Chicago is a city full of do-it-yourselfers and there are plenty of resources for them to make their homes the best they can be…
Browsing Category
DIY
Tree roots sheared off our sprinkler head but it's a quick fix with the right tools.…
Get dirty this weekend and change your own oil…
Your garage can be more than just a place to park your care and store your golf clubs. Turn it into an ultimate home workshop!…
Prep your doors for cold weather and install weatherstripping this weekend…
Rescue your garage floors from stains and dirt with a durable epoxy finish that you can apply yourself…
With some easy to find products you can make your own magnetic bulletin board in a couple hours.…
Stainless steel is tough to drill through but with some patience and know-how you'll make that hole easy…
If you're concerned with the chemicals in over the counter laundry detergent then consider making your own.…
Here's a walk-through of redwood, cedar, douglas fir and pine species and how they are best used.…
Our wood block planters turned out well for a basic DIY project that used reclaimed wood and some various drilling techniques. But we felt they needed a bit more pizazz since the wood used wasn't a pretty redwood or…
Our editor checks out the latest in auto accessories from 3M…
Every home needs a step stool but will you build or buy?…
This wood planter makes a simple and stylish home for your gorgeous succulents.…
Identify the source, prevention, salvage and flood insurance are the keys to dealing with water damage after a flood.…
Give your bbq grill a quick clean after each use and it will last you for years.…
We’ve come to appreciate the City of Angels and realize the history and communities are as vibrant as anywhere in the country. This applies to the do-it-yourself spirit that is surging across the city and that’s why we’ve chosen…
The East Bay is chock full of DIY resources with everything from lumber, awesome hardware stores, educational resources and upcycled home supplies…
Forget buying bottled water or filling up a filtered pitcher. You can install an under the sink water filter system in a couple hours.…
Our dog did a number on our lawn and we've got a ton of bare spots. These tips got our lawn back in shape.…
Our Delta Faucet is 50 years old but replacing the seats and springs is still an easy fix for a dripping kitchen faucet…
Take this wallpaper with you and use it on any flat surface to enhance the decor of your home…
Easy to install and super bright, these LED under cabinet lights are perfect to illuminate those dark spaces.…
Mak this one-of-a-kind countertop by saving your pennies…
Since this isn’t my first time being pregnant amid approximately a million home improvement projects, nor is it the first time that being pregnant necessitated some of those projects, I thought I’d share some of the things I’ve learned…
Brick succulent planters are an easy starter garden you can make in an afternoon…
Epoxy floor paint makes a great surface for your utility or storage room …
Our bathroom sink has been a slow drainer for a few months and we’ve used drano and a Zip-It to no avail. The next step was to remove the p-trap and see what was lurking down below. Our home…
There has been a rash of break-ins in our neighborhood, so when Lowe’s asked if we wanted to check out their new home security system called IRIS we jumped at the chance. We had a preview of IRIS last…
Painting is a beloved by DIYers for the incredible transformation that can occur in a space with minimal cost, effort, and supplies. That said, with the help of a few tips, you can take your paint job from weekend…
Let the weeds go wild and enjoy a colorful meadow in your own backyard…
We don’t cover recipes but a friend sent over this amazing recipe for smoked pork shoulder (pork butt) and brisket. It seems appropriate to share this as the 4th of July is next week and many of you will…
If you are looking for inspiration in home design, Houzz is a great place to start. They have more than 500,000 photos from designers that you can clip and save in your “ideabook” for easy reference. Houzz also has…
There are a lot of plans available for building backyard BBQ grills but this is this is the first do-it-yourself smoker we’ve seen and it’s courtesy of Popular Mechanics. They’ve provided a great step-by-step tutorial that requires a few…
The dangers of lead poisoning are real, especially in older homes. If your home was built before 1978 there is a good chance that lead paint or pipes/solder was used. Lead paint is generally not dangerous in its normal…
Installing new countertops is an ambitious do-it-yourself project no matter what type of material you choose. These homeowners shared their journey to install stainless steel countertops which look great and are a huge upgrade to their previous formica. They…
We’ve got the perfect woodworking project that you can build in time for your Super Bowl parties. A reader submitted this project and you know he arrives at BYOB parties in style with this DIY beer case he made.…
We are big time fans of Wood & Faulk (we’re really partial with anyone who uses an ampersand in their name) and his camping stool is still one of our all-time favorites. His latest masterpiece is a basic woodworking…
Gyms are expensive and if you’ve got the space at home, why not invest a bit in building and setting up a home workout space. Not just a home gym with some weights and a Soloflex but a real…
With all of the recent talk of the government regulating the sale of incandescent bulbs, we got to thinking, why not make our own light bulbs. A friend of ours makes it sound like it’s not too difficult but…
Restaurants are great places in which to get bursts of inspiration for your own kitchen. You may not necessarily replicate the inventive idea, but maybe it sparks another project that adds a similar functionality or aesthetic to your own…
It’s sad, but true — the days are quickly growing shorter. In mere weeks, we’ll fall back during Daylight Saving Time and lose a few hours of evening light. Now is a great time to make your home cozier…
I don’t know how the weather is where you live, but here in Kansas City, we’re in for a chilly and rainy weekend – the perfect time to knock out a few DIY projects! The newest one I’ve added…
It’s been awhile since we checked in with our good friend, the fabulous DIY Diva. And when we did, she gave us a brilliant idea: the DIYcation. Makes perfect sense, doesn’t it? If you have a lot of things…
We’ve often talked here at Charles & Hudson about things like universal design, how to DIY with temporary medical conditions (read: pregnancy), and what to do if you’re mid-project and injure yourself. But something we haven’t touched much upon…
There’s nothing we love more than a quick DIY project that serves a practical purpose. Summer is a prime time to gather fresh fruits and vegetables from your garden or area farmers markets, but the downside is that the…
No matter if you have a galley-style kitchen or an expansive professional one, something every chef or baker of every level is looking for is more storage in the kitchen. Typically, this would involve adding more cabinetry, shelves, containers,…
There are only so many episodes of home renovation shows you can watch before you get the itch to get your hands dirty. However for most of us, we didn’t grow up with tools in one hand, climbing scaffolding…
Sharpies are such a versatile item. Sure, they’re an ideal office supply (and a must-have when it comes to preparing for a garage sale.) But Sharpies also have nearly unlimited DIY potential. Just ask my husband who, after becoming…
A few days ago, I spent some time touring a model condominium in downtown Kansas City while on assignment. Not only is the building a towering historic landmark (the tallest residential building in the Midwest, outside of Chicago) but…
Quick poll: Does anyone still use cookbooks? With smartphones and tablets becoming increasingly popular, recipe apps may be the way to go. (Confession? I have numerous cookbooks. And I use them. A lot.) While browsing the blogosphere, we stumbled…
We’ll be honest with you. Painting cabinets is a pretty serious undertaking. If you’re in the market to update your kitchen but don’t want to invest in new cabinets, painting them (and swapping out hardware) is the easiest way…
This easy to apply kitchen cabinet refinishing solution from Rust-Oleum will save you time and money and give you fresh looking cabinets to last for years.…
Did you just (finally) invest in a dishwasher? Or has your family upgraded to a fancy new model? Good for you – this is one appliance that is vital to the efficiency of a modern home. Who wants to…
We’ve said it once, we’ll say it again: every successful renovation starts with a healthy dose of planning. Whether you prefer the structured approach of a workbook or something a little more free, making sketches and taking notes are…
Cork is cool, no doubt about it. This tree is actually planted not to be cut down, but to be kept healthy for decades, providing a harvest of valuable bark for the building industry. Cork tree farms are found…
There comes a point where your kitchen will just look tired. Trust me – you’ll know when that is. But the good news is that a full kitchen remodel is not entirely necessary. Look to your kitchen cabinets first.…
Although I’m sure many of us dream of having a huge, open, airy kitchen in which we can cook culinary masterpieces and comfortably seat a small army of friends and family, sometimes the practical–and budgetary–realities say otherwise. When DIY…
The Home Depot website has all kinds of nooks and crannies to explore while looking for information and helpful hints, including a blog. This post, which I found through “liking” them on Facebook, has OODLES of quick and cheap…
With almost two kids, five cats, a dog, and a husband, I often forget things, like what day it is, or my name. (It’s Tabatha.) So when we were working on trying to organize our lives before our first…
The kitchen is often the heart and soul of any home, so it’s no surprise that kitchen renovations are the most popular home improvement projects. Yet because a kitchen needs a high degree of functionality as well as design…
When my husband and I purchased our home, a major selling factor was the kitchen. It had been added onto our 110+ year old house within our lifetimes, was spacious, had lots of storage, and was definitely large enough…
Sometimes a renovated kitchen doesn’t have to mean breaking down walls and relocating to a different spot in the house. When I spotted this kitchen reno on CasaSugar I thought it was a great example of smart, small changes…
August is Kitchen Remodel Month here at Charles & Hudson, which means we’re focusing on what is arguably the heart of any home. Research compiled by the National Kitchen and Bath Association indicates that kitchen renovations account for the…
Contemporary design is hot, no doubt about it. And many modern designs are slim, subtle and sustainable. But when I looked at this award-winning design from Kristin Laass and Norman Ebelt, I began to wonder. Does having a sustainable…
It’s amazing how versatile an $8 Ikea lack table can be. I spotted Kyle Freeman’s DIY kitchen island on Apartment Therapy last year and I still think about how clever he is. He used extra strong, double-sided foam adhesive…