Bathroom Remodeling Tips
Posted on April 8, 2008 - Filed Under Home Based Business, Home Improvement | Leave a Comment
Over the years, I’ve remodeled dozens of bathrooms. And the more I remodel, the more I see some important guidelines repeated over and over: the general rules for keeping costs down and getting the most bang for your buck. Now if money is no object, simply hire the best bathroom designer you can find and write them a blank check. For the rest of us, I offer the following tips.
Whenever possible, leave fixtures in their existing locations. Moving the plumbing lines for a bathtub, shower, toilet or sink can be expensive and messy. A better solution is to upgrade these fixtures for a new look or a new feature.
Home Decorating - Red, Red, Red, Part 1
Posted on April 4, 2008 - Filed Under Home Improvement | Leave a Comment
As a rich basis for a wall color or an invigorating accent, red adds life and vivacity to a room. Though bold, it’s a warm and welcoming color, companionable at close quarters with a wide variety of shades.
Impressive and regal, bold and brave, red is the color of kings, but also of rebels; a color of formal tradition, but also the flag of change and renewal. Being the color of fire, red has instant warmth and draws the eye irresistibly. As a color to live with, you may love it or hate it, but few people will be indifferent to it. Used in quantity it makes a bold, confident statement but it takes courage to use it this way. As a partner to other colors, red makes a lively contrast, bringing a fizz and resonance to quieter combinations - and you can add it in splashes as an accent to give a spark of welcome.
Decorating Tips For Island Kitchens - Part 2
Posted on April 4, 2008 - Filed Under Home Improvement | Leave a Comment
Using the Island
A simple island can provide valuable extra working space, or you can opt for something more elaborate fitted with a sink or a cooktop. The top of the island can be made from laminate, solid granite, artificial stone, solid wood, or tiles. If you plan to use the surface for food preparation, choose real or artificial stone with a solid wood butcher block inset. It’s easy to damage a laminate top by forgetting to use a chopping board and although tiles are attractive they can be impractical as a work surface. Using real or artificial stone is sensible if you want to include a cooktop. Where electricity is being run to an island, it’s a good idea to make the most of it by installing a couple of outlets, either mounted in the top or on the side, so that you can use small appliances. Top-mounted sockets must be protected from spills and liquid by a flap cover.
Home Remodeling: Working With Pros
Posted on March 26, 2008 - Filed Under Home Based Business, Home Improvement | Leave a Comment
Hire a professional designer or decorator for a remodeling project? Too expensive.
That’s what many homeowners assume, but this option can actually help your budget. That’s because a knowledgeable pro can makes suggestions that will save money in the short run and headaches in the long run.
Pro designers and decorators have access to materials and products that are available “to the trade only” – not to the public. So, they can obtain goods that you’re not likely to see in your neighbor’s house. And in working with these goods, professionals gain experience with style, color and pattern that can help avoid an unfortunate selection.
Choosing The Right Sofa When Decorating Your Home
Posted on March 6, 2008 - Filed Under Home Improvement | Leave a Comment
Buying a sofa, couch, or furniture suite is a major investment, so take more than just looks into account. Give size, comfort, construction, and the type of covering careful consideration, too.
The discomfort of sitting on a worn or badly made sofa or armchair is all too familiar. A sofa with broken springs or seat cushions that have so little padding you feel as if you are sitting directly on the base is uncomfortable and, if you sit in it for any length of time, can lead to troublesome aches and pains.