Archive for ‘Windows & Walls’

November 9th, 2011

Four Ways to Freshen Up an Old Frame

Before you discard frames in a box destined for the thrift store, look at them in a new way. Maybe you don’t like the shiny brass finish, or the plain molding looks too- plain. Whether the frame is made of wood, metal, ceramic, or plastic, it can be repainted to look like an entirely different creature. Consider these ideas to revive old frames so they’ll find a home in your current motif.

1. A Pop of Color

What better way to pull in your accent col or than from a frame or two in a room. This is a great choice for plastic frames, especially with Krylon’s new line of Fusion paints for plastic (in spray form to make it super-easy). Kids and teens might like a collection of brightly colored frames for artwork, posters, and fave photos.

2. Metallic

Whether your home has splashes of rubbed bronze, brushed silver or burnished gold in light fixtures and faucets, you can carry on the theme in your frames from a can of spray paint. The techniques may differ, depending on the type of finish you’d like or if you want to achieve a faux patina. As with most paint finishes suggested in this article, you’ll want to start with a primer base:  Brown for bronze, gray for silver, and white for gold.

3. Unify a Grouping

A collection of a single color of frames can look stunning together, even if their sizes and moldings differ. Use them to frame black and white photos, floral prints, mirrors, or remove the glass and let their ornate beauty shine.

4. Make New Look

While some like making the old look new, others prefer the old no matter what. Distressing and antiquing are two paint techniques that can be used to instill a bit of the vintage on recently-made frames

CategoryArchitecture, Bedroom, Decoration & Accessories, Door & Window, Exclusive, Interior Decoration, Windows & Walls | CommentNo Comments »

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October 22nd, 2011

DIY decoration for walls

Do you want to add some excitement to your dreary walls? Tired of looking at the same old decor day in and day out? Want to brighten up your living room or den, liven up a bedroom or bath? How about adding some flair to your kitchen or office? You can do all of this and more with some simple do-it-yourself (DIY) wall treatments using easy-to-learn techniques.

DIY walls allow you to spend money you might normally spend on a decorator on tools and supplies to create great wall finishes instead. Rather than hiring a laborer, learn a few simple DIY techniques to help you dress up your walls. As anyone who chooses a DIY  project instead of hiring a professional knows, the delight you feel from seeing your completed project is immeasurable.  Knowing you did it yourself will fill you with satisfaction every time you walk in the room. And DIY walls are one of the easiest places to begin revamping your home decor.

Consider your options

Paint: There are so many colors available and so many painting techniques that your choices are virtually unlimited. Paint the whole room, one wall, or even a diagonal half of a wall. Use  pastels, brights or anything any between.  And if you can’t find what you want, have your colors custom mixed. The sky is the limit!

Wallpaper: Again, you have many options to choose from including a top border around the whole room, or only on one or two walls; a border mid-way around the entire room, or every wall fully covered.  Use your imagination and make the room uniquely yours.

Wainscoting: This DIY option is a bit more challenging, but very doable. You’ll need some low-tech carpentry skills, but you  can find dozens of books to help you learn how to create and install wainscoting. And your friends will be so impressed when you’ve done!

Faux Finishes What about a faux finish such as paint bamboo, brick, or paneling? There are unlimited options here as well. You’ll need some patience, and it may take some trial and error, but your walls will look like you hired an expensive decorator… when you did it all yourself!

Fabric: Ever thought of upholstering your walls? You can! Upholstery fabrics work best for this, but any durable fabric will work including denim, canvas, suede or leather. You’ll probably want to limit this technique to only one wall or  partial wall, but some people have used it for entire rooms with interesting results.

Vinyl Wall Art: This is a trendy technique of creating vinyl appliques out of ConTact paper that you attach to the wall. Create a variety of impressions, including a feeling of the outdoors, contemporary geographical designs, a more traditional effect, or even a bit of romance depending on the colors and shapes you select.

Silhouettes: Another trendy, though not necessarily new DIY wall technique is to fill one wall with silhouettes such as busts of Victorian women, or for a more country look, Amish figures Done with tape, labels and black paint, this creates a dramatic point of interest in your room.

CategoryBedroom, Decoration & Accessories, Windows & Walls | CommentNo Comments »

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October 4th, 2011

How Proper HVAC Installation and Maintenance Can Affect You

When it comes to your home, comfort is one of the most important issues you will need to face.  After all, comfort is the difference between a “house” and a “home!”  And when extreme weather conditions set in, that issue becomes even more crucial.

Excessive heat?  Bitter cold?  Those shouldn’t interfere with your ability to be comfortable in your own home; you and your family should be able to enjoy comfortable days and nights regardless of the temperatures outside.

This is where the professionals come in. Having an HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) system installed in your home by professionals with HVAC degrees will provide your family with immediate and noticeable improvement in comfort levels.

But, of course, it doesn’t stop there.

The odds are good that your home already has some form of HVAC system in place.  But is it the right one?  Was it installed by professionals that you would trust?  How old is it?  And did the previous home-owners, if any, maintain it properly?

These are all questions you need to ask yourself.  While having an HVAC system at all may seem like a step in the right direction, you would be surprised at the variety of options available…not all of which would be right for your home, for your family, or for your needs.  Even if you already have an HVAC system in place, it might be wise to have a known and trusted firm come out to appraise it.  A lack of proper maintenance can seriously reduce the effectiveness of your system, and the amount of money you’ll spend simply running an inefficient system may actually be outbalanced by the purchase of a new one.  It’s nice to believe that any previous owners kept up on the maintenance of their HVAC system, or even that they made good choices in the first place, but should never assume it’s true!

Besides year round comfort, there is another substantial benefit to having an HVAC system installed:  the ability to save you a great deal of money in the long run. Forget the little space heaters and the inefficient window air conditioners; a fully integrated home HVAC system will mean smaller utility bills, and that means more money in your pocket.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how beautiful your yard is or how stunning your interior design looks if you find yourself wearing a jacket indoors in the middle of winter or hiding in the refrigerator through the heat of summer. Comfort and functionality will always trump aesthetics when it comes to your everyday life. Home is where you live, so make sure that you live comfortably.

CategoryArchitecture, Cooling & Heating, Home Insulation, Windows & Walls | CommentNo Comments »

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