Home improvement or home renovation is the process of renovating or making additions to one’s home.Home improvements improve the quality of life.Home improvement doesn’t have to be major before it becomes worthwhile; smaller projects, like refitting the kitchen, bathroom or complete refurbishment can add significant value to your home. Home improvement is much easier when you are well-informed. Home improvement is the repairing, remodeling, refurbishment, converting, extending, modernizing or adding to residential property. Home Improvement is ‘best investment’ Despite the credit crunch and reports of falling property prices, homeowners still believe the best investment choice for 2008 is building, renovating or improving their own homes. Home improvement is making a comeback with the slowdown in the real estate market. There are three main approaches to managing a home improvement project: hiring a general contractor, directly hiring specialized contractors, or doing the work oneself. Many online companies and home improvement websites offer tips, guidelines and trends to give homeowners ideas for design and decoration. Whether it’s an extension, garage conversion or garden landscaping, larger improvements can dramatically improve both the quality of your home life and the value of your property. Before you start work on any kind of home improvement, it’s important to plan ahead in terms of the timescales, the costs and the contractors you’ll need. Home Improvement is the complete home improvement resource. Our collection of home improvement tips and articles includearticles on kitchens, bathrooms, living rooms, outdoors, decks and patios, and bedrooms. The list of home improvement articlesare set up to be easy to find and easy to read. If you plan a small scale renovation, then apply for an unsecured home improvement loan, since it doesn’t require any security. If you plan a big scale renovation, then you may apply for a secured home improvement loan by placing your home as collateral. There is no doubt that a well-maintained property will be worth more than a run-down one, but more serious home improvements like loft extensions and conservatories can add several thousand pounds to your home’s value. We’ll give you the ideas and information to make the best improvements to the interior and exterior of your home.Home improvement services include:Providing support, information and advice either at home or over the telephoneHelp assessing hazards
Home & Garden
26
Dec 10
Decorating with window scarves
Decorating with window scarves is an exciting and creative way to add interest to your interior dcor. Many windows are unsuitable for traditional drapes, and using voile or other thin fabric is a fabulous solution.
If you have small, awkwardly shaped or tinted widows, or if your windows are glazed with obscured glass, you might not want to use traditional drapes. Think instead about how you can dress up the window in an alternative way.
A window scarf is basically a length of sheer fabric that is draped around the window opening to add color and interest without necessarily screening the outside world.
- tiny windows might be too small for you to use traditional drapes on as they would be swamped
- if you have a beautiful arched window, you might not want to hide the shape with heavy fabric
- obscured or tinted glass, such as stained glass, might be too pretty to cover, and already offers privacy
You will need to buy a longer length of fabric than you might think, to allow for wrapping and draping. Sew a small hem around each edge. If you are using the whole width of a fabric, like muslin, you will find that the outer edges are already selvedges and don’t need hemming.
Muslins, voiles, and silks are all suitable. Choose a fabric that is very light, and has a good drape to it. If you can find sari fabric, that is a wonderful choice for an opulent living room or bedroom.
Choose a color for your window scarf as you would for any other fabric in the room. It should match the rest of the dcor, or compliment it, but not overpower it remember that drapes provide a significant block of color in the room.
As the fabric will be sheer, you can choose a light texture to it as well. I would recommend a plain or lightly patterned fabric. You could match the pattern to your room by customizing the fabric with fabric paint. Use a small rubber stamp, and stamp tiny leaves or dragonflies all over. Perhaps shells would be nice for a bathroom, or fleur-de-lis shapes for a living room.
You will have to play about with the fabric to find the best draping solution for the space you are covering. Attach a simple curtain pole above the window to hang your fabric from, and find a secure ladder to use. You’ll be up and down the ladder quite a lot while you get your folds right, and stepping up and down onto a chair is not only dangerous, but uncomfortable too!
You can wrap the fabric around the pole and have it draping down one side, or both sides. See the different effects of wrapping the fabric tightly and loosely around the pole, letting the loops hang down into the window space.
You can buy curtain clips that are suitable for use with a very light fabric. You could have your window scarf all the way across the window, to screen out extra light, similar to the English net curtains. This would be useful in garden rooms and conservatories, when the light can get too intense at certain times of the day.
Experiment with using two colors of fabric at once. Choose tones of all one color, such as creams and beiges, or try a bright splash of rainbow colors.
Window scarves seem like a more difficult choice than traditional drapes at first, but don’t be scared to try them! they are actually very easy to hand, and look wonderful.
21
Dec 10
Fiberglass roofing: Keep the rain off with a fiberglass roof
Fiberglass roofing: Keep the rain off with a fiberglass roof
Fiberglass has been around in its present form since the 1930′s. A polymer made of tightly woven strands of molten glass fibers; fiberglass can be made to form everything from a corrugated fiberglass roof to fiberglass shingles.
Where is fiberglass roofing appropriate?
The flexibility of a fiberglass roof can be adapted to fit a myriad of varying uses such as:
Carports, which are a cheap alternative to building a garage if you don’t already have one and don’t really need one. A corrugated fiberglass roof fitted to a simple scaffold construction can be an unobtrusive, economical and effective solution to shielding your vehicle from the elements.
Most older conservatories and sunrooms used to come with glass roof panels, but why not finish off that luxury addition to your home with an environmentally safe fiberglass roof? Modern fiberglass roof panels come with an added anti Ultraviolet coating, making them perfect for protecting your children from the suns harmful rays as they play.
Whether you live in the icy wilds of Alaska or the sun-drenched streets of Miami, a fiberglass roof will cope equally well in both cold and hot conditions. The composition of fiberglass roof panels means they will not bend and bow in hot weather, or crack in the cold. This makes fiberglass roofing ideal for school playrooms or annexes for elderly relatives.
If you live in an area with heavy rainfall, the bill for damp damage to your walls can be an inconvenient and reoccurring expense. By fitting a corrugated fiberglass roof to your home or garage, you can divert much of that water away, preventing water from penetrating your home.
A fiberglass roof is very adaptable then, but what are the other advantages compared to other types of roofing?
First and foremost fiberglass roofing is cheaper per square footage than slate, wood and most other materials.
A modern fiberglass roof comes with a lifetime guarantee meaning no more costly refurbishment every ten years as with felt roof panels.
A fiberglass roof is relatively easy to install, as the pliable edges of fiberglass roof panels bend easily to fit frames and can be cut precisely and easily, as oppose to glass panels.
The anti-algae feature of a modern fiberglass roof reduces the need for time-consuming maintenance. All that is required to preserve your fiberglass roof is to wash it down with soap and water occasionally.
The
31
Jul 10
Landscaping on a budget
Garden Landscaping is one of the most ecstatic sights to view, quite spectacular and amazing too. The budget however differs and the amount of acres needed also counts.
For a home with about an acre, having a glass conservatory n the garden area would make it a stupendous ideal. Then, have a paved open way, ‘hallway’ style’ down from the entrance of the conservatory. Then, have either a variety of Hyacinths to make the sides colorful while making sure that the rest of the garden has fresh green grasses that are well taken care of.
Hyacinth comes in variety such as Blue Jacket, Pink Pearl, Purple Voice, Sky Jacket.
[For more of the flowers and varieties, go to www.spaldingbulb.co.uk]
You could have Tulips Ancilla that open to reveal pure white with a red and yellow centre, although the flowers close up when the temperature falls. I quite like the Tulips ‘Apricot Beauty’.
You could have this flowers in designer pots on both sides of the pavement, or just plant them in the soil although you would have to spend your time learning and understanding these variety of plants to know how they are fairing. Plants tend to have variety of behavioral patterns so that an advice from here or there can only be taken if it works for yours as well.
Also at the back garden, you could have something to keep you allured and having something fruity that is your favourite would very much keep the attraction hot and going. If you like ‘Elstar’ and ‘Golden Delicious’ apples, you can have a ‘Dual Apple’ and then you can pick two kinds of apples from the same tree!
Or you could grow Strawberries known as ‘Senga Sengana’ although harvest time is around June to September. Doing things that will keep your home beautiful is vital as it also preserves the interest in budget, loan or mortgage schemes that you might have taken. Beautifying your home makes any debt worthy to keep paying for.
The front of a home with an acre or two does not have to be left out because the ‘Evergreen Privet’ hedge will make the front a sight seeing episode. The hedge needs care and cutting and leveling to keep it wonderfully green and exciting.
For homes with large acres such as the Royal Neverland Ranch with 2700 acres or more land, building lots of glass conservatories as homes would be spectacular, with normal roads, trees planted here and there. Glass conservatory homes with double garages and plenty of spacious bedrooms would demand a very good back garden. Such back gardens should
9
Jul 10
How modern architecture differs from classical architecture
The Palazzo dei Conservatori in Rome, Italy, circa 1536 was the first use of Michelangelo Buonarrati’s grand order, which consists of two-story tall pilasters and a ground floor loggia. In 1947, Le Corbusier designed Unit d’Habitation in Marseille, France, which was fully realized in 1957, featuring 12 stories and 337 apartments constructed almost entirely of rough-cast concrete. These two very different architectural monuments represent the diversity in design architectural history incorporates.
Background knowledge of these buildings and architectural history tells us that they were constructed and idealized using some opposing philosophies. The idea and use of ornamentation and symbolism incorporated into Michelangelo’s design was aesthetically unique in and of it’s time, with the use of small Ionic windows and a classical clock tower. On the other hand, Corbusier’s design was spirited toward functionality and practicality, as demonstrated by the title, literally meaning “Housing Unit”. These two buildings could be seen to some as champions of their appropriate architectural styles.
So can one style be better or worse than another? Well, considering the first architect, Vitruvius, claimed that architecture should satisfy Commodity, Firmness, and Delight, the answer is yes because those are opinioned values. The functional awareness of one design might appeal to you, and the grand ornamentation of another. A hospital would be designed to best suite its purpose of circulating people and products while a museum would be designed to inspire thought and learning. The buildings previously mentioned each attempt to address its purpose best in real form, which leads to inherent differences, most notably in presentation.
Michelangelo’s Palazzo dei Conservatori sits atop Capitoline Hill, the smallest and most famous of the Seven Hills of Rome. It was built for Roman civic governmental use, which delegates the form and placement of interfacing buildings throughout the plaza. Upon first arrival to the building, you are greeted with a large, equestrian style bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius. Behind the statue is an outdoor foyer, prominent of Renaissance architecture, with stairs leading to the front entrance on the second story of three. The two story Corinthian pilasters stretching from the second to third stories are purely aesthetic, separate from this buildings function. They tie the buildings form together in an emotional and spiritual way, the way columns
6
Jun 10
How bad feng shui in the bedroom can affect your love life
Have you noticed your relationship is lacking passion lately? Does curling up with a good book seem more desirable than spending time communicating with your other half?
Is your love life lacking in desirable encounters?
Have you looked at the feng shui of your bedroom? This may be the cause of some issues that keep arising between you and your partner. Or the reason you are not attracting men or the right type of man in your life.
Here are some feng shui tips to improve all aspects of your love life and relationships.
CLEAR YOUR CLUTTER
*Clean your bedroom from top to bottom. Dust behind and under furniture. Look for cobwebs in your ceiling. Clean any mirrors or glass surfaces in your room. Clutter and general dirt may be ‘muddying’ your relationships so make sure you keep your bedroom clean.
*Clean out all old clothing in your wardrobe and drawers. Don’t hang onto anything that may have sentimental value as you will be hanging onto the past.
*Ensure there is nothing under your bed. Move your bed out and vacuum dust they may have settled under your bed.
BED PLACEMENT FOR RELATIONSHIPS
*Make sure your bed is not facing so that your toes point towards the door of the room.
*Try and place your bed in such a way that the head of your bed sits against a solid wall.
*Try and align your bed so that your head points in the direction of North, aligned with the earths natural magnetic energy.
*Make sure you are not lying underneath a beam. The beam may be dividing your bed, therefore dividing your relationship.
*If you have an en-suite attached to your bedroom as most master bedrooms do in modern home design, ensure the door is closed at all times.
ROMANCE AND RELATIONSHIP ENHANCEMENTS
*Place items in your bedroom in pairs to represent the unity of two people. Figurines are something great to add here. Usual feng shui enhancements suggestions are two flying ducks placed on the wall. Or you may like to add a statue of a couple embracing.
*Next to each side of the bed, make sure the cabinets are of the same size and the lighting used is of the same wattage. Placing either one as unbalanced will give the other partner an upper hand or more authority in the relationship.
*Use clean pastel colored bed linen on the bed. Make sure there are always two pillows on each side for balance.
*Use either real or artificial flowers, preferably red roses in a vase in your bedroom. Make sure your flowers have fresh
25
May 10
Tips to help you sell your home
Home owners who want to sell their homes do that because they need money. They want to sell at the highest amount possible, shortest time possible and with the lowest amount spent on sales. The following are tips to help you sell your home:
(1) Give your home a face lift.
To add value to your home, it is better you lift up the fabrics of your home by painting. Painting adds a lot of value to your home by showing them as new. The weathered walls can be covered up by paint. You can also design the elevation of the house with bright colours which make them attractive. Painting an old timber will cover the wear and tear and show them as new. The culverts and fence should be looked into. Do renovation and make sure that the roof is leak-proof.
(2) Re-model.
You can remodel your home by engaging in projects that will add values but which you may not admire. If what locals in your area want in a home is big kitchen but you have big store in your house because that is your preference, it will be better you call in contractors to re-work the big store and add space to the kitchen. You can also enlarge the sitting area by breaking walls and relocating them outward. If you prefer more rooms to bigger rooms, you can remodel this back into two spacious rooms instaed of three small rooms.
(3) Change Kitchen cabinets.
You may need to change kitchen cabinets by calling fitters. The value of the house after fitting the kitchen will be higher than the cost of the project. You may also change your cookers and refridgerators.
(4) Re-tile the bathroom.
The bathrooms tiles may be old,worn-out and need replacement. Re-tiling the bathrooms will make them look new and the home attractive. Make sure the plumbing work, the lights and other gadgets are working.
(5) Position of gutter.
The position of the gutter in your house may need to be changed. Based on people’s information, you may need to chnage the location of the gutter which is near your entrance to the side or the back of the home.
(6) Add Garden.
Gardens beautify homes. You may need to plant flowers to beuatify your home. If you have a garden already, you may need to make up the garden. Cut the grasses and weed the gardens.
(7) Change the doors and window.
The doors especially the entrance doors and the windows should be attractive. You can decide to spent a little money by providing conservatories if it will add to the value of your home.
(8) Rug the home.
You may need to rug the floor and add the cost to the
