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air conditioning, Cooling systems

Portable air conditioning tips, maintenance and equipment

No matter where you are or where you live, portable air conditioning provides the answers to your desire of efficient air circulation and cooling and heating system for your home. It can be carried from one place to another without the need of too much effort on your part. It can also be used as an ornament to cover up for oddly–shaped windows. It also offers the wonderful solution for people who don’t want to go through the trouble of putting up holes or nails as required in the set–up of outside air conditioning component.

They also assure people that unusually–shaped windows at their homes will obtain adequate air circulation. An air conditioning system is similar to a portable air conditioning in the sense that they both provide the same air conditioning and heating, however the amount or the region it cools or heats is lesser and targeted. Ideal rooms could be transformed office space, basements, attics and even your garage. Portable air condition is also ideal for maintaining a suitable temperature for your computer hardware. Its easy-to-change carbon air condition filters also make it ideal for individuals who have allergies. These filters help in the removal of common allergens such as bacteria, animal dander, pollen and dust.

Portable conditioners are mostly mistaken with a portable air cooler. While the portable air cooler utilizes water and the process of evaporation to chill, portable air conditioners utilize Freon to chill. Portable air conditioners are more efficient in cooling rooms while maintaining the humidity at a minimal level. They are more expensive than window fans or evaporative swamp coolers; however portable air conditioning provides the atmosphere of central air conditioning with the benefit of generally minimal air conditioning maintenance.

Removing dirt from the air conditioner filter is very simple and effortless. You just have to use a supple, damp cloth in wiping the filter clean and you just have to do it every two weeks. Using a portable air conditioner does not just provide us the advantage of its feature of being moveable, but it also allows us to save money. We do not have to spend on its installation unlike an air conditioning system that needs to be attached to our homes.

Portable air conditioning cooling and heating

When choosing the type of air conditioner to use at your homes, you also need to consider a few factors such as room size and power consumption. Although portable air conditioners do have a lot of advantages, it also has disadvantages. They produce more sound than fixed air conditioners since a portable air conditioner’s condenser is just inside your home unlike the fixed air conditioner which has its condenser outside. Some portable air conditioners also necessitate the manual removal of water from its drain bucket, instead of automatically trickling the eater outdoors.

Cooling systems

Advice in home air conditioning filters

Air conditioning filters are the single best source for keeping your cooling system clean. There are filters that are made up from many materials. There are filters that use spun fiberglass (least effective) polyester and blends that will capture more particulates. All filters use terms called arrestance, and MERV ratings. The general rule the higher the number, the better the filtering qualities will be. The first question is what the main purpose of an air conditioning filter is in your air conditioning system.

Air conditioning filter was first installed in a central air conditioning system to keep the equipment clean and to reduce the maintenance on the system. When air flows through the system the dust and dirt that is in the air deposits on the blower and coil of the air handling unit. The dirt that is build up can cause the blower and coil to become restricted and not move the proper amount of air. The gas or an electric heat system where there is the dirt and lint can build up on the heater and when it goes into the heat mode, it can smoke or burn off.

The solution is to filter the air before it goes into the system; thus, the home air conditioning filters exist. First, filters that were utilized were basic low density filters called Furnace Filters because they were made for heat only systems. If there is no cooling coil on a system they did not need a very efficient filter. The fiberglass filters are very loosely woven and are very inefficient. As the number of central air conditioning systems increases, a better filter is installed and had to be used to keep the inside cooling coils from plugging up with dirt. It catches the big stuffs and some of the smaller stuffs and will keep the equipment cleaner.

If the coils get saturated with water in the cooling process, they become very efficient filters, much more efficient than standard filters. It catches the smaller particles of dirt and dust that the filters do not. With this, the main problem is that the coils catch and hold this dirt and then become restricted and cause cooling problems. These air conditioning filters need to have increased surface area because of their increase in density of the material. They then went to thicker filters so that they could increase the density of the material even more and catch smaller particles. The very important thing you can do to keep your air conditioning and heating system working efficiently is to make sure the air conditioning filters are always clean and are matched to the unit. That way, filters will perform well according to your expectations.

office

Decorating an office: Tips on decorating your office

Office Decorating can bring a bit of personality to a dry, boring workspace. Choosing accessories and decorations that would express your personality will allow your co-workers in to a brief glimpse of who you are outside of your working area.

Color Scheme
Often offices are moderately neutrally furnished and decorated. This will allow you to add a clout of one or two complimentary colors to add some life to the boring space. Because offices tend to utilize a lot of synthetic materials to furnish and decorate, bring in some natural materials – such as stone, wood, glass, metal, and plants. Select a desk that is curved or has rounded edges to for a more modern look.

Pictures
Bringing in pictures of family and friends or special loved ones can create a warm and inviting workspace. Frame all of them in similar frames or frame them in colors similar to your color scheme in the office.

Stress Relievers
Work in a fast-paced environment (Feng Shui office)? Consider having a stress ball or toy that will calm people as they sit and venture in your space. Make an executive sand box with fine sand or colored rice and some interesting tools (funnels, rakes, scoops). These materials are pleasing to the eyes and would relieve stress in their office.

Furniture and Lighting
If you have the opportunity to choose your office furniture in decorating, try opting natural materials as much as possible including wooden desks, floors, hand and carved furniture, shelving, filing cabinets and tables. Metal, even though natural, is also capable of interfering with wireless mouse or keyboards. Ergonomics are essential to your health especially if you plan to sit at your desk for long periods of time. Lighting is also very necessary especially if you have any natural light coming into your workspace. Utilize light bulbs that mime natural light as much as possible. You may opt to turn off your florescent lighting and bring in lamps to create a more subtle, warmer and inviting lighting scheme.

When decorating an office, you should be more involved in doing it in order for you to achieve a better appearance more than what you expected. In decorating your space, be sure to stay away from colors that are traditionally connected with specific religous occasions. Instead of decorating your workspace with the colors of red and green of Christmas, go for the colors silver and gold, which merely say “festive.” Your local art supply store should have an extensive selection of metallic foils, tinsel, and ribbons. This activity is very fun and likable at the same time, it replicates your personality and how much you are involved with your work.

Furniture

Knowing National Office Furniture?

National Office Furniture is a furniture dealership which started in 1980. Through their parent company, went into the extremely competitive mid-priced sector of the market with definite advantages, including superior wood construction, stocked inventory for quicker lead times, outstanding production facilities and an outstanding value for the dollar. The company expanded rapidly, earning an astral reputation for supplying reasonable priced, superior quality and cheap bedroom furniture, and authentic personal service, coupled with distinct designs and contagious personality.

Through Kimball International, they we’re auspicious to have a wealthy heritage in wood manufacturing, environmental responsibility and financial solidity to develop upon while exploring and searching for new opportunities that will respond to the needs and anticipation of consumers. National Office Furniture boasts for its excellent furniture that will make spending feel worthwhile. They market office and home furniture including new and used furniture. Their products include: furniture of 20th century, chairs, desks, bookcases, tables, plan files, and drafting stools. They probably have every kind of outdoor furniture (and offices) you can think of.

National Office incorporates style, distinction and quality to their products. The good quality assures people that their money is given great value. National Office Furniture tries to instil personality in their industry by focusing on solid on genuine designs, exceptional service and a helpful nature. They put together a team of creative and passionate people. They aim to provide people with the kind of comfort that induce personal expression and confidence that allows you to feel better and work smarter. The furniture they provide will exude the quintessence of your establishment.

National Furniture also fulfils its environmental responsibilities by being a green industry. They stress on low–emitting commodities that shield indoor air quality. Their products are made from resources that are economically practical, environmentally responsible and socially favourable. They are discovering new means of incorporating quickly renewable resources like cork, bamboo and other plants with brief growing cycles.

You can personally visit showrooms to see their various kinds of furniture. There are seven showrooms available at different locations. You will go through National’s distinctive personality through their operating footprint. They present people with a clean and secure environment. This engraves a personal ownership and self–assurance that is handed on to consumers in the form of exquisite, excellent furniture that your association will take pleasure in for a long time. You can also look through the internet if you want to purchase their products.

Audio, Home Theater, Television, Video

Satellite receivers for home entertainment

Television viewing is part of the lives of a large number of people around the globe and a part of our home theater system. Because of the people’s desire to enhance their viewing experience, a product of the evolution of the television, was the Satellite TV. Satellite television, is a wireless system for delivering television programming directly to a viewer’s house. It was first introduced in the market during the early 1990s.

The Components
There are five major components involved in a direct to home (DTH) or direct broadcasting (DBS) satellite system: the programming source, the broadcast center, the satellite, the satellite dish and the receiver.

• Programming sources – the channels that provide programming for broadcast.
• The broadcast center serves as the nucleus of the system.
• The satellites capture the signals from the station and transmit them to Earth.
• The viewer’s dish passes the signal it gets from the satellite and forwards it on to the receiver in the viewer’s house.
• The receiver obtains the signal and then sends it on to a standard TV.

Satellite Receiver
It is the last constituent of the satellite system. It performs the following functions:
1. It deciphers the encrypted signal.
The receiver needs the appropriate decoder chip to unlock the signal. The satellite signal makes it possible for the decoding chip to be adjusted.
2. It acquires the channels apiece from the larger satellite signal.
Whatever channel you choose on the receiver, sends the corresponding signal for that channel in to the television. The receiver can exhibit one channel at a time, which is why it goes the same for the televisions you have at home. You could never watch two programs at the same time unless you buy an additional receiver.
3. It receives the digital MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 signal and translates it into a form that can be comprehended by standard television.
National Television Systems Committee (NTSC) format is an example of a form that is a mode that standard television recognizes. An HDTV signal can also be an output of some dish and receiver setups.
4. It informs provider’s headquarters regarding billing information.
There are three formats in which satellite receivers take the form of: standard, HD tuners, DVR, or FTA.

An Electronic Program Guide (EPG), which has a list of the available channels and programming, is often included along with the satellite receivers.
• HD Receivers
It process high – definition satellite signal for high – definition television (HDTV’s) or HD- ready televisions. Aside from high – definition signal, it can also manage signals in Dolby Digit format.
• Digital Video Recorders
A DVR (Digital Video Recorder) satellite receiver is comprised of a DVR and a satellite receiver in a single component. It allows the user to record satellite programs to a hard drive through its built-in video recorder. DVR receivers have forward, rewind, and pause options which will allow the user to leave out commercial breaks.
• Free To Air Receivers
Free-to-air (FTA) receivers are intended to identify unencrypted broadcast signals. They can translate standard MPEG-2/DVB-S formats for a digital television. Without the need of being pre-programmed, FTA receivers can detect active transponders in its channels and it can also record any available information it can perceive.

accesories, Decoration

Decorated and decorative papers for gifts

Decorative paper gives artistic enhancement to your gifts (gel candles, decorative glasses, etc.) , projects and belongings by making them impressive and presentable. This paper also satisfies your need for an alternative natural paper material, which can be used in producing one-of-its kind utility decorative paper products such as handmade paper boxes and other items. Paper is a complex matted web of cellulose fibers. Paper is prepared from different plants in different parts of the world, depending on what is native to that area. It is made by using the plant of choice, and beating it into a pulp. Then water is added, until the pulp becomes slurry and the slurry is then sifted against a screen until it forms an even layer. When it dries, a sheet of paper is formed. Initially all paper was made by hand, a slow and tedious process yielding unique and beautiful sheets.

The Modern commercial paper is made using high speed machines which, while very efficient produce inexpensive paper with little of the character of hand made sheets. A lot of the artist paper today is manufactured using a process known as “mould made”, where a modern machine manufactures paper using mechanical processes that emulate the hand made paper making process. Mostly the papers contain something called “sizing”. Sizing is starchy, glue like substance mixed into the paper pulp. Good quality papers are rated as pH neutral (generally buffered to achieve this goal). The better papers are called “acid free”, based on the materials they were manufactured from.

This paper can be prepared from various sources such as watercolor paper is available in as many as four different surfaces. While another paper is a Bristol Paper that is made up of Solid or laminated heavyweight paper made to a caliber thickness of .006″ or higher. Another decorative paper is the Laid Paper with a prominent pattern of ribbed lines in the finished sheet. The Machine-made Paper that is produced on a rapidly moving machine which forms, dries, sizes, and presses the sheet. While the Rag Paper is a Paper with cotton fiber content between 25% and 100%. A Text Paper is a Paper of a weight suitable for the pages of a book or brochure. A Wove Paper is a type of paper with a smooth, even surface made using a mould with a fine wire mesh. Over all Decorative papers comes in different forms and styles and are used widely all over the countries.

Colleges and Schools, Interior design

Choosing a career in interior design

Interior designers are imaginative, creative and artistic, an you can learn that in any interior decorating college. They also require well-disciplined, organized and skilled business people. Compounding knowledge with aesthetic vision, interior designers work with clients and other design professionals to produce design solutions that are safe, functional, magnetic and would meet the needs and desires of the people using the space. These skills should be met in order to achieve a pleasing and above satisfactory career in interior design. Like the case with any other career, the interior design career can be rewarding and fulfilling if perseverance prevails. Excelling in interior design requires vim, technical proficiency, vision and dedication to the mission.

Keys to Success
As members of a service profession, interior designers’ fortunes greatly depend on their ability to satisfy their clients. Thus, they must understand the artistic and technical requirements of a project, interpersonal communication, public relation and management techniques.

Artistic and Technical Requirements
Interior designers should be familiar on how to plan a space and on how to present that plan visually so that it can be communicated to the client without further complicated explanation. They must also know about the materials and products that will be utilized to make and furnish the space, and how texture, color, lighting and other factors compound and transact to make a space. In addition to that, must realize the structural requirements of their plans, the health and safety issues, building codes, and many other technical aspects.

Interpersonal Communications
Interior designers must be comfortable meeting and dealing with various types of people. They must be able to communicate distinctly and effectively to the clients, as well as be attentive listeners regarding the clients’ side. Because they must usually work with architects, contractors and other service providers, interior designers are required to be both good team leaders and good team players. They must be willing to open negotiations and mediations when necessary to find solutions to the stated problems.

Management Strategies
Interior designers must have fantabulous time and project management capabilities since they would often work on more than one project at a time under demanding deadlines. They must know about business planning, and they are required to know how to sell or deal their ideas to their clients, create informative and persuasive propositions and presentations, and maintain good client relationships. They work in a wide range of environments such as restaurants, hotels, stores, offices, airports, hospitals and homes. Surveys indicate that a majority of interior designers practice their interior designing career in several areas, although they tend to prefer one or two. Many interior designers work initially as residential designers.

Practitioners often impart to design education as part-time educators or participants in studio critiques or reviews. Some interior designers turn to full-time educators, helping to train the next generation and expanding their knowledge to these people. Some interior designers also work as sales and marketing masters in related industries. For instance, an interior designer might be the sales and marketing representative for a major furniture manufacturer, providing product details to interior designers and architects. These are just some of the careers in interior designing that professionals go into, some of them receiving much more fortune than others do. Your career really does depend on your capabilities and knowledge about the field.

accesories, Decoration, How tos

Learn the basics of gel candle making

Jelly candles (like soy wax candles), or more commonly known as gel candles are made from gel wax. They are basically made from combining mineral oil and polymer resin. Due to their unique beauty, gel candles are more preferred by many people. Their popularity has risen due to the fact that they burn and last longer than the usual paraffin wax candles. Gel candle making is a fun activity to do, plus it can turn out into something profitable too.

Gel candles do not only light up your home or improve your bathrooom, but it also adds beauty to it. With different variations in sizes, shaped, designs, containers and scents, they can truly make any home into a fabulous one. You can then customize your candles with designs to perfectly match a specific area of your room. Decorate your houses with easy to make gel candles. Aside from it decorative bedroom purposes, these candles can also be given as gifts to friends and loved ones. Surprise your family and friends with unique and customized gel candles you yourself made.

Gel candles are just easy to do; you can make one right in your own homes. Here are the materials and the basic steps in candle making.

Materials:
1. Gel wax.
2. Candle scents and dyes.
3. Wicks and wick base.
4. Container.

Steps:
1. Melt the small pieces of gel in a steel pot. Wait until the gel turns into smooth syrup like liquid to ensure that all the gel pieces are melted.
2. Add the dye for the color you want to achieve and the fragrance for the desired scent.
3. Using glue or wick base, glue the wick at the bottom center of the glass container.
4. Carefully pour the melted gel on the sides of the container in order to avoid the formation of bubbles.
5. Slowly pull up the wick and allow the gel to cool. If it’s already cool, cut of the wick.
6. After cooling, the candle is now ready for burning.

Now, you have your very own gel candle made in just a few hours. For a personal touch, you can add designs on the container and alter the color of the gel candles. You can also make layers on the candles by pouring different colored gels on top of another. Another variation you can make is by altering the scents of the candles. You can also place customized designs on the glass container for a more personal feel.

Gel candle making is a very fun and exciting thing to do. Now you can enjoy the happiness gel candles can bring. Design and adorn your homes with these customized gel candles and see how they can turn your home into a more sophisticated one.

Bedroom, Furniture

How to find cheap bedroom furniture

Remodeling any part of your home can be very expensive since it seems like everything on the market today is implementing price increase. However, there are a lot of ways that you can choose to do so that you can create a whole new look for the different parts of your house without having to spend so much. These parts of your house vary from the most public such as your living room to the most private such as your won room. This is why when it comes to your room; there is still a multitude of ways that you can remodel your room without having to spend so much.

Finding cheap bedroom furniture is really easier than you think. All you have do to is become more creative in thinking of the places that you can actually find bedroom furniture that do not cost that much.

One of the best places to look for cheap bedroom furniture is the malls that are currently having sales. Usually, furniture are always on sale because what the merchandisers do is that they put up different style of furniture on sale every now and then so that people will think that the sale is a once in a blue moon deal. However, be warned that there are actually a large number of furniture sets that are actually on sale for prices that are too low for what they are actually worth. In order to grab this opportunity, all you have to do is keep your eyes peeled.

Another great way of finding cheap bedroom furniture is by looking at garage sales. There are actually a large number of people who sell their old furniture even though they are still good because of decorative reasons. This is what you should take advantage of because their cut off price ranges from 50-70%. Just remember to look for the ones with the least amount of damage and the least amount of stains. After all, you would not want to your visitors to get a hint where you got your furniture.

Another great place to visit when shopping for furniture is anywhere that has a lot of promos going on. There might not be an actual discount on the furniture but you will be able to enjoy so much more since you can get a bunch of stuff for free or for half the price if you buy their furniture that is under promo.

Just remember that when it comes to choosing bedroom furniture, it is always important to analyze the quality of the product that you are buying. It does not hurt to keep you eyes peeled for the reasons as to why these products are so darn cheap. It is no use if the amount of money that you will be able to save from buying cheap will be used to repair the cheap furniture that you have bought.

accesories

Accessorize your homes with decorative switchplates

A house will not be complete if it has no switchplates in it. Decorative switchplates (similar to decorative glasses) are a must in every home. Although they may seem little but they are so powerful for they are the panels wherein your lights switch, doorbell button or your power outlet rests.

Decorative plates are usually placed near the door, or sometimes on hallways. Switchplates are one of the most important house accessories because they do not only give your homes good looks but also they serve as protections from possible a electric shock that’s why they are placed on a switch’s circuitry. There are no known substitutes for switchplates, so any homeowner should have these at hand when they are planning to build or renovate their houses. Since they are also used for decoration purposes, there are some which can be decorated. Decorative accesories can also add to the beauty of your home. Its can be designed according to the theme and motif of your home, thus creating a more sophisticated look of your room.

Their design may vary; they can even be customized to fit to your style and taste but may cost you something. You will never know how a little accessory could turn your room into a fabulous one. If you are on a tight budget but still want to enjoy the atmosphere of having a switchplate that is designed, you can just make your own switchplate. Here are a few tips on how to go about in choosing the design of your switchplate or make your own customized one :

> For a different feel, you can do simple hand paints. This will give it a more personal touch since you made it yourself.
> For your baby’s room, you can do some design which will fit into the room’s motif. If it’s a girl’s room, then you can have it painted in pink or light red. If it is for a boy’s room then maybe a touch of blue or any shade of blue will fit perfectly.
> If you have a talent in pottery or ceramics, then you can make and design your very own ceramic plates.

Designs will give your switchplates a more creative look but of course you have to always bear in mind that the switchplate is used for security purposes and not just for decorations. If you are on your way to do a renovation to any area of your home try to consider first adding a wonderful decorative switchplate on the area and you may be surprised with the result. Aa accesorie like that may just be what you need to give your room a better and brand new appearance without having to spend a lot of money. Although the impact may not be that much as compared to a renovation, but still the addition of a switchplate could brighten up your place and give a different atmosphere to your room.

Floors, Kitchen

Accident free kitchen floor

Tired of falling down the floor while walking around the kitchen and cooking? Or just even walking through to serve the food? Sick with the dullness of your floor tile? Is there something to remain dull any longer? Install hardwood floors! Decorating tile kitchen flooring when remodeling is no more than the only way to avoid those kinds of accident and also to have a new exciting look for your kitchen. Kitchen is part of a room used to prepare food as well as cooking, and occasionally as well for eating and engaging with guests, if the kitchen is big enough for a lot of people and intended to be used that manner. Even though the most important purpose of a kitchen is supposed to be for cooking or preparing food only, the kitchen can also be the core of other activities too, mainly within homes, depending on the size, furniture, and other things.

It can be an easier said than done decision when you are not clear in your mind of precisely what you need for your kitchen. Decorating kitchen flooring is a not easy thing to plan and accomplish. So before you begin for a redecoration of your kitchen area, you should always research first in what to do and what kinds of kitchen tiles exist. Then you will be able to budget your money for the upcoming transformation of your kitchen floor tiles.

Kitchen floors have to be sturdy as much as necessary to handle the abuse that it is given every single day. Durability is essential. It ought to be trouble-free to clean and preserve. There will be a lot of food spills so carpet for a floor covering is not an excellent pick for the kitchen. It is not just difficult to be a dirt free floor but it is as well not very sanitary. Contaminants can be trapped in the threads of the floor covering. Your choice for the kind of kitchen flooring ought to take into the description of your taste as well as sturdiness and preservation. In kitchen flooring, you should first choose what kind of material to use for your kitchen. You should choose a kitchen tile that’s made of Wood Tile or Cork Tile or French Roof Tile. These kinds of tile are not slippery so as to prevent accidents. You should not use the tiles that are slippery like the common bathroom tiles you usually see.

Next thing you need to do for decorating tile kitchen flooring is to check is the size of the tile you are planning to buy. You should also choose the size to know if your kitchen will look good depending on the size. The larger the tile, it will make the kitchen look bigger. It is not the only approach to set other than there is also less grout. Grout is a cover of plaster for finishing a ceiling, wall or floor tile. The larger tiles give the kitchen a cleaner appearance and can in fact make a small place give the impression of being larger in form.

Furniture

Resin outdoor furniture: More than just quality

Wood furniture is so much more than just a piece of wood or metal put together to support the human body and its needs. It is a tool that allows one to express style and create ambience that is befit to his or her taste. Furniture’s come in different sizes and shapes. There are pieces meant for indoor and outdoor use. Outdoor furniture demands more attention in production and quality for it is meant to last under the rain and sun. That is why it is a good to invest in resin outdoor furniture.

Resin is a compound, natural or synthetic, that begins in a highly viscous state that hardens with treatments. Natural Resin is produced by a number of plants that have been used by humans for thousands of years, including the coniferous trees and pine sap. While synthetic resins are made by combining chemicals in a laboratory to stimulate a reaction which results in the formulation of a resinous compound. Resin, both natural and synthetic, is popularly used in modern outdoor furniture for it is durable and comfortable but at a lower cost and plus the added fact that it’s virtually maintenance free. Resin furniture is getting its fair share of popularity due to its practicality, economic and ecologic benefits.

• It’s practical to use!
You can place the teak furniture anywhere in the house. You can use it in the bedroom, the dining area, the patio, the garden and even at the pool sides! You can rest assure that resin outdoor furniture are strong, rigid and extremely durable. It can even be placed at pool sides for it is resistant to chlorine, suntan oils and salt.
• It’s economic to use!
Since resin exterior unique furniture can withstand all weather, you don’t have keep on buying furniture sets to match the season that you are in. You also do not have to use lots of storage space for your furniture during snow season and summer season that can be extremely harsh to normal wood or metal furniture.
• It’s ecologically friendly too!
Since this furniture type outlasts the common wood furniture type, mother earth can breathe a sigh of relief in knowing that fewer trees are cut down in order to be made into decorations and support of human needs.

Clean-up and maintenance for resin outdoor furniture is also just a breeze. You only need to water it down with a hose then your piece is absolutely clean. It really is virtually a maintenance free piece of art. The resin outdoor furniture is not only practical and economic; it is also stylish and elegant. It is everything that you could want in furniture and a lot more. Outdoor furniture is indeed a statement that high quality does not always have to be accompanied by a high price.

Bathroom

A good small bathroom remodeling

A bathroom can mean a lot of things to different people. Bathroom lighting up is very easy. It can be the place for relaxation for some, and a place for reinvention and rejuvenation for others. What we all know is that aside from the bedroom, the bathroom is one of the most important parts of a house. Without a bathroom, life is really hard. Some people can have all the space and amenities that they like to be made available inside their bathrooms, others only have a limited budget and a very limited space available for a bathroom. No matter how small a bathroom is, it is not an excuse to just simply leave it unattractive. That is why we need to learn the essentials in small bathroom remodeling. It can be tedious and complicated, but being armed with the right information and with the right attitude, any small-bathroom remodeling can be done superbly.

First, one must create a plan to be able to use and maximize all the available free area. Then one can really get set to start on the job of bathroom remodeling. It is better to use or add free floating cabinets and shelves to store and stock items inside the bathroom. That way you can store items in the bathroom but with lesser visible clutter and still have more space for items to be placed upon. Using of mirrors and painting the bathroom interiors in white can also create an image and feel of having a bigger bathroom.

You should also start using items in small containers or transferring of items in a smaller container, it is for the reason that small containers use less space and appear less bulky. Tubs just simply occupy too much space inside a bathroom. So, another way to simply save space is to just use a shower and do away with tubs. One must also use a toilet that can sit close to the wall in order to conserve space. Another way to create more space is to use a toilet with a low tank for it takes up lesser visual space, and also try to get a compact toilet that really leaves more room. Small bathrooms can give users a feel of being stuck in a cave due to small area of air circulation, you can put an exhaust fan to help get rid of this cave like feeling.

One of the oldest tricks in small bathroom remodeling is through the use of light. More light also gives a feeling of having more space. One must also adopt uniformity in bathroom materials being used. Using uniform bathroom material gives out the feeling of continuity. Also, try to avoid putting unnecessary things inside you small bathroom. The more cluttered an area is, the smaller it seems to be.
Having a small bathroom is not a problem anymore these days, with all the tips and materials available that you can use to create the illusion of having more space does magic. And finally, you should always consider what is essential and let go of things and ideas that are not. Small bathroom remodeling is an art but it does not really mean that only professionals can do it. You can do it too, is possible on your own if you know what you want and apply all the best tips and tricks there is.

Floors, Wood

Installing hardwood floors: Guides and Tips

Many homeowners choose unfinished hardwood as their flooring due to many reasons. Hardwood gives any floor a natural beauty and a classic look. Wood floors are also good investments since they can add value to your homes. That is why decisions like installing hardwood floors should not be taken for granted.

What makes hardwood floors (like Mohawk floors) different from other types of flooring is the fact that it is a beautiful natural product. It is considered to be one of the oldest flooring materials, making it comfortable and very durable. Hardwoods are also very versatile, giving homeowners a lot of possibilities for accessorizing and adding inserts into the wood floor. But its performance and appearance depends mainly on how it is installed and its finishing process. Installing wood floors can actually be done by any homeowner. All you need is the right material to use and of course, your wood floors.

Materials / Tools Needed:
o Hammer.
o Finish nails.
o Measuring tape.
o Masking tape.
o Hardwood flooring glue.
o Notched trowel.
o Hardwood floor strips.
o Tapping block.
o 1/4″ lauan plywood underlayment.
o Pneumatic stapler.
o Safety glasses.

Before installing or restoring hardwood floors, it is important to take note that they should not be installed in an area below the ground since these areas increase the risk of damaging the floors due to moisture. Another important thing to remember is that hardwood floors should only be installed on solid and sturdy surfaces. If you have checked the area, then you can now proceed with the installation. Follow these steps in installing hardwood floors:

1. Mark where the joists are using a pencil, chalk or any marker. These joists are the beams which serve as the supporter of the floor.

2. Hardwood has the tendency to expand during warm weather and contract in cold weather so it is better to stop the flooring at this point to give ample time to the change in the wood. Start measuring 3/8 inch from the baseboard and draw a line on it.

3. Looking at your starting point, find the longest wall that is straight as the starting point. Place one end of the board to the baseboard line. See to it that the hardwood plank is perpendicular to the joist of the floor. This will serve as the supporter of the flooring.

4. Using a hammer, nail one end of the board into the sub floor and the joist since a pneumatic stapler cannot reach this area anymore.

5. Just repeat the process of putting down the boards. Always see to it that the tongue and groove ends are fitted together. In attaching the flooring, use the pneumatic stapler.

Hardwood floors require some maintenance and actually do add beauty to your home. With its natural beauty, it can give any home a classical or traditional look. If you want this kind of ambiance in your homes, then consider hardwood floors in your houses as the best solution.

Furniture

Echos, a collection of hand turned and carved furniture from the Alps

A limited line of artistically hand turned and carved wood furniture called “Echos” are produced by Swiss design company Pour les Alpes. The collection which is comprised of Neugierde, Ehrfurcht and Sehnsucht was designed by Tina Stieger and Annina Gaehwiler with the help of very talented local artisans.

The first piece (an ideal bedroom furniture), Neugierde which translates as curiosity is a very distinctive storage table with a 680mm x 935mm x 350mm dimension. The piece is made from hand-split spruce shingles taken from Appenzell and has a luminous red interior. The shingles are made using their local technique for roofing. The over-all design of Neugierde has its own representation. The breathtaking variety of the Swiss Alps is symbolized by the wooded layers of Neugierde. The narrow gaps in between the layers give way to a vague glimpse into its interior and the red shade of the furniture’s cavern is an imagery of the alpine glow.

Ehrfurcht which means reverence is a piece made from ebony. It is designed with a jagged opening that divulges an interior of hand carved and crafted Swiss pine. The inspiration for its design comes from the erratic nature of the Alps. Making it even more artful is the fracture that draws one’s attention to what’s inside the object and the color contrast of the dark surface and the raw inner part. It is 680mm wide, 810mm high and 350mm deep.

Sehnsucht or desire is a storage stand made from chestnut. It has an epoxy resin coating and comes with drawers that are decorated with hand woven lace inserted in a fiberglass panel. The lace which is finished in 200 hours goes down on one of the legs. It is placed on a semi see-through glass fiber structure. This unfamiliar pattern is enthused by the Alps glaciers. Shades of blue and grey are subtly combined with light white color. Sehnsucht has a 680 mm x 1000 mm x 350 mm dimension.

It is observable that the collection is inspired with the alpine atmosphere. Clearly it is an accolade to the Swiss Alps. This reflects the designers’ curiosity, desire and theme admiration as indicated by the names of these hand carved furniture. The products come with rich culture since it is manufactured from the efforts of native manual workers like carvers, lace makers and shingle makers who know the daily life in the Alps. They were able to channel their familiar memories and experiences through their creation and at the same time leave space for people’s own interpretation.

Making exceptional hand turned furniture with creativity, originality and individuality serves as the focus of Pour les Alpes which is about modern product design and artisan craftwork. The designers said that creating products that are integrated with traditional crafts inspired from the Swiss alpine culture acts as the team’s vision. Coming with creations that have identifiable cultural identity is of great deal to them. They believe that the call for individual products is of importance especially in a period of global mass production.

Colleges and Schools, Decoration, Interior design

Choose the right interior decorating college

If you are a person whose passion is to design the inner look of your house, you have a sense to style and balance or you know how to play around with colors and still turn your creation into something lovely then you may want to take a course in Interior design. Although you have a very good potential in making it in this kind of career, the very basic step for you to achieve this is to find a good interior decorating college or school. You will learn many things as lighting up you house, unfinished hardwood floors and care of heating and cooling systems.

To succeed in any field one must be able to communicate well both orally and in written and even when you are very promising you will still need to learn theoretical ideas and things that experts have already studied on, that is why a need to be in the best Decorating College is highly advised. Here you will be able to learn exceptional designing that your amateur creation has not taught you. You will be able to learn the ability to work well with your clients and collaborate with them regarding how the output should be even when almost everything they want is not in your idea… after all it’s their house you’re working on. You will need to develop your skills better while you are working out on your portfolio. All the things that you will learn and all the skills that you will develop in an home decorating school will be your advantage in landing a good job in interior design.

Generally, interior decorators plan the whole space and furnish the inside of a house, a bathroom, a school, an office, a kitchen, a building and many others. They also do re-designing or when there is a plan for renovation or expansion. Interior decorators specialized in areas they are interested in like kitchen and bathroom, some specialize in living room or contemporary bedroom and some may concentrate in designing an office or in modern furniture or any other place other than house, depending on their taste and style. Given the client’s taste a good interior designer will prepare a plan and requirement that will match an allocated budget. Nowadays, designers prepare plans with the use of computer to easily make changes when there are new ideas and modifications from the client because a designer collaborates a lot with their client.

To be able to choose the right school for you think about the areas that is important like wanting to know the modules that a school offer. This way you will be able to see in which area they give emphasis to. Then, try comparing this to another school, in doing this you are making sure that you are entering an Interior Decorating School where you can get a lot of learning in which you can excel.

accesories, Glass

Decorative glass for admiration

Chandeliers, bowls, windows, vases and glass stopper; these are just five of the many kinds of things that we can apply beautification to wood furniture of 20th century. It involves creativity and different processes to come up with a decorative glass. This is one of the things that catch our eyes since we can find this everywhere. We can purchase this mostly in department and glass stores in our town. It basically adds texture, style and beauty to a room unlike the ordinary glass which we find simple and boring. Of course we want stuffs that will make our rooms more pleasant and beautiful to look.

Decorative glass has its own classification and these are made from sands and an alkali (and it may be placed near our dining chair). These materials are fused in a high temperature and then cooled to form shape and patterns. Stained glass is a one kind of decorative glass and might be the most impressive and beautiful decorative glass. We see these mostly in churches which portray the lives of the saints. It has different textures, colors and patterns that are so pleasing to the eyes. Another type of decorative glass is the blowing glass. These are done by blowing and done in a hot shop which is made from raw materials. It is slowly cold to firm its shape and form.

In purchasing this decorative glass for improving residential interior design, you have to know its function whether it is for display or for everyday use such as glasses. The glasses for display are what we called as sculptural glass which is used as decorations and adornment. These decorative sculptural glasses add interest and glamour in your homes. Functional pieces are those like glasses, vases, bowls and other utensils which are commonly used. For you to identify the sculptural from functional decorative glass, see the opening of the glass. If the opening is wide it is used for functional but if it is narrow and small that’s mainly for home enhancement. All of those mentioned are not only what decorative glass can do for you. Our main entry into our homes (or our kitchen) can have these too. Yes, decorative glass is widely open for our doors. It in you doors will add accent and heighten the appearance of your homes. You can have your own designs, from vintage to contemporary art.

If you want the see-through glass doors, that’s not a problem. You can freely have the option of the different designs of your glass doors. The advantages of having glass are as follows:
• It allows entry of lights.
• Warmer and lighter atmosphere.
• Good for the health since it wards off depression.
• Increases productivity.

But if you want privacy and a glass door, merging the two is not a headache. You can have from western to eastern designs that will surely allure and fascinate your home. Each type of glass has its own personality and function whether its chandelier, glass stopper or vase. So make your move and create the glassy and classy effect in your homes.

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