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Lighting your home properly is a very important consideration. It can have a lot to do with your overall mood and how easily you can accomplish your tasks at home. So let’s discuss the different kinds of lighting that are available, and how you can best use them.

The first step in understanding lighting, is to understand that there are two basic types that are in use in most homes today. The first is incandescent lighting, which is produced by running current through a small wire called a filament. The light that is produced is very bright and warm, and is suitable for almost any task.

The second kind of indoor lighting is called fluorescent lighting, and is produced when electricity passes through a glass tube that has been coated inside and filled with gas. This kind of light is very soft and gentle, but it’s big advantage is that it can produce up to five times as much light from the same amount of electrical current as an incandescent light.

Generally speaking, there are three levels of lighting used in the home depending on what task is being performed. For general relaxing and low-level lighting, 40 - 80 watt incandescent bulbs will work fine. For most general tasks, 100 - 150 watts will suffice. But for very specialized type of work, 180 - 300 watts may be needed.

For reading at home, it’s good to have a floor lamp that is placed behind you and slightly to the left or right. If you’re only going to be reading for a short while, 150 watts should be fine, but for prolonged reading 250 watts will do better to prevent eye strain and fatigue.

To light a desk or worktable, you’ll most likely need plenty of illumination for the work at hand. Most often, it’s best to actually have a small lamp on the desk itself to provide the best quality light. For these kind of tasks, usually a minimum of 200 watts of incandescent light, and 40 watts of fluorescent light will be needed.

In the bathroom, it’s good to have lighting that helps eliminate shadows under your eyes, nose, and chin. That’s often best accomplished with fixtures on each side of the bathroom mirror. Sometimes a fixture that has a series of smaller 25 watt bulbs can be used to good effect. You may also want to consider using some fluorescent lights here that employ soft white tubes for lighting that is most flattering.

In the kitchen, you need concentrated light on the countertops and workstations for best results. Fluorescent strip lighting often works very well under kitchen cabinets to light up your countertops. This kind of lighting tends to be even, with very few shadows, and free of the heat that often accompanies incandescent light.

By planning out your home lighting fixtures in advance and positioning them correctly in each room you can be sure to get the best lighting possible under a wide range of circumstances.

Thad Pickering writes on many consumer related topics including home improvement. You can find out more about home lighting design and discount lighting fixtures by visiting our Home Improvement website.

[tags]lighting, home lighting, lighting fixtures, outdoor lighting, home improvement[/tags]

Antiques may be of many different kinds and of all the antique collectibles and furniture happens to be the most popular and practical choice. Antique furniture is distinct from other categories of antiques in the sense that no one collects the same type of object repeatedly. It means that you would not want to buy and collect only tables or chests and fill up your home with everything the same. However, you may have a specific liking to certain wood or style.

Regardless of your preference, if you are planning to purchase antique furniture, you need to know the basics. In other words, you should have some idea about various styles, techniques of construction, finishes and variety of woods used. You will need this knowledge to determine if a particular piece is original (in its original state without any major changes) or altered (if some major alterations or additions have been made to it.)

Once you are acquainted with the basics, go to as many antique furniture dealers and auctions as you possibly can. When inspecting the merchandise, don’t hesitate in pulling out drawers, getting down on your knees to look at the underside of tabletops or lifting chairs to have a look at their legs. If you don’t get down and dirty, you will never learn. In the beginning, furniture was crafted from solid wood but with improvement in cabinet making techniques, furniture decoration by applying veneers (thin sheets of wood) was developed. This provided an inexpensive method of creating decorative effects from different grains and patterns. It was also an economical technique that made inexpensive woods look like expensive hard woods. Such furniture had a solid body called a carcass that is made of a different, generally less expensive wood, like pine. Some of the woods used in antique furniture are beech, cherry, chestnut, ebony, elm, mahogany, pine, oak, satinwood, walnut etc.

The following features are significant when determining the age, authenticity, quality and worth or price of antique furniture:

I. Color and Patina: Patina is the glow of the wood after years of accumulation of wax polish and dirt. A rich subtle color is also an important characteristic of antique furniture.

II. Proportion: A disproportionate piece of furniture may well be a “marriage” of different parts from different furniture.

III. Construction: Before the late 17th century, furniture was made using mortise and tendon joints and pegs were handmade.

IV. Condition: Do not ignore pieces with marks or blemishes as the wood has not been damaged. A good restorer can undo surface spots. Antique Furniture in it original pristine condition is worth the highest price.

V. Alterations: Altered furniture is always less desirable than the original piece. Telltale alterations include large pieces reduced in size, freshly cut surfaces, plugged holes, repositioned handles etc.
Now that you know what to look for, the question is where to look for antique furniture?

Well, apart from auctions and dealers, you can always check the classifieds section in the paper to see if anybody’s selling furniture and go check it out. You might even find a good bargain this way. Also, you will find many sites that sell antique furniture on the internet or you could use the internet to find out where you could go to get good deals on antique furniture.

Simon Oldmann has been experimenting with internet auction sites for some years now, he is writing about his experience in researching and buying Antique Furniture online

[tags]Antique Furniture, antiques, online antiques[/tags]

Window coverings give a new look to your home. It is a material that is normally used on interior side of window but sometimes it can also be used on the exterior side of window. Actually window covering is a material, which is used to cover a window to reduce sunlight or to ensure privacy.

Window covering is an essential part of home decoration. Drapes, curtains are such types of window coverings. Window blinds like Venetian blinds, vertical and mini blinds, and shutters are also come under the category of window coverings. You can use several types of boarding as temporary window coverings. Window coverings provide finishing touch to your home.

With window coverings, it is very difficult to understand the interior view from outside. These are always visible that enables you to see out the window. You can also use some window shades that help you to feel comfortable in your home and other people can easily get you. Your choice of window coverings for your home shows your feelings about your living area.

Nowadays consumer market is full of different varieties of window shades, blinds, shutters and curtains. You can choose the best window coverings as per your requirements and likings. Window coverings can be used for office, bedroom as well as kitchen.

About Author: Author owns a website on Window Coverings. Website offers information about best window coverings, types of window coverings, how to buy window coverings and cost of window coverings. You can also get information about Windows Shades from his site.

[tags]window coverings, interior shutters, inddor, blinds, blackout, light control, window treatment[/tags]

Often there are those areas of your garden that just aren’t suitable for lawn or have exposed ledge and rocks making it impossible to plant shrubs. These areas can easily be transformed into beautiful rock gardens by rearranging of some of the stones and bringing in a bit of new soil. If you don’t have enough stones on site add a few new ones. You can also start a rock garden from scratch on slopes which are too steep to mow. Since most plants which thrive in rock garden settings are sun loving, try to pick the sunniest spot possible for your garden. If, however, your rocky slope happens to be in the shade there are a number of interesting ferns and woodland perennials which will do just fine.

A successful rock garden depends on the selection and arrangement of the stones and striking the right balance between the stones and plants. Choose stones with character, with interesting shapes and maybe some lichens or moss. When selecting new stone the most important thing to remember is the character of the existing stone back at the site. Try to use one type of stone throughout the garden. Keeping them consistent will result in a garden which seems to belong to the site. Also, stone native to your area will look natural, be inexpensive and be easy to obtain. Large rocks with irregular shapes look interesting in the rock garden, but keep in mind that you’ll need smaller rocks as well. Look for stones which have natural depressions in them, these can be filled with soil and planted with moss or succulents such sedum (a beautiful groundcover with yellow or pink flowers).

When arranging the stones in the garden let the site’s natural conditions guide you. If, for example, the stones you’re using have one side covered with moss make sure they are all placed with the moss facing the same direction. The same holds true if there are other distinct characteristics common to the all the stone. Arrange stones with cracks or fissures so they line up in the same direction. This will allow your garden to blend in with the surrounding landscape.

If you are building a garden on a slope, fill in behind each stone as you work your way to the top and if possible, try to create relatively deep pockets of soil around larger stones. This will make suitable spots for a few small shrubs. It’s also important to bury the stones about half way to make sure they’re secure and stable. After the rocks are in place let the soil settle around them for a few days then take a look at the arrangement from a distance to be sure you like the layout before adding plants.

With the stone in place, it’s time to begin the process of choosing your plants. Low growing perennials such as creeping phlox, alyssum, thyme, thrift and speedwell work wonderfully. Where the soil is deep enough, evergreens such as blue carpet junipers and dwarf hinoki cypress will provide color to the garden throughout the winter. Since many of the plants best suited to rock gardens bloom only in the spring, consider incorporating a few annuals for color throughout the season. Though rock gardens can contain only those plants which grow naturally on rocky slopes, proper maintenance allows for a wide variety of plants.

Though rock garden plants will generally do better in drier conditions and poorer soil than most plants, you should care for them as you would perennials. Fertilize in the spring along with your other gardens and make sure to water often, especially during the hot summer months, as the soil in a rock garden tends to be shallow and will quickly dry out. Just as with any perennial garden the soil should be occasionally cultivated and weeded.

Never let weeds grow in the nooks and crannies, they will easily crowd out the smaller plants. If the weeds get too large in the more shallow pockets their root systems can spread throughout the entire area. If this happens pulling the weed will often remove the entire pocket of soil along with all the plants so try to avoid letting the weeds and grasses get out control. Most rock garden plants do well in poor soil, but the occasional addition of manure or compost will give them a boost. Also, just as in perennial gardens, maintenance should include cutting back in the fall, deadheading, clipping off dead stems and foliage, and dividing any plants that become root-bound. Because plants in a rock garden are more exposed than plants in a level bed, they may need more protection in winter so a heavy mulch should be applied late in the fall in cold climates.

T Hallinan is a landscape designer and builder in Massachusetts. Visit his garden resource website http://www.gardenlistings.com for all kind of helpful information. For more garden guides visit http://www.gardenlistings.com/resources.htm

[tags]Gardening, Garden Guides, Garden Tips, Landscaping[/tags]

Remodeling a house is an exciting but taxing activity. There are so many things that need to be considered. There’s the house remodeling ideas and designs, renovation costs, time and effort, etc. But what is important, is that the homeowners should be satisfied of the result. As many have already believed and agreed, remodeling a house is an investment, probably one of the biggest and most important investment a person or family can have. It may be that the house will be sold in the future, or most often than not, this is where the majority of the person’s life is spent. And it wouldn’t be particularly nice if one spends the rest of his life on a house, which he doesn’t like or enjoy; or if the person decides to move or relocate, and would need to sell the house, it should be presentable and saleable enough as well. This is where the house remodeling ideas, architecture, and design come into place, as this is usually the first thing or aspect that one will look at upon entering the house or even visualizing a house.

There are so many magazines, agents, and help that one can get to assist him in the brainstorming of some house remodeling ideas. There are websites on home improvement, talented designers and architects, books and magazines on house restructuring, and most importantly, the homeowners themselves have their own likes and requirements.

One must also take into account, that not all of the reconstruction adds value to the house; different rooms, or projects or even small house remodeling ideas may matter—it may be a well-spent dollar or it may just be an additional expense.

House remodeling ideas may vary, depending on the homeowner’s family, house structure, neighborhood, and community. As long as they know how and what it takes to do it — what to expect in the remodeling process, like before, during, and after the reconstruction, then, they’ll appreciate and value the remodeling of the house. House remodeling ideas may come as an inspiration from an event or a seen structure, or it may come as a need because the homeowner’s family structure has changed, or it may come as an adaptation of the new houses in the neighborhood. As long as those house remodeling ideas will benefit and satisfy the homeowners, then that’s a spark of brilliance.

These house remodeling ideas are flooding the homeowners today, but not all of these designs and concepts are applicable, practical, or good for everybody’s house, as long as one knows how to scrutinize and analyze them, then it won’t go wrong. These thousands of designs are just there as a selection for people to choose which is best and most appropriate for their respective houses.

Milos Pesic is an expert in the field of Remodeling and runs a highly popular and comprehensive Home Remodeling web site. For more articles and resources on Home Remodeling related topics, Remodeling Contractors, Home Remodeling Loans, Remodeling Ideas and much more visit his site at:

=>http://remodeling.need-to-know.net/

[tags]home remodeling, contractor remodeling, kitchen remodeling, bathroom remodeling, remodeling[/tags]

The cost of Home improvement can be extremely high but by following a few simple guidelines you can help to reduce the expense and save your self a fortune. Budgeting is a crucial element in the overall plan when it comes to home improvement projects as many people find themselves constantly spending more money even though the project is just about done! Always try and invest as much of your home improvement budget as you can on materials though but don’t be foolish with the money, materials follow the law of “you get what you pay for!” In other words, good home improvement materials are never cheap and cheap home improvement materials are never good.

Budgeting is essential for any home improvement project, always budget a little extra for any unforeseen cost that may come up above what you are willing to spend that way if something was more work than was thought then you are prepared for it. If you don’t have a budget then you will keep on spending and keep on forgetting where all the money is going and before you know it you are 30% over budget and nowhere near completion. It is always the little things that come back to bite you in the backside, little things like wallpaper expenditure and tiling are usually always underestimated so make sure you are not part of the norm.

Home improvement costs can be easily cut down by making sure you only buy what you need, there is no point purchasing something that you’re never going to use. That would just be silly and wasting money! This can be eliminated by proper planning and being sure of your measurements for the project upfront. Material costs are a very significant part of the total overall expense, if not the most significant in any home improvement project. Basically, you need to budget enough money to get the job done, you cant get anything for free these days but you can minimize the likelihood of going over your allotted budget by a great deal by proper planning!

If you are going to use a contractor be sure to get several estimates, labor costs vary tremendously from contractor to contractor so don’t just go with the first estimate you get. For example, cost per square foot for building a house can range from $65 to $100 just for basic expenses not counting upgrades!

When all is said and done you don’t have to have the Trump Palace. You don’t have to opt for the most expensive materials in existence like gold plated faucets and imported marble, just buy quality products and make sure that the completed project is what you wanted it to be for you and your family whether you do the job yourself or you hire it out.

Gregg Hall is a consultant for online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida. Research the power tools for your project at http://www.powertoolsplusmore.com

[tags]home improvement, tools, power tools[/tags]

Less is more, keep it simple. Let nature be your muse when decorating your home. Home d

Whether you use your countertops for your culinary masterpieces or a place to pack your kid’s lunch, kitchens are one of the busiest places in any home. Because of this it is important for your kitchen to reflect your style, provide an atmosphere in which you are comfortable and most importantly be laid out in an efficient and organized manner.

Some things to consider when planning a kitchen remodel:

(If you just want to rejuvenate your kitchen, look into putting new laminate or tile right over your old countertops)

So, how do we take all these options and create an easy-to-use, organized kitchen?

Choosing a layout to fit your needs is the first step.

Once you have a basic idea of what you need and want, it is best to make a Planning List to help get you there. This planning checklist should include the Estimated Costs, Contractors Needed and any Comments that will help you explain your project later to contractors bidding on your job.

Final tips to remember when planning a kitchen remodeling project:

Use professional contractorsyour kitchen won’t be available for use during your project, so getting professional help to expedite the project is a must

Explore your options extensivelytake into account durability, cost and maintenance

Keep your end goal in mindfrom function to style

http://www.BizziBid.com is a FREE resource for homeowners looking for quality home improvement contractors in the Denver Metro area. On BizziBid.com homeowners can read about local contractors, view pictures of their work and then either call them directly or submit a request to several contractors online requesting multiple estimates for their home improvement projects. Saving both time & money! If you need a great kitchen remodeling contractor or if you would like to read more home improvement articles, this is the place to go!

[tags]kitchen remodeling, kitchen remodel, planning a kitchen remodel, planning for kitchen remodeling[/tags]

If you walk into your home and are not struck with a sense of warmth, that special something that makes it truly your own, then perhaps you need to add a new set of window treatments. Changing the look of a home’s curtains can add a bit of decorative flair and instantly make it more inviting and homey. At the same time, it can be slightly overwhelming trying to plan out the purchase of an entire room of window treatments. But there are many options that are available to you that are inexpensive, and easy, which do not require you to have any sewing skills or a sewing machine. By using a little bit of that creative muscle, your imagination, any piece of cloth or fabric can rapidly and simply be made into a window treatment.

The first thing that you need to do is choose a fabric that is suitable to the mood you want to instill in your home. The fabric will need to have finished edges so that it doesn’t fray. Some common selections include old table linens or printed sheets that are no longer in use. All you need to do after you have your fabric selected is to pick a complementary hanging device, such as a grommet or a hook or a cord, and you will have a stylish and affordable window treatment that conveys a bit of your own personal style and sense of self. What’s more, you will have made it yourself, which will make it that much more valuable.

When you are choosing the device to hang your fabric, you should hold some things in mind. Grommets, which are slipped over hooks set in a wall, make for a sharp, uncluttered window treatment. For most purposes, all you will need to set grommets is a hammer and a grommet tool. Grommets prevent hooks that are set in the wall from tearing a hole in the fabric that hangs from them. Grommets can also be used to install a wooden dowel that will suspend the fabric from the hooks.

If grommets don’t appeal to you, you might want to look into the various stylish clips that you can find at antique stores and craft shops that simply clip fabric and hold it in place. This can add another layer of flair to your window treatments. You can also find rings that clip onto fabric which will allow it to slide along a curtain rod. The place to look for these clips is at home decorating stores.

If you are feeling a bit adventurous, you can try to use buttons on your window treatments. Thread the button to the fabric with a bit of wire that is fine enough that it isn’t unsightly, then use a bit of ribbon to make a loop from the button. These loops can then be used to hang the treatment from a curtain rod.

Whatever way you choose to do your curtains, your only limitation is your creativity. If you have an idea, try it out and see if it works. If it does, you get a new set of curtains, and if it doesn’t, you get to keep trying.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about this as well as kitchen curtains at http://www.windowblindsandshadesonline.com

[tags]home accessories, curtains, blinds[/tags]

One of the first things home owners think of when embarking on a home improvement project is pulling up that dusty, stained and frayed old carpet. The next step is deciding what to put in its place - new carpet or some other type of flooring.

A trendy new craze sweeping the country is to replace existing carpet with environmentally friendly flooring such as reclaimed wood, linoleum, cork or bamboo. Such types of flooring are not only helpful to the environment, but are also coveted for their exquisite beauty, texture and form.

People are fast realizing the dangers of using products for the home that can be detrimental to the environment and to the residents who live in the home. Jumping on the bandwagon, architects, builders and decorators are suggesting flooring products that protect the environment and the people who live and work in the buildings.

Advantages of Choosing Environment-Friendly Flooring Over Carpeting

If you’ve ever pulled up used carpeting in a home or other heavily-trafficked area, you’ve probably been aghast at the debris and filth hidden in the carpet and padding. The truth is that no matter how fanatical you are about vacuuming and shampooing your carpet, residue, mold and mildew will accumulate in the fibers beneath. The carpet then becomes an allergen magnet, hording germs that can affect humans and pets who come in contact with it.

Besides the advantage of avoiding allergens, the durability and beauty of wood or other environmentally correct floorings remains undisputed. It is easily cleaned and comes in a wide variety of patterns and colors to fit any d