck it down. Next, I cut the layer of paper coming from the legs along the line I just scored. So when everything was laid flat and stuck down good, it looks like my legs and tabletop were mitered together.
Originally I planned to carefully trim the excess at the end of the front edge, but since it folded so nicely without any bubbling, I folded the inch or so excess and stuck it to the inside of the table.
And that got covered up next with another run of wallpaper. I bought enough wallpaper (2 rolls) to cover the inside of the legs and the underside of the tabletop. And since I was less concerned on the underside about seeing seams, I covered them individually and ended up not covering the underside of the tabletop itself. You really can’t see it during everyday use and it saved me $27 by not opening the second roll.🤷♀️
Oh and for the legs, the inside wallpaper was flush with the front edge so the excess was just folded over and stuck onto the back of the legs. Yes, it looks unfinished from the backside. BUT WHO CARES?!
The only place I needed to trim wallpaper was at the base of the legs. I propped up one leg at a time with a scrap piece of 1×2 so I could trim it as precisely as possible. I didn’t want any sliver of wood showing and giving away my table’s secrets!
About an hour or so after completing the table, there was still a little wobble to it if you shifted it from side to side. But after leaving it alone overnight, the wiggle was gone and this table was sturdy, stable and ready to move to its new home!
I ordered our poufs from Home Depot* to serve as decoration AND additional seating. They are like sophisticated beanbag chairs and the kids have already pulled them out to sit and roll around several times!
The wallpaper behind the TV and console was recently hung to create an accent wall. I like it by itself but I’m still trying to figure out if I like the room as a whole with the wallpaper in it.🤔
But we do love the sleekness of our Frame TV*! It was a splurge we treated ourselves to when our previous house sold for way over the asking price. Now I’m thinking I might brush some gold paint on the frame to match other gold frames in the room. The projects and ideas never stop around here! Ha!
We’re transforming a shed into an art studio for homeowner Linda Johansen.
Linda is native to Mobile, Ala., and has settled in Fairhope, Ala., after adventuring around the world with Delta Airlines. She has gradually redone her home one room at a time but needs a little help with her shed — and we’re happy to help!
Linda’s shed has great potential for an artist’s oasis!
Preparing the Shed
For prep, we didn’t have to do too much. Linda helped us out by cleaning out as much as she could so we could get right to the renovation.
We start by removing the siding that faces the street to close up the door. By closing up the door, both security and more room for Linda’s shed.
By removing the siding, we can now close up the door to create more space.
We also remove the small concrete ramp leading to the door. It’s rare if the slab of the concrete floor and the ramp are poured at the same time. Since there’s no line between the ramp and the concrete slab, I’m using a saw to score it so the ramp has a clean break.
Chelsea and Linda get busy sanding the cabinets.
Refinishing the Cabinets
Linda has the original kitchen cabinets that came with her home. Like us, Linda hates to waste perfectly good furniture. So instead of getting rid of the kitchen cabinets, we’re refinishing and putting them in Linda’s she-shed!
The new color Linda chose for her cabinets makes the space pop.
Chelsea and Linda took to sanding the old cabinets and painting them a fun shade of blue. This shade of blue is actually color matched from one of Linda’s pillows and makes the space pop more!
The new potting bench adds more character to Linda’s she-shed!
Adding a Potting Bench
To add more of Linda’s personality to the shed, we’re building a free-standing potting bench. It enhances the appeal of the shed from the outside while also allowing storage for Linda’s garden tools.
With the potting bench in place, Linda’s shed is now a home for all of her hobbies!
“Today’s Homeowner” hosts Danny Lipford and Chelsea Lipford Wolf, pictured with Linda Johansen.
Production Thoughts
When we first saw Linda’s shed it was attractive on the outside but had yet to reach its potential on the inside. Linda needed a space for her creative side to paint and garden as she pleases.
By covering up the door facing the street, we created more wall space for functionality. The refinished cabinets add a pop of color and creativity to this artist’s shed. And the potting bench on the side of the shed adds even more of Linda’s personality to her hobbies!
Other Tips from this Episode
Products Featured in this Episode
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Homeowners Lloyd and Aimee Meyers and their two kids, Caroline and Landon, love their home, but they’re not so fond of their ’80s kitchen.
So, we’re helping this family with an inexpensive renovation — at just $1,200 in materials — that will leave a big impact!
We’re bringing this ’80s-style kitchen into the 21st century with a special two-part episode. This article covers part two of the project. (Missed part one? Catch up here!)
Don’t want to paint your cabinets? Touch up the stain and re-seal them for a like-new look!
Touching Up the Cabinets
Lloyd and Aimee’s cabinets, overall, are in great shape. However, they have a few unsightly scratches.
The homeowners don’t want to paint these cabinets because they love the rich wood grain. Instead, we’re touching up the stain and giving them a fresh coat of polyurethane.
In part one of this project, we cleaned and prepped the cabinets. In this episode, Chelsea shows Lloyd how to properly apply stain, waiting a few minutes for it to sink into the wood, before removing it.
Refinishing the cabinets and installing new pulls make them look shiny and new.
After the polyurethane has dried, we place the cabinet doors back on the boxes and install new stylish pulls.
It’s such a simple change — adding new hardware — but one thing is certain: these cabinets no longer scream 1980s!
Best of all, Aimee loves how the refinished cabinets and new hardware completely transform her kitchen.
Sticking SimpleMat, from Custom Building Products, onto the walls and then sticking subway tiles on the innovative mat is much easier than the traditional way to install a backsplash.
Replacing the Backsplash
Lloyd and Aimee’s kitchen had just two small backsplashes in the form of dated ceramic tile behind the sink and oven.
We’re replacing those with stylish subway tiles — and this new, sweeping backsplash will cover each wall in the workspace. The result will be a consistent look that leaves a dramatic impact.
We ran into just one stumbling block before starting work on the new backsplash. We removed the old backsplash and realized it removed portions of the wall.
Things don’t always go as planned during home improvements, but in this case, we just replaced the drywall. Simple enough!
This new subway tile backsplash is sleek, modern, and ties the whole kitchen together.
For the backsplash installation, we use SimpleMat from Custom Building Products. It’s basically a double-sided sticker. First, you apply SimpleMat to the wall. Then, remove the adhesive front and apply tiles to the SimpleMat. After that, grout the tiles and remove the excess.
You can learn more about the process in our how-to video.
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This plastic laminate countertop is in great shape, but it doesn’t match the homeowners’ current style. So we’re coating it with dark paint mixed with real stones.
Refinishing the Countertops
This kitchen’s countertops are in great shape, but the plastic laminate no longer wows Lloyd and Aimee. And these countertops won’t look good next to the bright white backsplash we’ve installed.
One simple decor trick is to update two adjacent surfaces with contrasting colors. The subway tiles are white, so these countertops will be black.
This product, seen in Volcanic Black, basically mixes dark paint with real stones for a stunning countertop makeover, and the application couldn’t be easier.
First, we sand the countertops to smooth out the laminate and remove any grime. Then we clean the countertop so primer will bond to it.
The countertops’ new dark coating contrasts nicely with the white backsplash.
Once the primer is dry, we apply the stone coating, as directed, and let it dry. Afterward, we sand it so the stone shines through, giving the countertop a gorgeous granite look.
Finally, we finish it off with sealer.
“Today’s Homeowner” hosts Danny Lipford and Chelsea Lipford Wolf, pictured with Lloyd and Aimee Meyers.
By painting over mustard-colored walls, replacing outdated light fixtures and installing a new backsplash, this kitchen is now in the 21st century!
The new wall color is lighter and brighter. The cabinets look new, with a fresh coat of polyurethane and stylish pulls. And the white subway tile backsplash contrasts beautifully with the dark countertops and light fixtures.
Add a touch of texture and rustic flair to any area with a DIY wood wreath.
This one is a unique take on a traditional wreath using wood cross sections from a small tree (or wood rounds).
Wood rounds are sold at most craft stores, but you can also cut your own if you’ve just trimmed some large tree branches or chopped down a small tree.
This versatile wood wreath can be changed throughout the seasons. Add some holly and red and green ribbon for Christmas. Wrap a pastel-colored ribbon and faux Easter eggs when spring rolls around.
The possibilities for customization are as endless as your imagination!
This wreath isn’t just a door decoration. It’s an eye-catching piece for above a fireplace as well. You can even create multiples for a DIY wedding or baby shower decor.
Assembly takes just a few minutes, and it’s a great way to accent a rustic or farmhouse style. Plus, you can show off your crafty skills to the neighbors too.
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Feel free to get creative and glue another row of rounds to make the wreath thicker. (3 Echoes Content Studio)
1. Glue Wood Rounds to Floral Wreath
Begin by gluing the wood rounds edge-to-edge around the perimeter of a pre-made wood floral wreath frame using Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue. Feel free to get creative and glue another row of rounds to make the wreath thicker.
