Windows Not Just a Piece of Glass

It’s early in the morning and you’ve just opened the curtains to bring in the bright new day. Or perhaps the snow is falling softly outside as you snuggle up with a cup of hot cocoa at your window seat and take in the view. Windows have been around for hundreds of years, and while their basic purpose has not changed, they have gone from being a necessary “hole in the wall” to a significant element of design.
What is the definition of a Window? According to Webster’s dictionary, a window is an opening, usually framed and spanned with glass, built into a wall for light and air. We still use windows for this fundamental purpose. Properly placed windows can provide cross ventilation and eliminate the need for artificial lighting during the day. Most people have at one time or another been in a dark, dreary room that simply needed the light of a window. Current national code requires that the glazed area of the windows (that is the glass itself) equal 8% or more of the square footage of a room.
Windows can range widely in style and cost. If you prefer contemporary styling, you may choose to go with a casement style window (a unit that either cranks out to the left or to the right). A more traditional style is the double hung unit (a unit that slides up and down). Other styles include horizontal sliders, awnings, and transom windows. A window manufacturer can provide detailed descriptions of the various styles available. The styles are as plentiful as the prices are varied. Of course, you can mix and match units. For example: in your kitchen you may desire a casement unit above the sink because they are easier to open reaching over the counter; however, adjacent to the kitchen, in a gazebo shaped breakfast area, there is no reason you should not consider using double-hung units.
Let’s take a closer look at the two most popular units, the casement and double hung window. There are pro’s and con’s to both. The casement offers full ventilation when opened where the double-hung only gives about half. However, if you have a group of casements units overlooking your deck or patio, be aware that casements take up exterior living space. So be careful at parties; open casements can be very painful when walked into. Probably the best part of double-hung units is many new models tilt in for easier cleaning, where as the casement does not offer a similar feature.
Whether you are building new, adding on additional space, or renovating a room in your home, the windows you choose should play a major role. When looking at windows for your new project, look carefully at the hardware, is it well manufactured? Plastic hardware may provide a more contemporary look, but also tend to break sooner. Open the windows at the showroom, do they operate easily? Do they offer a good warranty on the unit as a whole? Most manufactures should cover the windows for at least ten years. Check the energy efficiency (insulation value) of the particular units you are interested in. I recommend a minimum insulation value of R-3. Most units nowadays carry an insulation value of at least this, and very often it is higher. Overall, examine the quality of the unit on the interior as well as exterior.
You will find that the cost of windows is quite significant, but you get what you pay for. You want your windows to last 30 to 50 years, therefore they need to be constructed from good quality materials and made to last for long time. If you skimp on quality, you may have problems in as little as 5 years. Depending on the number of windows your project calls for, you should plan to spend approximately 5%-10% of your entire building budget if you are adding on or building a new home. This percentage is higher for smaller renovations.
Windows provide much more than light and air today. A properly designed window can make or break the mood of a room. Today’s windows should be treated as an integral part of the design and NOT JUST A PIECE OF GLASS.

Get the right and balanced home improvement

Home Improvement scenarios have appreciated excellently over the years. The need for balanced home improvement has insured great levels of professionalism in the process. As a house owner you need to make certain considerations before even starting a home improvement process. The time at hand, the budget and the technical specifications play a major role in home improvement procedures. You need to maintain equilibrium in all aspects to ensure that all the criteria are met. So, let us discuss certain key areas and elements that need to be looked into for a balanced home improvement.
The Budget: Undoubtedly, the budget plays a huge role. You must always keep the monetary considerations in mind before you decide on the home improvement process. This helps you get a clear cut perspective on the key areas of your home that need improvement. The budget justification of these areas is also the key. Firstly, you can always specify a gross budget. Then you can specify the vital aspects of home improvement. Lastly, cross check whether the budget fits your home improvement demands. Such thorough analysis will help you eliminate the unwanted home improvement needs that might arise out of random sampling.
Use of Resources: Effective and efficient use of resources is the key. It is important that you know your house well. You must have good knowledge of your household goods and the durability factor involved with them. A reasonable analysis helps you know the actual need for change or make over in all the relevant areas.
Integration of the Elements: Integration of certain elements can bring a sense of uniqueness to the home. A good balance of the elements can help any room feel more inviting. Try wood and houseplants to invoke the feel of earth and air. Plants are especially good because not only do they look nice, they actually improve the quality of the air. Candles are great to bring fire’s warmth into a room, as is a fireplace. And a gorgeous fish aquarium or tabletop fountain provides the soothing energy of water. This is one example that presents a blend of exceptional budgeting and efficient utilization of resources.
Renovation: “Renovate” is the key to any home improvement project. You should always know the longevity of all our home belongings. This helps you judge the span of your home improvement project and the time specification you can have. The thin line that separates the need to renovate and the need to change can make a vital difference to the cost of any home improvement project.
The Exteriors: With all the potential improvements you can make to the interior of your home, it’s easy to neglect the outside. But the outside of your home is the first thing people see. If you live in a wood home, make sure the paint is fresh and un-chipped. Paint the shutters a new color to give your home renewed interest. Flower plantation and tree swings can add a great charm to your garden. Installing a pool or hot tub is also a good idea. Not only will you get the benefits of having your own place to splash around in, your home will be worth more if you ever decide to sell it.
Flooring: The flooring or the baseline of the homes makes a lot of difference. These days you have options to choose from. You can always try the new eco-friendly floor heating options available in the market. These not only keep your floor warm in winters but make sure that the heating is balanced in accordance with the outside temperature. They also serve as the best home improvement tasks when it comes to balancing. The amount of energy saving that they do as being substitute to floor heaters is phenomenal.
I hope these details help you get the right and balanced home improvement.
Copyright © 2010 FlooringSupplyShop.com

Trend Setter in Home Furnishing

Home furnishing has always been thought off as the most tedious task in home management. The time consumption that takes place is something that has always been a hindrance in home furnishing. House owners these days have shifted focus to an all new concept of home furnishing. Popular trends in home furnishing include mixing old and new, classic and contemporary. Furniture has always been on prime radar of the house owners. They look for a mixed blend of beauty of the art and color in the furniture. But, choosing the right blend and in appropriate measures is the key. Furniture makers have been very responsive to this fashion, so now it’s easier than ever to purchase fine reproductions of vintage and modern collections. So here are some important trend setting aspects and designs that make your living area complete. You can either opt for singular collection or blend of many depending on your requirements and taste.

Gold Furniture: This is one of the major trend setters as far as home furnishing is concerned. Regarded as one of the oldest and royal home furnishing design, gold furniture types are no more luxurious and costly. Gold French furniture is nowadays usually finished in genuine gold leaf, and artisans make sure to give a distressing look to those areas where most natural wear would have occurred. The outcome is just awesome. This is a hard earned creation as it undergoes a multi tasking process of hand sanding, filling, sealing, painting and antique aging. Rich Rococo pieces, such as beds and chests of drawers are hand-carved, again, following the methods used hundreds of years ago.
The Vintage Style: Again a very effective and costumer centric furniture pattern. Vintage is generally a blend of Rococo furniture and chateau style. Versailles style is way over the top, but using a few rococo and baroque style items, such as a reproduction chateau de Versailles chandelier or a beautiful gilt mirror will give a glamorous look to your contemporary home. People with large dining rooms generally prefer this style of furniture.

The Mirrored Furniture: This is generally used when house owners want to bring some sanity to the house. Instead of glitter of artwork, many a times the mirror furniture is preferred by house owners. If you want something more exotic, choose a couple of items from a popular silver embossed range and mix them with white painted chateau furniture.
The Real Budget Design Ideas: If a budget based home furnishing is your cup of tea, then here are some important designing ideas for you. De Cluttering is always a good idea to start with. Minimizing accumulation is the key. This can be done by deciding which items must be retained and which can be thrown out or given away. Then be sure to maintain this system on an ongoing basis. Color management also plays a very vital role. Consulting a home furnishing expert also can be of great help. You’ll better understand how to incorporate color, lighting and texture into a room and also receive valuable tips on ensuring furnishings are in proportion with other things in a room for visual appeal.
With the wealth of information available, designing your first home or redesigning the interior of your existing home becomes a fun and exciting and cheap project rather than a stressful chore. By combining your creativity with tips gathered from various cheap or free publications, your home interior design project is sure to turn out to be a stunning success. As a final suggestion, surfing the internet and finding different combination’s and permutations that work can also provide relevant inputs.

I hope these inputs help you enhance some knowledge on catching the right trend in home furnishing.
Copyright © 2010 FlooringSupplyShop.com

DIY projects An ideal option for overcoming the economic slowdown

With the economic slowdown affecting everyone in some way or the other, people are on the lookout for measures to reduce their expenses. A major portion of a homeowner’s income goes towards several home repair and renovation jobs. It is one cost you cannot restrain as there is always some or other home repair or improvement required to be done. Hiring a professional contractor for house repair or improvement proves quite expensive and home owners are now opting to do these jobs themselves.
The ‘Do It Yourself’ (DIY) home repair or improvement measures have gained popularity over the past few years. Due to the rising price of materials as well as fees of professional contractors, homeowners are opting to do the repair jobs on their house, on their own. These require diligence as well as knowledge since, carpentry or plumbing activities not simple.
Moreover, with substantial information available on the net, the DIY enthusiasts can easily accomplish different projects such as tiling, grouting, carpentering and flooring, easily.
The DIY projects help the homeowners save significant amount of money which they would otherwise have to give it to their contractors. Before starting any DIY project you must gather all the information about the different aspects of the task, including tools and materials required. You can get information on the internet, or better, take help of your friends who have completed similar task before so that you can learn from their experience.

Moreover, since you are not dependent on the contractors for material, you can choose any material as per your requirement and budget. You must also survey the market so that you can get quality material at less cost. Be sure not to compromise on the quality just to save a few dollars. Since you are doing the job yourself, you can define the time and deadlines for the task. Along with saving money, it also gives an opportunity to test your skills and get the sense accomplishment on completing the job properly.
Home improvement and repairs, cannot be escaped if you wish to keep the house in good condition. However it can involve significant expenditure, which is not favored by many, especially due to the economic slowdown. In such a condition, doing the job yourself rather than hiring a contractor can save homeowners a lot of money. Irrespective of the size of the job, any opportunity to save on extra expenditure will always prove beneficial. Before staring any DIY project, you must gather all the information as well as tools required so that you can carry the job effectively. Only precaution while doing the task is that you must judge yourself and ensure you are fit for the task. Apart from this, you must keep in mind that, it takes a great deal of patience to perform any repair or renovation job; therefore you need to approach the repair or renovation task only after you have gained ample knowledge and defined a reasonable time line to finish it. This ensures that you do not mess up things and incur more expenses fixing it.
Copyright © 2010 FlooringSupplyShop.com

Climatic Interior Decoration Ideas Inspired by Nature The Summer Season

Interior designing patterns have evolved immensely over the years. The latest trend that has taken the center stage is interior designing based on climate. The summer season is now being regarded as a period when you can opt for different patterns for interior designing and home improvement. These patterns may be based on space management, eco friendly home management or color management of the home. As a house owner you tend to spend a healthy amount on your home management projects. You try and take inspirations from different sources to land on an ideal combination that will best suit your needs. You take inspiration from art works, internet, newspapers etc. Another source of inspiration that at times is overlooked is the Nature. The nature can very easily be the best inspiration for any home interior designing project. There are certain aspects of nature that can help you in clubbing different combination’s and permutations. Here is a look at some of them.
Light: This source can prove to be the insight of your interior designing project. Different lighting patterns help you understand your designing needs better. Most of us feel better in summer than other times of the year because there are more daylight hours. Similarly, the ways in which you use lighting in your home will affect your mind, body, and spirit.

Color: This is yet another important ingredient of nature that can be very useful. The color defines the beauty of the room. A lot of the color usage depends on the individual preference. You can increase the charm of the room with a single color or by using a color combination of many colors. Nature again serves as the best inspiration in choosing colors. Brightly colored fresh fruit and vegetables abound. A rainbow of colors in flower gardens and lush foliage can offer ideas for beautiful colors to use in our home decorating projects.
Materials: The material that you use in home furnishing plays a vital role. The material may include furniture, modular goods and flooring. These days you can always opt for eco friendly flooring patters. They are specially designed by using radiant touch heating patterns. On the other hand, cool, crisp, and refreshing cotton and linen fabrics, sisal and jute rugs, rattan and wicker furniture are all borrowed from nature and delightful to use in our interior design.
Texture: Home texturing again plays a very important role. Many interesting textures in nature’s summer landscape encourage us to use varied textures to complement each other in our home decorating. Observe the beauty of a white velvety magnolia blossom against its own smoothly polished leaves. Compare the contrasting textures in your own back yard and repeat them in fabrics and finishes for a naturally occurring textural variety.
Proportion: This factor largely depends on the level of space management being carried out from the end of the house owner. The proportion of any aspect of home designing that justifies the by product is worth accepting.

Scale: Along with proportion, determining the proper scale in interior design can sometimes be a source of quandary. Although, a good proportion generally leads to proper scaling but the project outcome might vary depending on a number of factors. The budget justification, timeliness of the project and the longevity are all the factors that determine the difference between the scale and the proportion.
Equilibrium: Last but not the least balance is very important. A proper equilibrium between all the above mentioned factors needs to be maintained. Many first time designers make the mistake of thinking that to get balance in a room everything needs to be symmetrical, i.e. one end table on one side of the couch and one on the other and each with exactly the same accessories. Unless all these factors are not kept in mind achieving balance can be a bit of an issue.
I hope these factors help you determine an ideal nature based home decoration and furnishing project.
Copyright © 2010 FlooringSupplyShop.com