Living Room Decorating Ideas – House of the Year


Take a tour guided by Decorating & Lifestyle Editor Robin Mayer, and listen in as she describes her ideas, inspirations, and favorite details. For more great videos from Country Living visit: www.countryliving.com -

Bring It – Biljana “Biba” Golic and Rajeev Sharma of Killerspin


This Bring It is from The Down and Dirty with Frank Fontana Season 1, Episode 6. Frank welcomes Biljana “Biba” Golic and Rajeev Sharma of the Killerspin team, a company dedicated to all things table tennis, to play a little table tennis in the studio. Killerspin makes custom tables, apparel, accessories, and most importantly has players that compete all over the world under it’s banner.

Modern Living Room Furniture, Designer Modern Living Room Furniture


www.spacify.com Modern living room furniture or contemporary Italian designer living room furniture sets on your mind? The décor of your living room can set the tone for your entire house. Get designerideas by checking out modern living room furniture, contemporary leather designer sofas, Italian modern tables, contemporary living furniture collection including chaise lounges, coffee tables, bookcases, modern leather sofas, recliners, entertainment units, or bean bags online at Spacify. Our range of Italian designer living room furniture decor is sophisticated, stylish from Cattelan Italia, Tonin Casa, Bellini, and fine brands.

Craftsman Experience – How to Make a Wood Finish, with Frank Fontana


This 60 Second Secret is from The Down and Dirty with Frank Fontana. Frank shows how to create a wood grain finish – red wood or dark wood – for any material in your space.

Craftsman Experience – The Down and Dirty with Frank Fontana, Season 1, Episode 6


This episode of the The Down and Dirty with Frank Fontana is all about Mardi Gras, and getting everyone prepared for the big party. Frank brings back his general carpenter Robert North to build a Mardi Gras inspired, custom portable bar. What would Mardi Gras be without the music, Frank later brings on Ellen Miller, a rub board player to play some really unique music using Craftsman wrenches. To add to the theme, Frank welcomes expert Mixologist Lynn House to show how to make custom drinks for any occasion.

A couple of master bathroom decoration tips

Heated bathroom mirrors
The focal point of any decently constructed bathroom is the mirror in which we carry out our day-to-day grooming practices, such as applying make-up or shaving. Mirrors are both highly functional and highly decorative, whether it is a free-standing full length mirror, a wall-mounted mirror, a mirror which stands on a vanity, a magnifying rotating mirror mounted to a shelf, or even a mirror on the shower wall. Regardless of what type of decor you have selected for your bathroom, you can find mirrors in a lot of styles to match it, including chrome-edged mirror, wall mirrors attached with decorative metal fasteners, or beveled mirrors in massive mahogany frames. When you see that the shower fogs up your mirror too much, you can get a licensed to put in an electric no-fog mirror. Which type of hardware you buy to mount a wall mirror will depend on both the outside of the wall and the interior. The surface could be wallboard, concrete, brick, drywall, plaster or tile, and the interior might be filled with insulation and supported by two-by-fours. Wall mirrors also need careful installation, as they take more abuse than other types of mirrors, otherwise you take a chance of the mirror dropping down while you’re applying makeup or shaving. Mirrors appear to change the dimensions of a bathroom by creating the illusion of space and light, as when a full-size mirror is put into a smaller bathroom to make the room appear larger. In order to function properly, mirrors need adequate lighting, either from the windows, the ceiling light, or a light that is mounted on the mirror itself.

New shower curtains
Shower curtains will be an essential component to nearly all showers or bathtubs, securing water within the tub or shower and preventing a needless mess while also improving the decor of your bathroom. Depending on what your preference is, you will discover a wide selection of them varying in designs, sizes, materials and colors. In case you have an old style stand-alone tub, you are going to require multiple sets to go around the whole tub.

A few are constructed with decorative fabric, however they may be pricey and will frequently be hard to find, but they are on the market. In order to make your search less troublesome, determine what type and material you prefer, along with the amount you are prepared to spend, before going out. During your search for new shower curtains, understand that plastic curtains, even though they will be more affordable, are in fact harder to clean than cloth shower curtains, which require a lining to avoid water soakage. Do not forget to get a number of shower hooks when buying your new curtains, and ensure that they go with the decor of the curtains.

Bath towel hanger
Strong and secure bathroom towel hangers are best in that the hangers must be durable enough to endure the burden of wet towels as well as people bumping against them. Affixing it to a stud in the wall, and not just the drywall itself, is the proper method for attaching the hanger to the wall. By doing so, it will not become loose, break, or fall off the wall due to drywall wear. Towel hanger bar height is normally 48 inches for adults and 36 inches for children. One thing to consider when mounting one is the placement of light switches, electrical outlets and air vents. One common problem with a lot of of hangers is that their length does not match the distance between wall studs in most North American homes. The best remedy for this problem is to install one end directly into the stud in the wall and use a wall anchor to support the other end.

The category of bathroom furnishings is quite large and there will be a wide array of sites which cover a specific topic. Here are a few suggestions that might be of assistance. Here you can find additional information regarding discount bathroom accessories. Do you also have questions regarding antique bathroom sinks for sale? Then Buy Antique Bathroom Sinks may provide the information you need. And finally there is Buy Sliding Shower Doors which has recommendations pertaining to sliding shower doors and has previously proven useful on numerous occasions.

Home lights

Deter prowlers by setting up solar powered yard light
In lots of places conventional landscape lighting is being replaced with new solar powered yard lights. Once installed these lights require very little maintenance and don’t cost anything to operate. You can install them along the stairs and walkways to improve nighttime safety, and to highlight your lovely shrubs and trees. A properly lit home is more likely to be avoided by potential intruders, and so a solar lighting system will make your home safer. Many of us have seen the steady increase in our electric bills and solar lights are a great way to help control that expense. While solar lights once were fairly expensive, the price on them has actually come down quite a bit and they are now very affordable. Because these lights work by collecting sunshine during the day they operate best when set up in an area that receives lots of direct sunlight. The set up of a solar lamp simply calls for you to insert the stake to which they are fastened into the ground, since they do not require any wiring.

Solar yard lights
There should be no need for you to stumble around in the dark when you come back home late at night, and there is also no call to spring a lot of money on exterior lighting bills, so long as you select to use solar outdoor lights. Normally the areas right outside your house need illumination, such as the driveway, the front porch, the patio, and the back yard garden. Operating automatically with a slight amount of required upkeep, solar outdoor lights absorb the sunshine during the daytime, and then turn that energy into electricity that powers the lights at night. Solar exterior lighting components consist of the photo voltaic cell which absorbs the light, a rechargeable battery, a lamp, and sensors or timers which are part of the unit. Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are utilized in most solar exterior lights, although you will need to check this out and be sure this is true as LEDs are more durable and put out more light than standard lamps. Solar outside lights are switched on by timers or sensors that are triggered when the sun goes down, and again when the sun rises, and the lamp is then turned off and the photocells absorb the sunshine to recharge the batteries. Solar powered exterior lights are available in lots of ornamental models, so that adding them to the outside of your home adds to your overall exterior decor and home value. When you add up the benefits of solar lighting you come up with a great little package that is environmentally safe, low maintenance, and saves on energy costs.

Outdoor candle lanterns
While there are many of different options in regards to choosing exterior lighting, candle lanterns produce a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere. A whole wide world of selections await you when choosing outdoor candle lanterns, from Oriental themed lanterns that could have come out of an Asian pagoda, to lanterns with a rustic, antique look, to lanterns you sketch out yourself and have custom-made. There are two primary ways to position your lanterns, either hang them on something, which produces a more subtle light effect, or maintain them freestanding, which makes for a more intimate atmosphere. Desirable choices for outdoor candle lanterns include bronze and copper for a metallic look, and for customized lanterns a popular pick is shaded glass. One hard-nosed application of candle lanterns are bug repellent candles which will preserve the atmosphere of your patio and prevent you and your guests from getting bugged by bugs. Some people have found that it is simple to make their own candle lanterns using a small jar, candle, reflecting tin foil, and a metal mesh screen for the top. A popular alternative to candle lanterns is solar lighting which can be made to suggest flowers, birds, butterflies or other wildlife in order to have a relaxed atmosphere for the backyard patio. Outdoor candle lanterns are perfect for those warm summer nights when you desire to add some romantic feeling to your backyard scene.

Listed here are a few of the many different websites that address lighting topics. Want more help finding led lighting? Then Germains Led Lights might be the place to start looking.

Produce a charming living room with modern furnishings

Audio cabinets
Audio equipment cabinets offer both sufficient storage room for your audio equipment, and a primary focal point for the room decor. When considering structure and organization, audio cabinets can be extremely flexible and can be constructed of solid wood or wood veneers for the traditional look, or built out of aluminum or steel for a more contemporary look. An important element is the visual impact the audio cabinet makes, whether it looks like a regular piece of furniture, or you have the audio equipment itself as the center of attention. As a piece of furniture, it is most important for the color of the cabinet door to match the color scheme of your room. On the other hand, if you are more interested in showing off the audio equipment, then glass doors are appropriate. For an even more impressive look you should think about an art nouveau approach with a custom-built cabinet in the shape of a guitar or any other unusual design. Hot, new audio components appear on the market regularly, so your audio equipment cabinet should be flexible enough to allow room for new stuff. If you require decent sound separation you probably will not want to put the speakers next to the components, although this is not as much of an issue for compact speakers which can fit on the cabinet top. Other audio equipment cabinet alternatives might be the wall mounted cabinet, which frees up floor space for other functions, or a cabinet mounted on wheels which you will be able to move around.

Storing your wine collection
Wine storage cabinets can be your ideal option for long-term storage of a valuable wine collection. Often these cabinets will be put in a cellar where the temperature will be maintained at a constant level. If you are a everyday wine drinker, however, keeping a storage cabinet in the primary living area will make access more handy.

Frequently, fans or refrigeration units are coupled with wine cabinets to create an inclusive system which should safeguard your bottles. When you are needing to protect as well as show off your wine bottles, think about acquiring a complete system that includes a refrigeration unit. While shopping for wine refrigerators, it is the best thing to stay with well-known types that have a proven service history and great warranties. Numerous foreign-made products have flooded the market, and even though they can be less expensive they tend not to have any service history and many do not have warranties. Finally, when obtaining a new wine cooling system go for name brand systems that have been around for awhile and are able to substantiate their dependability. Buying a wine refrigeration system doesn’t have to be hard; simply make use of good judgment when making the purchase.

Portable Room Dividers
Using portable room dividers, you can divide up a bigger room into separate rooms or to change the size of any room temporarily. If you want to form a wall to separate your kitchen and living room, make added play room for your kids or privacy space for yourself or make additional closet space, then they are an ideal solution. A few have shelves and can be placed next to a wall and used for additional shelf space, and may also be used to divide up office space for a more comfortable work setting. To avoid any heavy lifting, you may decide to obtain ones with wheels, which can be rolled into position and moved with no trouble. Going the custom route, you may build your own employing hollow-core interior doors, which are prefabricated doors made of fiberboard or particleboard. It is possible to create a tri-fold divider similar to a folding screen divider, except bigger in size, by placing three hollow-core doors side by side. Adding paint to it may further enhance the look of a room and give it an individual touch, depending on your tastes.

Assuming the above topics have been useful, you could also get additional information about furniture and accessories on these different sites. Want more help finding rustic furniture? Then Moms Rustic Furniture might be a good place to begin looking.

Cement installation and repair? How hard is it?

Protect the concrete in your home
The best concrete sealers are produced out of epoxy resins which water-proof the surfaces of driveways, patios, floors and even counter-tops. To inhibit the progress of advanced water damage you should regularly check out all the concrete structures around your house and seal them as necessary. You should be cautious with major cracks in your foundation as they might signal advanced structural troubles due to shifting, and may need more extensive effort than simply applying a sealant. Epoxy resin sealers also render the surface of concrete easier to stay free of stains and make it painless to clean. It could take a week to put down two or three coats of sealant, but after that there is little maintenance required and it’s a job that almost everyone can do. If your house has a basement it is particularly important to seal small cracks in order to stop mold from getting a presence in your home.

How to build concrete steps
Concrete steps require the least amount of upkeep, in addition to being rather easy to repair when they do develop cracks, making them the appropriate choice for entering or exiting an elevated house or building. The things you have todo when constructing them include building a wooden frame, pouring gravel into the filler space and tamping it down, followed by filling the space with cement. Constructing them might be tiring and arduous, but once finished, leaves a person with a skill they will be glad they acquired. Here is a list of the tools and material you will require when setting out to build them: a tamper, a shovel, concrete mix, half-inch plywood, a finishing trowel and an edge trowel, 2-by-4 lumber, a hammer, cooking spray. A wheelbarrow will be needed to mix the concrete, or you may rent a portable cement mixer. In order to avoid potential dangers such as the buildup of water, which may make them slippery or icy, you will need to make certain the steps are leveled and surfaced properly. Specific types of paint can be used to paint them, and if you decide to do it, slip-proof paint is the brand of paint usually recommended.

Concrete protection
There have been many improvements within the area of protecting concrete in the last several years. Before putting on a concrete coating you will want to patch and repair any sections that need fixing and to carefully scrub all spills or stains.

Your next task will be to ascertain what types of abuse your concrete will almost certainly be subjected to, as this can impact which type of concrete coating will work best. Some of the major problems experienced by concrete include chemicals, abrasion, impact, and thermal shock. Additional aspects which could influence which brand of concrete coating is suitable for you include appearance, installation requirements, and the expected life span of the slab.

You will have many distinct options when it comes to installing a concrete coating. The most frequently used polymers are polyurethanes and epoxies. Polyurethanes have a very low permeability and should make a great choice in case you desire waterproofing abilities. Nearly all urethanes will incorporate solvents. Epoxy concrete coatings will be solvent-free and work well for chemical and abrasion resistance. They can be a good pick for crack repair, for toppings, and for overlays. Newer formulations of concrete coatings are made from an epoxy urethane hybrid that gives excellent thermal and stress reduction and exceptional shock resistance. Once you have chosen the right material you will need to determine an adequate thickness, which goes from from a light covering to a complete topping. It is also important to settle on whether you prefer the floor to be attractive and if you desire a smooth or textured veneer.

After assessing your budget you should be aware that often low-cost materials do not give the kind of safeguard you may require and may wind up being more expensive in the long run. As a sensible homeowner, you have to take care of the concrete as you would any other area of your house.

You will be able to find quite a few additional websites that address residential concrete topics. For instance, if you have an interest in basement waterproofing, then Basement Waterproofing Answers will have plenty of valuable advice. Want further advice about foundation repair? Then eFoundation Repair should be helpful.

Some bathroom accents

Discounted bathroom vanities
You can give any bathroom a completely new look just by installing a new vanity. You need to make sure to look around as it is likely to be the primary piece in the room. With a full selection of materials and designs on the market finding a top quality piece won’t be hard. It is critical that you take into consideration the size of the room before you make a decision. It is frequently possible to find the most competitive prices and the largest selection by conducting a search of the Internet. If you have enough room it pays to consider adding the double sink variety, particularly if you have a big main bathroom. It is also fun to let your imagination run wild and look into using a different type of cabinet or table and transforming it into the perfect vanity. Sometimes home improvement stores will offer excellent bargains on particular furnishings that fit both your style and your budget.

The focus of any bathroom is the vanity
When you have set you mind to make over your bathroom the appropriate place to start is where you begin the day grooming, the mirror, counter/sink combination normally known as the vanity. It will turn frustrating if you don’t have room to keep all your grooming articles close at hand, so be sure the vanity has lots of space on the counter. Bathroom vanities are the focal point of any bathroom make over, and you will be able to find one to suit both a tight budget and a small bathroom. Begin by planning a sharp design style for the vanity, then match the mirror frames, faucets, and the fixtures in the tub or shower. Bathroom vanities are built in a nice choice of materials, the most highly desirable being wood, glass, chrome, granite, or cultured marble if you want to go upscale. Most sinks nowadays are porcelain, which are simpler to take care of than sinks made of Corian, or custom metal sinks like bronze. A bathroom is not simply for grooming but it is a place of refuge and relief, and you have innumerable options for making yours as serene and tranquil as possible. Even so, how serene your bathroom is often depends on how many folks use it.

A properly lighted bathroom is essential to good grooming
Even though most homeowners are more concerned with adequate lighting in the living room and kitchen than in the bathroom, the importance of decent bathroom lighting cannot be over-estimated. Proper grooming calls for adequate illumination, and this is a fact whether you are shaving, putting make-up on, or combing or fixing your hair. Mood lighting may be great for the living room or bedroom, but in the bathroom you want task lighting, such as vertical light strips set up on both sides of the mirror, which best illuminate the head and face. Other forms of task lighting are also effective in the bathroom, for example globe bulbs installed across the top of the mirror, unfortunately any kind of recessed lighting won’t work with a mirror because they cast shadows. However, the shadows cast by recessed lights aren’t an issue when installed over the shower, tub or toilet, as that kind of lighting will not have a negative affect on your day-to-day grooming. You should cover the light bulbs with glass covers, which are desirable for all types of bathroom lighting since plastic covers will yellow from humidity and the heat of the bulb. If you have small windows in your bathroom and don’t see as much natural light as you like you can put up a ceiling light in the center of the room that emits full spectrum light, akin to sunshine.

If you found the preceding topics helpful, you might also discover more advice regarding bathroom accessories at these listed sites. Need further advice about glass sink bowls? Then New Glass Bathroom Sinks will be able to give you the advice you need.