Searching for a house or apartment is difficult enough on its own; transforming it into your home is an entirely different story, especially for those who have never lived on their own before. As millenials create their first homes away from home, they are bombarded with constant DIY ideas and articles on social media. Unfortunately, many of the seemingly simple ideas are beyond the average twenty-somethings means.
Home Improvement Projects for the Busy & Broke aims to give you the knowhow and teach you to decorate your home while staying within your budget, all presented in an engaging and approachable way. Each project is accompanied by a list of tools and materials needed, along with step-by-step instructions. Salway uses her wit and playful personality to describe her journey of renovating and redecorating not only her two-bedroom Williamsburg apartment but also the New York farmhouse she and her husband bought as a major fixer-upper. Just like millenials today, she took on these projects while working a full-time job and sticking to a strict budgetthe advice is tried and true!
A resource for anyone who is short on time and strapped for cash, Home Improvement Projects for the Busy & Broke will help you turn any space into a unique home you love and are proud to show off.
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| Introduction |
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Rules of Thumb: Harsh Words You Need to Hear |
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A Basic Guide to Living Like a Grown-Up |
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How to Haggle, Bargain, and Make Friends |
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Do-It-Yourself Projects (for the Average Renter or Amateur Homeowner) |
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How to Paint Your Home Without Fear or Regret: Color Do's and Do Not's |
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Replacing Your Kitchen Hardware Handles |
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How to Replace Your Kitchen Faucet (and Why) |
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Revitalize Cabinets for an Instant Facelift |
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Accessorize and Set the Table |
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Bathrooms: Temple of Doom |
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Sprucing Up Your Bathroom |
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How to Replace Your Bathroom Hardware, How High Should You Hang a Towel Bar, and How Many Hooks Is Too Many Hooks? |
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Make Your Shower Into the Spa You Deserve |
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Not Fucking Around: Installing a New Tile Floor |
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Fast-Track Bathroom Clean Up! Too Much to Do, Not Enough Time |
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The Easy Stuff: Your Living Room, Bedroom, and if You're Living Large, Your Dining Room |
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How to Add Accent Colors without Turning the Whole Place into a Carnival |
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Street Finds: How to Revitalize and Reupholster Mix-and-Match Dining Chairs |
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How Large Should Your Rug Be: a.k.a. "How Large Is Your Budget?" |
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How to Build and Upholster an Ottoman |
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How to Make Your Own Upholstered Headboard |
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How to Dress Your Bed so You Feel Like You Live in a Hotel |
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Icing on the Cake: Time to Accessorize |
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How to Hang Your Drapes Like a Pro (Even if You're Tight on Funds) |
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Making Really Great Drapes, on the Cheap |
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How to Change a Light Fixture without Electrocuting Yourself (an Important Distinction) |
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What to Hang, How to Hang It, and Where to Hang Your Artwork (Such That It Is) in General |
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How to Hang a Gallery Wall |
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Replacing Your Door Knobs |
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How to Trick Your Space into Feeling Larger and Brighter |
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What's the Trick? Finding Time for These Projects (without Losing Your Job, Friends, or Family) |
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Christina Salway graduated from Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, in 2003 with a degree focused in architecture. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, the Boston Globe, Country Living, the Design Bureau, Better Homes & Gardens, and numerous design blogs. She is one of Zillows in-house home improvement experts, was a contestant on NBCs American Dream Builders, made multiple appearances on The Nate Berkus Show, and was also included in Nate Berkuss latest book, The Things That Matter. Salway is the owner of ElevenTwoEleven Design, an interior design firm named for the zip code of her home and office in hip and happening Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where she lives with her husband John, their son, and their rescue pit bull.
