Budget Friendly Ideas for an Amazing Bedroom Makeover

The bedroom is an important room in your house. Before planning to give it a makeover, planning is key. With proper planning, you’ll be more comfortable and happy with your new room.

If you are on a budget, here are some ideas for an amazing bedroom makeover.

Incorporate a new accent color

Gold accents work wonders when it comes to bedroom makeovers. They can give your bedroom a new life especially if it was formerly navy blue or white.

To achieve this look, use accessories or paint a small piece of furniture like the nightstand.

Avoid matching too much

Rooms with a variety of patterns and colors have the most personality. However, avoid becoming gaudy and creating an eyesore by having everything in a room match.

Give the walls some texture

Adding texture to walls helps create interest in a room. Aside from adding personality, the new wall treatment will help make your room cozier. Thanks to stick-on designs, renovating with wallpaper is no longer a huge production.

Hang a statement mirror

As per Warner Quinlan Inc, Mirrors are not just for the bathroom only. Mirrors create a sense of openness, making your bedroom space appear larger. Also, mirrors help flood in natural light. Suitably placed mirrors help bounce light to create warmth.

Lay down a rug

Not only do rugs create a warm atmosphere, they also help reduce noise, keeping your bedroom quieter. Choose wisely, however, because rugs have the power to change the look and feel of your bedroom completely.

Add plants

Houseplants do more than just make your shelves look brighter. Plants naturally filter air pollutants and produce oxygen while maintain indoor humidity levels. Plants bring tranquility, increase your productivity, reduce your stress levels, enhance your creativity, and boost your mood.

Monitor your pillow population

Pillows are not only comfortable, but they are also cute. However, according to experts, they shouldn’t take up more than 50% of the bed. You only need a lumbar pillow and two sets of appropriately sized bed pillows.

Bring in a bench

Nothing elevates a bedroom faster than a bench at the end of the bed. When choosing a bed bench, you want to pick one that is slightly narrower than your bed. A bed bench adds rich depth, glamorous style, and comfortable convenience to your bedroom décor.

Turn off overhead lights

Keep bedroom lighting subdued for a tranquil space. To achieve this, use three-way bulbs so you can adapt the wattage to your needs or moods. Use wall sconces or nightstand lamps for bedtime reading.

Dress up your windows

A valance can help bring the wow factor to your bedroom. A valance helps provide color and softens the hard lines of windows. When choosing a valance you want to make sure it’s long enough. Also, choose one with the right pattern and fabric.

If your bedroom is looking a little small, try adding a striped rug. Striped rugs not only give a room a modern look, they also correspond with the color scheme and give the room a longer look.

Add interesting trim

Trim is functional in ways you may not realize. The simple addition of trim borders, ribbon or rickrack on shams, pillowcases or bed skirts can yield amazing results.

Buy new bedding

New bedding can make such a huge difference to your bedroom. It can create a whole new look, taking your room from primary to pastel, modern to classic, graphic to girly and more. If you don’t already have one, consider a comforter or a duvet.

Create a reading corner

To make the corner of your bedroom feel like a brand new space, all it takes is a cozy chair, a standing lamp and a new book.

Clear the clutter

Clutter in the bedroom can contribute to fatigue, lack of focus, irritability and difficulty sleeping. Moreover, persistent clutter in your bedroom can negatively impact your health.

There you have it: 14 budget friendly ideas for an amazing bedroom makeover. Use these tips to make your bedroom a sanctuary.

How To Locate Utility Lines Under Your Yard

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If you are considering doing any type of digging or building work in your own yard then you’ll need to start by considering where the utility lines are that serve your property.

In fact, you might even discover there are utility lines for other properties running under your ground! The last thing you want to do is dig straight into one, it can cause a serious injury. In addition you might find yourself facing a substantial bill to repair the problem.

This is why you need to ensure you understand the safe digging tips before you start digging. But, even before you start digging you should identify where the lines are:

Locator Service

You can contact utility location services which will provide you with a free quote to assess your yard. They will then use specialized equipment to scan the ground below your yard and determine what utility lines are present.

Most importantly, once they have located the lines they will be able to provide you with a detailed grid map showing you exactly where they are and how deep they are.

This is the most expensive solution but the best. You will know everything about the utility services running under your ground and what you should do. This usually involves digging somewhere else or staying above their level.

It is very rare that you will want to actually dig up the utility lines. Of course, if you do choose this route then you’ll need to proceed with maximum care. You shouldn’t use any sharp objects when digging near utilities. Water, electricity and you do not mix well together!

Check Your Documents

You can also take a look at the deeds for your house. They should mention if there are any utilities or easements on your property. If there are any it is unlikely that the deeds will give you the exact location and it is also possible that things have changed since the deeds were created.

This is a good guidance point but does not remove the need to use a locator service.

Utility Company

It is possible to call the utility company to get them to come out and mark where the utility lines are.
However, there are a few issues with this approach. You’ll need to contact all the different utility companies; the electric board won’t know where the water lines are.

You may also find there is a significant delay before they can come out, this will hold up your building project.

Additionally, they might not tell you how deep these utilities are, which will not help you to decide whether to continue with your project or not.

A locator service is the best option as they will deal with all utility lines in one go, provide you with depth, and even get to you very quickly.

In addition, they will provide you with guarantees and a host of other information on your land, including boundaries and any other issues you light not know about.

Buying And Selling - The Costs You Need To Know About

If only buying and selling a home was as easy as putting pen to paper to transfer the deeds. According to the National Association of Realtors, home sales were down 3.2% in January 2018 - the second month in a row that a decline was recorded. So, why are sellers failing to attract buyers and why are buyers holding back from making a purchase? One thing that could be to blame is the rising costs of properties. The average selling price of a home is now $240,500 and when you factor in the additional costs of buying and selling, you can see why individuals are put off from making the leap. This is especially true for those looking to buy a first home who particularly feel the financial squeeze.

Tips for sellers

As a seller, it’s your job to make your home the best it can be to lure potential buyers through your front door. You might think investing in a new kitchen or bathroom suite is a waste of time and money, but if it’s going to add value to your home and, ultimately, sell your property then it’s cost definitely worth considering.

When the deal has been done and a price agreed, one of the first things your buyer will do is request a professional home inspection to ensure that the property is kosher and doesn’t have any significant problems, such as damp or electrical faults. Should the inspection pick up any issues, then your buyer might pull out of the sale, request a reduced price or demand repairs are completed before the purchase continues. Therefore, to prevent delays and higher repair costs, it’s best to have your home checked for any issues prior to sale and get them sorted before placing the for sale sign outside your home.

What should buyers consider?

Does the house you’re buying require extensive renovations? If so, you need to consider these costs when making your offer. It’s all well and good comparing the property you’re considering making an offer on to the sale price of the one across the road, but if it requires $20,000 of work, then it’s probably not such a good deal after all.

Additional costs when buying a home soon mount up. There are legal fees to shell out for, between $350 and $550 for a home inspection and when you’re in your new property home insurance is a must to ensure your property, its foundations and your personal belongings are protected in the event of a natural disaster, such as a flood, an accident or a burglary. You’ll likely also want to complete some renovations and basic DIY work when you move in, too, such as giving the kitchen a lick of fresh paint or putting down new flooring in the hallway. To be sure you can afford everything that comes with a home, you may be best putting down a smaller deposit on your home and saving the extra cash to cover your additional costs.

There’s no denying that buying and selling property can be expensive, but, thankfully, there’s plenty of things you can do to ease the pressure of these fees and to ensure a smooth purchase.

Save on Your Home Energy Costs with These Renovations and Changes

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There's no secret that homeowners’ bills have been going up over the past decade, as the cost of living is always on the rise. Unfortunately for many families, increases in wages haven't kept pace making the rise in the cost of living all the more impactful. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average person spent $3,052 per year in energy in 2012, so now six years later you can expect that the total is more.

If the costs of your home energy bills are causing you to stress, then it may be time to look for solutions. There are a number of renovations and changes you can make in your home that will make a difference either immediately or over the long-term, and will help to bring down your energy bills.

Replace Your Windows

Replacing your windows can end up being one of the most effective ways to bring down your home energy bills. When you replace single-paned windows, you can expect to save anywhere from $126-465 a year. Now if you look to upgrade from single-paned to double-paned, you'll be able to save even more.

Obviously replacing all your windows is an investment. The average price to install a remodelled PVC window with a fusion-welded frame is on average $553 according to https://porch.com/project-cost/cost-to-install-remodeling-windows. If replacing all the windows in your home is too much at one time, start with one floor.

Switch Out Old Appliances

Another energy-guzzler in your home is old appliances. All old appliances should be switched out over time and replaced with the latest energy-star rated models. These appliances use up much less energy, and they run more efficiently since they are using today’s technology. Appliances such as your fridge, stove and dishwasher are a must, but don’t forget your electronics like your computer, televisions, stereo and more.

This is the kind of thing you can do over time, focusing on the oldest appliances and electronics first.

Install Dimmer Switches Throughout the Home

Here's a much less expensive tip and one that you can often do yourself. Installing dimmer switches around your home allows you to control how much energy is being used by your lights. As an added bonus, dimmer switches also allow you to better set the mood and atmosphere in a room.

Make Use of Ceiling Fans

If you find you are spending a lot to cool and heat your home, air circulation may be a problem in the space. To help circulate the air better, install ceiling fans throughout the space. In the summer you will want the blades to turn counter clockwise, while in the winter you will reverse the direction and have them move clockwise.

Tips and Changes that Really Add Up in Savings

Depending on the kind of budget you are working with you may only be able to do some of these changes, or perhaps you can do them all. Regardless of what you pick, you will start to see a difference in the amount you spend on your home energy bill.

Step By Step DIY Guide For Your Brand New Loft Room

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Converting a loft is one of the best decisions that you will ever make in your home improvement projects. When you think about the potential of turning your loft into an extremely useful and absolutely beautiful area of your home, it’s probably going to excite you. However, if you’re doing some portions of the loft conversion on your own, you need to read this article to guide you in a DIY loft conversion and design project.

Steps in pulling off a successful DIY loft conversion

Converting your loft involves a lot of factors to consider, but these things should not hinder you from pursuing your plans. That’s why we have this loft conversion guide, to help you navigate through the nitty gritty details.

Start with the basics

Before buying any furniture or tearing down walls, you need to answer the following basic questions in converting a loft:

• Does your local building code allow you to convert your loft?
• Is your roof space tall enough to make your loft conversion plans possible?
• Will the floor below the loft remain unaffected by the changes?

If you answered no to any of these questions, you may want to ask a professional building contractor about your loft conversion plans.

Do the floor

If the floor in your loft is already fit for your needs – say, solid floorboards sitting on strong wooden beams – then you don’t have to worry too much about the loft flooring. Otherwise, you need to carefully plan what kind of flooring you will install in your loft conversion.

Make sure that your loft floor is sturdy enough for your needs. Failing to check the floor integrity may cause you to fall through the ceiling and destroy your loft conversion project in one fell swoop!

Add insulation

Insulating your loft is something that many homeowners fail to consider, and this may lead to extreme temperature changes when you’re inside the loft.

The good news is that putting insulation on your loft has become more convenient than before. You may purchase insulation boards that you can slide in between beams and walls. Make sure that the insulation covers the entire room with minimal gaps, so that you can protect the loft from sudden weather changes.

Before insulating your loft, you should also consider where you will have your windows in order to get enough light in the room. Installing soundproof windows in your brand new loft room would be the icing on the cake! More light and less noise!

Connect to utilities

Planning to convert the loft into a bathroom? You need to check if the plumbing system is accessible. Otherwise, you will have to spend a little more to install additional pipes and fittings.

In short, plan out your loft conversion to include access to necessary utilities such as electricity, water, and gas.

Include safety precautions

Most lofts are not as accessible as the rest of the rooms in your home, and so you need to make sure that safety precautions are put in place. Some measures that you can put in your loft conversion include the following:

• Install smoke detectors
• Put a fire extinguisher
• Install an alternative access door
• Make the windows big enough for people to fit, in case of rescue operations
• Check the electrical system for proper grounding and integrity of circuit breakers

At the end of the day, achieving the perfect loft for your home involves careful planning. By following the tips above, you should be able to enjoy your newly converted loft with less worries and loads of fun and relaxation.