One of the biggest trends in home decorating—both inside and out—is the use of natural wood. Homeowners love the look of wood for outside decks, exterior trim, interior floors, moldings, baseboards—you name it. So, it should come as no surprise that the look of wood is also a desirable trend at the window.
When starting a new painting project, one of the first questions is "how much paint do I need?". It's the most important step to prepping your home improvement project. Learn the rule-of-thumb tricks straight from the pros on figuring out just how many gallons you need for your next painting project.
Perhaps you’ve considered the advantages of downsizing (a simpler lifestyle, less home maintenance and upkeep, and a potentially smaller mortgage) and the challenges (limited storage, less space for entertaining and a feeling of being “cramped”). But the transition can still be a difficult one. Here are some suggestions for helping you capitalise on your new, smaller digs.
Over the years, consumer research has confirmed that many do-it-yourselfers steer clear of wallpaper because they think it’s too hard or messy to hang—and even more so, they dread the prospect of trying to remove the wallpaper at some point in the future. However, consumer perceptions about wallpaper are largely outdated. Today’s wallpapers are easier to hang than ever, thanks to technological advancements in both the wallpaper themselves and the adhesives used to hang them.
Choosing faucets, cabinet pulls, lighting fixtures and other hardware can be one of the most stressful tasks in a home remodel. Should you choose chrome, nickel, pewter, copper, bronze or gold fixtures? Should they be polished, satin, brushed, matte, rubbed, antiqued or distressed? Should the same metal be repeated throughout the home? And should you also match door hinges, door knobs and other extraneous hardware pieces?
As you inspect your deck and patio furniture this spring, you may notice that the pieces need freshening up. This might be especially true if you live in one of the states hard-hit by storms this past winter. Don’t worry: You may not need to buy new furniture. With the right products and a little elbow grease, those pieces can be in tip-top shape in no time.
If your spring cleaning list includes straightening or clearing out a few closets, why not take this a step further and redesign them, too? With the popularity of such TV shows as “Tidying Up” and “Bea Organised” as well as the abundance of closet organisers on the market, closets are enjoying a new status in the home. The trend is for closets that not only work better but look and feel better, too. Here are some steps to help you achieve it.
