Archive for February, 2010
Learn How To Install Wood Flooring
If you want to increase the value of your house then try installing wood flooring. Wood floor is a more popular option than stone floors or slate floors. Wood has a depth and a warm feeling that will make your house feel cozy all year long.
You can find a large range of flooring in a variety of woods. You can choose the kind of wood you want to install in your home based on your taste and the look and feel of your home. Installing wood Flooring can be a great asset to your home. Learning how to install wood flooring or hiring someone to do it for you is an investment you won’t regret. Wood flooring may not be right for a bathroom or kitchen because of the moisture levels.
Hardwood floors are a very classic choice in flooring. You can choose from wide selection of hardwoods. Try oak, cherry, hickory, maple, walnut or bellawood. You can find these in a natural color or in a stained look. You should think about leaving the wood its own color because some woods have a lovely finish that does not need to be stained. Cherry and walnut are two such examples.
Looking into the options you have for a finish when you have finished choosing the material. You can also buy wood that has been finished already which will make your job a whole lot easier. Usually it is stained and comes with a clear coating on it. This can be more pricey, but often it is worth it for the time it will save you.
You can also put the flooring down and then finish it afterwards. You will have to do the sanding, staining, and put urethane on the floor. After each coat you will have to sand it. This can take a few days to complete this whole process. You more separate coats of urethane you use the better off your surface will be.
You might also want to try reclaimed flooring. This means that it does not have a smooth texture, but they are still very attractive and don’t look like any other finish. You will also not have to see scratches on them like you will in urethane flooring.
You can also choose other things besides hardwood floors. Laminate flooring is also a good option for you. You can get these to look like real hardwood floors, but they are generally cheaper. You can hardly tell the difference between hard wood floors and laminate flooring. You can also look into a wide selection of bamboo or Cork Flooring that can give your home a great look.
Caring for your wood floors will ensure that they last longer and you can practice different things to protect your flooring no matter what kind you are using. Whether it is hardwood, laminate, or any other type of flooring then you’ll use most of the same kind of techniques.
You’ll want to sweep and vacuum your floor on a regular basis to keep the dirty and dust down. You’ll also want to wipe off the floor too to get rid of marks.
Greg K. Hansward
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/learn-how-to-install-wood-flooring-130724.html
Venetian Blinds Have Come Along Way
Venetian blinds have come along way from the original cumbersome and some what noisy wooden Venetian blinds used in Colonial houses and mansions at the turn of the 20th century. These heavy wooden Venetian blinds were used to keep out the heat and prevent strong sunlight from fading fabrics, furnishings and floors as well as preventing prying eyes from looking inside the room.
The versatility of using slats to provide an excellent window covering continued with the emergence and trend to use metal Venetian blinds as a way to keep out sunlight soon emerged into offices and work places. The ability to control the amount entering the room remains a major factor when choosing appropriate window coverings for offices. Reflection from the bright sun or natural light on computer screens needs to be reduced as much as possible. Fitting Venetian blinds is the ideal solution for offices and work places.
People soon began to realise the advantages of using Venetian blinds and began using them in their homes, particularly in bathrooms and kitchens where traditional style curtains became shabby due to the humid conditions. The trend continued with different styles and designs of Venetian blinds becoming a preferred choice throughout the home.
Wooden Venetian blinds continue to be one of the most popular choices for use in conservatories, lounge and dinning areas. These are available in a selection of different woods and colour tones to blend with interior design finishes and bring warmth to a room. Modern Venetian blinds have robust and practical finishes applied to them which help prevent fading, warping and scratches. Some even have the added benefit of being treated with a finish which helps prevent dust from settling onto the slats.
Light colours such as natural or honey provide a light and airy ambience and are ideal for rooms with small dimensions. Rich dark colours of mahogany or cherry ooze elegance and sophistication in large rooms, looking beautiful when coordinated dining furniture or Flooring.
For bathrooms and kitchens PVC or metal Venetian blinds remain extremely popular. Modern colours and finishes enable all styles of bathroom, shower rooms and kitchens to have an attractive and practical window covering. These styles of blinds also have finishes to help protect them from humidity and scratches.
Venetian blinds are available to fit a wide range of different size and shapes of windows and are able to be fitted either inside or outside of the window recess.
When choosing whether to hang Venetian blinds inside or outside of the window recess the are a few factors which should be given consideration to.
Fitting Venetian blinds to the inside of the window recess is ideal if-
The window does not open inwardly.
There are no objects displayed on the window sill.
Other window dressings are going to be used in conjunction with the blind.
The blinds are being used in place of traditional net curtains
Venetian blinds fitted to the outside of the window recess are perfect for-
Windows which open inwardly.
The blind is the sole window dressing.
Objects are displayed on the window sill
Terry Henman
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/venetian-blinds-have-come-along-way-730188.html
Minimal Fuss Maximum Style
Minimalism is a growing trend in interior design. It has been around for a long time in architecture and interior design, but it only the over the last decade that it has become the desired look in British homes. The clean and uncluttered style that is quickly tidied is a big draw as most of us have little time for fussing over frills and scrubbing every nook and cranny nowadays. Minimal is very much a style for the modern lifestyle.
So it’s simple right? Paint the walls white and give all of your furniture away and you are done. Well, I suppose that would be a very minimal look, but could you live like that? Minimal is a comparatively simple look to pull of but its success relies on balance to create harmony. You should still be aiming for maximum comfort but with next to no fuss. Lets start with the Flooring, how committed to the minimal look are you? For those wanting to create a real statement of intent, be bold and opt for tiling. Slate tiles will give a really chic finish, plus they hide a lot of dust and dirt and therefore don’t require constant cleaning. For a really modern look, why not be daring and go for matt white tiles? Choose rectangular shaped ones for real up-to-the-minute style and increase the linear qualities of the pattern (whilst hiding dirt) by choosing black tiles grout over white. To even up the comfort/style balance, add a thick natural rug with a free form shape, a sheep skin or shag pile is ideal. Admittedly, tiles are probably for the die-hards only, so for minimal styling with added comfort try natural wooden flooring with a modern twist such as Bamboo or Iroko or try a simple but unusual carpet such as natural Hessian.
White is obviously the best shade for the walls as it is a negative colour and therefore places all of the emphasis of the decoration and colour you place around the room. What…decoration? Colour? I know this may come as a shock but both are very much allowed in a minimal house. With minimalism your furniture becomes your art and decoration is found by emphasising linear patterns and qualities. Colour is used sparingly around a room to lead the eye to various points and add a staccato rhythm to break up the flow of the white. So for an example you might have two low slung, sharp edged settees in the middle of the of the room, both in a dazzling shade of orange and perfectly arranged around a black lacquered coffee table which sits upon a black rug, turning your furniture into interactive art installations! One important detail in which particular set up is the lacquered finish of the coffee table as texture is the other accepted way to add pattern to a minimal space. You could for example install stone cladding onto a feature wall or mirror it completely.
Soft furnishings are the final way to add stylish comfort to a minimal room. If so far you have resisted the temptation to add colour then now is the time to do it. Matching curtains with your cushions and throws will retain that cohesive and uncluttered feel. To make sure they all match you could choose some discount fabric and have all of these items made to your personal taste. If curtains aren’t modern or simple enough, a fitting and not to mention very alternative is a cheap roller blind.
Terry Henman
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/minimal-fuss-maximum-style-702532.html