Home Design: March 2014

Hiring An Interior Designer To Help You

Redecorating a room can sometimes be a tough job, especially if you haven't done this before. People are afraid to resort to the help of professionals because they believe these services are too expensive, so they prefer to let less experienced people handle the job.

The industry of interior designs has known a period of development, therefore, customers may hire an interior decorator based on their financial possibilities. If you want to choose the best color schemes and furniture pieces for your home, you should definitely consult the agencies that are more suited for your budget and see which ones are willing to offer you the best prices.

Interior designers have lots of knowledge about colors, materials and shapes which enables them to choose the best decor for all your rooms. Since furniture pieces can be easily acquired from specialized stores, interior experts must concentrate their entire attention on the selection of the rugs and curtains. Draperies play an important part in the aspect of the room; depending on the fabrics and colors you choose, you may create various effects for your room, such as, adding more light and color to the available space.

The expert will provide you with all the samples you need in order to judge whether the decoration he/she creates is in keeping with your style. It is advisable that you request your designer to produce a room layout in order to avoid making wrongful changes that will eventually cost you more money. Pay attention to the illumination system and try to combine as much as you can both natural and artificial light into a unitary arrangement.

If necessary remove the old windows and replace them with new ones that can better direct the light into your room. The interior design expert will also advise you in relation to the form of the window pane and the color; however, you need to make sure you choose something that will enable you and your family to feel comfortable, not just something that your designer wants you to choose.

An interior designer has all the solutions you need for the decor of your house, so you no longer have to do everything by yourself. It's time you let professionals work for you, if you want to achieve the best results for your home. Thanks to them, you can now relax while you redecorate and get ready to enjoy the final outcome.

5 Great Home Improvement Projects That Will Save You Money Without Sacrificing Quality

Home improvement projects are a given when you own your own property. No matter the size, age or location of your home, at one point or another you're going to run into an issue that needs to be addressed. Some of these repairs and replacements are a necessity to have your home continue to run at it's best, while others are simply design and style desires.

Saving money is always a good thing, but you also want to think about the old saying, "you get what you pay for". Cutting costs can work for you, if done right. That's why it's always important to figure out all the details of your upcoming home improvement project to decide on exactly what you can do without. Also take into account a few different contractors. Don't go with one company just because their price is lower; balance cost and quality to have the best result.

Kitchen Cabinet Refacing

Kitchen remodeling is one of the most popular home improvement projects across the nation. Many homeowners grow tired of their outdated cooking space, and look for something brand new in their kitchen. While a full kitchen remodeling project is the best way to get the custom kitchen you've always wanted, they come with a pretty hefty price tag. Cabinet refacing is a great way to give your kitchen a beautiful new look without emptying your entire savings account. Since your kitchen cabinets take up a good amount of the visual space in your cooking area, when you change them, you change the whole room. A skilled kitchen cabinet refacing contractor will be able to give your cabinets a great new feel in the color and style that matches exactly what you have in mind. Combined with brand new hardware, you have a fresh new kitchen at a small fraction of the price!

Paint Your Home's Trim

Getting tired of what you see every time you pull into your driveway. Many homeowners get tired of the same old look of the exterior of their home. While painting the entire outside of your home will most certainly change that, it's not always the best option. You may have vinyl or aluminum siding which can be a pain to paint, and not to mention quite costly, or maybe you can't justify spending the money simply because you want a new look. Well, trim painting is a great solution. You're looking at spending less than $1,000 for just about any home, which most can stomach. When you change the color of your trim you can really give your entire home an amazing new look, by simply introducing a new accent color. Many professional painting contractors will be able to show you computer generated images of your home with just about any color trim you're looking for. This means you can see exactly what you're going to get before a single brush stroke is laid down. You can change your home's exterior quickly and cheaply with a new coat of paint on your trim.

Create A Good Relationship With a Local Handyman

These days who really has the time to be spending working around the house every weekend? Many homeowners are busy with children's activities, work, chores or simply relaxing, that they don't get to a majority of their minor home repair projects in a timely fashion. A skilled local handyman contractor will be able to complete all of your small repair, replacement and installation projects in a fraction of the time it would take your average do-it-yourselfer. Find a reliable and experienced handyman to work with and establish a great relationship. If a handyman contractor knows they have your business in the future they will be much more likely to give you discounts and better pricing on all of your home improvement needs. They will also be quite familiar with all of your home's inner workings, saving them time on projects that would normally take longer on a new home. This means on top of any repeat business discount you get, you will also save on the labor time charge.

Use Composite Flooring

Has the time come to replace your home's flooring? Whether it's a small section or your entire home, flooring projects can become expensive if you don't consider all of your options. Sure hardwood and tile floors are very aesthetically pleasing, but at a steep price. The same look can be had with composite flooring. With a feel and design which can mimic just about any material from stone to wood; composite flooring gives you the beauty you're looking for but at a price you can afford. A local flooring company or contractor should be able to provide you with samples of every type of composite flooring material. This means you'll be able to see exactly what goes with every room, giving you the peace of mind you deserve on your flooring project.

Have Your Gutters Cleaned Regularly

Sure your gutters are just little aluminum troughs attached to the top of your home, but they actually play a very important roll in protecting the rest of your home from the harmful effects of Mother Nature. Your gutter system safely routes water from your roof away from your home's vulnerable interior systems and foundation. When gutters fail you're sure to see roofing damage, wood rot and basement flooding. All of which aren't fun or cheap. The thing is many gutter problems are simply clogs. Leaves and debris collect in the gutters or downspout and prevent water from traveling their desired course. An experienced gutter cleaning contractor will be able to quickly un-clog any bad spots in your gutter system. This gets your gutters working like new and saves you the cost and headaches of major repair and replacement projects. Gutter systems also last much longer when they are cleaned on a regular basis.

These are just a few of the many ways to save on your home improvement projects without sacrificing on the quality of the job. When you take into account all of your options you will certainly find a solution which fits your budget and schedule. Just remember to compare a few quotes from local, reliable and trustworthy contractors before committing to a certain expert. You can use an online contractor referral site to find pre-screened contractors in your area, who provide absolutely free estimates on all of their services. Get started on your next project and use these cost saving tips to find a result you can afford.

This article was written by Aaron Klimchuk, the content manager for online home improvement resource BizziBid. This website provides it's visitors with information and tips on just about any residential or commercial home improvement project. They also match users with the most qualified home improvement contractors in their area.

Tuscan Interior Design - Reasons for Decorating Within This Style

If you ever feel like redecorating with specific Italian interior design elements, then go for Tuscan interior design, as it genuinely describes the Italian atmosphere. Writer Irving Stone described Tuscany, the originating province of this decorating style, as "the most beautiful garden of Italy", whose scents, colors, fields and hills had inspired so many artists.

Nature's amenities were used as valuable inspiratory sources and elements like stone, wood and iron became trade marks for this decorating palette. One of the many reasons for choosing this style over others is that the interior spaces are extremely welcoming and cozy, being bathed in natural sunlight and heat throughout the entire day. A rustic simplicity draws a familiar touch, combining comfortable pieces of furniture with natural colors and design elements.

Nothing sophisticated should be done within your home redecoration process. Remember that this style had been conceived for the purpose of retreating from the urban tiring life and thus the interior redesign should help you shape your own relaxation oasis.

Another reason that is worth mentioning is that you can enjoy the nature's beauty by making use of natural materials. Stone walls, marble floors, wrought iron accessories, stucco wall decorations are elements that will define your Tuscan interior. If you care for intimacy, use drapes made of transparent fabrics, in order to enable natural light to invade your room.

The color palette is nature inspired, having tones such as ginger, ochre, green, blue and yellow. A Tuscan interior should embed elements like wide wooden boards for the flooring, stone slabs, colored bricks or ceramic tiles. The furnishing is straight and simple, having accent elements like terracotta slabs, wrought iron and marble accessories.

Remodeling kitchens should take account of the fact that a genuine Tuscan cooking area is all about food, wine and natural elements and this is yet another argument in favor of this style. Therefore, place a long wooden family table, cabinets and shelves for wine bottles, glass jars filled with pasta and olives and don't forget flower vases. Emphasize the rustic atmosphere with fruit hampers, garlic and pepper ropes, hanging grapes and add color with majolica dishes.

Redecorating your home with Tuscan specific elements is an experience that is both challenging and entertaining. If you remember the basic rule of bringing nature into your home by using stone, wood, water and specific colors, the outcome will be an authentic warm and peaceful Tuscan interior design for your home.

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Read Ahead to Get Your DIY Home Improvement Repair Done at Zero Cost

Home improvement sounds exciting and brings up images of a swanky looking home with great interior designs, furniture and furnishings. However, the image will become a reality only if you prepare a budget, plan your expenses and search for home remodeling discounts.

Where can you find discounts and special offers?

Search:

o Local hardware stores
o Home decorating stores
o Online stores
o Competitions and other events

Note, before you begin the actual work, it is imperative that you know what you want. It could be easy to spent a fortune on improvements, yet ended up with feeling dissatisfied. So the first thing to do is not prepare a list of your desires and expectations.

The next thing to do is to prepare a budget to determine the expenditure involved in the whole process. If you cannot afford the expenditure, it is advisable to tone down your plans.

No Progress Without A Budget

When preparing the budget, consider the various discounts and promotional offers available in different stores. This will bring down your expenditure and a previously unaffordable wish list may fit your budget after considering the discounts.

Check out the internet for home improvement discounts. Shopping online always fetches you a good deal as goods are cheaper when purchased from online stores. If you manage to find discounts when shopping online, you can drastically cut down your expenditure.

Another good way to find home improvement discounts is to join a sweepstakes. Large electrical stores and mortgage companies organize these competitions and offer home DIY repair and other packages as prizes.

Home repair stores also organize such sweepstakes as well. So don't hesitate to try your luck. With a new and improved home as the prize, what is the harm in trying?

Many stores, online and off, are keen on organizing these events and this gives them a lot of publicity. If you win a prize in such a sweepstakes, there is no doubt that you will be loyal to that particular store only.

Home Depot, America's biggest online store dealing in home remodeling goods, is famous for organizing such sweepstakes. The events have been structured to give maximum people a chance to win a prize.

Some prizes are coupled with other tickets and the right combination can get you even a bigger prize. All you need to do is join the sweepstakes and wait for lady luck to smile on you. The best part is that the Home improvement sweepstakes is open for any and every visitor of the store.

These and other competitions are popular as everyone has an equal chance of winning. It is just a matter of being at the right place at the right time. People enjoy such participating because they do not stand to lose anything.

The rules and regulations governing the sweepstakes are purposefully designed to give all the participants a fair chance. When planning your home improvement, do not forget to explore this option to get your home improvement done for free or at very low cost.

Home Improvement Loan - Easy Funds to Change the Outlook of Your Home

Home is an important asset for you and to keep it intact and maintain its beauty, you need to constantly make some certain changes and repairs. Over the years, the architectural design and style of home changes and to keep up with the trend, you too have to make some changes accordingly. However, the repair and changes will alone require a lot of funds , which may not be available with you. even then, this does not seem to be a problem, as you can arrange the funds by opting for home improve loans.

These loans are mainly designed to help you with finances, so that you can cover all the expenses pertaining to home reconstruction and improvement. You can utilize the funds to meet expenses on construction of home, extending kitchen, purchasing furniture's, erecting a swimming pool in the courtyard, altering the face of your home, repair of doors and furniture etc.

This loan is made available to you in secured and unsecured form. Secured form of the loan is meant to offer a bigger amount and to access the loan; you have to pledge one of your assets as collateral. You can pledge the home also collateral. You can not only derive a large amount, but owing to the presence of an asset, you get to access the loan at comparatively low interest rate. The reimbursement term too is fairly large and spans over a longer duration.

Unsecured form of the loan can be acquired without pledging collateral and this is what makes it a risk free option. This option of the loan can be best used to meet the small term financial requirements. It is made available for a short term period and is approved against a slightly high rate of interest.

Home improvement loan is easy to access and can be derived from lenders based in the physical as well as online market. Online application is easy to access and can be derived instantly. Further, on comparing the rate quotes of various lenders, you can very well get access to a deal that suits your circumstances.

Great Interior Design Ideas For An Office

Great minds can produce new ideas in nearly any environment, but an inspiring office will only make the brainstorming process easier. Interior design for work spaces follows the same basic rules as a kitchen or other utilitarian areas. Keep your furniture to a minimum and ensure each piece has a purpose. Let your personality and taste shine through in your office with the right accessories, color combinations and artwork. Small adjustments like the addition of a new rug or a different lamp can turn an uncomfortable office space into the perfect headquarters for a true genius. Here are five great ideas for adding the right touch to the interior design of your office.

Stick To A Coherent Theme

Mixing ultra modern and classic furnishings may sound exciting, but it can create a space lacking a central theme. It is easy to feel disorganized or cluttered in an office with mismatched furnishings. Stick to a simple theme and play around with contrast at the accessory level. Try hanging a large landscape painting in oil on the wall of a monochrome and minimal office for a touch of the traditional that doesn't disrupt the entire room.

Architectural Light Fixtures

A simple desk lamp can provide the light you need for work, but large and sculpted light fixtures are far more inspiring to the mind. Add a central fixture if the room is mostly square, or try a few smaller fixtures for long or oddly shaped offices. Multiple sources of light also make it easy to adjust the light level when working. Bright light helps you stay alert when you need to work through the night, while dimmed mood lighting makes a client or customer feel at home.

Cut Down The Clutter

No matter what interior design scheme you choose try to avoid adding unnecessary clutter. An end table full of knick knacks may sound like a great decoration, but it doesn't have the same impact of a single large focal piece. Choose furniture with modular storage options if you don't know how much paperwork and supplies you'll need to keep organized. Many desks allow you to add side cabinets that fit seamlessly with the original design when you need another drawer for pens and important memos.

Plan For The Public

If you will be visiting with clients or partners on a regular basis in your office, consider creating a public and private space. Anything from a simple screen to a hanging wall divider can help separate your office into the two spaces. You can decorate the public section with neutral colors and decorations and save personal photos and your board of inspiring images for the private area.

Focus On The Natural Beauty

Try outfitting your office with a few upgrades to the flooring or wall coverings instead of purchasing new furniture. Laying rich natural stone tiles or an elegant wallpaper can make a serious impact on the office without requiring you to find space for another piece of art or a larger desk.

Questions On Home Improvement? Here Are The Answers!

You would normally consult your family or friends or even neighbours when you have questions on home improvement. But how do you manage when none of these people are around? How can you consult someone who is not there? So whom should you turn to in the time of your need? Well, when you don't have another person around, there are a lot of other options at your disposal. Some of your questions might find solutions if you read up articles on home improvement in a magazine or a book. You can flip any pages of home improvement catalogues or switch on your computer and enter the world of internet to find reliable answers to all your questions. It's a whole new world at your fingertips which holds the answers to whatever questions you may have.

The help you would receive from magazines, books or catalogues is limited in the sense all these are published monthly or weekly, and if they don't hold all the answers to your queries, you have to wait for their next issue to find the answers which could be anywhere next week or next month. Obviously, you cannot afford to wait endlessly once you are halfway through a job for the finishing instructions. So this option does not hold true for your problems.

The internet offers the best solution for you. It has complete information on everything and you can rest assured that your questions will definitely find an answer there. Every day, thousands of people all over the world ask home improvement questions and they leave the internet feeling very happy that all their questions have been answered. The information available on the internet is very vast whatever be the topic so your home improvement question is sure to find at least a hundred answers. Everyone encounters these home improvement questions but not everyone is able to find an answer on his own. So logging on to the internet provides the seeker with all the answers. So even if you have started a job with full confidence, but are stuck half-way not knowing how to proceed, rather than ask your wife about the solution, you can approach the internet and find all the solutions you need to finish your task triumphantly!

So even when nobody is around to help you with answers to your home improvement questions, you have a vast information at your disposal at the click of your mouse which is quite free. It may not be totally reliable at all times, but at least you can have your questions answered!

Interior Design Careers For Artistic People

Interior designing is a career that entails aesthetic vision blended with creativity and imagination. Designing interiors is an art that involves shaping interior spaces using spatial volume along with the surface treatment. It draws inspiration from environmental psychology, decoration styles of the past and present, architecture, and designs that infuse a pleasant appeal. This creative profession requires an artistic bent of mind, combined with discipline, concentration, and the skill to transform imagination into design.

The Profession:

Since time immemorial, the practice of interior design has been alive and flourishing. People have always decorated their homes in various styles to enhance its beauty. However, this art has now become a profession, and various institutions have started teaching it as a formatted course. These courses teach students how to manipulate the architectural features of interior spaces, by creating a distinct experience of lifestyle, through the visualization of how the inhabitants of the space will use it.

Interior design courses enable students to:

a) Analyze specific needs of clients, their objectives and life safety requirements.

b) Integrate observation with intricate knowledge of interior design.

c) Formulate fundamental aesthetic and functional design concepts in congruence with the client's specification.

d) Develop and present final design recommendations through presentations, incorporating suitable media.

e) Get certified to perform the job, as it is illegal to work unless you are certified.

f) Prepare and manage bids and documents of contract as a client's agent.

g) Review and appraise design solutions both while implementation, and after completion.

Specializations

An interior designer can specialize in various areas according to their specific interests, skills and qualifications. It could include residential, commercial, corporate, hospitality, healthcare and institutional design. In addition, there could be further distinct expertise acquired, depending upon one's inclination to specialize in a particular field. This could include restaurants and cafeterias, offices and general stores, medical facilities, and many more, which could require further certification.

Styles

Styles in interior design could vary from traditional to modern, environmental to residential, and others, but revolving around the basic concept of design principles. Design principles are the standard guidelines for artists involved in the profession of designing. It includes balance, proportion, unity, isolation, domination and repetition. Color, ergonomics, as well as the basic functions of design, help an interior design artist understand and develop designs in an aesthetic manner. The concept of form, mass, shape, line, pattern and texture add to the beauty of a design by enhancing style.

Skills Required

The profession of interior designing mainly focuses on the ability to satisfy the client's requirement according to their specifications. In order to accomplish the job proficiently, an interior designer needs to possess the following skills:

a) Technical And Artistic Requirements: Interior designers should know how to plan and present a space so that the ideas incorporated can be communicated well to the client. They should also be knowledgeable about products and materials to enable them to decorate the space, defining texture, color, and lighting. Technical specifications such as health, safety and building codes should also be kept in mind.

b) Interpersonal Communication Skills: An interior designer needs to possess excellent communication skills, as it would be significant to convey the concepts of design to clients. This helps in presenting the final design and negotiating with clients in order to solve misunderstandings and arrive at consensus.

c) Management Strategy: It is very important to have a hold on project management abilities, as they frequently work on various projects under acute pressure of deadlines. Therefore, designers need to understand the basics of business planning so that they can market their brand name, designs, and maintain good business relationships with their clients.

Interior design is both an art and a science; it creates attractive designs and transforms dull spaces into lively ones, using the science of spatial design, color compatibility, and structure specification. It is certainly a profession for artistic people who possess the ability to sense and implement aesthetic elements in design.

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