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Give Your Home a Trendy Look with Glamorous Futons

There was a time when a futon was for the spare room, lying inconspicuously. But recent trends have changed the outlook on futons drastically. It has captured the attention of all age groups due to the high quality, affordable and durable versions that are available to select from. They have emerged as the new budget savers with charm and elegance. Modern futon designs have changed considerably compared to the classic ones. They save you a lot of money and at the same time add appeal to your décor. Using futons comes with an added advantage. They are supposed to be good for your back. The thickness of the futon is about 3 to 6 inches which is higher than the usual bed mattresses.

This helps in maintaining a proper spine posture which prevents and in some cases relieves back problems. The fibres of the mattress which are either natural or organic ones also ensure a warm night’s sleep for you. The main appeal of futon is their easy convertibility from a couch to bed. They provide you with a two-in-one furniture option of style and comfort so you end up spending a lot less than if you had to buy separate beds and couches for your room. Also they are easy to flip, making cleaning an easy job.

When you shop for a futon you should look for one that has a proper frame and mattress. The cover should also be optimal for the futon as its appearance depends on the type of cover you choose. The frame of the futon is the main factor to be taken into consideration. You get frames of metal or wood and you can select one which is tough, durable and easy on the maintenance. It should portray grace and elegance in style when added to your décor. The mattress should be firm and should be comfortable and luxurious so you can relax with ease. Many fail to concentrate on the quality of the mattress, and a wrong one will surely give you back problems. Try to get a mattress that is of high quality though these come at a high price.

Covers for futon should be chosen with care as they brighten up even dull furniture. Look for covers that are durable and easy on the maintenance. You can get more than one cover for the same futon, so that if you fancy a change in the setting all you have to do is change the covers. Purchasing a futon gives you a wide range of benefits not to mention the style and glamour your décor gets when the futon graces your home.

How tos

How to Clean a Greasy Shop Rag?

Cleaning our house is a really tricky job. You have to ensure that every part of it is free from foreign dirt and other materials. But some parts of our home really need more effort and different techniques for you to clean it totally. Some need the right knowledge because it is not that easy to clean it. A perfect example is cleaning a greasy shop rags. “How to clean a greasy shop rag?” This is actually a frequent question that you might be repeatedly asking to yourself. Cleaning it is not as easy as soaking your hands in the water especially if you do not know how to do it. Most of the time, people are exerting effort but at the end, they do not get any result but instead get tired and disappointed because they did not do the right thing.

The following are some steps on how to clean a greasy shop rag.
• First, remove all the dirt that can be removed by hands. This is the first thing you should do. Remove all the dirt that you can see by your hands. This can make the next processes easier for you because there will be no chance of accumulated dirt. You can use hand gloves or other materials for you to do the job with more ease. Make sure that all big dirt is removed because sometimes, they cause trouble at the end.

• Next, wash the rags with hot water. This will partially remove the oil and the grease in your rags. This will help you eliminate them and at the same time, make your cleaning process easier. Repeatedly soak it but make sure that you also give intervals on your process. In this way, you are sure that you do not destroy your rags. Soaking it in hot water can really remove most of the oil, but not totally. This will only ensure that you removed the majority of the grease and by repeating the process, you can make sure that only small amount of it were left.

• Use detergent to fully clean the rags. This can help you in removing the grease left and removed by the previous process. This will make your shop rags are now totally free from grease. You can get a clean and almost brand new look if you only do the right process. You can wash it by hands or use washing machine to do the job, whichever you prefer. But just make sure that you follow the previous processes because putting your shop rags directly in washing machine will not make this process effective.

How to clean a greasy shop rag is a question that can easily answered by the people. Now, you do not have to think of desperate ways or to buy new shop rag just because you cannot clean your previous one. You can save money and at the same time, you can learn how to really do the job. This is a great help for you and for your family especially on these times of recession.

How tos

How to Paint Faux Finishes Furniture?

Some furniture is centuries old and their looks had noticeably aged. Throwing, selling or giving them away is not an option. You have to admit it; some things are just priceless that you cant afford buying new furniture and even you can not just bare the thoughts of throwing it away especially if that furniture is your ancestral treasure. So let us say you have decided to change it. Then what better way to reinvent your old furniture that through faux finishing.

Faux painting or Faux finishing are terms used to describe a wide range of decorative painting techniques which replaces woods and marbles with paints. Faux finishing or painting can be applied to walls, floors and is now commonly applied for furniture .From obscure and what seems to be a complex form of painting, faux finishes or faux painting has become one of the most popular painting techniques nowadays that even you, can do it yourself. How to paint furniture is a frequent question that is as easy as 1-2-3!

• Preparation of the furniture.
Gather cleaning materials such as sandpapers, sponges, gloves and some stripping tools if you prefer. Cleaning the surface of the furniture is the very first step in any painting jobs. Sanding the furniture surface thoroughly will ensure that the paint will stick.

• Know your paints and know how to paint.
You do not have to worry about your artistic skills. One major way to paint effectively is to know what paint you are going to use in painting the surface of your furniture. There are lots of faux finish products in the market. Latex paints are the most common to be used and painting the basecoat is the start of every faux painting. You will then need to apply the painting glaze from coat to coat once the paint is dry and you can use any media in applying glazes (rag, sponge, brush or even feathers). Depending on the faux techniques being used, one or more glaze coats can be applied.

• Choosing your techniques
There are actually several faux painting techniques. Below are several examples of different techniques along with some basic process to do it:

• Antiquing.
As what its name suggests, it is the process of using glaze to create an aged or old appearance to a surface, may it be on walls or furniture. A base colored paint is first applied. After it dries, a coat of glaze is then followed. You can use a lint–free rag to wipe the excess glaze, leaving hints of color in the crevices and presto! You have now the antique look.

• Crackled.
This type of technique is the most common on furniture. It gives an aged to perfection look to furniture as it creates an old crack paint look. After painting, liquid hide glue is applied over it. As soon as it dries, a paint coat is applied over the glue.

Depending on your artistic taste, there are lots and other faux finishing techniques to choose from.

Interior design

How to Design a Room to Add to a House?

Designing your own dream house is more than just a dream coming true. The feeling is priceless and fulfilling. Imagine having your very own ideas and design to make a room to add to your very own house. The end result would be rewarding. Interior decorating though can turn into a nightmare if you have never done it before. You are faced with endless and tough decisions as well as long processes and delays and that is for real.

Interior designing is a tactful process for there are limitless ideas and endless possibilities sprouting from a single seed of thought. Interior designing varies to every room in the house, since houses are broken up into many rooms-indoor or outdoor rooms; from living room, kitchen, dining area, bathroom and bedrooms and to patios or porches.

Designing a room to add to a house first and foremost requires the consideration of designing and knowledge of patterns. These patters are needed to match both the outdoor and indoor rooms and every design must be planned carefully. The indoor and the outdoor rooms should have a balance.

The following are the steps in designing a room.
• The Function of the Room
Determining the purpose of something, may it be designing a room or managing a project is the centre of everything. In a single room alone, you can have multiple functions. Determining the function of a room will help you designate primary over secondary functions, prioritizing and organizing are the keys.

• Define What Your Room Should be
You must make your room desirable. TheyIt should carry its own purpose and function. Rooms must be inviting in the real sense of the word.

• Style Definition
Finding your style means having the prior two steps accomplished. Defining your own style will make your room suits your personality.

• Make a List of the Furniture You Will Need
This will be the output of the three prior steps. You now have a vision of what to put or what to add in a room.

• Get Creative
Now it’s time to put things to work in every room. You should consider thinking unconventionally about some rooms. A dining room does not always need to be just a simple and plain dining area right? ? You can turn it into an office without sacrificing its look and its primary function.

• Put in those furniture
Furniture arrangement is a key of how things will work out in a room. There are some few considerations to follow in furniture arrangements such as placing the largest furniture pieces first and watching the traffic flow for ease of movements.

Designing a room to build a house are puzzle pieces of building a home. It requires more than just creativity and brain power because you need to put your heart into it as well.

How tos

Lighting a Charcoal grill

Most barbecue grillers prefer using the gas grill because they give them immediate results and satisfaction. Unlike gas grills, charcoal grills are time consuming and takes up most of your time with all the preparation and even during the grilling. It’s also a hassle in terms of cleaning up once the deed is done. Remember that charcoal grills have that unique, distinct taste which grillers often look for. Also, most people aren’t aware of is that charcoal grills are really just simple to use.

Safety Using Charcoal
You can buy charcoal briquettes that already are soaked in lighter fluid. For safety precautions, make sure that your grill is placed on a nonflammable surface. Make sure that it is no where near anything that could catch fire.

Grill Starter
Stack your briquettes in a pyramid. Open up the air vents, if your grill has one. By doing this, airflow would circulate and increase which will help your charcoal burn better. Light the briquettes in several places using a match. Spread the charcoal and put back the grill rack, use a grill brush to make sure it’s clean once the grill rack is back in place.

Lighting a Charcoal Grill
Remember not to soak the briquettes in the light fluid. That is a common error done by most grillers. This is a no-no. You may say that if you don’t soak it, the flame won’t light up. Well, it just needs a little patience in order for you to grow the fire. Grab your fire starter and light it up. Once the charcoal has turned completely white, you can start cooking. And there you have lighted your charcoal grill.

These are the steps in lighting a charcoal grill. It’s not that complicated now right? Gas grills may look convenient but it depends on every griller’s preference. Some are just missing out on the added flavor charcoal-cooked foods have. So go ahead and light up your charcoal grill and start tasting that unique flavor and see for yourself!

Curtains

Add Glamour to Your Home with Dazzling Blinds

Getting a chance to embellish your interiors is a very fulfilling task and most people find it exhilarating but at the same time it is a very tiring work as you have to look into various aspects of the house to be decorated, like the walls, the rooms, beddings and what type of curtains and paintings to be hung. Proper care should be taken and every detail looked into as the whole décor will reveal your individuality. Blinds are a significant addition to the window décor as they add posh to the curtains and shutters which normally adorn a window. Windows provide entry of light and circulate the air in the room. Hence care should be taken in their décor as they also form the highlight of a room. Adding blinds to the window décor will make the room look more appealing and give an air of sophistication to it.

Shopping for blinds can be done online as this makes the task of choosing them easier. It also saves you a lot of time spent commuting to various shops featuring the blinds. A lot of specialised furnishing stores are available online where you can make your choice just by clicking the mouse. These online companies offer a variety of choice including some “do it yourself” features which are a whole lot of fun when your involvement in the process is full-fledged. Some even offer discount on various blinds, curtains and other window decorations. Choosing your blind which gels with the overall décor will give an enchanting and alluring look to your home.

Blinds found in the stores are varied, ranging from vertical, bamboo window blinds to various other choices. Custom made window decorations are available which fit to the size of the window and the density of the fabric involved. These stores also specialize in giving you intricate details regarding the type of blinds to choose if you give them your proposed décor plan to them. Another fact that tips the scales in favour of the online purchase is that these are very economical and you get to save a lot by buying online. Many retail outlets offer discounts on the various items like the blinds, curtain rods and the shutters used for window décor. This saves you a lot of money than when you buy them directly at these outlets. Also the quality is not compromised while shopping online. So you can gladly do a lot of shopping without worries of increased costs.

Other benefits accrued by buying online is that you get to do a thorough study of the various range of products available and also when there is a good amount of reduction in the prices. Moreover you can get insurance, delivery and installation of the material all done free of cost. So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and indulge yourself to some mind boggling blinds for your windows.

How tos

How to Paint Rattan Furniture?

Do you love buying furniture and eventually hate it because of its disgusting color? You want to make it more inviting but you don’t know how to paint rattan furniture? Well then, this article is for you.
Rattan is durable and it will last for about fifty years if this will be taken care of properly. Rattan furniture can enhance any room; however sunlight can be its worst enemy. The natural and gentle rattan can bring peace and harmony of nature into our houses as part of your balanced, holistic lifestyle. The following are helpful and easy steps to turn the disgraceful into elegant and beautiful furniture.

• Collect supplies. You can use regular brush but sponge brushes are going to work better because they distribute the paint thicker and can be jammed between the rattan’s crevices. You can also use spray paint but a can of paint is going to be better because of the cost and ability to pile on thick sections of paint where the rattan is ornate. If you want to paint outdoor furniture, it is advisable to use paint that is waterproof and can stand up to the elements.
• After gathering the supplies, you can now prepare the furniture. This preparing includes sanding any rough edges, repairing any fractured legs and wiping or hosing off any dust and debris. You may also paint the furniture using a paint primer if you think your paint was not good enough.
• Start painting. Start from slathering generous amounts of paint with a sponge brush on all the larger areas, like the arms, legs and supports of the furniture. Make sure that you put a paint that is thick enough to cover any vestige of the old color but not so thick that it congeals in unsightly gobs.
• Continue your painting and fill in the smaller, more ornate areas. This process requires more patience because these areas will become very obvious one you’ve got the base painted and the old color screams through in the more detailed regions. Scan the parts, even the hidden and smallest parts. Usually, if you paint rattan furniture, there are some missed parts. Patiently, you should apply your paint again to these areas that requires sponge brush.
• Lastly, take a look at the furniture from a distance and check how shiny your furniture is.

With these six simple steps, you will be able to know how to paint rattan furniture. The uninviting furniture will transform into graceful one. Moreover, if you want other style, you can apply different colors just like rainbow. Rattan furniture will last if you will take good care of it, keep your Rattan furniture out of direct sunlight, and take precautions such as sun filtering blinds or room darkening shades. In addition, do not use water when cleaning your Rattan furniture.

Curtains

Bamboo Window Blinds – For Natural Style and Elegance

Bamboo window blinds are traditionally used on Asian style, especially on the Japanese decoration . In time these bamboo window blinds gained popularity and today it is one of the most preferred accessories for home décor. The origin of bamboo window blinds is man’s inherent desire to make his home blend with his natural surroundings. These window blinds are gaining immense popularity because bamboo is environment friendly and moreover it grows very fast. Bamboo window blinds are available in a numerous styles, colors and textures. All the raw materials used for making these blinds are natural elements that include bamboo, reeds and some grasses. The bamboo window blinds are made using only the fibrous part of the bamboo plant. This adds to its value as only a part of the plant is utilized, leaving the bamboo plant safe.

Reasons for choosing bamboo window blinds
• They are made from natural fibres that are flexible and easy to be made into beautiful designs.
• They are conventional and at the same time add elegance and style to your decor.
• Bamboo window blinds are easy to make and maintain.
• They are easily adjustable to let in air and light just as you wish.
• They provide excellent barrier to keep the light out.
• Cleaning bamboo window blinds is very easy.
• They are durable and environmentally safe.
• Bamboo window blinds contract and expand much less when compared to hardwood blinds.
• They provide excellent ventilation.
• They blend easily with any type of décor.
• They are available in numerous patterns and designs.
• Bamboo window blinds offer excellent quality at an affordable rate.
• Bamboo window blinds are very easy to install and maintain.
• They provide excellent insulation from the elements.

Versatile, charming and durable bamboo window blinds
Bamboo window blinds have countless possibilities due to their versatility. They are elegant, charming, durable, and reliable. They come in different designs that have different lifting patterns. Though they have a delicate appearance, they are actually very resilient and durable. They can be made resistant to moisture and pests when treated with respective chemicals. There are numerous bamboo window treatments available today that give these natural blinds beautiful colors, designs and styles. Bamboo window blinds can be made to suit any type of décor. In fact they will enhance your artistic upholstery or any other type of exclusive accessories. Bamboo window blinds can be customised to suit your needs. Today they are one of the most coveted accessories in resorts, hotels, offices and especially in homes.

How tos

How to Build a Mini Bar at Home?

It is undeniable that having your own private bar in the house is a great home improvement. Guests and friends will be impressed and your home will instantly be a venue for social occasions. It is very easy to put up your own mini bar. In fact it only requires basic assembly and carpentry skills. But you won’t be able to create a stylish high quality mini bar if you do not plan on it first. Here are some things to consider if you are looking for tips on how to build a mini bar.

It’s all about the location
In building your own private mini bar, you should first measure the entire floor area of the room. After this you should visualize the length and the size of the mini bar furniture and the additional items you will add such as refrigerators, seats etc. In building your own private mini bar, you should first measure the entire floor area of the room. After this you should visualize the length and the size of the mini bar furniture and the additional items you will add such as refrigerators, seats etc. Pay attention to what kind of lighting you will be using and where you will place it.

Budget and Purchasing
Your budget is the most important factor when you are planning to build a mini bar. The type of materials of the furniture, lighting, additional equipment and many more will depend on your budget. A quality private mini-bar does not necessarily mean high end materials.

If you have a large amount of money to spend you can save yourself from the work and just visit a furniture store to buy the bar counter. Look for a design that fits your taste and the area of your house. There are some designs that cost more than their actual value. Check the furniture’s material and make, if it is not sturdy enough go search for another. That goes the same with everything you purchase. Always be sure that every item is worth your money.

If you don’t have a large budget, it’s not a problem. With a little work and time, you can construct your own mini-bar furniture. And since you’ll be the one to do the carpentry, you can add your own personal touch to its design. To have ideas, browse online sites. If you are lucky you may find a site that provides step by step instructions and blueprints. It doesn’t require a large amount of money to have a high-quality mini-bar. Don’t forget to buy bar utensils like shakers, strainers, glasses etc. It is not necessary to buy the fancy ones, the ones available in your department store will do.

Finish it off
Arrange everything the way you have visualized it. Add some details to further improve the ambience of your mini-bar. It would be nice to have a good sound system installed (or the same used in the home theater) to further enhance the mood in your mini-bar.

Be sure to carefully do these suggested tips on how to build a mini bar and you will surely accomplish a good job.

Furniture

How to Buy Leather Furniture?

Leather since the early centuries has been utilized by humans for so many purposes for it is durable, looks better as it ages, perfect for all seasons – warm in winter, cool in summer, easy to clean and is non-allergenic. One of the most popular uses is on furniture. As of today, leather furniture is mainly a statement of wealth and sophistication. Leather furniture for example, can add an aristocratic and elegant feeling to a home. Yet due to the common misinterpretation, leather now is believed to be a luxury only to be indulged in by those who have a lot of extra cash.

In contrast to this common belief, affordable leather products can still be found. The only problem is, people talk about leather but they do not usually know what it is. They do not have an idea of what to look for or what advantages it can provide them. This ignorance often leads to the furniture getting thrown out after a few weeks or even days, thus, wasting time and money. As a solution to these problems, here is a basic guide on how to buy leather furniture.

Types of Leather
When a cow is slaughtered, all the other parts except the beef and hide go to waste. Beef as we know it is used for food consumption. Hides on the other hand, are treated and undergo the process of tanning. The end product would be leather. Different treatments provide different types of leathers. Some goes through so many methods which remove the grain and give an equal façade. But the most sought-after is the full grain leather which has a softer texture. The bite marks from insects and other creatures are still visible and gives a unique characteristic to full grain leathers. Other types would be top grain, antiqued, aniline and painted leathers.

Given the following types and their advantages and disadvantages, you should now have an idea of which one fits the theme of the place you are going to put it in.

Check the details
After all the considerations on what type of leather you want for your furniture and the place to put it in, it is time for you to scout and buy. Once in the furniture shop and you have spotted the leather furniture you want:

• Try to see how stable its frame is. The full grain leather will be useless on a weak frame.
• Be sure that the furniture looks good overall and it would fit your place perfectly.
• Feel the grains of the leather. If it is supple and feels like butter, then it is the one you want.
• Try sitting down on the furniture (it is a sofa or a chair). If you are comfortable then it would be good.
• Also check the deck of the furniture by removing the cushions. It is should be sturdy.

Following these guidelines will help insure that you get your money’s worth when buying leather furniture.

walls

Wall Décor: Unique and Novel Ideas

Most of us fail to notice the need for decorating the walls as we spend almost all of our time in the furniture placement. We think of how the place would look with a chaise leather sofa ensemble, an antique table or a chest of drawers. We leave out the walls for last and in some cases completely ignore them. This is what happens in most decorating situations and if you find yourself in one such setting then here are some ideas on how you can decorate your walls giving them a splendour and opulence they deserve.

A specialist gives us some unique and novel ideas to spruce up those dull walls. Murals are in vogue anytime of the season. Hunt for some eye-catching mural. A trompe l’oeil wall mural gives your room a dazzling and appealing look and can change a dull place to a lively buzzing one. The word trompe l’oeil means “fool the eye” and that aptly tells its purpose. Tapestry is another piece which you cannot do without while decorating your walls. These can be custom made to any size you desire. These come in leather or in some cases they are made of hand painted canvas. They give an exquisite look to your walls.

If you want a cool look to your walls try the stained glass windows. You can get these from the salvaged bits found in old structures or in churches. If it is not possible you can always go to the artisans in your area and get one ordered to suit your taste. To enhance the look further you can use lights behind them to highlight the colors in the glass. Make your walls a focal point of your decor by using decorative screens. There are semi-foldable screens available in the market which add ambiance to your walls.

Try using your collection of pictures, be it snaps of you and your family or it can even be your stamp book. Making a collage of these and using them on your walls will add a beautiful color to them. Windows and doors collected from old fashioned or ancient buildings form an apt match to your walls making them enchanting and appealing to the eye. If you have decorative fabrics then do not hesitate to cover your walls with them. This will be truly innovative and form a good blend for your walls. Try hanging them from rods or hooks on the wall for a fashionable grandeur. If you have an old map collection then these too can be used on your walls. No matter what material or type of style you use the ultimate result should be appealing and enchanting.

Tips

How to Keep Dogs From Barking and Coming to your Yard

Dog is a man’s best friend. True, for those that love dogs and see them as companions. But for those who adorn other kinds of pets or just hate animals, dogs can be really annoying.

To people who are too busy with their daily activities and does not have time to pamper a pet, a barking dog in their backyard is really irritating. Instead of doing their work, more time will be spent chasing the dog away which will later just comeback to admire the lawn. This causes a lot of problems, especially when the dogs play in the yard and pee or take a shit on it. Worst case is, your plants and lawn will be destroyed or your children’s lives will be put to a risk of being bitten by dogs that are not familiar with them. As a solution to this problem and to prevent complications to happen, here are some tips on how to keep dogs from barking and coming in your yard:

• Put some urine from bears and wolves. Back at the medieval times, barbarians discovered that dogs actually run away from the scent of bears’ and wolves’ urine. These animals mark their territory by peeing on it so dogs understand the scent as sign for them to stay back.

• Put a sign in your front yard for dog owners to read. Dogs usually go out of their masters house with the permission of that lazy guy who does not want to from his comfortable sofa and take the dog out for a walk. Other pet owners would take the dog for a walk and when it shits, they are either too lazy to pick up the stuff or just for got to bring their hand shovel. With these people running wild together with their dogs, make a sign around 6” x 6” and put something that says, “If your dog needs to use the bathroom, my yard does not have it. Ask the other house if their’s has.”

• The best thing that you could do is to put up a fence. Try to make sure that it is high enough so the dogs will not be able to jump through it. This secures your yard from stray dogs and insures that your children will be safe while having a good time together. Also, pet owners will know the boundary between the public road and the residential lot. Hence, they will be aware of where NOT to take their dogs for a shit.

Do these steps and dogs will definitely be kept from barking and will no longer come to your yard.

How tos

How to Paint Furniture White? 7 Steps

Furniture is a must for any home. It provides comfort and becomes a useful decor that adds to the beauty of any part of the house especially when they blend in with the theme. These themes vary according to an individual’s taste and the furniture should coincide with these themes to make the place look as one without something standing out. Antiques furniture for the old houses, metallic ones for the futuristic types but commonly houses and other structures are painted white basically because they look good at it. It seems that the house is clean and orderly.

When you have decided to go for the white theme, your furniture must be white too. Yet, be careful when painting different types of furniture, such as wood and upholstered because they require different methods. This article will help guide you on how to paint furniture white, specifically the ones made of wood. One of the most common kinds of furniture today, even in the past, is wood. Wood for materials is readily available and less expensive. But wood furniture easily degrades as time passes. So, painting furniture white is a good way to recycle them. Plus, it would be less expensive than buying new furniture. Following the instructions below would insure a successful finish.

Step 1
Put the furniture on either a bunch of old newspapers or anything to secure that the floor will not be painted as well.

Step 2
Next, separate all the pieces of the furniture. Use a screwdriver to remove knobs and other features attached to the furniture. Put these pieces in a separate place.

Step 3
Sand the pieces of the furniture with a sand paper. Try using a sanding brush for those hard to reach areas. Make sure that pieces’ entire surface has been sand. Use a tack cloth in removing the dusts.

Step 4
Finish the sanding process with a fine steel wool sand paper to provide a smooth surface for the paint.

Step 5
After you are through with the sanding, apply the first coat of the white primer using a paint brush. Make sure you follow the direction of the grains on the surface. When the first coat dries up, apply the second layer of primer.

Step 6
After drying up the second coat of primer, it is time to apply a white semi-gloss paint -has to be latex. Use a paint brush when applying the paint and remember to go in the same direction as the coat of primers which followed the wood grains.

Step 7
To secure and add shine to your furniture, apply the water based polyurethane. After all the pieces have dried up, it is time to put them back together and admire your newly painted white furniture.

Having white furniture to go with our theme would really look wonderful. With the step-by-step instructions above, painting your furniture white would now be a breeze.

How tos

How to Make Rustic Furniture

In today’s modern world, it would really make an appeal if you have gorgeous modern looking furniture in your living room. Modern furniture are usually: a centerpiece table made of glass, a sofa edge made of metal, an electric lampshade having futuristic yet contemporary design – yes, the modern vibe of today’s interior design and most people consider this an art. That is why they would also usually say “Every furniture style makes a statement.”

But to some people, pieces of old crafts blended with new ones are considered true art and an extravagant masterpiece. Rustic furniture can help you achieve this kind of art for literally speaking, rustic is art. The term “rustic furniture” portrays furniture that has a hand-made appearance. They usually have natural looks (reminding you of trees and forest) because they are usually made by woods, sticks or rags thus bringing nature to your home.

Rustic furniture is cheap and they can save you a lot of dollars having a set or two. One can truly admire the art and the labor put in making rustic furniture and a lot can actually venture into woodworking making rustic furniture. In this article, we will give you some tips and guides on how to make rustic furniture effectively. Here are some suggested tips you must remember:

• Choose a design
The very basic in building your very own furniture is choosing your own design; find furniture you can copy. Experts would usually say this one is effective for you can properly mold and properly organize structure and proportions – from the height of the chair, to the length and sizes of the arm and everything. A time-proven design after all is made through perfection.

• Peeled or not Peeled
One factor in considering of making your own rustic furniture, in making log furniture is that if the log is cleanly shaved otherwise it is skip-peeled. Skip-peeled logs usually give you more of a rustic appeal for the twigs and barks are not remove unlike the peeled ones which are clean. Choose the style that suits your taste.

• Choice of Wood
Wood choices are usually affected by geography so the most practical tip here is to use any woods available.

• Build your ideas
As a woodworker or as a craftsman, hand tools usage is advisable rather than machines. The most basic tools to have in building rustic furniture are drawknife and spokes have for log craftsmen; handsaws, drills, chisels, hatchets and other hand tools are found in every log furniture crafter’s toolbox.

You would surely go along way having to keep these following tips in venturing into making rustic furniture. With the suggested tips, plus proper designing and commitment, making something out of twigs or making something rustic is most likely the threshold of building a house and in time and through perfection, you can build a home.

How tos

How to Paint Patio Furniture?

A patio is usually an outdoor space in the house. It usually has paving stones as a “floor”. It is a place where your kids can play, have your social events held and it is where you would sit outdoors on a nice day or evening.

Patio is also called a terrace or a porch. It could be enclosed with a fence. It is usually located at the side or back of the house for privacy. Since it is like an outdoor living room, you can find different sets of furniture in your patio-outdoor furniture.

Patio furniture is different from the interior furniture for they require some special cleaning or repainting-they are usually rough and tumble. Outdoor furniture requires a lot of maintenance for they are exposed to all kinds of elements such as weather conditions. That is why you have to keep a watch and take a good care of them. Another solution is to use furniture covers. If damage occurs, the most suggested way to repair your patio furniture is through repainting. If you decide on painting your patio furniture there are a lot of things to consider.

Painting patio furniture depends on what type of materials your furniture is made of. Modern day patio usually would have either wood or metal furniture. Painting decision is based on whether your furniture is wood, metal or plastic. Before engaging to the painting session, one must consider the following tips:
• First, clean the furniture and its surface.
• Next, remove all cushions and other accessories.
• Then, feather the edges of any chips or scratches by using a medium-fine sandpaper for wooden and metal furniture.
• Have the furniture taken to a safe area where paint spills will not damage the surroundings.
• Finally, cover the ground with a large piece of plastic and place the furniture on top of it if bringing it to other places is not possible.

The following are some tips that can be considered on how to paint patio furniture.

• Wood Furniture.
The type of wood should be put into consideration. You can use enamel paints if you have furniture from Redwood or Cedar. For teak furniture you use non-oil based paints like “acrylic latex paint” or you can look for outdoor furniture paint. For soft woods such as oak, you might wanna consider sealing it before painting as this type of wood are more vulnerable to weathering and decay.

Outdoor dinning set (chairs, table and sunshade)

• Metal Furniture.
Metal outdoor furniture is usually weather proof; metal or aluminum made usually. For the first coat, consider using metal primer or rust retardant type of paint. You can use enamel for the second coating.

• Plastic Furniture.
They can either wear or become faded. You can use Krylon Fusion and other spray paint suited for painting plastics.

Having a well maintained and good looking patio can surely make your home more inviting not just from the outside.

Decoration

Walk down the Stunning Wedding Decors!

Wedding is a once in a lifetime experience for many of us that’s why it deserves a perfect and stunning wedding decorations and arrangement to match the smashing look of the bride and groom. But thinking about it, do we really have to spend big bucks just for hiring wedding designer and planner if we can do their job by ourselves, cheaper and better? So get your hand ready and discover how you can transform your venue from its dull and plain look to dazzling scenery with the perfect and elegant wedding decors!

The first thing that you have to remember in planning and conceptualizing your wedding physical arrangement is the theme of the wedding (like feng shui or country style). Of course, you can always make use of the conventional idea of wedding. But for some, they want to explore more on different idea like color modification, adding twist and some stronger colors. There is no need for expensive decorations to have the blasting effect that you want. There are so many available things even at your own home that you can use as decors. You can also take advantage of the landscape of the venue to add more effects in your wedding.

Another idea for your elegant décor is revolving your wedding theme to a thing, to a person or to a certain idea. With this, you can unite the idea into one single effect for the people to feel the ambience that you want to set. The idea needs not to be deep. The best thing that you can think of is something related to yourself, put your personal touch on it, your experiences, your thoughts and most especially, yourself. Always remember that is a once in a lifetime event in your life that only deserves the best and the most elegant decoration and arrangement that you can have. Wedding place should be the perfect place for the both of you to feel that you will enter an entirely different world, connected by love that sets your feet there.

So who says that you need to spend a lot for a smashing and a different kind of wedding arrangement when in fact, you can do this by your own! You can also use this opportunity to bind your families together by conceptualizing and working for the set-up. In the long run, you’ll notice that you produced better result and output! You may not have the proper training but trust your creative juices and your families’ inputs, elegant wedding décor is coming out your way! This is the best time of your life to exhaust all the effort that you can because wedding is a very serious day of your life. May you have the wedding day you dream of with a bang! Smashing and explicitly stunning!

Tips

If you want to get rid of the cigarette smoke permanently

If you want to get rid of the cigarette smoke permanently you will have to do a couple of different things. Aside from the steps mentioned above, here are some of the additional steps.
• Open the entire window to air out of the apartment. Doing this takes awhile, but this is one easy thing you can do.
• Wash your windows, walls, drapes, cabinets, and even in the closet with hot soapy water. Remember that it is important to get rid of cigarette smoke. You have to wash the ceiling because smoke rises.
• However, if you do not want to wash everything, you can paint a lot of it to get rid of the smell although you could be masking the smell depending on how bad it is.

• You can clean the carpet or hire a professional to do it for you. You can also replace your carpet with a new one. The carpet and the padding tend to store the smell of cigarettes so this is very important if you want it gone for good.
• Use a semi-permanent air filter as opposed to the disposable type. This will help filter out small particles that you would not otherwise be able to get.
If you would like to avoid all this unwanted smell after cleaning, do not allow smoking in your house, and do not purchase a house that was occupied by smokers. You can have everything neutralized from whatever odor is left by taking every living thing out of the house and pumping ozone into it for three days.

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