Month: November 2018

Categories
QDD

QD How To Build The Home You Have Been Dreaming About: Making A House Plan

Word Count:
633

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Planning to build a house is surely an exciting endeavor in anyone s life. It is a major step throughout the course of a lifetime, one of the milestones that most hardworking people look forward to. Being a major decision, making a house plan can be a very difficult feat. Without the proper knowledge, one can turn a dream into a nightmare. Fortunately, with some basic know-how, one can be guided into making a good house plan that can make one s dream home come into reality.
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house plan,house floor plan,free house plan,cool house plan,southern living house plan

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Planning to build a house is surely an exciting endeavor in anyone s life. It is a major step throughout the course of a lifetime, one of the milestones that most hardworking people look forward to. Being a major decision, making a house plan can be a very difficult feat. Without the proper knowledge, one can turn a dream into a nightmare. Fortunately, with some basic know-how, one can be guided into making a good house plan that can make one s dream home come into reality.

The Basics of a House Plan

When making a house plan, the first stop is to picture the general components one would want to have in their dream home. Going directly to the details might leave one frustrated as there are hundreds of things to think about, thus, it is important to first have an overview of the house plan. Would you want a house with just one, two or three bedrooms? This depends on how many people will live in the house, or if you plan to accommodate more in the future. You should also think of the size of the house, whether you want it to be a bungalow or a two-storey structure. You have to imagine the general feel of the house, before going to the nitty-gritty details.

The Financial Factor

Of course it is quite impossible to build a house without thinking of your budget. In most cases, the budget would determine so much about what you can do to the house you are building. It would be helpful to consult contractors or builders to see what kind of house would match your finances. Check if the house you imagined in your overview would be affordable according to your budget. If your budget does not meet your dreams, then you might just need to remove some elements, but if you have more than enough money, you may want to add some more things.

The Components of the House Plan

After contemplating on the type of house you want and viewing it according to your budget, you can then begin to plan the essential components of the house. Here are some of them:

1. Foundation a house should be built on a sturdy foundation or else it could easily crumble or falter. You might want a basement as a foundation, this could give you extra space, perhaps for storage or another room. You might also want a slap foundation, a crawlspace foundation if you do not want a basement. You need to check with your local building authority as to what type of foundation can be used when building a house.

2. Materials of course, you would need to choose the types of materials to be used for the house. You might one simple wood or hardboards, you might want concrete or stone. Again it all depends on your preference, budget, and the environment where your house will be built.

3. Exterior and Interior Finishes finishing is also important even if some people might think it is just for aesthetic purposes. While a structure built on a strong foundation with sturdy materials could already provide shelter, it could barely become a dream home. Some types of finishes you might want for the exterior of your home could be cedar, vinyl, brick, aluminum, or wood. For the interiors you might want stone, concrete, paint, wood, among many others. Again, the climate could determine which type of finishing is best for your house plan.

Building a house is a major endeavor that requires careful planning and consideration. With a good plan and the proper execution, one can be sure to build a dream home.

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Categories
Davitt Driveways Wicklow

6 Tips to Stop Mold Growing in Your Home

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396

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It is normal to find mold spores in a homes indoor air and surfaces such as clothes, walls, and furniture. Most of the time mold spores found indoors are from outside sources.


dehumidifiers, toxic mold, mold growing in home, mold cleaning tips

Article Body:
It is normal to find mold spores in a homes indoor air and surfaces such as clothes, walls, and furniture. Most of the time mold spores found indoors are from outside sources. Regular housekeeping cleaning helps keep mold levels low. Cleaning small areas of visible mold, like the mold around your shower, is obligatory to maintain sanitary conditions.

When you should be more concerned is when your home has a large-scale of active mold growing. Such problems are most likely to happen when there’s been an on-going water leak, flood, or excessively high levels of humidity in the home. Indoor mold growth may lead to high levels of airborne mold spores, which, in turn, can trigger the spread of mold growth from the original source to additional areas of the home having high moisture levels.

Extensive mold growth will damage your home and furnishings, like carpets, sofas and cabinets. Over a period of time, uncontrolled mold growth can even instigate damage to structural elements of your home. While there is no practical way to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment, keeping your home clean and dry can avert extensive mold growth and the ensuing damage.

Damage to your home and possessions is not the only reason to be concerned with mold. Although most people are exposed to small amounts of mold or their spores on a daily basis without apparent harm, mold is an unsanitary condition that may present potential health risks to certain individuals.

Possible adverse health effects produced by molds can include allergic, irritating, or toxigenic effects, and even infections, allergic reactions being the most common. Symptoms reported by affected people include: respiratory conditions, such as wheezing, difficulty breathing, and shortness of breath, sneezing and/or nasal congestion, eye and/or throat irritation, headaches and fatigue.

Here are a few tips to keep moisture from becoming a breeding ground in your home for molds.

1. Ensure that bathrooms, dryers and other moisture-creating sources are vented to the outside

2. Take care not to block any of your house’s air conditioning vents

3. Install de-humidifiers in basements and crawlspaces.

4. Use your kitchen’s exhaust fans when cooking

5. Install insulation on cold surfaces like piping, air ducts or basement walls to lessen possibilities of condensation

6. Install moisture sensor alarms in potential water back-up and overflow areas to alert you when a leak occurs.

Categories
Paving Dublin

AP Choose Your New Kitchen Countertop WiselyOr Be Very Sorry Later

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607

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There are many types of kitchen countertop materials available on the market today. Some are of the do it yourself variety while others take special skill and tools to have installed. All kitchen countertop materials however have one thing in common. None are the perfect product for everyone.


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There are many types of kitchen countertop materials available on the market today. Some are of the do it yourself variety while others take special skill and tools to have installed. All kitchen countertop material however have one thing in common. None are the perfect product for everyone.

Take the most inexpensive kitchen countertop material, plastic laminate like the Formica (c) brand. This material is strong relatively stain resistant, comes in a wide assortment of colors, textures and designs and is rather easy to install. The negatives however include it can be cut easily when preparing food and it burns. Accidentally place a hot pan on your new plastic laminate kitchen countertop and you end up with a nice round burn mark. This is permanent and cannot be cleaned away. Knife marks or cuts in this material also tend to fill up with dirt and tend to make the countertop look ugly no matter what it’s age. This is actually one of my favorite kitchen countertop materials however because it’s a great surface to prepare baking goods and food. To get around the problems with this material, I’ve simply purchased special plastic cutting boards that resist heat, have them cut into the laminate counter where I usually put hot pans and do my cutting. I get all the benefits of laminate kitchen countertops without the usual problems

Next up, is ceramic tile. Nothing can beat ceramic tile for that “Old World” hand crafted look. The tile itself doesn’t burn, scorch, or cut with normal wear. There’s a wide array of colors, textures and because it’s a hand installed product, you can get as fancy or as plain as you prefer. Beautiful stuff Really. There’s two big problems with ceramic tile however. First, because it’s tile, there’s also grout lines. Although the tile doesn’t stain, the grout lines do however. This means that white stuff shows if you have darker grout and darker stuff will show if you have lighter or white tile. Grout maintenance, although not difficult still should be a consideration. The other issue is only a problem if you bake. Rolling out dough on a tile surface is difficult because of the grout lines and tile imperfections. A ceramic tile kitchen countertop is not smooth or perfectly flat.

One type of kitchen countertop growing rapidly in popularity is the solid surface and granite type counters. Solid surface materials are man made while the granite is natural. Each however offer a beautiful blend of natural blend of color that can give your kitchen a clean, upscale look. These materials come in a variety of colors with the solid surface being available in solid and multi colors. Granite typically looks like a multi colored aggregate with a deep glowing tone. The two biggest issues with these products however are the same. The first is price. Both solid surface and granite kitchen countertops can be considered some of the high end, most expensive options available. 100-150 dollars per running foot of countertop is typical. This also may or may NOT include any back splash on the counter. The other issue with both the solid surface and granite countertop materials is the rather limited selection. You will need to be very satisfied with your selection as unlike the cheaper plastic laminate kitchen counter, replacing this material is expensive.

We have a wide range of kitchen countertop selections that continue to grow in both type of material and product selection. When choosing what is right for you, be aware of the possible issues so in the end you can be happy and satisfied with your investment no matter what the selection.

Categories
Davitt Patios Wicklow

Outdoor Furniture And Gliders- An Awesome Addition To Any Porch Or Patio

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421

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The most important member in the family of outdoor furniture and gliders is none other than Adirondack chair. If you are interested in purchasing or building an Adirondack chair, the first thing you should decide on is the wood preferred for this project. The best option for you is teak wood because it is the the best quality wood to use for the Adirondack chair and it will wear extremely well. Teak wood is highly resistible to sun, rain, frost or snow. Therefore, you can kee…


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Article Body:
The most important member in the family of outdoor furniture and gliders is none other than Adirondack chair. If you are interested in purchasing or building an Adirondack chair, the first thing you should decide on is the wood preferred for this project. The best option for you is teak wood because it is the the best quality wood to use for the Adirondack chair and it will wear extremely well. Teak wood is highly resistible to sun, rain, frost or snow. Therefore, you can keep an Adirondack chair outside your house all year long without any fear. Although your Adirondack furniture may get dirty, as will any other furniture, you will get the benefits of durability and long-term reliability.

How to Buy Outdoor Furniture and Glider

You should remember the following tips while buying Adirondack Chair:

1. First of all, you should choose the place within the garden or patio, where you would like to place your outdoor furniture and glider. The important point here is that there should be proper space for an Adirondack chair, tables, baskets and any accessories.

2. You can buy fantastic gliders that suit your style and budget from garden centers and home stores. Many times you can also buy a Adirondack furniture set comprising of chairs and a table and save some money.

3. As far as colored gliders are concerned, you can choose a painted metal surface to complement your garden.

4. While buying outdoor furniture, you should examine carefully the pieces for tightly woven canning. Canning with no gaps is considered more suitable. The leg bottoms of Adirondack chairs should also be checked to ensure that there is no cracking or splitting that would be unnatural to that particular wood.

5. Another important tip to note when purchasing outdoor furniture such as Adirondack chairs or tables is their comfortability. You have to examine whether it gives proper relaxation to your body or not. If you feel comfortable while sitting in Adirondack chair, then it is worth purchasing.

6. There are a wide variety of gliders. Most gliders are available with the option to seat two or three people. You have to examine your needs and comfort level for both to determine which purchase is the best for you.

7. From the point of view of delivery of gliders, it will be better if few parts of Adirondack chairs are assembled together as that will make the task easier and make them more stable. However, in case of outdoor furniture, the assembly will be difficult if pieces are already assembled

Categories
Dublin Driveway Cleaning

LL Cheap futon – Cheap and Elegant goes hand in hand in the shape of a futon!

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449

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Cheap Futon – Who says cheap means bad? When it comes to futons, cheap is better!


cheap futon

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Cheap futon mattresses are of high demand these days as more and more houses and apartments are built. People who bought smaller properties are trying to conserve both money and space, thus the need for cheap futon arises. All in all, cheap futons are comfortable and practical. You can transform your extra room into a guest room in seconds with the flip of a cheap futon. If you live in a studio or one bedroom apartment, then cheap futon beds can create a more expansive feel. I personally use cheap futon not just as a means of bedding but also for interior decor. Among my personal cheap futon possessions, I have the leather look; twills, decorator prints and some are custom ordered futon covers.

However, don’t be fooled by the word cheap in cheap futon. They are cheap not because the quality is inferior, but because they are cost efficient to manufacture. Cheap futons these days are made out of the highest quality materials to last longer. Mostly cheap futon mattresses are made with layers of quality foam cores, garnered high density cotton. Some cheap futons even come with 4″ innerspring core for a long lasting lifespan. Another reason cheap futon mattresses are preferred is because they are convenient and can be folded for use as a sofa. Because cheap futons are so widely sold, you can easily get top quality cheap futons at great prices. Some retailers will even put together complete sets with frame, mattress and cover to fit any requirements and budget.

It’s undeniable, cheap futon mattresses can transform anyway you want, and be there for you whenever you need them. It really is a flexible piece furniture for the modern lifestyle. cheap futon mattresses are perfect for your extra rooms or even office space. During daytime, cheap futon mattresses can act as a couch but by night, futons can transform into a comfortable bed. One only needs to learn how to choose the right frames, mattresses and covers for your interior decor.

When you enter a shop to purchase a cheap futon, always look for top quality merchandise. There is no need to short change yourself. My intention is to let you know that when it comes to buying cheap futon mattresses, quality, great prices and wide variety of choices can coexist to suit your preference. Due to the fact that cheap futons are such competitive products, stores will actually up their service level just to persuade you to buy from them. With this situation, you save really big when some of them offer a free shipping policy. Some retailers will even go as far as helping you in getting custom orders for your cheap futons.

Categories
Paving Wexford

DDWex Children’s Safety for the Wood Stove Owner

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756

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As energy costs are rising, the wood stove is coming back into favor with many homeowners. While a wood stove can heat an entire home or help offset the high cost of electric or gas heat, consideration for children in the home must be a top priority.


Home, Living, Kitchen, Stoves, Wood Stoves, Pellet Stoves, Wood Burning Stoves, Heat, Energy Conservation, Green Energy

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As energy costs are rising, the wood stove is coming back into favor with many homeowners. While a wood stove can heat an entire home or help offset the high cost of electric or gas heat, consideration for children in the home must be a top priority.

A fence either purchased or custom built, must be installed around the wood stove if young children are present. Crawling infants and toddlers are most at risk as they are too young to understand the dangers of a wood stove and the word ‘no’ is simply not enough.

The enclosure must be tall enough that only an adult can step over it. It must also be made of materials that cannot be climbed on. Vertical rails or fine mesh can keep a child from climbing over the fence. The enclosure should also be placed far enough from the wood stove that a reaching child cannot touch the surfaces of the stove.

Even with a fence installed, a crawling child or toddler should never be left alone unsupervised in a room with a wood stove burning. Toddlers, especially, like to toss items over the fence. Heavier objects such as blocks could easily crack or break the glass front of certain models of stoves. Plastic items, should they reach the top of the stove could easily melt and release toxic fumes into the area.

From an early age, children should be taught the dangers of a wood stove. It should be explained that fire is indeed hot and should not be played with in any form. The same explanations given to children about the kitchen cook stove and safety should apply to a wood stove heater.

Children are fascinated with fire. As you are loading a wood stove with either logs or pellets, this becomes a perfect time to discuss with them the dangers. You don’t want a child to be terrified of the wood stove, but at the same time you do want to instill a healthy respect for the appliance.

Older children can help with wood stove chores, such as bringing in firewood or pellets. They can also help sweep up the area or engage younger children while the parent is occupied with the stove. Other chores, such as loading the stove or emptying the ash pan is best left to older teenagers or adults.

Another concern with wood stoves, not just for children, is the pollutants put into the indoor air by the stove. If a child has an allergy to smoke or asthma, a wood stove could make an attack more likely. Care should be taken that such a child is out of the room when the stove is opened for filling or for cleaning the ash pan.

Before purchasing any wood stove, make sure that the stove is EPA approved. Do not take the salesman’s word for this; ask to see a demonstration model that includes the EPA sticker. The EPA has stringent requirements for wood stoves that will help keep indoor pollutants to a minimum.

The disposal of the contents of the ash pan is another concern when children are present. Ashes should not be dumped in any area where children are likely to play, as there could be hot embers alive in the ashes. A better solution is to dump the ashes into an ash bucket and allow it to sit twenty four hours or at least overnight. Ash buckets should be kept within the confines of the fence until totally cold.

Firewood or pellets should also be kept within the fenced enclosure. Any wood chips or pellets that have fallen outside the fence should be swept up immediately if young children are in the home. Both chips and pellets pose a choking hazard for children who put either into their mouths.

A pot of water should be kept on the wood stove when the stove is in use. Wood heat is a very dry heat and the water will help keep the air moist. This is especially important to help keep children’s skin from drying out during the heating season. Infants are more at risk, but children and adults of any age can be affected by the drier air of a wood heated home.

The use of precautions and safety measures can make children and wood stoves a happy mix. For centuries, children were raised in homes with either a wood stove or an open fireplace. With diligence and supervision, any home can be heated with wood and still have happy, healthy children.

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DPC

DPC London builders: how a small bathroom becomes a large bathroom. Part1.

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677

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If you don’t live in a customized house with a luxurious bathroom and a separate dressing room, you are most likely to wish your tiny bathroom were larger.


bathroom, small bathroom, floor tiles, shower, sink

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If you don’t live in a customized house with a luxurious bathroom and a separate dressing room, you are most likely to wish your tiny bathroom were larger. While the owners of large bathrooms decide in what corner to arrange the swimming pool, owners of little bathrooms try to contrive how to fit into the area of 3 sq. m. everything plus the laundry washer.

Little bathroom makes some people feel more comfortable and practical. It is possible to take whatever you want from any shelf without moving, and some tall luckiest can even touch the ceiling. But others feel uncomfortable in little premises, being oppressed by them, they feel as if walls pressed on them.

Depending on the style of your house, your bathroom can fascinate by its simplicity or surprise by its elegancy, calm down with its comfort or hearten by its brilliance. But irrespective of the style that you created in this room, it will still remain a small premise. But apply a little magic of optical illusions – proper color and apt illumination, and room will be visually widened.

Sometimes in order to feel comfort, you don’t need to add meters to the room. Use our prompts and make your small bathroom bigger.

Illusions of light.
Light plays one of leading roles in the beautification of premises. It is necessary to think it over on primary stages of repair and straight away prepare places for lighting units.

Dissipated or reflected light multiplies the area. But it is desirable that finishing of the room was able to reflect light. Light colors reflect light, and dark ones absorb it. Glossy surfaces also reflect the light. Nowadays ceiling can also be covered by gloss – there are hung and stretched ceilings. Such ceiling makes the bathroom one and a half times higher, and the mirror-faced ceiling increases its height by two times. But fans of mirrors are to remember that the mistress of the house may find it a bit straining to wipe the brilliance of this splendour at least once a week.

If to direct the bright light at the ceiling, it will seem higher. And on the contrary, a low or massive luster will decrease the height of the premise. The luster light, directed downward, will also diminish the height of the premise. When the ceiling is in the shadow, the height of the premise is diminished too.

Try to avoid dark corners. They narrow the area optically.

For little rooms it will be better to use build-in light units or hidden illumination. Setting of such illumination over the perimeter of the room will create the atmosphere of airiness and lightness.

Illusions of colour.
Select light tones for walls and ceiling. They visually widen the area. But try to combine light colours. Because a one-coloured room will surely bring you no pleasure. The floor is to have rich colour to increasing the height of the premise: it can be red, blue, yellow and tints of these colours.

Colours that visually widen the area are: white, beige-orange, yellow, light blue, blue, dark blue-green. Dark colors diminish the room, they are black, umber, yellow-red, orange-red.

But there one more class of colours – neutral colours. They do not change the visual perception of the area. These are gray, green, purple-red.

You should to stick to the following rule – cold colours (blue) widen the area, and warm colours (orange) visually diminish it.

If your bathroom happened to have dark color and you have no desire to repair it, add something light in the room. For example, hang up a light shelf or replace shades with white ones, put the vase or light candles. You can also buy ceramic decorations for the tiles in the shape of fish, shells etc. Or use for walls little labels made from film.

In general we can use another colour illusion: light colour on the dark background seems to widen the area. Please, do not overdo it, keep the colour balance because an excessive number of contrasts will “eat out” the area and attract excessive attention.

Categories
Garden Maintenance Dublin

LL Roof Preparation before Installing Roof Shingles

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536

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Installing roof shingles can be an arduous task and should not be attempted if you don t know what you are doing. It is vital to ensure that you complete adequate roof preparation before installing roof shingles otherwise you are risking the integrity of your new roof.


Roof Preparation before Installing Roof Shingles, roof shingles, Roof Preparation, Shingle Roof Preparation

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Installing roof shingles can be an arduous task and should not be attempted if you don t know what you are doing. It is vital to ensure that you complete adequate roof preparation before installing roof shingles otherwise you are risking the integrity of your new roof. A poorly prepared roof can quickly lead to holes and cracks that will in turn to lead to a leaking roof. Obviously the first part of your roof preparation before installing roof shingles is to rip off the hold or damaged shingles that you are replacing. While it is possible to leave these on if they are showing any signs of damage or wear you should replace them whenever possible.

Secure the roof boards

If you are using the same roof boards without replacing them you really should check each and every one to make sure none of them need replacing. Make sure they are all securely fastened down to prevent any damage to the lining or to the shingles. You also need to make sure there is no debris lying around because this too can cause damage to your new roof. Make sure no nails or other objects are protruding out of the roof.

Installing the drip edge.

Install the drip edge around the eave ends of the roof. Be sure to use galvanized nails so that they don t rust in the rain. When adding the drip edge to the top of the roof install in the same way but this must drape over the rest of the drip edge to be effective. If you need to make any joints because the length of drip edge is not long enough to fit down the whole length of the eave then simple overlap the two pieces and bend the aluminum into place.

Ice and water shield.

You should consider putting down a layer of ice and water shield. Some states require that you use this and have set distances that the shield must be from the wall. It is very good stuff and incredibly adhesive so place it down where you want it to go before removing the backing paper. Once it s stuck there is no way of removing it. Ice and water shield will cost you a fair amount at around $50 per square foot but the job it does is invaluable and a vital step when you are finishing your roof preparation before installing roof shingles. Cover any large knot holes with aluminum flashing or a similar material and hammer these down (you may want to use a hammer tacker or nail gun to make this step a little quicker and easier).

Adding the layer of felt.

Overlap your felt by a few inches and completely cover one side of the roof. To install a roof vent at this point you should cut a small part of the roof on either side of the peak virtually the whole length of the roof. Now cover the remaining side of the roof with felt and also cover over the roof vent hole you have created. This will be cut later. You have now finished the roof preparation before installing roof shingles and are ready to shingle your roof.

Categories
Paving Cork

CC Choose Bali Blinds Enjoy The Choice Of Vinyl Or Aluminum

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444

For the best Paving Cork company, call Civil Construction Cork.

Bali blinds give you a wide range of choice, either off the shelf or custom made


bali blinds, bali vertical blinds, bali window blinds

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Bali blinds come in a wide array of colors in both vinyl and aluminum window blinds. You can choose vertical or mini blinds depending on the look you want to achieve in each room of your home. For a special coordinated look, contrast Bali vertical blinds with horizontal Bali blinds in the same room. The type of blind you choose will, of course, depend on the size and shape of your window, but you can get Bali blinds custom made to suit irregularly shaped windows as well.

If you choose vinyl vertical blinds in the Bali style, the slats are 1 inch wide. For horizontal aluminum Bali blinds the slats are larger 2 inches wide. One inch vinyl Bali vertical blinds or mini blinds are perfect for the bathroom or kitchen window or another room of the home where they may be high levels of humidity on times. These Bali window blinds come with a light-blocking head rail, but it doesn t have a valance. It is designed so that you can install it between the window facings. If you wish you can have a cloth valance over the top of the Bali blind.

For a more contemporary look, try the sleek inch micro aluminum Bali blinds. Both these and the 1 inch aluminum Bali window blinds come in an amazing array of colors. The aluminum blinds by Bali contain an advanced finishing technology so that they will resist dust and dirt and are easy to clean. They are also hard to dent or scratch, so that if you want to peep out the window without raising the blind, you can pull the slats apart a tiny bit.

To care for and clean your Bali blinds, regular vacuuming will do the trick. If you notice a stain on one or more of the slats, you can easily wash them off with lukewarm water and a mild cleaner. If you have Bali vertical blinds, you can take out the vanes individually and let them soak in water or lay them flat to wash them off. You may be surprised to learn that if you leave a thin film of detergent on the vanes, it will help eliminate static electricity. Therefore, there is no need to rinse your Bali window blinds completely.

Bali blinds are very durable and will provide you with the window coverings you want for many years. Along with giving you the privacy you need, you can choose to completely block out the light or allow some light to filter through the window blinds. Browse the catalog of Bali blinds to see all the different kinds available and to read about the features of each one.

Categories
Landscaping Dublin

APD The Value of Concrete Countertops: Customization Increases Aesthetic Appeal and Real Estate Investment for Homeowners

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937

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From top-dollar homes in the San Francisco Bay Area to sprawling mountain homes in the Colorado Rockies, discriminating homeowners are demanding custom designs and finishes in their kitchens. In particular, they are looking to express their individuality and distinct design preferences with the fast growing design material of choice concrete. This is the story of a DIY couple whose concrete countertop project made a long-lasting impact on their two homes.


concrete countertops, DIY countertops, do-it-yourself

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From top-dollar homes in the San Francisco Bay Area to sprawling mountain homes in the Colorado Rockies, discriminating homeowners are demanding custom designs and finishes in their kitchens. In particular, they are looking to express their individuality and distinct design preferences with the fast growing design material of choice concrete.

In fact, concrete countertops have become somewhat of a status symbol for kitchens, rivaling granite and other high-end countertop surface options. Consumer Reports Magazine (August 2004) ranked concrete highest for its customization and exclusivity among high-end kitchen countertops.

As a custom product, the amount of time and craftsmanship required to produce concrete countertops places them as the most labor-intensive and priciest among leading countertop materials.

However, concrete countertops are becoming more accessible for those on a modest budget. The latest do-it-yourself (DIY) trend to captivate homeowners and builders is building your own concrete countertop. This phenomenon has gained popularity largely due to Cheng s best-selling book Concrete Countertops: Design, Forms, and Finishes for the New Kitchen and Bath (Taunton Press, 2002). According to Cheng, there is little monetary investment in making concrete countertops, yet the creative gains of working with concrete are plentiful.

THE SHOWSTOPPER

Increasingly, homeowners are moving away from the monotonous, manufactured look of traditional countertop surfaces and choosing concrete for its earthy, timeless appeal. Plus, the options for personalizing concrete countertops are endless: one can color, polish, stamp and stain concrete or imbed personal objects like stones, seashells and fossils into the countertop s surface, adding sentiment and character. Functional features such as drain boards, soap dishes, and trivets can also be incorporated to suit the homeowners own needs and lifestyle.

Concrete is slowly becoming demystified as characteristically cold and industrial. In contrary, this age-old material is warm and surprisingly tactile; people cannot help but touch their smooth, polished surfaces. Real estate agent Joy Rasmussen, who has recently sold her mountain home a short-term investment property in Steamboat Springs, CO recounts her visitors experiences with concrete: When I had open houses, visitors gravitated to the concrete countertops many people around here have never seen them .

Joy s 2,265 sq. ft. mountain home was custom build by her husband, Ken Otterman, along with KJ Otterman, president of Classic Special Custom Homes. They built pour-in-place concrete counters for the home s kitchen and three bathrooms by using Concrete Countertops as their guide. The sand-colored concrete countertops were polished smooth, then paired with natural slate of varying colors like charcoal, rust and gold tones that forms the backsplashes in the kitchen and baths. As a design accent, small rectangular slate tiles were added to the rim of the bathroom sinks, which provided a unique detail to the custom vanities.

When Joy and Ken decided to sell their house, their investment in concrete countertops proved its value. We were able to list the house $20,000 over market value, and had no problems selling it, comments Joy, while discussing the long list of upgrades throughout their house, including knotty pine solid doors, natural slate wall accents and hardwood floors. The concrete countertops were easily the most unique and impressive of all the finishes. I believe they were a huge part in adding value to the home. Around here, all you see in homes are granite countertops and I really think homebuyers are getting quite numb with granite.

Concrete countertops are a unique offering to homebuyers who see the same finishes used in house after house they visit, explains Joy, offering her observation as a seasoned realtor. Having concrete countertops almost gives you bragging rights you have something different from your neighbors.

BREAKING THE MOLD

Another advantage of concrete is its adaptability in either modern or traditional settings, especially when coupled with other materials like varied metals, wood or stone. Concrete adds so many [possibilities] to stone, and the combination with slate, which is hugely popular here, gives the mountain homes an overall warm, natural touch, says Joy.

Joy and Ken have since built a much larger home (4,000 sq. ft.) that offers expansive views of the Steamboat Ski Resort and is meant to serve as a long-term investment for the couple. They ve also expanded their list of custom finishes, including hand-troweled walls, elegant oil-rubbed bronze hardware, knotty pine doors that arch at the top, cabinets in a natural, knotty alder, and their favorite concrete kitchen countertops.

Unlike in their previous home, KJ and his specialty crew poured charcoal-colored countertops using the pre-cast method in the unfinished basement of the new home. Before pouring the concrete, they sprinkled an array of semi-precious stones in the mold including Leopardskin, Moonstone, Mother-of-Pearl and Turquoise. After the surface was ground and lightly polished, the finished result was an impressive blend of colors, By far, the Mother-of-Pearl was the most incredible, says Joy.

The L-shaped concrete countertop has a rough, rustic stone appearance, complementing its rugged country surroundings. An integral drain board and trivets provides function and added interest to the concrete countertop. Natural slate backsplashes, distinct wall accents, and a butcher block countertop at the kitchen island all resonate with the traditional warmth and earthiness of the concrete countertops.

Joy and Ken s respective backgrounds in real estate and custom homebuilding, and as investment homebuyers, have helped them realize that concrete countertops can add tremendous aesthetic and financial value to a home. Concrete s customization and show-stopping appeal is like no other countertop surface. Cheng is a proponent of emotional aesthetics and building homes that capture these emotions, as in the case of Joy and Ken Otterman. Cheng concludes: People really want differentiation, something personal, something custom and concrete can do that for them.