17 March 2015

Practical yet stylish bathroom design ideas

Image by Ines Hegedus Garcia, Used under a Creative Commons license.

Deciding to renovate or redecorate the bathroom is considered by many to be a difficult and demanding task. Some people believe it takes a lot of exertion and a large upheaval to make any real difference to the room’s look and feel.

However, there are quite a few practical yet stylish changes you can make, which have the potential to transform any bathroom. Best of all, they don’t require much time, effort or money either.

Put up some shelving

This might seem like a straightforward step, but it is surprising just how many people don’t put up shelves in their bathroom. In addition to improving organisation, shelving units can be incredibly decorative too. Floating shelves look clean and crisp, but ornate options will suit more traditional bathrooms.

Introduce more storage

Certain bathroom items can be rather unsightly and not very attractive, which would be better hidden away. This is a great opportunity to enhance the room’s aesthetic, so think about introducing storage containers such as glass jars for cotton swabs or wicker baskets for toilet rolls.

Change the cabinet

If you don’t have the budget to update your entire suite, consider changing the cabinet instead. This piece of bathroom furniture has the potential to revamp and rejuvenate any tired looking space but isn’t that difficult to fix-up. What’s more, it will increase practicality and improve overall tidiness.

Upgrade the small details

It is easy to overlook things like towel racks, toilet roll holders and sink taps, but if you upgrade these small details, you’ll end up with a much more decorative bathroom. Even if you don’t have these furnishings in the first place, it will undoubtedly increase overall functionality anyway.

Improve the sights and smells

There is nothing quite like taking a nice relaxing bath after a stressful day. But this can be improved even more by adding some scented candles, which smell great, create the right ambience and reduce your energy footprint too.

Put up more mirrors

This is a really good idea if you have a small bathroom, as mirrors can make a confined space look much larger. On top of that, adorning and alluring mirrors are bound to enhance your bathroom’s appeal while providing greater functionality at the same time.

All of these design ideas are sure to be within most budgets and don’t require much work or effort to complete. But most importantly, they’ll improve the style and practicality of your bathroom and day to day living.


10 March 2015

A guide to a super cheap bathroom

Whether it’s making your home a more comfortable place to live, trying to make it more valuable with more energy or elegance, or just simply you want to make yourself feel happy, these projects of super clean bathroom remodeling are the key element and are the most economical way that you can make your bathroom clean with ten times the cash that you would have spent in some luxury bathroom shops buying new bathroom interior.

When it comes to the elegance and the cleanness of your bathroom, there are several ways of making the difference in it, and few of those are the lightning, painting, wall decoration and assents, the main bathroom mirror which is usually present in the bathrooms around the world, followed by the curtains over the bath tub and the linens.

The first thing in any cheap bathroom remodeling and making it look amazing is the paint. The paint must be done in neutral shade and colors, and the energy should come from the accessories that are placed there later on, not from the paint itself. Even if this is the case with the paint being the second background color of the bathroom, don’t underestimate the power of it because it gives the shininess of the other elements by being the contrast itself.



Next money spending step are the fixtures with new lightning that should be placed on the wall once the paint is dried. Wattage is needed because your light determines the happiness that you will place inside the bathroom. Aim to focus is where you plan to put the mirror for double light due to the reflection. The lights are not something that you can remodel and clean to look cutter. This is where you should spend some money and at the end of the long run they will definitely pay off.

Towel racks and light switch covers should come after the lightning is placed. Aim for white or chrome because it’s the color of the century, and it makes the bathroom look elegant. These accessories are not so expensive so go for the kill. They can be found in any shop for bathroom accessories.



Mirror and everything else is next as the last step of the wall decorating. This is the main bathroom element including the interior so we suggest you watch a tutorial video on how to reuse your old mirror and make it look amazingly new, as well as how to place the mirror in the bathroom so it can get the maximum out of the lightning that comes from the window, and the artificial lightning that you have previously set in the bathroom.

Shower curtains are a cheap element to replace and a fun one as well. Aim for live colors that contrast the walls, and with no doubt at all your bathroom will look fresher and cleaner, while you won’t have to spend much time and money on it. Natural material curtains are the best way to go because they are cheap and soft, and for this matter, look for cotton duck.

Linens should be the same color as your bathroom shower curtains and if your shower curtains are white, beige or cream, your mat and towels should also share the same color and intensity. The last accessories like toothbrush holders and tissue boxes should be white as well, if your curtains are white. Some may way that this is a classic and a color that has already been used many times before, but the thing is that white color is one of the cleanest colors and the best looking one for a bathroom. Not to mention that it is the cheapest color on the market.

We hope that this small cheap bathroom remodeling guide helped you and your idea of remodeling your bathroom while saving you cash.

09 March 2015

Stop energy leaks cold

Did you know that half of all people in the US spend 20% of their income on energy costs? That's a huge amount of money and by insulating properly you can decrease the amount of money you spend and get yourself on the right side of those statistics.

 
Via: Spray Foam Insulation Kit Manufacturer

02 March 2015

Gettng the right sized heater for your patio space

via

The outdoor living areas within your patio and garden provide you with the best moments of solitude and relaxation due to the natural openness and closeness to nature. However, at some points in the year, it gets too cold for you to enjoy the serenity of these places. During this time, you need a way to make your patio as cozy as possible so that you can still get out there and enjoy it. The solution in this case is a patio heater. While buying this device, you have to make certain considerations in terms of the space available as heaters come in a wide range of sizes with different specifications. If you’re looking for the right sized heater for your patio space, then look no further. We’ve put together some information on sizes of heaters for different fuel sources so you will find the decision much easier to make and you’ll be able to get the perfect heater for your outdoor space.

Gas patio heaters
Gas heaters use propane as fuel most of the times. They are popular because of their ability to heat up a place very quickly. Since these appliances use gas and need to have a gas tank, they tend to be very big, and come equipped with propane gas tanks that can hold as much as 20 gallons of gas. These types of patio heaters come in handy when you intend to heat a large area. However, they are unsuitable if you have space limitations. For them to work uniformly, you need to place them right in the middle of the area you intend to heat which can prove problematic in smaller spaces. Over time, space issues have led to manufactures designing smaller, tabletop patio heater versions that are a bit more practical in terms of size but still they usually don’t look quite as discreet as their electric counterparts. You can place them on the patio table or mount them on the walls of the room, or even the ceiling. However, many homeowners feel these options place the focus on the heater, rather than having it blend in with their patio.

Electric heaters
There are a wide variety of different electric heaters that come in a variety of different sizes. One standout feature is the fact that they do not need any fuel as such, as they are powered by electricity. This means that you do not have to worry about a huge gas tank clamouring for space with other items in your patio. In most cases, electric heaters are mounted on the wall and plugged to a power supply. You can always direct the heat where you want it most when using these appliances. In addition to this, you can control temperature levels depending on the amount of heat you require. Electric heaters include the classic type, convective panel heaters and under desk heaters. The Thermofilm range of heaters are innovatively designed to fit smartly with any patio or garden space, and you won’t find space an issue. Worth a look if you’re a little short of space.

An electric heater is far more space considerate than its gas counterpart. However, some gas heaters are more energy efficient. What you need to look for, particularly if you either have a small space or do not want your heating to be an eyesore is a company who specialise in offering bespoke heating solutions to a variety of different spaces. Getting the right heating will certainly help to ensure you can enjoy your patio or garden space without having to step over cables or look at ugly heating elements.

20 February 2015

How much should you spend on redesigning your kitchen?



The past few years have seen the kitchen grow in importance, in comparison with the rest of the house. Today, people eat, gather, and even have parties in the kitchen. Larger kitchens have replaced the small, basic ones with conveniences such as larger sinks, islands, fancy lighting, beautiful refrigerators, cookers, and so on. Most homes have picked up on the cozy, social kitchen trend. But how much should you spend on redesigning your kitchen?

Creating A Budget

After conducting thorough research on the re-designing options for your kitchen, it is time to consider your budget. The following tips will help you estimate more accurately.
When planning, decide what exactly needs to be done. Your decision will place your project in one of two remodeling categories:

Minor Remodels

Minor remodels average at around $17,000 to $25,000. These are usually done when a  kitchen has a good layout, or its plumbing and electrical systems meet the current building standards. However, the finish may be outdated and needs revamping. The design, in this case, will remain identical to the original, and it will mean you change the cabinets, flooring, ceiling colour and worktops.

Major remodels

Major remodels are far more costly. Mid-range projects in this category average at around $50,900 to $59,700 while high-end projects average at around $103,500 to $115,500. Due to poor planning during construction, some kitchens require significant updates or repairs, and expansion in size, hence the sharp difference in cost between the minor and major remodels.

After determining what your kitchen needs, coming up with a budget that will cover your expenses becomes less daunting.

Break down the Costs

Come up with an easily comprehensible way of breaking your budget. On average, you can break down your budget – as a percentage of the total amount – as follows:


  • Cabinets: 35 percent,
  • Appliances: 20 percent,
  • Labour: 20 percent,
  • Windows: 10 percent,
  • Fixtures: 5 percent,
  • Fittings: 3 percent,


Prepare for the Unexpected

Something unexpected always happens during construction – especially in older residences. For example, on ripping out your walls, you may realize that the electrical wiring is outdated, or that your floor has rotted after pulling out your dishwasher. Leaving about 20% of your budget to cover the unexpected is practical.

List what You Consider most Important

List what you feel needs revamping the most. If you feel that new appliances will give your kitchen the most pleasing restoration, ensure that they are at the top of your list. This way, even if the cost supersedes your budget, you will have taken care of what is most important to you.

Acquaint Yourself with the Charges Design Professionals Demand

Design professionals can take your project from conceptualization to selecting the finish materials for your construction.


  • Architects charge, on average, $150 per hour and above, or a flat fee of about $500 to $5,000,
  • Interior designers charge an average of $100 to $150 per hour or a flat fee of $500 to $10,000, and
  • Kitchen designers charge $50 per hour.

Of course you should shop around for this. Some kitchen builders in Melbourne offer free design consultations along with their services.

You should also acquaint yourself with the charges that your local buildings permit office requires for such a demolition. Some areas determine their fees basing on the planned work while others require you to pay a percentage of the total project.

Your kitchen reflects your lifestyle, and spending money on it gives you the chance to get a kitchen you’ll love to be in, whether to cook, socialize or relax. Since a cozy, social kitchen is the new trend, revamping your kitchen should be among your top priorities if you've the budget to spare.