Do-it-yourself draperies – customize your home on a budget

They say homes without curtains are empty and tedious; and we couldn’t agree more. Window treatments are fundamental if we want our personal space to scream comfort and ease. But then again, the finest draperies are expensive, and the average homeowner can’t afford to spend thousands of dollars every year to change the curtains. Fortunately, now you can use smart tips to make your own shades. Settle on a convenient budget and use the following nifty guidelines to customize your home.

Towel window treatments

Put kitchen towels to good use and make yourself a set of cool drapes for the cooking space. This idea is budget-friendly, convenient and quite easy to craft. All you need for this project to be successful is two regular dish towels; choose a pretty design that can complement the kitchen décor. Prints, patterns and dots might seem like an excellent idea. Next, decide on a curtain rod. Measure the rod beforehand to be sure it matches the length of your windows; now grab a few clips and hook them to the edge of the dish towels. Hang and enjoy the end result!

Jazzy buttoned drapes

There are many ways you can jazz up your curtains without spending a fortune. For this DIY technique, you need old curtains and several colorful buttons in different sizes, shapes and colors. For the project to be successful the initial curtains should feature a neutral color; this will bring out the color of the buttons when sewed onto the fabric. Use buttons to craft flowers and other interesting patterns; if sewing is not your strongest ability, you can always glue the buttons onto your chosen fabric. Use your imagination to come up with the most interesting designs, and make your shades look innovative and out of the ordinary.

Printed Roman shades

Give a twist to your current Roman shades in the living area or kitchen and have them printed; an even cheaper alternative is to use DIY stencil to craft a personal message for your loved ones directly on the shades. Use a permanent marker to do that, and don’t hesitate to play with more than one color. For the printed version, you might want to go to a digital shop with your shades; but don’t worry the price is affordable, so you’re not going to break the bank.

Rickrack panels

Make your neutral living room stand out with these rickrack panels; the tab-top panels will make your personal space seem more dramatic and innovative, not to mention that the shaping of the ribbons adds more movement thus bringing all the focus onto the window treatments. To cool off the effect of the pattern, you might want to choose natural textures and colors for the curtains. Prior to hanging them on the rod, make proper measurements to ensure that the zigzag effect is done properly. The ribbons must be sewed or glued at exact distances from one another.

Floor to ceiling window treatments

Floor to ceiling curtains will make even the smallest rooms seem taller and more spacious. To get this effect you need to reposition your curtain rods. Remove the current ones and place them higher, nearly linked to the ceiling. You might want to change the curtains though, as the old ones won’t even touch the ground. To make this a DIY approach, you can cut in half the ones you already own; re-plaint them to give them a fresh and buy additional fabric for the bottom half. Create contrast and give your home a totally new allure with monochromatic DIY curtains. Go for blends of black and white, yellow and gray, orange and brown, etc. and your shades will completely change the dull vibe of your bedroom or living area.

Customizing your home is a lot easier than you think. It’s all about investing in smart accessories, as well as putting your creativity to good use and making things work. Think outside the box for once and check the web for some more advice on how to DIY your curtains and draperies. Changing a room’s vibe and feel is easy; all you need is a bit of imagination and courage to play with colors, dare to make a change and create the most comfortable environment for your loved ones.

By Paul Trevino and VanessaArbuthnott.co.uk!

Essential Things You May Need To Know Before Building A Deck

Many home owners often prefer building a deck on the outdoor over a patio. A deck can enhance the appearance of a house and also provide a relaxing space.

Considerations involved in deck building

Before starting the work of building a deck, homeowners are advised to consider the following factors, which play an important role.

 

Image:utah-decks.com

·         Purpose of the deck

Home owners may consider building a deck for variety of reasons. These reasons may range from creating an entertainment or dining space, guarding the privacy of the home or for creating a patio garden. The design of the deck may vary according to the purpose of use.

·         Location of the deck

The first step in building a deck is to ascertain its location. For smaller properties, decks may be built only on the lone available spot. Larger properties may provide a number of locations to choose from. The location of the deck may also depend on privacy requirements and the exposure of the spot to various weather conditions.

·         Budget

It is important to arrive at a cost estimate before building a deck. Deck building may involve various types of expenses which may depend on the following factors:

• The deck size.
• The complexity and intricacy of design.
• Lumbering cost.
• Fee charged by the contractor.
• Cost of extra features like railings, flowerboxes and built in seating.

Choice of building the deck yourself or hiring a contractor

Freestanding platform basic decks are easy to build provided you possess the necessary carpentry skills. Multi level and intricately designed decks may require certain engineering skills. In such situations, it is advisable to hire the services of a contractor for the job. You can log on to http://utah-decks.com/ to get quotes for deck building.

Choice of decking materials

Nowadays, a variety of decking materials are available. These include various types of weather resistant woods, pressure treated woods, hardwoods, composite decking materials or other alternatives. You may choose a material according to your requirement and budget.

Deck design and shape

The design and shape of the deck depends on the house design. An appropriate design and shape of the deck can be arrived at after considering the architecture and structure of the house.

Additional features

A deck may or may not include extra features like privacy fencing, roofs and railings. Decks may also be incorporated with built in benches and accessories like outdoor and patio furniture. Another option is to build storage decks which provide shelves and closets. The choice of additional features may depend on the budget and the available space.

Licenses

Building a deck may often require approval from the local authorities. It is advisable to secure approvals in order to avoid future trouble.

Deck lighting

Building a deck may also require the services of an electrician to provide connections or installing lights on the deck. Depending upon the budget, designer, LED or general lights may be chosen.

A deck can offer a high degree of functionality if built properly. It is hence important to consider certain essential factors before deciding on the design, shape, materials and additional features of the deck.

How to Choose Bathroom Fixtures

Several decades ago, bathroom fixture designers didn’t have much to do as they used to come in a couple of styles, colors and materials. This means that buyers usually didn’t have to think hard when equipping their bathroom with fixtures. Today, they come in a multitude of styles, and you can find a wide variety of fixtures that will match your bathroom décor perfectly. However, too many choices can cause a real headache, especially when doing the complete bathroom overhaul. They are the “crown jewels” of every bathroom so select your fixtures wisely. They range from luxurious to budget-friendly so let’s see some tips on how to choose bathroom fixtures that will suit both your style and budget.  

 

Image:www.roomsketcher.com/blog/latest-bathroom-trends/

Replacing the old bathtub and sink or not?

Before choosing the suitable faucets, have a look at the condition of your sink and bathtub - you need to decide whether you’ll replace them along with the other fixtures.  If yes, you’ll need to decide which features they’ll have and consider the size and the style of the bathroom first. The choice of fixtures heavily depends on the sink, bathtub and shower. If you want to do a complete bathroom renovation, make sure that you choose major items such as bath carefully – smaller fixtures are much easier to replace. You should have a look at numerous pre-matched ideas to find out what fixtures would look best on your sinks and bathtub.

Set the maximum budget

Before setting out to do some serious shopping, know your budget. I already mentioned that fixtures go from extremely pricey to low-budget. Don’t think that less expensive fixtures necessarily mean bad quality – you can find elegant plumbing fixtures of decent quality that will match the rest of your bathroom at relatively low prices. Look at the prices and try to decide on the whole fixture set before actually making a purchase – this will help you to stay within your budget limits. If on a tight budget, look for wholesale deals or find “damaged” fixtures sold at discount prices. These are fixtures with minor, often invisible imperfections.

Make a decision on the style

Most people will put aesthetics before functionality and this is crucial in most purchases. This is not such an easy task as it may seem: color, shape, type of handles, single/dual lever, hands-free options… there are lots of things to consider. With all possible colors and designs, making a choice is truly a challenge. Before you even start looking for suitable fixtures, think about your bathroom decoration style. Is it vintage, minimalist, ultra-modern, traditional or rustic? Heavily decorated bathrooms need equally ornate fixtures. Minimalist style is usually associated with chrome and nickel, and if you want a delicate look – bronze finish is a good choice. Your lifestyle is an important factor as well – if you have children or many occupants, stay away from sensitive finishes (such as previously mentioned bronze).

Choosing a faucet

There are many types of fixtures, but faucets are the highlight of every bathroom. If you already have a sink, make sure that faucet matches the hole openings. The most common type of sink is the one with three holes. Depending on the type of the sink, you can choose a single-hole faucet, widespread mount, or center-set that matches a three-hole sink. Single-handle faucets are the best choice in most cases as they have a plate that hides the extra holes. Make sure that the style and finish match the other fixtures such as towel bars and robe hooks – these small details won’t go unnoticed. We recommend a combination of single level/ceramic valve faucets (because of their durability) and a metal pop up instead of knobs.

How to choose a perfect finish

A finish is the surface of the exterior parts of the fixture that gives it its color. There are numerous finishes to choose from that not only give fixtures different colors, but they are of the different durability as well. The basic and most common finish types are nickel, chrome and brass, but a bit more luxurious options can be found on the market, such as oil rubbed bronze or satin gold. PVD finish is one of the most quality and durable ones as it’s almost fully scratch resistant. Various finishes can have PVD characteristics (so you can choose any color you like: steel, nickel, brass and so on). Make sure that you choose plated surfaces: chrome is often applied over faucets to protect them from corrosion.