“Your father’s a smart man. So what does he think of me? Why does he think I chose you?” I stopped in front of him.

“Oh, he likes you. What’s not to like?” He reached out and pulled me down on his lap. “And I’m under no illusions about that. You chose me because I’m good with my hands.”

“You got that right,” I said and leaned against him, laughing.

Paper bags are a fun way to add texture to a wall. Cover walls with brown grocery bags using starch or wallpaper paste, and then paint them as desired. The paint, coupled with the natural crinkle in the bag, adds a lot of texture and gives the room a warm, rich feel. If a piece is damaged later, just add another piece to the wall.

MATERIALS

• Brown craft paper (or lots of brown grocery bags)

• Wallpaper paste

• Paint brush (inexpensive)

• Paint tray

• Bucket

• Newspapers

• Large damp sponge

DIRECTIONS

1. Tear the craft paper or grocery bags into pieces approximately the size of a large dinner plate. Tear away all straight edges. Crumple each piece tightly into a ball.

2. Pour the wallpaper paste into the paint tray. Use the paint brush to apply paste onto the wall in about a four-foot by four-foot section.

3. Uncrumple each piece of brown paper and press it onto the wall. Do not smooth out all the wrinkles. This will give a lot of texture to the finished wall. Lay down the next piece slightly overlapping the first piece. Press down the edges with the damp sponge and remove the excess paste. You may have to periodically rinse and wring out the sponge. Continue painting on paste and applying the paper until the entire wall is covered.

4. Allow it to dry for forty-eight hours before painting or faux-finishing.

Stripes are a great decorative technique: They can be classic and elegant, or wild and crazy. They never go out of style, and they can change the perceived size or dimension of a room. Horizontal stripes make a room appear bigger; vertical stripes make the ceiling look higher. Stripes work best if they’re between four inches and twelve inches wide; less is too narrow and busy, more is too heavy and overwhelming. Before starting on the actual surface, it’s a good idea to practice on a piece of poster board or cardboard to make sure you like the color combination you’ve chosen. Paint often looks different on the wall than it does in the can.

MATERIALS

• Two different types of paint; different colors or different textures (i.e., flat and semi-gloss)

• Drop cloths

• Paint rollers

• Painter’s tape

• Ladder

• Laser or manual level

• Measuring tape

• Pencil or chalk

• Credit card/plastic spoon (to burnish edges of tape)

DIRECTIONS

1. Spread drop cloths over the floor and cover moldings, windows, and appliances with painter’s tape. Apply your base color; make sure to get nice, even coverage, as the base coat will be one of the stripes. Let it dry for forty-eight hours before starting work on the stripes.

2. Measure the wall, and calculate the number of stripes you’ll need. Decide on the thickness of the stripes you want.

3. Divide the wall, using a laser or manual level and measuring tape. Mark the stripes with pencil or chalk. (Tip: Use blue chalk, because red or yellow is a permanent color.)

4. Tape off the stripes. Remember that because you’ll only be painting every other stripe, you’ll have to outline both sides. And be sure to tape outside the chalk line; the fresh paint will cover the lines.

5. Burnish the wall, i.e., rub the edges of the tape with a credit card or the bowl of a plastic spoon to keep the paint from seeping under the tape. That’s how you get a nice, clean line.

6. Paint the stripes, making sure to paint over the tape line and to cover the entire area of each stripe.

7. Remove the tape, and voilà, striped walls!

Fitted with a new sink and faucet, a dresser makes an attractive vanity and offers more storage than many high-priced prefabricated models. If you don’t have a dresser or chest you want to transform, midcentury modern pieces-like the one Avery used-are ubiquitous at secondhand shops and can often be purchased cheaply.

Choose a dresser that is in good condition and with dimensions to fit your space. Check that it will accommodate the size and style of sink you want, too.

MATERIALS

• Tape and marker

• Jigsaw and other carpentry tools

• Plumbing supplies

• Polyurethane

DIRECTIONS

1. Plan the sink placement. Decide where you want the sink to be placed on the dresser top. Remove the drawers and any drawer supports that would interfere with the plumbing. Most sinks come with a positioning template; if yours does not, trace the sink outline onto paper to create one. Cut out the template and tape it in the desired place on the dresser top; trace around it. If the faucet sits on the countertop, mark its placement, too.

2. Cut the openings. Determine the location of the water supply and drain lines. Mark them on the back of the dresser (or do what Derek did, and remove the back panel for easy access). Using a jigsaw, cut the sink, faucet, and water supply or drain line openings.

3. Rework the drawers. Use a jigsaw to cut off the backs of the drawers that surround the sink and/or plumbing so that the drawer fronts fit perfectly in place.

4. Connect the water. Move the dresser into place and hook up the hot and cold water lines and the drainpipe. For added sturdiness, secure the back of the dresser to the wall with screws drilled into the wall studs. Reinsert the drawers.

5. Waterproof the top. To make a wood top more resistant to water, apply two or three coats of polyurethane, allowing the sealant to dry thoroughly between each coat. To keep the finish pristine, wipe off water after each use. Or-alternatively-tile the top of the dresser.

A few words before we get started:

A vessel can be installed sitting on the countertop (above counter mounting), or it can be sunk into the counter a third or even half of its height. Some store-bought vessels are actually a sort of hybrid of a drop-in style sink and a vessel.

For an above-counter installation, you will need a hole that is large enough for the drain assembly. (That’s the plumbing hardware that allows the sink to drain the water.) If the bottom of your vessel is flat-as is the case with a Fiesta dinnerware bowl-then the installation is straightforward. A bead of silicone under the sink and around the edge to prevent water from working its way underneath the vessel is a good idea. If you use a vessel with a rounded shape-as is the case with most store-bought glass vessel sinks-you have two options: You can either use something called a vessel mounting ring, or make a mounting hole directly in the countertop.

Mounting rings for vessel sinks can be found at most home centers or online. They usually come in several finishes that you can match to your faucet and drain. A vessel mounting ring elevates the sink from the countertop and helps with the stability and seal of the sink.