Fastest Way to Remove an Outdated Popcorn Ceiling - Guide to Rebuilding and Restoring a Chair • HouseCalls Newsletter

Thought for Today: "It is a curious fact that people are never so trivial as when they take themselves seriously." – Oscar Wilde

How to Remove an Acoustic or Popcorn Ceiling

Popcorn ceilings, also known as cottage cheese or, more accurately, acoustic ceilings were popular in American homes from the 1950’s to the 1980’s. They were sprayed on, most often in bedrooms and hallways, and valued for their ability to absorb sound and hide imperfections. These days, many folks just don’t like them and prefer a more contemporary, smoother finish. Removing a popcorn ceiling is a fairly simple, albeit, messy, process. However, with a bit of advance preparation, the mess can be contained and disposed of quite easily. Some of these ceilings, particularly the early formulas, can contain asbestos and should be tested beforehand if you plan to take on this project yourself.

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A Beloved Heirloom Chair is Given a New Life

I always enjoy rescuing a piece of antique furniture, restoring it to its former beauty and extending its useful life. This chair is a prime example. Just about everything that could be wrong with it was – the chair itself was rickety and wobbly, the finish was faded and peeling and the cane seat looked like someone had blasted a cannon ball through it. Both the restoration process and the end result are quite impressive.

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A Spa-Quality, Multi-Function Shower Right in Your Own Bathroom

Converting a bathroom into a home spa can cost many thousands of dollars and put the room out of commission for a good bit of time. On the other hand, here’s a bathroom upgrade that can be made in a day or so, costs a few hundred dollars and can turn the daily shower into a luxurious event. Spa showers or shower towers, as they’re sometimes called, feature multiple heads that deliver several invigorating streams of water simultaneously. Admittedly, these fixtures can look a bit intimidating to install, but actually putting one in is pretty straightforward.

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This Week's Vision of Home by Fred Swan

Purple Asters

Fred Swan is a Vermont artist whose paintings are nostalgic and heartwarming. To me, they stir the emotions and bring back cherished memories of my childhood in rural upstate New York. In the past, I have shared many of Fred's works. In response to your requests, here's an encore presentation.

To see more of Fred’s work, CLICK HERE