All of home

Thursday 6 September 2007

7 Budget Kitchen Decorating Ideas

Despite what you may read in the trendiest kitchen design magazines, updating the look of your kitchen really does not require that your spend a lot of time and money. There are some simple and inexpensive ways to give your kitchen a brand new look.

Some small change here and there that you can make in your kitchen can still create a big effect on how your kitchen looks. You can get ideas about what you would like incorporate into your kitchen decorating and remodeling project from books, magazines, and internet sites dealing with kitchen design ideas.

There are 7 relatively low cost kitchen-decorating ideas to create a beautiful kitchen:

1. Replacing the cabinet doors and fronts. Then you can reface the remaining fixtures. This will greatly change the whole look and feel of your kitchen.

2. Painting your cabinets white and changing the hardware, such as knobs, handles, or pulls.

3. Using solid core MFD doors, which are medium density fiberboard or timber. They can be fitted to a solid door base. This type of door can be painted to create any look you may want.

4. Using color to renovate the kitchen is another example of inexpensive kitchen decorating. You can paint your walls and cabinets. When it comes to painting your existing cabinetry, you can use decorative finishes. Some examples are creating a distressed finish to add an aged look, and faux and glazed finishes. These are all simple to do and cost effective.

5. Another area of the kitchen you can easily update is the faucet and sink. It is possible to locate moderately priced sinks that can cost from $50 $300. They are also available in many colors, and styles. Porcelain, stainless steel, and acrylic are the materials that are available for sinks. For faucets, you will find that they are available in many styles and finishes, and depending on the type of faucet can range in price from $50 to$750.

6. Another great affordable idea in kitchen decorating is to add a kitchen island. Kitchen islands are great for adding more counter space to the kitchen and provide a gathering place. If you do not have enough money or space to add a permanent kitchen island, but would like to have the advantages of one, you might consider as an alternative getting a kitchen cart. A kitchen cart can have wheels for rolling around, as well as have drawers, shelves, and places to hang utensils. Because they are on wheels they can be cleared out the way.

7. If your kitchen-decorating budget is so small that you can only afford to remodel a small area of your kitchen you might consider adding a kitchen backsplash. A new kitchen backsplash can really dress up a drab, uninspiring kitchen. Kitchen backsplashes are available in so many different styles, colors, and materials. The materials used for backsplashes can include, wood, porcelain, natural stone, glass, stainless steel, and even wallpaper. The costs vary depending on the material you select.

So you can see that redecorating your kitchen can be a simple thing like changing the hardware on your existing cabinetry or painting the walls. Just one small change can do a lot to make your kitchen look brand new.

About the Author: James Mahoney is the author of many kitchen design articles and has a site about kitchen design ideas at Kitchen Designers Ideas.com.
He also publishes a newsletter on kitchen design.

Tuesday 4 September 2007

Home Insulation

Different kinds of home insulation, is available to consumers. Careful consideration, were insulation will be installed, and amount required. Always, check local and state building codes, for further information, and requirements. When hiring someone to install insulation, make sure the company or business is licensed, and knowledgeable of all building codes, regarding insulation. Recommended, insulation in knee walls of attic spaces, cathedral or vaulted ceilings, around the perimeters of slabs (prevent cold from entering), floors above vented crawl spaces, basement walls, band and head joists, interior walls, and wall between the garage and living space. Good insulation, will increase energy efficiency, and reduce the cost for energy or electricity.

United States Department of Energy (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program provides low income, families with assistance, for home improvements, including energy efficiency, through improving home insulation. In July 2005, the DOE provided $92.5, for low income, families in nineteen states.

Different Types of Home Insulation

Asbestos is a mineral fiber, used during the 1970s, in building products, because it was fireproof, good thermal insulator, and easily made into fabrics. Covered pipe coverings, oil and coal furnaces. Also, a good insulator for hot water and steam pipes. Further investigation, of asbestos, caused Mesothelioma, a type of lung cancer, and cancers of the gastrointestinal tract. The Environmental Protection Agency banned the use of asbestos, in July 1989.

Fiber Glass or fibrous glass dust is a soft wool material, produced from molten sand and inorganic materials. According to Environmental Protection Agency, at least twenty percent of cycled glass is added to Fiber Glass. Advantages using Fiber Glass: Absorb sound, control heat, reinforce materials with extra strength, and help control water condensation. When installed, usually a pink or yellow color. Fiber Glass installed in ventilation systems, prevent loss of heat / cold air, and reduce fan noise. Disadvantages using Fiber Glass: Causing skin, eye, nose, and throat irritations. Long term exposure to Fiber Glass, may lead to permanent lung disease. Reducing exposure to medical problems, related to Fiber Glass, by working in ventilated area, keep away from skin and eye exposure, by wearing gloves, and eye protection. Also, wash exposed skin frequently, and ever day clean work cloths.

Mineral Wool insulation refers two different materials: Slag wool and rock wool. Slag wool produced from iron or blast furnace slag, an industrial waste product. Rock wool produced from natural rocks. Slag wool is approximately, eighty percent of the mineral wool industry, and twenty percent for rock wool. Mineral wool insulation can reduce, residential energy bills by 40 percent, save to install and no exposure, for respiratory disease or cancer.

Cellulose insulation contains eighty percent of recycled newspapers, fire retardant chemicals, and in some products, acrylic binders. Advantages: Less expensive to install than fiberglass, better thermal insulator, better sound barrier than fiberglass, and greater savings then fiberglass. Cellulose insulation is blown through, several hundred feet of four inch tubing, either into attics or wall cavities. Heating and cooling bills are reduced by 15 to 30 percent. Disadvantage using Cellulose insulation: Over a period of time, the material well settle or reduce it's thickness, which will reduce it efficiency, by twenty percent of it's R - Value (resistance to heat flow). Recommended upon installation, add twenty-five percent, to compensate for future energy loss. Any exposure to moisture, will reduce significantly the effectiveness of this insulation.

Four different types foam insulation, commonly used for residential and commercial application. Most common foam insulation is polystyrene. Emerges as foam, when cooled down, forms a shape, and trimmed to a specific dimension. Spray foam used for insulation of roofs, inside walls, foundations, entry and overhead garage doors, pipes, tanks and climate controlled storage units. Maintains a very high R - value, compared to other insulation's. Covering foam, with rubber or plastic membranes or layers of asphalt, will protect the insulation, from degradation of the sun's ultraviolet rays. Molded Expanded Polystyrene Boards are molded, into common everyday items, including: Coffee cups, picnic ice chests, and shipping materials. Extruded Expanded Polystyrene Boards: Density 1.5 pounds per cubic foot, higher R - value compared to Molded Expanded polystyrene, and suitable for use on roofs and, facing interior or exterior basement walls. Polyurethane and polyisocyanurate are similar foams to polystyrene, except having a more fire resistant, and slightly higher R - value. Installing these boards, seal seems with tape or caulking, are added to prevent air infiltration. Sometimes, polystyrene boards are treated with an insecticide, preventing any infestation, and fire retardant material. Consumers can purchase small bottles of spray containing, rigid foam insulation, effectively used to seal cracks in doors, and windows, sealing off any airflow. These closed -- cell foams are better insulators, than other products, and have an R - Value of six, compared to R - Value of three for fiberglass. Expected savings: 30 - 50 percent on home heating and cooling cost.

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The Correct Price for Your Home

Your Realtor wants to sell your home as soon as possible, for the best price. He or she will use a Comparative Market Analysis to help you determine a fair price for your home. A comparative market analysis is based on information from similar properties in the area. The analysis uses information on properties that are currently for sale, properties that have already sold, and expired properties (ones which did not sell). The current sale price of similar homes will indicate what the competition is asking. Properties that have recently sold will indicate what buyers are willing to pay, just as properties which have expired may indicate what buyers are not willing to pay.

By carefully considering these three aspects your Realtor is able to determine a "fair market value"--the price which a buyer is willing to pay and the seller is willing to receive for the property.

In the real estate world, a large group of people are looking to buy homes at any given time. These are the seller's best prospects. This ready group of buyers is wasted, however, if your house is overpriced.

While shopping for a home, buyers will visit many similar homes in their price range and measure the features of each one against the price. They decide which house offers them the maximum value for the price. Buyers do not expect a home to be a "steal" or dramatically under-priced, but they do expect it to be a fair value. If your home is overpriced and they have been shopping around and comparing properties, they will probably refuse to look at your home. You and your Realtor may know that you would sell for $10,000 less, but the buyers do not know this. As a result, your overpriced property may receive little attention.

Don't be fooled into thinking your house is worth more than someone is willing to pay for it, or that it's just a matter of waiting for the "right" buyer to show up. Surveys show that the longer a house is on the market before being sold, the greater the drop in price from the listing price when it does sell. The buying public eventually sets an accurate price. An overpriced house just sits on the market, waiting for a price adjustment before it will attract a buyer.

Consequently, your Realtor may advise you to reduce the asking price if buyers fail to surface after a certain period of time on the market. If you are serious about selling your home, you should take your Realtor's advice. If the first price reduction doesn't generate a buyer, another reduction may be necessary. The monetary value of a house is only what someone is willing to pay for it, but if the market analysis is done correctly, you will get the maximum amount--and a timely sale.

About the Author: Sean Remington, CRS, ABR, is a local Albuquerque Realtor with RE/MAX Masters. He can be contacted at (505) 883-8979 or online at http://www.NMHomesOnline.com

How to Remove Carpet Spots

There all kinds of accidents that can happen when you have carpet. Carpet is extremely usual in the majority of homes, making the risk for accidents higher than ever. Regardless of what the spill may be - mud, blood, or milk – there are techniques to clean everything.

There are more than a few products that you can choose that will work wonderful. The only trouble with these products is the fact that they are usually incredibly imprecise with how you should make use of them.

If you have a red stain on your carpet, you should not try to remove it yourself, but instead hire a professional. There are specific procedures and exceptionally successful methods that your carpet cleaning company can employ to save you from destroying your carpet.

Bear in mind that red is the toughest stain to remove. A professional carpet cleaner is properly trained and equipped to deal with them.

For everything else, there are effective and inexpensive ways to clean spots on both your carpet and the upholstery.

Go to your local auto parts store and buy the auto upholstery and carpet cleaner in the can. Tuff Stuff is an excellent choice. Just about all cleaners that come in a can are foaming cleaners. They will make your task a lot easier.

The foam in these canned cleaners penetrates the fibers and as it foams, it releases and suspends the stains and soils. You can lightly scrub the area with a towel or soft bristled brush.

Here are some great tips that help you clean the spots:

1. Use white rags or towels when you clean carpet and upholstery to minimize the risk of ruining colors as well as color transfer.

2. Use foaming cleaners to clean your upholstery, even if it state to dry clean only.

3. Always test your product first on a hidden area to save yourself heartache.

On condition that you do not have a red stain in the carpet, you should not have any problems getting it out.

About the Author: Protect your carpet against paint drips, snow, mud, dirt, stains, and heavy traffic conditions. Read about plastic carpet protections as well as temporary carpet protection.

Monday 3 September 2007

Types Of Conservatories: Understanding The Options

This is very common, and often what people ask for when it comes time to get a conservatory for their home. For others, it can difficult to know exactly what you are looking for. With so many options in the marketplace, getting what is right for you can sometimes pose a challenge.

Addition of a sunroom is much more favorable to peace of your mind and satisfaction of life, which should remain so balanced that once it is built and you have to face the prospect of paying and of using it for many years to come.
Generally, there are two important types of sunrooms from which you can choose. The first kind of room is the one which is built on the existing porch or deck. This will hamper the shape of room, but it is the least reasonably priced because the bottom of the room is already completed. It very important for you to ensure, that this pre-existing structure then hold the weight of an extra makeup on top of it. On the other hand, the second type is completely stand alone room which can be made according to your specification. The flooring is been made specially, and any kind of sunroom can fit on top of it.
You will also have to decide the style of sunroom which will match your living style. Let’s say, if you are a cosy couple then you may want a different type of room and if you are outgoing couple then you may opt for the other one, and if you are a growing family then you might want a different room as well.
Conservatory is the most smallest of the sunrooms. Conservatories have some limitations for nothing but more than plants and wicker furniture. Now a day, some adventurous homeowners are building any type of room in the house from kitchen to bedroom.
Conservatory patio room is something which is built on an already existing body of your house, such as patio slab or deck. It is more important for you to make sure that the base of the house should be strong enough to sustain the weight of an extra new structure. Not only that, but if should be strong enough to resist snow which may heap on its top during the winter.
This kind of conservatory must be three season sunroom, because it is not something which is normally built and use round the year. No cooling and heating can be installed. The conservatory sunroom which is built particularly for its own prepared slab is much more expensive because it entirely insulated and also have cooling and heating system of other room in your house and will also allow you to use round the year.

About the Author: More resources from the author:

DIY Conservatory has
information on building
and furnishing
yournew conservatory

WHY REPAIR OLD FURNITURE?

Old furniture is an important part of our heritage, and helps to define our self- image. Many people prize their grandparents’ furniture, or that of more distant ancestors. Whether furniture is Gothic, or from the Renaissance, Colonial, Federal, Rococo, Baroque, Victorian, Art Nouveau, Mission, Modern, or Post-Modern, all styles convey a powerful image of who we are, and how we view the world around us, and signify to others how to view us. Some old furniture is somber and serious, traditional, or whimsical, poking fun at other older furniture styles and periods.

Repairing old furniture is an essential part of possessing it. We are caretakers of our furniture for future generations, if we repair and conserve it, rather than ignore the maintenance and preservation needs, and hasten its demise. Unless old furniture is repaired, it will not survive our usage or serve our needs for long. Old furniture is functional, and unless maintained, will fail to function as intended. We are all familiar with the loose chair that breaks, and if not repaired, is soon discarded. Or the worn, scratched, and heat-marked dining table. By repairing our old furniture, we are maintaining our self-image, and showing others that we care about ourselves.
The most common repairs are needed by the most heavily used furniture, chairs. For the past hundred years, chairs have generally consisted of a frame of legs and rails, connected mostly with wooden pegs, or dowels. This design is economical but flawed compared to pre-industrial furniture. Wood shrinks as it ages, and the dowels no longer fill the holes to connect the legs and rails, and chairs wobble unless re-doweled and glued, in anywhere from two years to seventy, depending on the initial quality and precision of construction. The newer the chair, the faster it will fall apart; that is the predominant manufacturing ethic found today. Contemporary manufacturers are not interested in the preservation of our self-images, and their disrespect is all too often apparent. Pre-industrial, old furniture did not have separate connecting elements; the legs and rails were made a little longer, and inserted into one another directly, with mortise and tenon joints. It is a joinery system that often needs little maintenance for centuries.
Whether we repair our old furniture to support us, or to host a meal, our old furniture needs periodic repair to support our lifestyles. It gives back to us, many times what we invest in it, to serve us and our future generations.

About the Author: Olek Lejbzon & Co. undertakes Restoration of furniture or architectural millwork on a small or large scale, ranging from a single kitchen chair requiring recaning to refinishing, reupholstering, and repairing all of the furniture.
For more information please visit: Furniture Repair