Category: Home Improvement

Stylish Window Dressing Ideas for Summer

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

It’s happening: the cold’s receding (however tentatively) and the sun’s making regular appearances. Finally, we can start spending less time with the curtains drawn to keep the heat in, and instead fling our windows wide open!

Whether you’re looking to let some long-awaited light in or want to give your home a new look, now is the perfect time to dress your windows since they’ll be so much on show.

Multicoloured Curtains

If you’ve got accents of different colours in a space, getting curtains that combine all those colours is a great way to really tie the room together. If you can’t find a single type of fabric that’s just right, try layering – colourful undercurtains have the same subtle yet perceptible effect as the collar of a shirt worn beneath a business suit. Just don’t overdo it, two layers is fine.

 

Blinds

Curtains aren’t the only way to spice up your windows. Have you got a conservatory? Would you just like to offset a room of dark furniture? Stylish blinds and some light linen curtains are the way to go – they let in more light than dark curtains and can be more securely closed off than roman shades.

Window Seating

The color, style and length of your window dressing should complement any adjoining seats. When drawn, curtains shouldn’t drape over the seat, and when they’re apart, they should be securely out of the way. Perfect for a lazy summer afternoon!

What are your favorite window dressing styles? I’d love to hear your plans!

Estelle Page is an interior designer based in Sussex, UK. She’s the home and living editor of GKBC and regularly shares her interior design and home improvement tips online.

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10 clever space saving solutions

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Not everyone has massive homes with virtually unlimited space. Most persons, in fact, have homes whose spaces are barely sufficient for movement, even if they utilize storage facilities for keeping some of their items. As such, it is vital to know how to save up on space within your home. To enable this, there are 10 clever space saving solutions which will help in making your home reasonably more spacious.

1. Store using your ceiling

If you have used up the storage nooks beneath your bed, you could utilize the ceiling. Simply bolt several storage containers to your garage ceiling. You could also bolt the containers in-between your rafters and ceiling.

2. Go vertical

Use shelves, rafters and hooks. Most persons items horizontally. This soaks up massive chunks of space. This will let you save considerable space within your kitchen, living room and bedrooms. You could use pot racks, tiered and hanging vegetable baskets and hooks. This will utilize the unused ceiling and wall space.

3. Store things that you do not frequently utilize in your kitchen

Instead, only leave out the items which you utilize daily. This is essential if your kitchen lacks any additional space. The shelves and cupboards are more than ideal.

4. Make multi-purpose beds

You could opt for a bed which comes with built-in shelves along with drawers. This is nice for children as they will be able to store some of their toys and books in there.

5. Make stairs drawers

Here, you could turn your stairs into drawers. This will save a significant amount of space as you can store numerous items in these new drawers. They are also ideal for storing items which you wish to access easily.

6. Make your furniture versatile

A room cannot fit numerous tables and desks. If your apartment is cluttered, you could try to make convertible furniture. For instance, you could build a dining table which converts into a coffee table.

7. Make your shelves float

Perhaps the floor space is all but gone while the wall space is hardly utilized. If so, you could move your bookshelves up onto your wall. If you float it higher, you will gain increased space. To access it, you need only get a library-style ladder. This will offer some creativity, and getting books from these shelves will be fun.

8. Use drop-down furniture

Among the 10 clever space-saving solutions, this is arguably the most common. You simply invest in furniture which vanishes from view when you do not use it. It could be a drop-down bed or even a dining table.

9. Increase the cabinet space

Just invest in affordable wire racks for storing cleaning supplies, canned goods or double-up pots without stacking them atop each other.

10. Maximize your shelves

Thanks to magnets, you may store items beneath your shelves or even on the wall that is behind them. If you utilize collapsible items, you could save further space.

By following these 10 clever space saving solutions, you are ensuring that your home will remain spacious and virtually every inch will be utilized efficiently.

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7 Simple Home Improvement Projects to Lower Homeowners Insurance

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Do your current homeowners insurance rates put a strain on your monthly finances? The insurance companies’ logic is simple: the safer your home, the less likely you will need to make a claim. It’s essentially a big guessing game on the part of the insurance company. Making a few modest updates could make a substantial impact. These changes will enhance curb appeal, lowering your rates at the same time. You’ll probably improve the value of the home, too. Here are 7 projects that will get the ball rolling.

7. Install a Fence Around the Pool

La Peyrecout - Swimming Pool with View

Having a protective fence surrounding the pool can help keep your family safe. A four-sided isolation fence separating the pool from the yard and the house will further protect your loved ones. According to the CDC, “A four-sided isolation fence…reduces a child’s risk of drowning 83% compared to three-sided property-line fencing.”

Installing this fence will reduce the risk of liability regarding the pool, making the home easier to cover in the eyes of the insurance company.

6. Upgrade Your Garage Door

Garage Doors

Is your garage door a little flimsy? Even if it looks like it can stand up to a storm, it’s important to make sure can stand up against other factors like determined thieves and vandals. Improving your home’s safety by installing a sturdy garage door can be a factor in determining your homeowner’s insurance premiums.

4. Get Your Wiring up to Code

If you have an old house, it wouldn’t be surprising if your wiring isn’t up to code. Consult your insurance rate report for clarification on this if you’re unsure. Homes that don’t meet the code requirements are at a higher risk for fire and electrical malfunctions, which makes insurance companies squirmish. However, if you take the time to get the wiring up to code, it could very well make a significant impact on your insurance rates. Check with your company first to see if it has any specific guidelines to follow, and then make sure to let your agent know once you’ve updated the wiring.

3. Install Security and Safety Devices

Most insurance companies offer lower rates for homes that are equipped with basic safety measures like deadbolt locks, up-to-date smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and security alarms. The safer the house is for you to live in, the safer it to insure. Each of these devices lowers the risk of having to make a claim, which in turn should shrink premiums. It’s a good idea to check with your insurance provider to see if they have any discounts on specific safety measures you can

2. Plant Fire-Resistant Shrubs

If you live in a dry, hot climate, the risk of fire damage is much higher. In the eyes of home insurance companies, this makes your home a major liability. Reduce their concern by planting shrubs around the home that are not prone to catching ablaze.

Though fires can happen anywhere, this is most relevant in areas where wildfires are common. Ensuring that there aren’t plants near the home can help with your insurance costs in some areas of the country.

1. Install Storm Shutters

Regardless of whether you live in an area that gets a lot of storms, storm shutters may help you catch a lower rate as well. This is because these shutters will help keep the glass from breaking and the insurance company from having to pay out in the event of a natural disaster. This is a very simple and very effective way to lower your rates.

Homeowner’s insurance rates can go up or down, depending on how you maintain your home. Make these simple modifications and your insurance company – and your wallet – will thank you.

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How Best To Show Off Your Home To Prospective Buyers: The Basics

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

staged home

When you’re looking to sell  your house, there are lots of things you should keep in mind about exactly how you should do so. While it’s important to remember that each house is unique and that what works for one property may  not necessarily work for another, there are nonetheless enough expert tips out there that apply to houses on a more general basis. So if you feel overwhelmed by where to begin, here are some ways to get started:

De-Clutter

De-cluttering your home isn’t just about ensuring books, DVDs, and magazines are all neatly put away – although that’s important too. De-cluttering your home for prospective buyers also involves putting away any sentimental trinkets or family pieces you might have on display. Have you got lots of cute knick-knacks or souvenirs from trips abroad? Are there trophies and artwork by the kids on display? For the moment, put them away. Create a blank canvas – allow visitors to envision what the place could look like over what it looks like currently. Your property may be defined by your family now, but it isn’t going to stay that way, so don’t showcase personal effects. This is especially important in bedrooms and bathrooms. De-cluttering also allows you to play up storage areas, which are a big selling point of any home.

Color

The colour of your walls and furnishings also feed into the depersonalising of a space. If the kids’ rooms are painted in their favourite bright colours, it’s worth painting over them in warm, neutral hues instead. Bear in mind that ‘neutral’ doesn’t have to look boring – off-white and beige are all very well, but you can opt for warm yellows or lighter greens and blues too. Honey-coloured walls make for a nice contrast against dark furnishings and make a space feel cosy without diminishing its size. A useful trick to make a room appear bigger is to paint it the same colour as the room adjacent to it.

Lighting

If your house gets lots of natural lighting, play it up. Equally important, though, is the regulation of said lighting through pretty, effective curtains or shutters. Quality window dressing makes a big difference to a room – it has the effect of making the space look more tailored, chic and upscale. For example, if you’ve got a conservatory, or a conservatory-style extension to your house, investing in some nice blinds won’t just improve the look of the room, it’ll keep the sun from shining in your visitors’ eyes as they look around. Your artificial lighting is also vital – it should consist of proper ambient (general or overhead), task (pendant, under-cabinet, or reading), and accent (table and all) lighting for thoroughness.

Scent

Looking through a house isn’t just about the way things, well, look. It’s a sensory experience that can be subtly enhanced in a number of ways. If it’s a warm day, open the windows and let lots of fresh air in. Don’t overuse artificial air fresheners, but at least make sure that rooms smell clean. Place a big bowl of fruit in the kitchen or on the living room table. For an extra homey touch, put some cookies in the oven to bake just before visitors arrive – the smell will fill the house.

External Area

The interior of your property isn’t the only part of your property. Even if you’re not an avid gardener, take the time to ensure your lawn is at least neat. If you’ve got a garden shed, make sure everything’s locked away inside and there are no gardening tools just lying around. Play up the surrounding area as well – is there a train station or bus stop nearby? Or a good grocery store or a great play park for kids? Don’t forget to make mention of those things.

Just get started with these tricks and your home will be looking more show-ready in no time. Have you ever had to stage your home? What methods did you use? Share your advice in the comments!

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Are Homeowners Required To Pull Permit For Residential Awnings?

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

Several businesses in the town of Elizabethtown, North Carolina are in danger of facing steep fines due to their awnings because they do not comply with the town’s current codes. The most recent codes were implemented in 2011, and two years later many businesses have still not updated their awnings.

The new ordinance in Elizabethtown states that awnings must be at least eight feet above the sidewalk and cannot extend further than six feet from the building’s wall. While Elizabethtown does not have a restriction on the color of awnings, many other cities and Homeowner’s Associations do have these restrictions.

Some very large cities, such as New York, have awning restrictions but not necessarily the means to enforce them all the time. Because of this, some shop owners have either just assumed there were no such regulations, or chose to ignore them because they saw other businesses doing the same. It is possible that an illegal awning could go months or even years without getting the store fined, but in the end it could come back to hurt you.

The regulations for New York City’s awnings, created in 1961, stated that the only words on the awning could be the name and address of the business and it had to be in a font no larger than 12 inches. Many people who have been to New York are aware that there are a lot of awnings that do not meet these criteria, however in 2003 the city decided to crackdown. Shop owners were slapped with fines up to $2500.

Incidents like those in New York and Elizabethtown are why it is extremely important for businesses to stay updated on all city and county ordinances regarding awnings, their size, and their color. A reputable awning company, such as the Orlando awning and sign company Universal Awning and Sign, will be aware of all ordinances for the cities in which they operate.

While it is good to hire an awning and sign company who has worked with HOA’s and is familiar with city ordinances, it is also advisable to check in to any possible restrictions yourself as well. A permit will be required before work can even begin. Typically it would be the homeowner’s association who grants these permits for a residential awning, and the Public Works Department of the city for a business awning. If you plan on having any electrical components on your awning that can require additional permits as well. Electrical components could include lights, or a lit-up logo of your business.

Even though you may need to obtain permits before work can begin, it is still be a good idea to contact the awning company first. They will probably have much more experience working with these city codes and homeowners associations. Additionally, it is possible that in order to apply for the permit you will have to submit drawings along with the application, and the company installing the awning can provide these to you.

Before installing an awning on your home or business, be sure to thoroughly research your county and city codes. The next step is to research awning companies to make sure they are also up-to-date on the latest regulations regarding awnings. Without doing your due diligence first, your awning could end up costing you or your business a lot of money in the long run.

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