Dressing Your Home

Kitchen Cabinets Make a Big Difference

Some people who are interested in remodeling their homes have little to no idea how much custom kitchen cabinets can alter the look of the room or even the entire home. When should a person buy new cabinets for the kitchen or bathroom? This may depend on a few things but a lot of it will have to do with when you decide to get the new style your home needs to have a new look.

A lot of older homes have old, out of style cabinetry because that was the style when the home was built. Depending on the area of the homes location, the cabinets of the home may be crude, handmade cupboards that may have layers of paint and gouges on them. If this is the case, one may consider getting rid of the eye soars all together instead of trying to make them look better. An entire home can look totally different just because there are new cabinets in the bathroom and kitchen.

Not only do new bathroom or kitchen cabinets make the appearance of the home more modern, it will also make for more space. Read more…

Tags: Cabinets, Kitchen Cabinets

Pawson House, London by Catherine & John Pawson

British architect John Pawson and CAtherine Pawson have designed their own house based in London.

Planning regulations prohibited alterations to the front of this traditional nineteenth century row house in a conservation area in west London. Working within these restrictions, the design scoops out the interior in its entirety, leaving the protected façade untouched. Floor layouts are radically redrawn to give the maximum amount of unencumbered space, while cuts made to the envelope allow natural light into the full depth of the plan. At the top of the house a glazed slot running the length of the ceiling allows light to spill down a triple-height staircase.

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Tags: John Pawson, Pawson

Renting? It’s Still Possible to Have an Energy-Efficient Home

(NewsUSA) – According to a report from real estate research firm Reis, the national apartment vacancy rate reached 7.8 percent in the third quarter — the highest level in 23 years — which gives renters the upper hand to request money-saving amenities to cut costly bills. While the economy is starting to show signs of improvement, unemployment rates still remain high, which has led to higher rental rates. There are 38 million renters in the market looking for ways to be fiscally responsible.

While fancy amenities like granite countertops and walk-in closets were popular before, the new budget-savvy renter is looking for a well-built and energy-efficient home. In fact, according to ApartmentGuide.com, added features that save renters money, like paid utilities and washers and dryers in units, topped the list of popular amenities from February to August 2009.

Renters who suspect their laundry pair and kitchen appliances haven’t been replaced in years should find the model and serial numbers on each unit and contact the manufacturer’s customer service line to determine the year they were made. ENERGY

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Tile Layout For Floors: A How-To Guide

Tile layout and the preparation involved with tile installation is very important. Here you will find tips and ideas on how to make the process easy to complete so that your tile layout experience is a pleasant one.

The key to making this process effective so that you have a beautiful end result, is taking your time, and double checking your measurements and designs. The following is a list of items that you should have handy while doing the initial tile layout:

1. Chalk line marker
2. Carpenter square
3. Measuring tape
4. A box of tiles or samples
5. Pen
6. Paper
7. Idea books* This is necessary if you are going to imitate specific ideas

The supplies listed above will truly make the process easier for you when you are completing the actual tile flooring installation. The bulk of work for any tile project is consumed by the planning stages.

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Tags: Layout, Tile Layout