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Archives for July 2013

Do You Really Need A New Fitted Kitchen?

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Are you currently agonizing over whether or not to splash out on a new kitchen? The kitchen is said to be the heart of the home, and naturally you want yours to look good and be practical to work in. However, a new fitted kitchen can be a major undertaking that can cost thousands and leave your life in chaos for a few weeks while the work is completed. If you really want to give your kitchen a new look there may be ways to go about it that will be less intensive, however there are some situations where the only option is a full remodel. Here are some points to consider if you’re not sure whether to move on that new kitchen or make some more superficial changes instead:

How Do You Feel About the Layout?

The layout in the kitchen in the one thing you can’t really change without a refit, and if you have counters in places you don’t want them or a breakfast bar or other fixed area you would rather not have to deal with then there really isn’t any way to get around the need for a professional remodel. However, if what you want to do is add something to the layout (for example you’d like to add an additional work surface or a place to eat), then you may be able to do this with non fitted furniture. Think about the ideal layout of your kitchen, and whether getting there can be achieved without removing anything that is currently there.

Are the Things You Don’t Like Down to Appearance or Age?

If you simply don’t like the look of your counters or cupboards, you can often change them without changing the fitted parts. New fronts for drawers and cupboards can be ordered to size, giving you the look people go for with custom kitchens while also keeping the foundations of your existing kitchen structure. You can also get new counter tops. You can often install things like this yourself or use a local handyman or casual builder rather than needing to pay the kind of money you’d pay for the work on a new fitted kitchen.

However, if it is the appliances that are old and unpleasant to you now, and they are built in to the fitted kitchen, you may have to go for the remodel option. Some kitchens have appliances that can be easily replaced, however with a lot of modern styles you have things like stove tops built in to counters, and this can make it difficult.

Is There Damage?

If parts of the original kitchen are damaged or have aged to the point where they are hard to keep clean, a refit is going to be inevitable in the near future to rectify things. You may be able to spruce up the kitchen with some superficial changes in the short term but broken cabinets and counters will ultimately need to be replaced properly, so you might as well take the plunge now if you can afford to. Damage caused by things like floods absolutely must be addressed immediately, however in most cases you’ll get help with this from your insurer.

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The author of this post, Gary Mint, is an experienced interior designing consultant. He likes writing and is always shares his creative ideas with others through his blogs. Every weekend he goes for camping and likes being close to nature.

10 Corporate Gifts Under $15

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You’ve heard of the exorbitant vacation homes, yachts and even private jets given as corporate gifts between the elite; however, those aren’t very practical gifts when you aren’t a part of the Fortune 100, and when you don’t just have a single person to give a gift to.

For inexpensive gifts that are great and really stretch the dollar, consider these ten gifts under $15:

1. Mobile Apps

In this age of the mobile device and tablet pc, you can’t go wrong with gifting popular apps to your employees. Whether from Google Play or the Apple App Store, the available options are virtually endless; furthermore, there are customizable features for most of them – including an automatic “Gift This App” option.

2. Lottery Tickets

This next corporate gift idea is one of the cheapest around; yet it also has one of the biggest possible payoffs and will be appreciated by employees. Buy them each a scratch-and-win lottery ticket. Availability is never a problem with this kind of gift, and it is very forgiving of last-minute gifting decisions.

3. Gourmet Teas and Coffees

Gourmet teas and exotic coffees can make small and effective gifts for any employee. There are often large numbers of vendors with equally large varieties of flavors, giving discounts and package deals to stave off the competition. This bodes well for you when it comes to prices.

4. Massage Tools

Although you probably can’t get a quality, professional massage for under $15, you can secure some quality novelty items in a massage kit. These well-made and useful contraptions are of the personal variety, and are just as effective at working out the shoulder, back and neck kinks from a long day’s work.

5. Mugs

Ceramic mugs and glassware make great corporate gifts, because of the almost infinite range of variation of logos you can put on them. Whether you opt for to go wholesale and brand them with the company logo, or perhaps popular team logos, the price is inexpensive enough to get for a large number of employees. Additionally, there’s no need to restrict yourself to mugs; thermos and shaker cups for smoothies and powders also go over well as gifts.

6. Duffel Bags

Logoed duffel bags, of the quality you might obtain at tradeshows and company get-togethers make good corporate gifts. Given that you’re an established business, many popular manufacturers may even give you discounted prices in return for the advertising they receive when your employees use their products.

7. Padfolios

Given that almost everyone has a tablet or large smartphone, custom padfolios, sleeves or wallets make smart and useful corporate gifts these days. Similarly to the duffel and sports bags, there’s a fair chance you can receive discounted prices on these already inexpensive gifts when bought wholesale.

8. Edible Gifts

Edible gifts encompass a whole range of goodies, from chocolate selections to hard candy and gourmet cookies. Some companies even opt for the homemade variety to add a personal touch; but, either way, the gifts are inexpensive and valued.

9. Magazine Subscription

If you have any known avid readers of a particular print magazine – or online for that matter – then subscriptions are inexpensive corporate gifts that really go a long way. Top magazines like Time, Psychology Today, Esquire, Fast Company and others are good for a year’s worth for under $15 each.

10. Wine Opener

Everyone drinks wine, right? A custom wine opener can readily be had for under $15 and makes a great and lasting corporate gift. Add a logo for a personal touch.

Nicole provides advice and information on the best business management practices. She has found Boxt corporate gifts to be the most cost effective corporate gifting options.






5 Inexpensive Ways To Update The Look Of Your Living Room

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No matter how much you enjoy the look and feel of every room in your home, eventually your decor is bound to get routine, and eventually even turn into that ugly cousin of routine: boring. This is especially true for your living room, where you and your family spend so much time while at home.

Fortunately, the living room – unlike, say, the kitchen or bathroom – is one of the most easily changeable and updateable rooms of just about any home. These are a few ways in which you can breathe new life into one of the most frequently used rooms of your home:

1. Minimize and Reconsider

An effective way to update a room is to take serious and comprehensive stock of how it is decorated in the first place. This means not only considering what you need and what you can do without, but literally “robbing” yourself by taking everything out of the room, up to, and maybe even including, furniture. When you start putting things back, you will begin to get a solid idea of what you need and what you could do without, and where you need to make additions or other changes. Although this method might seem labor intensive, when you are finished you are likely to find all of the work that you put in more than worth it.

2. Contemplate Window Treatments

The window is an oft overlooked part of the decor of a room, partially because changing the window itself is not always an option. But when altering the window itself is not possible, window treatments can be just as, if not even more, effective. New curtains, blinds, valances, etc can really help to update the look of any room. The options are numerous, and the right window treatment can be surprisingly transformative for the feel of an entire room.

3. Do Not Ignore Your Windows

Speaking of windows, your living room windows provide much more than just light and an opportunity for decorative updates through window treatments. The reason that you are updating your living room decor is to enhance the experience of spending time in the room, and a big part of that experience can be enjoying the view. Especially if you redecorating for the spring or summer, consider refocusing your furniture around your living room windows to take advantage of the light, view, and proximity to your home’s outdoor space.

4. Utilize the Power of Pictures (and Frames)

If you do not have the time or money for a complete room overhaul, simply changing what is on your living room walls might just have the dramatic effect that you are seeking for your room’s decor. Go through your photo albums – and the pictures you have stored electronically on your computer, phone, and other devices – and consider what you would like displayed, and/or what would look best on the walls of your living room. Great frames of all kinds are available at discount stores, and here is a secret: with the right frame, sometimes you do not even need a picture.

5. Get Adventurous With Paint

Painting is an extremely common way to update the look of a room, so common in fact that it is often dismissed by those looking for a more original way to decorate. However, a new color does not have to be a cliché. Think about bright, original hues for your living room. If you fear what might happen when you actually commit to a color, you can use an online painting simulation program to get a good idea of the final result.

These are all ideas to consider when trying to either trying to “reinvent the wheel” with your living room’s decor, or simply spice things up a little.

Nicole is a freelance writer who enjoys writing about home decorating. For great window treatments, she recommends venetian blinds from Super Blinds Mart.

Top Bedroom Trends For 2013

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The bedroom is the place where we spend a lot of our time, and even though for the majority of this time we are asleep, it is important to make sure that the bedroom is a room that makes you feel comfortable and at home. These are the top bedroom trends for 2013 that can transform your bedroom into a room that will kick start your day and leave you in a great mood.

Inspiring Wallpapers

One of the biggest comebacks this season in bedroom design is wallpapers. 2013 designs in wallpapers are all about very dramatic colours and patterns. You should choose great metallic colours in various patterns. Big patterns are a must this season, for instance great flower patterns can create a dramatic yet romantic look for your bedroom.

You can balance this dramatic look by choosing more neutral accessories and colours for bed sheets and furniture.

Wooden Flooring

Top 2013 bedroom trends include wooden flooring instead of whole-room carpets. Hardwood floors come in many colours and help create a dramatic look in the room as well as improve the sell out value of your home. You can add big rugs to provide comfort into your bedroom. Rugs are also great because you can replace them easily and thus change the look in your bedroom quickly.

Your Own Personal Spa

Top bedrooms in 2013 are all about creating a personal spa-like look and feel. This is shown in big dramatic headboards that create a hotel-like look in your bedroom. Adding small personal touches such as minibars and music components to the bedroom also creates this hotel and spa inspiration..

You should get rid of multiple decorative pillows as 2013 is all about having one bed-wide pillow on your bed. These wide pillows are often placed in spa environments and are thus favored in 2013 style guides.

Serenity And Calmness

BedroomBecause bedrooms are for relaxation and sleep it is important that you make sure that you create a serene and calm look in the bedroom. This serenity is also present in bedroom trends for 2013.

A calm and serene look is best achieved by choosing natural and neutral colours. HGTV recommends that you choose calming fabrics as well for your bedroom.

This means that you should incorporate silk and cotton into your bedroom in simple colours. You can create a serene look by making sure that all furniture is well matching and this also creates a hotel feel to the bedroom.

Simplicity And Functionality

Bedroom trends for 2013 are all about simplicity and improved functionality. You should utilise your bedroom space fully and make sure that you don’t have too much clutter around. This will ensure serenity in the bedroom. Top trends in bedroom furniture are all about functionality. You can look for functionality tips and products from the Superglide website.

You should also make sure that your bedroom offers you all the functions that you want from it. In 2013, bedrooms are all about personal functionality.For instance you can have your own personal meditation spot in the bedroom.

These great bedroom trends can create a great look for your bedroom this year. You should also look out for some great inspiring pictures that can give you more great ideas and tips.

Attached Images:
  •  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://officeimg.vo.msecnd.net/en-us/images/MB900430722.jpg

Terance Nichols writes about home improvement on his free time. He has years of experience in the field and he knows all the industry secrets.

Top 5 Water Saving Devices

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It’s easy to forget that water is a precious commodity, but unfortunately not all of us have such free access to it. In fact it is estimated that two fifths of the world’s population do not have access to proper sanitation, while roughly one tenth of people living today cannot access safe, drinkable water. It is up to us who live better of parts of the the world to make sure the water we use is not squandered, and that we only use what we need.

There are a number of devices that have specifically manufactured to reduce a household’s level of water consumption without affecting the current pressure and strength. Implementing these devices into your home is beneficial to not only to environment, but also to you. Water saving devices greatly reduce water usage and this in turn helps to keep electricity and energy bills down.

Top 5 Water Saving Devices

Water saving devices range in price, but the majority of them are very inexpensive. The main benefit homeowners stand to gain from using a water saving device is the reduction in energy bills, which will save you a lot of money in the long run. Although the lower priced devices such as the shower timer and bucket can be bought at most DIY stores, it’s a good idea to shop for the more intricate devices on specialist sites such as Agua Flux. Doing so will guarantee the device’s efficiency and quality.

1 – Shower Timer

The average shower expels around nine litres of water per minute, and reducing your currently shower session by even one minute can save up to sixty three litres of water a week. That’s three thousand and seventy six litres of water over a year that do not need to be warmed by your tank or boiler. Shower timers are invaluable products, and will also help ensure that you’re never late for work again.

2 – Bucket

BucketBuy a small plastic bucket and keep it in the shower when you use it. The bucket will catch excess water and this can be used to water flowers and plants around the garden.

3 – Low Flow Shower Heads

Low flow shower heads work by adding air bubbles to the water as it passes out through the head. This reduces the amount of water used, while still maintaining strength and cleaning power. Low flow shower heads are available in a variety of designs, offering buyers different spray patterns.

4 – Flow Restrictors and Aerators

Flow restrictors are connected to the shower or kitchen faucet and help stop excess water from dripping. The aerators work in a similar way to the low flow shower heads and can reduce water usage by up to 60%. If looking for restrictors or aerators then make sure to purchase those that have been manufactured from brass and are coated in chrome. This will guarantee corrosion resistance.

5 – Dual Flush

Buying a dual flush toilet is an expensive option, but it is possible to purchase the components that create the alternating flushes and have them installed by a plumber. A dual flush toilet offers the user two settings to choose from; the standard strong 6 litre flush and a softer 4 litre flush.

Attached Images:
  •  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://officeimg.vo.msecnd.net/en-us/images/MB900385508.jpg

Terance Nichols is home improvement specialist with a keen eye for energy saving opportunities. When not busy consulting homeowners and businesses how they can save on energy bills, Terance enjoys long walks with his dog.

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