DIY

Even if you don’t have the space for an expansive garden in your yard, you can enjoy a summertime bounty with this DIY Vertical Herb Garden project!

Simple, pre-made supplies are all you need to make this DIY vertical garden. You can put the entire thing together in an afternoon!

Materials Needed to Make a Vertical Herb Garden

These are the materials I used to make the vertical garden as shown in this post. Feel free to substitute items to fit your own needs! Also, this post contains affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy for more information.

• Premade trellis (the trellis I bought is not available online. Here is a similar trellis)
• Exterior wood stain (if desired)
• Plastic wall planters
• Black spray paint
• Zip ties
• Exterior wood screws
• Drill
• Scrap wood block (optional)

How to Make a DIY Vertical Garden

There are all kinds of fancy, elaborate vertical gardens online that can cost you hundreds of dollars.

This isn’t one of them.

This vertical garden costs under $100 to make, and it is so easy you’ll have it together with your garden planted in no time!

Bonus that it looks cool, too! Even if you have a black thumb (like me) your garden will be interesting.

Step One: Prepare the Wall Planters

The wall planters I used are gray, but that was not the look I wanted. So, I spray painted them black.

Make sure to use a spray paint that’s suitable for outdoor use if you choose to paint your planters. Also, don’t paint the inside of the planters, as the paint may affect the plants you place inside.

I also drilled drainage holes in the bottom of the planters. They came with one hole pre-drilled, but I added a couple others just to be safe.

Step Two: Attach the Trellis to the Wall

Next, fasten the trellis to the wall so that the weight of the filled planters doesn’t make it topple over.

Because of the type of siding I have, we fastened the trellis to the siding with a piece of scrap wood in between. This may be unnecessary for your project: it all depends on your siding.

Make sure to use an exterior screw!

Step Three: Attach the Planters to the Trellis

Using zip ties, attach the planters to the trellis. It’s as easy as that!

Trim off the zip tie ends so they aren’t as noticeable.

Step Four: Fill the Planters and Enjoy the Vertical Herb Garden

Finally, fill the planters with potting soil and fresh herbs. I found that basil, thyme, and cilantro grew very well in my vertical planter. The lettuce got a little yucky.

This year I’m trying oregano, lemon basil, cilantro, sage, and thyme.

Every time I go outside to cut herbs for my dinner, I say I’m going farming. It’s so much fun!

Also, can I just say that I LOVE the way the cedar-toned wood contrasts with my Pewter Green siding? The addition of this vertical garden and the wood window boxes helped make the flat back of my house much cuter!

Have you tried vertical gardening? What would you grow?

Two years ago I painted the granite countertops in my powder room. At the time, everyone (including me . . . a tiny bit . . . ha!) thought I was insane.

Here’s what the bathroom looked like before I painted everything in it. The granite countertops clashed with the extremely busy tile wall, and the bathroom was very dark.

I painted the vanity, and then painted the countertops with marble countertop paint (get more information on my granite countertop painting process in the blog post about it).

Subsequently, I painted the tile wall, and now the bathroom looks like this!

That’s a pretty dramatic difference for everything just being painted!

Now that it’s been two years, I thought it would be helpful to give a painted counter durability update! Honestly, I don’t think anyone expected this paint job to last.

Granite Countertop Paint: What Products To Use

This post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

I used the Giani countertop paint products for this makeover. Because this is a small countertop, I did not use the full kit (which is enough to paint kitchen countertops), but instead purchased the individual components in smaller quantities. I linked all of those in my original countertop painting blog post.

I chose the Giani countertop paints because they got great reviews, and the company has a lot of helpful videos and tutorials.

Conversely, I didn’t think the reviews on other countertop paint products were as good.

Giani Countertop Paint Durability

It’s been two years since I painted these countertops, and I am please to say that I have zero regrets! The Giani countertop paint is very durable: we use this bathroom every day, multiple times per day.

There is one spot behind the faucet handle that has bubbled slightly, but this is a result of my failure to clean sediment off the countertop thoroughly before painting. We have incredibly hard water, and I missed that spot of minerals back there.

You can see the buildup of minerals on the handle – we need to replace these but haven’t gotten around to it yet.

Thankfully, that spot is not incredibly prominent.

The paint has not chipped, flaked, faded, or anything else! It looks just as shiny and pretty as the day I finished painting these countertops.

Because of that, I still recommend Giani countertop paint to anyone thinking of painting their countertops. It’s a budget-friendly way to update old countertops, and it’s not a difficult process.

To maintain them, I clean with granite cleaner and a soft cloth or paper towel. So easy!

I hope this update on my painted granite countertops is helpful. Please ask any questions in the comments below, or send me a message on Instagram!

If you ask me, the front yard is an overlooked spot for a patio. It’s such a great place to see what’s going on and catch up with neighbors.

Last spring we installed a small front yard patio as a pseudo-front porch, and we have loved this latest project in our string of 1970s home exterior updates!

This wasn’t the easiest project we’ve tackled in this house, but it sure made a difference in our curb appeal and enjoyment of our front yard!

The Before: Overgrown Yews

Before we added this patio, we had a bank of overgrown yew bushes that took over the sidewalk to the front door. They were unshapely and kind of boring.

Yews are great in the sense that they’re pretty indestructible. But when you want to get rid of them, that comes back to bite you you-know-where.

We hired some college guys to rip them out for us, and it was a process!

Basically, they tied each yew to a truck and then pulled out fast to rip it out of the ground. I felt so bad for these guys; the project was harder than they anticipated, I think.

In the end, they got it done and we had an empty space left like this. To our surprise, there was gravel or rock everywhere – inches deep.

We think it was a drainage “solution,” and it would’ve been impossible for us to remove all of that rock. That is part of the reason we put a patio here – it would’ve been tricky to plant substantial landscaping in this area.

Finding Stone for the DIY Patio

So, once the yews were out and we settled on our patio plan, my husband and I got to work.

We went to a local quarry (Wisconsin has a lot of them, surprisingly!), and purchased Eden Flagstone, because it had colors similar to the colors on our limewashed exterior stone column.

Purchasing from local sources can often be cheaper than purchasing patio stone from big box retailers.

Unless you make a mistake like we did . . .

We knew to purchase slightly more than we needed for the patio, but we purchased waaaaay more than we needed. Oops. Probably twice as much as was necessary.

Building the Front Yard Patio with Flagstone

Once we had the flagstone, we got to work.

We started by spray painting the general shape of the patio, and then used a manual tamper to compact the soil and get it flat and as level as possible.

We used a manual tamper because we were building a small patio. It was hard work though: very physical. If you’re not strong (like me), or are building a large patio, you should consider renting a gas-powered tamper.

Next, we spread leveling sand in the tamped area.

All of these photos are of my husband, but I swear I was 100% a part of this job, too!

After that was smooth and level, we got to work setting the flagstone in the patio area.

We started along the edges and picked flagstone pieces that were curved along the edge (for the corners), or straight (for the sides and front).

It was over 90 degrees the weekend we did this, and I don’t recommend that. Poor planning on our part. It was pretty miserable.

The process consisted of me hunting for flagstone pieces that would fit in certain spots, and carrying them to my husband. He would set them and gently tap them into place with a rubber mallet.

We got as many flagstone pieces into place as we could, and then near the end we had to use a chisel and hammer to break some into smaller pieces and/or pieces that fit better.

This was definitely an art; not a science.

To keep all of these stones in place, we poured traffic bond (or polymer jointing sand) in between each of them. Then, we wet it down according to the product directions.

Once that set, we put landscape edging along the patio. Then we poured pea gravel around and in between the stones. The landscape edging keeps the pea gravel in place.

Landscaping the Front Yard Patio

We covered up the preexisting gravel around the newly-built patio with a thick layer of topsoil. Then we planted a variety of plants suitable for rocky soil, and covered up the soil with mulch.

The Finished Front Yard Patio

Our front yard flagstone patio turned out adorable, and we absolutely love it!

We love sipping on morning coffee or a Friday evening cocktail out here, while the kids are running around out front.

And, we love the curb appeal boost it gives our 1970s home.

I’m no stranger to painting surfaces that you don’t typically think of painting – including tile. A couple years ago I painted my kitchen tile backsplash, and I just used a similar process to paint over tile in my powder room. This tile painting project freshened up the room immediately!

If you have tile you don’t love, you don’t have to live with it! Let me show you how to paint over tile and refresh your space.

In this tutorial, I’m showing you how to paint over tile that does not get direct exposure to water on a regular basis. But, if you want to paint tile that does get wet, like in a shower or around a bathtub, read my post on how to paint a tub. The products I used in that post are what you’ll need for painting tile in wet areas.

If you want to paint floor tile, read my post on how I painted my tile fireplace hearth. The materials I used in that project are better suited for painting floor tile.

Supplies Needed to Paint Over Tile

With that out of the way, here’s what I used to paint the mosaic tile wall in my bathroom. Some of these links are affiliate links, and you can read my disclosure policy for more information.

• Krud Kutter or TSP
• Palm sander
• Sandpaper (100 – 200 grit)
• STIX primer
• Behr Semi-Gloss Cabinet and Trim Enamel
• 1.5″ – 2″ angled paint brush
• Roller for rough surfaces
• Silicone caulk
• Dropcloth
• Paint tray
• Paper towels
• Painters tape

How to Paint Over Tile

Again, this method for painting over tile is best for tile that won’t be walked on or constantly subjected to water getting on it. It will work great for a tile wall like mine that needs to be covered or a backsplash, for example.

Prep the Tile to be Painted

Start by cleaning the tiles to be painted. I used Krud Kutter, which is the non-toxic cleaner I use before just about every painting project. TSP is another option that will work great for cleaning tile before paint.

Next, sand the tiles to scuff them up. This is really important because most tiles are glossy. Sanding them will help the primer and paint stick better. I used 100 grit sandpaper on my little hand sander, and it did a good job of roughing them up just enough.

After sanding, clean the tile again with another round of Krud Kutter or TSP.

Prime the Tile with Adhesion Primer

Using a great adhesion primer is so important when painting tile! If you don’t use the right primer, your paint will peel off in no time.

For this tile painting project I used Stix primer because it is the adhesion primer that professional painters recommend. I used it as the primer for painting my kitchen cabinets, and that paint job has held up amazing, so I decided to use it here, too. Plus, it shows tile on the label. 🙂

With some trial and error, I found the best method of applying the primer to the tile to be this: (1) roll the primer over a section of tile; (2) use a brush to get paint into the grout lines; (3) go back over the area with the roller to smooth everything out.

In the top left of this wall, I hadn’t yet figured out that technique, and you can see that the coverage is thinner than the other parts I primed.

Paint the Tile

Stix primer dries pretty quickly, so you’re able to get to the good stuff within a couple of hours of priming.

As with the painted kitchen tile backsplash, I used Behr Cabinet & Trim Enamel as the topcoat paint for this painted tile wall. I chose a semi-gloss finish to paint the tile so that it would still have the glossy look of tile.

I used the same technique for applying the paint as I did the primer (roll, brush, roll) – working in small sections – and the first coat looked good but not great. Up close there was a lot of primed grout line still visible once the first coat was finished.

With a second coat the next day, however, the busy mosaic tile looked calm and brand new! Once the paint dried, I caulked around the tile and countertop with silicone caulk to make sure that area was protected.

The Bathroom Makeover with Painted Tile

Once the tile was painted, I decided to make a few other changes, like painting the adjacent walls the same color as the painted tile (Behr Cotton Knit, but in an eggshell finish), painting the window frame (Benjamin Moore White Dove), swapping the light fixture and mirror, and adding some new accessories.

Now the powder room looks like this!

Here is the full progression of this powder room makeover from the time we moved in, to when I painted the vanity and painted countertop, to now. Can you believe that most of the changes in here have just been paint? Amazing!

Last year I helped my sister give her original 1950’s kitchen a budget-friendly but impactful makeover – complete with new and painted cabinets, new countertops, and new flooring. She later decided she wanted to add a backsplash, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to spend the time or money to install a real tile backsplash.

After researching options, we decided that a Smart Tiles peel and stick backsplash would be the perfect solution. We liked Smart Tiles because, unlike other peel and stick tiles we’d seen, Smart Tiles look like real tile.

They’re thicker than a sticker or wallpaper, they are easy to clean, won’t mold, and don’t yellow or crack. They also have been around the longest of the peel and stick options, and there are tons of reviews online singing their praises.

I reached out to Smart Tiles, and they generously agreed to donate the product for this project. My sister chose the Smart Tiles Square Velden pattern, and in just one day we installed her new peel and stick kitchen backsplash. This new backsplash upgraded the look of her 1950’s kitchen even more, and I can’t wait to give you all the details!

(PS: Smart Tiles is giving Average But Inspired readers 15% off with code BRE15 !)

How Do You Install a Smart Tiles Peel and Stick Backsplash?

Installation of this peel and stick backsplash was fairly straightforward. Here are the tools and supplies we used (note that some of these links are affiliate links. You can read my disclosure policy for more information.):

• Smart Tiles Peel and Stick Tile
• TSP or Krud Kutter
• Level
• Pencil
• Utility knife with new/sharp blade
• Scissors
• Self-healing cutting mat
• Non-slip ruler
• Printer paper
• Tape

Peel and Stick Tile Preparation

My sister cleaned the walls with Krud Kutter before I arrived, giving them enough time to thoroughly dry before we installed the tiles.

We then checked the countertops to make sure they were all level, which they were. Had they not been level, we would have drawn a level line on the wall in the location where the top of the first row of tile would stick. This is to ensure that the peel and stick tile is level on the wall.

Starting in the Corner

Since this backsplash needed to go on two walls, we started the Smart Tiles installation in the corner. In order to get the appearance of a grout line running down the center of the corner wall, we started by trimming off the inner edge of one set of tile so that it looked like this:

When we put it on the wall, it looked like this:

We then put the next set of tiles on the adjacent wall, and it looked like this:

You can see that the “half tile” on that second row is missing. At the end of installation, we cut a half piece, with a grout line, and stuck it in the gap. This created the look of the grout line running down the corner of the wall. You will see that in the completion pictures later in this post.

Once we had the corner tiles installed, we worked our way down the walls – installing as many full pieces as possible, and overlapping the edges with Smart Tiles’ awesome overlap system that helps ensure you get a properly spaced look upon installation.

Cutting the Peel and Stick Backsplash

When it came time to cut peel and stick tiles to accommodate outlets and around things like the windowsill, we used computer printer paper to create templates that we taped onto the tiles and then cut directly through. My mom was actually the rockstar template maker, and this helped installation go really fast!

Depending on the shape we needed to cut, we alternated between using the utility knife and scissors for cutting the Smart Tiles.

Finishing the Peel and Stick Tile Edges with Smart Tiles Smart Edge

One of the other reasons my sister and I chose a Smart Tiles backsplash is because of the corresponding Smart Edge strip pieces that you can use to finish the edges of a peel and stick backsplash. Instead of just being left with raw edges, the Smart Edge pieces trim out the ends just like on a real tile backsplash!

These Smart Edge pieces were easy to cut with scissors. I cut mitered edges for the corners, and they really finished off the backsplash ends nicely.

The Finished Smart Tiles Backsplash and Frequently Asked Questions

In several hours on a Saturday (including a nice Jimmy John’s and cupcakes lunch break – ha!), we added this beautiful peel and stick backsplash that looks good and functions well. This project was a total win!

I know there are a lot of questions surrounding Smart Tiles peel and stick tile backsplashes, so I’ll do my best to answer them.

Are Smart Tiles removable or renter-friendly?

During the installation process, we were able to move the Smart Tiles around as needed. However, in certain spots they did remove some of the paint when we lifted them up. Because of that, I wouldn’t say that they’re totally renter-friendly the way a tile sticker might be, for example.

The adhesive on these is strong so that they will stay on the wall and not fall off over time. They’re not meant to peel off the way a window cling comes off of a window, for example. The beauty of Smart Tiles is that when you’re ready to remove them, you can easily do so without causing significant damage to your wall (like my husband and I did during our DIY Kitchen Remodel!).

Are Smart Tiles Waterproof?

Smart Tiles are not waterproof, but they are water-resistant in that they keep water off the wall. They are also heat and humidity resistant, which is perfect in a kitchen!

You would not want to install these in a very wet place like a bath tub or shower, however!

Do Smart Tiles Stick to Textured Surfaces?

A huge positive of this peel and stick backsplash is that the walls were not totally flat in all places. At one point there was a pass through in the wall to another room, and the patch that covered it was good but not seamless. The Smart Tiles covered those variations with no problem.

Also, I brought home a leftover Smart Tiles piece and stuck it on mosaic tile in my powder room to see how it would work to cover tile. It sticks perfectly and you cannot even see the texture of the tile beneath! I was shocked. So yes, Smart Tiles work to cover textured walls and tile.

Where Can I Buy Smart Tiles?

As I mentioned, we received these Smart Tiles direct from the manufacturer. You can visit the Smart Tiles website to check out all of the patterns and also to place an order.

Good news for Americans is that certain Smart Tiles patterns are also available at home improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowes!

My sister is so happy to have her new backsplash to complete her kitchen, and I am always happy when she’s happy. If you have any questions about Smart Tiles peel and stick backsplashes, please leave me a comment below or send me a DM on Instagram!

Have you heard the expression “always never done”? That’s the perfect way to sum up my kitchen makeover project! Although I declared it finished last spring, I was wrong. (Shocker.)

I decided to add DIY cabinet end panels with shaker style trim to dress up the cabinet bases and tie into the kitchen soffit disguise.

Adding trim to the cabinet bases to create the look of nicer end panels did a lot for the look of this kitchen, and I’m really glad I did this. It was actually very easy, and something even a novice DIY’er could accomplish.

Supplies Used to Create DIY Cabinet End Panels

These are the supplies and tools I used to do this project exactly as shown in this post. Some of the links are affiliate links, and you can read my full disclosure policy for more information.

• 1/4″ x 4″ select grade wood boards (note: if covering a gap at the bottom of the cabinet base, make sure the 4″ width will completely cover that. You may need to get a wider board if your gap is larger than mine.)
• Miter saw (alternatively you could use a circular saw or even a hand saw)
• Brad nailer
• Tape measure
• Speed square
• Contour gauge (if cutting wood to fit flush with baseboards)
• Jigsaw (if cutting wood to fit flush with baseboards)
• Pencil
• Caulk
• Wood filler
• Sandpaper
• Primer & paint
• Small crow bar or pry bar (if removing shoe trim or quarter round from cabinet bases)

How to Add Shaker Style Trim to Cabinet End Panels

While there was nothing technically wrong with my cabinet bases, they felt plain to me and they were pretty beat up along the edges. I brainstormed for a long time on how to make them look better, and I decided that making them look more like the soffit trim we previously added would be the best bet.

My cabinets had a pieces of shoe trim at the base, so I began by removing that trim along the bases where I was adding the trim or panels. I also had to remove the adjoining shoe trim pieces because they would stick out too far once the new base panels were complete.

With the shoe trim removed, I then measured the distance from underneath the countertop to the floor, and used my miter saw to cut one piece of 1/4″ x 4″ wood to that size. I then used my brad nailer to attach it to the left side of the cabinet base.

I repeated the measuring and cutting process, and attached another board to the right side of the cabinet base. The left and right measurements were slightly different, so it’s important to measure for each piece and not assume that they’ll be the same!

Next, I measured the top piece and bottom piece, cut those boards, and attached them with the brad nailer.

This first one was the easiest cabinet base to add paneling to because it only needed perfectly straight boards.

Cutting Trim to Accommodate Baseboards

The other two cabinet bases are attached to a wall and have adjacent baseboards, which meant that I either needed to remove (and replace) the baseboards, or cut two of the wood panel pieces to fit snugly with the curvature of the baseboards.

I chose the latter option and used a contour gauge to trace the profile of the baseboards onto the wood trim. I always wanted to use one of these tools because they remind me of those toys that look like nails and they make a perfect impression of your hand, face, whatever. But I digress . . . ;-P

Then I cut out that squiggly design (I’m sure that’s a technical way to describe it) with the miter saw, and it fit perfectly!

I added all of the trim just as I did for the first cabinet base.

Cabinet Base Panels Finishing Work

Once that was finished, I filled holes with the wood filler, caulked all along the edges, primed, and painted. I also added new shoe trim to the fronts of the cabinets where the toe kick remained.

Before finishing it all up, I popped on a new outlet cover that blends with the painted cabinets. It’s a special cover that goes over the existing outlet, so no electrical work is required and you’re not painting the actual outlet – just the decorator cover.

I’m so happy with how it all came together! And, I’m really proud that I did this 100% all by myself. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below or by messaging me on Instagram!