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Hampton Bay Ceiling Fans Can Help Your Room Makeovers

On 04.03.11, In Home Improvement, By Stevie Wonder

If you do not like the look of one or more of the rooms in your home, it is time to do a makeover. You can do this work yourself, and I highly recommend adding some Hampton Bay ceiling fans to your bedrooms at least. These fans will add a nice look to your rooms, and will provide a lot of functionality as well. Here is why I feel so strongly about Hampton Bay fans:

1. You can make a big change in any room for a small price — You can really make a big difference to any room in your home, and it is not going to cost you several hundred dollars to do it. If you shop around and pick up floor units or clearance fans, you can get a nice fan for your bedroom for about $100. This fan will provide decades of service, so it is well worth it.

2. You can find models that will fit your room’s look — You will find a nice range of fans provided by this manufacturer. You can get nice wood paddles, or you can find a lot of all white models that go with just about any look. You can get a lot of surface mount models, and Hampton Bay Lighting make a nice range of products with short and long extension rods as well.

3. You can add a fan on your porches or cellars to keep the air moving — If you have a nice screened in porch, you can really help keep the air moving with a small ceiling fan on the ceiling. This fan will move the air just enough to keep the air moving on muggy nights, and will not disrupt your activities at all. This is one of the uses of fans that a lot of people don’t think about.

You can really help your room makeover by deciding to add a ceiling fan. You can do the installation yourself which will really keep the cost of the project in line with your budget.

Blackout curtains and touch lamps: the finishing touches

On 03.28.11, In Home Improvement, By Stevie Wonder

Are you getting ready to start remodeling a bedroom in your house? You might have been putting the project off in response to the recent economic downturn, but might be surprised to learn that there are significant discounts available on parts, supplies, and accessories. These discounts are in response to drastically reduced consumer demand; if you have the remodeling budget available to tackle your redecorating or remodeling project, now is a great time to start.

There are two major mistakes that homeowners make when undertaking a remodeling project. The first, and most important, relates to their budget. Most redecorating projects are established on an unrealistically thin budget, which the project will easily exceed by 25% to 35%. To avoid this difficulty, you need to play a little numbers game with yourself. Choose your absolute maximum budget amount (be realistic here), then subtract 25% from that number. Plan to fit the entirety of your remodeling project within the remaining 75%. This will leave you a comfortable pad for unforeseen circumstances.

The second major project error that many homeowners commit is failure to plan in adequate detail. They’ll start a project strong, with great color and style choices, and get halfway through before realizing that there’s no way they can fit the rest of the project within their budget remainder. It pays to make a list, and allow that list to expand and contract over a period of a couple of weeks while you get it right. That way, you won’t forget items like bed linens, blackout curtains, the stylish touch lamp for your night table, the window valances, and the like.

Once you have your list complete, you can begin your remodeling or redesign project by finding an inspiration piece, which can be a piece of furniture, a color scheme, or even an accessory that you love. The rest of the design comes easily after that.

Affordable Room Makeovers — Three Money Saving Tips That Work

On 03.28.11, In Home Improvement, By Stevie Wonder

If you are looking for affordable home makeovers that you can do with limited skills, you are in the right place. I have a lot of experience with simple home makeovers, and I will suggest three money saving tips that will really help you stretch your redecorating dollars. Here are my best tips that will help you get over the hump in your room makeovers:

1. Buy in bulk on sale or clearance — When you know exactly what makeovers you are planning to do, you can start to look for sales and clearance events. If you know you are going to do a lot of painting, buy a couple of five gallon buckets and you will save a bunch of money. If you do not want to pay top price, never buy by the single gallon again.

2. Buy standard sized curtains and modify them — You can easily find affordable ready made curtains in your local KMart. You can take these very plain and simple curtains and modify them with your own custom valences. This will require you to learn how to sew a little bit, but the results are very much worth it. You can make a dramatic change to any room with some new custom looking curtains.

3. Learn to buy and install in groups of three — If you are going to hang some new Hampton Bay Lighting ceiling fans in all of your bedrooms, wait and look out for sales in the store. When the sale comes around, buy all three at once and save. Once you get into this mindset, you will never buy this type of item unless it is on sale. If you are going to install them anyway, buy them on sale.

I hope you are starting to see how easy it can be to save some big money on your home makeovers. You just need to plan ahead and set aside some money to buy in bulk. This approach will save you hundreds of dollars each year.

Roman Shades Are Available To Suit All Budgets

On 02.27.11, In Home Improvement, By Stevie Wonder

The question about how much you will be required to spend will be high on your mind when you think about purchasing Roman shades for your Windows. You may have prepared a budget for the purchase, but may not be sure whether you will be in a position to purchase something within the budget or will be required to spend more. You could put these fears to rest as you will be able to find Roman shades to meet the requirements of all people in the market. You can get Roman shades for as low as $ 20-$ 30 or can choose from varieties that will cost hundreds of dollars. Roman shades are available in a vast range that can suit the budget of every individual. Therefore you do not have to worry that you will not be in a position to find something that can suit your budget you have.

Your thinking would have been justified if you are thinking about purchasing plantation shutters which cost a lot more than Roman shades. In all likelihood, you would be required to spend hundreds of dollars when you think about having plantation shutters as window treatments. The difference between the two being the cost of raw material that has been used in making the window treatments makes people choose Roman shades over plantation shutters as they are more affordable. You could choose to have a set of shades that will either be within your budget or slightly higher, if you find that you are in a position to spend more than required. You will have shop around in a few stores or over the Internet to find Roman shades that will fit into your budget. However, you are not likely to end up disappointed as there are a number of retailers that will be willing to accommodate your request for affordable Roman shades.

Used Roman Shades Will Be Available To You Cheap

On 02.26.11, In Home Improvement, By Stevie Wonder

Window treatments are important to keep a place looking good and giving the owners an opportunity to regulate the flow of light and air into their place. They are also capable of giving people a sense of privacy when left fully closed. However, purchasing new Roman shades can prove to be an expensive purchase, which may not be within the budget constraints of many individuals. In such conditions, people would do well to look out for retailers that are in the business of selling used Roman shades, which will be in good condition.

These retailers would have purchased the used Roman shades from people that could either have moved away from their current place of residence or may have decided that they wanted a new set of plantation shutters mounted on their Windows. They may also have decided to sell the used Roman shades, which would have been purchased by the retailer. People should be taking a look at the stores of these retailers as they could end up getting a bargain from them. The Roman shades that people purchase could have some damages or may only require cleaning. These matters can be easily taken care of and people can find themselves in a position where they are getting an opportunity to purchase cheap Roman shades, which are being sold at throwaway prices.

People do not have, to look out for new Roman shades or plantation shutters when they want to have some kind of window treatments at their place. They can get in touch with retailers that are selling used material which will be in practically good condition. A few small damages that maybe noticed can easily be rectified for a small sum of money. People will be required to mount the Roman shades themselves as retailers would not offer them any assistance in this matter. However, people will find that they have managed to purchase a set of window treatments which will serve them well for some time to come.

How Much Do You Really Save Making Your Own Tiki Torches

On 01.31.11, In Home Improvement, By Stevie Wonder

A do-it-yourself approach to decorating and home improvement is commendable – even prudent IF you know what you’re doing, or aren’t too proud to read and follow directions. But if neither of these applies to you, you’d better not try this at home.

Making your own tiki torches to use at your outdoor party or luau is fairly simple; simple enough, in fact, to be a popular project for youth clubs such as scouts and 4-H to make. The question is, whether or not it’s worth the trouble. After all, a three year old can make butter, but does that mean buying it already made is a waste of hard-earned money?

To make your own tiki torch, you’ll need the following:

1.   Bamboo poles that are approximately 5 feet tall and at least 3 inches in diameter
2.   Strips of reed and leather lacing
3.   A canister of gel fuel

To make the torch you will need to weave a small basket using the strips of reed and leather lacing. You will need to do this using the end of the pole as the base for the basket. NOTE: You might need or want to use hot glue or rubber cement to attach the basket to the pole to insure it is securely in place. After this is done, place the canister of gel fuel into the bottom of the basket. Once you have the torch securely in the ground or bucket of sand, light the torch and enjoy!

If you’re what is called a ‘tactile’ or visual learner; meaning you have trouble following written directions, but need to watch someone or have illustrated instructions, they are available on line. Bamboo rods, reed, and leather lacing are available on line, as well, if you live in an area where these items are not easily available, too. But is it worth all the trouble? After all, a ready-made tiki torch can be had for around $3-5. Bamboo poles large enough for a torch, on the other hand aren’t nearly so cheap. They’re really pretty pricey. Add to that the cost of reed strips, leather or rawhide lacing, and the gel fuel, you’re probably looking at a total cost of somewhere between $12-$30 dollars plus shipping if you can’t find them locally. You don’t have to be smarter than a fifth grader to figure the math out on this one.

So unless you are just dying to be the next Martha Stewart or you need a way to keep a group of kids busy for an afternoon, buy the tiki torches to use for your patio lighting, and use the money you save to buy yourself something new to wear to your party.

Tagged with: Tiki Torches

French Country Colors for a Nursery

On 10.21.10, In Home Improvement, By Stevie Wonder

French country colors can be a little bit of a different take on a nursery. However, this kind of design style does use a lot of white and pastel so you won’t be straying from tradition too much. However, this is a way to really just give your room a little bit of character even if you want to venture more into country colors.

If you’re decorating a baby boy’s room than the French country colors are going to be a little bit different. Sure, you can still use blue, but it should be a softer blue. It should even have a little touch of purple to it so that it’s almost a periwinkle. You should stick with the midtone to the light tones. Another option would be just add a touch of green or gray to the paint. This can give more of an aged appearance because you aren’t just using such a bright and bold color. Often times you would never go with a primary color for the rest of your house. However, since this is so traditional in kids’ rooms it can be kind of tempting but it usually ends up looking like a box of crayons. So really just sticking with the traditional color but doing it in a new way is really going to change things up.

Paint can also work as part of French country color palettes for a little girl’s room. You could also go with the actual color of lavender. Lavender is extremely popular at least in this kind of design style as an herb. You could really draw inspiration from this color. This can help you to keep away from the bright purples. It’s going to seem a little bit more sophisticated. For pink paint colors, you’ll probably want to stick with rose tones. These aren’t too bright or too predictable.

Your accent pieces and furniture are also very important in the overall scheme for kids. This is what is going to either go with the flow or interrupt the flow. In this case, you might want to just find a lot of white furniture pieces. Another option would be to add in wainscoting or extra molding on the walls. This is a neutral kind of artwork and it adds architectural details to the room. This can seem very country but just changing up the color from a bright white can really change your total look. Instead of going with a bright white country look then go with more of an ivory or tan kind of color so that it has a little bit of an aged appearance.

Tagged with: country french colors • french country colors • french country paint colors

Different Types of Engineered Bamboo Flooring

On 10.09.10, In Home Improvement, By Stevie Wonder

Bamboo grows quickly making it an eco-friendly choice for flooring and other products. At this time it is in high demand for flooring and furniture. Bamboo is considered sustainable because it grows quickly and replaces the bamboo that is harvested for use. Bamboo is a grass and does not have to be replanted when cut for use. It grows prolifically in many different climates. Bamboo can be used for many products in place of wood. The light color and characteristics of bamboo make it desirable.

Bamboo flooring is offered in a several options. Personal preference guides most people to the right choice. Solid bamboo flooring is made by taking strips of bamboo and putting them together to create boards. The boards are then cut to make flooring. Engineered bamboo flooring is created by attaching the bamboo strips to wood planks. This process creates a strong, durable flooring. Woven strand bamboo flooring is created by using heat and pressure to bond the strands together. Of the three methods the strand woven bamboo flooring is considered the strongest and most durable. Bamboo can also be layered together in a vertical pattern. This creates a uniform look and eliminate the color variance created by the knuckles in the bamboo.

Bamboo has a neutral light color when it is untreated. The knuckles in the bamboo provide streaks of darker colors. This combination is unique and adds depth to the floor. To create a darker colored floor, the bamboo is treated with heat which causes the sugars in the bamboo fibers to darken of caramelize. This caramelization creates a rich deep color with lots of character. It is the same process as when a chef caramelizes onions and they go from white to a deep golden color. Whatever type bamboo flooring the person chooses they can assured that they are receiving a quality product, that is also eco-friendly. A quality bamboo floor will add a lot of value to the home. It is also one of the preferred floors buyers are looking for and makes a home more desirable to them.

Tagged with: bamboo flooring • engineered bamboo flooring • solid bamboo flooring • woven strand bamboo flooring

Cheap Conservatory Blinds – Tips in Buying

On 10.05.10, In Home Improvement, By Stevie Wonder

The next sensible decision to make after the construction of your conservatory is to choose some conservatory blinds. The main reason of installing conservatory blinds is to control the summer heat and extra glare of the sunlight entering the room. There are broad varieties of home blinds available in the market. They come in different designs, materials, sizes and colors.

Finding affordable window blinds is somewhat challenging because most of the conservatory blinds are quite expensive. They are rather costly due to the special features used. For instance, the fabric used for making these blinds might be expensive or the control system of the blinds might be stylish. If you have a very limited budget then it would be quite difficult to buy cheap conservatory blinds. Of course, you cannot sacrifice the quality of these conservatory blinds simply because of their cheap price. In order to package both quality and cheap price, below are some tips on how to choose wisely.

Firstly, it is important to visit as many suppliers of conservatory blinds as you can. This stands true to all types of buying decisions because doing this will allow you to compare not only prices but also the quality of materials and designs of the blinds. Just be sure that in your hunt for a conservatory blind, you will not spend so much money on it.

You have to remember that designs have an influence on the price tags. For instance, roller blinds and vertical blinds are not that expensive and one can buy these from anywhere. The more intricate the designs are, the more expensive they will be.

Furthermore, aside from visiting showrooms, you can check out the newspapers and the internet. Nowadays, supplier will post advertisement in the newspaper when they want to sell blinds in wholesale rate. Keeping a watch on such offers helps one to buy cheap blinds as the retailers give discounts on it. You have to make it sure that you will be there ahead of the other buyers as these kinds of promos quickly dissipate.

The online sites are also an excellent idea to look out for cheap conservatory blind offers. Browsing in the internet will yield so many online sites that will give you varying quotations depending on the quality and designs of conservatory blinds. You can also make your order and see how much it will cost so that you will have an idea if those particular blinds are within your budget.

Buying conservatory blinds online is actually a very good advice for those who want to purchase cheap ones. Because of the vast diversity of internet stores, competition is very high. As a result, many online companies do price reduction for the sole purpose of attracting and hoarding customers. This competition happening in the internet is indeed an advantage for those homeowners who want to buy cheap conservatory blinds. These blinds have the same quality and same features as those which are available in the market stores.

The most important tip to remember, however, is not to buy cheap blinds with poor quality. This will only make it expensive in the long run.

Tagged with: cheap conservatory blinds • conservatory blind

Hampton Bay Brushed Nickel Ceiling Fan – Beyond Borders

On 09.19.10, In Home Improvement, By Stevie Wonder

Electric fans have transcended beyond their common industrial appearance. The robot form with a head that swivels is the familiar fan concept. When space becomes a serious consideration and floor space is limited, people make use of the wall and ceilings. In terms of aesthetic appeal, then the ceiling fan certainly has the edge. Both ceiling and wall fans have the common design with the cover, but only a ceiling fan can extend beyond the limit. They have become decorative elements by doing away with the cover and having longer and wider blades. Blades can start from two to five at the most, depending on the size and theme of the room. Materials used may be made from either wood or metal. Wooden planks go well in a rustic or country themed living room, while the pure metal blades can fit futuristic and industrial themes.

Brushed nickel ceiling fans are not as plain as their name implies. Although they can go silver all the way, the fan blades can be the outlet for ingenuity with designs varying in shapes, sized and colors. They can either be pure brushed nickel from attachment to the blades or a combination using wooden planks in pleasant colors and metal installation surfaces and supports. Walk into any Home Depot store these days, and you are sure to see a lot of Hampton Bay brushed nickel ceiling fan choices on display, along with fans made from other materials. This is the store’s own brand, so they carry lots of them. For more of a choice, you can search online and see more of a selection. Any good fan should come with all of the necessary pieces that are needed to attach it to the ceiling. Things like mounting brackets and quality screws should come in the box. If not, a large store should be able to supply brushed nickel hardware that will match the item you purchased.

With a brushed nickel ceiling fan ideally occupying the focal point, designs have incorporated a light source as well instead of having a separate light source that might wreak a design havoc. Light and ceiling fan alongside one another is a design disaster. To maintain a decorative yet functional appeal, incorporating a light source right at the center of the fan assembly does score points in functionality. Truly an epitome of form in function rolled into one.

Such a ceiling fan contributes to a room’s appeal. The right design that complements the rest of the furniture in one’s room brings in esthetic harmony through the proper blending of forms and colors.

Tagged with: brushed nickel • brushed nickel ceiling fan • brushed nickel ceiling fans • brushed nickel hardware • ceiling fan • Hampton Bay brushed nickel ceiling fan

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