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Your living room is the entertainment and living center of your home. Chances are that you’ve had some very memorable gatherings there, and it is where you relax and enjoy the company of family and friends. Because this room tends to be such a high traffic area, and to have so much time spent in it, it is often the first room to show signs of wear and tear and to begin to look dated. Luckily there are small changes (like switching out light bulbs) and big changes (like installing a new fireplace mantel) that can give your living room a new look and won’t turn into a major DIY project, or turn your home into a construction site.

Consider painting your living room. A splash of paint can brighten things up or give your living room a different vibe altogether. You can repaint your living room the same color which will refresh the color and get rid of any scuff marks and dings. If you decide to paint the entire room, starting from the ceiling and working down is a good idea. On the other hand, if you’d like a bit of a color change without covering everything in plastic, a feature wall could be an option for you. Picking an interesting color that goes well with the room but adds a little spice can be an excellent way to transform your living room in no time at all.

The fireplace is an often neglected area of many living rooms, and this is a pity because it can be such a lovely focal point if handled properly. Installing a new fireplace mantel - either buying one for the first time or replacing an existing one - does not take as much work as you think. If you don’t have a fireplace mantel, consider getting one as it will give your fireplace a more finished, polished look. If you have a fireplace mantel, replacing it with something a little different can have a major impact on your living room. A wood fireplace mantel is easy to install so you don’t have to hire a contractor. You can paint or stain a wood mantel to match the d

A girl once said that there’s no place like home and she couldn’t have been more right. Our home is our castle, our fortress from the world, and a place where we can put up our feet to relax. Our home is such an important part of our lives and we all want to make them better and more comfortable to live in.

Home improvement can be defined as any enhancements or additions made to your home to make it bigger, more comfortable, or more aesthetically pleasing. Home improvements encompasses all projects, great or small. A project can be something as simple as repainting a wall a new color, or as grandiose as adding a new room to the house.

Whether it is out of necessity, or if you just feel like your tired of your surroundings and want to make a couple of changes , there is always something that can be done to make our homes that much more special. Doing so can make a tremendous positive impact on you and your family’s daily lives.

Once you’ve decided to start a new project, there are several important decisions that will have to be made. First of all, you have to take in consideration the scope of the project to be undertaken. Decide whether it’s something that you can do yourself, or if you’re going to need to hire outside help.

Home improvement doesn’t necessarily have to be earth shattering stuff. If it is at all possible to do the work yourself, then you might want to consider doing it and save yourself some money.

You can even ask some of your friends and family to come and help out. Chances are, a few of your good buddies would be more than happy to lend a hand with painting the house, or whatnot in exchange for a couple of cold ones.

However, there are some jobs that might require special skills or are simply too big to do yourself. In these cases you’ll have to employ the services of a contractor.

Next and most importantly, is the planning and budgeting. Getting this wrong can end up giving you lots of headaches, so be sure to plan this out carefully.

When preparing a budget, first get an accurate price list of all the materials that you are going to use. Be sure to allot an amount for unexpected expenses. Something can and inevitably will go wrong when implementing your project so be certain to have some money set aside to cover any possible problems.

When looking for a contractor, be sure to ask plenty of different contractors for their estimated prices. The prices they offer can change depending on how booked they are, or how far they are from the building site. Keep looking around for the best offer.

More importantly, ask around about the contractor’s history and legitimacy. Choose one with a good reputation for competence and honesty and ask them for customer references. Don’t choose a contractor nicknamed Bob, “The Homewrecker”.

Be sure to have everything well planned out before sealing the deal with the contractor. Ensure that the contract contains all of the necessary information such as agreed upon price, a detailed description of what the project entails, and the completion date. Also, avoid making changes midway through the project as this will require additional payments.

A home improvement project will generally require a lot of time and space, so discuss your plans with everyone living in the house beforehand. Some of the more expansive projects will require everyone to move out for a while so it would be a good time to schedule a family vacation while the work is being done.

You might also have to move all of your stuff out during the job. If the garage isn’t enough to fit all your stuff you can consider renting a temporary storage space.

After all the work is done you’ll find that your home an even more wonderful place to live in. And once you see the work that you have done, you will be amazed how just a little work here and there will do wonders to improve the atmosphere of your house.

It won’t even have to cost you that much money. It’s up to the home owner how much money they will be investing towards the improvement of their abode.

After all all, there’s no better way to show that you care than to reward yourself and your family with brighter and tidier surroundings. It will be like stepping into a beautiful new home.

Lee Dobbins writes for http://homeimprovement.unique-articles.com where you can get more articles on home improvement.

[tags]home improvement, interior design, diy, do it yourself, home renovation, remodeling[/tags]

In my view, there are four key elements in kitchen design: appliances, cabinetry, worktops and flooring. Lighting, sinks, fixtures, and accessories are also very important.

Good kitchen designers are aware of the latest trends and the most popular kitchen look. They can create something unique or a kitchen that will appeal to a broader customer base. I would not, however, just ‘outsource’ kitchen design to anyone but would rather be actively involved in all stages of a kitchen project.

Recently a friend of mine decided to redo her kitchen, with a bit of help from an interior designer. She focused on getting the four essential elements to work together in creating an upper end of the market kitchen. She also set strict budget constraints within which she was determined to work. She opted for high end market appliances from Buyers and Sellers in Portobello, cool abstract white cabinets and a built-in fridge-freezer from Ikea, and a trendy basalt worktop with matching basalt tiles for the floor from Stoneville. The stainless steel tap and sink were by Frankie. For the lighting, she chose square shaped halogen lights.

She splashed out on a chimney hood and a ceramic hob by Miele. She then got a cooker and a dishwasher by Neff, and a washer dryer by AEG. Miele appliances were chosen for their quality, as well as design and brand appeal. Neff oven was chosen for its good size that could easily accommodate a turkey for Christmas. The integrated dishwasher and washer dryer she chose were relatively basic but with good noise control properties.

Ikea abstract white units were chosen for the high gloss finish and the colour which is both classic and modern. They were also good value for money. The grey colour of the basalt complemented the white colour of the units and went very well with the stainless steel of the fan extractor, the cooker, the tap and the sink, as well as the aluminium handles of the cabinets.

It is very important to get appliances, units and flooring right. I would say that hobs and hoods are the most important kitchen appliances because they fulfil not only essential functions in the kitchen but can also serve as design features. It is worth going for top brands, budget permitting. Worktops can be made of granite, marble, basalt, wood, glass, and agglomerate. There is a large variety of materials for the floor, including porcelain, wood, glass and natural stones. They come in a large variety of colours and textures to suit various tastes and requirements. Cabinets come in even more colours. Alno Kitchens, for examples, offers any NCS colour for their cabinets, i.e. any colour shade there is.

It is important to consider various options and elements in detail but it is also advisable to stay focused on the essentials which contribute most to the overall design.

Written by Erika Hansen. Erika provides interior design advice to Stoneville (UK) Ltd,
http://stoneville.co.uk/

[tags]kitchen design, appliances, flooring, basalt[/tags]

Rustic furniture is known for its simplistic beauty. Created from wood that is unfinished or that has a rough finish, rustic furniture is treasured by those who love a “country” theme. Rustic furniture includes beautiful pine log cabins as well as the “rustic style” furniture that graces many homes, hotels, and cabins today.

Whether it is a log cabin that is nestled in the heart of the Carolinas, or a beautiful sculptured and reworked piece of rustic barn furniture, this style appeals to those who love the wholesome beauty of nature, country, and desire to surround themselves with these pieces. Nothing says America better than beautiful handmade rustic furniture and its popularity is vast. Many modern homes have come to include some rustic elements to their decorating scheme as well as those who wouldn’t trade one step of a rustic staircase for an entire home furnished with contemporary d

Your bedroom reflects your personality just as much as your perfume does. Transforming your personal space into a romantic haven can be easy and affordable. A few simple changes will lend a sense of quiet comfort to a room that you’ll love to come back to!

I think we work hard and deserve and little space of serene tranquility. Don’t you? Close the door, leave the word outside and treat yourself!

Of course the first place to start is with your linens. No matter what sheets you like, from non iron percale to pure linen, they should be embroidered or trimmed with eyelet or a beautiful laced edging.

* Have a combination of layers on the bed. It is wonderful to be able to “shed a few petals” during the night as you get warmer. Many layers of light materials, from cotton sheets to down comforters (or two very thin down comforters with a cotton sheet in between) make a great combination.

* If you decide to have an all white or ivory color theme in your room, you might want to add some pastel colored accents such as curtains, pillows, lampshades, etc. The colors can be easily changed for a summer and winter look. Macrame lace curtains, with their rich texture will give your windows a most graceful and dramatic look, especially if they fall generously onto the floor.

* If you like to sew, you can create artful pillows with eyelet trimming. You could place one, two or even three rows of white or ivory eyelet on pastel sheets and pillows, or vice versa. Just remember to keep continuity in the color scheme of your room.
You could also cover pillows with any lace of your choice.

* Do not forget to pile pillows of different sizes and textures when you bed is made. They could all blend with the color of your bedspread or pick up on the color of your curtains, chairs, or rugs.

* How about a flowing, lacey, to-the-floor canopy bed cover? You can always tie back the canopy with some lovely tassels during the day. Macrame lace is a preferred choice in Europe because of its elegant, but flowing feel.

* Comforters are making a big comeback, and it’s easy to see why! They are light, warm, and give a room a cozy touch. They are traditionally filled with goose down but are now available with hypoallergenic synthetic fillings that are just as comfortable. Paired with freshly laundered linens, they will be ready to cuddle you for a well deserved rest. One word of advice: Do lock your door; kids love to jump on them!

* You could make a beautiful bed cover out of eyelet material, and just lay it flat over your solid colored sheets or comforter. If you need to make it wider, just make sure the seams will be on the edges of the bed. Some eyelet material can even be cut around the stitched design and requires no sewing (my favorite!). You could also cut out a runner for your dresser or night stand. Classic beauty is always in details!

* A sweep of sheer mosquito netting above your bed is all you need to give your room a sunny, tropical getaway feeling. (I’ll throw in the ocean as a bonus!)

* You can easily give your headboard a personal touch. Sew a slipcover (leaving a few inches of fabric on each side to form a flat flange and to add buttonholes and buttons if you’d like) and cover that fabric with lace or eyelet of your choice. You could then slip this cover over an existing headboard or a cut out piece of plywood.

I hope these tips help you, but in the end, your imagination and creativity will make your bedroom unique as you are.

Martine Lykos is the webmaster of Lace and Linen Classics.

[tags]Romantic Bedrooms, Bedroom Decorating, Decorating Tips,[/tags]

Want your front door to really “sing?” Then paint it a color to make it the outside focal point of your home.

Now, just what color would that be, you ask?

Here’s the way to know: Look at the color scheme you are using in your entry, living
and dining room. Would any of those colors look good with the exterior color of the
body of your house? Good. Then that’s your color. If you want to do a deeper, more
subdued version of it, that’s fine, too. But the whole idea is to give the front of your
house more pizzazz or presence and to make a connection between the outside and
the inside.

Now, don’t forget to paint the inside of the door! Leave your trim white or natural
wood stain but get the color on both sides of the door so your guests can make a
grand entrance and exit. Besides, it’s a great way to decorate the entry without
taking up any floor space so this works well for even small entries.

Once you have the right color, you now can play off that by adding plants or
furniture (even outdoors) and artwork inside. (Note: most entryways look better with
a large piece of art than a mirror that reflects the guest or another room. The only
exception is if it will reflect a view window.)

An area rug adds lots of color and style without taking up any floor space, so this is
possible even in a small entry. Be sure to check how thick of a rug your front door
will fit over. Usually rugs that are highly patterned and not too light or dark show
the least in a high traffic area.

Mary L. Brown of One Day Design is an interior re-designer who specializes in
quickly transforming rooms using the furniture, accessories, and artwork people
already have to give them a professionally decorated look! She’s been featured on
FOXTV, NBC and HGTV. Sign-up for her FREE decorating newsletter at http://www.OneDayDesign.com.

[tags]interior design,redesign,furnishings,accessories,entryway,artwork,design,home,rooms,living room,door[/tags]

While generalizing is something that isn’t recommended most of the time, it is fair to say we can please most, if not all, of an entire gender with our living room design. The ultimate guy living room is one of absolute class, style, and technology. Most men do not like to be without a big screen T.V. on game day, just as they wouldn’t want a living room design to not come with a table for their snacks. This article is dedicated to the ultimate guy living room.

Why wait, let’s get to the most important element of any men’s room, the T.V. Not just any T.V. will do for the ultimate guy living room; therefore we must give it some parameters. The T.V. in the ultimate guy living room is at least 50 inches big, and comes flat as a wall. Think LCD, or Plasma, or both! This living room design is meant for the most serious fan.

One common complaint amongst men is the breakability of most furniture, thus our room comes stocked with one large industrial steel table. If you have trouble imagining this element of the ultimate guy living room, think about a warehouse, or factory, during the industrial age, and think of the heavy duty tables that were used to work on. For our living room we’d take a table right out of the factory, and do nothing to it, but wipe the dust off of it.

Next, the ultimate guy living room must include a plethora of ultra comfortable sofas. Each sofa would be in a dark color, thus not to run into staining issues, and come with steel nail reinforced covering for those times when the couch gets tossed around like laundry in a spin cycle.

Finally, the ultimate guy living room would come stocked with wooden bookshelves, and an open canvas art that helped to accent the masculine nature of the room. Books would need to have some dense binding to them as they would be stacked sparingly on the shelves, and the art would be modern, but not over the top.

For those that want the ultimate guy living room, simply follow the above plan, and enjoy. There will be countless guys that come over, and compliment you on the coolness of your room. Simply interpret that as a pat on the back for a living room design well done.

Copyright Shrinivas Vaidya

Shrinivas Vaidya is the webmaster of http://www.livingroomdatabase.com. Visit today to get more free tips on designing and decorating a beautiful and charming living room of your wildest dreams.

[tags]living room, living rooms, living room decorating[/tags]

Some people do not find it essential to design their kitchen because it is a heavily used room in the home and is prone to stains, dirt, and spills. But don’t you think that since this is where all the meals are prepared, all the more that the kitchen should have designs to make it look vibrant and alive?

Kitchen designs have long been a part of many homes to make kitchen areas look more appealing and oozing with style. Kitchen nowadays have gone overboard the traditional functional kitchen. This is not anymore an area of your home where you simply cook and prepare your meals and wash the dishes after using them. You can always look for color wallpaper, color schemes, and other aesthetic additions to make up the design portion of your kitchen.

Kitchen designs reflect the personality and personal work style of the homeowner. From the kitchen cabinets to the cupboards and sinks, the design of the kitchen should be made in such a way that everything will be within easy reach for someone working in the kitchen. A good kitchen design should have sensible work triangles and the right appliance arrangements so it will be easy to move around.

Since appearance is just as important as functionality, kitchen tables and furniture have also evolved from plain and traditional looking to more customized ones. Cabinets and cupboards have different materials and colors that will sure give life to your kitchen as additional space. Sinks nowadays are not only made for washing the dishes but for aesthetic purposes as well.

With the many benefits that kitchen designs bring to your kitchen area, it does make a lot of sense to start adding style to it. However, when you integrate some kitchen design ideas, you have to see to it that the key elements in design should not be missed such as balance and harmony.

Kitchens provides detailed information on Kitchens, Kitchen Cabinets, Kitchen Remodeling, Kitchen Designs and more. Kitchens is affiliated with Free Floor Plans.

[tags]Kitchen Designs[/tags]

Psychology of colors - the bedroom

Color can have an astounding effect on perceptions, feelings, and interactions. Different colors evoke different memories and different ideas. In the bedroom, where one is supposed to be most at ease, it is important that you plan out your color scheme so that it creates the maximum comfort for you.

Psychologists have been studying the effects of color on people for many years. While they have made many discoveries about color effects on people in different societies, they have not found any effects that occur across all societies. For instance in China the color red tends to make people feel calm, while in America red tends to make people more aggressive. This means that the effect of color on a persons mind is individual and perceptual, rather then being physiological and inherent. In order to choose the right color for a setting, you will have to get in touch with your inner self, and see which color you harmonize best with. In the bedroom one tries to achieve maximum relaxation. By choosing the colors that you feel most comfortable with, you will find the greatest contentment with your decor.

Think about the following colors. Think about each one separately. Think about their different shades, how you feel about them, what they invoke in you.

Red. Orange. Yellow. Green. Blue. Violet. Purple. White. Black

Once you have gained insight into how you feel about those colors, you can read about the general effects these colors have on people in American society. Don’t be afraid to disagree, your tastes are different from anyone else’s, but do keep in mind that the average American that enters the room will feel these effects to some extent.

The two extreme colors are white and black. Black is an attention grabber, and can create a bedroom with a dark, sultry look. Unfortunately it will also make the room look smaller and seem more restrictive. Overuse of the color black can be dangerous in a room like the bedroom, as it can darken a person’s mood. It may even produce night mares. Meanwhile its polar opposite, white, can be uninspiring. Most rooms start off with white walls, and it is the generic look for many homes. It can have a positive and soothing effect on ones emotions, but it may also lead to a lack of stimulation which can be a terrible thing in a bedroom. Whatever ones perceptions however, white is a good color for warm climates. White reflects light creating cooler temperatures and a breezy feeling.

The earth tones are gentle and will keep a bedroom feeling close and snuggly, as long as you pay attention to the tones you use. These colors include browns, oranges, and yellows. Browns tend to remind Americans of family, and of emotional bonds to each other and the world. Orange is a color that makes people happy, but is also the color associated with food and could lead to midnight snacking. Yellow creates a very positive effect on people psychologically, but only short term. Long term exposure to this color can lead to irritation.

Blues and greens evoke serenity and peace. They are colors associated with nature and the ocean. Using these colors heavily in your bedroom can help to calm the emotions of its inhabitants, and bring restful nights. Blue will also calm cravings for food after you’ve gone to bed, because there is very little blue food in nature, so our minds tend to repress hunger at its site. Pink is the extreme claming color and many will find it impossible to act aggressively when surrounded by it. Purple is a nice color for a bedroom that will make it look more sophisticated.

Red is an exciting color. If you have trouble falling asleep, don’t use red in the bedroom. However, to get a tired relationship going, red may be just the color you want. Red makes Americans aggressive. It speeds up their metabolism and gives them energy. Red is a good color for sheets or blankets, because if it becomes too distracting it can be put away until desired.

Combining these colors yields further effects, which are numerous beyond the scope of this article. Remember that shade and tone is important, and will alter these effects. Most importantly, you should have the final say; it is the colors effect on your own mind that is important, and only you can truly understand your own impressions.

Joey Lewitin is an author, artist, and designer of home d

When warm weather is approaching, it’s time to start thinking about opening the swimming pool for the summer. Actually, opening the pool is just simply closing the pool in reverse, so let’s take you through it step by step.

The first place to start is to check your pool supplies. Very often, you’ll find that they may be old and out of date. So before you get started on the pool itself, make sure that the chemicals that you will be using to open the pool are up to date and usable. There’s nothing more frustrating than getting the pool all ready to go and then realizing that your supplies are no good.

When you know that your chemicals are all set, it’s time to uncover the pool. There is no real mystery to this part of the process as you just simply remove any excess water on the top of the cover, usually with a water pump. If you don’t have a water pump of your own, you can usually rent one very inexpensively. After the water is removed, take the cover off and clean it thoroughly before putting it away for the year. Be sure to allow it to dry before storing it too, as you don’t want any mildew to start growing on it while in storage.

If you disassembled the pump and filter, now is the time to put them back together again and reinstall them. At the same time, you can also put your ladders, diving board, and other deck fittings back in their respective places.

Usually, some sort of plugs are installed in the pool over the wintertime, so now is the time to remove them and to go around and check all of the fittings for both the intake and outtake holes in the pool. Make sure that all is in working order.

At this point you can begin to start filling the pool back up to its correct water level. That should not take all that long to do as usually only about a foot or so of water is drained out of the top of the pool when it was closed.

While the pool is refilling, check all the electrical switches, circuit breakers, and timers to make sure that they are in good working condition. If any need to be replaced, now is the time to do it.

Now you can begin to restart the circulation equipment and begin the cleaning of the pool. Of course, you’ll need to put in the necessary pool chemicals to restore the proper water chemistry and get it back into operating condition as recommended by your pool chemical company. With some pools this may go very quickly, and others it may take a longer period of time to accomplish. Generally speaking though, you should expect to run your circulation system round-the-clock for approximately three days on average to get your pool in good working order.

As you can see, opening the pool is just a simple step-by-step process that is repeated each year. Once you open a pool the first time, you should have all the experience you need to successfully open it year after year from there on.

Thad Pickering writes on many consumer related topics including home improvement. You can find out more about swimming pool designs and swimming pool safety covers by visiting our Home Improvement website.

[tags]swimming pool, pool, hot tub, spa, jaccuzi, whirlpool, home improvement[/tags]