PVC Fencing
PVC Fencing
Investing in your home is a worthwhile endeavor. When making the decision to add or update your home and property, take the time to consider not only the interior and exterior of the house, but the entire property. Improvements to your outdoor areas can add value to your home far beyond what you may expect. One of the best ways to increase your home investment in a practical and rewarding way is the installation of a fence.
With the pace of life today, many homeowners find that maintaining their houses and land is time consuming, expensive and sometimes far more complicated than they are prepared for. However, installing and maintaining a new fence doesn’t have to be as difficult as some would imagine. There are several choices when it comes to choosing a building material. Wood, wrought iron and chain link are just a few of the more traditional mediums used. For the more modern homeowner, science has provided us with an alternative in the form of PVC.
PVC is an abbreviation for polyvinyl chloride – a durable polymer that lends itself readily to long-lasting building materials. While the properties of PVC make it suitable for a number of household uses, when the material is created without the addition of plasticizers (which soften the plastic and make it malleable) the resulting product is strong, inexpensive and resistant to wear.
Repair and maintenance requirements are greatly reduced with the use of vinyl fencing. The appearance of a lovely white wooden fence can be achieved with a material that is more weather-resistant than wood. When a painted wooden fence begins to show the wear and tear of age and climate, it must be repainted and worn boards must be replaced. A PVC fence, on the other hand, does not require such stringent maintenance. When the materials become dingy, a simple blast with a garden hose (and perhaps a scrub brush for the extra-tough spots) is all that is needed to return the fence to a pristine brightness.
PVC fencing is also very versatile. It is offered in varying degrees of ornamentation and privacy protection. Careful evaluation of your needs is important to determining the style and strength of the materials used. For instance, the fencing needed around a backyard pool should generally be taller and provide more privacy than the fencing surrounding a decorative suburban front garden.
As with any synthetic material, there do exist some environmental concerns regarding the use of polyvinyl chloride as a material used in outdoor construction (including fencing). Ongoing scientific research has shown evidence that the emissions given off as the polymer molecules age may have a negative impact on the environment, although no definitive determination has been made. The material has been banned in some areas, so consultation of local and state regulations should be done prior to choosing PVC for your fencing needs.
Vinyl may be one of the best options for a home owner that is looking for a low-maintenance, long-lasting way to increase the value of their home without breaking the bank. The variety of PCV fences available can meet nearly every need, whether it be decoration or security.…
5 Modern Bathroom Design Ideas
5 Modern Bathroom Design Ideas
Would you say your overall design style is sleek and chic? Do you enjoy the true architecture of a space with its linear simplicity rather that an overly adorned and accessorized space? If you’d like to translate your modern vision into your Master Bath here are a few design ideas to help get you started.
1. Cabinetry
When it comes time to selecting the design of your cabinetry lean toward clean, crisp and streamlined furniture.
To create a lighter and sleek bathroom environment consider cantilevered cabinetry secured to the wall creating a minimal look to the vanity piece. Create some drama with strip lighting added to the bottom side of the cabinet – which will cast a warm glow to the floor below.
Provide additional built in wall-to-wall storage elsewhere in the bathroom to compensate for the reduced storage in the vanity area.
Deep dark rich woods evoke a sense of warmth to the clean lines of contemporary design.
2. Fixtures
Crisp clean and sleek white fixtures speak to the contemporary/modern design. If space allows introduce one of the hottest trends – a free- standing bathtub.
They are available in all shapes and sizes and nothing creates a more dramatic focal point in the bathroom than an exquisite free-standing tub. Simply position it in front of a spectacular picture window with a breathtaking view as the backdrop.
3. Surfaces and Materials
Utilize solid surfaces for countertops, whether quartz, limestone, granite, concrete or glass to give it a clean contemporary look. Keep the edges simple and square for easy maintenance and sophisticated style.
Always introduce an interesting backsplash material in contrast to the counter top color and material. Whatever the surface I like to apply it on all walls from floor to ceiling. It creates instant architecture and adds great detail and drama to the space.
Glass tile, mosaic, stone or ceramic details are just a few of the highly decorative backsplash products out on the market today that create a sense of modern style.
Keep geometry in mind when selecting the material for your contemporary backsplash. Consider tile shapes that are rectangular, oversized, or small mosaics to create detail in the pattern of the application. If the tile is oversized and rectilinear install it in a brick pattern. If it’s shape is longer and thinner then stacking the tile creates a very interesting modern vibe. Stay away from the common square tile in any size.
4. Luxurious Shower
Create a steam shower with multiple rain heads, and body sprays. If your budget allows, add chromatherapy and aromatherapy to your master bath wish list as well. These fittings represent the epitome of modern luxury design. Don’t forget a built in bench and access panel to hide the steam system.
Design a full seamless glass enclosure from floor to ceiling and finish the interior with complimentary mosaics or stone tile to set it apart from the rest of the space. This glass enclosure creates a more visually open space within the overall space.
5. Accessories
Remember to keep clutter and display to a minimum.
Accessorize with towels in a bright color for punch or stainless steel and woods. Keep everything to a minimum and clutter free.
Select chrome, nickel or silver toned drawer/door pulls, towel bars, towel hooks and paper holders for sparkle.
Frame vanity mirrors in woods or silver tones – in similar finishes to the other accessories adorning your modern bath.
Now draw a bath and enjoy the modern luxuries of your new space.…
Kitchen Cabinet Refacing & Cabinet Refacing
Cabinet refacing is a great way to add a new look to your kitchen. Maybe you are bored with your current kitchen and looking for a way to spruce it up? Are you hoping to transform your kitchen without spending a lot of time and money? Cabinet refacing may be the perfect solution for you. There are a couple of different methods you can use to reface your cabinets. The methods are both relatively simple and both require about the same amount of knowledge, material, and time. Both methods are also very reasonable in price and offer you the opportunity to transform your kitchen. The method you choose is completely up to you and comes down to personal preference.
Before you begin you may want to consider the doors of your kitchen. Are they in good condition? If the answer to that question is yes, then you may wish to veneer them along with the cabinets. If your doors are in poor condition, it may be wise to purchase new ones if money permits. Simple fixes such as doors and cabinets allow for a quick transformation when remodeling your kitchen.
The first type of method you can use for cabinet refacing is self-adhesive veneer sheeting. You can find self-adhesive veneer sheeting in almost any hardware store. A convenient thing about veneer sheeting is that it offers a lot of variety in the area of design. If you always dreamed of having cherry wood cabinets, you can make that happen with the help of self-adhesive veneer sheeting. You can purchase sheeting that mimics the appearance of real wood. You do not need to worry about the durability of veneer sheeting. It is actually very strong and resistant once finished. You can also veneer the cabinet doors once you do the actual cabinets. Once you finish all of the veneering, you can buy new handles and knobs to compliment the new design.
The next type of cabinet refacing is to use self-adhesive printed vinyl papers. Similar to the previous method, you can find printed vinyl at nearly every hardware store. You can also special order various designs to better suit your personality. This method is best used on flat surfaces. If the doors of your cabinets have carved features, the vinyl will not be able to dry neatly on the bumpy surface. The vinyl paper comes in rolls and is extremely easy to apply to the right type of cabinets.…
Intergrating Technology Into Your Home
Intergrating Technology Into Your Home
Technology is everywhere in today’s average home.
Computers, video game systems, big screen TVs and a myriad of other electronic gadgets that make our lives easier, more productive and often simply just more fun are all great additions to any home but sometimes they do tend to create a lot of clutter.
That’s where fully integrated technology comes in. Integrated technology blends into the rest of your d?�cor seamlessly allowing you to get the look you want without having to sacrifice any of your modern tech toys.
With just a few remodeling tweaks and the assistance of a good electrician you can achieve this balance in your home. Here are just a few examples.
Speakers That Are Heard, But Not Seen
Huge speakers may say a lot about the quality of your sound system but they do not do a lot for the overall appearance of your home – unless rock concert chic is your personal design aesthetic.
The latest trend is to get those speakers out of sight altogether by having them built right into the walls. In the hands of a good remodeling professional everything is embedded within the walls and perfectly positioned for the best possible acoustics.
The other great advantage of having speakers built right into the walls is that all the unsightly wires will be out of the way, one of the biggest complaints homeowners have about home entertainment systems.
The TV That Disappears
The wall mounted TV – especially if it is a big screen model – is very popular these days but it does tend to dominate whichever room it is in. This may be fine when it is in use but it then sits there being rather uninteresting to look at when switched off and can tend to lower the aesthetic appeal of the room.
One answer is to have a retractable cover that can be used to literally make the TV disappear when it is not in use. People choose a favorite piece of artwork, a great family photo or even a mirror and, in a very James Bond-esque touch, once installed such a system will hide the TV at the flip of a switch. Ingeniously simple but those who have had this kind of function added to their home usually end up wondering what they ever did without it.
iPods Really Do Everything
The idea of having a central control system installed your home to manage a number of different gadgets and functions from one central location is not a new one – several attempts at these kinds of systems have been around for quite a few years now. They are now even better though as, instead of having to remember just where you put the remote control that adjusts the stereo system, TV, security alarm, lighting and even the blinds, you can do it all right from your iPhone or iPad.
These are just a few of the ways that technology can be integrated into your home to look as good as it functions. A good remodeling contractor, electrician and/or architect can probably tell you about many more.…
Amazing Tips for Bathroom Design
Amazing Tips for Bathroom Design
Coming up with a design for your bathroom can be very exiting especially if you like coming up with new ideas and looks. Despite this excitement, you may not really know what to do and where you should begin and this can be very hard and with time, your excitement can even wear out and you may forgo the entire process. You therefore need some tips that can help you in this process so that you can design your perfect bathroom.
Size
You will need to decide on the size that you would like for the bathroom. To set up the desired size, you can consider the number of people who will be using the bathroom and the processes that will be taking place there. This size is also in relation to the rest of the building because in most cases, if the house is generally small, the space available for the bathroom will also be small.
Layout
Always make sure that you list down the ideas that you have for the layout of the room and all other things that concern its design. This will make sure that you have a point to refer to, especially for the days when you are not able to remember all the ideas that you had for the bathroom.
User
Considering the user of the bathroom is also important. If for example, you are making a bathroom for a teenager, you need to make sure that you make it in a way that the user will enjoy using it. The sex of the user is also important because it will dictate many things like the color and even the items that you will merge because of the different needs of the women and men.
Available budget
Find a plan that can go well with the available funds so that you are able to finish the making the bathroom. It is a great idea to get estimates of what it will cost to get all the things you want and this will help you to change some of the choices so that they are in line with the budget.
At the end of the day, you may decide that you want professional help in coming up with a design that works. Having designer bathrooms is great because you can work with the designer to incorporate your ideas into a plan that works. This professional can also give you advice so that the bathroom you make will stay relevant even with the seasonal changes in tastes and d?�cor.…
True Beauty of French Doors
True Beauty of French Doors
A man’s home is his castle as the saying goes, which is why many home owners take great pride in their property and believe it to be a cosy hideaway to relax in and enjoy one’s private life. The simplest of things like the colour of the walls or style of furniture can transform a property into an inspiring new scene.
One way of creating a cosy hideaway or adding a touch of class, is to invest in some beautiful French doors. French doors are different to ordinary doors because they consist of a double door that opens outwards or inwards. These doors come in a variety of different styles, featuring different types of wood and glass which can either be plain or patterned.
Not only can French style doors be used for interior use, but there are also a variety of exterior French doors, as well ad French style doors for furniture items such as wardrobes and cupboards. These doors are usually made from hardwood or oak and ooze quality.
Using exterior French doors either for your patio or conservatory is a great idea and won’t make your house any cooler, even glass ones, are very efficient at keeping the heat in. French style Doors can add a touch of class to your home and are great for letting in the natural light and sunshine.
French style doors are also now available with a sliding motion for people who are concerned they may not have enough space for hinged doors. Everyone can enjoy the true beauty and quality French style doors and they hardly ever look out of place.
With so much choice available and many different styles and patterns to choose from, every person is able to find a style of French door to suit themselves and their tastes. Installing doors within your house could even make your home look larger. They provide a fantastic feature if you install them in between rooms, for instance to separate your dining room from your living room.
You may even use French doors to give your house a make-over. Installing a beautifully designed door could turn your home into a totally different environment and you’ll be falling back in love with it before you know it. To enhance the look and appearance of your home, have a look and see if doors are the type of thing for you.…
Home Remodeling – How to Open Up the Space in Your Dining Area
Home Remodeling – How to Open Up the Space in Your Dining Area
In America, especially in urban areas, living in less space is a challenge shared by many. Some homeowners try to extend living space through additions but aside from being expensive, such a home remodeling project is just not practical. The best solution to your problem is through efficiently maximizing whatever space you have to increase the size of your living area without breaking the bank. This article shows you just how to do this by opening up space in your dining area.
In the past, a separate dining room is common in homes. Today, this set-up is changing and newer constructions are adopting designs that not only optimize space but also complement with the modern, on-the-go lifestyle lived by most. Other than functionality, the removing the wall and adjoining the dining area and kitchen makes the entire space as one look and feel more spacious.
Kitchens have become the new heart of homes, and the now multi-faceted functions that they serve make opening up space in your dining area so beneficial. Some advantages include easier flow and increased productivity, as well as letting in more natural light. Because the purposes of both rooms are related, it makes perfect sense to be doing so. Bigger kitchens ideal for gatherings and entertainment are more preferred by many families compared with a separate, formal dining area. Aside from being a fashion these days, open floor plans in general adds more value to your home.
Demolish the Wall
Demolishing a wall may seem easy, but it actually is not. Some areas may even require a permit for such a home remodeling project, so make sure to check with your local departments. There are many considerations to keep in mind when opening up space in your dining area and taking down a wall. Make sure that the wall is not load-bearing. If unsure, it would be best to have a contractor or professional examine it. After evaluation, you may find that some structures cannot be totally brought down so you have to creatively work around these and include them into the design. Prior to knocking it down, it is crucial to shut down water, electrical and gas services. If needed, call on a plumber and electrician for relocating wiring and gas lines.
Kitchen Cabinets
When opening up space in your dining area to your kitchen, adding kitchen cabinets would be best to use up some of the floor space efficiently. More storage helps keep everything organized, and avoids clutter which can be an eyesore. If you want to open up just a portion of the wall, base kitchen cabinets can be used as a division. With this added counter, you will have more stations to do your food preparation which can also be used for other uses such as breakfast table, bar, etc. For high ceilings, hanging cabinet units will add practicability as well as style into the design.…