Île Saint-Louis – Complete Paris Apartment Renovation

Once in a life time you have a client that you just don’t get along with. At first you think things are manageable but things go sour and no matter how hard you try it never gets better.  It’s not the fault of either. It’s just one of those things.

Then once in a life time you have a client that changes everything. Once in a life time you meet someone that is so dynamic, so artistic, so engaging, so maniacal, so passionate yet at the same time so ‘normal’, who can put on a face that is congruent to what people think he should be, he challenges the boundaries of your own perceptions about what is available in for use as an individual in the world.

We are going to call him the Maverick.

On and off, for circumstances we could not control, the better part of three years we were isle-in, like a villain, on penicillin with the Maverick.

It was  a glorious time.

When we met Mavs, we had no idea that he was ‘renting a womb’ as he put it, to have children with his partner.

We eventually met his partner, his wonderful children and enjoyed the company of his warm loving family.

He would bring us simple yet thoughtful and caring gifts from America.

Once he said, ‘Guys, don’t listen to me. There’s a saying ‘Get your hands off my ears. I know what I’m doing.’

How do yo not love a guy like that?

If you are reading this, Maverick we miss this time we had together.  So here is a video in honor of and that begs the inside joke from.

It’s the Isle. Do you know what time it is? 😀

Tile 101 : How to Lay Tile

Let’s tile for a while!

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is a good short into into the world of tile.

There are many variables that one runs into when taking on a tile project.

But if the floor is level, and if there are not a lot of pipes or odd shapes to cut, tiling a floor can be relatively straight forward.

In this video the presenter offers some good tips to get you on your way.

Bon Courage! 😀

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• HomeThangs.com Has Introduced A Guide To DIY Mosaic Tile Projects For The Bathroom
• How to Install a Tile Backsplash

A Shout Out On How To Clean Grout

Grout (Photo credit: The Facey Family)

The problem with professional grout cleaning products is they are focused on power and speed.

‘CLEAN YOUR GROUT LINES IN 5 MINUTES!!!’, they’ll proclaim. But read the label and you’ll see why they say what they say.

The problem is where ever there is tile there is usually water, bare feet, mouths, food, kids, along with people and stuff. To clean grout lines fast you need something caustic and dangerous to get into the pores and to cut through the grime to remove it quickly.

However there IS another way.

Q: Did you hear about the doctor that had to leave the practice of medicine.
A: He lost his patients!

Well, if you are not like the doctor above; if you can get into a groove,
turn on your favorite music and be one with nature for a few hours, you can get dramatic effects using cheap, everyday household products when it comes to renovating those pesky, love to get discussing, grout lines.

The video below is really a lot longer than it needs to be but it’ll prepare you to get in to that ‘go with the flow’ grout groove! The presenter is fun and informative. Here she uses baking soda to get the job done. We recommend for more cleaning power you can add a bit of white vinegar to make a paste. But you have to add the vinegar slowly. It will react and bubble all over the place if you add too much at once.

So take an afternoon, turn on the radio and as the band ‘Tears For Fears’ might say.

“Grout! Grout! Scrub it throughout!

The grime in these lines we can do without.

C’mon, I’m talking to you… C’mon!”

🙂

Tears For Fears – In Paris!

Related articles

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Caulk Removal: This Tip Will Blow You Away

Removing caulk is a pain in the neck. Literally! You have to bend over the tub, sink or counter top and assume this position for as long as it takes you to get the job done. And all the while you have to be meticulous and remove every tiny spec because if you don’t you won’t be able to reapply the caulk properly. There are products designed to remove silicon and acrylic caulk that will work in some applications but many times there are instances where the surface you’re working on is just too delicate to risk damaging it with an industrial strength solvent. Solution?

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Here Home Repair Tutor Paul Mitchell comes up with a great idea. He uses a hairdryer as a heat gun. A standard heat gun would be too hot. Where a hairdryer set on ‘High’ is not. Ingenious! Just heat a small section (8 to 10″), use a sharp utility knife to scrap off the caulk and Voila! You’ll be done in no time.

Gentlemen, if you are going to try this at home be sure you don’t forget the most important part. Make sure you ask the wife BEFORE you use her hairdryer.