There's no doubt about the kind of advantages that a hard wood floor can offer a home. An owner prefers a hard wood floor because they desire the kind of durability, strength and cleaning ease that other floors simply cannot provide. Two of the most popular kinds of wood floors are bamboo and timer flooring, though the bamboo flooring offers advantages over the timber.
Why Choose Bamboo?
One of the primary advantages that bamboo flooring offers is the fact that it is a very environmentally friendly product. When a bamboo tree is cut down, it naturally grows back quickly. This contrasts to the slow growing cycle of trees used to make timber flooring. Additionally, the roots are left in place and not disrupted during the harvesting of the bamboo plant. This style of harvest helps to prevent erosion, a problem which can be common in harvesting trees for timber flooring.
Another advantage to laying down bamboo flooring is that the material offers great diversity in appearance. Many people think of a specific color and grain when they think of bamboo, but in truth, the flooring can be altered to a variety of looks by the manufacturer. This is done through the use of staining and processing procedures. Specially made bamboo borders can add a contrasting or complimentary effect to further dramatize the look.
The sheer durability of a bamboo flooring, in contrast to a timber floor, counts as another advantage in the material's favor. Bamboo floors tend to be harder than timber floors. As a result, the every day damage that the floor is subjected to will be less likely to require repair on a bamboo surface than a timber surface.
Regardless of the type of flooring chosen, floors need to be taken care of properly. Regular sweeping to keep the floor clear of objects that may scratch, and mopping with a specially made bamboo cleaner will suffice. These actions will help increase the already considerable durability of the bamboo flooring.
Finally, the price of the flooring must be considered. Many types of timber flooring can cause a significant dent in the home owner's wallet. But the bamboo flooring can be purchased for a much more reasonable price, often for a few dollars per square foot.
Conclusion
Deciding on the right type of wooden floor for a home is a monumental task that will result in a drastic change to the home. Prospective homeowners should do their research and make the choice that best fits their lifestyle, budget and decor. For many people, the versatility, affordability and durability of bamboo flooring places it at the top of the list.
Considering bamboo floors for your home? If you're looking for bamboo flooring installation in Western Australia, Bamboo are established professional with a great reputation. Make sure you checkout their Bamwood product, it's over 70% harder than jarrah wood floors and looks just as great.
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The kitchen is usually the hub of any home. One of the busier rooms where the family will cook, eat and clean and it can also act as a gathering place at parties.
When selling your house or showing around prospective tenants, it can be the kitchen that will ultimately seal the deal. Below are seven low-cost ways in which you can improve the look and feel of the heart of your home.
Tile Backsplashes
A tile backsplash is a great low cost way to improve the look, feel and possibly value of your kitchen. Gone are the days when the backsplash had to match the worktops. Nowadays, it seems much more fashionable to have contrasting colours or something a little more contemporary.
Kitchen Cabinet Reface or Refinish
If your cabinets are looking old and worn then a simple coat of varnish could breath life back into them. Again, if you are looking for colour then a lick of paint is all that could be required to get your kitchen buzzing again.
Painting, Stenciling or Wallpapering
The walls in your kitchen are what could greatly affect the ambiance of the kitchen. Painting is the low-cost way to change the mood of the kitchen. A light blue could make it a calming place, whilst a shocking orange could have the opposite effect. Why not add to your walls with some DIY stencilling. A fairly low-cost idea that can add that artistic touch to your walls and can be a great talking point to.
Lighting Fixture Replacement
Another great way to set the mood of the kitchen whether you are in the room or not. Try changing the lighting fixtures and why not add a bit of colour.
If like so many kitchens you only have the one main light, it may be worth investing a little extra to add spotlights under the top cupboards that make it look extra inviting at night.
Kitchen Island
Installing a kitchen island can be expensive and at the same time intrusive to your kitchen. A more cost effective way would be to opt for a cheaper model with wheels that can be hidden away when not needed and pulled out when convenient.
Hardware
It is the finer details of your kitchen that can really improve your kitchen's appeal. You can opt for new handles and pulls of any design; stainless steel is always a good choice and looks classy. Alternatively, if your budget is less than that you can opt for a bit of glaze to accentuate the existing features.
Accessorize and Update
If your budget allows it, purchase new and improved accessories, especially if your current ones are looking a little worse for wear. Again, stainless steel is always a good choice when opting for toasters, coffee makers, microwaves etc. Also look at accessories that not only improve the look of your kitchen but also its function; for example spice racks and wine racks.
This guest post was written by Stefan Mustieles of moneysupermarket.com
HGTV Kitchen Design Guide
I wanted to share with you a resource I found for designing, remodeling and refreshing your kitchen. It's from HGTV so you know it's high quality. It's the HGTV Kitchen Design Guide site. On it, you'll find articles, pictures and videos covering anything from perfecting your kitchen designing skills to kitchen remodeling to fit any budget. Tons of example kitchen pics and advice from kitchen designing/remodeling experts to answer your toughest kitchen remodeling questions.
There's sections within the site about kitchen design ideas, countertops, cabinets, backsplashes and kitchen flooring. Just another one-stop-shop site by the folks at HGTV. The only complaint I had about it is I don't understand why they use popup advertising for unrelated products. No viruses or malware but I think it cheapens the appearance of the site. You should be able to block them in your browser if you don't mind some flash-based sites not working correctly at first.
So, if you're starting out your kitchen remodeling project or want to check your plans with market realities, the HGTV Kitchen Design Guide is a great place to go for up-to-the-minute kitchen design and remodeling ideas and advice.
Cooker hoods are becoming increasingly commonplace in the modern kitchen. However, many homes still have a hoodless kitchen. Below are the primary benefits associated with installing a cooker hood, and the reasons why these benefits offer an advantage to the homeowner.
Smoke Reduction
Certain methods of cooking create a significant amount of smoke – the main culprit being frying. Those without cooker hoods in their home are probably unable to count on two hands the amount of times their smoke alarms have been activated during a Sunday morning bacon butty bonanza.
Yet cooker hoods can offer huge benefits, namely because they are able to extract the smoke from the kitchen before it is able to reach the smoke alarm sensors.
It’s worth investing in quality cooker hoods (Franke cooker hoods are an example of a high quality brand but there are many others that homeowners may want to consider) since they tend to be more powerful (and therefore more effective) and will often be equipped with a choice of settings. These settings mean that the power of the cooker hood can be increased in order to assist in cooking processes that create more smoke.
Smell Reduction
A secondary consequence of the smoke produced when cooking is that it can attach itself to furnishings in the home, leaving the goods with a slight off-smell of old, cooked foods. This consequence is even more apparent within an apartment environment, where the kitchen is often incorporated as part of the living area. However, a quality cooker hood such as the ones made by Franke cooker hoods will ensure that any smoke is quickly extracted before it is able to reach and affect the homes furnishings.
A Cleaner Kitchen
It’s not just frying that can create problems in the kitchen – even something as simple as boiling a pan of pasta can create condensation which will stick to the walls of your kitchen, making them dirty over time.
This issue is more apparent with frying, wherein the smoke may attach itself to the walls, slowly covering them in an unattractive black coating.
While a cooker hood will not do your cleaning for you, it can significantly reduce the amount of smoke and condensation that is able to reach and dirty your kitchen walls. This then makes cleaning easier, while also reducing the amount of times that the walls will need to be repainted.
Appearance
The simple fact is that cooker hoods look good. They have a sleek, modern and clean appearance that can help to transform the image of a tired and old looking kitchen.
However, not all cooker hoods are the same, and not all designs will fit with all decors. Due to this it’s worth investigating a variety of different quality brands in order to locate a cooker hood that will complement your kitchen perfectly.
This article was written by Amy Fowler on behalf of The Kitchen Appliance Centre. Amy writes on a variety of topics including how quality goods such as Franke cooker hoods can improve the home.
Much More Than Linoleum
In the days of yore, linoleum was kitchen king, revered for its inexpensive, water impermeable and easy-clean qualities. Desired for its design aesthetic? Maybe not so much. Over the decades, though, technology has caught up with the hard-working home kitchen, allowing us to move beyond drab squares of linoleum into a wide-range of attractive, durable and easily-maintained types of kitchen flooring. If you’re lucky enough to be remodeling a kitchen—or even designing from scratch—take the time to explore today’s selections of kitchen flooring. You may be surprised at what you find.
For The Green-Conscious
There’s the option of bamboo flooring. Exceptionally renewable (bamboo grows even faster than a weed), incredibly durable and hard-wearing, this engineered product lends an elegant organic touch to any kitchen, while standing up to the dirt and abuse that’s part of kitchen life.
For The Perennially-Barefooted
Cork flooring may be the answer. A post-consumer and post-industrial product, this green option provides exceptional cushioning and water-resistance. Those with lower back-problems, or anyone who has difficulty performing standing activities like cooking, may find cork to be a sustainable and comfortable choice.
For The Classicist
The dreams of hardwood flooring in the kitchen have come true. With the advent of proper sealants and tough outer-finishes, hardwood floors in the kitchen are not just beautiful, but practical as well. While hardwood floors do require more maintenance than some other types of kitchen flooring, the extra work more than pays off through the material’s aesthetic appeal and timeless design.
For The Retro-Mod Designer
There’s always—gasp—linoleum! Far from the frumpy designs of the old days, modern linoleum designs are resurging with stylish colors and innovative prints that are perfect for homes inspired by the mod designs of the 1950’s and 1960’s. All the best aspects of linoleum are found in these products—price and durability—along with refined decorator options that match today’s discerning tastes.
In short, choosing a new type of kitchen flooring options may not be as simple as it once was (“grey linoleum or white?”), but today’s material options mean that your new kitchen floor design is limited only by your own imagination. Now head to your nearest kitchen flooring store, and start checking out the possibilities!
Kitchen Top Material Options
When choosing a material for a kitchen worktop ideally we want something that looks good as well as being highly durable. However, many people still choose to opt for cheap materials such as laminate. This is despite the fact that the material is not likely to last and that the initial costs saved will later be outweighed by the cost of repairs or replacements.
However there is an alternative. Granite is one of the most durable materials there is. As well as being completely heat resistant, it is very difficult to scratch and will be resistant to many other forms of damage. It’s also worth noting that if any damage should occur, granite worktop repair is quick, cheap and if carried out by a professional, should achieve near perfect results. This is in vast contrast to laminate, wherein such significant damage can occur that a repair will never suffice, particularly if the homeowner should wish to achieve an ‘as good as new’ appearance.
Is Granite Really More Expensive?
Yet many people are deterred from incorporating granite into their home due to cost. However, while the initial expenditure may be quite significant, as time passes the worktop will essentially pay for itself. For example, while a laminate worktop will be cheap to install, the ease at which it can incur damage results in the worktop provoking the need to spend significantly higher amounts of money over time.
It’s also worthy to note that a granite worktop can increase the value of the home quite significantly. In fact, research has estimated this increase to be around the 10% mark. This can make the installation of a granite worktop seem significantly more valuable, even if there are no current plans to sell. While many people must carry out considerable work to a kitchen to ensure that it is in a fit state to sell, even if there is some damage to a granite worktop, the ease at which granite worktop repair can be completed means that getting the kitchen up to scratch is only a minor concern.
It's Not Just About Money
However, despite the long-term financial benefits of choosing a granite worktop, it is appearance that really makes granite stand apart from all alternatives. Granite is a completely unique material. No two pieces will ever be identical; they will always vary in colour, patterns and texture. This makes granite the perfect worktop material for anyone wishing to possess a home that is concurrently unique and fascinating. With so many homes today sporting the same pieces of furniture from the same chain of shops, ensuring your home doesn’t fit to such briefs is advantageous, not only to your own enjoyment of your home, but in addition if the time should ever come to sell.
If you wish to incorporate granite into your home, the best tip I can give is to simply go for it. In the current housing market, anything that makes you stand apart from other structurally identical homes in your area is highly beneficial – particularly if it increases the value and worth of your home.
Don’t forget that granite will last for many, many years. Any damage that may occur will be minute and can be easily fixed by a granite worktop repair professional. Even in spite of this damage, a granite worktop is guaranteed to stand the test of time, whether serving homeowners into old age, or passed on to new families upon a sale.
This post was written by James Harper on behalf of Hometech-UK-Ltd. James writes on a number of subjects including DIY and home improvements.
Why Use Hardwood Flooring Over Carpet?
Are you nursing an old decrepit carpet in your living room? If yes, then you should consider revamping your lackluster living room by replacing your old carpet with a handsome hardwood floor installation.
You won’t regret this decision as the advantages of having hardwood floor in your home are numerous. Carpets leave you and your family predisposed to toxic fumes that could cause severe long term health issues in the long run. This is where hardwood floor products are your safest option as they are made from naturally occurring materials such as timber, which also happens to be good for the environment as it is a renewable resource. The hardwood produced these days is cultivated in protected forests under the supervision of United States Forest Service. According to recent statistics, twice the number of harvested trees is planted every year to ensure that there is a perennial supply of timber.
The Air Inside Our Homes
Possibly one of the gravest threats to our health in doors is the lack of circulation or poor quality air in our homes. This health hazard can be intensified by the presence of carpets in your home. Most carpets are made of synthetic fibers which emit toxic fumes and pollute the air in your home. This gives rise to another reason why you should choose hardwood floor products over carpets. The thick resilient surfaces of hardwood floor products are believed to absorb these toxic gaseous substances and purify the air within your home. Hardwood floor products thus make for a healthier living and working environment compared to carpets while preventing the proliferation of dust mites and molds at home and at the workplace. A recent health survey has corroborated that nearly 35 million Americans suffer from respiratory allergies every year. This is an alarming figure and not surprisingly most of the allergies have been attributed to the use of synthetic carpets.
According to a study conducted by the EPA, it has been established that certain garden pesticides have a tendency to accumulate on carpeted floors as the synthetic fibers tend to absorb these harmful chemicals. Their study has concluded that hardwood floor products prevent the accumulation of these lethal chemicals due to their hard surfaces. Therefore it has been conclusively proved that hardwood floor products are the healthiest and safest flooring option for your home.
Easy To Maintain
Besides its aforesaid benefits, hardwood floor products are relatively easy and convenient to maintain. The latest in hardwood flooring only requires occasional sweeping and vacuuming, which can be done on a weekly basis. In order to ensure its longevity, it is essential to prevent scratches and moisture from settling on its surface. Periodically maintaining your floor with the appropriate products available in the market can go a long way in adding splendor and a regal sheen to your hardwood floor. Owing to its numerous benefits and eloquent appeal, hardwood floors are the quintessential choice for every American household.
Eric Hurst owns National Hardwood Flooring, an online provider of solid and engineered hardwood flooring products.
Take Cues From Your Decor
Sprucing up your interior decorating scheme can be as easy as buying a can of paint. Paint is one of the most economical ways to make a huge impact in your surroundings in the least amount of time.
Assuming that you only want a fresh coat of paint, the place to begin is to review your current décor: you can take color cues from what you already own.
If your major upholstered pieces and soft finishes such as rugs and draperies are neutral, now is the time to consider shaking things up! Look at your accent pieces – pillows, ottomans, bedding and lighting for ideas. See if you can find a common color in these items that will coordinate with the entire room.
Other options to consider when choosing interior paint colors would be the rugs and fabrics. For example, if you have a fabulous Persian rug in your living room, use it as the inspiration for the wall color. Allow the walls to reinforce the impact of the rug and keep the other fabrics more neutral. Or use your draperies as another great source of color hints in your home.
If the room you are painting is a bedroom, use the bedding to find a color for the walls. You may be surprised at how pulled together and coordinated your room will look if you pull an accent color out of the pattern and repeat it on the walls. There is no rule that says you have to use the predominant bedding color when painting a room.
Coordinate With The Accents
But perhaps the most fun way to change your wall color is to find color options in your favorite piece of art or painting. Don’t look at your prized art or paintings as accents in your room, rather design your room around them. Elevate them to star status by studying the subtle color variations found in them, and then play them up on the walls.
Some people naturally gravitate to shades of black and white in their everyday furnishings. And while it may initially seem more difficult to decide which direction to go with the paint color, you actually do have options. Chances are that while your basic furnishings are neutral, you will find your existing décor boasts some color in surprising places. Look around at your decorative accents for clues to the color you can use that will enhance your room and make you happy.
For more guidance on how to coordinate colors in your home, see the room color scheme tutorials.
It Can All Be Overwhelming
Now that the weather is turning warmer, most homeowners are looking at their 'to do' list for the house and figuring out just which projects that they should start tackling. However, for those that have numerous home projects on their list, then they should realize that there is any easier way to make sure that these all get done and get done right without having to feel as if the weight of the world is on your shoulders. There are a few simple rules or tips to keep in mind when beginning to figure out just where to start with your household projects.
Do You Have The Right Tools?
First off, you are going to want to make sure that you have the right tools to do these projects. This means that you should have a tool box full of tools that are going to help make the job easier to do and make sure that you are doing it right. There is no reason to use three or four different tools when you could get the same amount of work in much quicker time through the use of one or two tools. This is going to save you time and make sure that the job is getting done just as it should. Which means no going back to redo the project in a few more months because it was not done properly in the first place.
Prioritize Them
Secondly, the person should be certain that they are putting their projects in a list that is prioritized. Exactly what does this mean? This means that you should look at the list of projects that you have and figure out which ones need to be done soon and which ones can wait to be at the bottom of the list. The reason that the person should do this is simply because if not, then they are going to find that they may be rushing through many of these projects and this is going to affect the quality. Remember that you are going to get those projects that are necessary for the upkeep of the house before anything or you could be facing the fact that you are going to have to do many other projects due to the neglect that the house is receiving.
Budget Them
The person is going to want to also make sure that they have a budget that they can stick with for the projects that they have. They may want to go through each and every project and give it a budget so that they know how much they can spend on each and every project. In this way they are going to make sure that they are not going to go way over their total budget with just one project, which could mean that the other projects do not get completed and because of this the house is not in the state that the person wants it to be.
Putting It All Together
With all the projects that a person may have, there are many ways in which the project list can become a little intimidating and while they are going through this projects, they may feel as if they are never going to reach the end of the list. However, this is why the person should set some goals. They need to make a goal for a certain number of projects to be completed by the date that they set. Having these goals are going to help the person to feel like they are accomplishing something instead of simply going through the motions.
Those that are homeowners need to realize that they are not racing to finish these projects, these projects are meant to increase their home and their comfort level that they have in the home. Therefore, they should take their time and do them right the first time around.
Marie Mayer writes for the Bricklaying Courses blog. It's a free blog she uses to share info about how to become a bricklayer.
The Importance Of The Kitchen In A Home
The kitchen is the one place in the entire home which best reflects a housewife’s character. A well maintained and well-equipped kitchen speaks volumes about the house maker at the very first glance itself. When you look at a kitchen that appears spic and span, even if you haven’t met the host, you can gauge that she must be a stickler for cleanliness and discipline.
A kitchen therefore, is one of the most important places in any home. That is where a woman spends better part of the day and that is ample reason to ensure that the kitchen is well-designed and carefully planned. The very first thing you do in the morning is go to the kitchen and have a glass of water and the last thing you do before retiring to bed is go to the kitchen and switch off the lights. When you are furnishing your home, the kitchen should get as much priority as the rest of your home. When people come to see your house, would they skip visiting the kitchen? Actually, most female visitors would love to have a look at the kitchen first!
Kitchen Furnishing Considerations
Furnishing a kitchen comprises the kind of storing shelves you choose, the kitchen worktop, the wall tiles, and the flooring tiles. Amongst these, the worktop must be durable, attractive, easy to maintain and affordable. A good kitchen worktop will not only reflect your taste for quality but also must make you feel good while working in the kitchen. You will not be changing a kitchen worktop frequently so it had better be of good quality on the first purchase.
Which Material Is Best?
Of course, what substance a kitchen worktop should be made of, is ultimately your choice. Some prefer good quality wooden worktops as they give an ethnic touch and countryside look. But, you will need to take good care of them while you are using oil or any other inflammable material on the worktop. If you are able to spend that extra money, then granite worktops are most preferred as they are tough, last for years and nothing possibly can spoil their look. They are very easy to maintain too. When they get dirty, you may just a wipe a little with soap water and then with a dry cloth, and they start gleaming again. If you want cheaper options, you may go for laminate surfaces which are oil-proof and scratch-proof too. There are plenty of contemporary designs and materials available in the market as well as online and you may choose the one that suits your budget and taste.
Claire Jarrett runs Marketing By Web and is writing on behalf of SPM Granite who offer Black granite kitchen worktops and quartz worktops
