Archive for February, 2009
Keeping Your Home Clean With A Pet In Residence
Animal lovers have special needs when it comes to cleaning up after their pets and keeping their homes spic and span.
Pets don’t wash their paws after they eat and many times (especially those with new puppies) can make a mess on your carpets because of poor potty training habits.
Here are some must have products for the dog or cat owner that wants their house to sparkle and shine.
- Lint Remover: Anyone that shares their home with pets is well aware of the hair factor. Having a lint remover will allow you to easily get rid of unwanted pet hair that will ruin your attire quickly and easily. Place it near the front door and well away from the pets for when you are getting ready to go out.
- Enzymatic Cleaner: This is a product to neutralize the odors from a pet mess. If you use conventional cleaners they may only mask the odor, but your pet will still be able to smell his/her urine or bowel movement and will mark the spot as their “bathroom.”
Paint Color In The Store Will Not Be The Same On Your Walls
The most frequent issue, which arises when discussing the various aspects of the interior decoration of our homes, is the color scheme.
The choice of the color scheme in our houses can vary considerably, according to the space available, mood or ambience we wish to create.
If in doubt as to the colors you should use in each particular room, the best advice is to follow your tastes and the effect each different color may have on your mood or that of your family.
Before you proceed in applying any color of paint, some important factors must be considered.
First of all the color you apply will not have the same effect as when you saw it on the paint sample, for the light reflecting on the walls will alter it slightly.
Another factor that will change the way the color turns out on the wall is that the paint is merged with the original color that was previously applied.
You can never be certain what the exact resulting color will be; this will depend on the amount of sunlight your home receives, the weather conditions and the interior of your house.
How To Spruce Up A Room For Less Than $20?
Home decorating doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg.
There are plenty of small projects and purchases you can easily afford that will spruce up your décor considerably and all for less than a night out at the movies for two would cost.
Lighting Options
If your room is not getting enough natural light from the sun then changing to natural light bulbs can make a huge difference in the appearance of the room.
Natural light will pay off the colors of the room and make them appear brighter. Using the right bulb can totally change the look of the room for pennies.
Slap on a Coat of Paint
Are you sick of looking at a room that seems dreary? There is a simple solution to that; put on a fresh coat of paint. You can paint the walls, your ceiling fans or highlight specific areas of the room.
Painting in brighter colors can bring cheer to an otherwise drab room and uplift your mood at the same time.
Get Rid of Clutter
3 Best Colors For 3 Rooms In Your Home
The color of a room can certainly affect the feelings, moods and thoughts of a person.
Certain colors work best in certain rooms and this is important to know before deciding on a color.
Choose a suitable color for each part of your home.
Living room
Green is an appropriate color for your living room as it is usually the first room everyone sees upon entering your home and is where friends and guests are entertained.
The color green symbolizes peace and tranquility. A special effort should be made to create a harmonious environment and positive welcoming feeling.
Bedroom
Lavender is a very appropriate color for your bedroom, as it is the most calm and soothing room in your home. It is the primary place of relaxation and everyone retires to take a good sleep and refresh, away from worries. Lavender gives the room a mood of comfort and relaxation.
Dining room
Orange is an appropriate color for your dining room as it is a place of delicate social interactions. It is a place where you have breakfast, lunch and dinner and this color stimulates the appetite and aids in digestion.
The Importance Of Lighting
The lighting scheme in a household is fundamental both for our mood and to the general ambience we create in the house.
Creating a variation of light schemes with the use of varied light intensity will confer a home its charm and also influence our general mood.
The light quality will affect the way we relax, study, work and feel in our house.
There are three kinds of strategic lighting we can use: a feature light for enhancing objects in the house, a pleasing general light and a functional lighting for more practical purposes. [Lighting Techniques]
In home interiors, a correct lighting scheme is considered as part of the overall plan of the home.
If the lights are correctly and artfully placed they will enhance certain areas, help enlarge spaces that are too small and create a welcoming atmosphere.
A room can be completely transformed with a different lighting fixture, paintable wall lighting is a good solution if you want to create a mellow setting, and these fixtures come in different designs to suit all preferences.
It is also important to be able to have different light intensities in the same household, in order to adapt to the different needs and activities carried out in each room.
6 Living Room Decoration Ideas
The living room is the central place where family gatherings, social events and celebrations take place.
Bringing creative energy to this room can change the look of your home.
If your living room is dull and lacks energy, you can make it vibrant simply by following a few tips:
Tips to decorate living room:
- If your living room does not get sunlight, paint the walls of the room with yellow to provide the illusion of bright sunlight. The correct yellow shade can serve as a neutral when you combine it with other colors.
- Make your living room brighter by placing vases of fresh yellow and red flowers on tables, windows or throughout your living room. Yellow and red flowers add energy to the room and provide refreshment.
- If your living room does not have windows, install a skylight in the ceiling of the room. Skylights will give your living room a new atmosphere.
- Brighten your living room by adding throw rugs with bold designs and colors.
- You can also brighten the living room by adding small lamps or high intensity lights. If you are using dark colors for painting the living room, more lighting is needed to keep the room bright.
Staircase Components In Homes
The following terms are the most common stair components used in most homes, these vary according to the carpenter who mounted them.
- Risers are the vertical elements that support the leading edge of the upper tread and are set on the lower tread.
- Treads are the horizontal elements we step onto. The rear of the step fits under the upper riser and the leading edge is rounded and hangs over the lower riser and is completed with a ‘nosing’.
- Newel post is the end piece of the vertical element at the end of the handrail.
- Balusters or spindles are the bars supporting the handrail.
- Reinforcing Blocks and Wedges are fitted under the stairs to keep the risers and treads in place.
To remedy to creaks in the stairs, which are generally caused by humidity and wear, one can usually mend the wooden elements that have moved from under the staircase. [Staircase Designs]
Make sure that there are no loose wedges between the end of the treads and risers, if so you may glue them or screw them back into place.
31 Contemporary & Creative Book Shelves
Here are 31 more creative book shelve designs from the world’s best designers, that will inspire and provide you new and fresh ideas for your home. Here is the previous article on 31 modern and creative bookshelves.
1. Lili Lite Bookshelf: Designed by Studio Smeets located in Amsterdam, Lili Lite bookshelf is an excellent combination of reading lamp, bookmark and bookshelf. The major perk and most interesting part of this multifunctional bookshelf is that the light will switch off automatically when books are placed on the rack.
Designer website: http://www.lililite.com
2. Joy rotating shelf unit: Designed by Achille Castiglioni and inspired by its smaller sibling Basello, joy rotating bookshelf has a versatility that can be claimed by very few shelving units.
Seven shelves are gathered in an exchangeable structure that can rest flat against the wall. Joy rotating shelf unit feature steel reinforcing inside, finished finely in bleached oak and with scratch resistant embossing colors, the uprights and shelves are constructed with honey core.
Designer website: http://www.achillecastiglioni.it/
9 Tips To Decorate Your Guest Room
Many people neglect the guest room in their house as it is rarely used.
However, you never know when an unexpected guest will arrive suddenly.
For this reason, you should decorate and always keep the guest room well maintained.
Tips to decorate your guest room
- As guests have to stay in the guest room, choose a style that will suit the taste of guests, not you. Select the wall and ceiling color paint that compliments the style of décor in the room.
- Apart from clean bedding, add colorful, crisp and attractive bed linens with a featherbed mattress topper, choice of pillows and cozy comforter.
- Clear all the drawers and place scented papers in them.
- You can keep a decorative tray on the table or dresser top to place jewelry, keys and other small items for your guest.
- Place 6 to 8 hangers in the closets to accommodate some hanging clothes.
- You can place fresh flower bouquet in the room. You can also include live plants.
- Place a few good books on a table. Include brochures related to sightseeing and fun places to shop and go for entertainment.
Pool Cleaning Tips To Maintain A Healthy And Clean Pool
Water quality of pools and pool maintenance is very important for your health.
If you have a pool in your garden, having it cleaned professionally can be expensive.
However, there are a few basic rules that you can follow regularly to maintain a healthy pool:
Keep surrounding area free from debris
If you have pools installed outside, wind or rain collects lots of dust and debris that can also accumulate in your pool. Ensure that the surrounding area of your pool is clean. This can help to reduce the amount of debris accumulation in your pool.
Use pool filter systems
A pool filter system can go a long way towards pool maintenance. Run your pool filter systems at least 8 to 10 hours every day. This will certainly help to keep your pool clean most of the time.
Add chlorine
Adding three-inch slow dissolving chlorine tablets in your pool is a good idea, or you can use an automatic or floating chlorinator once a week.
Clean entire pool once in a week
Use a pool brush to clean the entire pool once a week. This is an essential way of keeping your pool healthy and clean always.
