SIMPLE YET ELEGANT HOME IMPROVEMENTS – PART 1

Are you planning to move to a new house? With the increasing of world population, sooner or later there would be limited spaces left for a household of few members. What could you do if you were to have only a 700 sq. ft. built-up area for your house? How about the budget? I’m sure most people by then would love simplicity and yet getting the elegant state-of-the-art feeling of a home. After all, most people would hate cleaning up a messy house with lots of items scattered around right?

What would you do if you were a high tech person and admire all the latest gadgets and features in the technological world? Would you die to have this feature as your window? Not only are the posters printed beautifully, it has thousands of mini holes to let the sunlight in. I wonder if Bill Gates is having this in his house too. Haha!

The most important part of a house is the bedroom, where you would spend the most hours after a hard day of work. Sometimes you might even want to work on some schedules in preparation for the next day, but space might be a problem. With limited spaces, you can either work on your projects or sleep but you can’t do both at the same time. What would you do then? Would features like this help? I’m sure it would.

Dining room is another place where most of us would spend time together as a family. We have our breakfast, lunch, dinner and whatever other meals there. Would you want to have a square or round table which is so boring? Why not own something that’s creative and would brighten up the day prior or coming back from a hectic day of work? Would you go for this?

There are so many things we can do to make our house feel more homely. Limited space is not an issue if we put on our thinking hat to make it possible. I will talk more on other areas of the house soon. Do look out for Home Improvements Part 2.

ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLY STAINLESS STEEL FOR YOUR HOME

Throwing out and replacing old home products and decorations can be a costly enterprise. Moreover, it could have some environmental issues if they are not properly disposed of. Why not think about how effective and long lasting a product is when you have decided to buy them for your home? The good news is that you will not only save money in a long run but also help keep the environment save for the future generation. If you are thinking of what are the products that I am mentioning here, it is the proven corrosion resistance alloy called stainless steel.

There are many stainless steel items created nowadays for practically anything for your home. They are with the state-of-the-art designs and will surely give your home a new lease of life. Whatever products that you do not have in hand, you will find them at your local stainless steel store. They will have many different categories of products for indoor as well as outdoor usage which some might be of interest to you.

That is why many households prefer stainless steel utensils for their kitchen as the austenitic microstructure of stainless steel provides a very high degree of toughness. It resists scaling and retains strength at high temperatures making it the ideal material for cooking utensils. Stainless steel utensils are easy to clean and have the high hygienic qualities in them. Due to the processes in the production, the microstructure of stainless steel has no cracks or crevices for bacteria and other grime to hide in.

With the long life cycle and attractiveness of stainless steel, you are sure of ensuring that less old items are thrown out of the house and thus making the world a better place to live in without the unnecessary environmental pollution. For your information purposes, over 90% of new stainless steel comes from recycled stainless steel scraps, making it an environmental friendly product for every household.

A NEW YEAR – A NEW LOOK

It is 2008 now. What would you do to have a new look to your house? Would you like to have that European look, Scandinavian look and contemporary design to your home without making any major structural changes to the existing design? It may sound impossible but it can be done by just playing with simple furniture, colors and lightings.

Most people here are staying in apartments and space is mainly the factor behind the obstruction to any renovations to create the feel of any looks. It is not necessary true if you know how to mix and match the correct combination of furniture to certain colors for the house. For example, doorframes can be coated with silver paint to blend in with the metallic look of the Venetian blinds, together with some play of lights.

Minimal furniture and color palette comprising neutral and sandy hues can create an unusual fusion of East meet West, making the whole place portray a sense of peace and tranquility. A clear-lined custom fitting of sand plywood, will provide a serene balance to the overall sandy feel. Lighting should be kept to a minimum to avoid outshining the furniture. It is a no-no to put up fancy gadgets and fitting as it will make the place look congested.

Simplicity is the best solution for a space constricted home. Silver color and sand-plywood furniture are recommended as they compliment each other to have that feel.

ADDING ACCENTS TO A ROOM WITH LAMPS

From my previous post on “Setting the right moods with proper lightings”, I shall now go into specific areas in the house that can be improved further. If you know how to place certain lamps at strategic area, the lighting can add that extra dramatic flair as well. Shining certain floor lamps through the foliage of plants will provide accents to specific parts of a room.

Let us look at the living room first. For the living room, a wide variety of lighting can be recommended. You can use anything from recessed ceiling light, strip lighting behind valances and wall sconces. You can even have some table lamps with dimmers can let your control over the intensity of the light you wanted. It is through these that make the room come alive.

For the dining room, a chandelier could be the key source of lighting. It should be hung about three feet above the dining table. You could install dimmers to lower the light level when meals are served.

As for the bedroom, functional lighting for activities like reading, writing or drawing is a must. Selected desk lamps would be appropriate as is a swing arm lamp for each partner. A lamp with translucent shade is good task lighting for a dresser with a mirror.

Maybe a visit to www.farreys.com to view their thousands of lamp samples will help you even more. They have the perfect combination of lamps for your living space to create the kind of mood and atmosphere you are looking for.

YOU ARE NOT GOING TO STAY!

Yuck! What are you guys doing in my bedroom, bathroom, hall and kitchen? I hate it when you guys play hide and seek with me. You can hide but your trails won’t hide you for long. Who or what were I talking about? It is none other than those disgusting eight legged spiders. I have just cleared up all the cobwebs in the house with broomsticks not long ago. Within a few weeks, they are back for yet another invasion.

I would have been more stressed with this pest problem if I had not purchase the Dyson vacuum cleaner. It does wonders for me. Not only did the vacuum cleaner gotten rid of the root of my pest problem, it also left my home sparkling clean within few minutes. It has been tested and proven by many for its effectiveness and its state-of-the-art technology. The good news is, it is affordable and has a 5-years warranty on all parts.

You can also have an option for the three different ranges of Dyson vacuum cleaners which are Uprights, Cylinders and Handhelds. If these are not challenging enough for you, you can always have a new experience with the extra Dyson parts for the vacuum of your choice. Ability to stretch and bend for wiping off hard to reach spaces, clearing the dust from your bed, sweeping away the hard core dust, are some of the wonders the extras of Dyson vacuum cleaner can do for you.

My house is spider webs free now. Thanks to Dyson vacuum cleaner for making my life easier and less stressful. You sure did not disappoint me!

BEDDING WITH A TOUCH OF STRIPES

Some people may have the idea of a perfect bedroom but their interior decorating ideas may be restricted by budgetary constraints. Little touches such as inexpensive prints, a bedding of different colors, design, texture and shades can do wonders in transforming an otherwise dull room into a smart yet elegant place for relaxation.

There are dozens of combinations you can mix and match with for yourself as well as for your children. Mixing of bold, complementary colors and daring stripes can create a punching effect that will exhibit your own style and personality. This Striped Bedding set comes in three variations which are vertical stripes, "flare" stripes and a "V" pattern of striping. Your children will sure love these lively stripes for their bedroom.

HARMONY AND COMFORT IN YOUR HOME

You have a house purchased or rented, but have you ever wondered if your house is well equipped with furniture and settings that make it stress-free? Let us start looking into the different sections of your house and identify how you could improve further.

The bedroom served as a retreat for you after a day of stress-filled work. It is not only a balm for frayed nerves, but an aid in promoting a good night’s sleep. During the old age, man used rough mats and logs as bed and pillow. Today, varied and improved versions of bed have become a warm nest that we do not wish to abandon. Although we have firm mattress, fresh sheets and puffy pillows for a sound and restful sleep, bedrooms have evolved into a multi-purpose spot to work, appreciate music and reading. It has turned into something extravagance.

Living room on the other hand also plays an important part of in bringing out our quest for a peaceful atmosphere. Living room furniture will provide us with the real comfort we are seeking and thus a mental and physiological necessity. As you sit on properly-designed, well upholstered furniture, amazing things happen to your body. Your muscles begin to relax, your blood supply starts to circulate more freely and your back takes a well-earned rest as your spine is gently supported in the right place. A sofa loveseat would be ideal for the living room. It serves as a comfortable sofa for you and your loved ones to gather around as a family.

You will be spending many hours sitting in your special furniture. So be sure it will make your leisure time an enjoyable and relaxing experience.

OMG – HOW TO CLEAN THAT?

I hate it when my household furniture and floors get stains that refuse to come off. Sometimes just for some rare stubborn spots, I will have to buy a whole bottle of solution to clear them off. What a waste! Homemade solutions can work just as well as some commercials products and it is definitely cheaper too. It is also one of the best means of avoiding exposure to house-hold hazardous materials. Here are some of my homemade “mix & match” time-tested recipes which may loosen your budget.

BRASS TARNISH: Make a paste with 1 oz. of lemon juice or white vinegar with salt. Apply with a clean rag and wipe off the excess.

CERAMIC TILES: Mix 10 parts of water to one part of white vinegar. Apply with a soft brush, then wipe with a damn sponge.

MILDEW AND SOAP BUILT-UP ON CAULKING: Apply by rubbing alcohol straight from the bottle with a clean rag.

MILDEW ON EXTERIOR WOOD: Mix 1 qt. of bleach and 1 oz. of non-ammoniated detergent to 1 gal. of water. Apply with a mop, work it in with a brush and rinse with clear water within 10 minutes.

FRESHEN UP PAINTED WOOD SIDINGS: Mix 1 qt. of bleach and 1 cup of trisodium phosphate. Dissolve in 3 qt. of warm water. Apply with a wide brush. Leave for 15 minutes. No scrubbing needed. Wipe off the area with clean water.

MOSS INFECTED CONCRETE: Mix 3/4 cup of bleach to 1 gal. of water. Clean of the loose material with a stiff brush. Apply the solution and leave for 5 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with clean water.

WATER RINGS AND PLASTIC STAINS: Mix equal parts of white vinegar and water. Apply the surface with a clean rag and wipe off the excess.

CLOGGED PIPINGS: Pour 1/2 cup baking soda down the clogged piping. Add 1/2 cup white vinegar and cover up. Let it set for a few minutes, then pour a kettle of boiling water down. Flush it. The combination of baking soda and vinegar can break down fatty acids into soap and glycerin, allowing the clog to wash down the drain.

LIME AND MINERAL DEPOSITS: Lime deposits around faucets can be softened for easy removal by covering the deposits with vinegar-soaked paper towels. Leave the paper towels on for about one hour before cleaning. This will leave chrome clean and shiny.

MULTI-PURPOSE CLEANER: Vinegar and Salt. Mix together for a good cleaner for all kitchen and bathroom surfaces.