Category: Guest Author

Home Improvement Advice For New Homeowners

Posted on by John Conde

When you buy a house, many people feel the need to make changes to it in order to make it their own and to give the house a homely feeling. Personality is a great thing in a home. Changes can also be made to a home to make it more secure or to give a room more space.


There are many different home improvements that prove popular in the months after a house is purchased. It is not only the inside of the house that can be changed but the gardens and the driveways that come with it.


Some people take the immediate aftermath of the purchase as the perfect opportunity to extend the house, to add conservatories, extension or garages – in short, to make an immediate investment that will instantly add to the value of the home while making it more fit for purpose.


When deciding to make these changes it’s important to make sure they are well-planned and thought through to ensure nothing is forgotten about and no costly mistakes are made. Choosing contractors isn’t always easy and the matter of trust is a major issue for homeowners when it comes to building work. Most people act on testimonials and word of mouth, seeking out builders and contractors who have done a great job for someone they know. In some cases, respected companies can take care of the work.


With a garage, for example, there are many different aspects to be thought about – who will build the new room, what sort of roof will be best, whether an upstairs room will be added at the same time or considered for some stage in the future and of course what sort of garage doors will be used.


Every single piece of work done to the new house has this sort of list attached to it and the one above relating to garages is not exhaustive. The key is to think of all aspects of the job you are about to have done and this means giving an answer to each of the following matters: what, where, why, when, who and, finally but perhaps most crucially, how much.


Homeowners that are able to answer all of these questions to their own satisfaction will have made all the necessary deliberations and will be able to press ahead quite confidently with the work they need or want to have done on their new homes.

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Modern Chic – A Guide To Getting A Cool Modern Look In Your Home

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Whether you live in a huge house or a tiny flat, there are plenty of ways to inject a cool modern look into your home. Whether you’re starting from scratch or just looking to update the existing tired decor, turning your living space from drab to fab is easier than you might think- regardless of your space or budget.

Colour Scheme
If you are looking to completely overhaul a room, updating the colour scheme is a perfect place to start. Most rooms, especially those on the small side will benefit from bright neutral decor which will really open up the space and give a light and airy feel. Don’t confuse neutral with bland- cream or ivory walls and flooring will go with just about any accent colour, and also means that you can easily update your soft furnishings in the future without having to worry about redecorating. White walls are also a good choice, although be aware that they can look quite stark when the room isn’t properly accessorised.

Your accent colour will provide a beautiful contrast with the neutral colour scheme, and add some depth and personality to the room. This is the colour of your accessories and soft furnishings, and could also be incorporated by adding a feature wall to the room in this colour. Whether you go for deep blues, purples and reds or contrast with chocolate brown or black is entirely up to you.

Chairs and Sofas
Your chairs and sofas are without doubt some of the most important pieces of furniture you will buy for your home; not only have they got to be comfortable and practical they also need to look good, and potentially last through a number of decor changes over the years. Again, neutral colours can be easily accessorised with any other colour in your room; cream, brown and black always stay classic and can be updated and modernised over a number of years with throws and cushions. Investing in a neutral sofa that will last is a great idea, you are then able to have fun with colour with occasional chairs. Choosing an occasional chair in a bright accent colour that matches the rest of your colour scheme will give the room a vibrant and modern twist.

Soft Furnishings and accessories
Your soft furnishings and accessories are where you can really have fun and let your personality shine through. They will add splashes of colour to your room, and you can play around with all kinds of patterns, prints and textures. A gorgeous thick rug in the centre of the room, cushions in different colours and textures and thick curtains hung up at the windows will give your home a cosy and expensive vibe. Don’t neglect the wall space, whether you’re a lover of enormous lavish mirrors or cute canvas prints it’s these finishing touches that will completely change how a room looks- even without redecorating or buying new furniture. So if you’re looking to update on a budget this is the way to go.

With just a few changes you can completely modernise your home, and update it with a brand new look. Best of all once you have your permanent pieces, accessories and furnishings can be switched up whenever you feel like it so your home always looks modern and fresh.

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How Air Leakage Testing Could Help You Save On Energy Bills

Posted on by John Conde

Last year, just before one of the coldest and longest winters that we have seen for a long time, energy providers all over the country decided to raise their prices leaving a lot of us facing increased costs just to heat our homes. This in turn has prompted a lot of homeowners to look for new ways of reducing these costs in an attempt to keep energy consumption down and money in the bank up.

There are many ways of doing this including insulating your home and living more sustainably but something that you maybe haven’t yet thought about is air leakage testing. Here’s how it could save you a lot of money in the long run.

What Is Air Leakage Testing –

Ever since 2006 in England and 2010 in Scotland, building regulations have stipulated that every new dwelling built should have to pass an air leakage test. This is in line with the government’s attempt to reduce CO2 emissions across the whole country by 60% by the year 2050 and also applies to any substantial extensions made to existing dwellings.

When any building is built there are natural gaps left between the fabric of the structure. These are only small but are there so that we don’t suffocate in our own homes when the doors and windows are closed. Air leakage testing is carried out to ensure that these gaps are not too big or too small. Too big and they could allow valuable heat energy to escape and if they’re too small there won’t be enough airflow through the building.

Obviously, all new buildings will have passed this test but if your home was built before the regulation came in then you may benefit from having it done.

How Is It Tested? –

There are a few ways to carry out air leakage testing all of which are non-invasive and easy to do. Some companies will use a thermal imaging camera to spot where the heat is being lost and others will carry smoke pens around the building to find the different areas where there is a draft. Once the areas of leakage have been discovered steps can be made to decrease this and make the building more energy-efficient.

Benefits To Carrying Out An Air Leakage Test –

An airtight dwelling has plenty of benefits not least the fact that your home will be in accordance to legal requirements. An airtight home will save you money on your energy bills every month which is sure to add up to a lot over time and you will have the added bonus of knowing that you have reduced your CO2 emissions which is great for the environment.

Your home will also be more comfortable after your air leakage test as there won’t be any more annoying drafts that can make rooms so cold during the winter months. Lastly, reducing the amount of air leakage will also decrease the noise you hear from things such as traffic and planes outside as well the noise that travels through party walls.

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Choosing The Right Lighting For Your Home

Posted on by John Conde

Choosing The Right Home Lighting
Home lighting is one of those things that, when everything is working and the lighting scheme has been well designed, you rarely even notice. However, when a fault occurs, or if the lighting solution for your home has not been designed sensibly and sensitively, that is when you begin to understand how important your home lighting is. To avoid the distracting and unpleasant experience of a badly thought out or implemented lighting scheme, it is vital that you do all you can to ensure that you have your home lighting system perfectly designed. Remember that lighting is not just for the primary goal of lighting your home but is also fundamental to creating ambience and driving the overall aesthetics. Here are a few things to bear in mind when you are choosing your home’s lighting system.

Understand Your Needs

It may seem obvious but the most important thing to consider when designing your home lighting scheme is this: what are your lighting needs? Getting the right lighting to suit the way you live and work is essential. So, for example, direct or task light ought to be directed on the spot from where you are performing your tasks. Indirect light, on the other hand, is not meant for lighting a particular sport but is best suited to lighting a large or small space for sheer aesthetics. Once you have chosen the goal for your lighting, you will be easily able to choose the kind of lighting to install. Since every room in your house is meant for particular purposes, the kind of lighting you use should be specifically tailored to meet its particular utility.

LED Lights – A Lighting Revolution!

Nowadays, LED lights are becoming as popular as old-style filament bulbs and are much more energy-efficient and cost-effective.  LED lights are available in a range of colours and intensities now and can achieve a really soft light rather than the harsh bluish light with which they used to be associated. If it’s been a while since you bought lighting for your home it is worth doing some research into the significant transformations LED lights have made to the home lighting scene.

The Great Outdoors

Once your house is well lit, it is imperative to recall that the outside lights for both security and safety are equally important. The perimeter of your house, the sidewalks and the driveway always ought to be well lit. Whether you use LED lights or fluorescent lights, your home compound needs to be illuminated. Lighting some areas because you are going to be working in them while neglecting others is going to compromise your security. You should remember that using security and safety lights that are too bright is a needless waste of money. You should also bear in mind that using lights that are excessively bright on the outside may well disturb your neighbours. You should therefore carefully light every area around your home without incurring unnecessary expenses and without annoying your neighbours.

Since need to be one of your main concerns when designing your lighting scheme, it is worth paying the same attention to the visual appeal of your outdoor light sources. Remember that the lighting outside of your home should not only be in place for utilitarian purposes. Directional and attractive sconces will enhance the architectural design of your home and emphasize any decorations and plantings you may have within your compound.

Get It Right

For the inside lighting, you should ensure that you make use of multiple sources to light particular spots in your house. For rooms such as the kitchen, bedroom, sitting room, bathroom etc, use multiple sources of light to achieve different effects. For example, a floor lamp might be the most appropriate source for some intimate, ambient lighting in the sitting room. In the kitchen, making use of under-counter lighting and directional LED spotlights will help provide adequate light for preparing food just where you need it.

Lighting the home is as important in terms of creating ambience and aesthetics as any other element of home decor. But lighting also needs to be functional. Take some time to think about what will work best in your life and then explore the latest trends in lighting. You may start to see your home in a whole new light!

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Awesome Alternate Seating Ideas For Your Kitchen.

Posted on by John Conde

Home is where the heart is. So surely it must be full of all those things that make you squeal with excitement? Even if that does mean a living room full of china cat ornaments! After a long day at work you want to come home to a place that makes you feel relaxed; brimming with personality and charm.

Particularly for those of you who like to entertain, your kitchen is one of the most important rooms in the house. Food, booze and funky appliances all in one room; It’s of no surprise that guests seem to automatically congregate there!

Although, there is nothing worse than having your beautiful kitchen downplayed by those ancient hand-me-down chairs from your Aunt Muriel. Time for an update. Here are some awesome seating ideas for those of you looking to jazz up those dull seats or splurge out on new ones!

Upholstered Seating.

After spending the majority of your childhood on hard-bottomed chairs throughout school, why would you choose to have them in your kitchen? Padding is the way forward. Treat your bum! You and your guests will be able to gossip away for hours, without the need to fidget and squirm. What’s more, upholstered seating comes in a huge variety of colours and interesting patterns. Whether you’re going for a luxurious feel or something a little more quirky, you can customise seating to your exact taste.

Banquette.

Small kitchen owners – this is the one for you. These seats can give you the space you need, but can easily be built to merge with the walls of your kitchen. Providing a more informal feel, these bench-like seats can be upholstered or accessorised with your favourite pillows and throws. These make an excellent alternate seating area; complimenting the mojo of your kitchen perfectly.

Are you someone who always seems to be surrounded by kitchen clutter? Get a banquette with in-built storage space! No one need ever know.

Mix and Match.

Who said kitchen seating had to be coordinated? Are you and your partner always bickering between that love seat he wants and those vintage dining chairs you’ve had your eye on? Relationships are about compromise, but not with kitchen seating. Buy both! Alter the fabric of the love seat to compliment the colour of your chairs and – voila! You can relax on the love seat in the afternoon curled up with your book, but carry out a formal meal in the evening with the use of your vintage seats. The best of both worlds!

DIY Breakfast Bar.

These are great as an addition to kitchen islands. Adjust your bar height for the kids – or the big kids! A breakfast bar can be a great way to create a social atmosphere in the kitchen. Whilst you cook dinner, your friends or partner can sit at the bar and watch you work your magic in the kitchen. No more worrying about being a poor host, you can chat and cook at the same time. Or better yet, rope in some of your audience to give you a hand with the washing up!

Life is made exciting by variety. It would truly be a dull place if every person was the same, and this also goes for kitchen seating. Make your kitchen work with you and your personality.

If you’re an outgoing and vibrant person – why should your kitchen be any different? Teamed with a bright kitchen backsplash and a vibrantly coloured oilcloth tablecloth, your seating can make a real statement in the kitchen. And, it need not be expensive. If you have lots of scrap material lying around – why not make a patchwork seating cover? Get creative!

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