7 Tips to Make Your Garden Look Bigger

To create and design a beautiful backyard is not necessarily a thing only those who live in the countryside can do, as owning a small garden has become more and more popular in the past few years. Let us introduce you to seven tips on how to transform your small garden with just a little effort and determination.

1. Play With Shapes

You would be surprised at how the shapes in your small garden can make a big difference. One of the best small garden landscaping ideas we found out there: have a circular lawn in your square-shaped small garden. Or like putting a curved path of stones that will trick the eye into thinking that it is bigger than it is.

2. Think Vertical

If you own a small garden and you find yourself with a limited amount of ground space, no problem, just go and explore the vertical space of your small garden. Good examples would be growing vertical climbing beans or even sweetcorn. You can even plant the tallest flowers you can get your hands on, instead of planting bushy flowers.

3. Carefully Choose the Colors

When choosing how to grow a small garden, colors have a specifically interesting duty here. Exactly like owning a small apartment, where you look to influence people's perceptions by choosing complementary colors. For example, you can opt for pale-colored plant blooms just so you give a lighter appearance to your small garden design.

4. Avoid Clutter

Nobody likes hoarders, especially when it comes to building a big world in a small garden outside of your house. Try to keep the garden furniture light and foldable and organize all the essential garden tools nearby.

5. Feature One Mirror

Although it might sound like a strange thing to do, installing a mirror in your small garden can be a good perception-bending addition, and trick the eye into thinking it is a much bigger space than it actually is.

As we all know, mirrors can bring space-perception to a whole new level, and it would be a shame if you wouldn’t profit from the science behind it.

Safety advice: Make sure the mirror is not in direct sunlight as you can risk starting a fire.

6. Emphasize Entryways

By adding a few plants and flowers near the entryways, you take your friends' eyes away from the small garden that you own. When the entry is inviting and lively, it can create a massive change of perception for the common eye.

7. Use All Available Space from Your Small garden

Do not forget to use the sides of your walls, the fence, and all the shed space you have.

The best idea, if possible, would be to install a small garden irrigation system so you can plant all the tomatoes you want and not worry about raining or weather. Instead of this, you can use tools like wall mount garden hose reel in order to make you able to water plants anytime by yourself.

Conclusion

Just because you own a small garden, it doesn’t mean you should feel frustrated about it, or that your friends have bigger gardens at their homes. All you should care about is making it perfect for you and your family, by using all sorts of small space tips that can trick the eye into perceiving it bigger than it is.

Ranging from color schemes to carefully chosen plants, the ideas can be wild, and we challenge you to come up with your own.

What ideas and tips did we miss? Feel free to share your experiences and stories about building a beautiful oasis in your humble small garden.

Author’s Bio: Kay Burton is a content writer and plumbing specialist. Originally from Boston, he moved to pursue his dream of becoming a journalist and joined a university for this. He likes covering topics that range from interior design to plumbing.

Images:

https://www.pexels.com/photo/garden-walkway-view-2224956/  
https://www.pexels.com/photo/green-plants-on-brown-clay-pots-3673763/

Converting an Attic to a Bedroom - tips and tricks

Those who are lucky to own a house with an attic are certainly considering how to utilize the space under the roof best. While some would prefer the peaceful atmosphere of an attic home office, others are more excited about the ample storage space it provides. However, families are most interested in the additional bedroom(s) for kids and occasional guests. Expansion to the attic has multiple benefits. Aside from better-utilized living and storage space, it also adds value to your home, if properly and professionally executed. For that reason, we have compiled a checklist of the most important tips and advice. Take a close look before you start converting an attic to a bedroom.

What does converting an attic to a bedroom involve?

Conducting an inspection is the first step. It should ensure that your attic can be converted into a living space without safety concerns. Also, it should determine that the attic is connected to the necessary utilities. Once this is confirmed, you can start making a layout. Installing proper insulation, flooring, and bathroom area will likely be the most difficult assignments during the renovation.

An attic conversion is also a good time to consider house remodeling projects that can add value to your home. You should think about roof repair, installing energy-efficient roof windows, staircase repair, and applying a fresh coat of paint to the rest of the house.

Tips for converting an attic to a bedroom

You will likely need to remove your belongings from the attic during the renovation. The best option is to consider renting a storage unit and look for professional movers on goodneighborsmoving.com. Moving furniture and boxes is a strenuous work better left to experienced, well-equipped professionals.

Check if creating the bathroom is feasible

Where there is a bedroom, there should be a bathroom, but that may not be possible sometimes. To have a fully functional bathroom, however small, your attic should support a complex network of pipes and drains. Additionally, it should support the weight of heavy bathroom fixtures. Bathrooms also require special waterproofing that builds layers in already limited space. While an additional bathroom is certainly a good investment, building it in the attic may not be worth the investment in the end.

Hire professionals and comply with building regulations

If you're converting an attic to a bedroom to invest in your home before selling it, you have made the right decision. Considering that your relocation is imminent, hire trusted experts to take care of your complete relocation project as well as remodeling. Professional, expert, and efficient service shouldn't have an alternative, especially when the stakes are this high.

Only if you conduct the remodeling under the home safety and building regulations, the conversion will add value to your home. This means that, before you begin with your renovation, you should check if you need a building permit issued by the authorities. If they do not approve of any changes because the fundamental conditions can't be met, there is no point in starting the conversion.

Examine structural solidity of the attic floor

Assuring that your attic floor can support the furniture and appliances is key. Usually, attics are not designed with conversion in mind and most do not have support walls underneath. If a part of the attic is not suitable for heavy furniture, it will either change your planned layout or hinder the construction altogether. A specialist should assess your attic before you start any work. It may easily happen that your attic conversion will depend on reinforcements to support the weight of furniture and people. In turn, these can affect the ceiling height.

However, if the experts give you the green light for remodeling, consider refreshing the existing wooden flooring instead of replacing it. Usually, attic floors are safe from wear and tear and will shine without too much work.

Design and build a permanent staircase

Before converting an attic to a bedroom, hire a service provider for the new staircase. A permanent staircase is a necessity that requires careful planning. It will affect the layout of the attic as well as the floor below. After all, you need to bring the furniture up. The biggest issues here can pose a lack of space for maneuvering and changes the staircase makes to the design of the lower floor. 

Factor in the installations

Converting an attic to a bedroom is much more than painting the walls and bringing the bed upstairs. Installing heating, cooling, ventilation, and electrical wiring is a vital part of the renovation. Finding professionals to handle a particular job may prove easier than coordinating them. Make a checklist of all necessary remodeling work and then create a schedule.  If this proves too much for you, note that most remodeling companies have a well-coordinated team of professionals and managers who would do the planning and remodeling on your behalf.

Quality insulation will save you money

As previously mentioned, attics are not designed as living quarters and are covered only with necessary insulation. To make your new bedroom more comfortable, invest in additional layers of wall and roof insulation. Moreover, this new insulation will have another effect. Making the attic and its windows more energy-efficient will reduce the heat loss and positively reflect on your heating bills. 

Conclusion

Converting an attic to a bedroom is a good long-term investment. The most attractive part about it is that it creates an open floor layout that is modern and practical at the same time. Depending on the overall quality, age of your house, and maintenance, an attic conversion can become costly. Add to it any additional repair work and you may wonder if it truly pays off. This is why it is vital to hire a licensed home inspector to asses your home. Firstly, they will inform you if the conversion is feasible. And if it is, with the evaluation in hand, it will be much easier to weigh the pros and cons of the attic conversion.

Why DIY Electrical Work is a Bad Idea

If you’re working on a renovation or other DIY project, you might be tempted to complete a small electrical task yourself. However, it’s important to realise that all electrical work must be completed by a fully qualified and licenced electrician, no matter how small the job may be. This isn’t just to protect yourself, but to protect others as well. It also ensures the job will be completed to the highest standard. To learn of more reasons why DIY electrical work is a bad idea, read on.

image:pixabay.com/photos/cables-electric-wall-electricity-1080569

Risk of Fire

When attempting to carry out your own electrical work, the chance of something going wrong is very high, leading to the risk of fire. All it takes is one wire that’s not connected properly to create a short that could lead to a fire in your home. To minimise the chance of fire, it’s important to get all electrical work done by a professional electrician.

Risk of Electrocution

In addition to a high risk of fire, doing your own electrical work also comes with the risk of electrocution. A proper electrician will know how to safely work with dangerous electrical components to avoid electrocution, but it's likely that your own knowledge in this area is lacking. To avoid becoming a statistic, you must hire an electrician who can get the job done safely. Even if it's an urgent job, you can call on an emergency electrician who can attend at short notice so you don't have to take a risk.

Code Violations

Another downside of doing your own electrical work is the risk of completing work that violates code. Many electrical works in Melbourne require certificates to be provided by a licenced electrician. If this certificate isn't provided, you could run into problems when it comes time to selling your house or trying to claim on your house insurance. The last thing you want is for your house to burn down due to faulty wiring and for your insurance company not to pay out due to the electrical work having not been done professionally.

Costly Repairs

The irony of DIY electrical work is that people often attempt it to save money, but in the long term, it can actually end up costing you a lot more money. If you make a mistake, you could need the services of an emergency electrician to provide emergency repairs – and these repairs will not come cheap. If you want to save money, the best option is to hire an electrician right from the get-go.

Puts Everyone at Risk

Finally, the biggest reason why DIY electrical work shouldn't be attempted is due to the risk it poses not just to you, but to everyone around you. Faulty wiring can lead to electrocution for anyone who touches it, which puts everyone in your household at risk. If you want to keep both yourself and your family safe, it's best to keep the emergency work for a professional electrician who knows exactly what they're doing.