A Modern Bathroom

These days, people are paying attention to almost everything, from where they live to how they want to live. Modern bathroom design trends have undergone radical changes and innovations, making these rooms some of the most interesting places in the home. The creativity that comes with home remodeling has lead to creation of bathroom interiors that are elegant, functional and easy to maintain.
Previously, most people considered bathrooms as places where they could only get to for the sole business of taking a shower before leaving as soon as possible. However, modern design concepts are changing this mindset. Therefore, if you are thinking of remodeling your bathroom or creating one from the scratch, here are some great ideas that can transform this little room into a 21st century masterpiece.
Whether you pay attention to just one or all of them--for a complete bathroom remodel, these tips can certainly add to the overall value of your home if done correctly. So dive in and check out the changes you can make!
RTA cabinets
These are the most popular home improvement items in the market today. These cabinets are designed to give your bathroom organization, efficiency and additional appeal without straining your budget. Better still, they come in various styles, designs meant to complement every bathroom décor. These cabinets are also available in wall mounted, base, stand alone and corner models.
Lighting fixtures
You can give your bathroom a modern look and feel by doing something as simple as altering its lighting fixture. Adding a unique light fixture certainly will help achieve this goal. Alongside creating a pleasant ambience, your bathroom lighting can also be designed in an energy efficient manner thus cutting down on your energy bills. You can also control the mood of your room by installing a dimmer or chromatherapy inside it.
Tubs and showers
Stand alone bath tubs and showers are some of the common features of the modern bathroom. Modern designs separate the tub from the shower are using vanity finishing. In addition, modern steam rooms come with wall mounted steam heads for expediency.
Bathroom windows
Having large windows can communicate a great message about your bathroom design. With such windows, you can make use of the natural light thus saving you from high energy bills. The best way to give your bathroom a modern touch is by installing skylights. Alongside enabling more light penetration, this installation also serves as an aesthetic addition that provides a rejuvenating background to your shower.
Sinks and vanities
The modern bathroom comes with sleek wall fitted vanities that enhance visual space when you are within the room. Streamlined faucets often complement these vanities and wall mounted sinks. While these sinks are not very easy to clean, they often reduce the need for counter space.
Toilets
These days, bathroom designs come with great toilet fixtures. On top of the list is the hatbox toilet that is very easy to clean. Alongside these are great designs of urinals that are very ergonomic. These modern bathrooms also come with separate toilet and urinal rooms that are more convenient, hygienic and private.
Bathrooms are some of the most frequently remodeled rooms in the home. A modern bathroom can significantly increase the value of your home while creating a functional oasis for you. If you are considering bathroom renovations, consider contracting experts who will take into account both the functional and aesthetic aspects of your bathroom.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Heather_Mitchell

Buying a Food Dehydrator

A lot more people are seeing the importance of using a food dehydrator since they have had to change their eating habits to improve the quality of their lives. It is important to eat vegetables and fruits over fast foods and other kinds of foods that will increase the cholesterol in your body, among other things. You need a lot more fresh food items over snacks and other preserved foods and this is the reason you need a dehydrator over other appliances. It does not seem important but you must put a lot more effort if you want to change the quality of your life and for those who have done this, the food dehydrator becomes the most important appliance in their houses.

There are various sizes of dehydrators, so you need to determine which one is the best for your household. Your own needs of dehydrating need to be considered; so figure out how much food you will be dehydrating first. You need a bigger food dehydrator over a smaller one if you need a lot more food in your household and so forth. If you will not use it as often as other kinds of appliances in your home, you may want to buy a smaller one even if you have a large household. Whatever your size needs are; keep them in mind before buying a dehydrator. The size will also be determined by the space you have in your home; you may have only a countertop as the only free space in your home, so you need to determine the size of your dehydrator depending on the space you can spare for it in your house.

They come in different shapes, so keep this in mind as well which also depend on the size. Some are large and are freestanding so they are not fancily-shaped but the smaller ones that can be carried are different and have different shapes.

There are different models of dehydrators to choose from; the two main categories are those that have been fanned and others which have no fan at all. Those which are fanned have different places in which the fans have been placed, the most popular of which has fans in the top. There are others whose fans are beneath and others whose fans are in the back. The most effective of dehydrators is the one whose fans are in the top rather than those in the bottom because you will not have issues with dripping.

Consider the power of the food dehydrator; there are those which take a long time to get heated and those which do not depending on the wattage. If you want to have your food dehydrated fast, you will need to get some dehydrators that have a lot more wattage. Additional features that improve the working of the food dehydrator include timers and additional trays etc. It is always good to buy one that is enclosed, so you do not have to deal with the issues of dripping again.

 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Geo_Writy

Decorating the Kitchen

The thought that goes into decorating the kitchen is much like the same process for a living room, bedroom, and the rest of the house. You have more options when it comes to decorating the kitchen, though, because you have to consider your floor tile, cabinets, window treatments, counter tops, and the rest of the items in your kitchen such as your fridge and stove.

When thinking of decorating a kitchen, you may wish to get ideas from the Internet, friends' homes, and perhaps track homes. What really brings your home alive is filling it with items that express your uniqueness. You home is your haven. It's the one place that's truly yours to get away from it all. Why not celebrate your house as if you were on a vacation in an exotic place? Taking small steps can accomplish the same feel in your house.

With decorating the kitchen, go with the colors that bring you alive. Kitchen colors should reflect your innermost being. This is the place you cook your meals, where you let your creativity flow, and where everyone mingles. Making it you will help make this your most favorite part of the house. Reds add flair; blues bring tranquility; greens reveal freshness and playfulness. What color best suits you? What color will encourage your creativity in cooking?

In addition, the color you choose for decorating a kitchen can vary somewhat from the rest of your home, but they should not be a stark contrast to the rest of the home. Mustard yellow enhances chili red and although the two are different, they are both warm colors and enhance one another. In choosing colors, if you wish to go with a different color in your kitchen than the rest of the house, make sure it compliments the rooms it is around.

Choose a theme when decorating the kitchen. Do you like the feel of a coffee shop? Then you can paint one wall with a type of paint that turns the wall into a chalkboard. Write the "today's special" on the board, i.e. what's for dinner that night. Or perhaps you want your kitchen to resemble a French countryside. Hang fake grape vines along the edging of the ceiling. Feature wine cups hung underneath cabinets. Instead of tile, use actual cobblestone like flooring. Use a French streetlight designed sconce. There are so many unique ways to decorate your kitchen according to themes. It makes you feel as if you're far away on a vacation and it will be truly unique to your taste.

Don't be afraid to explore. Some people are not visual and have a hard time perceiving what the outcome will look like. What you can do is to create a small scale of your kitchen by drawing it out on paper. Use different colors together on the page to see which colors compliment each other. Drawings are also helpful for drawing in the shapes of furniture to gather whether everything would fit together. Look at other home designs with a similar theme of what you want to create to see what works best.
The possibilities are endless when decorating a kitchen. Let your creativity flow. Do not be afraid to try new things and have fun.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cookie_Maxwell

The Importance of a Green Home Design

When you create a green home design, you are contributing to preserving our planet's natural resources. In addition, you are helping to eliminate greenhouse gases, which are the main cause of global warming. Besides improving the health of the planet, you can enjoy savings on your energy bills. This can be done by purchasing appliances that are energy efficient, selecting eco-friendly building materials and practicing energy saving measures.

Using recycled materials are the best way to achieve a green home design. Your builder, local home improvement store, or interior design websites have a wealth of information about instituting eco-friendly materials in every room of your house. For example, in the kitchen and bath, recycled counter tops made with paper stone are gaining in popularity over those made from granite.

The quickest road to a green home design is the use of energy efficient appliances, such as refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers, televisions, air conditioners and small electrical items. Whenever purchasing small and large appliances, buy those with the Energy Star label. The seal of approval issued by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Department of Environmental Protection Agency means the appliance prevents global warming by reducing energy consumption.

A green home design extends to a home's contents. One major area is the furniture, such as sofas, chairs, bureaus, tables and desks. Rather than buy new furnishings when they are outdated or when you redesign a room, consider whether the piece can be repainted, refinished, restained, or dressed in a slipcover. For worn out furniture pieces, determine whether it can be reupholstered or recycled.

There are various kinds of flooring that go hand in hand with a green home design. Cork and bamboo are two effective green offerings that provide additional benefits than traditional hard wood flooring. They come in a variety of color and style options, perform well in high traffic areas and look great.

A green home design should include dimmer switches. They can be easily installed in new homes under construction, as well as in existing homes. This simple switch can minimize energy consumption, which is a good thing for our planet. It can also put extra money in your pocket since you're saving on energy use. That translates into a lower electric bill.

Complementing a green home design are other environmentally friendly measures that save our resources. They are the four Rs: recycling, reusing items in other ways instead of discarding them, restoring instead of buying new and reducing waste. Evaluate your home practices to see how you can enhance your go green pledge.

A green home design helps to preserve our natural resources and keeps our planet healthy. Going green doesn't cost anything extra, especially when you consider the cost savings in the long run. Lighting changes, for example, instantly pays for itself. When you replace standard incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient luminescent ones, you conserve energy and realize a significant savings on your electric bill.

Sue Krippner is a Free Lance Artist, Home Staging and Redesign Professional. She is attracted to "all things beautiful, especially as it relates to interior decorating and design. Visit http://frugalhomedesign.com to see samples of her art and find plenty of professional design, tips hints and secrets to help facilitate your personal interior design goals with money saving frugal flair! Sue also has a lot more information about your green home design here.

 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sue_E_Krippner

Five Tips to Choosing the Right Pool

Installing a pool is a big decision, and one that you need to consider carefully. Pools are expensive and you need to have the time to look after them. Despite the extra cost and time, they are a great addition to your home and will increase the value of your property. As well as the cost of the pool be prepared to also purchase a pool pump, a heater and chemicals.
Budget
Your choice of pool will be largely determined by your budget. If you don't have a lot of money to spend you might choose to go for an above ground pool. There are different sizes available and you are sure to find one to suit your needs. If you decide to put in an in ground pool there are many different options in terms of size, shape and what you use to line the surface of the pool, whether tiles, a pebble finish or painted concrete. Your budget might also have room to landscape the area around your pool too.
Style
Choose a pool that suits the style of your house and garden. For a more modern home you may want to put in a lap pool or something with clean lines. If you have a more old fashioned style of home and garden you could put in a pool with more curves, making it more fluid looking and blending in with the garden. You might choose a pool style depending on where you live. For example, in tropical Queensland you can put in a pool to suit your garden, making it look more like a lagoon.
Landscape
There will be practical issues that you will need to take note of when choosing a pool, such as the size and shape of your garden and the access that the builders have to your garden. For example, if you have only a narrow walkway between your house and the neighbours fence you might not be able to fit large decorative rocks down to your back garden. The cost will be affected by how easy your pool is to install too. If the builders can't get machinery into your back garden they might end up having to dig it manually, which is going to cost you a lot more.
Surrounds
Once your pool is installed you will need to look at the area surrounding it. There are plenty of options for decorating the area around your pool, including putting in decking, making a barbecue area, building a pool house or putting in lawn. You could even create a waterfall with rocks for a more natural look or put in a spa at the same time.
Safety
By law you are required to install pool safety fences. There are many different types available, and depending on your budget and your style of home, you can choose from brick, metal or even glass. It will need to adhere to the Australian standards and have a child proof gate.

By the way, do you want to learn more about Home Improvement? If so, I suggest you check Pool Cleaner and Pool Pump.

 

 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Krystal_Hyde

Bedroom Decorating Ideas - Turn Your Bedroom Into A Getaway!

Your bedroom should be one of the most relaxing places in your home. If your bedroom feels disordered, you may not sleep well. Experts suggest mess or reminders of work in your sleeping space will interfere with getting a good night of sleep. These things keep your mind moving, and you may be worried about what you forgot to do, or what you will have to do the next day. You have to design your sleeping space for peace and relaxation. Bedroom decorating ideas are abundant, and your biggest problems might not be finding ideas, it might be narrowing down what you want from a list of things you like.

Bedroom decorating ideas are everywhere. You can find inspiration in magazines, on television, in movies, and even in store displays and catalogs. What you have to do is decide what feel you want for your sleeping area. In most cases, you want a relaxing color. A bright red or yellow might not be the best idea. However, a deep maroon or a very light yellow might be all right. The idea is to make sure the color is relaxing to your eye and not energizing or bright.

There are other bedroom decorating ideas you can consider. If you don’t want to paint, you can choose to go with wallpaper. There are many from which to choose, and what you choose should be to your taste, but again, not bright or noisy. Look for something soothing, elegant, and easy on the eyes. You can find unique wallpaper designs by shopping around. You may not know what you are looking for, but don’t let that stop you. You will know what you like when you see it.

You can also watch home improvement shows like Trading Spaces, or television networks like HGTV to get bedroom decorating ideas. The options are endless, and you may end up feeling overwhelmed. Once you have found three or four ideas you have fallen in love with, turn the television off. If you have too many choices, you will end up having a hard time narrowing it down. Don’t let your selection of bedroom decorating ideas get the best of you.

If you can’t decide and don’t know what to do, you can ask with an interior designer to get bedroom decorating ideas. They will charge you a consulting fee, but it may be well worth it when you really want to do it yourself, but you have no idea where to begin. You can give them a general idea of what you want, and they can design something to fit the space you have, with the look you are looking for. They know how to mix and match colors, patterns, and ideas to make the perfect sleeping space for you.




by: Linda E. Joy-http://www.thehomelivingguide.com

Eco Friendly Kitchen Ideas - Go Green

Kitchen is the center place for any family where everyone meets at the evening, have food together, children do their homework etc. Kitchen is most frequently used place in the house. As it is one of the busiest places in the house, this is where most of the energy (electricity) is consumed. According to one survey, energy, lighting, refrigeration and cooking are responsible for almost 50% of a home’s energy consumption. Do not forget to add dishwashers and washing machines to your power eater’s list. Using environmentally friendly cleaning products, recycling and using biodegradable bin liners are just a few ways families are going green in the kitchen. However one of the most important and significant changes many households are making is buying and using energy efficient kitchen appliances.

Here are some of the eco friendly kitchens ideas that can help you save on your energy bills and help make the environment little better:

Refrigerators

Refrigerators consume the most energy only after heating systems. If you are buying a new refrigerator, buy them with Energy Star label (which designates appliances that use 10 to 50 percent less energy than standard models). Also consider buying a refrigerator that fits your requirements, do not buy huge one if you are only 3 members in the family.

Dishwashers and Washing Machines

Buy a water efficient washing machine that can save water and electricity. Use dishwasher and washing machines wisely, only use it when you have full load ready to go.

Waste Disposal machines

They help reduce the physical amount of food waste down to small pieces. You can use compost on your houseplants or garden where worms can compost down the food waste more efficiently.

Kitchen Trash Separators

Look for kitchen recycling bins that allow you to easily separate trash, in terms of paper, food, bottles, plastics, etc.

Energy Saving through Proper Lighting

Generally there are two or three light settings such as general, task lighting, and mood lighting. The kitchen should be designed in such a way that in day time sun light can be used at most of the places which saves energy. Low voltage systems for task and mood lighting are highly appreciated in modern kitchen designs. New age kitchen designers use the concept of skylight that brings natural light in the kitchen and makes the environment pleasant.

Other Energy Saving Kitchen Appliances

Use eco friendly kettles for your regular tea and coffee needs. Consider using new generation ovens that doesn’t require pre-heating.

By purchasing energy efficient appliances you’re not only doing your part to help protect the environment, you’re also helping your pocket and saving a substantial sum on energy costs too. Let’s go green and make this world better place to live!

by: Paradise Kitchens-http://www.paradise-kitchens.com.au

New Ideas For Our Intelligent House

“He’s calling within the house!”- This thrilling warning resounds in the recent movie “When the stranger calls” that threatens most of our audiences. You surely still remember most scenes of the film take place within a very modern house that is nowadays called “intelligent house”. After 2-hour watching this thrilling film, I’ve just flashed some new ideas of an intelligent house for myself even though I don’t know when I can carry out my dream as I’m not a millionaire.

The model “intelligent house” appeared in the world long time ago. It has been developed as a computer-based house or we can understand that this kind of house is fulfilled with computerized gadgets such as audiovisual system, security sensors, automatic talking servant, etc.

If I can build up my intelligent house someday, you can imagine it as my following description. When somebody presses my door bell, they can hear the greeting “Hello Tom”, “Hi Jenny”, “Morning Babe” or “Good afternoon, Sir” upon exactly their name. This performance is run due to the memory system of a computer. I can ask for help of a Voice Changer Software to create many cool greeting voices to surprise my friends and guests every special occasion such as ghost voice for Halloween, sweet voice for Valentine, holly voice for Christmas, etc.

Then, coming to the house, you are guided by automatic talking servants. This voice shows you where to have some drink, where to find a book, how to play a film or even where the toilet is. This house can be considered as a relaxed place for all of my friends and family on weekend. There will be also a children room where my kids can listen many legends with various storytellers’ voices. All of those teller and servant voices are also created only with voice changer software.

If somebody is in stress, my house is also an ideal place to balance their bodies, soul and spirit. You can find a convenient gymnasium to exercise. You can have nourishing cuisine to top up your energy. When you soak into a spa bathtub, the peaceful melody of spa music will play to make your mind at ease. You can refresh and update your spa music library by using music editor software to create your own music collection. If there is a party, my house can make a quick change for everybody to enjoy the most joyful moments compared to wherever else. The party will be very enjoyable with delicious music festivals. I also can apply music editor software to satisfy my needs such as AV Music Morpher Gold or DJ program.

After a hard working day or a noisy party, all I have to do is freely hitting the bed and all the lights of my bedroom will be automatically switched off. The next morning will begin with my favorite songs and the sweet alarm voice.

by: Jenny Le-media@audio4fun.com

Modern Home Design

With a nearly limitless world of architectural design possibilities at the fingertips, the prospective home builder has several considerations to make before choosing which home style will best reflect personal aesthetic and serve an individual lifestyle.

While traditional architecture may best suit some, many people will find that modern house designs provide an elegant and easy backdrop to the individual's interior creations with the simple marriage of form and function.

Characterised by a sleek simplicity and clean lines, modern house plans generally have wide, open spaces that maximise views of the surrounding environments, optimise sunlight and create a blank slate for art work. Often with free-flowing, flexible floor plans, modern homes offer a versatility in living spaces unparalleled in traditional architecture.

Perfectly suited to properties in locations of great natural beauty or stunning cityscapes, modern house plans offer amazing vistas through the incorporation of glass walls, large windows and well-planned positioning.

Modern house designs range from minimalistic, organically focused structures to the most dramatic and powerful of statements. Yet, even traditional homes can incorporate elements of modern house designs into their overall concept. For instance, many home owners choose to use modern design in kitchens and bathrooms, areas of the home where the clean feeling of modern home design is particularly appreciated.

Of course, with its large range of possibilities, modern house plans are a great choice for home builders who are working within a limited budget. Often, these plans look to industrial materials such as metal, concrete and glass; these materials can be acquired at a lower cost than traditional building materials such as wood, stone and brick.

Despite the sterile connotation often prescribed to modern architecture, the style is, at its heart, a style focused on the individual. Modern design allows items of beauty to be showcased against the ultimately neutral backdrop; it is the perfect architectural style to highlight natural stone, woodwork or pieces of art.

Almost limitless in potential, modern home design allows the home builder to truly customise space and harmonise with the environment in a way that traditional architecture can never parallel.

by: Bobbie Schaaf-http://www.nationalbuilders.com.au

How to Select the best Flooring for Your Home

Home refurbishment is a big job; you do not just need to consider the walls or your furniture, you need to give some attention to the flooring of your home. If you live in a traditional British home, certainly the floors will all be covered in carpet. Even if you live in a conventional Uk house, you always have a lot of options available in the market to break the tradition.

If we look to the warmer countries of Europe for inspiration you'll find ceramic tiled floors along with laminate and parquet flooring. Tiled floors are wonderful in hotter climates, but are also very useful for your kitchen and bathroom. A carpet is not practical for kitchensor bathrooms, as you'll be continuously trying to mop up spills that leave nasty stains on the carpet.

Tiling your floor gives a practical along with cooling solution to these areas of your home, a tiled floor always being exceptional for low maintenance, a fast wipe down with a cleaner or a cloth always leaving it clean and hygienic. Not just is it an excellent way to keep cool in the hot summertime, but also you never have to worry about germs and bacteria which are harboured in the carpet from spills.

Moving on to the lounge, again there are all sorts of options to carpet such as trendy parquet. This kind of flooring is fashionable, but unfortunately not so inexpensive, although a similar affect can be attained with floor coverings which are sold on rolls and are easily laid down as they're self-adhesive .

If you've made the decision to swap the carpets for tiles, but are feeling the cold in winter, then you can remedy this quite simply by adding some stylish rugs. These are great for areas like the lounge or where children play, but have the flexibility of being removable in the hot summertime and certainly washable. A conventional carpet harbors a lot of germs, and unless it is cleaned with special detergents and a carpet cleaner it can actually be a hazard to your house.

When you are renovating your house, you can look on line at catalogues or visit your nearby hardware store for ideas on your floorings. You have to decide what's the greatest option for your individual circumstances and how you can refurbish your floors to offer you a refreshing break from carpets. Think practical and consider your pets or kids, and make the wise choice for renovating your house.

 by: Geri Tomsen-http://gulvafslibningpriser.com