Category — Renovate

Creating a living room design that is stylish and functional takes planning and creativity.  Start by picking out the key colors of the room.  Those colors then need to be included in the pieces throughout the room.  Besides a common color theme, repeating a pattern to complete a living room design will help add visual interest and personality to a space.  Patterns are easy to incorporate into a room and allow the homeowner to showcase an interest or hobby.  The tips below provide suggestions on how to include the pattern in the various aspects of the living room without overpowering the space.

Furniture and Fabric
Most furniture in a functional and versatile living room will be a solid color.  This provides the perfect backdrop for repeating a pattern to complete a living room design.  If, for example, the pattern is that of a ship’s anchor, throw pillows in coordinating colors with either a large anchor design or an anchor printed fabric would be ideal. A throw blanket draped across the back of a chair in an anchor design would also help pull the pattern throughout the room.  Experiment with anchors in different fabrics.  Although the pattern should be the same, the texture of the fabric can be different.  For instance, a soft, breezy curtain embroidered with anchors works just as well as a chenille bolster with an anchor patch sewn onto it in creating consistency of pattern in the room.  Experiment with different fabrics and different size anchors to create a cohesive space.

Accessories
Accessories are a great and easy way to pull a pattern into a room.  In the case of anchors, a nautical style lamp or clock with an anchor somewhere on it would create a repeating pattern that draws the eye around the room.  A ceramic bowl with anchors painted on the sides and filled with seashells would make a beautiful focal point if placed on the living room coffee table.  Curtain hooks, a throw rug in front of the fire place and switch plates could all carry and repeat the anchor pattern.  Be careful, however, when accessorizing with a pattern.  Too much of a pattern can create a crowded and almost gaudy look, whereas too little does nothing to accentuate the room.  Finding the perfect balance between the two can be challenging.

Walls
Do not forget to use the walls to repeat a pattern in the living room.  Hand-painted picture frames with small anchors detailing their corners, a clock with an anchor on it or a real anchor hanging above the fireplace mantle, all work to repeat the pattern.  Wallpaper can also be used when decorating with a pattern, however it is a more permanent decorating solution.  Painted stencils used at the ceiling or chair rail height add visual interest to the room and help carry the pattern throughout the room.  Do not forget the walls, but also be careful not to overwhelm them with the pattern.

Repeating a pattern to complete a living room design is a fun way to accent the room with a central theme.  Shopping for just the right pieces is as much fun as seeing the finished room.  The hardest part of the project will be deciding which pattern should be repeated.

Artist, Jessica Ackerman, is a consultant with WallDecorandHomeAccents.com and describes how to decorate with large wall cross and metal fish wall hanging.

When we talk about remodeling our homes to be more environmentally friendly, we often focus on using bamboo flooring. However, there are many other beautiful building and home products made of bamboo, in addition to  floors. Here are a few ideas regarding how you can incorporate bamboo into nearly any renovation or remodeling project.

Bamboo Countertops. Bamboo is a tough and resilient building material, which explains why it is so useful as a type of flooring. Nonetheless, due to this durability and versatility, it is also an excellent choice for a kitchen or bathroom counter as well. It will never expand or shrink, like most wood selections. In addition, it is relatively inexpensive, so it is an excellent alternative to more costly granite or marble countertops. You can add specially made cutting boards made of bamboo as well, which eliminate any chance of chemicals or slivers in your food when you cut food products. Bamboo cutting boards can even be custom-built directly into the countertop itself.

Similarly, bamboo cabinets make a great addition to any kitchen, bathroom, garage, or other room that needs cabinet space. They are long lasting and durable, in addition to being stylish and beautiful. Bamboo building products are very unique, and a distinctive option not chosen by nearly as many people as one would think, considering all of the benefits offered.

Bamboo furniture is a popular idea for outdoor rooms and spaces, but can also be used to design a beautiful and exotic indoor area as well. It looks great in the living room, kitchen, dining room, bathroom, and even bedrooms. There are many different types of furniture that can be designed from bamboo building products. The most common options include dressers, armoires, trunks or foot lockers, couch/loveseat frames, chairs, headboard and/or footboard, and much more.

Choosing bamboo furniture is a great idea for people who want a lot of value and functionality in addition to environmentally friendly building ideas. They are durable, sturdy, and reliable, while still being very attractive and comfortable. Most furniture retail stores offer bamboo furniture, so be sure and ask about what is offered in your area when you are shopping for bamboo products.

Obviously, bamboo accessories are another great option, and can be found in dozens of online and traditional retailers all over the world. From picture frames to unique lamps, wall art, and even fireplace mantels, decorating with bamboo is almost as easy as remodeling with bamboo. In fact, most of us own at least one item that is either made of bamboo, or made with bamboo combinations or amalgamations.

Bamboo is a beautiful and durable building material that offers a great way to protect the environment without sacrificing something attractive. It can add value to your home, which is important regardless of whether you are trying to sell or considering selling in the future. Reducing our carbon footprint is important, and this is just another excellent way to make a better type of lasting impression on the world around us. We can all join in the green efforts with bamboo products, not just for floors, but also for the whole house.

Jessica Ackerman is a freelance writer and works for WallDecorandHomeAccents.com. She shares her wealth of knowledge on fish wall sculpture and outdoor wall clocks.

Remodeling Magazine’s 2009-2010 survey of remodeling projects shows that, when measuring for return on investment (ROI), seven of the top ten projects involved exterior improvements. The report also broke down improvement projects by region, and replacing home siding was a top-rated project in almost every part of the country. But which siding type is best in your neck of the woods?

Siding choice depends on budget

Remodeling Magazine found that vinyl siding replacement was a top choice for lower-budget renovations. These projects typically cost less than $15,000 and returned an average of just over 80% of their cost. Lower budget projects are popular in the current economic environment, and most upscale renovations ranked well down the list for ROI. However, fiber-cement siding cost versus benefit was the notable exception, with an ROI of 83.6 percent, placing it in second place overall in the survey and above vinyl siding. Fiber cement siding prices run about $1 per square foot more than vinyl siding. Fiber cement siding costs up to $2.50 per square foot less than wood siding, up to $11 per square foot less than brick siding, and as much as $26 per square foot less than natural stone siding.

Siding and insurance and tax savings

In addition to a potentially healthy return on investment when you sell your property, siding replacement may net you some savings on homeowner’s insurance or local tax breaks. This depends on what kind of siding you are replacing, if the replacement is considered energy-saving or green, and what hazards (fire? termites?) are common to your area. In Maryland, for example, improvements considered energy-saving (like adding insulation) can get you up to $1,500 in tax credits.

And while fire-resistant siding may lower your fire insurance bill, it might increase overall cost in other ways. Replacing siding could up your home’s value and the replacement cost, according to insurance expert Ryan Hurlbert, which could lead to a slightly more expensive policy. “It’s hard to make a statement that applies nationally; if there are discounts or tax credits, they are local, and you have to ask someone local,” he said.

Fiber cement sought after where fire is a factor

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Everybody’s often faced with the same conundrum when it comes to finding neat cabling solutions. More and more households are now hanging their TV sets against the walls of their homes because they can – with flat screen TVs.

A very common method for concealing your AV cabling these days is to build wall panels for your TV area. These wall panels are usually made from wood and have a small gap between the wall and the paneling to house the cables, hiding them from plain view. The TV and peripheral speakers can then be mounted against the panel. Whilst this is a rather costly design option, it has a long lasting aesthetic value to the overall look of a living room. For an affordable and more instant alternative, IKEA offers the BENNO TV bench with panel for RM699.00. With the BENNO, a flat screen TV can be hung on the reinforced back panel with the wires running behind the panel. The one good thing about the BENNO is that unlike a custom installed wall panel, it is mobile, not fixed.

Some homeowners go to the extent running cables within a wall, which requires some hacking and patch work to be carried out – this is also permanent and is a nightmare for cable maintenance. The cheapest current alternative is to use PVC cable housing which you can then paint over. However, this crude alternative is a slight eyesore because of its pronounced protrusion.

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With kitchen trends changing all the time, It is not easy to choose. You will need all the advice you can get.

First, you need to know whether you want a fitted kitchen or a pick-and-choose. Most people go for the former (also known as the built-in kitchen) as it maximises the available space you have, even weird or difficult corners by turning them into storage areas.

Don’t be fooled into trying to get the most minimalist kitchen because every practical household will end up having loads more items to store. The kitchens you see at showhouses don’t exactly exist — perfect for photos, never ideal for real living. A pick-and-choose, or freestanding, kitchen has a unique look and feel from each individual piece that makes up the area. When not done well, it ends up looking more of a mess than an appealing assortment of items sitting in harmony.

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Modern furniture can be staggeringly expensive, especially if you purchase it from retailers such as Lowes or Home Depot. It’s not their fault: those stores need to charge an arm and a leg just to make a little profit after they’ve incurred their own overhead costs. The problem is, these overhead costs trickle down to us, the consumers. That is why bathroom appliances and features like bathroom vanities are so costly, and that is why I am here to tell you that you don’t need to shop for your bathroom products in stores.

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Fireplaces are wonderful features in any home. The warmth and cozy family comfort long associated with roaring fireplaces has become the stuff of many a greeting card or ad campaign, and to this day, it represents the winter ideal. Because really, what could be better than a warm fireplace with an elegant fireplace mantel?
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If your living room could use a beautiful exotic touch, consider investing in some high-quality Oriental furniture.

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New bathroom vanities are all the rage in modern home renovation projects. This is not news to anyone. In fact, I’ve been saying it for months. A large double bath vanity in a master bathroom is a great way to facilitate daily hygienic tasks for you and a partner; an antique vanity will give your bathroom plenty of rustic, old-timey charm; and so on.
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If you are shopping for bathroom vanities in the United States, you are generally faced with this common conundrum: “do I pick the boring and ugly box with the boring and ugly cabinet doors made from oak, or do I pick the boring and ugly box with the boring and ugly cabinet doors made from birch?”
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