Archive for the ‘Green House’ Category
Looking for the latest trends in home decor?
Each year brings new designs, but there are some classic decor trends that never seem to fade away.One new trend that promises not to go away any time soon is environmentally friendly, or green, home decor. Designs that use recycled or repurposed products are hot, hot, hot. The good news is green decor is not the ugly duckling it once was. If you want to be friendly to the environment, you don’t have to sacrifice style. Your decor can be both.Another big trend that seems to have staying power is multi-purpose furniture. In other words, beautiful home decor is fine and good, but is it functional? Does it save space? Does it make your life easier? Again, with today’s decor schemes you can have both style and utility.
On the lighting front, chandeliers are back en vogue on the home decor scene. Chandeliers can set the mood in any room. Back on the green trend, solar-powered landscape lighting is a decor trend that’s made its way outdoors while kitchen lighting is getting more attention since it is a gathering place for friends and family indoors.Texture is hitting big in home decor. Textured leathers, textures made from resins that are intertwined with bronzed and antique silver metallics promise to add a glimpse of glamour to your decor, if that’s what tickles your fancy. Wall treatments, meanwhile, are one of the latest trends on the market. Wall murals can dramatically change the appearance of a room and prove to be cost-effective home decor.
Leather doesn’t ever seem to go out of style, but there are more feminine presentations these days. Over-sized furniture and accessories are also finding their place in the decor plans of many consumers, as well as Zen-like accessories.ow about color? Color is everything in home decor. Maybe softer pastels suit you, or maybe you are drawn toward bright, bold colors. Trend-wise, blues, greens, aquas, pinks and purples are evolving on the color palette in the home. Pantone’s Home Furnishings Forecast suggests colors like violets with taupes, hues like “Deep Taupe” and “Adobe Rose” and deep browns and grays add a nice feeling to the decor of your home.
If you have a country home, cottage or any other type of rustic residence then you might be interested in some lighting ideas. One of the more popular types of lighting is the chandelier. While most people think of the chandelier as being too elegant for a country 
home there are actually many styles available that are perfect for that type of residence. There are several variations of wrought iron chandeliers that lend an air of the southwest to a room. These lighting fixtures can come with rawhide lampshades the compliment the rustic feel of the design.
You can also find antler chandeliers in a variety of styles. A deer antler chandelier also compliments a country home or cottage by bringing a woodsy yet warm feel to the room. Antler chandeliers can be made from deer, elk or moose antlers. You can choose from authentic antlers that have been shed from real animals or from faux antlers which are made to resemble the real thing. The antler chandeliers come in many different sizes depending on the type of antler used. You will want to browse through the types available to find one that fits with the size of your room.
Moose antler chandeliers are often quite large as the antlers themselves are a broader flatter antler than that of an elk or deer. A deer antler chandelier can actually be very delicate in its style if designed in a more flowing upward style rather than a rounder two-tiered style. The type of lights added to an antler chandelier can also create a more simplistic or delicate effect so the chandelier doesn’t overpower the room it’s in. Choosing the right type of bulb to compliment the chandelier can make all the difference in the type of lighting effect the chandelier has.
If you are in need of basement finishing ideas, there are several sources from which to gather ideas from. But before you begin, there are a few things that you should be aware of prior to pursuing any ideas. Number one, is your basement cold and damp? Do you notice any moisture on the wall or floor? If so, you may need to do some patch up work before starting your renovation. Even the most perfect basement finishing ideas will not be able to come to fruition if there are existing issues that build mold up in the walls. Mold can ruin the look of a finished basement and completely ruin your investment. In addition to this, mold can present a very dangerous health hazard, predominantly to those with existing conditions such as asthma.
After you have determined your basement is ready for renovations, the first place and the easiest would be on your couch in front of the TV. There are several TV shows on home improvement and design. When this shows come on just take a seat with a notepad and simply jot down the ideas you like or don’t like. Also, take notes on what materials and tools you see and how they are being used.
Finding ideas for your basement can be fairly easy using magazines and books too. Take the magazines and cut out the articles and pictures that catch your eye and paste them on to the same notepad you used before. Buy yourself a couple of good books on the subject. By taking your basement finishing ideas out of your head and putting them down on paper you will truly begin to see what is possible to accomplish and what you should not even attempt.
The internet is one more great place to find ideas. Forums and photo galleries are an excellent source of ideas if you wish to set eyes on many examples of basement finishing ideas in a short period of time. As you find photos of ideas that you love, save them on your computer for future reference.
Interlocking brick pavers have become a popular option for many landscaping designs. They are used for homes in patio and walkway construction and even for driveways and pool patios. They are attractive and offer a variety of design options. From time to time, particularly if the pavers were not installed professionally or correctly it will be necessary to repair pavers.
Repairs are most commonly required when a brick paver sinks, cracks or becomes loose. Pavers sometimes sink around pool coping and pavers without joint sand can be problematic. These are not necessarily difficult repairs but depending upon your expertise a homeowner may want to call in a contractor to make sure the repairs are done properly.
Regardless of whether you plan to fix the brick pavers yourself or call a contractor to do it for you it is helpful to understand the process. The following is an explanation of how to repair pavers around pool coping. The process is pretty much the same for any type of brick pavers repair.
The first step is to remove the pavers and identify the cause of the problem. It is helpful to figure out if some installation problem caused the brick to come loose or whether it just needs to be set back in place. Sometimes it is necessary to use drypack (cement and sand) to fix the loose paver.
The second step is to wet the area around the pool coping as much as possible. You want everything to pack down so that the area is level and even.
The third step is to level the surface by adding a layer of screened sand before replacing the pavers.
The fourth step is to put the pavers in place and add joint sand, or mason’s sand. Tamp the pavers so that they are settled firmly and securely in place.
The fifth step is to sweep the excess sand from the area and soak with a water hose. You want to make sure the joints are filled and packed firmly. Add more sand if needed.
The goal is to replace the loose or broken brick pavers securely so that they will not come loose again easily. When repairing a walkway or patio, make sure the soldier row and edging are holding everything in place securely. The edges are the areas must vulnerable to loose bricks, particularly if the installation was not done correctly. The edge is most vulnerable to impacts of water and wear.