Archives for September 2009

DIY Bathroom Renovation Tips for the Home Handyman

Most people prefer DIY style for their bathroom renovation. For readers who do not know what is DIY, it means do it yourself. DIY bathroom renovation is a good option if you enjoy learning new things, have patience and willing to get your hands dirty. Not only will you have a beautiful bathroom but you will have saved money along the way.

Should you DIY?
DIY bathroom renovation is definitely a cost saving and a satisfying process, but should you DIY? Most people DIY project management, color selection, demolition and remove and repair most fittings like hooks and towel rails. However, if plumbing or electrical jobs are involved you need to get professional help, unless you are very skilled.

Planning Tips for a Bathroom Renovation DIY Project
You need to first decide if your bathroom needs a full redesign or just a makeover. All this is of course dependant on the requirements of the people using the bathroom and how often. If what you are looking for is a spacious and trendy bathroom you need to spend time with your bathroom renovation project planning. You can work this out with the help of computer software, or if you have a major renovation plan you can hire a professional.

If the layout and water proofing system is fine, you can renovate your bathroom by changing the color scheme, replacing cabinets and retiling. You cannot however do a major plumbing or electrical jobs in bathroom renovation DIY, as this is not permissible legally.

The bathroom renovation will take how long?
This is dependant on the plan for your bathroom renovation DIY project. Depending on the work request at hand, you can expect something like this to take one to four weeks to finish.

Legal issues
Whether you DIY or not, check with your local authorities if you need to obtain a permit. You would need a permit if you are planning to reconstruct your bathroom from a scratch.

Bathroom Renovation. DIY (Do It Yourselft) Saves Money
The cost generally varies a lot depending upon the work. An approximate cost charged by a renovator would be between $12,000 -15,000 for a small job, up to $20,000 for a medium renovation and above $30,000 for a complete renovation. Check with your renovator for the exact costs.

How To Hire a Professional
DIY bathroom renovation would definitely work out cheaper by a few thousand dollars, but it needs some skill, time and motivation. This will make you feel very satisfied and by doing it yourself you wont have any arguements. Also this would make you feel proud of your achievement each time you are in the bathroom.

When hiring a professional be sure to discuss the project in detail and have them explain back to you what they intend to do before signing any contracts. Hiring someone with little experience may be a bit cheaper but will cost you time and hassle in the end.

By: Chet Lystrom

Fireplace Accessories Supply the Finishing Touch

by The Shopping Maniac

A fireplace is a stylish enhancement to any home, and and every fireplace needs the right accessories to complete it. This involves either the ornamental type, like fireplace candelabra, plus the more useful items like ash vacuums. Even though fireplace accessories don’t ordinarily come with the fireplace when you buy it, they undoubtedly should.

Fireplace accessories are what you require for both the upkeep and security of your fireplace. Nevertheless they can also be ornamental items that enhance your interior design.

Having the appropriate fireplace accessories before you even get started is ideal so that you don’t run into any circumstances where you are caught unprepared. Having everything right there with you will guarantee that your adventures with your fireplace will be fun, rewarding, and most importantly, safe.

Fireplace accessories don’t have to cost a lot of money but certainly, as with everything, there are assorted looks to choose from. Prices will differ a lot according to the brand and style of the specific item, but if you are a careful bargain hunter you’re sure to get what you need at a reasonable price.

There are many specialty retail outlets that carry fireplace accessories and tools nowadays. At these locations you are probably going to be able to find what you need. Also, don’t forget to check out home improvement stores as they carry many nice fireplace accessories. The goods they have available will more than likely be less pricey than what you’ll see in a specialty shop.

If you’re short on cash, an ideal way to obtain inexpensive fireplace accessories is to have a look at garage sales or buy and sell papers. Purchasing used accessories can be a cost effective alternative, but only if the articles are in good condition.

Also, you can find online sites that are like classified ads of stuff that people are selling or just endeavoring to get rid of. Taking a look at a few of these sites is a great way to locate fireplace accessories. You never know what kind of good luck you’ll have. Keep an open mind and open eyes, and you may be surprised at what you stumble on.

The Benefits Of Twin Size Mattresses

by The Shopping Maniac

When you start to remodel your bedroom or your children’s room, the wide variety of bedding, mattress toppers and mattress pads that are on the market can be a bit overwhelming. There is a wide variety of choices when it comes to box springs and mattresses. You should check out all of the options to figure out what are the advantages and disadvantages when it comes to size and quality.

There are completely 5 standard size mattresses that you can take your pick from. Among these are full, twin, king and queen mattresses. The children and guests are the main sleepers of compact twin mattresses since they have the smallest size. Now we will try to figure out why are twin mattesses best suitable for guest rooms and children’s rooms.

Specification of a Twin Mattress

The other name for a twin mattress is single bed, and it is made to be used by one person only, not for two individuals to sleep on it in the same time. Since twin beds have 75 inches in length and only 39 inches in width, they are the smallest beds that can be found on the market. Twin mattresses come in many different styles and prices, so you are sure to find one that fits your style and your budget.

Why Buy a Twin Mattress

The greatest advantage of a twin mattress is the size. You will be able to fit twin mattress in a small room and still find place for other furniture. Spare bedrooms usually aren’t large enough to accommodate large beds in addition to furniture, but a twin mattress is often the perfect fit.

Bunk beds and trundle beds match the size of a twin mattress, so they are ussualy the choice when child’s bedroom is being made. You can place two twin mattresses in one room, in case both of your children are there, and solve a lot of problems. You can also add some electric mattresses to make them warmer. Children want their independence, and giving each of them their own bed in a shared room makes them feel more independent.

Down Side of a Twin Mattress

The size of twin mattresses is their strength, but it is in the same time their weakness. It is hard for an adult to have a comfortable sleep on a twin mattress, since they are too short.

Outdoor Furniture – Incredible Facts You Need to Recognize in Protecting Your Ownership

by The Shopping Maniac

Protecting your outdoor furniture is significant because outdoor furniture is one of valuable investments. This becomes so precious because you pay for the higher price tag for this from the furniture store. Thus, protecting your beautiful pieces is necessary to keep using it for lots of years to come.

In fact, the material that is used to craft the pieces and how much tear and wear in your type of weather will decide the proper care for your outdoor furniture. In the following paragraph, you will get a number of in protecting your stunning pieces furniture. Check it out!

Metal Furniture

Usually, some of our outdoor furniture is designed from numerous metals. It varies from airy aluminum to wonderful wrought iron. It’s very important not to scrape the metal against hard surfaces if your metal furniture is painted. If you keep scraping, you will chip the paint and result in rusted marks.

You can keep your pieces in the best condition by using a wax at the beginning and end of the season for paint that is baked onto the metal surface. This will also present your outdoor furniture a fine shine throughout its months of use. Furthermore, it is great idea to oil all of the moving parts once a year and change rusted or loose bolts and screws as necessary.

Wicker Furniture

There is nothing that says summer like a set of wicker outdoor furniture sporting a tray of refreshing iced tea and some bright, tropical cushions for soothe. However, if you want to continue to enjoy that set for lots of seasons, wicker furniture needs to be maintained right. This is not the kind of furniture that will work well in a completely exposed area like an uncovered courtyard.

If your wicker is painted or constructed of bamboo, keep away from getting the surface too wet when washing. As an alternative, select for a thorough vacuuming and spot cleaning as necessary. Other wicker outdoor furniture can be cleaned yearly with the hose to keep it looking its best.

Wood Furniture

Whether it is a decorated Adirondack chair or a complete dining set, wood outdoor furniture can be a beautiful addition to your outdoor scenery. Nevertheless, wood needs its own version of TLC, principally when it is exposed to the elements outside for most of its life. This type of outdoor furniture tends to fade in the sunlight, whether it’s painted or stained.

In each spring, sprucing up your outdoor furniture will be needed. However, ensure that before applying any other substance, you should sand the surface well. Before adding a fresh coat of paint or stain, clean the wood with water and mineral spirit or soap will be the most excellent idea.

One of the appropriate ways to maintain your outdoor furniture is by drying it in the sun when the weather warms up. This may assist you to enjoy your outdoor pieces for lots of years to come. So protect your gorgeous pieces properly and get them lifelong.

Still being curious about outdoor furniture? Just explore more on the links here and you will get much more about it.

Getting Started With Home Decorating

by The Shopping Maniac

There are many aspects of home decorating which you may decide to have a go at in the name of giving your home a new look. Maybe you want to change the flooring of your home or you would like to freshen up the decor of the walls. However, getting started might stump you a little bit and some helpful tips might be just the thing that you need. Armed with the right advice, you can get your home decorating projects done and have a bit of fun at the same time. If you’re looking into doing some DIY home decorating but do not have a clue where you should begin, take a look at the following home decorating ideas.

The Essentials – Home Decorating Made Easy

As long as you know what the basics are, you can be sure that you’ll be pretty successful in your efforts. No matter what you want to redecorate or what your budget happens to be; you need to first come up with a plan for your project. If you do not have a plan in place, you could get lost in the middle of what you want to do and you won’t get very far.

Before you begin a home decorating project, decide what your budget is going to be and then establish a plan accordingly. You should also include any limitations that you have, for example, if you are a tenant or if you own your home. You should also decide what the purposes of the room or rooms that you’re going to work on are going to be, the space limitations, and any color schemes that you plan to use. Conversely, of course, you should also plan to include any color schemes that are beyond your control (such as those imposed by your landlord) so that your changes don’t clash with the existing fixtures.

One of the most important aspects of home decorating is your choice of color. Simply changing the color of the paint on the walls can give a room a whole new vibe. This is why thinking about the intended uses of the room in question are so important before undertaking a home decorating project. Choose a color scheme which will mesh well with the activities that you will do in the room and the feel you are trying to create for the room. For example, light blue or turquoise gives off a tranquil, calm feeling.

The Essentials Of Planning – Sketching And Drawing

Next, get down to the job of sketching and planning your new decor on paper. You’ll need a floor plan, an idea of the colors that you plan to use as part of your new decor, as well as any changes in furniture or other design elements within a room that you plan to make. When you plan, you don’t have to use specialized architectural tools. It doesn’t have to be fancy – just ensure that you understand it. It can be a basic sketch just to lay out the changes that you’re going to make. Make sure that your design elements do not clash. Everything must go together with the overall theme of the room – from the furniture to your floor & decor.

If you need help deciding on the correct color scheme, designing the floor plan, or with any other home decor issues, try using interior design software.

There are many interior design software packages available that will help you immensely with your home decor plans. This can be a big help, especially if you encounter unforeseen circumstances.

The above mentioned tips will be really helpful to you when you first start your decorating. Following these tips will result in a job well done. Remember, getting everything perfect the first time is what you should be aiming for, but it is important to keep in mind that paint and wallpaper can always be changed if you find yourself dissatisfied with them; it’s not the end of the world if these don’t turn out quite the way you had planned. Good luck and have fun redecorating your home!

Archives for September 2009

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