When it comes to the war between parents and their teenage children taste and style are often at the heart of most arguments. Whether it’s what both sides feel is acceptable dress sense or what both sides feel are acceptable friends it can sometimes feel like a never ending battle. If you’re a teenage girl looking to decorate your bedroom or you’re a parent with a teenage girl who wants a bedroom make over there are a few simple things to bear in mind. If you’re the teenager the bottom line is that it’s your parent’s house and the chances are they’re controlling the budget on this project so ultimately what they say goes. Any thought of a jet black room dotted with pentagrams is probably pushing it. If you’re the parent you’re going to have to remember what it’s like to be a teenager. Your child’s tastes are growing [...]

With shows like Home Makeover, Style My House and Top Design, it is no wonder that many homeowners are so in tuned into styling and remodeling their house. When it comes to reinventing the overall look and appeal of your home, there is no denying that the kitchen is one particular space that can transform the feel of the entire house. Remodeling the kitchen itself is no easy task especially when you get to the part of deciding which particular cabinets to use. As they play the most poignant role in tying the project together, carefully choosing the design, color and style of these cabinets is critical to the functionality and appeal of your entire kitchen. With so many options to pick between, choosing the right types of cabinets to go with your kitchen is no easy task. The key is to know the important factors that can help you [...]

Colour is one of the most important factors in any interior design project. But when it comes to the kitchen, the right colours can completely transform the room into a modern, clean and tranquil environment that even the most reluctant of cooks would be happy to spend time in. And as we’re starting to see the last of winter, now is the perfect time to employ a new colour scheme in your kitchen to fit in with the emporium of colours our spring months bring. One of the most popular kitchen colours is white. It is generally believed that people choose white because it looks ‘clean’. However it has the drawback of tending to look very cold and clinical. Another problem with white kitchens is that although they initially do look very clean, the colour will expose dirt very easily. Often when we cook, the smoke can cause discolouration to [...]

Any leading bathroom retailer will feature a wide range of luxurious fittings, but how can you make the same effect at home – while keeping costs to a minimum? Modernize, revitalize and enlarge your bathroom by implementing the following tips: Implement pale colours – Firstly, of fundamental importance, is to ensure the colour of the wall is pale. Try magnolia, warm pastel yellow or spring green on the walls, as these colours will give the illusion of a larger area. Use brighter colours for additional decorative features, such as towels. Don’t forget the flooring, as a pale colour on the floor will be receptive to creating a more spacious appearance. If replacing the floor is not a viable option, add a rug or large mat to the bathroom. Done correctly, this could be just as effective, with the bonus of being cost effective and quicker! Use larger tiles – A [...]

Boys will always be boys, and sports will always be their first love. If your son is showing interest at sports in his early age, show your support by helping him design his room. Re-decorating your son’s room is a pleasurable activity that the two of you can do. This is a good avenue for you to bond together and spend quality time. A sports-themed bedroom can serve as the perfect haven for your son. If your child is keen in one sport, discuss with him the elements that he wants to be placed in his room. Say, he adores a famous basketball team. Get his ideas on how he would like his room to look like after the transformation. Getting started – After you had discussed with your son, your next step is to visit the mall and pick out items that you can use to decorate his room. [...]

A kitchen fitting is much more complex than other rooms due to the need of knowledge in plumbing and tiling, as well as carpentry and electrical to complete a kitchen project. Safety – Safety comes first, no matter what the project. Check the kitchen area for electrical wires, gas and water piping with a pipe and power detector. Check all power tools with an RCD protection device, too, ensuring all power tool leads are in good condition. Check safety equipment: eye protection, hardhat, shoes, knee protectors, etc for worn spots or cracks. It also makes sense to double check the terms of your buildings and contents insurance policy. Tool and Supplies List Kitchen Sink and Worktops Basin spanner Kitchen taps Kitchen sink Worktops Spanners Cabinetry Bolster chisel Cabinet accessories Cabinets Handles Claw hammer Crow bar Doors Drill and drill bits PVA wood glue Saw Silicone sealer Spirit level Safety Equipment [...]

As America comes out of one of the worst recessions in it’s time, many homeowners have decided to spend their time and money working on renovation projects that will increase the value of their home rather than waste the money elsewhere. In a recent survey, 85% of homeowners said that they will be spending their money on a home renovation or home remodeling project in the upcoming months. However out of this 85%, only 29% said that they will be hiring a contractor or a professional to do the job for them. Obviously the “Do-it-yourself” mentality is still very much alive and well in our society. Even though this do it yourself attitude is definitely a nice quality, it doesn’t help much if you don’t know what you’re doing. A home renovation horror story is just on hammer swing away. Things always go wrong with renovation project and unless you [...]

It’s easy for people to feel like they’re drowning under a sea of clutter in their houses. The modern way of life is geared towards collecting material things, and all of this stuff needs to be put somewhere. The problem is that this somewhere is usually in household living areas and bedrooms; right smack bang in the middle of everyday life. The good news for some people is that the solution may be as simple as increasing the amount of available storage area, and if this is the case then there’s some great options available. However other people may find that waging war upon the mess with an army of closets and shelving doesn’t seem to make a dent in the junk pile. In these situations, there’s a good chance that a little spruce up of organizational habits may be in order. Here are three storage solution tips that you [...]

The living room is a multi-purpose space that is commonly used by everyone in the family. It is easy for clutter to surreptitiously take over every flat surface in the room until you find yourself trying to watch television around a stack of mail with your feet nestled between two pairs of discarded shoes under the coffee table. Taking control of living room clutter can help you keep the mountains of unnecessary stuff out of the room so that you can enjoy it in the way that it was intended to be enjoyed. A little organization can go a long way toward reclaiming your living room on a daily basis. Make a Space for Items that are Really Used Think about what you and your family really use the living room for. Is it a space for watching television, playing video games, reading books, chatting after dinner, or a combination [...]

Of all the DIY projects we tackle at home, painting is among the most common. Many people repaint an entire house when they first move in, and then paint again a few years down the road. Unfortunately, many DIY enthusiasts don’t get the painting results they desire so they spend the money to hire a professional painter. With all due respect to the pros, any DIY home owner can achieve great painting results if he uses the proper technique. Priming – Whatever you do, don’t skip the primer step. Priming seems like a waste of time and money in some situations, but it makes the difference between an excellent finished product and a mediocre one. For new wall board, primer is absolutely essential to prepare the surface for painting. Without primer, painting virgin wall board looks uneven, blotched, and faded. When covering up old paint, or walls newly stripped of [...]