EPC Hot Spot Home and Garden

Archive for the ‘Home Interior’ Category

by Rachelle de Bretagne

Kitchen cabinets add a dimension to the home that is enjoyed by all the family, and the reason that so much care should go into the choice of kitchen cabinets is that there are so many variables. This article covers all the elements to be aware of when picking your kitchen cabinets, and helps the consumer to make wise choices, bearing in mind likes and dislikes, though going further than that to cover what contributes to successful choices.

We plan a kitchen layout possibly once or twice in a lifetime, and it is the planning stages that lead to the successful choice of kitchen cabinets. There are so many variables that need to be taken into account. This article is written to address the variables and to help the buyer to make a wise choice, bearing in mind the size of kitchen, the space available for cabinets, and also the incorporation of appliances to blend in with their cabinet choice. It also covers costs as budget does matter to those choosing to replace the cabinets which make their kitchen updated and stylish, functional and within a price range which is affordable.

by Kathleen Hesketh

When faced with the empty space between four walls, it is difficult to know where to start an interior decorating project. An empty room is similar to a blank canvas, but like the painter who stares at the matte white surface, a designer needs to know what they want to create. It’s the same for any homeowner trying to start a room. Often people begin by choosing a piece of furniture they like, only to discover upon delivery that it is too

traditional, too contemporary, or not at all what they wanted for their interior decorating design. Without a clear idea of the type of room they want to develop, a homeowner ends up with a complicated mix of objects, lamenting the loss of the masterpiece they had hoped to create.

As any artist will tell you, creating a masterpiece takes time and some inspiration. Creating an interior requires the same. Art is a means to express a certain emotion. Rooms are decorated to inspire a certain feel. Isolating this is the first step in turning an empty room into a living work of art. The feel can be many things. People often want their main living spaces to feel warm and inviting or cool and sophisticated. The feel a room is intended to inspire determines what elements will go into it.

by Starla Ross

When remodeling, wise choices can quickly increase the value of your home. Not only will you receive added value in the equity of your home, but in beauty and style as well.

In the decision to choose where to add extra value to your property, consider these options:

CURB APPEAL

What you have inside your home won’t really matter, if potential buyers, appraisers, or your friends are turned off by the exterior of your home.

Replacing old aluminum siding and weathered windows will not only increase the attractiveness of your home, but add energy efficiency as well for families wanting to control energy costs.

The addition of landscaping or flower beds helps the home look more attractive and softens the look of the yard.

“GREEN” MATERIALS

More and more, families are becoming concerned about their “ecological footprint” or the amount of energy and “stuff” they are using from their environment.

Updating your home so that it’s better able to conserve energy or water, as well as heating and cooling costs, makes a big impact on your monthly energy usage and therefore your energy bill. Money spent on energy conservation will benefit your family now and another family that may purchase your house in the future.

by BlondieWrites
It’s happened to the best of us. We go shopping, searching for those delightful goodies to add new life to rooms. Of course, everything has to match. We find absolutely perfect items, and are sure the colors are perfect. We are confident in our selections, ready to add that special touch to every room in the house. Then the unthinkable happens. You arrive home, unload your treasures, only to discover the newly bought items don’t match your colors in the home.

How could this have been prevented? There’s a rather simple solution to be positive that will not occur again. You need a Fabric And Paint Chip Notebook.

A Fabric And Paint Chip Notebook is easy and fairly quick to make, then keep updated. It holds samples of the colors throughout your home, such as walls and ceilings, curtains and drapes, linens, etc.

There’s more than one way to make one of these, and it doesn’t have to be in a notebook. You can change it to fit your particular likes and needs.

What To Do

Getting rid of a poison ivy rash is no easy task, anyone that has contracted it in their life can testify to that. There are countless old wives tales surrounding what does and doesn’t work and many are just that, tales. Once you have come in contact with poison ivy there are some tips to try to get rid of the urushiol oil before it sets in, but that isn’t always possible. While I will touch on prevention very briefly, the focus of this article will be on treating an already active poison ivy rash.

Very briefly if you come in contact with poison ivy wash your hands as soon as possible. Use soapy water and get between the fingers and under the nails. Repeat the process several times, and use isopropyl alcohol or a like solvent like witch hazel to help separate the oil from your skin. This part applies in every case- remove all your clothing and wash it separately from all other clothes. Washing it twice isn’t always necessary but it certainly doesn’t hurt. The last thing you want is the oil finding it’s way back onto your body after you have just gotten rid of the rash. Second, anything you may have been using which came in contact with poison ivy should be scrubbed down to help prevent re-contamination.

You want to paint your walls and even though you’re a do-it-yourselfer, you don’t want to do it by trial and error. You want to get it right and get it done! So here’s a crash course in “How to Paint a Wall 101.”

The purpose of this guide is to help you eliminate the learning curve. Painting a wall is not difficult. The effort is in the preparation. Though it may take extra time up front, it will save you from having to clean up your mistakes afterwards, which can cost considerably more of your valuable time. Good preparation also assures you of a clean, professional looking paint job.

To start, you’ll need to choose the color. It sounds simple, but be aware that the lighting and shadows in the store where you select the color are different from those at home. Buy a small sample bottle, paint a large poster board with the color and place it around the room on the walls you want to paint. Looks good? The family likes it? Let’s get started.

A doorbell that is not functioning can be a nuisance when you miss a delivery or a friend that stops by. Of course it can be helpful in avoiding door-to-door salesmen. In any event, doorbell repairs are fairly simple for most homeowners. By following a few simple steps you should be able to repair the non-working bell. You will only need a set of small screwdrivers, flat and Phillips, depending on the installation, a small bit of sandpaper and a multi-meter if the first two steps do not solve your problem.

Keep in mind that most doorbell units run on about 16 volts from a transformer. Working on the bell or chime unit should not pose any dangers. However, if you need to replace the transformer there will be 120 volts on one end of it.

Push button unit:

The push button unit on the outside of your home is the first item to check. Push buttons malfunctions occur frequently due to corrosion and use. Use a screw driver to remove the cover and check the contacts. The contacts should be shiny. If not, use a small bit of sand paper to clean the corrosion off of the contacts. Push the contacts together with the plastic portion of the bell and listen for the chime. You can also use your fingers if you don’t mind the slight jolt.

by Ethel Smith

Gone are the days when bedrooms resembled the Artic and, during Winter, ice was often present on the inside of the window pane. Most of us these days have good central heating systems that keep us snug and warm. The problem is that, when such systems break down, repairs can be costly and take time.

Central Heating Insurance.

A sensible option may be to take out central heating insurance. This may cost a regular monthly fee but can offer peace of mind. If money is tight such insurance could be vital.

Check your facts and figures first. Make sure that you know all the costs incurred by taking out insurance and exactly what is covered. Some insurer’s include free maintenance checks once a year, for example.

Most insurers will need to inspect your current central heating system in order to ascertain if it is up to scratch. This could be a good time to update your system, in order to make it more efficient and environmentally friendly.

New boilers.