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Sarah Wimberley

House vs Sarah

Archives for February 2023

How We Built Our Indoor Playhouse

How We Styled Our Indoor Playhouse

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house.vs.sarah

Hemming curtains with no iron and no sewing machin

Hemming curtains with no iron and no sewing machine. I’M A MASTERMIND 😂 A hair straightener and iron on hem tape worked great. Now I’ve just got to remember to get the glue off the hair straightener before I use it next.

Gotta keep em guessing, you know?

Gotta keep em guessing, you know?

@oneroomchallenge Week 2- building the @ikea_austr

@oneroomchallenge Week 2- building the @ikea_australia Kura bunk beds.
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I love a flatpack and while these were a little trickier to build (because the ladder position we wanted was different to the way it is made to be built. ) it was still a lot faster than building by hand.
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We omitted the white panelling it comes with, and because our mattresses are higher than ikea recommends, Steve built a handy little bed rail out of matching 42mm square pine. Safety first!

Mattress is @koala
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#oneroomchallenge #orc #orcat @apartmenttherapy from

For a hobby I love, I sure have a lot of tasks I h

For a hobby I love, I sure have a lot of tasks I hate doing. Like filling, sanding, painting 😂

It’s the fall 2024 @oneroomchallenge ! Except he

It’s the fall 2024 @oneroomchallenge ! Except here in sunny Australia it is currently spring, but we won’t let that hold us back.

Now this is my first time completing the challenge so I’m a little nervous for a couple of reasons.

I’ve chosen to do my boys shared bedroom. They are six and four and cannot agree on anything for this room. The only direction I have is that one wants green and one wants blue and they both want a secret room each. Oh boy.

So immediately my mind went to this kind of thing, and no shade if you love that but it’s not really the vibe I’m going for. I still want this room to feel peaceful and calm.

So the number one reason I’m feeling nervous is because the challenge has officially begun and I have no ideas for this one! I did find these blankets on Temu which I think will be the basis for the room. But what would you do?

Oh and I’m 3/4 the way through a laundry renovation which I have to finish before I can officially start! Happy One Room Challenge launch day!
#oneroomchallenge #orc @apartmenttherapy #orcat

DIY Umbrella Stand Planter Pot. . I have been want

DIY Umbrella Stand Planter Pot.
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I have been wanting some shade for out here for the longest time but I couldn’t find an umbrella stand that I liked to match this gorgeous umbrella. So I made one! Here’s all the deets:

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You’ll need:
🌸Large pot (this one is just under knee height, and make sure it has a wide enough base that it won’t topple in the wind.
🌸PVC Pipe: slightly wider than your umbrella pole
🌸2 bags of concrete and water to mix
🌸Umbrella (ours is Mimosa from @bunnings )
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Pot is an old one we originally purchased from Bunnings. It had a drainage hole which we covered with a bit of plastic and taped up. The tape didn’t really hold but it prevented the concrete from leaking through the bottom while curing. We also placed the pot on a scrap of cardboard for extra precaution, but it didn’t leak out.
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Then grab a friend who can hold the PVC pipe level and centered in the pot for you.
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Next Steve poured two bags of concrete into the pot followed by the right amount of water (follow the pack instructions). Then stir and allow to cure overnight.
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Two days later I added potting mix and some calibrachoas. Insert the umbrella and you’re done!
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Here’s where I try to predict the troll comments: I don’t know how well these flowers will thrive without drainage holes, these terracotta pots do dry out quickly so I’m hoping they live a long happy life. But if not, I’ll grab some faux ones and call it a day.
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Sunlounge: @bunnings
Cushions: @pillowtalkaustralia

It’s been 84 years…. #gtkm24

It’s been 84 years…. #gtkm24

Resetting and cleaning on a Sunday has become an i

Resetting and cleaning on a Sunday has become an important part of our weekly routine. The kids don’t love the cleaning part, but there’s always plenty of volunteers to take our Containers to the Containers for Change recycling centre. It motivates us to get the chores done quickly, and the cash we receive heads straight into the school holiday fund.
#ContainersforChangeQLD #ad @4changeqld

Answering all your Epoxy Questions here: We used

Answering all your Epoxy Questions here:

We used two boxes of the Feast Watson Glass Finish on a2.46m IKEA Ekbacken Marble effect Laminate Countertop. Please note: Feast Watson do not recommend using their product on a non porous surface. We were willing to risk it, but obviously we haven’t had the time yet to test how hard wearing it will be. I’ll update you when we know!

Step 1: choose a relatively dust free area because this takes a few days to harden. Protect your area by laying drop sheets and clean your Benchtop surface with Diggers isopropyl alcohol. We used and a microfibres cloth to get rid of any dust or oily marks. A clean surface is essential.

Step 2: follow the box instructions and mix together part A and B of the epoxy. Do this is a clear container that you don’t mind throwing out at the end because it is STICKY. I used an old pretzel bucket and a big popstick to stir. Mix well.

Step 3: pour onto your surface as evenly as you can and spread out using microfibres rollers. Make sure you roll over the edges too to avoid drip marks.

Step 4: to remove air bubbles you need carbon dioxide so we used straws to gently blow on them which popped them. It was pretty hard to see and somehow I managed to get epoxy in my mouth which I DO NOT RECOMMEND 😂

Then leave it to sit for 3 days to harden. The whole process took about 25 mins, after that it becomes hard to work with, so I’d definitely recommend doing this with two people.

Tips:

We covered some plastic tubs in dropsheets to hold up the countertop but it would be even easier if you could work at table top height.

A bigger room would be much easier to work in. Both Steve and I stepped in Epoxy drips and managed to walk it all through the house. Luckily it came off the tiles with a razor blade once it had hardened.

Ventilation! Do not do this in an enclosed room, it is strong!

Crown moulding and shelf trim ✔️ Laundry make

Crown moulding and shelf trim ✔️

Laundry makeover part 4 in the bag. Today we had to DIY our own timber crown moulding but we got it done even if it was a bit of a pain in the behind. Still, it came out looking pretty good so I’m glad we can tick that one off!

While the saw was out I also cut some oak 42mm timber down to cover the front of the shelves. And to avoid filling nail holes I just glued in place.
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Next up: fill the tile and grout gaps, fill behind the Benchtop and sand to get ready for paint.

Trim:
@porta_timber
Tools:
@ryobiau

The epoxy Benchtop worked even better than I had h

The epoxy Benchtop worked even better than I had hoped 🥳 There’s a few bubbles in the surface and a lot on the edges but honestly I was prepared for a total fail so I am over the moon.
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Next step is to fill the gap between the Benchtop and old tile line with silicon and grout and silicon the gaps around the sink. Then we can finish trimming out the top of the cabinetry and paint.
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But now we’re at that turning point where the room has become usable again so we run the risk of losing the momentum to continue.
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Benchtop: Ekbacken from @ikea_australia
Clear coat is: @feast_watson Glass Coat from @bunnings

Is this going to work?! . I really wanted a shiny

Is this going to work?!
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I really wanted a shiny look to this marble laminate and after a tonne of research on whether you could apply epoxy to laminate I couldn’t find an answer. 🤷‍♀️

Sure there was a tonne of people painting over laminate and then adding epoxy. But I could find anyone silly enough to epoxy over a matte laminate simply because they wanted it shiny.
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I tried to be content with a matte finish but my mind kept thinking ‘what if it was shiiiiny?!” I felt like only the crab from Moana could understand my pain, and my 9 year old daughter had to keep reminding me ‘don’t let the intrusive thoughts win, mum’ 😂
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Enter ✨science✨! After a quick test on a similar feeling laminate I decided I couldn’t live my life not knowing. So I mixed it up and poured on the epoxy?
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Will it work? Only time will tell.

Next up in the laundry makeover: Add trim to the f

Next up in the laundry makeover: Add trim to the front of the shelves to hide the join. Then crown moulding to the top of the cupboards. But that will all have to wait because the very next thing I will attempt is epoxy on the bench top 🥳 Absolutely no idea how that DIY will turn out but we might just have to fail our way to success!

Say goodbye to traditional cleaning tools! Meet th

Say goodbye to traditional cleaning tools! Meet the Tineco FLOOR ONE S6 PRO EXTREME—the ultimate 3-in-1 smart floor washer that mops, vacuums, and even cleans itself! This is effortless cleaning, redefined @tineco.au a top name in floor care, delivers premium features at an unbeatable price—only $999 at JB Hi-Fi!
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#gifted

Huge shoutout to the MVP of our family, Steve, for

Huge shoutout to the MVP of our family, Steve, for Getting. It. Done. By some stroke of genius (sheer luck) the bench was the exact right length for the space. Which meant Steve cut a sink hole and a couple of tap/electricity holes before putting it all back together. Minimal swearing required.
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Next up I’ll grout and silicon along the back Benchtop seam to fill it all in. And then I’m thinking this Benchtop needs a little something extra to make it really ✨shine✨ No idea if my idea will work because I’ve never seen it done but I’ll volunteer as tribute and we can all figure it out together 🫡

Tap and Benchtop: @ikea_australia
Tools: @ryobiau

Sometimes you’ve just gotta take a few short cut

Sometimes you’ve just gotta take a few short cuts to get a job done.

Did I use a butter knife and a sponge to apply this top line of tile adhesive. Absolutely. Did the world keep turning ? Sure did.

The best part of being a DIYer is that as long as it’s safe, it’s your house. Do it how you want to.

And if anyone comes at me saying that’s not best practice and unprofessional, the last tiler we used blocked an entire pipe with tile adhesive. Seems like sometimes even professionals get it wrong 🤷‍♀️

Am I great at DIY? Nope. Definitely not a natural

Am I great at DIY? Nope. Definitely not a natural and I hardly ever get things right on the first go. But now that I’ve been doing this a while I’ve noticed that my best days are those that I spend enjoying the whole process- wins and fails. So I encourage you to lean into the failures and expect them as part of the process. It takes out a lot of the stress and makes the whole thing seem so much more achievable.

Thanks to Bill James for the quote.

Laundry Makeover is loading… slowly Today I gav

Laundry Makeover is loading… slowly

Today I gave the existing laundry cabinet doors a new little detail by adding @porta_timber trim (18 x 11mm insert moulding). I mitred the edges to create a frame on the mitre saw then sanded them smooth. After that it was as easy as gluing and nailing in place.

This is the first DIY project we’ve tackled since May and it felt so so good to back making things. I love days like this when Steve and I can work together to create something we can look at by the end of the day. Super satisfying.

So what’s next? We’ll remove the centre cabinet and add a bit more tiling so we can add in some open shelving.

Tools: @ryobiau
Cabinetry and doors: @kaboodlekitchen from @bunnings
Adhesive: @selleysanz Liquid nails

There’s nothing quite like discovering a sense o

There’s nothing quite like discovering a sense of self in your home. Creating spaces that use design and home decor to surround yourself with peace and happiness. If there’s one thing I’ve learnt it’s that making your home a reflection of your style and interests brings so much more joy than simply following trends.

It’s why I never watch any home design/renovation competitions. Home design is so subjective and I hate to see people creating what they love only to be torn down by someone else’s opinion. So create spaces you love and convey the feeling you’d love to associate with that room. You deserve to love where you live!

Not sure which part is worse after watching my kid

Not sure which part is worse after watching my kids try to jump off the couch on their bikes - my mental state, my heart rate or my house. Really leaning into the ‘let them be bored’ mantra lately and while it’s not always as the most peaceful, they’re definitely getting creative. Today I’m feeling thankful for washable couch covers and energetic children.

Balance bike: @littlenation
Couch: @loungeloversfurniture

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