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Remodeling a bathroom is a very trendy project in the home improvement world for homeowners of all ages. It can range from simply painting and replacing countertops to doing a complete bathroom makeover project like you would see on HGTV tearing out the floors, cabinets, tubs, and sinks and starting over new. Here are some things you should consider before you take on a bathroom remodeling project.

Proper planning is essential for helping to achieve the design for the bathroom of your dreams. One of the first major decisions is whether you will take the project on yourself or hire an interior designer, bathroom remodeling contractor or some other home improvement expert. One of the major factors to consider at this stage is your budget and also prioritizing the things you want to remodel. Before you start planning you have to decide whether you just want to make minor repairs or give your bathroom a whole new look.

The next thing on the agenda is to measure the bathroom for proportions and to get an idea of how you can make the best use of the space you have available. Deciding on how to properly arrange everything and whether you want to enlarge the bathroom are some of the factors you will want to consider here. You should now consider a workable design that you really like and will be happy with for years to come because remodeling a bathroom is not something you want to do very often!

You can decide on whether to paint your walls or to tile with ceramic or granite tiles to go along with the design concept of your dream bathroom. You also need to decide on what type of flooring you want with options including ceramic tiles, linoleum and baseboards. I prefer tile myself because it is easy to clean as well as being durable and long lasting.
The net issue to consider especially if you are doing a bathroom makeover will be the appliances and fixtures that need remodeling or replacing with to go along with the design of the room. You may find that you will want to replace the lighting, bathtubs, sinks, showers, faucets and toilets so that everything is new and has the same character.

Remodeling a bathroom can be a fun and exciting project but it can also be overwhelming because of all the different things that have to be considered just to plan it out. It can be especially problematic if you only have one bathroom!

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, remodeling, bathroom remodeling[/tags]

Amazingly most people starting out have no idea how they would like their living room design to turn out. In fact, most people buy a home on the looks of the kitchen, and the bathroom according to popular consensus. So what does this say about living room design? It says that people are not thinking about it enough, and thus find themselves without a viable living room decorating plan at move in time.

When planning for a living room design treatment, think of the entire family’s needs. If you are single, it would be an easy thing to do to think of your needs, however, most homeowners have some type of family, or roommate situation to consider. Thus, it is first necessary to look at their needs, before designing your idea of a perfect living room.

Questions to consider when developing a plan for your family living room design include use, space, and location.

Some living room design elements are basic due to the lack of use of the room. We’ve all seen those living room design elements with one sofa, covered in plastic that almost never gets touched. If this is your proposed use for the room, keep the design basic, and costs low. If, however, you are truly going to live, in the living room, it is important to look at the space itself before doing a final living room design.

Space can be defined as the parameters of the room in terms of length, width, and height. Most living rooms are large, sometimes the largest in the house. Therefore plan accordingly for the size of the living room when doing your living room design.

Location is another important element to think about when doing a living room design. If the room is located between two bedrooms, this might be reason not to install the surround sound that your child wants. Or if the room is located near the backyard, it may not make sense to install white carpet. Whatever the case, think carefully about the location of the living room, before performing a living room design plan.

Copyright Shrinivas Vaidya

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

[tags]living room design[/tags]

Champagne taste on a soda pop budget? Making your home, whether cottage or castle, a comfortable and nurturing space for you and your family doesn’t have to cost a bundle. With some ingenuity, creative flair, and a little elbow grease, you can make your home a haven from the stresses of the outside world and do it both affordably and beautifully.

10 tips to get you started:

1. Forget Tacky. Decorating inexpensively doesn’t mean your home will look tacky or cheap. Remember, you have champagne taste! It’s time to learn to train your eye and discern what is truly a “bargain.”

2. Plan First. Don’t buy a thing until you’ve done your homework! Light a candle, sit down in your most comfortable chair with a notebook, now called your “Decorating Dreams Journal,” and write down and/or draw what your home would look like if it were your dream home. Cut some pictures out of decorating magazines of rooms you love and paste them in your journal. Your creativity and style will start to flow. Don’t worry about implementing your dreams at this stage. It costs $0 to dream it out.

3. Have a Look. Look around your existing home. Determine what furniture and accessories you already have that you love. Make a list in your journal of what you want to keep, reupholster, paint, and what you want to sell or donate to charity. Pieces you sell will net you money you can use for new items.

4. Make a List. In one section of your journal, start a shopping list by room. What do you need? What do you want? Prioritize what you’d like to buy first. Starting with major pieces such as sofa, bed, and a dining room table and chairs is a good plan. As you’re out and about window shopping, you can carry your journal with you for notes, inspiration, paint swatches etc.

5. Favorite Colors. What color(s) do you absolutely love? Think of a favorite outfit or an accessory in your home such as a favorite dish or painting etc. Create a color scheme for your home of 2-3 complimentary colors. Take digital photos of items in the colors you love and put them in your journal. Using the same 2-3 colors in all your rooms will help it flow. It costs $0 to choose your favorite colors.

6. Think Creatively. Brainstorm as to how you can do what you want to do for less. Painting your kitchen chairs costs little, draping a colorful new throw on your sofa costs little, as does a new slipcover for a worn chair. Look at new ways to use things you already have, like containers, throws, pillows etc.

7. Clear the Clutter. Okay, it’s time to actually get rid of those college dorm chairs and the “early mother-in-law” bed. Hold a garage sale, donate, or consign what you no longer want. It will make space for the new and improved to enter.

8. Upscale Stores. Yes, you read right! Now it’s time to go “window shopping” and the first place you should head is to those high end furniture and d

The kitchen has traditionally had three main design elements, the cabinets, work space and the appliances. The cabinets are used for storage, counters are used as preparation areas and the appliances for food preparation or various other handling like refrigeration, cooking, cutting, etc. Up until after World War II, in the United States all three were provided by stand alone pieces of furniture. In big English kitchens large work tables were magnets for families as well as useful counter space.

After World War II, when there was a boom of cookie cutter home construction in the U.S., kitchens acquired built in cabinets and counters. The kitchen became more utilitarian and was usually reserved for the woman of the home and used exclusively for cooking, while other parts of the home were designated for the actual eating and all other activities.

Modern kitchens have reverted to the older model of a more social, open and customized kitchen. Everyone ends up in the kitchen. It again seems to be the place to congregate - more often there is more than one cook and families use the space for hanging out.

One new design element that has crept into the kitchen as it (re)evolved is the kitchen island. The island seems to be bringing back the idea of the reliable work table, only now it is oh so adaptable.

If you’re building a new kitchen or remodeling an older kitchen and considering building a kitchen island, take a moment to figure out if that is indeed what your kitchen needs. Vastly useful and attractive, in can nonetheless be inappropriate for certain kitchens.

Your kitchen needs to be big enough for an island, usually at least 13 feet wide. The size of the actual island will also depend on the overall available space. You need to make sure that there is enough room to walk between the island and cabinetry as well as open all doors (cabinets, dishwasher, compost bin, etc.). Also, if you are planning to have barstools or chairs at the island, make sure there is enough room with them there.

Islands work best with L, U and G shaped kitchens. These shapes make for relatively enclosed kitchens and the island can help to encourage more interaction in the space without making the flow awkward.

Next, think about what you will use the island for. The island is accessible from all sides and depending on size can have many applications. For example, kids can use it as a table to do homework on while dinner is being cooked. Or, the stove top can be on the island and helpers can use it to chop and stir. If there are multiple cooks, a free standing structure like the island is convenient and will give you more space to move around and cook without getting into each others’ way. Perhaps you will use it to set up buffets that people can access while you continue to cook using the other counter space. A properly set up island can also function as an informal dining or breakfast area that is more akin to an actual table and more social than an alienating, single line countertop seating arrangement.

Depending on your needs, you can choose to put a sink or a stovetop on the island. Or you can leave it as pure counter space. It can be multi-level and custom shaped or rectangular and level. Further, you can use the block as extra storage by adding drawers and doors.

The island adds a lot of functional advantages to the kitchen, but it can also help to structure the use of the space. It works as an area where people congregate, but it also works as a border, keeping them separate from the cooks or those cleaning. By bringing people into the kitchen but keeping them separated, the kitchen island encourages a social atmosphere without letting extra people get in the way of the activity. Or if they’re helping, it gives them a separate space to work.

Finally, the island becomes a focal point in the kitchen not only functionally but also aesthetically. It is, in many ways, a large piece of immovable furniture. By placing it in the middle of the room, you are putting it in the spotlight. You can make it stand out more by using different countertop materials from the rest of the kitchen or try to blend it in by making everything match perfectly. There are many decorative elements that can be applied to the kitchen island, ranging from colors and intricate, decorative mouldings to island shapes and arrangements.

The kitchen island is a great addition if your kitchen can accommodate it. Check if you need one (or do you already have enough storage and counter space? And a table for your kids to hang out at?) and can fit it. Designing it is the fun part.

For ideas, as well as materials, check out Barefoot Kitchens.

[tags]home remodeling,remodel, kitchen, cabinets, kitchen island, cabinetry, hardwood, floor, ceramic tile[/tags]

Lighting is an important feature of a home from a functional as well as decorative standpoint. When different lighting techniques are joined together, it gives a single room the potential to have a variety of different atmospheres, moods, and functions. This is important since the same room can require a different atmospheres or function depending on the time of day. Certain rooms of a home require more attention to lighting than others. Planning this contrasting lighting design should especially be taken into consideration with living rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, and kitchens.

Living rooms require many different lighting types because it often has multiple functions. If the living room is used for recreational activities such as hobbies and games or for deskwork, it needs to be furnished with sufficient task lighting to avoid eyestrain with these activities. A living room also needs to be able to have lower lighting levels as well for watching television or just relaxing.

Bedrooms also need varying lighting schemes. Soft lighting is needed for creating a relaxing and restful atmosphere. Task lighting should also be strategically placed at the bedside for nighttime reading or hobbies such as sewing.

Bathroom lighting needs to be bright around the sink and mirror areas. Task lighting is important for this area for grooming activities including shaving and putting on makeup. Lighting in other areas of the bathroom can focus more on decoration and mood.

A kitchen probably requires the most variation in lighting. Task lighting is a must for food preparation and cooking activities. Softer lighting that can create a nice, elegant mood is also needed for dining and entertaining.

Lighting is one of the most overlooked home features from a functional as well as design standpoint. For creating moods or reducing eyestrain, lighting is very important.

If you have enjoyed this article and would like to learn more about finding the perfect lighting for your home including information about outdoor lighting, landscape lighting, bathroom lighting and more, visit http://www.home-lighting-depot.com to get all the facts and info today.

[tags]lighting,light,outdoor,landscape,design,garden,bathroom,kitchen,yard,deck,porch,patio,living room[/tags]

Although I have not given up my love affair with Sweet Basil, my attentions have recently turned to anther - rosemary. Rosmarinus officinalis, a member of the mint family, is a wonderful culinary herb with an impressive background. This herb has had an important role in both legend and religion. Ancient Greeks used rosemary to adorn virgins before sacrificing them. The Romans believed it helped memory, and adorned the herb while studying. The herb supposedly turned from white to blue when Mary hung her cloak on it while fleeing Herod’s soldiers and rosemary was always included in monastery gardens of Europe. Rosemary is referred to in literature as a symbol of remembrance and love and often used in wedding ceremonies. It is said that if there is rosemary in the garden, there will be a strong woman in the house! Used both as a culinary and medicinal herb, rosemary was believed to cure a host of maladies: depression, headaches, stomach ailments and was said to repel the Black Plague.

The name Rosemary is based on Latin words meaning “dew of the sea” and the plant is native to the rocky Mediterranean region. It has small light-blue flowers and narrow, pine-needle-like evergreen leaves that have a strong sweet piney scent and add a distinctive flavor to foods. Rosemary is a wonderful perennial for permanent landscape uses in areas where winters are mild enough making fine ground covers or handsome hedges. It does best in full sun with well-drained soil. Growth can be controlled by frequent pinching.

I have planted both ‘Arp’ and ‘Hardy Hill’ in our garden and have been delighted with the results. Both varieties have weathered three winters (Zone 7) with a prevailing winter wind relentlessly blowing, and each spring have brought the promise of renewed vigor. These upright, rigid growers with their intensely fragrant branches have been the backbone of many summer flower arrangements. They out-last their flower-cousins and their distinctive scent is an added bonus. In addition to use in arranging, rosemary is a must in any kitchen. Roast lamb is incomplete without rosemary!

In 1985, Briscoe White opened The Growers Exchange in an abandoned Texaco station on a busy urban street corner in Richmond, Virginia. The facility has grown over the years, and is now 5 distinct growing environments with 5 acres under cover. Briscoe has over 25 years of gardening experience. For further information on gardening products or gardening tips please contact Briscoe White at bwhite@thegrowersexchange.com

[tags]rosemary,growing rosemary,rosemary uses,gardening tips[/tags]

Did you know that you could drastically boost your homes value without needing to invest heavily in remodeling? If you are selling your home, of course you want to obtain the highest price possible. Before you throw in the towel and sell your home for a price way below your expectations, you could try doing some inexpensive renovations to increase your home’s value up to 20%. That’s not a bad figure, is it?

Here is a brief summary of the steps you can undertake to make your home worth considerably more than it is today.

The kitchen is one of the vital areas to pay attention to in your efforts to increase your home’s worth. Home buyers are looking for spacious kitchens that are clean, in good repair and have the necessary furnishings for working.

To make the kitchen look larger, try installing lights that will make it look brighter. You could also redo the windows to remove clutter and allow in more natural light. This will have the effect of making the kitchen look more spacious. Make sure the floorings and the counter tops are in good condition. If it is not beyond your budget you could even replace the current flooring with stone or tile, which is a lot more durable than linoleum that cracks and tears.

Keep the kitchen shipshape. It doesn’t cost much to have scratches and bumps fixed. If you have broken fixtures or electrical outlets, have them repaired with good materials by a qualified plumber or electrician. A paint job will do wonders not only for your kitchen but for the whole home. So consider adding a fresh coat of paint to your home.

Living rooms must give a spacious impression. Some people do so by strategically placing mirrors. Take care of the minor repairs like light bulbs and electrical outlets. Make sure the living room is airy. Light colored walls and ceiling, installation of good lighting, and a general orderliness of the living room will contribute much to this effect.

Like the other rooms, the bedroom also has to be spacious, airy and bright. Mirrors are especially helpful at accomplishing this effect. Most five-star hotels have to project a feeling of space, and they utilize this method to maximum effect.

Ensure all rooms have a adequate number of electrical receptacles. The flexibility this makes possible will make your home much more comfortable and desirable to potential buyers.

If you plan to install new surfaces, you should think about using natural materials such as stone, marble, quality wood, and others. Many folks favor these materials and are willing to pay a premium to have them.. Make the cabinets and closets as large as practically possible without making the rooms they are in look cramped.

Use fluorescent lighting instead of incandescent lighting to provide your bathrooms with a light feel. Installing inexpensive amenities to your bathroom like towel holders, racks, shower curtains, and shower fixtures will enhance the appearance, value, and appeal of your home.

Simple gardening will go a long way to make your home more appealing. Keeping the yard in order, and tending to the garden will result in a yard that will most likely attract eager buyers. To emphasize the importance of a good yard, mature trees will typically add about $1000 to the value of your home. So imagine the impact of a well-tended garden to the value of your home!

You can mix, match and experiment with the tips given here. The main principle is that you should make your home look as spacious, airy, and light as you can. You should also make sure your home looks unique, and not identical to the other homes in your neighborhood. If you can one up their amenities, then good for you! Many of these tips do not have to be expensive at all! So go ahead, use your imagination and pay attention to detail to give your home a better look and start increasing its value today!

Want to learn more money saving tips while improving your home?
Visit http://www.NiceHome101.com Now!

[tags]home improvement, paint, counter top, bathroom, bedroom, living room, home value, home price[/tags]

Solid wood countertops are natural products made of wood from trees approximately 120 years old. Wood is a living material and the more moisture receives, the more the wood countertop will expand. The wood we used in solid wood worktops has been previously kiln dried to a humidity level of 6%, and it is therefore important that the worktop is not exposed to a constantly high level of humidity. Normally the humidity level in kitchens is approximately 50-70%.

The solid wood top must be attached to the cabinet box using only wood screws and washers. It is not recommended at all to glue the top on the cabinet box; the top and the box expand and contract at different rates, therefore cracks might eventually appear, most probably on the cabinets’ surface.

The proper way of installing a solid wood top is using metal fixings along the cabinet box.

The metal fixings must be uniformly distributed throughout the length of the top, spaced at a 1′ - 1.5′ distance from each other. Across the width, the top is usually fixed to each metal support with three screws, one in the middle, one toward the front edge and one toward the rear edge. The supports must be perfectly leveled; otherwise tensions can develop in the wood, leading to warping, cupping, or cracks.

We recommend pre-drilling the screw holes into the wood countertop, in order to avoid cracks and splits. For the same reason, it is a good idea not to over tighten the screws. The finishing will considerably diminish the extent of such movements, but will not eliminate them altogether. Due to the panel’s laminated structure, the lengthwise movements are insignificant, so the installer should pay attention to the movements occurring across the panel’s width. In order to prevent the development of inner tensions, the holes in the metal fixings should be elongated in the direction of the movements.

When exposed to normal humidity levels - i.e. 50-60% - the worktop’s width will expand by 1/12″-1/24″, but when exposed to a level of 80-90%, this measurement may expand by up to 1/2″ or even more for some species. Therefore, when the rear edge of the counter top is installed against a wall, the wall might restrict the top’s natural movements, leading to undesired tensions in the wood. To avoid this, you can allow a 1/4″-1/2″ joint between the wall and the countertop edge and caulk it with a thin bid of acid-free silicone.

Additionally, you can firmly fix the rear edge to the metal supports underneath and thus, allow the natural movements to occur at the expense of the opposite edge.

In this case, the holes in the metal fixings corresponding to the rear edge will be no larger than the screws diameter, while the holes corresponding to the middle section and the front edge will be elongated.

For additional information regarding the installation of wood countertops, bar tops and kitchen islands, please visit our web page.

Adrian Laza
Lafor Wood Products
15+ years experience in wood countertops, butcher blocks, kitchen islands, worktops, manufacturing field.
http://www.hardwoodcountertops.com
http://www.lafor.ro

[tags]butcher blocks, countertops, kitchen islands, kitchen remodeling, kitchen cabinet, worktops, tops,[/tags]

Depending on what kind of home renovation look you might be interested in bathroom tend to be the popular choice when spending a few dollars. A nice bathroom vaniety allows you to provide an inviting feel into this room. With bathroom vanities you have the ability too maximize a small space or create your luxurious dream bath. Just imagine the nice appearance your house guests will feel when they go see that room.

Some of the usual bathroom vanities are bath furniture- kitchen faucets, , shower faucets, bath faucet, bathroom faucets and more. This is often the most affordable way to give your bathroom that new look that you really want. With today’s home improvement fashions out there, you will be amazed at the various styles and selection of product that is actually available out there. You definitely want to visual the type of look that you are after and we are definitely here to help you. We want to provide you with the ideas you need to make your remodelling job a successful one.

For a wide range in bathroom plans including vanities we can definitely point you in the right direction. Many products come in a wide choice to suit your layout or design that you are after. Take the time to review these online home decor specialists. Whether you are looking for a matte or polished product you will definitely be impressed with what is available out there.

Amy-Jo Strutt is a successful home decorator and regular contributor to vanities-showers-curtains.com - An online resource to help you find the very best in all your bathroom needs.
http://www.vanities-showers-curtains.com

[tags]bathroom vanities, bathroom vanity[/tags]

There are a million articles, books and courses that you can find about spring cleaning, clearing the clutter, organizing, and the art of Feng Shui. You can even hire a consultant to come into your home and do these things for you. This article is going to go a step beyond that. You will be able to rejuvenate your home in areas where Lysol, a carpet cleaner, and organizational systems fail to go!

I’m going to assume that you all ready know the basics of cleaning, removing whatever you don’t need or aren’t emotionally attached to, and how to keep your belongings organized. I’m also going to assume that you understand that a clean and healthy environment improves your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. I don’t believe you would be reading this article if you haven’t all ready been working hard to create a clean and healthy environment for yourself and your family.

What we really want to focus on with this article is that not so fresh feeling that occasionally lingers even after you’ve cleaned, organized, and simplified down to the bare bones. There are a variety of reasons why this might happen. Maybe the room doesn’t have enough windows, or other natural resources to refresh itself in a natural way. Or, it could have lingering energy from bad memories. Those energies need a little more work to get rid of so you can fill the room with the warmth and comfort you want to feel in there instead. The following tools will help you with your efforts.

If the room you are struggling with doesn’t have enough windows to provide plenty of natural lighting, it may have a lingering stale feeling to it. There are a couple of things you can do to correct this. One is to buy light bulbs that have a natural light to them. They are available at most places you buy regular bulbs at. This will give the room the feeling that sunshine is pouring in. Another good idea is to burn candles. Even unscented ones are perfect in giving the room a feeling of warmth and comfort that the sun would normally offer.

Speaking of candles, scented candles are a wonderful source of aromatherapy and can help freshen a room while your offering the additional light. Try to stick with one scent at a time though so the room doesn’t become overwhelming. The best scents for a room lacking in sunlight are light or citrusy scents that will help lighten the room’s atmosphere.

Mother Nature offers many types of naturally cleaning items. Bringing these items of nature indoors is the best way to keep your space refreshed. Plants are perfect for any room and continuously clean the air for you. Philodendrons, Spider plants, and Pothos were found to be the most efficient in the removal of formaldehyde. Gerbera Daisies and Chrysanthemums were found to be effective in the removal of benzene, a known carcinogen. You can check with your local greenhouse for more information about the types of plants that will work the best for you.

Gemstones and crystals have energetic vibrations that interact with the atmosphere in a room and are perfect for helping to create more positive energies. You can find decorative gemstones in any shape and size to fit the scheme of your room’s d