House Alarm and Home Security Systems

The escalating crime rate has made it mandatory for every homeowner to consider security systems like home security cameras and detectors. Property investment is the biggest investment anyone makes in a lifetime. The investment is huge and damage to the property or vandalism can shake the very foundations of property management. Nevertheless, the presence of thieves and scrupulous intent do threaten the very foundation of the investment in real estate.

House Alarms:
There are a number of home security systems designed to safeguard homeowner interests. They are manufactured and marketed within a dedicated market and easily accessible. The security systems like cameras enable the property owner to secure the premises and protect hard-earned possessions. The systems include devices like emergency alarms and water and smoke sensors. These devices make the home as safe as possible, in the owner's absence and at unearthly hours.

House alarms help to keep a 'reality check' in place. With crimes like burglary and instances of neglect leading to house fires increasing in the cities and suburbs, the sooner a homeowner adopts the security systems, the better. Prevention is better than cure. Instead of exposing the home to criminals and damage, it is far better to take the appropriate measures to protect the property. House alarms are designed to draw immediate attention to the home, family, work-at-home-business and valuables, when threatened.

Home Alarm System:
There are a number of home alarm systems that are designed by professionals easily available in retail stores online. These security products fall within specific budgeting prerogatives and meet any emergency. The systems include a variety of security kits with cameras, personal safety products and devices that are environment controlled. There are wireless products for safety also sold as part of the home alarm system. The system is connected to a monitoring center, manned by security personnel, 24x7. The integrated and interconnected command centers include the fire brigade and police headquarters. The home alarm system is strategically located around the property. The command centers are equipped with powerful technology and trained professionals.

Home Security Devices:
The home security devices are designed to gain control over emergencies such as house fires, flooding and burglary, among a host of others that threaten life and property. The monitored security equipment assures the homeowner of 24 hour surveillance. A single signal transmitted alerts the monitoring centers, triggering assistance. The local authorities are able to swing into action without delay due to such timely reports. The home security devices help determine the cause of the disturbance and generate an instant response. These devices help to prevent and monitor burglary, alert the police and fire brigade, report power failure to concerned electricity and telecom authorities and trigger integrated smoke, heat, water and freeze sensors. The different types of home security devices include:

Two way verbal connectivity:
This device helps the homeowner to communicate directly with the integrated monitoring center. The connectivity can be established from anywhere in the home. The clarity of communication helps deal with the situation immediately.

Structurally integrated detectors:
These home security devices ensure the home's security via alarms that go off by smoke and water triggers. These hi-tech devices have master control panels and remotes. They also include designs that allow the homeowner to activate and deactivate the alarm system. Many of the designs come with a back-up power supply to maintain home security even during a power cut, like in the fire alarm systems. The standard size, rechargeable batteries not only lower maintenance costs, but they are also easy to install.

Wireless surveillance systems:
Hidden cameras and computerized sensors enable interception of radio frequencies and 24x7 monitoring of the premises. The design and components are fully integrated, without the obstacles of wires. These home security devices are lightweight and portable.

The home security systems offer real value for the investment through warranties that guarantee durability and quality assurance.

How to Clean Used Baby Furniture

Infants and toddlers are not aware of the germs and bacteria that are present on various surfaces. Their toys, furniture, bedding, and surrounding environment, all have harmful bacteria present. And as a parent, you want to make sure that your child isn't exposed to such germ-breeding areas. It won't be wrong of me to say that you, a responsible parent, are taking all possible precautions and measures necessary to keep your home clean and hygienic. This way, your family's and child's health are not at any risk. However, using certain commercial cleaning products can mean bringing toxins and hazardous substances into your home.

Babies have the tendency to put anything and everything in their mouths. Now imagine the so-called clean/ sanitized toys and furniture; do you think that just because they are wiped with paper towels or clean cloth, your baby is not at risk? Think again. The point I'm trying to make here is - use of natural, non-toxic, homemade cleaning solution will ensure your baby's good health. And, if you're wondering how to clean used baby furniture, then reading the rest of this article is the key. As you read on, you will find that we have given steps on cleaning and sterilizing used baby furniture and toys, along with non-toxic cleaning solutions.

Ways to Clean Second-hand Infant Furniture and Toys

Buying second-hand baby furniture is a good, inexpensive investment as their original prices are quite high. There are times when you really don't require a new high chair, crib, stroller, changing table, etc.; these items can easily be bought second-hand. However, you cannot take any chances while cleaning and sterilizing any of these items. You need to make sure that a thorough job is done, not just before your baby uses them for the first time, but also at regular intervals.

    While cleaning plastic furniture like changing table, high chair, stroller, baby tub, etc., you can make a mixture with 1 cup white vinegar and 1 cup water. Pour both the liquids in a spray bottle and mix thoroughly. Once the mixture is ready, you can spray it over the furniture. It will not only clean and sanitize the furniture, but also remove any residue that may have stayed on them. You can add a few drops of lemon essential oils to remove the odor of vinegar.
    Another solution that helps clean plastic furniture is made with 1 cup white vinegar, 1 cup club soda, and a few drops of tea tree essential oil. Mix the ingredients in a bowl or spray bottle. Use a clean cloth or paper towels to wipe and sanitize the baby furniture. You can even use this solution for regular cleaning.
    There are some furniture (high chair, stroller, baby swing, etc.) that have plastic cushions on them. In order to clean such furniture, first of all, you need to remove the cushions to clean it properly. Prepare a mixture with warm water and mild liquid anti-bacterial soap. Use a soft-bristled brush to clean the surface and let it dry in the sun thoroughly before you replace it.
    As for cleaning fabric cushions and bedding, you need to remove them from the actual furniture as well, if possible. This will help you tremendously while cleaning and sanitizing the furniture properly. First of all, use a vacuum to remove dirt, debris, dust, and any other particles that may be present. Next, you want to use club soda to clean any marks or spots off the fabric. In the end, as the initial and regular cleaning method, you can use a mild dishwashing soap with water to wash the fabric thoroughly. Rinse under warm water properly and leave it out in the sun to dry. Use the vacuum one last time before replacing it back into place.
    When you are looking to clean wooden baby furniture such as crib, high chair, or any other wooden toys, you need to use Pine-Sol for an effective job. To prepare the mixture, add a few drops of Pine-Sol (as recommended on the bottle) in a bucket of hot water, and combine. Use a clean cloth or sponge to clean, wipe, and disinfect the surface. If you find grime or dirt on the wooden furniture, then use a hard-bristled brush to clean the furniture.
    To disinfect your baby's second-hand plastic toys, make a mixture of white vinegar and hot water. Submerge the toys inside the mixture and rinse under warm water. Let the toys dry under the sun before they go in your baby's mouth.
    As for cleaning stuffed toys and woolen toys, hand wash them with a mixture of white vinegar, baking soda, and hot water. Rinse under warm water thoroughly and let them dry under the sun.

It is very important that you pay extra care while cleaning and sterilizing used baby furniture and toys. As you know this already, your baby's health and well-being is essential and the first step is by keeping your home's environment clean and sanitized. When you follow these healthy rules around your home, there won't be any chances of exposing your child to harmful germs and bacteria.

How to Stain Wood

Staining is a great way to improve the natural appearance of wood that retains its original texture unlike painting. Wood can be stained in different colors and shades to match the home decor. Be it your old furniture, cabinets, doors or wooden flooring, staining wood can allow you to change the color to suit your home decor. Wood is often stained to imitate the darker and the more expensive varieties. So, how exactly do you go about staining wood? Here, in this article, we shall see how to stain wood furniture, cabinets, doors and even floors. The basic process for staining wood is almost the same for all of these. Have a look...

How to Apply Stain on Wood?
Staining wood can be a difficult task if the wood is already stained and you have to remove the old stain before applying the new one. However, if you have just bought the furniture, then applying a new stain is fairly simple. The best woods for staining are those with an even texture. Soft woods such as pine, birch, fir and maple, have an uneven grain pattern that can cause a blotchy look on staining. Let us see how to stain pine wood...

Before we begin with the actual process of staining pine wood, it is important to choose the type of wood stain. There are three different types of stains available: oil based stains, water based stains and gel based stains. The oil based stain is the best among all as it penetrates well and protects the wood from damage. However, it takes a long time to dry. You will have to apply polyurethane on the wood after the stain dries, no matter whichever stain you choose. This will give it a better finish. Now, follow these instructions on how to stain wood furniture.

Step 1
The first step is to clean the wood surface of any dirt or grease. This is done by sanding the wood, first using a coarse sandpaper and then by a fine one. Wipe the surface with a damp cloth after sanding.

Step 2
The next step is to condition the wood. This helps in eliminating the grain from rising and thus, promotes a uniform distribution of the stain. The conditioner used should match the wood stain color.

Step 3
You can stain wood by using a clean rag or a brush. Dip one corner of the rag into the stain and apply a light coat of stain on the wood. Spread the stain evenly on the surface of the wood using moderate pressure on the rag. Follow the same methods of application while using a brush. You can also use the spraying wood staining technique. However, this method requires specific skills and can be difficult for beginners.

Step 4
Once you are done with applying the stain on the wood, allow it to dry completely. Water based stains dry quickly whereas the oil based ones take more than 24 hours to dry. Do not forget to apply a coat of polyurethane on the dried stain.

This was all about how to stain wood furniture made of pine? Now, you must be wondering how to stain maple wood? Maple and pine are both soft woods and hence the procedure is the same for both. While staining wooden doors, make sure you remove the door from the hinges. Remove all the hardware attached to it and then start the process of staining. Put the door back only when the stain has dried completely. Follow the same procedure for staining kitchen cabinets. You will have to be a little careful while staining wood floors. Remove all the furniture and other things from the room and sweep the floor well. Start at a corner of the room farthest from the door and do not forget to allow the stain to dry overnight, before replacing the furniture.

Now, that you know the basic procedure for staining wood, I hope your questions 'how to stain wood floors', 'how to stain wood cabinets' and 'how to stain wood doors' are all answered. So get ready and give your home a new look!

Garden Tools List

Without garden tools, a gardener cannot complete his or her work. Gardening is not an easy job. Garden tools make the job easier for the person. There are several tools that a gardener requires to take complete care of his/her garden. The complete garden tools list, mentioned below, should help you understand the various tools required for gardening.

Gardening Tools List

There are certain basic gardening tools that must be a part of every garden. Some of these tools are hand gardening tools while there are some which are power tools. Not all are required in every garden. The size and the type of garden and the landscaping will determine the tools needed. However, all these tools play an important role in gardening.

Shovel
You cannot look after a garden if you do not have shovels to help you dig, distribute the soil evenly all over the garden and to help you pick up the junk from the garden. Though not needed everyday, shovels are important garden tools. This is the reason why shovels top the list of garden tools.

Hoe
A garden hoe is needed to de-weed the garden. Also, if you want to loosen the soil around your plants, the garden hoe will do a great job. Hence, this is one of the important garden hand tools.

Gloves
As you know, when you work in the garden, your hands and your nails get dirty. It is always advisable to use gloves while working in your flower garden to ensure that you do not end up in a mess.

Rake
The leaf rake takes care of all the fallen leaves for you. The garden rake, on the other hand, will help you in keeping the soil on your garden, leveled. It will also help you to get rid of the weeds in your garden.

Wheelbarrow
The debris that you collect from the garden will go into the wheelbarrow. A wheelbarrow is a handy tool which will also help you transport soil from one part of the garden to another. Plants, pots, containers, tools and fertilizers can also be easily taken around the garden in the wheelbarrow.

Trowel
A hand trowel is a small garden hoe which helps you in keeping the soil lose in a newly tilled garden. They are also helpful in weed control. Even if you have a small garden or an indoor garden, this tool has to be a part of your garden tools list.

Watering Can or a Hose
Your garden tools list is incomplete without a hose or a watering can. A watering can is sufficient for a small garden or an indoor garden. On the other hand, if you have a big garden, then the garden hose is what you need. Alternatively, sprinkler systems also work fine in case you have a huge lawn.

Pruners
I am sure you know the importance of pruning your trees. A great set of pruners are what you require to prune your trees well. Again, pruners are needed in all gardens, irrespective of their size. However, if you have very big trees, then you might also need to keep some tree trimming saws as the pruners will not be of much help for big trees.

Shears
Garden shears help in trimming the plants. If you want your plants to grow well and to look great, you will need to keep a pair of shears with you as gardening tools.

Mattock
This flat blade tool is required to dig the soil. This tool comes in a combination with a pick-ax which works great for breaking down rocks, if you have a rock garden. This tool comes in handy if you have a big garden.

Cultivators
Cultivators are needed to break the soil open in order to plant the trees in it. The cultivators are also useful for loosening the soil around the trees and plants to help the plants breath.

Axes
Axes are not needed unless you have a big garden with many trees. The branches of these trees need to be chopped at regular intervals to help them grow better and to maintain a good shape of the trees. Also, axes are required while removing tree stumps. An ax will, thus, be a part of your garden tools list if you have a huge garden with big trees.

Lawn Mower
Another tool which is a power tool and not a hand garden tool, the lawn mower is required by those who have a big lawn for proper lawn care. This tool comes in handy to mow the grass and keep the garden neat, tidy and weed free.

Leaf Blower
The leaf blower is another power tool which helps you in taking care of all the fallen leaves and twigs by collecting them in one place. However, if you have a leaf rake, you will not need this tool. It does help, though, in cleaning the garden faster than the leaf rake does.

Gardening Tools for Kids

If your kids are also into gardening, then here is a garden tools list for them, that can be bought to help them enjoy the gardening experience.

Gloves
As aforementioned, gloves are needed to keep the hands and the nails clean. These are really necessary when the kids play in the mud.

Watering Can
Kids love water and they definitely love to water plants. There are a variety of plastic water cans that are available for the kids.

Wheelbarrow
Kids are very attracted to a wheelbarrow too. Plenty of plastic and wooden wheelbarrows in various shapes and designs are available for kids. The wheelbarrow can be used to keep all the garden tools at one place too.

Scaled Down Tool Set
A scaled down tool set consists of a garden hoe, garden spade, tiller, rake and other tools all made from plastic. This tool set will help the kids plant their own plants in their flowerbeds.

In addition to the above tools list, there is also a list of gardening supplies which includes most of the above tools, in addition to seeds, fertilizers, compost sprays, compost bins, soil and a garden journal (if you want to note down the details of your garden). All the above gardening tools must be a part of your garden tools list as they are important for the garden upkeep. Ensure that you keep all the tools in good shape and keep them away from the children in a locked shed to avoid any accidents. Have a great gardening experience. All the best!

How to Decorate a Wall

If you thought that painting the walls of your room in a paint color of your choice is the only option for wall decoration you have, think again! Walls are not something that provide a background to your interiors. In fact, they can be made as much a part of interior decorating as perhaps upholstery or furniture! Scroll down for some tips on how to decorate a wall in the most creative and imaginative ways...

Tips on How to Decorate a Wall

Paint
To add character to the walls, you can create a number of wall painting designs on it. If you are someone who has never painted before, a good idea is to make use of stencils. You can actually create some amazing looking floral designs or geometric designs on the wall in the paint color of your choice using stencils! For those of you who are good at a painting job, one of the wall decor ideas is to paint a broad stripe in the same color but with a glossy finish, on the wall. The contrast of matte and gloss finish paints will have a very beautiful effect on the walls.

Wall Hangings
One of the popular ways to decorate a wall is by putting up decorative wall hangings. Choose one which complements the interiors of the room. If you search carefully, you will be amazed at the variety in wall hangings available. You will find them in all sorts of shapes - square, rectangle, kite, round, triangle, heart etc. The designs and patterns are endless too. Psychedelic art, embroidery, patch work, pictures of birds and animals, scenery, wall hangings made of shells - you can choose anything that inspires you!

Framed Photographs
Decorating the wall with framed pictures of the family lends a kind of warmth to the room interiors. For those of you who want to know how to decorate a wall with picture frames, a unique idea is to have a number of pictures framed in small-sized frames in two colors i.e. black and white. Then alternately place pictures with black color frame, followed by white color frame and then again black color frame and so on. This will create a kind of "chess" effect on the walls which looks very classic! You may further go to how to hang pictures.

Wall Lettering
One of the creative wall decorating ideas is to use wall lettering. Right from something romantic to something motivational to plain welcome messages to the names of the family members, you can get anything lettered using this wall art method.

Show Pieces
For those of you who want to know how to decorate a wall unit, a unique idea is to decide on a theme for it and then place a number of show pieces on it that define it! For instance, if nature inspires you, you can have multi-colored flower vases, scenery with natural surroundings, animal figures, etc, placed on the unit. You can even have all items made of glass in a single wall unit. When it comes to decorating a wall unit, one thing that you should always take care of is that the color at its background should contrast with the paint color on the rest of the wall. This way, whatever you place on the wall unit will be more visible.

Mirrors, Fabrics, China, Embroidered Clothes, Musical Instruments
Decorating wall using common things such as these has its own beauty. These things add a personal flavor to the walls which none of the other large wall decorating ideas can match. So, if you play music, hang a musical instrument. If you have an attractive rug or a piece of clothing which you got while traveling, put it up on the walls. The wall exhibiting your personal signature style will simply look amazing!

As you can see, how to decorate a wall is not only easy, but it can also lend a certain charm and uniqueness to your home decor. Now that you have got wind of so many interesting wall decorations ideas, make use of them, be a bit innovative yourself and lend the walls of your house a certain personality!

Modern Home Decorating Ideas

If you like things simple, elegant, sleek, clear-cut and innovative, then a modern home decorating style is perfect for you. Modern homes are airy, modern homes are creative and modern homes are just perfect for today's generation, as they come fitted with all the latest gadgets and technology. And if you thought that you would need to spend a bomb and hire a professional to give your home a modern decor, you are absolutely wrong! With the below suggested modern home decorating ideas, you can easily incorporate elements of this coveted decor in your house, on your own. Have a look...

Innovative Modern Home Decoration Ideas

 Furniture

When it comes to modern homes, simplicity is their trademark. So, get rid of all the clutter that you have in your house. Throw away all the unnecessary items. If you have heavy pieces of furniture, replace them with sleek, multi-functional furniture. If you have a tight budget, you can give up on sofas all together and instead, replace them with chairs which have sleek curves and look like sofas. Otherwise, couches with obvious geometric angles to them look perfect in a modern home. Go in for couches that come sans arms. Such couches can be arranged in "L" shape and four-five cushions kept on top of them, to give the living room a modern, unique feel. As for the bedroom furniture, bulky beds are a complete no no in a modern home. Instead, beds without headboard and foot boards are what you should look for. Also, go in for beds which have a low height, as they make the room look spacious and airy.

Colors

If you have ever been to a modern home, you would have seen that almost all of them have colors such as white, gray, cream, silver, beige and black, whether it comes to paint on the walls or the fabrics or the upholstery. So, to make your modern home stand apart from the rest, a creative idea is to use white or cream color on the walls and get a few furniture pieces in the room in bright red color! This will make them stand out in the light background. If you want to have some fun with your living room modern decor, you can add multi-colored furniture pieces to it too! If having colored furniture seems too far-fetched, how about keeping the furniture in basic color and placing small cushions of numerous colors on it? Otherwise, to add color to the room, you can consider hanging a few bright-colored wall hangings and paintings on the walls.

Flooring and Fabrics

The flooring for a modern home can be hardwood, tiled or concrete treated. Glazed tiles in plain white color look awesome in a modern living room. To enhance the beauty of the rooms further, you can add carpets and rugs on the floor. If the rest of the background in the room is in colors like white, black and gray, you can use bright-colored rugs with some unusual geometric shapes on them, to give an interesting twist to the decor. If you are someone who likes to give his home a unique look, placing a number of odd-shaped small rugs, at various places, in the same room, will lend a dramatic touch to your house. As for the fabrics, they can be in some bold colors too. Matching the pattern and color of all the fabrics, be it curtains, cushion covers, bedspreads, towels, etc. will give the house a coordinated look. Otherwise, curtains with white, black or brown colored background are the most popular choice in modern homes, so you can opt for the same too. If the curtains have some modern art designs on them, it would add another dimension to your room! 

Accessories

When it comes to accessories for a modern home, they should have some well-defined geometric shapes to them. Round mirrors with a silver metallic frame, glass vases in some unusual angular shapes, sculptures in black or white color, a collage made from black and white framed photographs of the family, ceramic pots, sleek lamps, a metallic chandelier, contemporary black and white paintings - these are some of the accessories with which you can decorate your modern home. As vases are a common feature in a modern home, to add a dash of color, keep flowers of different colors in them. Colorful flowers add the much-needed fun element to the modern decor! The kind of lighting you choose will play a major role in the final look that your home exudes, so keep a few metallic lamps, on either side of the sofa as well as add a few spot lights, to highlight your favorite accessories in your modern home!

Besides these, some other creative ideas for modern home decoration are - Television is made the focal point in the living room, a book shelf with books arranged in some unusual ways is fitted in one of the living room walls, horizontal stripes are painted on the walls, the attached bathroom in the bedroom is made of glass and an arty centerpiece is placed on the dining table, just below a metallic chandelier! As you can see, there are a number of unique things and features that you can add, to give your home a modern, stylish feel. Think minimal, think simple, think clean, think innovation and whatever ideas that you arrive at, apply them to jazz up your modern home!

How to Clean and Organize Your Room Fast

What happens when you receive a call from your friends or relatives that they will be coming to your place within an hour? You can't say no to them, but you are also worried about how to organize your home, and especially your room within such a short span of time?! Or if you are relaxed during the weekend, and you have plans to go out with your friends, or watch a movie coming up on television that you have been anxiously waiting to see, and suddenly your mom orders you to clean your room fast or else you will be punished... what would you do then?? Spend your holiday cleaning the room, or sit in front of television with a bowl of popcorn and watch the movie?! I am sure we have come across these situations at some or the other point of our lives, but relax! If you are wondering how to clean and organize your room fast so that you can enjoy the rest of the day, this article will give you some effective tips and tricks to finish off this huge task within a short span of time. Read on to find out how.

Tips on How to Clean and Organize Your Room Fast

Now, before you start on how to clean your room, you must make sure that once you start the task, you should not leave the room till you finish the task, because, even if you leave the room once to get a small thing, like a mop, you may end up doing something else and your room remains messy and unorganized for a longer period than you estimated. So make sure that you get all the things that you require to clean and organize your room, like a duster, vacuum cleaner, mop, dustbin, etc. Once you have all the things needed, you are ready to clean your room.

Avoid Any Distractions
Remember, the more you get distracted, the later will it take to organize and clean your room, and your last resort would be to dump all your stuff in the closet and clean up a more messier room later on! If you don't want to do that, keep away your cell phone, pager, etc. until you finish your task.

Put on Some Energetic Music
Now listening to some good music to get that energy kick is not a distraction. In fact, you wouldn't even realize how quickly your work would be done while listening to it... unless, of course, you don't start dancing instead of cleaning! This can also be considered as one of the creative ways to organize your room fast! If you want, you can also set up some time limits and targets, like finish off with one corner, or one section of cleaning before a song or two ends! This will increase your speed and cleaning would be more like a game that you're playing. A perfect combination of work and fun, isn't it?

Start Organizing Your Clothes and Shoes
Two things which contribute a major part in messing up our rooms are our clothes and our shoes. Sort out your clothes and separate the clean ones from the dirty ones. Fold your clean clothes and set them in the closet, and throw away the dirty clothes in the laundry bag, so that they can be washed later on. Similarly, take the pile of shoes accumulated under your bed and around, and organize them properly in the shoe rack. Don't forget to take out the socks from them and keep them in the laundry bag!

Arrange the Rest of the Items
The next step to organize your room fast is to arrange all the distorted items properly. These may include your mobile charger, laptop, books and documents, music CDs and DVDs, bags, make-up, accessories, sports or gym equipment, etc. If you have time, then take a duster and clean them properly and place them in the area where they belong. If you are quick, then this shouldn't take more than 10 minutes. Hey girls, here's something for you... go through this Buzzle article on tips to organize girls room.

The Next Step, Cleaning!
By cleaning, I mean vacuuming the entire room after you have placed all the things where they should be placed! Start with the dirtiest corner of your room and then go on to the spots which do not appear all that dirty. If you have a hard flooring, and if time permits, then you can also mop the floor to give it a more clean and neat look!

The Finishing Touch
Now that you have cleaned and organized your room completely, what could be the finishing touch? A room freshener! Spray some nice room freshener all over the room to breathe in some fresh and nice smelling air. A room that smells good, makes the person stay in there for a longer time. Your guests will swarm into your room if you follow the aforementioned ways to organize your room. :)

So these were some effective tips on how to clean and organize your room fast. If you avoid any distractions and follow the aforementioned steps without losing focus, you would find your room absolutely spic and span and enjoy the rest of the day without any burden of cleaning and organizing. Don't forget to watch that movie with some popcorn, once you are done. After all, after the work, you deserve some rest!

choosing bedroom clorour schemes

 

 Your bedroom is the one space that you - or you and your partner - don't have to share, so find out how to get the colour scheme you'd love.

How Colour Affects The Mood Of A Room

Colour can transform the look and feel of a bedroom.

Reds & Pinks
For a fun and even passionate feel, feminine pinks and reds are ideal. They also help warm up cold, north-facing rooms. In rooms where natural daylight is poor, go for lighter shades of pink or violet, or stick to smaller amounts of deeper shades as part of a pattern or in accessories. Keep the room contemporary by matching deep reds with brilliant white.

Greens & Blues
Soft greens and blues - associated with nature, and growth - make a room feel relaxing, ideal for a bedroom. However, they add little energy to a room if they are pastel shades, so if you want to brighten the room, choose turquoise or a yellow-green. Or, if you want to add drama, choose a petrol blue and match it with white, deep red or golds for a sumptuous look.

White
White is soothing, too, but consider also off-whites and creams, which actually have a small amount of colour that can result in a warmer atmosphere. Match these with other neutrals and earthy tones for a warm, welcoming feel that's ideal for a room with poor natural daylight.

Yellow
Yellow can add some zip to your bedroom, and can look great on walls, or as part of the patterned fabrics in the room. However, it's not a relaxing colour, so avoid brighter shades, especially in rooms that get lots of sunlight in the mornings.

Consider The Light

How Will It Look At Night?
You have to take into account how natural daylight will affect your choice of colour - but you should also bear in mind that the majority of your time will be spent in the room with electric light on, so make your choice based on what it will look like when the room's lit at night, too.

Will It Look The Same In Your Room?
The amount of light - whether natural or electric - a room receives has a profound effect on how a colour appears to us. This means you can never assume that a colour you love when you see it in a photograph - or in someone else's room - will look the same in your bedroom.

Put Tester Pots In The Room
Always test using paint sample pots or wallpaper samples, and do the same with flooring. Put them in position, too. Just holding up a carpet sample won't let you understand how it will look on the floor.

Can You Improve The Light?
Always remember that the combination of colour with the light in your bedroom can help you cheat the dimensions. A small bedroom can feel larger with a light, reflective colour on the walls, and a space that feels cavernous rather than cosy can feel more intimate with a dark wall colour that will absorb light and make walls feel closer to you.

Include A Colour That Doesn't Work
Don't discount a colour that you love if it doesn't work well with the light levels in your room. Adding it as part of a wallpaper, bed linen or window fabric pattern, then teaming with a few matching accessories is a great solution.

Reinvent Your Furniture
If the surface is paintable, able to be reupholstered or stained. If pieces are mismatched in terms of style and shape, you can help bring the room together by reinventing it in the same colour - or tones of the same colour. You can mix different woods, within a colour scheme, though, and these will actually look better if they are quite contrasting, as those that are just a little different in tone will look like bad matches.

Renew The Headboard
A new headboard to match another colour in the room will bring a bed that's staying into the scheme. Likewise, changing bed linen to work with another element of your new colour scheme will also work to unify the room.

Include It On Your Moodboard
Don't forget to put what you're keeping on to your mood board, so you can look at the remaining elements of your room alongside it. You can always take your own photos of the pieces you're keeping and build them into your mood board to help you colour scheme successfully.

 

How To Begin

Collate Your Moodboard

Take a look at our bedroom galleries for inspiration. Once you've found a colour scheme you love, make sure you collect samples of everything you're going to use to create the finished look - paint, wallpaper, fabric, flooring and then images of furniture and accessories.
Check It Works
Every element counts, and don't assume that something that looks online or in store like a goes-with-everything neutral will actually look like that when it's in your room. When all your samples - and any options - are gathered - you can make a moodboard to check you still love your colour scheme.

Build The Scheme
Then, start with the bigger areas of the room - paint or paper the walls and lay the carpet or a rug over floorboards. Once this is done, you can begin to layer the scheme bit by bit, painting furniture, adding curtains, blinds, bedlinen, throws, and finally accessories, such as light shades or fixtures, pictures and objets.

Think About The Elements

Creating a new colour scheme for your bedroom doesn't mean you have to follow these steps in order. Use them to ensure you consider all the elements that will mean you love your new-look room. However, for the greatest success, approach the decoration of the room in stages. Don't try to go for a completed look all in one go - add accessories, even bedlinen, later. That way, the room won't look contrived, but accidental... and fabulous.

Must-Have Laundry Room Accessories

A part of a room's design and decoration is its furniture. Living rooms need sofas and chairs, dining rooms need tables and chairs and so on. But some rooms require less of furniture and more of accessories and items. Such as the kitchen and the laundry room. The laundry room involves handling a lot of clothes, sorting and arranging them, washing and then putting them away, either through folding or ironing. So what items should such a room possess, to manage unclean and washed clothes easily?

Essential Things Every Laundry Room Should Have

Laundry Bin
Dirty clothes that need to be washed, should have a point or location of collection. If you leave it up to kids, teens, or even some adults, the laundry collection point is either the floor, the bottom of the closet, or hanging dirty stuff behind the door. Save yourself the task of searching for dirty laundry, instead place laundry baskets and hampers in each room or at a central location. Laundry bins come in different shapes and sizes, from foldable cloth or mesh bags to large wicker baskets and plastic hampers.

Laundry Cart
Laundry needs to be transported from the bin to the washer and then from the washer to the dryer or the area where you dry the clothes out. The accessory for this transporting duty is a laundry cart or trolley. A rolling laundry cart is easy to roll around and move heavy wet laundry, taking the laundry load off your shoulders. If your laundry room is short of space, then try to get a foldable laundry caddie, so you can easily put it away.

Laundry Sorter
A sorter is not an essential laundry room accessory but has gained popularity in households as it can effectively store and sort piles of laundry from various bins and hampers. Based on the number of bins/bags (three-bin sorter, double bag sorter), you can sort out laundry into darks, whites, and delicates, or inner and outer wear, or kids and adult laundry stacks. You can opt for a wheelie sorter or a hamper stay-in-one-place sorter.

Air-Drying Racks
Even with a dryer, you may need to air-dry washed clothes. A foldable drying clothes rack is ideal for this purpose. Such metal or plastic racks fold up flat when not in use. For dripping wet clothes, place the rack near a drain. To save space, find an over-the-door rack or fix a towel bar behind the door, to dry clothes. Use walls to hang clothes by fixing an iron rod on the wall, then hang clothes on the rod, using hangers. For drying small pieces of clothing like undergarments and socks, use an accessories dryer, which allows you to clip small clothes onto a large frame with a hook.

Folding Table
Clothes should be folded as soon as they are dried. So it makes sense to have a smooth, flat surface in your laundry room, so you can quickly fold away freshly laundered clothes and sort them out. Make sure you get a folding table suitably high enough, so you avoid bending your back as you fold. If space is a problem, then try to get a store-away folding table. An even better space-saving idea is to buy a magnetic folding board. It will stick to your washer or dryer's surface and will save your floor space, as compared to a table.

Ironing
The laundry room is the best place to iron just-dried clothes. So an ironing board is a must-have accessory. The design and size of the ironing board should depend on available space. A foldable leg ironing board can be assembled, used and then folded to store away easily. You can also hang it by a hook on the wall. Check if there is a place on the board, to set the hot iron, when not in use. Cover the board with a cover, when not in use. A wall-mounted ironing board is possible, if there is sufficient standing room to pull the board off the wall and use it. If you have a folding table, get a tabletop ironing board, which is compact enough to use on the table directly. It can then be hung on the wall by a hook. For a smart and ultra-portable ironing board, opt for a magnetic foldable ironing mat. You can use it on the flat metal surface of a washing machine or dryer as it is heat-resistant.

Miscellaneous
The following list of laundry room accessories are a mixed bag of items, that every laundry room should have:

• To quickly mop up soapy spills and clean up your laundry room's floor, keep a brush and dustpan or mop handy.
• Keep your clothespins in one place, with a small mesh bag or clothespin bag. You can either hang up the bag on the clothesline or place it on a shelf.
• Socks, gloves, mittens... these clothes come in pairs. But it is difficult to find a matching sock or glove in a pile of washed laundry. Here's where sock clips come in handy, clip together socks before washing them, to avoid losing one of a pair.
• Delicate clothes and undergarments can be destroyed or at least damaged in a vigorous washing cycle. You can use fine mesh wash bags with rustproof zips, to hold such garments in the washer.
• Keep your washer and dryer safe from scratches and dust with a washable cover.
• For stitching up small tears or fixing buttons, you can keep a small sewing machine or just a sewing kit in your laundry room.
• Remove lint from your freshly-washed clothes with a lint roller. Keep one handy in your laundry room.
• If you have a front-load washer or dryer, then use the space on top of the machine by installing a countertop. You can place laundry supplies on it and use the space to fold clothes.
• For soaking or rinsing clothes before a wash, it helps to have a small sink or washtub in the laundry room. Make sure the sink can be connected to a ready water source and drain.
• A slip-resistant mat or rug keeps your laundry room's floor clean and prevents nasty accidents. Choose rug fabrics which can be easily washed and used.
• Mount shelves on walls to save counter space and keep laundry supplies at easy reach. You can use small plastic boxes or containers to separate out the supplies. Hanging wire racks on the wall, is another organization idea.
• A small wall-mounted cupboard would do for storing detergent, soap, clothespins etc. If floor space is available, opt for a little cabinet that will fit into the extra space.
• Remember to keep your laundry room kid-safe, by using childproof locks on cupboards and keeping shelves at a kid-unreachable height.

A laundry room can be a cozy and convenient hideaway, if you choose to decorate it accordingly. Aside from the standard laundry room accessories, you can add a few personal touches, like a small music system or using a decorative wallpaper on the walls.

smal kitchen design ideas

how to clean glassware & crystal

Take a little time to keep your glass sparkling.

Only put cheap drinking glasses in the dishwasher. Over time glasses washed in a dishwasher get a dull white film on them that may not come off - Okay for your bargain basement tumblers, but definitely not for your priceless crystal.  

Cloudy glasses can be tackled by soaking in warm (not hot) vinegar, then scrubbing, or try scrubbing with white toothpaste. If this doesn't work, your glasses are probably scratched by the dishwasher and unsalvageable.

Wash up crystal (or any glassware you want to keep) by hand, using ordinary washing-up liquid and rinse well. Use a plastic bowl to prevent knocks against a hard sink and leave to dry bottom up on a clean tea towel or buff carefully with a lint-free cloth.

Always check manufacturer's instructions first. Always try a test patch first. If you are unsure as to whether the item you are cleaning is suitable for our instructions, take professional cleaning advice first.

what to ask when buying furniture

1 What's My Style?
A quick scout around the high street, or an even quicker online search will soon flag up whether your taste is for the dark designer tones of wenge, the warmth of family-friendly warm oak or the glamour of pristine, touch-me-not white. If you're starting afresh, matching furniture does set an instant style, but if it's a case of adding to existing furniture, pick out pieces in similar colour tones and let the shape you already have dictate the terms.

Once the scene is set, all that's needed is one supermodel accent piece. See-through glass and acrylic furniture and glitzy mirrored finishes are bang on trend, or try an embossed metal effect from Graham & Green for an ethnic twist. For a classic appeal, painted furniture, with its roots in Gustavian or French country style, stands up well when used as a one-off piece among natural wood finishes.

2 Will It Fit?

Size and proportion are crucial when choosing furniture - too big and the room will be swamped, too small and you won't have enough storage. Check the fit before you buy, by taking measurements of the furniture, and making a newspaper template to spread out in your room. Consider modular designs or co-ordinated ranges which you can add to as your needs change, though bear in mind that wood will change colour as it ages, so buy a new piece later and it may not be a perfect match. Storage is always the big issue - opt for coffee tables with drawers, a TV stand with media storage beneath, or a whole wall of units with open shelves for display and cupboards to conceal your junk.

tips for lighting your living room

The Lighting Balanced

 

  especially if the room is large, or zoned into different areas (such as a dining area, a lounging area and a home office). What you need to work out is if each part of the room has adequate lighting for its purpose, but ensure that no particular area will overpower any of the other areas, once all the lights are on. Ideally, each different area will have its own pendant and accent lighting...

         !.. Problem Areas

Are there dark corners in your living room that need extra light? Floor and table lamps can be useful in providing pools of light throughout the day and evening and are an attractive way of brightening up darker areas.....

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How Big Is Your Room ? 

Getting the proportions of your lights right is just as important as the quality of light they'll give. Have you got room for a big chandelier, or maybe a compact spotlight will be more suitable? How high is your ceiling? If it is low, then a flush or semi-flush light may be the best choice. For larger rooms with high ceilings, a multi-arm light or chandelier with five or more bulbs would be a good buy.

 

What Atmosphere Would You Like To Create?

 

Take into account the different atmospheres you want to conjure up, too. The answer you give will help you decide how bright the lighting needs to be - and how easy to dim, too. Overall, it's worth fitting and buying lights that can be dimmed - from pendants right through to table lamps. Most stores sell a range of table lamps now that can be dimmed, just as most sell low energy bulbs that can be dimmed, too. Have you got space for wall lights? They are an excellent way to provide some soft, low-level light, creating atmosphere and warmth.

 

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