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TAPS:

There are four main finishes for taps and showers:

Chrome, the hardest wearing finish, usually last over 20 years.

Antique Gold, used more on traditional style suites, is generally a soft finish which will last approximately 3 years with day to day use but in a rarely used second bathroom could last as long as 10 years.

Nickel (either brushed or polished) is the softest finish and would normally be for decorative house bathrooms that are rarely used.

Powder coated, not as common in taps but still used on showers, is where the product is coated with a layer of coloured plastic.
There are many types of tap configuration for baths, basins and bidets. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages. This next section outlines the different types of tap arrangements that are generally available.

Bath Taps:

There are several types of tap arrangement you can put on a bath. They are as follows: A pair of taps, a bath filler deck mounted, a bath filler pillar mounted, a three-hole bath filler,
a deck mounted bath shower mixer, a pillar mounted bath shower mixer, a four-hole bath shower mixer, a five-hole bath shower mixer, wall mounted filler and an overflow filler.

Pair of bath taps:

The most common form of taps for baths, one tap for hot water and one for cold. The cold tap is normally on the right and the hot on the left.

Bath filler deck mounted and bath filler pillar mounted.

This type of tap has the hot and cold-water taps combined onto one mixer block.

The deck-mounted type is normally contemporary in style whereas the pillar-mounted type (this is where the mixer is held above the bath rim on two pillars) is normally traditional in style.
The advantage of a mixer over a pair of taps is the ability to mix the water to the desired temperature whilst the bath is filling.

Three hole bath filler:

This is where the spout is separate to the bath tap valves. In this case you have a hot and cold valve and the spout is mounted either in the centre between the two valves or mounted in the corner.

Bath shower mixers:

This is the same as the bath fillers but has a shower hose and handset attached. These types of taps are not designed to be used as showers for standing under and washing your whole body.
The reason for this is that there is the real risk that is another person in the house switches on a tap or a washing machine kicks in then the temperature on the shower will change radically.
These types of showers are designed for washing hair or rinsing the bath.

Four and five-hole bath shower mixers:

These are the same as the three hole mixers but the four-hole mixers have a handset that sits on the bath with the hose under the bath rim. The shower is switched on by means of a diverter button mounted on the bath spout.
The five hole mixer works in the same way but has a separate diverter mounted on the bath, not on the bath spout.

Wall mounted filler:

More popular on the continent, this is where the mixer is mounted on the wall above the bath and not on the bath rim.

Overflow bath filler:

This is similar to the three-hole bath filler but whereas the three hole has a spout the overflow filler has the hot and cold valves on the rim of the bath and the filler is the overflow fitting which also doubles up as the pop up waste.

Basin Taps:

As with baths there are several types of tap arrangement that can be fitted to a basin. These are a pair of taps, a mono-bloc mixer and a three tap-hole mixer.

A pair of taps:

This is where you have a separate hot and cold tap on the basin with the cold tap usually on the right and the hot on the left. This is the most common configuration for taps on a basin.
This type of basin normally has a plug and chain waste.

Basin mono-bloc mixer:

This is where the hot and cold taps are mounted on a single tap bloc in the centre of the basin. This type of tap normally has a pop-up waste supplied as part of the tap.

Three tap-hole mixer:

As with the bath arrangement you have a spout in the middle and a separate hot and cold valve on either side. This type of arrangement has a pop up waste.
On a three tap-hole basin you can also fit a pair of basin taps and in the central hole fit a chain stay basin waste - this is where the plug chain is attached to a disc which fits over the middle hole.

SHOWERS:

There are several types of showers available in the UK and the type you choose has a lot to do with the type of hot water and cold water supply that the client has in their house. So I will first tackle the types of domestic water systems most commonly available.

Gravity Feed, Vented, or Low Pressure systems

This type of water system usually has a direct mains water cold feed. The hot water is provided by means of a hot water cylinder (copper) sited in an airing cupboard and a cold water cistern (tank) sited either above the cylinder or in the loft. To use a mixer shower with this type of system the cold water tank needs to be sited at least three feet (0.1 bar) above the shower head/handset. That is unless you use a pump, in which case you need the tank to be one foot (0.03bar) above the shower head/handset.

Combi-boiler, Multi-point systems

This type of water system has a mains feed cold water supply. The hot water is provided by an instantaneous gas boiler. The boiler either does both the hot water and central heating ( combi-boiler), or it does just the hot water only (multi-point). With this type of system the cold water is supplied at full mains pressure seventy five feet (2.5bar approximately) whilst the hot water is governed down by the boiler to a minimum of forty five feet (1.5bar approximately). With this type of system you cannot use a pump to power the shower as this would contravene the water by-laws. However as the hot and cold water is supplied under pressure you have a power shower anyway.

Pressurised water system, unvented

This type of water system has a mains cold water supply. The hot water supply is from a hot water cylinder which is supplied by full mains pressure of 175 feet (2.5bar approximately). As with the combi-boiler system you cannot use pump but you do not need to as the mains water pressure makes this a power shower.

SHOWER DOORS (Cubicles, enclosures and surrounds):

Shower doors and enclosures come in a variety of shapes and sizes. As with pottery the cost and quality of the units depend on the materials used in the construction and the design. Normally the thicker the glass the more expensive the shower cubicle.

Less expensive enclosures generally use glass in the thickness range of 3mm to 5mm. This thickness of glass will always have a metal framework surrounding it to support the weight of the glass. The mid to upper market enclosures have glass in the thickness range of 6mm to 8mm.
This type of cubicle generally has very little framework surrounding it or even none at all. The build quality of ancillary parts such as hinges and seals is also important, as these are the parts that wear the fastest with day to day use and will result in leaks.

With sliding doors the rollers for the doors should be of ball bearing types. The reason for this is that with a ball bearing roller there is little or no wear on the wheels. This means that with constant use they do not become elliptical and the glide of the door is always smooth.
The thickness of the frame and the wall profiles is also a contributing factor to the price. As a rule the thicker the frame and the profiles the more the cost. The profiles are the U-shaped channels that attach the cubicle to the wall.

Types of shower door:

There are seven main types of shower door: Pivot, Hinged, Saloon, Bi-fold, In-fold, Double slider and Triple slider.

The Pivot and Hinged doors:

These work in the same way, in that they open outwards as a single piece of glass. With the pivot door the hinges are at the top and bottom of the door.
The advantage of this is that it makes the door well balanced and put very little strain on the framework. The hinged door has the hinges on the side of the door.
This does mean however that when the door is open, the opening on the hinged door is wider than that of the pivot door. These types of door tend to be less expensive than any other due to the simple design.
There can be a difficulty with the water running off the door onto the floor when the door is opened after a shower.

The Saloon door:

This is less common and has two hinged doors which join in the middle. They tend to open inwards but are not as a rule very popular.

Bi-fold and In-fold doors:

These two doors both open inwards and so overcome the difficulty of water getting onto the floor by dripping water off the door. The bi-fold door is hinged in the centre and as the name suggests folds exactly in the middle.
The in-fold door swings in as a single door by means of a canter lever arrangement at the top and bottom of the door. You should be aware that if a person faints or collapses in this type of cubicle it is not possible to open the door.

Double and Triple sliding doors:

These doors work in the same way in that the doors slide on rollers back and forth to open or close. The difference between the two is the number of doors used to gain access. The double sliding door has less framework and as such has a more minimalist appearance, whereas the triple sliding door creates a wider opening when the doors are pulled back.

Shower shapes:

There are a myriad number or shower door shapes. The most common are the square, rectangle, pentangle (penta- or five-sided) and the quadrant (quad of quarter round). The most common type of shower tray size is 760mm x 760mm. This is not the smallest square tray size but is the smallest that is still usable by most people to shower.
You are able to obtain square trays of both 700mm x 700mm and 600mm x 600mm. The 600mm tray size is normally used on caravans and boats. The best square tray size if it can be fitted is the 900mm x 900mm.
Rectangular shower trays come in a variety of sizes from 700mm x 800mm to 1700mm x750mm. The most common size is 1200mm x 760mm, whereas the optimum size is 1200mm x 900mm. Tray sizes larger than this normally incorporate the ability to dry oneself in the cubicle.
A pentangle cubicle is the same as a square one but has the comer cut off. This results in the saving of floor space in the bathroom ensuite. A quadrant cubicle has a rounded front edge designed to save space as with the pentangle.

SHOWER TRAYS:

There are four main types of material used to make shower trays. These are steel, acrylic, stone resin and acrylic capped resin.

Shower shapes:

Steel is less common in domestic use and is generally used in commercial applications such as retirement homes and hotels

Acrylic trays used to be very common but received a bad reputation due to the poor build quality of trays in the past. The use of poor frameworks and minimal reinforcement meant that the trays moved when in use and often leaked. Modern acrylic trays are generally built to a very high standard and are fully reinforced. All acrylic trays are on adjustable legs and so are ideal in applications where a solid floor such a concrete is on site. The result of this higher built quality is that acrylic trays are not an inexpensive option.

Stone resin trays are by far the most common trays available. The low cost of producing the moulds for the trays makes then the most versatile in size. They are available in both legged and un-legged format (the most common being without legs). The two most common problems with resin trays relate to the quality of installation. The first is that if the un-legged tray is not bedded in properly it can cause the base of the tray to crack when in use. The second is that the colour of the tray is applied as a thin spray finish. The result of this is that if you scratch the tray when installing it, it is extremely difficult to repair.

Acrylic capped resin trays are becoming more popular. They combine the rigidity of the stone resin tray, but have the added advantage of being capped in acrylic. This produces a surface which is more resistant to impact and can be polished if scratched. They are however more costly to produce and as such are not available in the same number of sizes as the stone resin.

SHOWER TYPES:

There are four main types of shower, electric, manual mixer, thermostatic mixer and pumped which can be either thermostatic or manual.

Electric:

This type of shower has a small kettle type chamber within it through which the cold water passes and is heated electrically. The amount of water that can be heated is limited to approximately one and a half gallons a minute, although the spray is forced out of the head at approximately 1.5 bar (45 feet head).

In order to achieve an all over spray from the shower handset the holes in the end of the handset are drilled quite small. The result of this is that the droplets of water spray produced are small and do not hold the temperature. This means that whilst the water temperature on your head is hot by the time the water runs to your knees it has gone cold. One other difficulty with the small hole size is that the handsets are prone to scale build up in hard water areas which results in the spray pattern diminishing.

In order to maximize the amount of water produced modern electric showers use on average 8.5KW to 9KW of power. This makes them three times more costly to use than the electric immersion heater in the cylinder. My own opinion is that they are best used in applications where there is no stored hot water or where a combi-boiler is used for the first shower mixer and the client needs a second shower in the house. Most electric showers are manual mixers and have a tendency to vary the water temperature when other appliances such as taps and toilets are used.

Manual Mixers:

A manual mixer uses the hot and cold water supply to achieve a shower. This is done by blending the amount of hot and cold by means of a lever valve, which either uses an internal ceramic mixer cartridge or uses two separate controls to achieve the desired temperature by turning simultaneously. This simple mechanism makes the manual valve very cost effective. However this type of mixer is prone to wild variations in temperature when other appliances such as taps, washing machines, dish washers and toilets are used. Not a type of mixer to be recommended for families with small children or older people.

Thermostatic Mixers:

A thermostatic mixer works in a similar way to the manual mixer but has an extra device fitted inside the valve casing which regulates the water temperature to within plus or minus one degree centigrade. The result of this is that if another appliance is turned on the thermostat automatically adjusts the flow of water to maintain the desired temperature. If it is unable to maintain that temperature then it will temporarily turn the shower off until it is safe to allow it to function.
This type of mixer is ideal for families with small children and older people.

Pumped Showers:

This is where an electric pump is fitted to the shower to increase the water pressure. This type of system can only be fitted to a gravity feed hot water system. There are two types of pumps generally used:

1. Inlet Pump (Twin Impellor)

This type of pump is by far the most common is fitted to the hot and cold water supplies before they go through the shower valve. Relatively inexpensive to purchase they provide pressure to the shower of up to 3bar (100ft head) at a flow rate of up to 3 gallons a minute. The most popular pressure is 1.5bar (45 foot head).

2. Outlet Pump (Single Impellor)

This type of pump is fitted after the valve and pumps the mixed hot and cold water. The advantage of this is that it can safely deliver a higher flow rate and higher pressure. The reason for this is that when you pump water into the valve at pressure it can create an imbalance of pressures at the valve. This is due to the fact that the valve requires more hot water than cold to achieve the correct temperature. The Outlet pump pulls the water through the valve and sets up no such imbalance.

TYPES OF MIXER VALVES:

There are three main types of mixer valve:
1. Fully exposed, where both the body of the valve and the hot and cold water pipes to it are on the surface and on full view.

2. Semi-recessed, where the body of the valve is on the surface and exposed and the pipe work is hidden in the wall.

3. Fully Recessed, where both the main body of the valve and the pipe work are concealed in the wall.

TYPES OF SHOWER HEADS:

There are three types of shower head:

1. Fixed head, where the shower head is fixed on the wall above head height by means of a shower arm. This type of head cannot normally be moved lower, but may be fitted with a ball swivel that allows you to turn it to the left or right.

2. Handset, normally supplied with a shower rail (sliding rail) which allows you to adjust the height of the shower rose and remove it if necessary to wash a child or wall.

3. Body-jet, normally fitted with the fixed head type of shower these are jets mounted on the wall below head height. They are ideal for people who do not wish to wash there hair or face.

SHOWER SPRAYS:

There are three main types of shower spray:

1. Standard spray common to all types of shower the water is supplied via series of small holes distributed evenly across the shower head.

2. Pulse spray (massage spray) this can only be used on showers which have power as the water pressure is used to spin a disc located within the shower head to pulse the water spray and so produce a massage action. The greater the pressure the stronger the massage.

3. Champagne spray (aerated) can only be used on power showers with a minimum of 1.5bar (45 feet head). The water pressure is used to produce air bubbles in the water and so produce a soft foamy spray. This spray pattern is ideal for children as it introduces them to power showers in a way that is fun. Also ideal for ladies as the foam prevents the water from splashing up into the face and also expresses more water into wet hair for the removal of shampoo.

Written by Neal Baker on behalf of http://www.bathroomsensuite.com and
http://www.bathroom-furnitureuk.co.uk,
online retailers of bathroom furniture, bathroom suites and bathroom accessories in the UK.

[tags]bathrooms,power showers,pumps,enclosurers,trays,thermostatic,mixer valves,shower head[/tags]

With today’s kitchen faucets there are countless options. At one time the lowly kitchen faucet was just a way to get water into the sink. But today there are a large number of styles available to the consumer that are based on functionality, color and material from brass, to stainless steel.

But when considering a type of faucet you also need to consider if it is easy to get parts or to repair and replace parts. Warranties on kitchen faucets vary. The best ones offer lifetime protection against leaks and drips, insuring that your faucet will provide years of trouble-free service.

Most kitchen faucet models will fit all kitchen sinks, however there are some exceptions. So it is a good idea to check sizes first. For instance, you will want to verify if the spout length is not too long to prevent the spout from hitting inside the sink basin. Some people choose goose-neck faucets because they provide a high sink clearance for filling pots.

The most popular brands of kitchen faucets are Delta, Moen, and Kohler.

There are basically two groups of kitchen faucets. They are wall mounted or sink mounted. While wall mounted kitchen faucets were common, today most kitchen faucets are mounted into the top of sinks.

The best way to choose a kitchen faucet is by the quality of the product and its practicality and durability, as well as how if fits into the new d

Back again with more great home improvement tips. Ways to improve the usability and appearance of your home, as well as the market value of your real estate property.

In part one of Home Improvement Tips to Increase the Market Value of your Home we discussed kitchen remodeling ideas, various aspects of bathroom remodeling, and the ins and outs of wall paneling. We also hit upon other types of remodeling that increase the market value of a home, including the use of water features and tiled floor.

In part 2 we will discuss creative ways to increase storage space in various areas of the house, wallpapering techniques to help insure success, and handy tips that make home improvement projects proceed a little easier.

Creative Ways to Increase Storage

Whether you lack storage area in your kitchen, bedroom, or entry way there are creative ways to increase storage space quickly, easily, and affordably.

Halls for instance, although often overlooked, usually have long walls with ample space for storage. A single open shelf installed a foot or so from the ceiling will not impede movement even in narrow halls. It provides storage space for items such as umbrellas, hats, scarves, gloves, and folded sweaters and outer jackets.

Wide halls are perfect for floor to ceiling shelves. Be sure and leave at least 36-inches of floor space for traffic flow.

Hide-Away Storage

Recycle old dresser drawers to make under-the-bed storage bins in a bedroom that lacks adequate storage space. Fasten small casters to the bottom of the drawers so they slide easily in and out from under the bed. These quick and easy storage bins are perfect for seasonal clothing, extra linens and blankets.

Increase Kitchen Shelf Space

A slide-in shelf made of

At will you can finish bedroom walls with wood, cloth, veneer sheet or cork. Natural materials are distinguished by the characteristic structure and color, they do not have cheerless monotony and always look warm and lively, which is especially topical for creating comfort in the bedroom.
Partially the image of the bedroom is defined by color that dominates in its setting.

Blue or dark blue plunge you into the thoughts of coolness and sky space. Green tones are associated with spring, freshness, they favor relaxation, but their emotional restraint requires active support from warm colors. Beautiful combinations are made as a result of combining pale shades with rich, saturated color and light.

Yellow gamma is like sun rays, it warms and animates the room, but it is recommended that vast yellow surfaces are freshened with fragments of other saturated colors.

It is better to soften orange by combining it with cool key of gray-blue or one can experiment with its pale shades. Red is considered “to cheer up”, but it is difficult to wake up in such a bedroom. It is better to use red colors as a light accent.

Violet is deep and expressive, especially in combination with mild yellow or green background.

Ascetic black-and-white gamma is actively used in popular minimalist stylizations. But the best decision for bedroom is thought to be shades of white that remind of baked milk or soft gray that approaches the color of flax linen.

Effective are combinations of light and dark, weak and saturated colors.

Textile plays the dominant role in the decorative finishing of the bedroom, even more so because cloth decorations are can be easily replaced at will. The chief textile topic of the bedroom is connected with finishing of the window and the bed.

The surface of walls and floor in this case serves as background: monotonous walls harmonize with variegated cloths with saturated colors; patterned wallpapers or a gay carpet, conversely, match one-color textile. However, interesting can be also the decision, when textile and walls are covered with one pattern. Upon basically finishing the bedroom, one can proceed to curtains.

Usually they are made from soft, well-draped clothes. The ideal variant is curtains of medium thickness that disperse intense daylight and soften light contrasts. If the window is on the sunny side, it is better to complement light curtains with thick ones, small screen rollers or Venetian blinds. The shape and pattern of the curtains can change the proportions of the window and influence the geometry of the room.

A small embrasure in the spacious wall can be visually increased by means of covering the whole window wall with curtains.

You should avoid using cloth with big pattern in a small bedroom with a great window opening, as this will even more diminish the room.
While choosing cloth for curtains, you should also consider a bedspread and bed-clothes.

The easiest thing is to make bed-spread from the same cloth, as the curtains, and bed-clothes - by one or two tones lighter. A more original decision is a complex combination of cloths with different patterns and various textures, which reflect light in a different way.

Bed-clothes can be combined in the following way: a one-color sheet that matches the general coloring of the bedroom plus multicolored pillow-cases and blanket cover.
Have you decided on the planning, style, materials, color and textile?
The next stage is choosing the lighting.

It is better to avoid direct, open, collimated light in the bedroom, because it creates deep shadows. Disperse light can be achieved with the help of lamp-shades, plafonds from suffused glass or mosaics - it is the so-called general, orientating light. And finally, it is impossible to imagine a bedroom without accent lighting: table, wall and floor night-lamps, built-in or hung up in the head bed lamps. They calm down and tune in for sleep.

These are some brief pieces of advice in design of “intimate space” of your house. Of course, advice is not a dogma, but it should be taken into the account, when you get to bedroom in your fantasies about repair-work.

© Copyright 2006-2007 www.builderstown.co.uk

Arthur Prudent is a developer of www.builderstown.co.uk , web site offering all aspects of builders services. Find Home Improvement articles at “Useful Tips”
An ideal bedroom.

[tags]decorations, painting, bedroom walls, linen[/tags]

For many of us who live a hectic fast paced lifestyle, coming home to a soothing and relaxing bedroom retreat is a luxury that we can only dream of. These tips will help you create a calming zen bedroom design that will look like you hired a pro.

If you want a relaxing environment, then neutral colors and rich textures are the key. Pick sage green, or tan as a base and go with that. If you like grays you can even use a palette of gray, although this color can be kind of cold. Pick a color that you can use on both the walls and floors as it is desirable to make them the same color. Take your cue from nature and use colors that you might find in a soothing setting outdoors.

You’ll want to accent the room with plants, soothing waterfall bowls and candles to complete the look and feel. Perhaps a meditation mat in front of a candle fireplace?

Choose plain furniture for your Zen bedroom - if your current furniture is old and distracting and you don’t want to buy new, paint it a neutral color that goes with your color scheme. Think about adding some Japanese paper panels in front of any pieces that detract. If your old furniture just won’t suit the room but you are on a limited budget, shop around at your local consignment store for pieces that match. You may have to go every day but sooner or later that perfect set is bound to show up!

You want your Zen bedroom design to have a monochromatic look with different shades of the same color, but you an add some punch with a complimentary accent color which you can spread around in pillows, wall art and vases in a few places around the room (not too much).

The window treatments should be light and flowing - simple sheers in white that flow down to the floor would work. Lighting should be calming and not distracting - something with clean square lines and very simple.

Now if you are thinking your Zen bedroom is going to be looking pretty plain, you can use your bedding to add some interest. You want to keep with a monochromatic look to the bedding, but you can make it stick out by using layers of color that are a subtle shade off and rich quality fabrics. Try some sheets or a comforter that has a design embroidered or embossed in the same color as the fabric. Add interest by using materials with a nice texture - crisp cotton, soft velvet or dupioni silk can add interest and be soothing to the touch and comfy to relax in!

Accents are what make a room unique so your Zen bedroom deserves some relaxing accessories. Not too many though as you want to avoid clutter. How about a soothing tabletop waterfall or some aromatherapy candles? You can buy structures that hold candles in sort of a pyramid and create a faux fireplace with candles as the feature. Or maybe you want a mini Zen garden? Use a small coffee table and put a sand garden with mini rake on top. A shoji screen can work to divide the room or add a nice accent to a corner - you can make them yourself using rice paper and wood.

Lee Dobbins writes for several decorating sites including http://www.bedroom-designs-and-decorations.com where you get get even more bedroom design ideas.

[tags]inerior design, bedroom design, bedroom decor, bedroom[/tags]

Don’t force yourself out of the most profitable hobby in the universe because you think it’s too hard to learn …It isn’t!
Gardening is fast becoming the world’s number one hobby, and with all the latest ‘alternative’ information we have to hand, gardening as a natural science is fun to learn about and rewarding in the extreme…

Produce your own fruit and veg - cut the shopping trips.

Keep it organic!- be nice to the planet, and your body.

Stay fit and healthy with exercise and fresh air.

Spend quality family time in the outdoors.

Turbo boost your creative spirit

And if that isn’t enough to be going on with, learn about plant-kind in all it’s glory. From trees through to fungi, there are millions of plants to research, grow and eat- no chance of getting bored!

First you have to take your first step.

Start gardening, be a gardener, enjoy your garden.

Starting from scratch? Let your imagination run wild. Stand in the centre (-ish) of your garden and imagine..close your eyes if you like.

Don’t hold back. Let your creative thoughts flow. How much can you do with your space? Don’t imagine for one minute that a simple lawn will let you off the hook here. A lawn needs maintaining, and mowing regularly - for EVER..and it can get kind of boring to look at as well! How about creating

a butterfly patch

a wildflowers corner

a vegetable plot

a herb garden

a water feature

Then you will need a shed to store your tools. Where would that be best placed in your garden? Don’t waste a sunny position with a garden structure. Sheds don’t need to be in full sun to survive!

Is there enough space to place garden furniture? Rather than going for the table-and-four-chairs-on-patio style, can you place benches and small tables in semi-shady spots near the honeysuckle or round the herbs?

When you think you have a reasonable idea of all you want from your garden, take some notes and think about it for a while. Don’t leap in too soon-more often than not you’ll land up doing the same job twice. Browse through garden catalogs, take a little time and do a little planning.

But not for too long! Don’t let the ideas wither into another was-gonna-do-one-day file.

If you have enough of a budget to buy your garden structures and furniture, do this first, and position them in your garden. Then create your flower beds, vegetable plots and wildlife patches around these structures.

If you don’t have cash up front, don’t worry. The things you need will come to you. For now, prepare the space as if you DID have the shed, or bench or whatever, and work around these areas.

Start all the patches and work on them as and when you can, or start one patch and get it finished before moving on to the next. How you work in your garden depends on a number of things…

size of land and budget

helping hands available

seasons and the weather

time slots and energy levels!

Treat gardening as an ongoing hobby rather than a project to be started and finished. Plants are growing life forms and will always be changing the shape and feel of your garden. Go with it where you can, and prune heavily where you have to!

Get the kids involved with quick-germinating seeds, and fast-growing plants. Many retailers offer special seed mixtures for kids. Pumpkins are great for getting the kids interested in gardening.

Learn about edible flowers and teach the children what can and can’t be eaten - and why.

Don’t let the grass grow under your feet. Get in on the action now. Turn off the TV, put your wellies on and leap into nature!

Linda Gray is a freelance writer and, with her partner. has spent ten years renovating a neglected acre of woodland. Find heaps of straight gardening advice and pots of inspiration at http://www.flower-and-garden-tips.com

[tags]gardening,garden science[/tags]

It’s a wonderful moment - finding out that you’re going to have a baby. Once the initial euphoria is over, though, the planning and the costs begin! Most people set aside a room for baby, and when you walk into a baby superstore it’s hard not to get carried away by all the incredibly gorgeous stuff available for baby’s room.

Even though it’s great to show some flair and make baby’s room, it’s also important to remember some basic design guidelines, and also that your baby isn’t going to be a baby forever, and you don’t want to make the inevitable redecorating any more complicated than it needs to be.

One of the first things you need to look at is the basic layout of the room. How much space is there? Where are the power points, and the lights? You also need to think about what furniture you’re going to buy - crib, change table, bassinet or cradle, cupboard space, toy storage etc. Even if you haven’t bought those items yet, you can get a rough idea of the space they’re going to occupy, then work out how best to place them in the room. A change table needs to be in a well-lit area of the room - and not just in the daytime. If you’re going to have a baby monitor, you need somewhere to put it, and perhaps a power point close by. When I set up the nursery for my first child, I had a room with one corner that was darker than the rest of the room - a perfect spot for the crib.

Now you have an idea of how the room is going to be set up, you can start to consider what sort of theme or design you want to use. Most experts recommend using soft colours in a bedroom, so that it’s restful for baby. It’s also worth thinking about the day that baby will be a child, who perhaps wants something a little more grown up for the decor of their room. Sometimes it’s good to use a more neutral colour for paint and fittings, then add colour with the extras, like bedding or pictures. A neutral background also makes it easier to match furniture - and also means that you don’t paint the whole room pink in preparation for a girl, only to have a boy!

Floor coverings are also important. Babies can be very messy sometimes, so the easier it is to clean up, the better. If you can have wooden floorboards or some other easy clean floor, great. Carpet can look nice, but you may find yourself endlessly cleaning dirty spots. Rugs are always a good option, particularly ones that can be washed or dry-cleaned. You can even use rugs over your carpet to try and protect it.

Once you have your basic background colour scheme in mind, then you can choose a theme. For my nursery it was Pooh Bear, but there are endless ideas available. Wander round some baby stores (perhaps leave your credit cards at home!), look at baby magazines, or search around on the internet. You’re sure to find something that appeals to you. Sometimes it’s good to pick a more general theme, such as teddies, rather than a specific brand or line of decor items. That way, you can shop around for good value, rather than being forced to pay high prices for a particular piece.

It’s also worth looking at things like removable stickers for the walls. Again, this is great for when baby gets a little older and perhaps wants fairies rather than teddies on her walls. You can remove the stickers, and put up a new set. Much simpler than replacing wallpaper! Appropriate pictures and posters, curtain materials, bedding - they can all fit the theme, but be easily changed in a few years time. With curtains, too, it’s always best to keep them level with the windowsill, rather than allowing them to reach down to the floor where baby may pull on them.

Decorating your baby’s nursery can be loads of fun. Give yourself plenty of time to complete the task, because the last thing you want to do when you’re heavily pregnant is be wandering around store after store trying to buy the perfect bits and pieces for the nursery. And remember - enjoy yourself, and allow your creativity to flow. The result will be a wonderful, special place, just right for your baby.

Find more baby nursery ideas at Info About Baby You can sign up for a FREE Baby Tips newsletter at Baby Tips Newsletter. The author’s book about babies is available at Baby’s First Year

[tags]baby,baby advice,baby’s first year,baby nursery,decorate nursery[/tags]

Colors have many different meanings. Have you ever been in a blue room, feeling calm and relaxed, and then walked into a red room and you began to feel chatty and excited? The change in your mood wasn’t just coincidence - it was an actual psychological and physiological response to the colors of the rooms. When you are planning to decorate your home, the colors of your rooms should be one of your first considerations. You want to choose colors that you’re not only comfortable with, but also colors that will create the right types of moods for both you and your guests in each room.

Let’s start with some of the more common colors: Blue is a calming, relaxing color. The color is good for bedrooms but can destroy the mood in a dining room as it serves as an appetite represent. Combined with green, blue exudes a natural atmosphere in a room. For centuries, green has been representative of life and birth, but on the flip side, it has been known for jealousy and inexperience. Like blue, green is a relaxing color. The color symbolizes a certain harmony both in the world and in life.

Red on the other hand, is an appetite and conversation stimulant. Red is a fiery color that at times represents both hatred and passion. Red also represents power; thus the use of it for celebrities on the red carpet and red ties for powerful executives. Yellow is also a powerful color. Since yellow is the color of sunshine, it has a happy, uplifting aura. However, yellow can also be the color of melancholy and cowardice. Carefully pick the hue of your paint and decorations, noting the feelings you get in the presence of those colors.

Pink is a soft color often used in the decorations and room decor for little girls. Psychological studies have actually shown that this color causes physical weakness in people. Orange is a mixture of red and yellow, so it has all the warmth and comfort of those colors. Some oranges - such as the color of pumpkins and fall leaves - is a stimulant and good for use in the dining room. Purple has always been a special color, representing royalty and spirituality. Purple is known for stimulating creativity in small doses, but large amounts of purple can cause depression and moodiness.

Considering the meanings of the different colors is an important part of decorating your room. You should consider both the way the colors make you feel - for example, if you fell in a vat of yellow paint when you were little, yellow is probably not a cheerful color for you - but you should also take into account the way that it will make your guests feel. Using blue in your dining area will likely suppress your visitors’ appetites, and despite how much you may love the color for your dining area, you should consider their needs and desires as well.

For more home decorating and decor tips, ideas, articles, and gorgeous decor accents and accessories for your home - visit The Do It Yourself Home Decorating Network @DIYHomeDecorating.com.

© 2005, Kathy Burns-Millyard. This article may be freely published on any website, as long as the author, copyright, website address and link, and this notice are left intact.

[tags]home decor, home decorating, decorating style, colors, moods, decor, decorate[/tags]

Carpet tiles have a great much advantage. They combine the warmth and style of a carpet with the longwearing, washable qualities of a tiled floor. This makes them practical and reasonably inexpensive option for any of the well-trafficked and accident-prone area of your home.

Well know for their heavy-duty, durable qualities, carpet tiles are very easy to install as well as to replace, when necessary. They are available in a relatively limited range of colors, patterns, and sizes, and are constructed with either a cord or a pile finish. The tiles are square and made from polypropylene fibers bonded onto asphalt backing.

They are light to work with and easy to cut, so you need no special tools or experience to fit them. The only tile which require sticking down are the tile around the edge of the room and the vary first one you lay. Use double-sided tape to stop them from moving and to anchor the rest of the flooring; lay the remainder loose, without using tacks or adhesive.

Regular vacuuming picks up everyday dust and dirt. If there is a particularly stubborn spill or stain on an individual tile, lift it up to rinse it under the faucet. Remember to dry it well before putting it back. If a single carpet tile gets worn out or damaged, simply replace it, without the hassle of disturbing the surrounding pieces.

Each floor tile has an arrow on the back to show the direction of the pile. For a smooth look, lay all the tiles with the arrows pointing in the same direction. For a check board effect, lay alternate tile with the arrows pointing at right angles to each other. When laying carpet tiles it is important to start with a smooth, flat floor surface.

About The Author:

Roger King has install wall to wall carpeting for several years, and have done several homes. Since then he’s been helping people find and review the best floor selection, to meet their needs. Visit his Web site to learn more about this service: http://www.install-wood-floor.com

[tags]Carpet Tiles[/tags]

First impressions count. The first thing that a visitor or potential purchaser will actually come into contact with when they reach your home and make contact with it is your door or gate hardware. By this I mean the latch on your gate, the pull of your door chimes, the button of the doorbell or the handle of the door. What could put a buyer off more than a door that is difficult to open or a handle that is not sturdy to the touch. What chance would you have of clinching that all important sale if your property viewer finds the door knob comes off in their hand or finds that they have to enter your property through the window because the door hardware prevents the front door being opened.

Not very likely I know but imagine that you’ve invited your Boss for dinner to discuss that all important raise and the first thing he gives you when you open the door is the latch from the garden gate that you’ve been meaning to repair for ages.

Don’t put it off any longer. Replacing your door hardware will update your property or, with some retro door furniture, may even move it back to an age when it had its original features. New handles and door locks will improve the security of your property and may even gain you a discount on your home insurance, thus offsetting the cost of the replacement.

Many people are concerned with the look of their door furniture and want everything through their home to match. A contemporary update to your living space is greatly enhanced if you take the time to change your door handles and some perfectionists will even change the doors themselves.

At the other end of the scale changing only the plastic door handles on that tired old bedroom furniture can give it a new lease of life. The positive feel of a solid metal handle pushing your drawers closed can save money in the long run. Your partner may feel that they’ve got new bedroom furniture without you having to go to the expense of actually buying any. A few dollars wisely invested in new handles and latches could save thousands in the short term. An ageing but serviceable kitchen can be given a new lease of life with new cabinet hardware and doors. Any Realtor will tell you that a kitchen is one of the major selling points when trying to market your house or rent out your property. A lick of paint on the doors and new handles can add a great deal to the price you can command for the property.

Door hardware is available in every conceivable style and finish and can be made of a wide variety of materials, rope and stone being the most diverse I can think of. Before you take the plunge check out all of the on-line stores and ensure that you get a handle (no pun intended) on the deals available and exactly what you are going to do before you dive in.

Karen Hughes is an interior decor consultant, get further hardware ideas at Cabinet and Door Hardware this is your first stop for door and cabinet hardware help.

http://www.cabinetanddoorhardware.com

[tags]door hardware, handle, door knob, door furniture[/tags]