INSIGHT

Cheaper Storage Alternatives Within the Bathroom

You probably know that you need additional storage within the bathroom, but you are probably unsure of where to start. There are many products available to help alleviate storage woes within the bathroom. Some of these products are affordable and only cost a few dollars, whereas other products are unfortunately quite costly.

There are two ways to approach your expenditure on these items. You need to think whether you are looking for a cheap and simple solution to have a tidier bathroom, or you are looking for something more expensive that will enhance the value of your bathroom, and ultimately your home.

Cheap and simple fixings such as plastic shelves and plastic towel rails can help you keep a neater bathroom. The towel rails will provide a means of hanging your towels neatly by the sink, rather than having them thrown on the side of the bath or on the floor. The plastic shelves provide space to hold your face wash, razors, gels, etc. Plastic will discolor over time, so this is only a suitable short term solution. An alternative is to rather use materials such as chrome, brushed nickel or even copper. These materials are more expensive, but they look good and will last for many years.

For additional storage, you will be looking for extra cupboard space. You can find free standing cupboards or cupboards that are fixed to the wall above the sink. This depends on the available floor space you have available and the available wall space as well. You can find these cupboards made from a variety of materials such as chipboard for the cheaper units to solid wood for the more expensive furniture.

The shower tends to have many products placed on the floor as each family member tends to have their own items that they use. It is worth investing in a few shelves to store these items onto. The shelves can be made from chrome, plastic or glass. If you do not want to go to the trouble of attaching the shelves to the wall, or you require a cheaper solution, you can also buy a shower caddy instead.

Shower caddies are very portable and are extremely cheap. Most caddies are made from either chrome or plastic. The chrome caddies are not expensive at all so it is worth buying chrome over plastic. They can be hung from the shower head or alternatively they can be hung from the shower wall or the shower door. You can even buy free standing units, but they do tend to get in the way.…

Beautify Your Kitchen and Bathroom With Finest Countertops

Planning to buy a countertop! If you want to replace the older ones, you need to do a thorough research regarding the availability of latest countertops. While looking for an appropriate countertop, you might face some problems. For instance, you want to beautify your dream home by replacing the worn out countertops. Thus, you need to take care of some major things, which include style, texture and benefits.

Some of the most commonly used Kitchen countertops are as Marble, Ceramic tile, Stainless Steel, Soapstone, Engineered Stone i.e. Quartz, Concrete, Wood or Butcher Block and Granite.

Concrete is another immensely popular countertop option. Some of its major benefits include durability and resistant from chipping, cracking and scratching. These eco-friendly concretes are widely available and popular among the homeowners who are looking for the eco-friendly countertops.

Another hugely popular countertop is Granite. It is available in varied grades. Its price increases with its grade. This is a natural stone and seems beautiful and elegant when installed in kitchen. This is extremely durable and heat resistant. You can also make your kitchen more beautiful, as they are available in various colors.

Wood or Butcher Block is another widely used countertop and ideal for those who are looking for rustic themed kitchen. Most commonly used ones are maple and oak. Wooden countertops need lots of maintenance as compare to others, as they need to sanded and resealed once in a year.

You can also opt for the Engineered stone or Quartz countertops. They are mainly comprised of quartz particles amalgamated with colored pebbles, polymers and epoxy. Cost of quartz will be same a granite. These countertops are available in varied range of colors. You can choose according to your choice and requirement.

Stainless Steel is another popular countertop with some great features, such as heat resistant, durability and easy cleaning. These countertops are mainly used in contemporary kitchens. To minimize the noise, there is a sound-dampening undercoating. Moreover, these stainless steel counter tops are stain-resistant and can be also bleached safely.

The durable, easily cleaned and cost effective ceramic tile countertops are used by most of the homeowners. With wide range of color availability, these tiles cab be simply installed by a DIyer. So, make your home more beautiful with any of the available countertops!…

3 Things To Help You Avoid Mistakes When Replacing Your Toilets

If you own a home, then there is a very high chance that you will have to replace your toilet after prolonged use. This is because use of the appliances in the small room on a daily basis makes the toilet worn out-and-out of shape.

When that time for replacing comes, you may think it is a small job. In one way, it is provided you follow any given instructions. This article describes some mistakes to avoid when carrying out the replacement.

Do not run to the nearest toilet shop

The thought of getting a brand new bowl has the potential to excite you to the extent that you let all logic fly out of the door. This mistake could prove deadly as you will end up buying a bowl that will either be too short or long as far as the sewer pipe is concerned.

Before running to the shop or placing the online order, get the measurements right. In the case where you are replacing all the seats in your bathroom toilets, having the measurements right will save you a lot of heartache.

Get to know of the options available

You can be amazed by the variety that exists in the toilet market. A simple research is enough to make you decide to change the traditional one you have always used. Researching about toilet seats online is a good way of getting information, as most sites will have pictures of all the available toilet products.

For example, if your bathroom is small and you have always desired to add some furniture, then you will get all the best hanging toilets that come with cisterns concealed within the wall. This opens your eyes to a completely new world and you end up installing a new toilet that will leave you enough room to add furniture and other accessories.

Do not be in a hurry

Do not let the beautiful photos that you saw online rush you to complete the installation. Remember that in addition to beauty, you want to have a toilet that is functional. A lot of hurry may make you accidentally break the toilet forcing you to spend cash buying a new one.

Additionally, you may cause damage to the drainage system that you are not skilled to repair on your own who will again force you to call in a plumber and this will cost you money.…

Bathroom Tiles – Different Kinds And Their Key Features

Ceramic slabs are considered the best bathroom tiles because of their excellent water resistance capacity and easy to clean surface. Ceramic flooring comes in a variety of colors and is available at affordable prices. They are convenient to set and easy to maintain. Since ceramic slabs are highly resilient towards water, dust, dirt and grime, they require less cleaning than other floorings. If you are working in a tight budget then consider using ceramic flooring on your bath floor. It will not only enhance the look and feel of your bathroom but also make it water proof, germ free and hygienic.

Slate bathroom tiles are also a good choice but they are some expensive that ceramic. Slate being a natural stone is stronger than ceramic is ideal for bathrooms with bulky accessories like bathtub. Most people think slate comes in one color that is dull grey but they are wrong. This flooring comes in a large range of shades and colors including light grey, green, blue and rust. You can choose a color that matches perfectly with the design and theme of rest of the home. Slate floorings are also easy to maintain but these slabs required to be sealed properly. Ceramic tiles have no sealing requirement.

Marble bathroom tiles can give your bath a royal look but these slabs are porous in nature and hence require proper maintenance. Marble has been a preferred choice of homeowners and homemakers but there are certain factors to be considered prior to using marble flooring on bathroom floor. First, the marble slabs should be decently grouted and sealed. Second, the slabs shouldn’t be rubbed or washed with detergents. Marble bathroom floor would require sealing in every three years. For cleaning marble slabs, you should use oxygen bleach solution that is safe for both the slab and the grout lines.

Granite bathroom tiles are the best of all the floorings because granite has the qualities of ceramic and strength of slate. It is no doubt the most expensive flooring but it worth the price. Granite can withstand everything including polluted water and chemical present in shampoos and hair colors. It is virtually unbreakable hence can be used to cover the entire bathroom floor. The most striking feature of granite flooring is that it is a no maintenance flooring. It’s so smooth that nothing except air can stand over its surface. Also it is slip-resistant.…

Kitchen Island Designs: How To Choose The Right One

Kitchen Island designs are important to consider if you think a kitchen island would fit in well with your current setup. If you have decided that a kitchen island is a good idea (and it usually is, if you want more work space and/or eating space), here are some things to consider so that you choose the right one for your needs and decor:

1. Determine what you’re going to use the island for.

When choosing an island design for your kitchen, one of the most effective steps is to determine the function of the island. Will you use it strictly as a place to eat and chat? Will you use it for a microwave, refrigerator, or sink? There’s no “right” or “wrong” function of your kitchen island. Instead, it’s important to determine how it can enhance your time in the kitchen.

2. You can add food preparation surfaces underneath the island.

While food preparation is part of any kitchen, it’s not the most thrilling sight for others to see. Fortunately, you can create levels of preparation areas underneath the island’s surface. This allows you to do whatever slicing, mixing, and other activities you need to do-without everyone seeing the mess.

3. Provide enough clearance.

That should be enough room between your island and kitchen cabinets. Specifically, three to four feet is usually adequate. If you’re in doubt, provide more space, so that your family will be comfortable around the kitchen island table. In addition, when you put in your island, make sure you measure so that you sure you have enough clearance. This will help prevent mistakes or accidents because there are things that are too close to the kitchen island.

4. Choose the right surface.

Depending on what you use the island for, you will need to pick the right surface.

5. Look at the big picture.

When you pick out a design for the kitchen island, take a look at the rest of your kitchen decor. Depending on what you want, you can match the island to your kitchen decor, or you can contrast it with it, as long as it goes with your overall theme. For example, you could make your island match your kitchen cabinets exactly, or you can contrast them and match them to the kitchen table chairs in your kitchen instead. This is one of the more popular trends in modern kitchens, in fact, to match the kitchen island to the furniture instead of to the cabinets, so be sure to pay attention to the kitchen table chairs as well.

6. Should your kitchen island be “post legs” open design, or cabinet style?

Both of these styles can help to complement any kitchen. When choosing either style, make sure to consider the form and function of your island. For instance, if you’re using the island for more than a table, then the cabinet style island would be a wise option. However, if you want the island to be an area strictly to eat and chat-then consider one with post legs.

A good kitchen island can help your kitchen look even better than it is. It’s basically a way to add extra “furniture” your kitchen for much-needed extra space, so that you can have extra seating or a bigger food prep area. Whether you need more eating space, more cooking space, or both, a good kitchen island can fulfill your needs for you.…