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Redecorating a bedroom need not be outrageously expensive. While a new bed may be a very healthy investment, you can redecorate the bedroom less expensively. Online shopping sites share their tips for bedroom decor without breaking your budget. You’ll see they give differing opinions and some great ideas.

All the vendor sites stated advantages to shopping online for bedroom furniture. Among the advantages are savings on gas and parking, greater variety than you normally find in a brick and mortar store, a possible break on sales tax, and the relaxed atmosphere of shopping from home without a sales person tagging along. Online retailers tend to offer more competitive discounts than traditional brick and mortar companies because of the lower overhead. Also, some online retailers such as DirectlyHome and TotalBedroom offer free shipping on their entire inventory of thousands of products. Delivery costs have been increasing because of skyrocketing fuel costs, so free shipping can mean serious savings.

Besides the bed itself, what are the most important items of bedroom furniture and decor?

StacksandStacks.com: Nightstands, lighting and chests of drawers. Storage is probably the most critical element in bedrooms. So, any piece of furniture must be able to serve not only as a fashion element but also perform a storage role. Buy products to store under the bed, in the closet, and behind doors.

DirectlyHome.com: Depending on the size of the bedroom, a nightstand can add style especially when accented with table lamps or wall lamps if space is limited. A bench/ottoman at the foot of the bed can be used as a comfortable seat or a perch for luggage which can open up to be a storage chest. Dressers and boudoirs enable one to maintain the rooms theme without the need to compromise space.

Can I achieve a new look in my bedroom without spending a fortune? Do you have any special tips?

EverythingFurniture.com: Get a new comforter set and buy some drapes that match. Or another trick is to buy some different pictures / prints for the walls.

DirectlyHome: When redecorating your bedroom, the most important thing to have is a PLAN! Include a realistic budget to cover products ranging from replacing smaller items (rugs, lamps, mirrors and bedding) to larger items (such as beds, bedroom sets, dressers, armoires and nightstands). With a little creativity, you can change the theme of an entire room with a simple change of bedding. Shapes, colors and patterns can add subtle sophistication without spending an armoire or a leg. One can stress the main theme of a bedroom with wall and framed art as well.

StacksandStacks: The simplest way to transform a room is to change color schemes. Choose accessories like candles, lamps and shades, curtains, and throws in fashion colors while keeping the same furniture. Store all clothing in sliding basket storage units in the closet so the chest of drawers can be eliminated to make room for a sitting area or chaise. Use floor screens to divide the room’s space.

How do I choose a bed online? Isn’t it the kind of thing you need to see in person?

DirectlyHome: When choosing a bed online, you must take into consideration quality, craftsmanship and materials. Online furniture retailers such as DirectlyHome and TotalBedroom focus very much on the products details, such as: size, dimensions and warranty information with detailed pictures of various angles and options to zoom. Look for a customer service department that can also answer more specific questions and pull product details from the vendor within seconds and respond to your e-mails within minutes.

StacksandStacks: I would not buy mattresses on line because that is definitely something you would want to try out before you buy.

EverythingFurniture: All you really need to know is your preferences. Do you like pillow top mattresses? Memory foam mattresses? Most mattresses are listed as firm, medium, or soft. When you know your preferences, you should be able to find a good fit online.

You can find shopping links to all these fine online vendors and others at http://www.homefurnituredecor.com/bedroom/index.shtml.

(c)Laura Goodwin

Laura Goodwin writes for http://www.homefurnituredecor.com about home decor and furnishings. Visit the Home Life Blog for tips and ideas and recommendations.

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Q. I’ve been thinking about buying a heat pump to replace my aging forced-air oil furnace. How do they work, and are they really as efficient as advertised?

A. If you’re shopping for a new home or looking for ways to trim costs, heat pumps can provide both heating and cooling, and in some cases, hot water heating.

In areas where natural gas is not available, heat pumps are a popular alternative, but using only a heat pump for all your heating needs wouldn’t be economical, or even possible. Most heat pumps use electricity as a power source, and most of them just don’t cut the mustard in very cold weather. Suplementary heat such as gas, oil, electric and wood are used when the temperature falls below about 5C, or 42F. However, if you already have a heating system and you’re considering air-conditioning, a heat pump can be an economical way to heat or cool the house for most of the year.

Summer cooling will add to your annual energy bill! Heat pumps warm the house in cooler weather and cool it in warm weather. They are powered by electricity. If you add a heat pump or convert from another system, and you didn’t have air conditioning before, you’re going to find your electricity bills higher than before.

“How Do They Work?” Most heat pumps are “air-to-air” and use a fluid medium to absorb heat from the air at one location and transfer it to the air at another. Refridgerators and air conditioners are both examples of one-way heat pumps. But the cycle is reversible, and heat pumps can be used almost year-round to move heat either way. However, they can only extract heat from outdoor air down to a point where they are no longer economical; and at some lower point, most don’t work at all. Ground and water source heat pumps are more efficient, but several times more expensive, and not suitable for all locations. “Bi-valent” heat pumps use a gas or oil-fired heater to pre-heat the outdoor coil, so that the heat-pump can continue to operate more efficiently in colder weather.

“What’s the bottom line?”

There are many factors to consider before purchasing any heating or cooling system. Carefully weigh the ancicipated savings against the cost of the new installation. What kind of system do you already have, how old and how efficient is it, and will it be compatible, economical and convenient to use with a heat pump? What kind of energy sources are available in your area, and how reliable are they? Will you have to open finished walls and ceilings to install duct work?

Do your homework first!

Copyright Gil Strachan - All rights reserved.

Gil Strachan is a professional home inspector, representing Electrospec Home Inspection Services in east-central Ontario, Canada since 1994. Visit http://www.allaroundthehouse.com to learn more about home inspections.

“The Home Reference Book”
You can probably find a home inspection for a little less than what we ask, but you probably won’t find the Home Reference Book. A $60 value, this solutions-oriented reference tool comes free with every inspection we perform.
It’s the first tool you should have around the house!

[tags]home heating and cooling,heating and cooling tips,diy heat,diy ac,diy home repair,heat pumps[/tags]

Decorating anything is one of the easiest things in the world! And when it comes to decorating your home, if one has a will and there is always a way. It helps, of course, to know about materials, including building materials, textiles and fabrics and furnishings including antique and modern furnishings. Add to this a few home decorating ideas and you can transform your house into a home that beckons!

Decorating ideas are always available.

Home is where the art is especially when decorating ideas are so easily available. Intelligent interior decorating means employing all the little things that matter energy-saving lighting; a down comforter which not only looks attractive but also provides a cozy, comfortable element that all bedrooms deserve; judicious use of patterned upholstery; and so on.

Plants, whether real or fake, can make any room in your home more desirable. They can be placed on shelves or hung on hooks. Large plants, such as Fig trees or Philodendrons can be placed in corners of the room to add color and warmth.

It is said that lighting should be arranged to form a triangle, so use this as a guide when placing lamps. And if you have a fireplace, consider having bookshelves surrounding it as this would be a good place for a specialized collection of statues or attractive dolls.

If a room is contemporary, highlight it with a bold antique to add that special element of surprise. Consider what your interiors can do for you especially after what you have done for your interiors!

About The Author

Mike Yeager, Publisher

http://www.a1-interior-design-4u.com/

mjy610@hotmail.com

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Price : $199.00

Features

• Use with our Oak Pedestal (Rockler# 30283, sold separately).
• Total height with pedestal is 26-1/2” high.
• Includes four legs.
• Unfinished.

Product Description

Now it’s easy to create your own pedestal table or trestle table with this fluted, claw foot oak four leg set. Also available in fluted plain foot design (Rockler# 37217). Use with our Oak Pedestal (Rockler# 30283, sold separately) When used with pedistal, total height with legs is 26-1/2 high. Distance between legs is (nominally) 24. Unfinished.

Mirrors make a fabulous addition to any home’s d

If we fill our time taking care of plants we can get rid of stress, it is a scientifically proved thing. Taking care of our green friends (the ones with leaves not Aliens!) we will discover new hidden sides of our personality and will get to know better how to love and care for others, firstly because a plant that we won’t care for will die for sure.

Accepting a plant we are assuming a new responsibility, we are adopting a breathing being. This way, we learn just what it means to pay attention to those around you.

We have to concentrate over needs that are exterior to our ego. We become aware of the needs of another being: we know how much water the plant needs, how much light it gets, the intervals it needs to receive water again, and slowly we will transfer these cares and abilities in our social relations. We become more and more aware of others. Visual contact with a beautiful plant makes us realize our own beauty.

Studies show more and more that taking care of plants can be the most efficient method to improve our physical and emotional general condition. They have a serene effect, they can reduce stress and relax muscles and therefore improve the mood people taking care of them are in.

Different studies have demonstrated that the existence of plants reduce mental exhaustion. When we are overwhelmed with work, we just have to look up for a couple of minutes to a plant and we’ll instantly feel more relaxed. In conclusion, plants fascinate and attract people, they break boredom and monotony generated by forced attention. The oxygen generated by plants creates a feeling of mental agility.

Some big plants placed in the right spot will help us insolate ourselves from annoying surrounding noises. The technique is the same as the one of hanging paintings in an empty room to minimize the echo effects. The thick leaves will absorb a part of the noises, including the sound of the phone, printer, coffee maker or any other noise, making these sounds a little bit friendlier.

To discover some great gardening tips visit http://www.gardeningtoolsandtips.info for information such as container gardening.

[tags]gardening,gardening tips,organic gardening,planting,plants[/tags]

In our homes, as in other parts of our lives, we are happier when we live with balance and harmony. Just like the rest of our lives, balance in the rooms of our homes is sometimes hard to create.

For many years, decorators and home owners tried to create this physical balance by having pairs of everything: 2 matching end tables, a matched pair of wing chairs, even sets of twin beds in the master bedroom. This certainly created a balanced room. It also created rooms that were sterile, formal and visually boring. In a formal setting or a Federal or Georgian home, this is still the way things should be to look ‘right.’ Our ancestors valued this perfect balance so highly that they created false doors in hallways so that both sides matched or doors that looked like windows so that the right and left sides of the back of a house matched perfectly. This can still be seen if you go to visit some of our historic homes. A notable example is the Hammond-Harwood House in Annapolis, Md. We, however, tend to prefer a more relaxed approach to our homes.

So how do we create a feeling of balance without matched pairs of everything? You can use:

Color

Dark colors have more ‘weight’ than light colors.

Actual size

Height, depth and width of an object

Mass

A thick bulky looking object has more weight than a fragile, delicate one. Just visualize a blown glass vase and a terracotta pot of the same size.

Number

A group of several like objects in different sizes grouped together creates ‘weight.’ Think of an assortment of silver candlesticks.

Light

A dark corner has more ‘weight’ than one filled with light.

If you want to prove this to yourself, gather together a group of assorted objects and use a tabletop/mantel and try out different scenarios. Be sure you have different sizes, colors, textures and shapes. You can put a larger framed picture against one end and a slightly smaller one in front of it. On the other end of your table put a heavy pot. Do the same thing with a matching pot at each end. Try pairing the picture group with an assortment of candles in candlesticks. Each time you create an arrangement, step back and look at it. In fact, if you have a digital camera, take a picture of it. If you do this for a while you will start to get a feel for balance. You can actually give the illusion that the tabletop is tilted slightly by throwing off the visual balance.

The same effect can occur in your room arrangements. If you doubt this, close your eyes and try to ’see’ a room in which you felt physically uncomfortable or slightly disoriented even though there was no obvious reason. A room in which the heavy items are all on one side of the room, almost feels as though the floor tilts. Once you have a feel for balance you can start to create a harmonious home.

Stand in the doorway of any room in your house that you feel isnt ‘right.’ What do you see? Does the burgundy chair stick out like there is a spotlight on it? Does the entertainment center overwhelm the room? Do you have a TV and a fireplace battling for focal point? Do your easy chairs look like they were made for children next to your mammoth sofa? Does your fireplace mantel look like you are setting up for a tag sale? Your room is out of balance.

Move the furniture around and try different arrangements until you have one that works. Unless you have a room that is just for show like a Victorian parlor, you need to be able to use the room comfortably. Once the practical set-up is done, look at the room from different angles. If the room is out of balance use color and accessories, plants and pictures, groups of like objects, light and volume to create an illusion of balance.

Try grouping the accessories on your mantels and tabletops. Balance the entertainment center on one side of the fireplace with a tall plant or group of plants on the other. Note: avoid having the tops of everything at the same height. You might as well draw a line around your room. Repeat the color of the chair in pillows, throws, lampshades or the matting around a group of pictures. You really will be amazed at the difference it makes.

We may all be born craving balance but except for the lucky few, we have to learn to achieve it. There is a myriad of books on the subject and it can help to read them and look at the pictures, but the best way to get a feel for balance is ‘hands on.’ Experiment with portable objects until you get a feel for what works and then enjoy creating your harmonious home.

Indra A Books, author of this and many other lifestyle articles is the owner and founder of ON THE GO 4 U, Personal Shoppers & Concierge Service in the Washington DC metropolitan area. The companys creed is to provide its clients with the ultimate life management experience. In addition to its shopping and concierge services, ON THE GO 4 U also publishes a monthly e-zine and conducts workshops on wardrobe, entertaining and decorating. For more information about the author and ON THE GO 4 U, please visit http://www.onthego4u.net

Content for this article was provided by Suzanne Copenhaver, Design Consultant to ON THE GO 4 U. Suzanne has years of experience decorating in less than ideal situations and always provides us with tons of insight.

2005 Indra Books for ON THE GO 4 U

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Price : $75.89

Features

• Easy to install on your wall with two hidden screws, mounting instructions and template provided
• Holds 20-25 normal size (Time, Newsweek) style magazines
• Unique design, handcrafted and finished in your choice of color
• Click on Other Images to see choice of finish colors and stain colors
• Perfect for waiting rooms! We will email you for your color choice.

Product Description

Generally kept in stock UNFINISHED, we send it to our finisher to have your color selection applied. Although we have stated a handling time of 14 days, it is typically shipped in less time than that. Hand crafted from solid whitewood. Whitewood is a very nice version of pine, free of knots and other defects. These are perfect for a customer lounge or waiting room. You’ll find many magazine racks, but theyll cost you much more than this very nice unit and wont do anything differently. The magazine rack will easily accommodate 20-25 normal size magazines. Choose whether you want your item finished in satin white enamel, gloss white enamel, gloss black enamel, Satin black enamel, ivory satin enamel, pebble satin enamel, almond satin enamel, canyon rock fleckstone finish, or soapstone fleckstone finish. Or you can choose from one of our stain colors: Golden Oak, Early American, Special Walnut, Mahogany, or Sedona Red. Checkout does not give you a place to select variables such as size, number of shelves, and/or color, we will contact you after the sale for your color selection, so please watch for the email from us! You can choose from any of the color selections in the chart. To see the charts, just click on the See Larger Image and Other Images link.

Are you looking for a custom kitchen cabinet design? There are many factors that should weigh into your decision when contemplating new kitchen cabinets. First, how much time do you spend in your kitchen? If you spend alot of time in your kitchen, whether cooking or entertaining guests, you will want the best you can get. However, if you frequently dine out, there really is little need to upgrade your kitchen cabinets.

An effective kitchen cabinet design can provide you with more counter space in your kitchen. By going with a custom cabinet design, you can do certain things like hiding your appliances, storing goods, or even display your nice china. By designing your own cabinet layout, there are no ends to what you can do. Well, at the very least, your budget is the limit!

You also need to consider the types of knobs and latches you want to use with your new cabinets. You will need to decide if the custom kitchen cabinet design in your room is going to be contemporary, rustic, southwestern or some other type of design so that hardware can be chosen accordingly.

A stellar look can be accomplished by having custom kitchen cabinets. When taking into considerations different aspects of your designs, many nice design ideas can be implemented into your new kicthen cabinets. By designing your own cabinets, you control the look, the feel, and effectiveness in your new setup. Do it right and you will be pleased with the results for your new kitchen cabinets.

As an author at eZ-search, Chris Miller contributes to the growing content found within the site and shares his knowledge about wholesale kitchen cabinets.

[tags]wholesale kitchen cabinets, custom kitchen cabinets, kitchen cabinet design, kitchen cabinets[/tags]