Month: June 2016

It’s one thing to have a patio that you can relax on over the weekend or after a long day at work. It’s another thing entirely to have an outdoor space that is inviting, beautiful, and tranquil. This summer, wow your guests and enjoy your outdoor living experience by taking it up a few notches. These 4 ideas will have your porch or patio looking better than ever.

DIY cushion and pillow covers

Outdoor cushions and pillows tend to fade quickly due to the sun bleaching the color out of them. Turn that problem into an opportunity and create new covers all on your own. You can create pillows in moments with no sewing required, or you can get more technical and sew the perfect cover. New cushions are another easy DIY project that you can finish in an afternoon, and it will reflect all of the personality you want.  

Flower centerpieces

You may have plants and flowers galore in your garden and around your patio area. Add even more with a few nicely arranged flower centerpieces to place on your outdoor tables. This will bring the comforts of your home to the outdoors, and will look polished and inviting.  

Update outdoor flooring space

Depending on what kind of materials your outdoor flooring has, you may want to bring new life to it with a quick spruce up. If you have a wood deck, you can re-stain it, often inexpensively and with ease. If you have tiling or stamped concrete, give it a deep-clean power washing to clear the grout and crevices of dirt and discoloration. Sometimes a simple clean can make a big difference in the way your outdoor space looks and feels.   Add unique seating Additional seating is always a plus in any outdoor living area. A unique seating area will make your patio or porch even more desirable. A free hanging bench on your patio speaks style as well as comfort. An outdoor hammock is another option that will tempt you and your guests to take an afternoon siesta, or to just lay out with a book for an afternoon.   If you have more ideas on how to make outdoor living spaces more inviting, tweet us at @hamlethomesutah!

There’s no easier or more impactful way to freshen up a living space than by giving a room a fresh coat of paint. Whether you want to refresh the existing paint, or choose a completely new color or texture for your walls, painting will bring new life to any space. We’ve compiled the best painting advice from a variety of professional painters. Hopefully, these tips will lead to a beautiful finished project that you can enjoy for years to come. Happy painting!

Protect all of your furnishings

If you’re repairing drywall before repainting a room, make sure you take out every piece of furniture before you begin. Many try to cover up the big pieces of furniture with drop cloths, but when it comes to drywall, you want everything cleared out. Chris Span, of Span’s Quality Painting in Alabama, says, “Take everything out. Drywall dust goes everywhere.” Span also recommends buying quality drop cloths, like canvas or paper-backed plastic. Plastic sheeting is often too slippery and the paint easily slides off the material, and paint will quickly soak through any lightweight fabrics like bed-sheets.

Make your paint work for you

If you find that your paint is drying too fast once applied to the walls, don’t fret. You can mix in additives like Floetrol for latex paints and Penetrol for alkyds, to give it more workability. “Adding a few ounces per gallon slows drying time and makes the paint more workable,” says Mark Dixon, a home painter out of Montana.

Painting from the top down

The experts at Behr and Benjamin Moore told DIY Network their biggest tip to avoiding streaks or drip marks. “Use your roller to apply paint from the ceiling downward. Amateurs often have telltale drips and spatters at the end of a paint job, but pros paint right over their mistakes as they work their way down the wall.”

Keep the weather in mind

The pros at Behr and Benjamin Moore also noted that it’s important to take your area’s climate into account when getting ready for a painting job. “Humidity means drips and slow drying, so avoid painting on a rainy day. If you must paint when it’s humid, take your time — and take advantage of slow-drying paint to correct your errors before moving on to the next coat. But don’t overwork, or it will show when you’re finished.”

Touch up the right way

Painting touch ups are a necessity due to the normal wear and tear of everyday life. The experts at Purdy Painting shared their tips on the best way to touch up paint. “To achieve acceptable touch-up results, it’s important to apply touch-up paint using the same painting technique as the original application, and if possible, to avoid having any difference in sheen or texture. Be sure to use paint from the original batch and under similar temperature and humidity conditions as well.” Do you have any additional tips and tricks you think we should add to our list? Tell us about it on our Facebook page! Image Credit Flickr

Local residents know there’s no shortage of things to do in Salt Lake City and surrounding areas during the summer months. Whether you’re interested in the great outdoors, free concerts, indoor activities, thrill rides, or sporting events, this area will keep you and your family entertained all summer long.

Cottonwood Canyons exploration

These two canyons, located right off the I-215 in Salt Lake City, offer a plentiful variety of summer activities. If you’re into hiking, both canyons have beautiful trails that lead to lakes, waterfalls, and incredible mountain views. The well-known donut falls hike is located in Big Cottonwood Canyon, and is an easy 2.5 mile round trip hike to a unique waterfall feature. There’s also fishing spots, picnic locations, and even camping sites for those who want a multi-day experience. The Cottonwood Canyons are most well-known for summer rock climbing. There’s a variety of climbing spots in both canyons, and plenty of viewing locations as well, if you’d rather observe. Image by Flickr

Drive-in movies at Redwood Theatre

A drive-in movie is the quintessential summer activity for kids and adults. The Redwood Drive-In Theatre, located in West Valley, is open 7 days a week, with adult tickets priced at $9 each, and kids ages 5-9 at $1 each. Redwood shows the latest and greatest box office hits, and have been the pioneers of the family movie night since 1948. Image by Flickr

Free concerts in Park City

The summers may be short in Park City, the mountain town just 30 minutes east of Salt Lake City, but they pack a lot of fun into the season. Free concerts become a nightly occurrence in Park City starting mid-June. Deer Valley Resort, Canyons Village at Park City, and Newpark all offer free weekly outdoor concerts, open to the general public. Bring some chairs and a picnic basket, and enjoy a warm summer evening with some good tunes.

Lagoon during the Summer

Do you have thrill seekers in your family that are ready to ride giants? Lagoon amusement park, located in Farmington, offers mega coasters and also some gentler ones, perfect for all ages in the family. Spend a day eating cotton candy, riding the Ferris wheel, and checking out fun performances at Lagoon.   Image by Flickr

Real Salt Lake games

There’s nothing like a sun and fun filled afternoon at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy to watch an RSL game. Tickets range from $20 and upwards, making it an affordable way to watch the biggest major league soccer players up close and personal. Image by Flickr

Oktoberfest at Snowbird

Oktoberfest is the perfect way for Salt Lake residents to end the summer season. This festival, held every weekend during September and October at Snowbird Resort, features Utah’s growing craft beer scene. You can take a leisurely walk around Snowbird with a tasty Utah beer in hand, or partake in the many family-friendly events offered. Families can enjoy face painting, mountain-coaster riding, a trip up the tram, and food from favorite Utah eateries. Depending on the weekend that you attend, you may witness a fair amount of lederhosen, wild beards, and fun characters walking about the resort property.