Home Improvement, Interior designs and Furniture tips

Windows

admin — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 04:57:48 +0000

Admitting natural light, permitting views to the yard and beyond, allowing natural ventilation: windows perform a number of critical roles in a home. And because of the wide range of jobsthey must do–sometimes simultaneously–windows must be chosen thoughtfully and maintained with care.

Their work is often complex. For example, windows are expected to allow light and views but keep out wind, rain, glare, cold, and intruders. To accomplish this range of tasks, windows must be designed with a range of features that work together seamlessly.

Of course, windows come in many shapes and sizes and made of several different materials, from wood to aluminum to vinyl. Basically, all windows have frames and glass, and most have weatherstripping. Windows used for ventilation have a means of opening and closing, and may have screens to keep insects and debris outside.

When you’re in the market for new windows, knowing what features to seek can be a challenge. The buying guide information listed below will help. In this section, you’ll also find step-by-step DIY information to help with installing, caring for, and repairing windows.

Appliances

admin — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 10:35:22 +0000

We pass through doors every day; in, out, and throughout our homes. They allow us free passage or, if we need, they can be closed for solitude or security. Doors come in many shapes, sizes, and materials, and operate in a multitude of ways.

It’s easy to overlook the details of our home’s doors as we pass through them. However, our doors (especially front entry doors) and the door hardware we use say a lot about who lives inside.

Bathroom suites

admin — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:31:12 +0000

What a great invention when first the bath appeared once not that many years ago people use to take the big old steel bath into the kitchen to fill up ready for their weekly soak. Oh what joy that we have moved into the age of bathrooms and bathroom suites, no more cold November nights trotting off into the yard to use the loo. What a delight it was for those who first were there when the idea of bathrooms and bathroom suites sprung forth into existence.
Now the choice is endless, what do you fill your bathroom with, what is the right bathroom suite for you? Should you consider what others may think about the colour of your loo? Bathroom suites can be a personalised statement if you wish it to be. Back in the 1970’s it was cool to have a burgundy suite or even a dingy green.
Here in the new century the choice of bathrooms suites is fantastic, much like everything else, so how do you choose the right bathroom suite for you should it be white should it be large should you install a shower? Well let’s take the basics, if you have a smaller bathroom it is best to opt for a white or at least a neutral colour bathroom suite and if you stick with sliver taps and drains you’re suite will fit right in.
If you have a large wallet and a large bathroom you may consider a Jacuzzi corner bathroom suite a real statement in a penthouse apartment or a footballer’s wife style house in Essex. The best bet is to keep in the theme of the house, flat so if you have an Edwardian home stick to an Edwardian bathroom suite. This way your bathroom suite won’t look out of place and you won’t have problems when you come to sell your beautiful home.

Toilet Seats

admin — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:26:41 +0000

Toilet seats are an essential part of life we all use them every day bringing comfort to an otherwise uncomfortable experience. When choosing toilet seats you can be as personal or practical as you wish from basic white plastic toilet seats to novelty fun toilet seats. I once owned a padded toilet seat which brought both comfort and warmth to my toileting experience. If you are looking to show off just how much cash you’ve got get yourself a nice gold toilet seat, yes they do exist.
If you have every had small children you may have experience the continual breaking toilet seat. I seemingly had to replace my toilet seats nearly every month at a certain stage in parenting now maybe this says more about me and it does about the toilet seats but believe me after all my children were 5 years plus the rate of broken toilet seats dropped considerable.
All joking aside toilet seats need to be practical both in colour and material just like all your other bathroom accessories; you don’t want a red toilet seat on a white toilet and who in their right mind would want a gold toilet seat? So when you are choosing your toilet seats remember all your friends are going to be using it and it is very much a reflection of you if you choose some radical design, this maybe a good thing or not.
A useful extension of the basic toilet seat is the family toilet seat especially designed for younger members of the family who may find the standard loo a little large for their behinds. This is designed to clip onto the standard toilet seat and create a seat of smaller dimensions to accommodate their little rear.

Tips on Saving Water

admin — Mon, 25 May 2009 16:09:09 +0000

Using excess water or having leaks can cost you hundreds of dollars a year in wasted water. A simple toilet leak can use 50 extra gallons of water a day, and a faucet leak can waste up to 5,000 gallons a year. We’ve got some tips for keeping that water bill down.

Saving water indoors

Think you might have a leak? Check by reading your water meter before and after a 2-hour period when water hasn’t been run in your home. If the reading isn’t exactly the same, you’ve got a leak.
If you’ve got a well-water system and the pump comes on when no one is using water, you have a leak.
Find out if the toilet is leaking by putting a few drops of food coloring into the toilet tank. If the color leaks into the bowl, replace the flapper.
Get those dripping faucets repaired. Usually it’s a simple matter of replacing worn washers. Check all the washers in the house and replace them all at once.
Replace “sticky” toilet handles.
Make sure the flapper ball in the tank seats correctly.
Don’t use the toilet as a wastebasket or ashtray. Avoid unnecessary flushing.
Install faucet aerators to slow the flow of water.
Rinse vegetables over a large bowl and reuse what would have gone down the drain to water plants.
Keep drinking water in the refrigerator to avoid letting water run until it gets cool enough to drink.
Defrost foods in the microwave instead of under running water.
Insulate water heater and water pipes. (65% of the water you use is hot water.)

Saving water in the bathroom

Don’t let the water run continuously when you are shaving, brushing your teeth, etc.
Replace two-handle systems with single-lever faucets.
Shower instead of bathe.
Install low-flow showerheads that reduce water use up to half but still give a great feeling shower.
Get a showerhead with a “shower off” button to conserve water while you lather up.
Take shorter showers. Five-minute showers per day for a four-member family use about 28,000 gallons of water per year.

Saving water in cleaning

Older standard washing machines use up to 50 gallons of water per load, Newer models use only 11-30 gallons.
Don’t wash half loads, and if you do, adjust the water level.
Presoaking prevents having to re-wash heavily soiled clothes.
Soak dirty dishes instead of rinsing each dish separately.
If you’re washing dishes in a double sink, wash them all at once and rinse them all at once.
Replace an old, water-inefficient dishwasher. You can save 10 to 20 gallons of water per wash cycle.
Select the water-saving cycle on your dishwasher.

Saving water outdoors

Landscape with plants that need less water.
Don’t overwater. Buy a gauge to measure the rain your lawn gets.
Water lawns during the time of day when temperature and wind speed are lowest to reduce evaporation.
Put a timer on your sprinklers so you don’t forget to turn them off.
Over-fertilization increases your lawn’s need for watering. Don’t over feed.
Use a soaker hose instead of a sprinkler system to better target the water to your plants.
Mulch plants well to retain moisture.
Make sure your sprinkler system isn’t watering the sidewalk, driveway or street.
Set your lawnmower blades to 3 inches or higher to encourage you lawn to grow deeper roots and hold moisture better.
Use water-saving filters in your pool.

Floors & Stairs

admin — Sun, 24 May 2009 10:17:58 +0000

Floors & Stairs

Flooring sets the tone for the look and feel of a room. But beyond appearance, the choice of a certain flooring material should be based on how a room is used. If you must walk through a room from the front door to get to the rest of the house, the flooring in that room should stand up to heavy foot traffic, including the possibility of tracked-in mud. If you like to cook elaborate meals, the kitchen’s flooring should be kind to your feet. In this section of HomeTips, you will find helpful information and guidance on not just how to choose flooring materials but also on how to install the flooring you do select.

Kitchens

admin — Thu, 14 May 2009 02:05:49 +0000

“Home is where the hearth is.” What this saying basically comes down to is that a dwelling is not a home without a kitchen. Since prehistoric times, dwellings were literally built around the hearth–the cooking and heating center of the home.

Nowadays, the kitchen is where meals are prepared, snacks are sneaked, families come together, and homework and other projects are tackled. The “hearth” is still the “heart” of the home

Home Decorating Patterns

admin — Mon, 04 May 2009 05:12:43 +0000

Pattern refers to the way colors lines and textures are arranged in an object. While the word pattern generally refers to something which repeats itself, such as a checkerboard, in decorating terms it can just refer to the layout of design elements, and can be quite chaotic, such as in a floral pattern.

In decorating, patterns can be used for several purposes.

You can use it to create a focal point in a room.
You can use it to create a theme throughout a space
It can add interest to an otherwise dull space
Or you can use it to reproduce a particular historical style

Traditional patterns are generally taken from historical decorating schemes. Chintz is often associated with English decorating, while calico patterns have a strong association with country style. Contemporary patterns are being designed everyday, but are usually based roughly on traditional ideas.

Picking Patterns

When choosing a pattern, some people start by falling in love. If you find a furnishing with a certain pattern that you adore, you can make it the basis for an entire room, or home. The pattern itself should suggest complimentary patterns to use, and the colors within it will tell you what colors to use in background pieces.

Other people prefer to have a plan. Maybe you are trying to recreate a traditional look, or maybe you are trying to achieve a specific ambience. Whatever your goal, you should remember the following tips when panning your strategy.

Small rooms should use smaller more intricate patterns, which will fill the space with more interest
Large rooms should use grand patterns, that stretch out throughout the space and keep the room in proportion
Use your patterns to add interest to places that lack architectural features.
Make sure your pattern is matched to the style of the houses architecture. If your home is a grand old Victorian you don’t want to create a confusing décor with contemporary silver geometric lines.

You can use some patterns on everything in a room, the walls, furnishings, floors, and accessories. However the room will be immersed in the very particular ambiance created by the pattern, so be careful of overwhelming yourself with anything you won’t love for a long time.

Traditional pattern decorating is done with a single pattern, being matched against a solid background. In this way a boring white room is given vibrant life by a series of brightly upholstered chairs.

Mixing patterns with different colors and with other patterns can be a little tricky. You have to both create harmony between all of the different colors, and create contrast to give the space interest.

Mixing patterns is tough! Start with just one or two, decide how you feel about them together, and then add more.
Try to maintain one dominant pattern, and let the others act as support.
Use patterns which have a single consistent color that runs through all of them.

When working with patterns, many people find it useful to use a board, and samples of the various patterns, to get an idea for how they feel together. You can use samples of cloth from the store, matched with paint chips, and magazine clippings. Set several patterns up together, and then leave them on the board for a couple of days, so you can see how you really react to them.

The most important thing when using pattern is to be willing to change your mind. If a pattern doesn’t feel right, or stops feeling right after a time, then you have to get rid of it. Patterns can create powerful feelings in a space, and you have to pay attention and be aware of those feelings in order to control the ambience of the room.