Category Archives: Home Improvement

Seven Simple Ways to Make Your Home More Comfy

Home is one place where we are supposed to get the best comfort. We feel safe and can be ourselves in there without any fears. However, it takes a while for every homeowner to set up their home in the best possible way to make it cozy. When it comes to converting a house into a home, one has to go the extra mile in terms of putting in all efforts.

Overlooking the comfort of the house is one of the biggest mistakes that a lot of people make. It can be hard to adjust yourself and your family in a space that seems alienated. To make sure that hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars invested in the house pay their worth, it’s important to put a little extra time and effort into making it comfortable. Here’s how you can do that:

● Bring Comfortable Furniture in The House

If you have decided to get rid of the unwanted stuff from the house and bring new furniture, consider all the options available before cementing the final decision. Instead of looking for fancy options, it’s better to focus on comfort. You can make them more appealing simply by adjusting their surroundings. For example, the design of the bedding makes more impact than the design of the bed itself.

Bring comfortable furniture that is trendy and goes well with the theme of your home. You have to be extra choosy when it comes to the bedrooms. Read reviews of the different mattresses and get ones that best suit the needs of children, youngs, and elders in the house.

● Hang Art

There’s no running away from the fact that hanging art has always had a strong impact on the thought process of humans. Because colors have been proven to have a positive impact on a person’s mood, the combination of artwork will cast its magic spell on anyone’s thought process for sure. Especially if you’ve got murals around, hidden in the boxed, now is the time to take them out and let them do the talking.

Research has shown that even looking at artwork can reduce anxiety and stress. This will eventually plant a smile on your face and make you feel your best. Hanging art is the best therapy for people who are caught up with stress all day long.

● Keep it Clean

Decluttering the physical environment will have a strong impact on your thought process. After all, a cluttered home will never be pleasant in the eyes. Start with the bigger rooms and chuck out any unwanted stuff. For example, if the old furniture has worn out or one of the rooms has a lot of junk stacked inside, you better take them out.

Cleaning the house will not only help you get rid of stress but will also aid in creating more space for additional furniture. Not to forget, your physical space is not just a reflection of your personality but also emanates the way you live. Ensure to regularly wash the towels and sheets to keep the entire space cleaned.

● Go Green

Just like animals and art, flowers can change the vibe of the house as well. After all, they have a positive impact on our moods and declutter our minds. Because stress and anxiety are both all over the place, it is hard for many people to avoid these factors. Still, when natural plants are incorporated in the living room, bedroom or any part of the house, one will feel thrilled and excited.

There’s a different sense and attraction in nature, which is enough for anyone to feel great about living in their home. Furthermore, since plants are less fussy and can prove to be a great addition to the aesthetic appeal of anyone’s house, putting them everywhere around the house will be a good idea.

● Add Extra Lights

Few things can make the house less visually appealing and attractive, insufficient lighting is one of them. So ensure to bring the right light fixtures that add a warm temperature in the surrounding with different shades of yellow or white. Only then should you come up with more lighting that is appropriate. Pretty much every space in the house requires the right lighting fixture.

Especially if you get to install dimmers, you’ll easily control the amount of lighting in your room. Candles too will add the much-needed amount of warmth and coziness to jazz up any space. Ensure to extinguish the flames before exiting the room. Sometimes, flames can easily become the sole cause of fire in the bedroom.

● Adopt a Pet

What occurs to your mind as a primal thought when you think of feeling loved? If you’re thinking of having a relationship, we recommend you to take one step back and instead, adopt a pet. For, pets love you the most and always support you when you need them. Secondly, if you’ve always wanted to adopt pets, now is the best time to give it a go. Venture out in the market and look around to see what you want.

For example, if you want a cute little pup in the house, you’ll have to know about what it entails to bring him home. Know about requirements and bring one home. No wonder, bringing the little one in your home will change everyone’s moods and you’ll want to smile every day.

● Bring The Spa Home

If you want to go the extra mile in terms of making your home more cozy and relaxing, draw inspiration from a place that has been engineered to instill positivity and comfort in every breath of yours, the spa. Candles, gentle lighting, aromatherapy, trickling fountains and spa details can also be installed in your home for a quick dose of comfort. Do everything right and see how positivity will shine through your home. Bear in mind, when you bring the spa to your home, you won’t have to struggle with going out and driving through the city to reach out to a destination as such.

Home Improvement

Replace, Repair, Renew: How to Give Your Home a Complete Winter Checkup

Anne Younger Leave a comment

There are so many things that you routinely get checked every year from teeth to cars, so it makes perfect sense that you submit your home to the same sort of inspection regime in order to keep on top of any repairs or issues that need your attention.

Here is a look at why it’s a good idea to carry out a yearly home inspection, including tips on when is the best time to do it, what sort of things you should be checking, and what action to take to keep your property in good working order.

Before we get into it, you can’t imagine how far a simple sanding can go on some wooden furniture. Get yourself a light and cheap drum sander and you’ll see what we’re talking about. Go to SanderScore for the best reviews around

Before winter takes its toll

Extremes of weather always have the potential to expose any weaknesses in or outside your property, so it always pays to look out for any suspected problems with your systems and appliances throughout the year.

On top of that, it is suggested that you carry out a thorough annual home inspection in the fall, just before winter sends the temperature dial plummeting.

Create a checklist of items that you need to check when carrying out your annual inspection, and then arrange to work methodically through them noting down any maintenance or repairs you will need to get done.

Cracks and leaks

A good starting point would be to walk around the exterior of your home and try to spot any obvious signs of wear and tear.

If you notice any cracks in the concrete on your outside walls or pathways they will need some attention.

Cracks in asphalt and concrete should be repaired for a couple of reasons. Any cracks and chips in your driveways could be a tripping hazard and if they are close to your home they could be letting water in underneath your home.

Cracks in your walls shouldn’t be ignored either as they could be allowing excess water to seep in almost undetected. Also, check that your retaining walls don’t have any areas that are bulging or loose, as this could be a sign that some damage has occurred as a result of persistent heavy rain or snowfall.

Another area to check outside is your siding, to see if you have any staining.

Signs of staining could be an indication that you might have a water problem or it could be telling you that there is an issue with your roofing. Some maintenance tasks are often best left to a professional and if you do need to check out a problem with your roofing, someone like Milestone Xteriors of Mukwonago should be able to assess and resolve any issues.

Windows and doors

Your windows need to be kept clear as they allow excess moisture to escape from the inside of your home.

As part of your annual check, make sure that they are clear of any debris.

Another job on your checklist should be to ensure that any weather-stripping you have used is still in place. Replace any damaged or missing strips so that your home is ready for the winter period ahead.

Other tasks with your windows and doors include checking that locks are working smoothly, repairing or adding some oil where necessary, also, check whether any exterior caulk and sealants are still intact and providing the protection needed from the rain.

It is also a good idea to run your hand around the frame of the windows and doors to feel for any obvious drafts. If you do notice any, apply some weather-stripping to help keep your home warmer and reduce your energy bills.

Perfect plumbing

Burst pipes and leaks are bad news in your home, so put plumbing on your list of priorities when you are doing your inspection.

Look for any obvious signs of leaks in all of your exposed pipes and also keep an eye out for signs of corrosion, which can be identified as an issue when you notice green stains around any brass and copper fittings.

Inspect all the toilets and faucets for any leaks or loose fittings which could eventually allow water to escape.

These are some of the main points you need to check in and around your home when carrying out your annual inspection, and it is well worth doing if you manage to spot a problem before it is allowed to become a potential disaster.

For the Home, Home Improvement

10 Awesome Ways to Breathe a New Life into Your Kitchen Design

Anne Younger Leave a comment

Reconstructing a new kitchen for your home takes a lot of planning, design, patience, and money. They get so much use that the decor and functionality of your kitchen wears out over time. Your counters are covered in stains, your cabinets are outdated, and your stove no longer works as well as it used to.

Instead of working in a drab kitchen, consider these great ideas to breathe new life into it. Not only will it modernize one of the most important rooms in your home but you’ll also love working in there more. And many of these great ideas don’t involve you spending a lot of money to overhaul your kitchen either.

1. Decluttering

With all the counter space you have, it’s easy for it to get cluttered with unnecessary things over time. Before you start spending money to get a new look, consider getting rid of stuff you don’t need in your kitchen. Get some organizing tools to keep everything where you need them and you’ll be thrilled to discover just how much more space you have to work with.

Spray down your countertops and wipe them clean. Stains will accumulate over time to the point that you don’t even remember what colour your counters are supposed to be. You’ll be surprised at just how much brighter your kitchen will look just from a simple wipe-down. Take this cleaning process to the rest of your kitchen as well: wipe down the door of your fridge, scrub off your shelves, and wash your kitchen windows. The look of your kitchen will definitely improve and that may be all it needed!

2. Changing the Countertops

If you’re still not happy with the look of your kitchen even after wiping them down, you may want to consider changing your countertops altogether. There is a wide range of materials and colours to choose from that better fit your style, and countertops are generally one of the easier things to change in your kitchen. They’re also not that expensive, depending on the materials you go with. You might be surprised at just how much difference a new quartz countertop can make.

3. Changing the Splashback

The splashback is the area of your kitchen walls that gets the most abuse when you’re cooking or preparing food. You want to protect the wall itself from food splatter, and most people do with with tiles. This prevents the food from getting caked on and having mold grow to increase the longevity of your walls.

The splashback, however, can become stained and dingy-looking. Even scrubbing can’t get everything off, so there’s no harm in changing it out altogether. Choose a different colour tile or a different material altogether to create your splashback. It’s an easy job that you can do yourself or you can get a professional to do it for you, depending on what you want.

4. Install New Lighting

Maybe the reason your kitchen doesn’t look great is because of the overhead lighting you have. Bulbs wear out over time and fixtures can start to look dated. Consider pendulum lights to add a romantic atmosphere or flush ceiling lights to add an ambient glow. You may want to consider adding dimmer switches as well so that you can control the amount of light that you need and to set the mood for your meals.

5. Painting the Floor

Bored of your floors? Why not add some paint? Painting some intricate designs into your floors with some painter’s tape and/or stencils can really bring out the other elements in your kitchen. Choose colours that match with your decor or go wild and pick contrasting colours that clash together. It really depends on the look you’re going for and what you want your kitchen to look like.

6. Built-in Bars

If you have a small cubby area of your kitchen that you don’t know what to do with, why not consider transforming it into a small bar area? You can prepare drinks for your friends and keep everything out of the way while still on-hand if you need a little drink. Add some colourful wallpaper and painted shelf and cupboards to match, and you have a quaint little bar space.

7. Paint the Cabinets

Dark wood can get drab and boring. Spruce them up with a pop of colour. You can paint them white, red, yellow, or whatever colour you have going on in your kitchen. Remember to remove the handles first before painting so that they don’t get stained. Or you could throw them away altogether and get new ones. Just changing your cabinets with some paint can brighten up a room and update its look.

8. Create a Display of Artwork

Getting some big and bold pieces for your kitchen walls can really spruce up the place. GO for colours you wouldn’t normally choose and let the artwork be the focal point of your kitchen instead. Or get small pieces that you can cluster together to draw the eye. If you’re feeling particularly creative, you can buy a few small canvases and create your own art to put on display.

9. Open Shelving

It may seem counterintuitive to have open shelving where you increase the risk of your tableware breaking. However, exposing your storage can make your kitchen feel more open and airy. Bistro-style shelving is a great choice, providing you with more display space and surface area for you to prepare meals. It’s a minimalist take that can definitely add a lot of character to a kitchen.

10. Grow an Herb Garden

There’s no reason any decent chef shouldn’t have access to fresh herbs in their kitchen. And they’re not that difficult to maintain, either. Adding a few small planters on your kitchen’s window sill to grow fresh herbs will definitely add some life to your kitchen and you’ll definitely taste the difference too in your cooking.

Upgrading your kitchen doesn’t have to feel like you’re constructing everything from the ground up. Just a few changes here and there to update the look of your kitchen may be all you need. Just don’t be afraid to experiment to get the aesthetic you’re really looking for.

Home Improvement

You’ve Bought a House! What to Buy Now to Protect Your Investment

Anne Younger

Congratulations! You’ve just made what’s likely to be the biggest purchase of your life: a new home. Now that the keys are in hand, you’re probably itching to go on a shopping spree, buying new window treatments, furniture and decorative items for your new abode.

But before you go crazy in the aisles of HomeGoods and Bed Bath & Beyond, you should devote some of your budget to purchases that will protect your investment. These aren’t the flashiest or most fun purchases you will ever make, but they will definitely help you sleep better at night knowing your home is safe and secure – and that if anything does go wrong, you can more easily fix it.

A Home Warranty

When you purchased your home, the sellers may have included a home warranty as part of the purchase price. Essentially, a home warranty is similar to an insurance plan, but rather than covering your home, it covers appliances and systems within the home. With a home warranty, when a covered appliance – such as refrigerator, stove, hot water heater, air conditioner or pool pump – breaks down, the warranty will cover the cost of a repair or replacement. All you are responsible for is a service fee, which in most cases is significantly less than what you would pay on your own.

The cost of a home warranty typically depends on the service plan you select and how much you want to pay for service calls. In addition, a home warranty is only going to cover problems created by normal wear and tear. In other words, if the ice maker in your refrigerator goes on the fritz, that would be covered. If the door comes off of its hinges because your little one took a “ride” on it, that’s not covered.

New Locks and Keys

Even if you completely trust the former owners of your home and are certain they would never try to come back into the property, you can’t be certain that there aren’t keys to your new place out there in the hands of strangers. Therefore, one of the first things you should do when you move in is replace the locks and have new keys made for all the doors into the home. If any doors use codes – like a garage door opener – change those codes right away. This way, only your family and people that you trust can get into your home.

New Batteries for Smoke Detectors

The U.S. Fire Administration recommends that smoke alarm batteries be changed at least once a year (preferably twice) and smoke alarms themselves be replaced every 10 years. Unless the previous owners are absolutely certain of the date of the last battery change, it’s best to just start with a fresh set. You can check the expiration date of the smoke detector itself by taking it off the wall and checking the date of manufacture. If it’s within the last 10 years, you can put it back up and wait to replace it.

Some of the newer “smart” models of smoke detectors have longer-lasting batteries as well as apps that allow you to test them and stay on top of maintenance. If you are buying a home with one of these devices, be sure you get access to the necessary app so you can manage it yourself.

New Air Filters

Again, unless it was specifically stated as part of the contract or the previous homeowner told you that the filters in the furnace and air conditioning have been recently changed, you’re probably going to have to do this task yourself. It’s a simple one, and it can save a lot of energy and improve air flow. Simply check your unit for the dimensions of the filter, remove the old one, and put in a new one, which you can get at any hardware or home improvement store. The whole thing takes only a few minutes.

While you are at it, review the service records to see when the furnace or HVAC system was last serviced. Investing in a professional cleaning and tune-up can save a lot of money and aggravation down the road.

Some of the other investments you may wish to consider, depending on your budget, are new programmable thermostats if they aren’t already there, LED or CFL lightbulbs for light fixtures that still have older-style bulbs and new, energy- efficient appliances to replace older, less-efficient models. These investments may not do much for your home aesthetically, but they will certainly save you money and keep it safe.

Home Improvement

Comfort Where You Want It: 3 Reasons a Freestanding Bathtub Is a Great Addition to Make

Anne Younger Leave a comment

Freestanding bathtubs have come full circle. Centuries ago, people had oversized copper or other metal pots in the center of a room to be used at bath time. Cast iron bathtubs with enamel coatings and claw feet took their place.

The era of built-in tubs and showers followed. Freestanding bathtubs are once again in demand. The appearance is different from that of yesteryear. Over the last couple of decades, bathrooms have transformed into nearly a room of artwork.

Bathtubs have become a central attraction in modern bathrooms. They are eye-catching pieces. Designers have labeled freestanding tubs as artistic sculpture. Top bedroom designers of today are recommending freestanding bathtubs as an interior design element. There are dozens of reasons for choosing a freestanding bathtub. This article highlights three of them

Luxury

The bathroom should not be a utility room. It should be a stylish part of a home. Many, many stunning designs make a freestanding bathtub the centerpiece of the bathroom. When you enter the room, it feels as though you are walking into a luxurious spa. Sculptural freestanding tubs are ergonomically designed for the ultimate in comfort.

Versatility

Built-in tubs take up vast amounts of space. The boxed-in arrangement makes the room feel small. A freestanding tub has a smaller footprint. Freestanding bathtubs offer space management convenience. They do not demand large space.

A small, narrow bathroom appears more spacious. A full-size tub can be placed at an angle in a very close bathroom. It has a dramatic effect. Freestanding bathtubs are also available in compact styles.

Versatility is one reason interior designers love these bathtubs. There is an enormous range of styles, sizes, and shapes. The only thing that must have in common is the bathtubs have to be self-supporting.

Lifestyle

Freestanding bathtubs from Kardiel are found in homes all over the U.S. and outside the country. In a climate like that found in Australian, people don’t want bathrooms to be small compartments that are separate from the great outdoors. They have outdoor kitchens and bring the outdoors in with plants and vertical gardens. A freestanding bathtub is an excellent way to extend the modern lifestyle to the bathroom.

They can be installed anywhere there is extra space, perhaps a bedroom. Freestanding tubs have no restrictions on where they can be placed. They can be placed wherever in a setting that works best for you.

It might be in the center of the room or next to a window. With many styles from which to choose, the selection can be narrowed by visualizing how the bathtub will look in the intended setting.

The freestanding acrylic bathtubs from Kardiel are popular for various reasons. They are affordable, easy to clean, and when scratched can be repaired. Acrylic bathtubs absorb and retain heat, which makes them an ideal material for a bathtub.

Reasons Designers and Homeowners Choose Freestanding Bathtubs

Freestanding bathtubs are perfect when space is limited. You can choose freestanding bathtubs from Kardiel to solve that problem or to be the centerpiece of your bathroom that will become a modern spa.