Simple Home Improvement Ideas to Maximize Appeal

If you want to improve or update your home, but aren't ready to take on major demolitions or rebuilding projects, this article will show you six ways you can make a big impact with minimal effort.

1. Landscaping
The average resale return on any landscaping project is 100 percent. That means every dollar you put into your lawn will come back to you at sale time. If you're not sure where to start, most garden centers either offer free consulting services or can refer you to a garden designer.

2. Paint
Inside or out, paint is the most cost-effective improvement you can make. For just a couple hours' work and a few dollars a gallon, you can dramatically change the appearance of your home. Before any paint job, remember to wash the walls, patch up any holes or dents, tape the trim and lay down a tarp to protect the floors. If you want to create the illusion of space, opt for softer and lighter colors like pastels and light, neutral tones. These will make a room seem larger and more open.

3. Organize Your Closets
If you're wrestling for space, one of the simplest solutions is basic organization. By updating your closets, you can unearth an enormous amount of unused space and make your closets functional again. Usually, prepackaged closet kits are going to be more economical than purchasing individual components. You can typically get a good closet organization system for less than a few hundred dollars.

4. Update Your Accessories
If you don't have time to redo your flooring, buy a new couch and totally overhaul your living room, try simply updating your accessories. It's amazing how quickly new rugs, light switches, pillows, ceiling fixtures and window furnishings can update a room. In the real estate business, this is called "staging" a room.

5. Bathroom Remodels
Because bathrooms are small, they're not as huge of an undertaking as redoing a whole kitchen or refinishing a basement. While plumbing and wiring can get expensive, bathroom overhauls offer a great return on your investment. For simple fixes, you can re-caulk a tub or have it re-glazed for less than $400. Meanwhile, tile fixes can be cheap if you find great tile on sale.

6. Update Your Lighting
New lighting and fixtures can cost anywhere from $100 to about $500 per room, and you can dramatically alter both the mood and the appearance of your décor along with the cost of your monthly electricity bill.

Decorating with Feng Shui

Courtyards, entrances and vestibules are transitional spaces between the outside world and the private domain. To the Oriental mind, the alignment of the entrance in relation to the exterior is vital to good feng shui because this is where the flow of energy or ch'i is controlled. The right entrance invites harmony, good fortune and well being. It is also here that negative forces, spirits, or influences are repelled. Sha or 'noxious vapor' is the antithesis of ch'i. Doors and windows are orifices for the ch'i to enter. Here, clear glass doors link the yin and yang of spaces, the interior and exterior. The paving stones and pebbles on the ground suggest a riverbed with water flowing into the house. Water is the most potent symbol of wealth and prosperity to the Chinese.

Feng Shui - Tusk Door Handles A pair of ivory tusks converts into door handles as a fitting token for the owner who is in the jewelry business. A designed holder for the tusks in 14 carat gold and set them with nine different semi-precious stones to represent the nine planets of our universe. The door handles are works of art in themselves.

A closer look at the courtyard reveals a dramatic play of light and shadow. The Bamboo, one of the "Four Gentlemen" in Chinese paintings, represents strength, pliancy, aspiration and scholarly character. Feng Shui Around the House Against the lighted wall of the garage is a shallow pond for gold fishes, another prosperity symbol to the Chinese. A modified yin and yang pattern in gravel on top of the garage provides a sense of harmony between the interior and its outside views. Rock arrangements are long lasting and easy to maintain.
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Decorating Small Homes New Tips Ideas

Space in home and apartment décor is not just about physical dimensions. It is about the visual impression too. So, use these wonderful tips to transform your small apartment or home into a luxurious, lavish, airy and spacious home:

* Arrange the largest piece of furniture on the longest wall of the room and keep the focal point easily visible from the place.
* Buy small pieces of furniture that have open designs and can be rearranged easily such as a love seat with exposed legs instead of big bulky sofa sets, two small side chairs and a small glass top coffee table.
* Ceiling lightings should be avoided as it cuts off the height of the room.
* Ceilings lighter than the walls and furniture of the room make room look brighter.
* Mark out a conversation area in the living room by placing the loveseat on the longest wall, coffee table in front of it and the side chairs facing the table on both its sides.
* Place your furniture in the room in such a manner that people don't stumble into it while coming in or going out of the room or to reach cabinets and closets.
* Soft incandescent lights placed evenly throughout the room that eliminate shadows make room look larger.
* Soft monochromatic color schemes make rooms look bigger.
* Stick to simplistic minimalist lifestyle and keep your home clean and well organized.
* Use accessories sparingly and use mirrors and shiny reflective surfaces abundantly so that it reflects more light and makes the room look bigger and more spacious.
* Use smaller patterns on walls and big pieces of furniture. If you do use large patterns, stick to small accessories, pillows and small areas.
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New Home Color Trends Style Ideas

Orange is a very hot and volatile color, which evokes vastly different responses around the world. In the Netherlands. Orange summons a national pride; in Asia it is a holy color used only for Buddhist monks robes; and in the US our immediate reaction is Halloween! Only recently has this brighter, more spectral aspect of the Orange family been more openly received in America. Previously only Spice tones of Cinnabar, Allspice, Paprika and Terracotta were marketable consumer colors.

Fortunately, the influx of bright acidic tones of lime green and lemon yellow in apparel, recreational gear, autos and electronics naturally brought along Tangerine; and Orange then was accepted more readily. Variations of Orange have become hot colors! It is the feature color for advertising, when the statement being made is "New". It is used in communications and graphics for manufacturer wanting to convey "hip and cool" products. Orange perfectly targeted Gen Xers and even younger, who had never seen the color on products before. It was a color they could adopt as their own. Orange arrived!

However, in home furnishings, the use of the Orange family as accents is widely favored; yet the richer more sophisticated reddened oranges of Cinnabar or the yellowed oranges like Allspice or Terracotta are much more livable and are used more frequently. These more muted tones work well with traditional country, ethnic and hearth-based designs. Deep, yet clear tones work with the more exotic design colorations and the influences of the Orient. This deepened range of color has been widely accepted. Orange tones are warm, comfortable, cozy, active, expansive and jovial. Orange is a vibrant color linked to health and vitality. It has developed from the fire of red towards a more earthy tone. Also associated with enthusiasm and optimism, it is a good welcoming color for hallways, but because it is rather flamboyant, you do have to feel that it suits you or it can be rather overwhelming. Ideal for north-facing rooms which need warming up, It is also a great choice for places where conversation needs to be stimulated. In softer colorations of Cora, Salmon, Clay and Peach, it can be quite soothing and sociable.

As demographics have evolved in the US and the greater visibility of other cultures has emerged. Americans find themselves more open to some of the Orange hues that are readily accepted in other part of the world. You need to know the cultural affects on the colors you use , before you use them.
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Choosing Bedroom Curtains Color Decorating Style

Space To Yourself Is Imperative In Your Bedrooms: Curtains have many purposes in the home not together from making the room give the impression of being grand. They draw closer in many different styles, types, and insignia giving you more of a choice to choose from.Taking care of a house are something that most people love to do. There are many accessories and different things that you can add to any room in order to give it an additional presence and to help make it look better as well. Curtains are essential for any room and they can have a few different purposes in anyone’s house. They appear in so many different colors, patterns and styles that they will suit anyone’s color format and tastes.

Appropriate Size And Color Of Your Curtains : One rationale of having over and done with is to have some space to you in all of the rooms. Not only this but they can also be enormous to keep heat in when it’s cold and they can control the amount of light that comes through when it is sunny. Also, they vary in price so you could get budget curtains which can look really good, to the more luxurious ones which look fantastic. It all depends upon your own personal tastes. The foremost thing that you need to do is gauge your transom. Measure the length as well as the width. Then you should decide how far you want your curtains to hang. Wither you want them to stop right below the window, or hang and puddle on the floor. Add these inches into your window measurements. Next you should decide on the rod sleeve, and the hem. You will need to allow inches for both of these, and you will find that the larger the hem on your contemporary fabric curtains, the better the curtains will glance.

Once you know how much yardage of fabric you will need per window, you will be ready to go and buy the fabric for your curtains. You can have them cut each panel for you, so that you can just come home and sew, or you can cut them yourself once you get home. You also need matching thread, and you will be using a serer and a tapestry machine. You should consider the most suitable length for your over and done with. Some can take the weight off your feet just above the window ledge, giving the impression of fitting neatly into the window space. These are ideal when you have a radiator under the window, so you don’t lose all the heat up through the window behind the curtain. If you want your curtains to rest just below the window ledge, be sure your curtain pole is mounted far enough from the wall to ensure that curtain can hang freely and does not touch the window sill. Floor length curtains should finish just before the floor so they don’t drag. If they touch the floor they will become grubby very promptly and may be stood on and ripped.

In conclusion you should conclude if you need your curtains lined or not. Lining can add considerable disbursement you your curtains, but it is worthwhile if you need the extra seclusion, wadding or soundproofing that lined curtains can provide. You can also buy interlined curtains, with a third panel of insulation fabric between the curtain itself and the main inside layer. Lining can also make your curtains hang better if they are made from a lightweight bits and pieces.
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Different Pool Accessories For In-ground Pools

Modest Of Concern Gives You Recovered Surroundings: Having a swimming pool at your own home is the unsurpassed preference of soothing. Your family and friends will have a great time and everyone will enjoy the summer a bit more. However, any pool builder will tell you that owning a swimming pool requires expected upholding, from cleaning to water testing and treating. Make persuaded you pay for pinnacle eminence swimming pool supplies so your pool is protected to swim in. You will find a broad array of swimming pool supplies at net so don’t be indecisive to look up. For those that are fluky enough to boast a pool, pool maintenance is fraction of the package. Pool maintenance is extremely important to promote cleanliness and good pool chemistry. But pool maintenance isn’t all bad. It just takes some attention to detail and some routine care to ensure a clear, clean pool.

Shield Your Swimming Pond: Pool cover protects your swimming pool in a variety of ways, as well as your loved ones and neighbors. A swimming pool cover works to keep rubble out of your pool. An astral pool cover will help in heating the pool water with the suns heat. Additionally, a pool cover will put a stop to any unwanted visitors like animals or human sort from entering your pool and protect them from any dangers. Lastly, a pool cover works to protect your swimming pool from climatic differences such as the winter months. Maintain a chart which will allow you to maintain track of the maintenance you carry out on your pool and the levels of chemicals you put in each time, as well as the chemical readings from test performed.

When it comes to swimming pool provisions, there are many folks who routinely think of cleaning supplies. You will need to purchase cleaning supplies, to rally round keep your pool nice and clean, but there are supplementary items that you should purchase as well. Some of those items are often referred to as pool safety equipment. If you have children in your home, you are definitely advised to purchase pool safety equipment, as it can, literally, help to save the lives of your children one day. Even if you don’t have children, you should still make sure that your pool is protected with pool safety equipment because you honestly never know who may end up building their line of attack into your enclosure.

This type of cleaners is almost self-reliable. Debris, dirt and leaves are kept in a bag or cartridge that is within the robotic cleaner itself. Robotic cleaners run with 110 volts electric supply. This kind of pool cleaner is very easy to use because you do not need incorporate it with your existing filter system. You can very well use it as a secondary filter system. These may be expensive as compared to other cleaners, but it’s well worth the money. These are the two common types of cleaners. You can choose one over the other; just make sure it benefits you the most.
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Designing and Decorating a Kids Child’s Bedroom

When it comes to decorating, your Childs bedroom is one of the areas where you can really have fun with design ideas and if your child is old enough you can involve him in the design process. Although you may have to water down some their ideas to fit within your budget! The key to designing a pleasing child’s bedroom is to plan ahead. In no time at all your baby will become a toddler and then not long after that he will be starting school and soon become a teenager. So what seemed like a good idea to paint 6foot high murals of ‘Winnie the Pooh characters will not be appropriate when your 10 ten year old brings home his friends from school for the first time.

Getting the basic structure correct at the beginning will save you having to do major changes every time you re-decorate. So this involves getting enough electric sockets and lights setup. If you have the opportunity get dimmer switches fitted and use a combination of main lighting and downlighters so the mood in the bedroom can be varied depending on the activity.

When designing a theme room, it is probably better to decorate one wall with the chosen theme and paint the other three walls with a plain colour, rather than have all four walls wall-papered with the same design not only does this give a feeling of more space but it is also cheaper when you need to re-decorate or change the theme due to your child growing older. Design for fun and keep it practical. Keep decoration simple and easy to look after are the key messages.

Paint needs to be hard wearing and washable, sticky fingers and even worse crayons and pens are the main enemy here. If you include a blackboard at the height of your child and encourage him to use that, it will save many hours washing or painting over your child’s latest Picasso! On the plain walls you can always use posters and pictures to expand on the required theme.
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Best Window Treatments Ideas and suggestion Tips

Can't figure out what to put on that rod? You could use colorful napkins folded and draped "triangle" style as a valance or find beautiful flowing fabric when it's on sale and buy about 6-8 yards per window (depending on size) and drape it around the window on coat hooks attached to each top corner of window like a scarf. Just puddle the bottoms and turn the raw edges under for a casual flowing look. An oblong crochet lace table cloth also looks fabulous threaded in and out of a cafe rod in a pleated manner! They make great valances or curtains! You could also buy an inexpensive vinyl roller shade and use a rag-rolling or sponging painting technique that matches the decor of the room.

Not into painting, take the same vinyl shades and remove the vinyl, cut fabric the same size, leaving enough on the edges to turn under with liquid stitch or glue a border on and attach it to the roller with strong masking tape. You can make a pocket at the bottom for the stick or sew a tassle in the bottom center for opening and closing. (just make sure your fabric and trim is the same width as the roller so that it will open and close easily)

Another inventive way to drape a scarf is to use wall sconces on each top end of the window and maybe one in the top center above the window and drape your fabric or scarf on them. This can really give an elegant look to a plain window!
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Kitchens and Dining Rooms Decorating Trends Style and Ideas 2008

-Don't throw out those gaudy clip on earrings that have been collecting dust! Clip them on plain wood napkin rings for a great "Shabby Chic" look! *A great way to re-use old forks is to twirl them into a circular shape with needle-nose pliers. Curl each tine of the fork under or in a spiral shape, but just curl the middle one under in a hook fashion and use them to hang tab top or grommet top curtains. They give a great "folk art" look to a room!

-Another great way to use old silverware is to take a 4" clay flower pot, 20 gauge jewelry beading wire and pliers, some jute rope twine and create a fantastic mobile/wind chime to hang indoors or out! Just use the wire to "wrap" the end of the handles of the silverware and create a loop. Also, curl the tines of the forks and bend spoons or knives into interesting shapes. Use the twine to attach to the ends of each piece and feed up through the drain hole of the pot tying a knot on the inside to prevent slipping and create a loop to hang with!

-Cover your empty coffee cans with fabric (using tacky glue) or wall paper border (use glue also) to match your decor, top off with wire-rimmed ribbon or fringe around the top or flat-back beads glued around, use as a custom utensil holder. You can also use clay flower pots or wine buckets! If you have an old wood dresser that you're not using, it's great to sand it down in some spots to give an aged look (you can also color wash those spots), change the drawer pulls, put small casters on the legs, place a colorful table runner along the top and use as an ecclectic, trendy buffet! It looks fabulous and you get bonus storage space for linens, china, serving pieces or just about anything!
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Childrens Room Decorating Trends and Ideas

One of the best and most personal room treatments that we've seen for children's rooms is using their own handprints to form a border around the room. Just mark off about 6 inch-wide border 38-40 inches from the floor around the room. Then paint that area a background color that will coordinate with the room. Paint the bottom portion of the wall 2 shades darker and the top portion 1 shade lighter. Finally, let the little one help by placing little handprints on the border area around the room using 3-4 different colors of non-toxic acrylic paint poured into paint pans for hand-dipping. You can then go over the border area with a clear poly-type topcoat.

-A great way to use those decorative vinyl placemats that are rarely used for eating is to group them on the wall in a diamond pattern. The filled glittery ones work best and we just used push pins to attach them.

-You could also use wooden baby blocks to dress up tie-backs on the curtains. Just drill holes through a few, feed onto the tie-back cord or use an upholstery cord and secure with a knot on the ends. You could even spell your childs name on the hanging portion.

-Another border idea for the "little princess" is to attach large bows in each top corner of the room and use sheer pastel fabric or wide ribbon to drape from corner to corner along the top of the wall. Just attach with a staple gun behind the bows.
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23,600 Reasons to Have Your Chimney Serviced

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, reports that some 23,600 residential fires in the 50 states were related to solid fuel appliances and equipment in 1996. An additional 5,500 fires were attributed to chimneys and chimney connectors serving heating systems burning liquid and other fuels. As a result of these fires, 130 people died, 230 people were injured, and total property losses were set at more than $184.4 million. In addition there were a minimum of 119 deaths from carbon monoxide and at least 4,700 "injuries" reported for the same time frame, though most estimates range much higher.

The root cause of most of these losses is that most U.S. homeowners are unaware that chimneys are an integral part of a home heating system and that they require regular evaluation and maintenance. In a great many European countries - including Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Germany - chimney-fire damage statistics have been reduced to negligible numbers because national coalitions of government, insurance companies, fire and building officials, and chimney sweeps have developed tough regulations mandating regularly scheduled chimney inspections and cleaning. The citizens of those countries understand the hazards of unmaintained chimneys, and their chimney sweeps are regular members of their home safety team. Tag:Chimney Caps Wood Stoves Fireplace Sweep Gas Logs Fireplace Accessories Stove Copper Caps Liners Fireplace Tool Set Vent Firebacks Dryer Vent Brushes Gas Stoves Hearth Brush cleaning sweep fireplaces relining gas woodstove repair caps regency masonry dampers inspections repairs sweeping relining masonry repairsdryer vent cleaning certified sweep oil wood flue clay brick

Home Repair - Deep Woods Decor In Your Home 2008

Deep woods decor is one decorating style that has stood the test of time. It is a wonderful way to add beauty and warmth to any room in your home. Deep woods decor is a popular choice of many homeowners, including those who tend to live a more active and contemporary life. You can live anywhere that you want, from the country to the city, and use deep woods decor in your home. Nothing else can add quite the same warmth and appeal to a home as taking elements from nature to decorate your room.

You don't have to use the deep woods decor to the degree where your home resembles a rustic wood cabin. You could choose to just use the decor in one room or you can use just a few pieces to add a touch of nature to a room, whichever you choose. You may want to start with a less used room, like a guest room or half bath to see if you enjoy the look of deep woods decor in your room. By following just a few guiding tips, you can add deep woods decor to your home in a classy and beautiful way.

To create the deep woods look in a room, you want to start with painting the walls. You could choose to paint the walls a dark green or burgundy or you can paint just one or two walls to use as accent walls. The bedding or other furnishings that you choose will help you to determine which color will work best for your room. The bed and furniture can be tools for your decor as well with the many different log beds and wooden furniture that you can find in all different styles and stains. Tag: Home Hvac Home Improvement Air Conditioning Home Inspection Bathroom Remodeling Basement Do It Yourself Home Remodeling Companies Home Foundation Repair Handyman home repair do-it-yourself home improvement house plumbing maintenance help advice electrical remodeling tips painting contractors tools install handyman cabinets bugs water how-to expert broken toilet carpet gutter repairs roofing cleaning disaster interior exterior flooring renovation countertops professional

Garage Decorating Trends Ideas

Building a Garage - Nailing and Positioning the Wall
It will be easy to nail the wall together if your layout marks are accurate and your pieces have been cut to the proper size.
Most Common Mistakes:
1. Not nailing exactly flush where pieces come together.
2. Not squaring the wall.
3. Not having enough people to lift and hold the wall in position while bracing.
4. Not nailing braces securely.

Construction:
1. On the garage floor slab, separate the top and bottom plate slightly more than a stud's length apart with the bottom plate positioned nearest the wall's final location, place the different pieces in position.
2. It works best if two people can nail - one at the top plate and one at the bottom plate - to prevent the wall from jumping around. Drive two 16d CC sinkers into each stud through each plate and into all studs in the corner assembly as well.
3. Nail the headers in place with all adjoining pieces exactly flush with each other. The studs should not protrude from the plates nor should the header protrude from the sides of the king or trimmer studs.
4. After everything is nailed together, check the wall for squareness first by measuring across diagonally from one corner to the other, then measuring the opposite diagonal. Adjust until the two diagonals are equal and the wall is square.
5. Temporarily nail a 2" x 4" diagonally across the wall to keep it square and lend rigidity during moving.
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Kitchen Trends – What's Hot in Decorating Style Kitchen Design

Storage : One of the biggest and hottest trends in kitchens is increased and stylish storage. From oversized pot racks that hang from the ceiling to drawers built to stow away the microwave oven when not in use, storage plays a huge role in kitchen design. Frosted glass, veneer, and metal accents are all making a comeback, featured on shelf doors, drawers, and racks of all kinds. Drawer and cupboard inserts used to arrange everything from cookware to drinking glasses are also popular.

Appliances : Put a cook-top, refrigerator, or microwave oven in a kitchen island that can be moved around as needed, and you've got a veritable kitchen on wheels! These new roll-around appliances can be plugged in and used where needed, giving you complete freedom to have extra cooking surfaces right nearby. Move the unit into another room to keep dishes warm during a dinner party, or have a refrigerator handy. The newest ovens and refrigerators on the market feature French-style doors, which take up less space when opened. They also give the kitchen a new and updated feel, as the doors add a decorative touch to your appliances. Oven hoods are also making a comeback, creating a focus on the oven as the central part of the kitchen.

Countertops : New materials are being used in countertops now, such as laminated plastic and even hardwood. Sealed hardwood adds warmth and sophistication and can draw together other elements of you kitchen like the cupboards or dining furniture. Layer colored or printed fabric, naturals like dried herbs or flowers, or other items between layers of laminated plastic for an eye-catching appearance on your countertops.

Colors : Long gone are the days when kitchens were done in dull, monochromatic hues. Splashes of color are not only trendy but very much in demand. Light blues, sharp oranges, and deep corals are especially popular.

Contrasting Colors and Shapes : There is a significant move away from symmetry and sameness in kitchens at the moment. Contrasting colors from both the cool and warm palettes used together are becoming fashionable, as well as opposing textures like smooth metal and uneven stone. Cabinets and cupboards are displayed in varying sizes, from tall, narrow standalone shelving units to long and wide cupboards. Tag: Style kitchen remodel remodeling renovation renovate remodel decor trends design color backsplash tiles sink colors light bright neutral island peninsula granite stone counter countertop cart cart sink cabinet cabinets cabinetry lights lighting fixtures space size options trends ideas tips accessories accents design decor appliances remodel redesign renovate decorate

kitchen remodel Cabinet Refacing and Refinishing

Advantages and Drawbacks of Cabinet Refacing
If you're thinking about remodeling your kitchen but are daunted by the cost of new cabinets, all is not lost. Cabinet re-facing may offer an alternative worth exploring. Keep in mind, however, re-facing is not for everyone, and there are some definite advantages and disadvantages to the process that you need to consider.

Re-facing is simply the process of covering the old exteriors of the cabinets with new wood to give them a fresh, clean look, and it can make a good do-it-yourself project for the patient carpenter. Your existing cabinets need to be in good condition structurally and you need to be happy with their size and layout. If so, then re-facing them may offer a faster, lower-cost option to complete replacement, which also allows you to save the countertops.

The re-facing process is fairly straightforward, although it sounds a little easier than it is. First, all of the drawers are removed from the cabinets and set aside. Then the doors are removed and discarded. Any crown or scribe molding is also removed and discarded. All of this can theoretically be done with the contents still in the cabinets, but it's definitely easier and cleaner to box up the contents and store them temporarily. Prior to starting on the re-facing, the door openings are measured and new doors are ordered. Tag: Bathroom Vanity Drawer Pulls Custom Doors Cabinet Hinges Entertainment Center Door Hardware Cabinet Hardware Vanity Bathroom Door Kitchen Island Cabinet Doors Kitchen Remodeling Kitchen Design Door Knobs Kitchen Furniture Bathroom Remodeling Hinges Bathroom Cabinets kitchen cabinet refacing custom countertops kitchen cabinet remodeling design drawers cabinetry laminate renovate flooring affordable thermo foil renovating

Building Kitchen Cabinets Decorating Trends 2008

Building Cabinets - Building Doors and Drawers
Building the Doors and False Front
The doors and false front will overlap the openings by 3/8" and are rabbetted along the edges so that they are inset into the openings by 1/4". You may choose not to make your doors inset but rather sit entirely on top of the face frame. Another choice is to buy ready made doors out of the same kind of wood that you build the cabinet out of. The doors and false front are made the same way that we made the face frame. Use dowels at each butt joint and when you cut your stock make it long enough for the amount of overlap that you desire.

1. Rip and crosscut your stock to length.
2. Dowel, glue and clamp the rails and stiles together and allow to dry.
3. Cut the rabbet along the edges for the inset. To make a rabbet cut, you can use a router or a table saw.
4. Rout out the back so the door panels can be inserted. As a suggestion, use a scrap piece of wood to check your cut. Advance the router slowly, so as to not to splinter the wood and move it in the proper direction, you can feel the difference if you are moving against the cutting bit.
5. Make rabbet cuts on the back side of the door and false front to insert the panels in exactly the same way.
6. Use a table saw or a circular saw with a straight edge to cut the door insert out of 1/4" oak plywood. To compensate for the small curved corners use a saber saw to cut a small radius in the corner. This provides a perfect fit.
7. Use a 1/4" round over bead to shape the doors false front, and door front. Note: Shaping is a personal design choice, there are many different shapes you can choose from. You can use a shaper or a router for this process. Tags: Bathroom Vanity Drawer Pulls Custom Doors Cabinet Hinges Entertainment Center Door Hardware Cabinet Hardware Vanity Bathroom Door Kitchen Island Cabinet Doors Kitchen Remodeling Kitchen Design Door Knobs Kitchen Furniture Bathroom Remodeling Hinges Bathroom Cabinets

Cheap Counter Top Renovations

Stenciling and painting are the two best ways to renovate your counter tops in the most cost effective manner. Painting a counter top is not difficult, and no matter what is your skill level in do-it-yourself projects, you can do it very easily. If you want to achieve a type of counter top that you usually find in magazines, it will always be great to blend your painting skills with the wonderful features of stencils to create eye-catching multi-colored patterns.

Types of Stencils Available
Stencils are available in many different types. You will find craft stencils in both simple and complex forms. The simple design includes the cutouts of some specific objects, such as flowers, fruits, carrots, rabbits, seashells, etc. These stencils look good but not very realistic. In order to achieve a 3-D appearance or realistic look, you will have to go for the complex ones. For example, if done properly, the multiple overlay stencils of flowers will help you achieve the look of a real garden. It is not very difficult to work with overlay stencils, but yes, it does take time because you need to wait for the paint to dry before you proceed to the next overlay.

Some Bold Decorating Ideas
• If you want to achieve a custom look for your counter tops, one good idea is to extend the stencil pattern up a wall. The backsplash between the countertop and wall cabinets also makes a good place for stencil patterns. However, if later you feel that the look is not that great on the already painted walls, you have the option to cover the patterns with a fresh coat of paint.
• If stenciled patterns do not attract you, you may like to go for the faux finish look. You can achieve this by using multiple paint colors and sheet plastic, sponges, newspapers etc to create textures within the paint.
• By using the multiple paint colors with stencils, will definitely help you achieve a stunning finished look.
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Made in Italy: classic style furnishing complements in solid wood

In fact, the tradition of the northern Italian furniture factories (particularly those in Veneto and Lombardy) is a significant baggage and know-how that has reached an important expertise.

So what is the actual risk for these companies?
The main difficulty consists in being able to make the most of these precious inherited competences and sell them in the right terms, in the right moment and in the right way. Nowadays, where the modern society doesn't assess the quality of an item almost anymore but its production costs and time, a craft-made good expressly made on measure, incurs into the risk of being declassed and considered too expensive compared to the industrial competitor goods of East and North Europe Countries.

Therefore, it is necessary that traditional furniture-makers, specialized in handicraft furniture production, offer their goods and furnishing complements with the right approach, that is emphasizing their distinctiveness in tactile features, strength and accuracy not even comparable to the industrial low-cost correspondent products. For instance, the marketing solution adopted by the Zilio Group could be reported as a suitable reaction to this matter: a creation of a website that gathers either Zilio Mobili's traditional products either those complements of furnishing presented by Elisa Mobili. Italian, furniture, design, massive, furnishing, home, furnishings, classic, company, contract, manufacturers,

How to Build Outdoor Stairs

Building a stairway can be one of the most intimidating tasks any builder – amateur or professional – tackles. But an outdoor stairway is generally not a difficult project, as long as it is planned and executed carefully. This document covers building procedures for a straight-run utility stairway, typically used on porches and decks. Local building codes regulate the width and slope of a staircase, as well as how the assembly is supported and braced, how the landing is built and whether railings are required. ALWAYS CHECK WITH YOUR LOCAL BUILDING DEPARTMENT BEFORE DESIGNING A STAIRWAY, AND FOLLOW ALL LOCAL CODES. The following instructions are intended as general guidelines only, and local requirements should be your primary guide.

In this document you will find information about:
* Stair-Building Terms
* Designing Your Stairs
* Building Your Stairs
STAIR-BUILDING TERMS
* There are five basic design elements you'll need to consider when planning outdoor stairs:
* The Total Run is the total horizontal distance covered by the staircase, from the edge of the upper floor (porch or deck) to the edge of the staircase where it rests on the landing.
* The Total Rise is the total vertical distance from the surface of the landing to a point level with the surface of the upper floor (Note: You can't find the rise simply by measuring straight down from the upper floor because the ground directly below may not be level with the landing).
* Run is the horizontal distance from the leading edge of one tread to the leading edge of the next tread.
* Rise is the vertical distance from the surface of one tread to the surface of the next tread.
* Passage Width is the width of the stairway.
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A Clean Deck is a Happy Deck

Oxygen-based bleach: Deck-cleaning compounds designed specifically for wood commonly contain sodium percarbonate, which is also found in many color-safe laundry bleaches. Sodium percarbonate is a powder that mixes with water to form hydrogen peroxide and sodium carbonate, both of which are very effective at removing gray weathering residue as well as mildew, dirt, and other discolorations. Properly applied, oxygen-based bleach products will go a long way toward restoring your wood deck's original appearance. Cleaners containing sodium percarbonate are effective on most types of common decking woods, and will also work on pressure-treated fir, pine, and hemlock.

Oxalic acid-based cleaners: Another common problem with cedar, redwood, and certain other species is a natural resin in the wood called tannin. Tannins, which are water-soluble and a reddish-brown in color, can migrate to the surface of the wood and be deposited there, leaving dark brown discolorations. Tannins can also react with the metal in the fasteners that secure the deck boards, resulting in dark, blue-black stains that can really mar the appearance of the wood.Deck Furniture, Pool, Home Improvement, Deck Building, Sunrooms, Awnings, Deck Furniture, Pool, Home Improvement, Deck Building, Sunrooms, Awnings

The Electric Fireplace - Distinction and Style

Today's electric fireplaces are the product of much improved design and engineering. With all the options available it's easy to find one that will be the perfect addition to your home or office. Fill that empty wall space or corner with a new upscale piece of furniture - an electric fireplace.

Having a fireplace once meant the need to clean and inspect chimneys, remove soot and ashes and haul wood all season long. Forget that! The new ventless fireplaces have eliminated all that. Now you can have an elegant electric fireplace that assembles easily and plugs into any standard electric outlet in your home or office. The new advances in engineering and design makes these ideal for apartments, condos, offices, conference rooms and anywhere else you don't want to tear out walls, install chimney flues and take on major remodeling activities. These portable fireplaces can easily moved from room to room or packed up and moved to a new home or office. While most people choose the portable models, there is the option of hard wiring for a permanent installation. Be careful if you choose this option and you go to sell your home. It will be considered a permanent fixture of the house unless you explicitly exclude it on the sales contract.electric fireplace, electric fireplaces, ventless fireplace, ventless fireplaces, fireplace, fireplaces Fireplace Tools Fire Pit Fireplace Mantel Gas Fireplace Chimney Caps Fireplace Screen Pellet Stoves Wood Stoves Vermont Castings Electric Fireplace Door Gas Logs Outdoor Fireplace Fireplace Doors

Patio Door Window Stylish Treatments

Sliding glass patio doors are a wonderful idea, they create a sense of extra space by bringing your patio and backyard inside. Plus they can be a great source for sunlight. But you probably don't want your view open all the time, so window treatments are often needed for the times when you do need privacy, light control and even insulation.

Patio door window treatments can be a challenge, so here are a few expert suggestions. The traditional choice would be vertical blinds or curtains on a traverse rod, which emphasize the dramatic dimensions of your patio door while providing complete privacy and light control. Aluminum, vinyl or cloth vertical blinds come in any color—matching them to standard horizontal blinds on your other windows is a good idea—and can provide a chic, modern accent for any room. Vertical blinds also come in faux wood, which is a good match with wood or composite blinds. Another interesting option you might want to consider are ceiling mount verticals, which would eliminate a potentially annoying gap between the ceiling and the door frame.

There's also Levolor's exclusive BackStacker feature that keeps sometimes-unruly vertical vanes neatly and discretely stacked when open. Another consideration is insulation. Glass patio doors offer a lot of surface area for cold air to get in, and investing in either vertical cellular shades or heavy insulated curtains is an easy way to save on your heating bill.vertical blinds panel track blinds sliding window panels window treatments patio doors Patio Heaters Exterior Doors Interior Doors Custom Doors Aluminum Patio Furniture Storm Windows Security Door Window Treatments Screen Door Vinyl Siding Replacement Windows Sunrooms Vinyl Windows Door Door Opener Fireplace Doors Canopy Door Installation

Bathroom Window Treatments

These days, more and more attention is being paid to the previously humble bathroom. Luxurious bathrooms are a trend (and one that is probably here to stay)—incorporating spa-inspired amenities and luxurious materials in your bathroom is becoming de rigueur. Bathrooms are turning into the new refuge, and some busy professionals feel it's one of their only chances to get some alone time during the day. Built-in TV's and radios, saunas, coffee makers and Jacuzzis are all being incorporated into bathrooms. Your bathroom window treatments should complement the look of your bathroom decor while also meeting the unique conditions that need to be addressed in a private space.

Consider the environment; bathrooms are humid. Even if you want a bathroom window treatment fit for a queen and your heart is set on drapes or roman shades, explore synthetic options that won't mildew. Ditto for hardwoods that can warp—go faux wood, composites or vinyl and save a few dollars while you're at it (i.e. faux wood blinds, faux wood shutters). Ventilation is important in a bathroom, so make sure your window treatment doesn't interfere with the operation of the window.

Privacy, privacy, privacy. If your bathroom windows face the street or a nearby neighbor, consider light controlling blinds or shades (cloth, aluminum, vinyl, and natural wovens), operative shutters or lined panels. For windows on second or third floors, consider top down/bottom up upgrades that offer both natural light and privacy.interior-decorating bathroom window treatments faux wood blinds plantation shutters composite wood vinyl blinds Custom Window Treatments Shutters Blinds Window Blinds Blinds Shades Vertical Blinds Window Tint Hunter Douglas Window Treatments Wood Blinds Curtains Blinds Shutters Window Coverings Replacement Windows Window Lettering Cellular Shades

Benefits of Eco Friendly Furniture Style 2008

• Harmless to your health - Environmentally friendly home décor products and furniture are harmless to your health. After all health is wealth. You may choose a rather decorative piece of furniture for your home but if you come to know it was made from noxious materials and can be harmful to your kids and your health, would you still buy it? No way! Furniture made from toxic substances can affect the indoor air quality badly.

• Harmless manufacturing process - With eco friendly furniture you can be sure that its manufacturing process didn’t harm the environment in any way. Now consider wooden furniture. You might think that since it is made from wood, it has caused environmental damage since trees have been cut to acquire the wood.

But that’s not the case. Eco friendly wooden furniture (unlike regular wooden furniture) is made from wood which are taken from certified wood harvesting sites. On these sites trees are grown for harvesting purpose only and as soon as old trees are cut new trees are planted at the same time. At times, the furniture which looks wooden is not actually made of wood. It can be a product of bamboo which is a fast growing grass.

• Prevent deforestation - By purchasing environmentally friendly products, you prevent deforestation, logging and global warming to some extent in your own way. You do your part (every tiny bit is important because as they say “water drops make an ocean”) in reducing waste and saving the environment.
Tags: home-and-family, interior-decorating, eco friendly furniture, environmentally friendly products, outdoor modern furniture Garden Furniture House Furniture Wooden Furniture Bed Victorian Furniture Bedding Rugs Home Office Furniture Patio Furniture Contemporary Furniture

2008 Kitchen Cabinet Design and Decoration Style

2008 Kitchen Cabinet Design and Decoration Style
If you happen to catch a glimpse of the kitchens in the neighborhood, you'll find that one thing is common in almost all the kitchens. Well, it is none other than the kitchen cabinet. The cabinet occupies most of the space of
the kitchen, thus enabling you to make maximum usage of the available space. When cabinet is such an important piece of furniture in the kitchen, it becomes necessary to give due consideration to the kitchen cabinet design. Read on to know about a couple of kitchen cabinet design ideas.The design of kitchen cabinet plays a major role in the decoration of your kitchen. If you go about scouting the markets, you'll be astonished to see the amazing variety of styles and colors. The choices that the furniture shops offer these days will leave you pondering as to what kind of cabinet you should go in for. In terms of material, styling, color and frames, there are large number of options available to you. Here, your budget will be one of the main deciding factors in finalizing the cabinet design for kitchen.People, who do not wish to spend money on buying a new cabinet, can think of going in for a cabinet makeover. In other words, they can get their existing kitchen cabinet refaced. It is not only less expensive, but also a time saving option. You never know the final finish may come like a very pleasant surprise, which is even better than what you could have expected from a brand new cabinet. It also provides you with a scope to exhibit your talent and creativity.
tag:Cabinet, Closet Organizers, Cutting Boards, Garage Organizers, Hampers, Hardware Kitchen, kitchen, Kitchen Cabinet Organizers, Kitchen Island, Kitchen Organizers, Pot Racks

Stylish Bathroom Decorating trends and Ideas 2008

Stylish Bathroom Decorating trends and Ideas 2008
Bathrooms! the place to have some personal time alone, u definitely wouldn't want to keep it old!These are the rooms that get makeovers the most often as they are the rooms that get the most wear and tear. We are constantly steaming up the rooms, the paint peels, the bath overflows. Great time for a makeover! There are so many beautiful products you can use in a bathroom today that they are now a room that people show off in their home. They have moved away from being a functional room to a place of great design and decoration.

The main trend is still light and bright, lots of natural light (if possible), clear unadorned surfaces, simple sleek fittings and as water tight as possible, either with the use of ceramic tiles to the wall and floor or impervious vinyls to the floor and enamel paint finishes to the walls. White is still the most popular color for fixtures, WC's, basins, baths and showers. A lot of glass is now used, sometimes for the basin, often for shower doors, and mirrors are used in abundance to make the room look larger and also reflect as much light as possible in the space.
tag:Bath, Bathroom Accessories, Bathroom Furniture, Bathroom Shower, Bathroom Tile, Bathroom Vanity, Bedroom Furniture, Dining Room Furniture, furniture, Shower, Vanity Mirror

Flooring Decoration and Maintenance Tips 2008

Flooring Decoration and Maintenance Tips 2008
The floor is the foundation for any room scheme and has a profound effect on its atmosphere, as well as appearance. The floor is also the most used and abused surface in any house; battered by feet, scraped by furniture, and requiring regular vacuuming, brushing, mopping, or sweeping. When deciding what to do with floor, consider two issues: the floor itself and the carpeting or rug that covers it. Budget, the look, and how you plan to use the space will help you decide what to do.

Different parts of the house make different demands on their respective floor coverings. Some like halls, stairs corridors, and routes between well-used areas, require a floor that is particularly hard-wearing. Bathrooms, especially those with showers, work better if the flooring is waterproof. Kitchens work better if the flooring is stain-resistant. Bedrooms feel more comfortable if at least some of the floor is soft and warm to the touch of a bare foot.
tag:Bamboo Floor, Commercial Flooring, Concrete Flooring, Discount Hardwood Flooring, Laminate Floor, Laminate Flooring, Oak Flooring, Vinyl Flooring, Wide Plank Flooring

Colour Trends for 2008

Colour Trends for 2008
Tired of that peeling wallpaper or the faded paint on your walls? Looking for something new, trendy and elegant? Then consider choosing from the top color choices for 2008. The new themes include nature, Asian culture and a touch of classic Hollywood and range from the soft and subtle to the bright and bold.

Back to Nature: Green is the new "neutral." With all the focus around living an eco-friendly lifestyle, it's no surprise that both renovations and decor are embracing the "green" theme – bringing outdoors indoors. The new green choices are more botanical, drawing from sage, pine and moss. The browns are reminiscent of soil, sand and deep rich earth. Other neutral colours found in nature are being embraced as well, such as the beautiful hues found in stones, the beiges found in sand and wood, soft watery sky-blue tones and even the subtle hues found inside of shells. The golden, warm hues of sunrise are also in play. Paint colours include fern greens, warm, red infused browns, tan-tinted yellows, mushroom inspired colours, and gray or brown neutrals with hints of green, pink, yellow and red. These calming colours are great choices for bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms and more open-concept living spaces.
tag:advice, chips, coatings, color, coordinating, flat, floor, help, house paint, ici paints, inspirations, oil paint, palette, scheme, tips

Decor Trends for 2008

Decor Trends for 2008
Working hand in hand with the colour choices for 2008, decor trends are leaning towards a natural environment, cultural flare and sophisticated simplicity. So if you’re considering redecorating your home, get some inspiration from these themes!

Natural Environment: Living in an eco-conscious world, many decorators are leaning towards more "green-friendly" decor. With inspiration being drawn from nature's soft greens, earthy browns, sky blues, golden yellows and colour-tinged grays, many decorators are bringing outdoors indoors. Here are some other ways to create that “natural” environment:

Cultural Flare: Thanks to the Olympics in China in 2008, you can expect to see a lot of Asian influence in decor. Much of this is taken from China, India and some elements from Japan. You’ll find bright reds, magentas, purples, pumpkin oranges, peacock turquoise, jade greens and royal blues being used as both as main and accent colours. Here are some options to consider:
* Textured painting is leaning towards marbling or creating more natural appearing finishes.
* The notion of creating a feeling of “space” indoors is growing which means getting rid of unnecessary walls, creating balconies off of rooms, and adding large windows to bring in more natural light and open rooms up to the outside surroundings.
* Explore unique natural materials either as a furniture, flooring or as accents such as rustic wooden or leather furniture.
* Flooring options are expanding as well, with stone becoming a popular option in rooms other than the bathroom and kitchen. Granite, marble, slate all offer a range of colours and can create both modern and traditional looks, and a thick rug in the cooler months can help keep feet warm. Cork tiling is a popular, attractive and environmentally friendly option for kitchens as well. Hardwood floors are expanding into wider planks and hand-scraped versions give a weathered look.
tag:asian decor trends, bedroom, chic decor, color, colors, decor, decor trends, decorate, decorating trends, design, furnishings, furniture, home furnishings, kitchen, modern, room, scheme, studio, style