Month: March 2021

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Kitchen Renovation

Green Kitchen: Tips For Going Green In The Kitchen

March 31, 2021 Comments Off on Green Kitchen: Tips For Going Green In The Kitchen

Today, we need to keep the environment in mind in most everything we do and that includes remodeling and building especially in the kitchen which is the room in the home that gets the most use. If you are either building a house that needs a kitchen design, or you are in the midst of a kitchen remodeling project, trying to be eco-friendly should be part of your plans. Here are a few green kitchen tips you might want to consider:
Cork, Bamboo or Recycled Flooring: When it comes to green kitchen tips, your choosing an eco friendly kitchen flooring can go a long way towards being green. Consider using a cork, bamboo or some other type of natural or recycled flooring product. There are a number of options out there, and most are very durable. The most readily available recycled flooring is a rubber flooring. These are made of 80 – 100% post consumer product including tires. Rubber floors are extremely durable and come in a variety of colors and styles. Cork and bamboo, while not recycled, both offer quickly renewable products that don’t require deforestation of millions of trees to produce these types of floors. Both cork and bamboo are natural products as well.
Reclaimed Wood Flooring: If you prefer an older, more traditional or even antique look, you might want to consider reclaimed wood flooring which will give you a traditional look in your eco friendly kitchen. This is exactly what it sounds like; used wood that has been removed from another house or building, then reconditioned and made ready to install in your home. For the rich warmth of aged wood, this product can provide the look without destroying more trees.
Eco-friendly Lighting: When it comes to going green in the kitchen, you should choose your lighting carefully. When you choose the lighting for your new or remodeled kitchen, you can use products that will keep to the green theme. First, look to the types of bulbs you will use. Fixtures that have CFL bulbs rather than incandescent bulbs use one quarter of the power. LED lights can reduce energy consumption by 80-90%. Lamps and fixtures that use LED lights are usually built exclusively for that type of bulb. CFL bulbs can be used in any fixture that accepts a regular incandescent bulb. In addition to artificial lights, also consider the use of skylights and sufficient amounts of energy efficient windows in your plan. By making natural light readily available in your kitchen, you can significantly reduce the need for artificial light sources, at least during the day. You may also want to consider solar powered options for lighting.
Recycled Counter Tops: One of my favorite green kitchen tips is recycled glass counter tops which are quickly becoming a popular product for use in kitchens. These glass counter tops are very durable, and have a variety of styles that actually mimic the look of granite and marble. They are a mixture of recycled glass with a concrete base, or resins that are non-petroleum based that can be used for safe and beautiful eco-friendly kitchen countertops.
Energy Efficient Appliances: One of the most talked about ways of going green in the kitchen is to by energy efficient appliances. When you are ready to outfit your kitchen with new appliances, be sure to look for appliances that are marked with the energy saver labeling. All large appliances are now energy rated, so you will be able to comparison shop for the most efficient ones out there.
Solar Power: While many people think that solar energy only comes in the form of a whole-house system that includes panels that cover the roof of your home, there are other options that can provide solar power for efficient applications that are much less complicated. Rather than taking on the large scale solar conversion for all your electric needs, you could consider a small solar system that runs your water heater to take care of all your hot water needs which can help add to your eco friendly kitchen design. These systems are compact, and designed to work exclusively on your electric hot water heater system. This type of system costs only a fraction of what a whole-house solar system costs, and can save you hundreds of dollars per year off your electric bill.
Once you have your new eco-friendly kitchen in place, there are a few things you can do every day to be more eco-friendly and live a greener life in your kitchen:
Use Fabric, Not Paper Whenever Possible: This goes for shopping as well as kitchen clean-up. When you do your grocery shopping, opt for fabric, reusable bags to carry home your purchases. This keeps literally tons of plastic and paper out of the landfills each year. Another fabric …

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Remodel Kitchen

Retail Flooring – Key Considerations

March 28, 2021 Comments Off on Retail Flooring – Key Considerations

The retail environment is a difficult one to design for. High volume traffic in and out of a store means that practicality must a strong consideration in any designer’s mind. However, most retail stores thrive by creating a strongly defined brand, rather than strictly selling products. The design of a retail space can actually have quite an impact on the success of the shop, and ultimately, its profits. We look at how to blend the practical and aesthetic considerations for retail flooring.
The Retail Branding Environment
Most retail stores would stay in best shape when designed with beautiful counters, tiled floors, and unscratchable stainless steel fittings. However, without the distinction of image (which is actually what draws consumers to one retail store over another), price would be the only distinguishing factor. We’d soon end up with a monopoly in every retail sector! Store design materials need to be chosen for their potential to create a unique environment – and when it comes to retail flooring, carpet tiles are the medium that offers the greatest number of avenues for customisation.
Customer navigation
Every retail store is set out differently – some with aisles, some with scattered stand-alone displays, some with an empty centre and products around the walls; any combination or permutation of these is possible. Carpet tiles offer the opportunity to help direct customers around the store, without saying a word. Carpet tiles can also be used alongside hard flooring to distinguish particular areas. Strong or contrasting colours in shop carpet can highlight walkways, and draw particular attention to specials racks or new season items.
Maintain a fresh new look for longer
The look of a retail environment reflects strongly on the customer’s perceived value of the products. Using commercial carpet tiles in retail interior design means that the high traffic areas can be replaced as needed, creating a fresh look with only a fraction of the cost of replacing the entire floor.
Occupational Health and Safety Issues
OHS is always a consideration for interior designers, as owners and facility managers have it at the forefront of their minds. Vinyl or wood flooring, and especially tiles, create a vastly increased risk of either customers or staff injuring themselves from slips and falls – and increasing the potential for damage when it does happen. For insurance and liability purposes, carpet tiles are an excellent choice.
Carpet tiles also create vastly improved air quality in retail stores, compared with hard flooring. Carpet tiles help trap dust and allergens until they can be safely vacuumed away; hard flooring means that allergens continually circulate.
Noise absorption and underfoot comfort
When a customer steps into the retail environment, they need to feel that they have the space to comfortably explore the range. One component of that feeling of space is the amount of ambient noise in a store. Carpet has been shown to be ten times more effective than any other flooring type in reducing airborne noise.
The staff in a retail environment will be spending much of their time on their feet, also. The underfoot comfort that shop carpet provides can help preserve both health and a feeling of wellbeing for retail staff.…

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Kitchen Remodel

Tiles Are Easy to Mix in a Mosaico Terrace Flooring

March 23, 2021 Comments Off on Tiles Are Easy to Mix in a Mosaico Terrace Flooring

This is a real story. My little and cozy roof apartment, the highest apartment of the building, was keeping water on the floor when it rained.

This terrace is like a pocket open-space on which our apartment runs towards the sides of the condo. It looks south and the sun is present since 12 am until dusk. I had never thought of making another floor pavement until one night the rain began to fall and to cover it all.

The people living under our apartment claimed about all the rain that had gone through their ceiling and definitely falling from our floor oust standing over their living room.

So I had this great idea! I went tiles shopping and found some 2ND choice beauty earth colors tiles.

They were so rare and smooth! And, I could break them with a hard tool. Easy as breaking an egg!

So, something came to my mind, the beautiful Mexican floors I had seen so many times and that I loved so much. It was so simple. I will give you some hints that you may develop according to your floor size. First of all, look for tiles in colors you like and a good 2ND choice that fits your budget. Three colors could be OK.

Then:

buy enough cement glue, asked the guy at the shop for quantities per square feet

measure well the extreme sides of your terrace and divide it by the length of the tiles you bought

arrange a pathway of tiles (mixing colors if you wish) along the extremes of your floor (it will look like a frame border)

once you have all the floor extreme sides covered with the tiles, then begin to measure the distance between each extreme border to see how much space you have in the center

Until know, you are making just an “essay” of the floor pavement without sticking the new tiles t the old ones.A�

inside the space left between the borders, begin to put the tiles in a circle separating them like 20 centimeters one from the other

mix their colors and just rotate them a little so they follow the circle ring

now you have the size of the Mexican ring done with tiles, swinging on the circle

put some tiles, of all colors,inside thick towel. Take a hammer and give a hard stroke on the towel

open the towel and take the pieces out, dividing them by size and throwing out those that lost some pieces in their borders due to the stroke. Set them aside

Now, you will be able to enjoy doing the Mexican floor.A�

First begin from the circle.

Be sure that the circle is in the right middle of all the space left between the borders of tiles on the extreme of your floor space

Put some glue under the tile and apply it well to the pavement.

Do this with each single tile of the circle until you get a round form.

Calculate well space left between the circle and the extreme tiles to see whether it might be possible to do another “frame” (square) around the circle. It would be a tiles square between the circle and the borders.

Do the square, alternating colors and applying glue under the new tiles. Remember it will take some time for it to dry.

It is time now to make the borders, except the bottom side of the floor, that extreme on which you will be walking back and forth. Make as above along the sides of the pavement. It will be a square or rectangle as for your pavement’s size. Remember the tiles we had broken?A�

Now it gets fun!

You will be filling all spaces left with those little pieces of the same colors of the tiles. And once you have covered all the pavement, now it is the time for throwing the plaster.

One day of sunny temperature of two days of windy or cloudy time will make it! It will be your pride when inviting friends! We will meet for making the table that looks like the floor! It just depends on whether you liked this idea!

Good luck! Have fun!…

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General Article

Are Bathroom Grab Bars Essential For Our Aging Family?

March 20, 2021 Comments Off on Are Bathroom Grab Bars Essential For Our Aging Family?

Are Bathroom Grab Bars Essential For Our Aging Family?

Bathroom Safety is Crucial for Older Adults

Bathrooms are dangerous places– according to the Home Safety Council, over one quarter of all accidents that take place in the home occur in bathrooms. For senior citizens, that proportion is even higher- in 2008, more than one third of household accidents requiring emergency room visits for persons 65 or older took place in the bathroom. Even popular television commercials remind us of how dangerous bathrooms can be– if you’re ever watched a game show, chances are you’ve seen Life Alert’s commercial featuring an aging woman who has “fallen, and can’t get up.” When aging bodies get injured, they may never heal to the same level of fitness and physical ability that they had before the accident– so preventing an accident in your home is critical if you want to maintain independence for you or your loved ones as they age.

Grab Bars Benefit Everyone!

Although grab bars still have a long way to go before they’re loved and accepted as decorative accent pieces for your bathroom, everyone can enjoy the enhanced safety and convenience that well-installed grab bars afford. There are times when everyone can use a place to grab onto in a bathroom- ceramic and acrylic tub or shower surfaces are hard, and become slippery when wet. An accident as trivial as dropping a bar of soap can pave the way for a potentially harmful fall, no matter how fit you are. Bath grab bars give you place to reach out and hold your weight when your feet slip out from beneath you. Nobody wants to be in a position where they need to rely on a safety grab bar, but it’s always better to be prepared and have your bathroom equipped with adequate safety equipment.

Use at Least 3 Grab Bars for Maximum Safety and Convenience

If you want to make your bathroom the safest it can be, you should use a combination of grab bars, textured floor surfaces, and shower seats/bath lifts to reduce the risk of falling. But there are ways you can maximize the effectiveness of grab bars alone- you just need to position them properly. You should begin by having one grab bar outside the bathtub or shower, where you or your loved one undresses before bathing. This will give him or her a place to steady themselves while taking off clothing, in case spilled water or condensation makes your bathroom floor slippery. Second, you should place a grab bar on one of the side walls of your bathtub or shower stall; this bar should be placed at an angle, and will provide your loved ones with a place to steady themselves as they enter the tub or shower.

Finally, you should have a grab bar running along the back of your bathtub or shower stall; this bar serves primarily as a place to reach out to in case of an accident. There are additional safety measures you can take to make bathing even safer for elderly members of your household- you can, for instance, invest in a walk in bathtub or walk in shower, which would eliminate the barrier between the tub and the rest of the bathroom and reduce the risk posed by stepping over the tub’s or shower’s edge. With the American population growing older, on average, every year, many businesses have begun to cater to the needs of elderly consumers who want to age gracefully in their own homes.…

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General Article

Luxurious Cabinet Designs for Your Home: Carved Patterns, Inlays and More

March 17, 2021 Comments Off on Luxurious Cabinet Designs for Your Home: Carved Patterns, Inlays and More

Luxurious Cabinet Designs for Your Home: Carved Patterns, Inlays and More

The kitchen is a room everyone spends time in, so it’s important to keep it looking as contemporary and stylish as the rest of your home. This is especially true when new kitchens are the norm in your area, which happens frequently in booming real estate markets. Kitchen cabinets and counter tops are the first step to creating a luxurious and fashionable kitchen. Whether you’re looking for a new kitchen or just want to modernize your current one, combining current styles with classic techniques like inlays, carved patterns, and handcrafted details can create a vibrant and memorable space. If you want to have one of the nicest kitchens in town, kitchen cabinets made with tasteful handcrafted wood can make all the difference.

That hand-crafted touch makes all the difference:

You want a kitchen that guests will remember. Nothing is more forgettable than the mass produced look that comes from strolling through a hardware store and picking from a small selection of uninspiring kitchen cabinets. If you’ve got a woodworking professional nearby, why not take advantage of that and make your kitchen something guests will be talking about on the drive home? Hand-crafted cabinetry allows you the amazing level of freedom and customization that comes with personalized work, as well as the advice and years of experience of a craftsman who knows how to make a dream kitchen. Wherever you’re located, there is likely a gifted artisan with a history of providing perfectly hand-crafted kitchen cabinets to nearby residents, so don’t hesitate to do a bit of looking around.

Inlays that stand out:

One of the most eye-catching things you can do in a kitchen is a technique that has been used for hundreds of years by old-world craftsmen to create interiors that stand the test of time: inlay. Inlaying involves setting different kinds or colours of wood into a larger wooden piece, allowing for detailed and breathtaking designs with a smooth finish. By combining this classic technique with modern precision tools you can achieve stunning custom designs with a unique look you’ll never find in a store. Patterns, shapes, and images are all possible while maintaining the tasteful and rich finish of solid wood. It gives you a chance to get involved with the design of your own kitchen while ensuring you’ll have some of the most noteworthy Kitchen Cabinets on the block.

Carved Patterns that combine beauty and depth

If you want beauty that you can feel with your fingertips carved patterns add a new dimension to what is possible with beautiful interior design. Living in an exciting, young, and vibrant city adds challenge when you want your home stand out from the rest; kitchen cabinets with custom carved patterns can create a sumptuous texture your friends won’t be able to stop talking about. This is another old-world technique that has been modernized with precision tools and skilled professionals, ensuring a look that can be modern and fashionable, traditional and tasteful, or anywhere in between. The options are nearly limitless for designs and patterns so you can rest easy knowing your kitchen is utterly unique.

Kitchen Cabinets define your kitchen

Look around your kitchen, if it’s like most high quality kitchens you’ll find almost every wall has cabinetry or woodworking of some variety no matter where you look. When you’re remodeling don’t forget the single biggest source of visual impact or settle with “good enough.” The trick to having the best looking kitchen in the city is to make sure that you have the best looking kitchen cabinets around.…

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Bathroom Renovations

Small Bathroom Remodels – Using 24″ Bathroom Vanity Styles

March 14, 2021 Comments Off on Small Bathroom Remodels – Using 24″ Bathroom Vanity Styles

Taking on home remodel projects is a fun and creative way to express your DIY self and bring in your personal style. If you are working on a small bathroom, give it a nice open feel and create an appearance of a larger space by using specific items and a some special techniques. Use light colors, the right mirror, and the perfect size of bathroom vanity and your small bathroom will look better than ever.
Open up the Space: When working with a small bathroom, you want to make the most of the space wherever possible. A great way to do this right off the bat is to choose a new vanity that has a good amount of under sink and counter storage space. By using a vanity that has good storage space, it will eliminate the need for things like over-toilet shelving units and multitudes of towel racks and hooks. Another way to create additional space is by using a built-in shelving unit. If you already have one, great; if you don’t, then consider installing one, they are great for storage space and because they are flush against the wall, it gives a clean appearance. Pedestal style vanities pair well with this type of shelving, because they are also great for creating the look of a cleaner and more open space.
Create Illusions: Add the feeling and look of additional space by playing with angles and reflection. Another option is to utilize mirrors for the purpose of creating the illusion of space within the small bathroom. And if you are lucky enough to have a window in your bathroom, then you can use mirrors to add the illusion of more light too, which also helps with the look of more space. Adding a large mirror to your bathroom will create the illusion that the space is a little larger that it looked before. If you’re going to repaint the walls, make sure to use a light color palette. Cool, lighter tones tend to make the space seem more open and less closed in than darker colors, thus making the room feel more spacious. Light colors will also make your bathroom brighter, especially if you have natural light coming in.
Toss the Clutter: No matter what you do, if there’s a lot of stuff in your bathroom will still feel small and claustrophobic. Cut back on decorative objects and go for a minimalist look. Toss anything you don’t really need; if you can’t remember the last time you used it, it goes in the trash. Limit decorative elements to the walls and try to add interest through the frame on your mirror and the light fixtures.
Start your small bathroom remodel creatively by getting some paper and pencil to illustrate a diagram of what you want for the bathroom. Make notations of the room’s dimensions and the estimated dimensions for necessary items you plan to shop for, like a 24″ bathroom vanity and shop for 30″ square mirrors, for example. This way, you’ll have some idea of the existing floor plan as well as the floor plan you desire for the completed project.
Please remember that safety is always the number one priority when working on home remodel projects. If you are unsure of any part of the project, consider speaking with a professional.…

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General Article

4 Reasons to Fix Your Leaking Taps Immediately

March 11, 2021 Comments Off on 4 Reasons to Fix Your Leaking Taps Immediately

Leaking taps may seem to be a minor plumbing issue but can be quite frustrating. The repetitive sound of water dripping from your faucet, especially at night is quite irritating, and can create huge dents in your water bill. Leaking taps are not as minor as you think they are. They might be indicators of leaks on your pipes or a pipe that is due to burst. Resolve leaking taps as early as possible. Here are some of the top reasons why you should never take leaking taps for granted.

Avoiding High Water Bills

There are plenty of ways on how you can save money on your water bill. On top of consciously using your water supply at home, keeping your plumbing systems working in top condition ensures that the money you pay for your water bill is entirely for water consumed by your household alone. Imagine having to pay a few extra dollars due to leaks and other plumbing issues at home? That’s literally money going down the drain.

A leak damage does not only add a hundred of dollars to your water bill. Leaking taps can damage your entire tap system severely, costing you extra cost in repair and replacement costs. A short visit from a plumber for tap repair in Sydney can easily resolve your plumbing issues.

Structural Damages

Attending your leaky taps by getting a plumber tap repair can save you from costly structural damages that unattended leaks in your pipes may cause. Calling a professional to fix your leak now, instead of dismissing the issue will save you a lot of worries and further costs in the future.

Structural damages in your home due to leaky taps can be minor or severe, depending on the level of complexity in the leaks on your pipe system. Your walls, floors and foundations are at risk for moisture damage if you do not get your leaky taps repaired ASAP.

Health Hazards

Leaking taps can be indicators of other problems in your plumbing system. Contaminants may enter your water system. Additionally, mildew and mould can start to build up in your homes. These problems can remain unnoticed for a long time and may have already caused illnesses and costly damages to your home.

Mould is very toxic and once it settles in your home, it is bound to spread and infect other areas in our home at a rapid rate. It may also produce toxic chemicals that can trigger allergic reactions and respiratory issues at home. An experienced professional plumber can easily identify the main cause of your leaky taps, repair these areas and diagnose other plumbing issues that may already present in your plumbing system due to neglected leaks in your pipes.

Saving Water

Leaky taps should be attended immediately to save water. We are all aware that water is scarce in a lot of places worldwide. Some people are lucky enough to enjoy the convenience of having accessible potable water in their homes. As your contribution to help save Earth’s natural resources, you should always pay attention to leaks in your home and resolve them as soon as possible.

Climate change, growing population and droughts have a huge environmental impact on our environment. Avoid contributing to the problem. Instead, practice water saving measures at home, including having your leaking taps fixed for good to avoid gallons of water being wasted in your household.

As a home and property owner, it is your obligation and responsibility to maintain the plumbing and water supply facilities in your home. Continuous negligence of leaking in your plumbing system may cause problems and produce health and safety risk not only in your household but as well as nearby properties in your community. Remember, major plumbing problems are usually caused by neglected minor issues in your plumbing system.…