Most homeowners don't like to have food scraps sitting on their kitchen counter in a dirty, sticky bowl with fruit flies and giving off a rotten odor. Composting is often avoided for these reasons and forgotten in many homes due to not knowing that there are solutions to keeping it clean, neat, and odor free. Gardeners want to compost their food and yard waste- but the food often goes in the trash or down the garbage disposal. The kitchen counter should be a clean and neat area- so the last thing anyone wants is that stinky container.
Kitchen Compost- How to Educate the Family-
Each person that resides in the home should know what is being composted and where to store it in the kitchen. They should be aware that neatness is important for the success of the recycling mission, as well as to make the process user friendly. See below for links to learn about a Stainless Steel Kitchen compost Pail.
Items that can be composted include:
* fruits and vegetables
* tea bags
* egg shells
* coffee grounds
All these things can be stored in a tightly sealed container and be emptied outside in the compost pile when full. Meat waste should be avoided for the kitchen compost container- as this would create an odor after a few days that would be overwhelming.
Finding one with a tightly fitting cover and a carbon filter for odor elimination would be the best choice. To start- try the free method and use a large plastic tub with a tight fitting cover. It is helpful to obtain several of these so they can be popped in the dishwasher when they get dirty. Many times this option works for a kitchen with only one cook- but a larger kitchen with many cooks will need a larger container that is specially designed for kitchen compost. Attractive pails with a decorative finish and with charcoal filters for the odor are available online. (see links below for suggested option.
Having the appropriate counter top container for the compost is how to manage odor as well as any unpleasant issues that may arise from collecting food waste for the garden. Some points to remember: Food will attract insects if not covered tightly. Food will smell- so either keep it covered tightly and empty the container often or purchase a kitchen compost pail that has charcoal filters to eliminate odors. Most consumers who reviewed the stainless steel model suggested below gave a 5 star rating. It is attractive, effective, and durable. (It will probably last a lifetime).
Labels: Home Management
Blinds are window coverings that are attached to the interior or exterior of a window mainly for protection from sunlight and for privacy. They also help in enhancing the appearance of the décor of a room. Basically, there are three types of window blinds – window shades, vertical blinds, and horizontal blinds.
The first type, window shades are blinds made up of some solid material that goes side to side or up and down. Vertical blinds have vertical adjustable slats overlapping each other when closed. The third type, horizontal blinds or Venetian blinds have horizontal adjustable, overlapping slats instead of the vertical ones.
There are three popular types of window shades – roller shades, roman shades, and cellular shades. The roller blinds are quite popular and simply go up and down on the blind. The classic bind is easy to operate with its continuous clutch system. The Shear Weave material is quite popular for these blinds.
Roman shades also go up and down but are normally given the hobbled or the traditional look. Most of the factories sell out these blinds at very affordable prices. The cellular or the honeycomb blinds appear like honeybees when seen from a side. They are popular for being energy efficient and are available in various colours at extremely affordable costs.
Horizontal blinds or the Venetian blinds are available in several colours, sizes, and materials. Most popular sizes are 2½ inch , 2 inch, 1 inch, and ½ inch, while most popular types are real wood blinds, Faux wood blinds, and metal blinds. Of these, the wood blinds are very common and the most expensive. They are especially known for their light weight and for their appearance that bears those attractive furniture stains.
The Faux wood horizontal blinds are mostly two to two and a half inches wide. They are the most popular and have larger sales than any other blind in today’s market. Made in plastic, these blinds greatly enhance the appearance of the window and give an excellent outside view. They are more energy efficient and have thicker slats than the metal ones.
The metal blinds are made in aluminium in 6 or 8 gauge slats. The 2 inch slats are usually made in 8 gauge aluminium. You can add decorative tapes to them for having colourful metal blinds. The mini blinds, also called the micro blinds, are also available in small half inch slats and are perfect for door applications.
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If selected carefully, a lamp can completely change the appearance of a room and make it appear more special. It significantly enhances the overall appeal and beauty of the area. However, you need to consider the following points before purchasing any lamp so as to ensure you get the best and the most stylish lamp for the décor of your house:
* Consider the usual furnishing style of the room you are planning to get a lamp for and the style of the lamp you are purchasing. A traditional brass table lamp is certainly not fit for a nightstand bearing a modern design. Similarly, a high-tech table lamp with geometrical shapes may not go well with a carved Victorian table.
* Size of the lamp is also important. Small-sized lamps are better for narrow tables, while the large-sized ones are more suitable for bulky, heavy tables.
* Find out the maximum wattage of the lamp. Reading lamps usually offer around 150 or more watts. Also see to it that the shade’s bottom edge is hiding the bulb socket of the lamp, when seen from a distance. This not only makes the lamp appear all the more attractive, but also reduces the possibilities for constant glares.
Recently, the ambience table lamps have been successfully reintroduced in the market and are gradually becoming the in-thing with their ultra-cool designs to complement the latest chic and shabby decorating trend. So you can consider using those antique table lamps grandma left you, which are today lying dumped in your attic, in order to give your rooms a completely new, fresh appearance.
For your living room, you can have two ambience table lamps on each side of the room. This will not only provide functional lighting, but also offer a soft inviting glow to the room. Moreover, if a member of your family wishes to read or knit and the others wish to watch TV, a table lamp can give the subtle task lighting required without interfering with the TV light.
For kids’ room, it is always great to go for bedside table lamps. Such lamps are perfect when you want little bit of light in the room but don’t want to put on the bright, harsh ceiling light. For instance, when it is time for kids to go to bed and they are requesting for a bedtime story, a soft table light can do all the magic of making such precious moments all the more memorable.
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A 1620 Plymouth Pilgrim transported in time to the future in 2009 would be pleasantly surprised to find - not the all-purpose Betty lamps lighting up homes, but lights that not only seem to issue from nowhere, and which become brighter or darker as if by magic, but lights of many kinds illuminating rooms in a variety of tones and intensities. Indeed, there's so much available in the market today that the Pilgrims of five centuries ago might be, in a sense, lucky. Having only the Betty lamp, they have a much easier task lighting their homes than any modern man.
In spite of that, it remains doubtful whether anyone would exchange places with the Pilgrims and their Betty lamps. In the area of home lighting, as in probably all other areas of endeavor, modern man never had it so good. Here are a few more things you, the modern home decorator, needs to know about lighting:
Entrance
Wall-mounted bracket lights should be enough to illuminate the area outside the door to enable those inside to see the person outside. Back entrances should be similarly lighted.
Entry Halls
A 15-watt floodlamp recessed into the ceiling should be enough to light up a 75-square foot space.
Hallways
The average hall can be lighted using 40- to 80-watt incandescents recessed into the ceiling every 10 feet.
Living Rooms
The average-sized living room must have at least four table or floor lamps of between 100- and 150-watts for table lamps, and between 150- and 500-watts for the floor lamps. To give enough background light and to eliminate shadows when using task lighting, each wall must have around 200 watts. Lamps tasked with lighting up an entire corner should deliver at least 200 watts.
Bedrooms
A relatively low-watt, glare-free ceiling fixture is recommended for the bedroom which is used not only for sleeping, but also for reading, writing, and sewing. Small bedrooms should make do with 40-watts, while bigger ones need 100-watts. Mirrors and dressing tables might have bracket lights. A wall candle holder on each side of your mirror or dressing table would also be perfect. It'd also be good to have retractable 100-watt reading lights on a three-way switch. This reading lamp should be installed 12 inches from the bed , level with the reader's shoulder. Use a 100-watt recessed in closets.
Kitchen
Have a central light of at least 150-watts for general illumination. To avoid the potentially dangerous shadows a single central light brings, the stove, sink, and counter tops have to be illuminated separately with at least 40-watts each.
Laundry, Workshop, Garage
In the laundry or home workshop, either fluorescent or incandescent light may be used over the work area or workbench; same with the garage.
Bathrooms
The mirror is an important lighting center in the bathroom, and is illuminated using either bracket lights or encircling light of 60-watt incandescent. Often this should be enough in a small bathroom, although recessed ceiling lights of 100-watts should be had as well. If yours is a big bathroom, consider a pair of wall candle holders bracketing your bathroom mirror.
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If you or someone you love has recently required the use of a wheelchair, odds are you are quickly realizing that the contents of your kitchen are not as easily accessible as they once were. Whether it’s because the items in your upper cabinets are no longer within reach, or the fact that there is not enough room to maneuver about, some form of kitchen remodeling will be required in order for you to be able to regain the efficient use of your kitchen again. Here are three main tips that can help you redesign your kitchen so it can provide the functionality that you require.
First, determine what your budget is. While the options are endless when it comes to home remodeling, the features you can afford will be limited by the amount of money you have to spend. Determining how much you can realistically afford can mean the difference between a complete remodel with the most expensive products, and a remodel that contains functional products that may not necessarily be the top of the line.
Second, plan your layout. Before you hire a contractor to tear everything out, you will need to first determine who will be using the kitchen most frequently and what their needs are. If the person in the wheelchair was the gourmet cook of the home then you will need to design a plan that works the best for them.
Lastly, choose the right materials. Now that you have a general idea of where everything needs to go, now is the time to choose the cabinets and appliances that will go into your new kitchen. Depending on the frequency of use, your kitchen should include at least one area of counter space that is at least 30” wide and is between 30 and 32 inches from the floor with a minimum knee clearance of 27”. These counters can also be height adjustable if the user is not the primary cook in the home. It can be set at normal height for normal use and lowered when needed. Appliances should also be set at the right height with a separate oven and cooktop being the preferred method. Space should also be allocated, like the counters to have adequate space underneath so the user can easily roll under it. Ovens should be set lower to make them easier to reach into and may require a door that opens to the side as opposed to down as most standard ovens do.
These are just a few of the key tips that can help you remodel your kitchen to accommodate a wheelchair. Make sure you take your budget into consideration and who will be using the kitchen the most and you will be able to create a kitchen that can meet the needs of everyone in your home.
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With the idea of going green constantly growing in popularity, the need for eco-friendly kitchen materials is ever increasing. Whether it is sustainable floors, energy star rated appliances, or counter tops made from recycled materials, we all want to do our part to cut down on our carbon footprint. Here are a few of the most popular eco-friendly materials that can make your kitchen more eco-friendly so you can do your part to help improve the environment.
First, consider using bamboo. While the most commonly used floors in most kitchens are tile, vinyl or even hardwood, bamboo is quickly growing in popularity as sustainable alternatives. While forests are being depleted in an effort to meet the construction markets demand for hardwood, bamboo is an environmentally friendly alternative. Bamboo grows so quickly that the amount that is harvested to make one floor is quickly replaced within a short amount of time. The same root system can supply a never ending supply of bamboo which eliminates the need to re-plant trees.
Second, consider recyclable countertops. While granite may be one of the most popular materials used for countertops in the kitchen, the use of recycled materials is quickly gaining ground. With the choice of glass, end grain bamboo, paper or even aluminum you can find a look that makes your kitchen unique while being environmentally friendly at the same time.
Lastly, consider only energy savvy appliances. While they may not be made from renewable sources, they can help you decrease your carbon footprint. Energy star appliances use much less energy than their unrated counterparts, which makes them much more affordable to run. But this savings is not without a cost. Electric-induction cooktops have also found their way into many homes as an environmental alternative. These cooktops heat your food by transferring the electromagnetic energy directly to the pan which allows it to use half the energy of its less expensive electric counterparts. Dishwashers are also joining the realm of being energy savvy. Unless you have the free time to wash every dish by hand that your family uses, odds are your dishwasher is one of the most prized appliances in your kitchen. Models now exist that utilize less water than handwashing. The only downside is the energy efficient appliances usually cost more than the unrated counterparts, but their savings more than make up for the initial cost.
These are just a few of the popular environmentally friendly materials that you can use in your kitchen. Consider using sustainable products for your floors and recycled products for your counters and you will be on your way to having the most unique kitchen on the block while helping to reduce your effects on the environment at the same time.
Labels: Home Management
Wouldn't you love your home to have that special unique touch? It's much easier to achieve than you think. There's no need to hire an interior decorator; using some simple painting techniques can give you that decorator look without the big price tag. If you are seeking a room that truly gets attention you should consider some of the following painting techniques.
Stencilling is definitely one of the most popular techniques around. This technique takes a fine touch, as stencils can be very intricate. There are thousands of stencil types available allowing you to create a modern, classic, contemporary or trendy look for your home. One of the fun things about using stencils is that they can be incorporated with other painting techniques in order to get some fascinating looking walls. A very popular use of stencils is creating intricate borders around your walls. Or even using a single stunning stencil on just one wall as an instant attention grabber.
Stamping is another common and fun painting technique. Stamping is quite similar to stencilling, but when stamping you press the images on to your walls with wet paint. Stamping is an excellent way to achieve a designer look on the cheap. Like stencilling, stamping requires a steady and firm touch - to get an even and pretty look you must be straight and organized as you stamp the wall. When done professionally, stamps can look simply beautiful. It can take more practice than people realize to develop the skill of placing a perfect stamp, practice on paper or cardboard first and you will pick it up.
Since you can customize this with your own personal color scheme, you can create a truly unique look for your home and that particular special room. The results of sponging can look quite modern, but it can also be made very soft and romantic to create a contemporary or classic look.
Ragging is quite like sponging in the way that you "rag" the wall, except rather than using a sponge, this technique uses a rag. Using a rag gives you a more marked color effect since there are no large holes to let colors come through like with a sponge. This effect is one a lot of people enjoy - especially in homes with a modern or contemporary decor design. Generally ragging is done with clean cotton rags, with a different rag used for each color.
Murals are another delightful technique that can be used in your home. Murals are an excellent way to to achieve that one-of-a-kind look. Many people commission murals for their home to celebrate a major event such as a birth, anniversary or wedding, or simply to share something of beauty with their family. There are any number of scenes you could choose to depict in a mural. Maybe a family story or a classic fairy tale would fit with your home. A mural can be in the family room for maximum exposure or even something sweet for your newborn baby's bedroom. Depending on its style, a mural will express your family's way of life and personality for all to see.
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Building a garage? - Necessary planning steps to get you started.
These days, more and more people want to add a garage with their home. Garage can become an essential part for your home if you got a car and that has been exploded to bad weather. Many people have their own garage before and now want to plan it properly so that more space can be added with it. Well, you can hire a local contractor to accomplish the task on your behalf. Doing it on your own can certainly save money and you'll get the garage you want. But before that you need to make a solid garage plan for the contractor to follow. Often people find certain problems when building a garage on their own. There might be some complexity during the creation of a good and spacious garage, therefore you need to know all the basic requirements behind making a garage. In this article you are about to discover few fine, small yet effective points so that you can make the garage creation process hassle free.
• First you need to decide whether you are going to hire a contractor or going to do the task on your own. Then the execution of plan will come into act.
• The over sized garage. If you want to add a workbench then over sized garage is the best option for you. If you work with your hands in wood working, car repair, or anything of that nature. You definitely want this option.
• If you want to get access for your backyard then exterior door is the best solution for your garage.
• Choosing the right kind of garage door and opener is key. You want a door that will compliment your style and home. If you need additional lighting, chose the windowed option, but as we all know they will eventually get broken. Also, don't be afraid to spend the extra money on a good door opener. A friend of mine made that mistake twice, and he'll never make it again.
• Finally, a helpful tip, map out where you want your lights and electrical fixtures. All too often I am running 25-50 foot extension cables, and trust me its a big hassle.
I hope this helps you get started on to the right path. Thank you for taking the time to read this article.
Labels: Home Management
Moving to a new house is both exciting and exhausting. It is exciting because it brings a new start. It is exhausting at the same time because of the activities you have to do. You have to pack your things, move them, unpack them, and organize them again. Although you have a design in mind, bringing it to life is tough.
How do you turn a dull room into your dream home? Where do you start? Decorating a new place is like painting a canvass. You need inspiration in order to paint. The product will not be as impressive if you do not of the figures, textures, strokes, and colors you are going to use. Decorating a dull space is not that difficult if you sit down and take time to think about it.
How to come up with a plan:
Planning is very important when you are decorating. This includes coming up with a design. List the accessories and furniture you already have. Measure the space and create a sketch of where each item will go. If you have a wall art metal, consider where you are going to hang it. Where are you going to place your frames and collections?
You should have a budget and a plan on how to spend it. How much are you going to spend for paint and new furniture? When are you going to buy them? Moreover, when are you going to start decorating and how long will it take?
Decide what you want to do with the wall. Are you going to repaint it? Do you want to add drapes or some exceptional artworks perhaps? After that, sketch where you want each of your furniture to go. Remember the following tips as you decide:
1. The big pieces do not necessarily have to go against the wall.
2. Televisions need not be the focal point of the living room.
3. You can create different areas out of one big space. You can use the couch to divide the space into the living area and the workspace. You can also use carpets to define them.
4. Wall arts do not need to have perfect shapes, a good example is the tree wall hanging.
How to execute the plan
Execution is easy if you have everything you need and this includes help. Here are the steps you have to follow:
1. Clear the area.
2. Apply the paint on the wall and ceiling.
3. Install the needed fixtures.
4. Bring in the rugs.
5. Arrange the bigger pieces in the room.
6. Add the rest of the accessories.
It is easier to bring the design together if you have a plan. In addition, you should also have help to execute the plan on time.
Labels: Home Management
The discovery of the existence of the so-called Lascaux cave paintings in France in 1940 has proven that man's need to express himself through art has long been with us since the ancient times. A passion for painting has been imprinted into the human soul even at that early stage of our development. It is therefore unsurprising that our fascination for paintings has not waned over the years. Part of this cultural evolution includes the ever growing demand to hang paintings on our walls as an integral part of our home decor.
If you would like to buy a painting for your living room but have never tried it before, and you have no idea where to start, consider the three basic tips below to help you make the right choice.
Identify your personal taste- Definitely, this is the most important thing you have to consider when buying a painting. You are in fact expressing yourself through the design pieces that you choose for your home. Thus, when buying a painting, you have to choose one which is in sync with your taste. If you are the romantic, traditional type, then you may prefer paintings that adhere to the realist style. Typical examples include still life paintings, landscapes, and portraits. If you are the type who prefers modern wall art, you can opt to buy abstract paintings.
If you want the look of a Renoir, for example, but simply cannot afford the real thing, try to look for good prints or other artists whose works match your design aesthetic but do not command a steep price. While you're at it, now is the chance to help out a good friend or even a community artist by considering their artworks for your home decor.
Do your homework- By going online, asking around, and seeking help from experts, you increase your chance of buying the perfect painting. In fact, by doing a bit of background research, you will be able to expand your options to help you choose from a variety of artists and styles. At the same time, doing your homework will also help you identify the best painting within your budget.
Visualize- It also helps if you have a clear vision of where you would like to hang the painting. If you have decided to buy a multi-set painting, for example, try to consider if the colors will not overpower the other elements in the room.
In the end, different homeowners prefer different looks, and what you buy for your home should be in accordance to what you really want. Through the tips above, you can now begin looking for the perfect accent for your home.
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