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The Barcelona Chair and Barcelona Daybed are a Spring Hit

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Barcelona Chair and Barcelona Daybed

Many design lovers recognise the elements of the Barcelona Collection in a glance: The Barcelona Chair and Table; The Barcelona Bench, The Barcelona Ottoman. Their particular shapes and patterns are an integral part of the iconography of the Mid-Century Modern aesthetic. Now Barcelona Designs offers the best rendition of these legendary masterpieces with the best standards of quality and loyalty to the original concept. 

Created in 1929 by L. Mies van der Rohe and released in the International Exposition of Barcelona of that year, this furniture collection works well with each one item on its own, or as a splendid whole. Just use your creativity and play with the different elements of your living room and see how it works. 

The Barcelona Chair, Loveseat and Sofa: Flexible Design

The Barcelona Chair, Loveseat and Sofa: Flexible Design

The Barcelona Chair is comfortable, elegant, and suits very well in small or big spaces due to its particular concept, sleek and strong at the same time; or in the words of L. Mies van der Rohe: “skin and bones” design.

You can align two Barcelona Loveseats (Two seats) or even two Barcelona Sofas (Three seats) without overcrowding your space and keeping it in style. Play with its different combinations and find the most suitable for your living room.

The Barcelona Bench: Versatility

 Barcelona Bench: Versatility

This the main feature of the Barcelona Bench. Your space may evolve in very different ways with the classic Barcelona Bench in its two and three-seat sizes, and the iconic Barcelona Daybed.

Use the Barcelona Bench Two-seater and Three-seater to expand the number of seats available in your room. The look of the well-crafted cushions of a Barcelona Bench in a hallway space provides a debonair sensation of sleek comfort.

Just like many utility pieces, the Barcelona Bench can be used as a center table. In its two-seat version, you can place it easily in the middle of the room and make it work as a multipurpose surface such as a seat, an ottoman or a coffee table.

The Barcelona Daybed: Royal Comfort

Barcelona Daybed: Royal Comfort

A special comment has to do with the Barcelona Daybed. It’s so much more than a relaxing spot. Its sophisticated appearance and elegant silhouette topped by a distinctive leather bolster make this piece a decorative object by itself. Ideal for open, large spaces, its horizontal structure invites us to relax and look at the horizon.

The Barcelona Ottoman and the Coffee table: The Cherry Tops

Barcelona Ottoman and the Coffee table: The Cherry Tops

As interior design tools, these items have the virtue to balance any space. The discreet but solid structure of the black Barcelona Ottoman suits perfectly in a space charged with too many neutral colors (and the other way around with the white Ottoman).

The Coffee Table has a very clear, light design with its squared glass top and its crossed chromed frame. Its reflective surface balances very well the solid structure of the Chair and Sofas and is appropriate not only for homes but for professional/public spaces.

True to Design means High-quality Materials

The market of replicas has been one of the favorite choices by Mid-Century Modern enthusiasts and became one of the preferred alternatives by Mid Century Modern enthusiasts around the world.

But replicas mean much more than a similar design. Being true to the original means use only the best materials to meet the original standards. That’s why Barcelona Designs only use 100% full grain Premium-Italian Leather upholstery, exclusively hand-picked by experts that know how they are going to be used. The smooth, seamless ends of corners in every piece are unique in the US market. The cushion foam is wrapped in synthetic silk, so it can breathe and let you feel this special comfort. 

With more than 15 years in the business, Barcelona Designs is one of the high-end manufacturers of Mid-Century Modern replicas. If you are a quality enthusiast, don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy the Barcelona Collection. Its marvelous pieces of design.

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Maintaining Sanity- Setting up a Home Office During a Pandemic

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Home Office

With the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, the vast majority of the world has resorted to complete lockdown. From offices to factories, public spaces, and restaurants people have been banished into their homes, having no productive element in their life.

During these troubling times, people are realizing the necessity of establishing a work-from-home office. A dedicated space for continuing a job, maintaining productivity or working on an online portfolio, within the house gives you control over your professional life and never lets a pandemic disrupt it.

There are some essentials for setting up a basic home office and here we have discussed just that.

Selecting the Right Space

Home Office

Workplaces should be exclusive, because only then can you separate home from work. To ensure this, select an area within your home that is relatively secluded, so that along with the comfort of working at home, you do not lose out on focus. It does not matter if your home is expansive or small, identify an area that is not a go-to place for every person within your house (even if you live alone).

The exclusivity of a dedicated workplace that is a separate corner allows your brain to associate it with work, and command the body to stimulate focus and productivity, leaving behind the procrastination and drudgery that restricts you from getting things done.

Getting the Right Furniture

Home Office2

After selecting your work spot for a home office, then comes its organization. There is a reason why office spaces feel so aesthetic and enable efficient work delivery- office furniture. Getting the right furniture guarantees structure within your work life.

Ranging from a professional work desk, a comfy yet sturdy chair, to shelves that offer a modest storage capacity, office furniture makes your space look professional. It also gives you the foundation to have a more productive professional life, that too during a depressing pandemic, by enabling the organization of thoughts and functionality. 

Getting the Right Furniture

Home Office

Productivity and creativity go hand in hand- for humans crave scenic and aesthetic beauty to rejuvenate their minds, and then get ready for grueling work sessions. To make sure that your home office pleases your creative sensations, you should embellish it with simple decorations.

To secure this end, look for a green element, such as a basic plant pot or a flower vase that you can put near your work desk. This will generate a serene vibe, that will keep you functional during strenuous work hours, and ensure sustained productivity. You can even hang an artsy painting that you can adore while entering or exiting the workplace.

Nothing Disrupts Productivity Anymore

Home Office

With the minimum effort identified above, it is super simple to set up a work-from-home office. With the onset of the gig economy and efficient working solutions, the trend of setting up a house workplace is increasingly on the rise.

Productivity is imperative to keep humans functional because we seek meaning by the value we generate as individuals, and setting up a home office boosts this by a manifold.

Conclusion

Craft your haven of focus from everyday chaos. A dedicated home office, with its ergonomic haven and aesthetic touches, fuels productivity, fostering the meaning we seek even amidst pandemics. So, carve your corner, unleash your creativity, and watch productivity soar.

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How To Uplift Your Decor When Renting A Home

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home decor tip

Before I was able to purchase my first home, I rented for almost two decades. My wife and I had always wanted to own property, but we just were not making enough money for it to be a realistic option. Furthermore, both of us had bad credit scores, and at one point we thought to own property was a dream we would never fulfill. Fortunately, we eventually got there. But the truth is that you cannot live your life waiting on something that might always be a dream. We were staying in an apartment for a long time before we accepted that we were living there. At that point, we recognized that we needed to do something to make it our own.

home decor tips

The problem with interior design when renting a place is that, unless you are dealing with a very easygoing homeowner, you cannot do anything permanent. Wallpaper and a new paint job are possibilities, but they are underwhelming to the creative spirit. The good news is that there are inexpensive ways to uplift your decor when renting a home. If you’re lucky, you can even find Burbank apartments in LA that already have amazing features, so you will only need to make a few tweaks to improve it based on your liking.

With innovative DIY projects for home, you can express your true identity without doing anything permanent. Consider the following.

Crafty Shelves

Crafty Shelves home decor tips

The word “shelf” may not inspire much excitement in you. After all, shelves are utilitarian first and foremost. They are not primarily a type of decor. But they can be.

Crafty shelving designs can elevate any room. Even a few cleverly placed floating shelves will give you a start on making the walls of your rented home more interesting. Of course, you can go a lot further, using old books as floating shelves, building a round or octagonal shelves, or hanging shelves with ropes or other materials.

Shelving is easy to remove but can change a room’s aesthetic, and is a great place to start.

Statement Furniture

Statement Furniture home decor tips

If you have bought your furniture for the property, chances are you have gone fairly conservative. You are laying out significant money on furniture and need units that will work in another home if you move. Getting an expensive statement piece that goes perfectly in your current living room may not be a financially responsible decision.

However, you can take the opportunity to DIY a statement piece for your living room. Make a simple side table and paint it in a color that makes the whole room pop. Build your custom lamp in a unique design. There are endless possibilities that will not break the bank.

Curtains Complete a Look

Curtains Complete a Look home decor tips

Conclusion

Curtains are the exact type of change you should be looking to make. The right curtains can complete a look, bringing a whole room together and giving it a lot more character. Simple sheer curtains may fit a minimalistic look but will be boring if you are simply settling for the easiest option. Rather spend some money on eye-catching fabrics and turn them into curtains for each of the rooms in your home.

When renting a home, it is difficult to decorate according to your tastes, as nothing can be permanent. However, with some craftiness, you can begin to showcase your personality.

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The Process Of Developing A Residential Building In Australia 

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Process of Developing Residential Buildings

Before starting the improvement of private structures in Australia, it is imperative to deal with the council process. In addition to the council requisites on higher standards for design and building is the Building Code of Australia. You will also need a BASIX certificate for the approval of the building construction.

For any structure made in the nation, it is fundamental to be gathered per the code. If you can’t uproot a hidden window on or inside .900mm of the limit which is an immediate aftereffect of the code and not the council.

It is additionally huge that all the architects become progressively familiar with their DCP (Development Control Plan). Remember this: Every chamber includes a DCP, a town planning report that gives clearing direction while in the movement to structure and creates. On the off chance that you wish to leave these controls, it is basic to give sound town organizing debates to legitimize your case. Ordinarily, if you state “They did it,” it won’t work.

To begin the improvement of private reconstructs, it is obligatory to get a progress application. Right when the improvement application gets grasped, it grants you, in any case, the structure that has been submitted. To start the improvement technique, you have to from the start apply for a progression confirmation. The DA will by then give subtleties of what you will manufacture. The CC will propose how it will be delivered. You may present the particular and experts’ subtleties, including the things that are required to finish the CC application with the DA in the event that you wish.

These are a portion of the central accommodation basics for a Development application. The drawings that you make should be under the Australian Height Datum. In fundamental words, it proposes you will require a Contour Survey.

With everything considered, what exactly is a Contour Survey?

It is an assessment that lights up everything regarding property and their neighboring properties. You will get all the subtleties of an undeniable check study and statues of completed floor levels, edges, channels and specific spot levels to take isolating proof and working with no issue. A broad Contour study is incredibly noteworthy for any essential improvement or finishing work. It may be exorbitant so post at a sensible cost.

The drawings will include:

Site plan

Site plan for Residential Building In Australia 

It incorporates limit estimations, district of trees, north point, road name and number, easements and completed ground levels.

Elevations

Elevations for Residential Building In Australia

With the assistance of elevations, you can see all appearances of the proposed making work. It reflects edge statues, completed ground levels and completed floor levels.

Floor Plans

Floor Plans of Residential Building In Australia

It incorporates completely dimensioned floor plans containing the degree of existing and proposed making work.

Sections

Sections in Residential Building In Australia

It will, by and large, be reflected as a section’s edge slice through the structure at the focuses picked by the fashioner. It tells the way where the building will be collected.

These records are submitted on a solitary sheet of drawing. You can even give them a pile of A3 drawings taking into account the regularity of A3 printers.

On this, you will in like way require notice structures 6A4’s of site plans and rises. All these will be sent to the people concerned.

If you are playing out a rooftop change or a first-floor advancement, it is basic to include:

Shadow Drawings

These will mirror the impact of your current and proposed constructing a plan with your neighbour property. This must be done in plan and stature.

Articulation of Environmental Effects

A quality EIS gives data about the home and the individuals’ ways of life who stay in it. It is the ideal open door for you to voice your supposition about your case to the town facilitators to abuse it. With the assistance of an OK EIS, it is conceivable to take a gander at the land region, existing and proposed creating a works zone, the floor space degree and the touchy organizing of a region. It will in like way help you with looking at the structure style of the private property, its condition, and once-over the particular structure highlights. On the off chance that you can’t meet the bolstered centers around, the EIS needs to propose the vital DCP and battle the case.

Basix Certificate

It is fundamental to get a Basix Certificate for every single private structure with an estimation of more than $50,000. This affirmation incorporates the playfulness of the game plan. It is an NSW government planning major that affects engineers who are hoping to construct or apply to make another house, change, expansion, home, townhouse, units, pool or an outside spa.

Heritage Assessment

It is for those houses that are arranged in heritage or sensitive conservation zone.

You are also required to give a Stormwater concept plan. Right, when your DA has been bolstered, the resulting stage is to provide these details as a part of your construction certificate:

Specification

It joins data about how and the technique for your structure works.

Structural and Hydraulic Engineers Report

It gives data about the structural stability of your private structure.

To get positive outcomes, it is important to give these documents.

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Interior Makeover: Do’s and Don’ts

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Interior Makeovers

Interior makeovers are far from simple: you need to make sure you have space for all the necessary furniture, you need to balance your budget and prevent overspending, you need to make sure the final design looks really good, etc. There are a lot of things you need to worry about, and it can be really hard for an inexperienced person to get it right. That’s why this article will help you by pointing out the most crucial do’s and don’ts when you’re in the process of an interior makeover. You’ll be able to avoid the worst mistakes and find a few new and helpful ideas if you continue reading! 

Interior Makeover

Plan and Prioritize

Getting a total interior makeover is quite complex and you don’t want to go in blindly without having a decent plan. If you’re usually not a person who likes to write things down and think things through, this might be a bit unusual and hard for you to do – nevertheless, it is paramount. You need to start by writing down all the necessary furniture items you need in the interior. These include things like the TV, carpets, sofas, wardrobes in the bedroom, etc. No matter the design you’ll come up with, you need these pieces of furniture in your home! That’s why you need to write them down and research them first. You’ll have a lot of leeways when choosing decorative and non-essential pieces of furniture, but you can’t just abandon the sofa in your living room because it doesn’t go along with the color of your lamp!

After you’ve written down the essential pieces of furniture and have researched and pinpointed the likely models you’re going to buy, it is time to set aside a budget for them! You want the overwhelming majority of your budget to go to essential furniture (unless you have a massive budget). If you spent the most money on decorative pieces, you’ll likely be able to create a really beautiful and breathtaking interior, but it will be far from practical and comfortable! You need to balance these elements. 

Interior Makeover

Try to be Unique

When you’re designing your interior, you need to try to be unique – this doesn’t mean spending a fortune and trying to get the most unique furniture out there (although that might help), but it means trying to bring together an interior that has a personal touch that shows your personality and character. Sticking to catalog designs might be the safest option, but you’ll rarely get anything truly unique out of it. On the flip side, you might truly mess up your design when you’re trying to be unique.

That’s why you need to be extra careful and double-check every decision. For example, getting indoor smokeless grills might be an excellent choice to give your interior character and have a household item you can use when you invite over your friends and family – but you also need to get its design and placement right if you truly want your interior to look good. It is a good idea to check out the best smokeless indoor grill reviews and choose one that fits your needs. 

Plan and Prioritize for interior makeover

Don’t Forget About the Windows and Doors

Although many people assume that you need to only care about the furniture and the walls when doing an interior makeover, that’s not necessarily true. Remember that windows and doors have a massive impact on how our rooms look. If your living room has two deteriorating windows with yellowing window panes, you can scantily do anything to make the room look better. That’s why you shouldn’t be misled by the term ‘interior’ and ensure your windows and doors also look amazing. Thankfully, that’s easier than ever with amazing manufacturers like  Walbert Windows that create custom windows and doors for your every need!

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Household Repairs You Can Easily Do Yourself

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Household Repair

Whether you own or rent your home, it makes good sense to keep it in tip-top condition. But despite our best home care efforts, sometimes something breaks or goes wrong. Before reaching for the telephone to call for a professional, it’s always worth asking yourself, ‘can I fix it?’ as many household repairs can be done without the expense of a tradesman. To inspire you, we take a look at just some of the household repairs you can easily do yourself. 

Fix a Broken Toilet Lever

Fix a Broken Toilet Lever Household Repairs

You go to flush the loo and the response is a damp squib – chances are the toilet lever has broken or come loose. To be sure, lift the cistern lid and it should be obvious and could well be a simple case of re-attaching the chain. However, the handle can corrode over time or the connecting pieces that attach the flush handle to the lever can break – all these parts are cheap and easy to replace. 

Loosen a Sticky Window

Loosen a Sticky Window Household Repairs

A bad paint job, built-up muck or lack of use can lead to a window sticking when you try to open it. A putty knife, or even a pizza cutter, can be used to carefully break the thin seal of paint that may have dried where the window meets the frame. And for dirt-encrusted windows or seized up hinges, a lubricating agent such as WD-40 or even olive oil applied where needed and allowed to soak in before gently wiggling the window free will do the job. Just be careful to avoid applying the lubricant to any plastic parts. 

Boost Your Heating or Air Con

Boost Your Heating or Air Con Household Repairs

An underperforming air conditioning unit can really add to your energy bills so to keep everything smooth-running, regular DIY maintenance is essential.  An old or dirty air filter in the unit can really impact its performance so if you suspect your air-con is under par, check the filter. If it’s dusty grey in color and looks thick and dense then it’s time to swap it out. For optimum performance, a 18x20x1 sized air filter, and any other should be changed at least every three months.

Re-grout Tiles

Re-grout Tiles

If your tiles are looking less than fresh or a tile has come loose, you can do your own repairs. You will need to remove the old, loose grout first, then to re-grout, you will need a damp sponge, a bucket of water, grout spreader and some grout – ready mixed if you can get it. Using a grouting tool, spread the mixture over the tile surface, working it into the spaces between. Now take the damp sponge and clean off any excess grout until it’s all level and leave to dry. 

Silence Creaky Doors

Silence Creaky Doors

Conclusion

Creaking doors are a nuisance but can easily be silenced with the right lubricant, and they don’t have to be expensive. Petroleum jelly, soap or even cooking oil are all ideal to use and can be found in your kitchen cupboard. Apply sparingly to the door hinges and allow to soak in until the door opens smoothly. And, for a door that doesn’t quite fit tight and rattles, check the latch plate and gently bend the tab connected to the latch towards the stop until the door smoothly fits into place. 

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6 Reasons Why Real Estate Sign Riders Are Still an Effective Way to Promote Your Property

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Real Estate Sign Riders

In the digital age, it can be easy to assume that traditional methods of marketing involving any kind of signage are obsolete. However, that cannot and does not apply to every kind of industry. In the real estate business, nothing can compare to a yard sign and a sign rider or two outside a listed property. In actuality, the rise of technology has made physical signage all the more important.

Real Estate Sign Riders

While your online presence can attract people all over the internet to check out a listed home and view the floor plan, the physical tour of the property is still very much needed.

Particularly, real estate signs can help generate more leads, increase sales, and make things easier for interested buyers. But why do you need them? Here are a few benefits:

  1. Sign riders act like a marker for the listed property. Even if the bulk of real estate buyers searches for properties online, signage can still help them pinpoint the home during the open house or scheduled private viewing. Despite its advancements, GPS and navigation technology can still be faulty and cause a person to get lost.

Having the yard sign outside of the property makes it easier to tell the buyer that they are in the right place. Additionally, a sign rider that displays something like “Open House Today” or another helpful announcement can help drive that point even further. This is especially helpful when the property is in a more remote place or located in a neighborhood with a lot of homes for sale.

  1. Sign riders make it easy to update real estate signs. For practical reasons, sign riders are great additions and easy fixes to any real estate sign if you feel like something is missing. You do not need to spend more money on having the sign replaced when you can simply attach a sign rider to the main sign itself. Information like your new contact details or an attractive feature about the listed property (hot tub, pet-friendly design, etc.) is a great example of missing details that can be added in with a sign rider.
  2. Sign riders provide all the necessary details even before the buyer contacts the agent. Everything from the unique selling point of the property to its status in the market can be indicated on the sign rider. Gone are the days when brochure boxes on yard signs were a common practice. Sign riders are sleeker and more straightforward, laser-focusing the buyers’ attention on the important and appealing details so they are aware of them before they call or message the agent.

In a way, it is up to the agent to be strategic about the wording on the sign riders. The yard sign is meant to grab people’s attention while the sign riders keep people engaged and invite them to take a certain action, like scheduling a viewing of the home through the listing agent. Thinking about what exactly to put on the sign riders is an important design and marketing aspect.

  • Sign riders can help your property stand out more in the market. Using a mix of traditional and digital methods to market a property can maximize its visibility and chances of being sold. What some agents or brokers fail to realize is that digital tools are not meant to replace physical signs on a listed property. They are meant to enhance each other and make up for what the other lacks.

Sign riders are often overlooked, which can give the listed home a competitive advantage. Using sign riders in addition to online promotion can attract more potential buyers to the property.

  • Sign riders can be tech integrated. As stated in the previous point, digital and traditional marketing tools are meant to be complementary. So why not make sign riders a physical aspect of your digital strategy? You can leverage them as a part of an automated lead-generating and nurturing process via different apps. Some apps are specially programmed to send an automated reply containing your contact information as well as details about the property when a buyer texts the number on the sign rider.
Real Estate Sign Riders

Moreover, these apps can collect the buyer’s information and tell you if that said buyer is currently at the property. This makes meetups more convenient and an agreement between you and the buyer. Your real estate firm can also use the stored data from the app to create detailed reports that refine and inform future marketing strategies as well. Sign riders may be physical markers, but they can also provide far more than that with the right app and marketing tactics.

  • Sign riders can be customized to increase their effectiveness. While you can readily purchase sign riders from a printer, you can also have them custom-made. Sign riders are not as boring as they used to be and come in many shapes and designs nowadays. Depending on the information you want to display and the branding needed, you can have sign riders created in the shape and colors needed to make them eye-catching, informative, and appealing as well.

Sign riders are more relevant and beneficial than they used to be. Aside from providing important details, they can be used to increase a property’s visibility and improve digital methods too.

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How to Convert Your Backyard into a Personal Entertainment Zone?

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Convert Backyard into a Personal Entertainment Zone

No one knows exactly when we will have to be homebound and it is legit hitting many of us. However, you can make the situation better by making your in-house outdoor entertainment area. All you need is a lawn, a backyard, or a spacious balcony or terrace. Here is how you can create your entertainment arena at home.

Trim Your Lawn

Trim Your Lawn

Most people do not pay much attention to their backyards. It is mostly a wild space with overgrowing vines and weeds and junk dumped all over the place. The first step is to clean up the area and trim your lawn. A trimmed and nicely kept lawn will give a neat and tidy look and will offer you a lot of vacant space to set up all that you want. It is much more relaxing when your lawn is decluttered with a lot of breathing space.

Landscape Your Lawn

Landscape Your Lawn

Once you have trimmed and cleaned your backyard, put some effort into landscaping it. Landscaping can add a lot of character to your space and can accentuate the look. You can use outdoor accessories such as rocks, boulders, artificial grass, pebbles, and creative planters to add to your lawn. A nicely landscaped driveway or walkway and a small pond will enhance the feel of your space and will make you look more relaxed and closer to nature.

An outdoor kitchen is a perfect way to spruce up your backyard. Read more about creating your own in this guide by Seriously Smoked.

Install Good Lighting

Install Good Lighting

If you are planning to spend an evening in your backyard camping out with kids or even watching a movie alone, you will need some nice lighting in your backyard. Install some pretty lampposts and walkway lights. You can also use fairy lights to put on the plants and trees for further beautification. However, fairy lights alone will not be enough for a bright and well-lit lawn.

Get a Hot Tub

Get a Hot Tub

We all are missing those relaxing spa trips and wish to take a dip in a warm pool. The good news is that the lockdown should not be a reason for you to not enjoy the dip. Get an inflatable hot tub and place it in your backyard. These hot tubs are inflatable and portable and can be moved anywhere anytime. You can set it up in your outdoor area and unwind in your home spa.

Get a Day Bed

Get a Day Bed

A day bed or a lounger is a must-have if you want to lie down and enjoy your favorite movie with your family on a hot breezy summer evening. There are several inflatable day bed and lounger options that can be used for your outdoors. Most of these days are very economically priced and are comfortable enough for even a nap.

Outdoor Entertainment System

Outdoor Entertainment System

At the end of the day everything comes down to entertainment and a great outdoor entertainment system will complete the setup. All you will need is an exterior projector screen, a good portable projector with good connectivity, and a set of good-quality outdoor speakers. You can visit product review sites such as Product Advisor to choose the right outdoor entertainment equipment.

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Six Ways To Prevent Clogs In Your Drains

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Prevent Clogs In Drains

For people who do not like to get their hands dirty, a clogged drain can easily be their biggest nightmare. Having a sink or flush that is filled with filthy water that will not flow through is a much-dreaded problem. And trying to clean a clogged drain has to be the least glamorous job in the world. The best way to save yourself from this cringe-worthy task is to prevent your drains from clogging in the first place. 

Here is a detailed guide on some of the quietest garbage disposals.

Whoever said ‘prevention is better than cure’ must have been a wise man. It only takes a few good habits and the basic maintenance to keep your drains clog-free. This practice will, in turn, help keep the plumbing system is your house in good shape and save you money that you otherwise have to spend on hiring professional plumbers. To help you keep your plumbing system running smoothly, here is a list of ways to prevent clogs in your drains:

Use Drain Strainers

Prevent Clogs In Your Drains

The easiest, most convenient way to stop debris from getting into drainpipes, is to collect it right in the sink. If you do not have a garbage disposal, prevent scrapes from flowing into drains by collecting them in a filter that you can place on the mouth of the drain. 

These simple products are available in a large variety at any local hardware store. Take a picture of the drain with you to ensure you get the one that fits best. Leftover food is the biggest reason for Blocked Drains in your kitchen and this cheap and easy to fit product is the optimal solution to this problem.

Create a Compost Pile

Prevent Clogs In Your Drains

Grinding up food waste in a disposer and then sending it down the drain is a convenient way of discarding food scrapes but even ground bits of certain items can cause a lot of trouble to your drains. Objects like banana peels, coffee grounds, vegetable leaves, eggshells, and potato skins can accumulate in pipe linings even when ground and form a thick layer that ultimately results in a clog. 

The most ingenious way to overcome this issue to store food waste in a container and create a compost pile. Most building communities collect organic waste disposal, but if yours’ does not, you can always build your compost bin. Not only is this great for the overall health of your plumbing system but also the environment.

Keep Grease Away

Prevent Clogs In Your Drains

Another product that is a major cause of drain clogs is grease. When you pour a volume of warm grease down your drain, it cools in the pipe and thickens to form a clog. Even if a grease block is small on its own, it will catch other debris, due to its sticky nature, resulting in a larger blockage. 

The ideal prevention is not to pour any grease or oil down a drain. Instead, store it in a jar and dispose of with regular garbage.

Keep It Flowing

Prevent Clogs In Your Drains

For kitchen sinks with the pre-installed garbage disposal, run a steady stream of cold water every time you wash your dishes. This will ensure that all waste material has been carried fully out of drain pipes into the drainage system. 

Additionally, pour down a kettle of hot water down each sink in your house, once a week to melt away any residual particles. You can also use vinegar for this purpose as the acetic acid in the solution helps break down any clogs in their initial stage. 

Catch That Hair

Prevent Clogs In Your Drains

When it comes to drains in the bathroom, the most prominent enemy is hair. Each time you have to clean a slow drain in your shower, you are bound to find a clump of hair and bits of soap that looks like a huge spider. 

To prevent this grimy, build-up, install a drain catcher onto your shower, tub drain and your bathroom sink. These products are available in different materials such as mesh and silicon. You can get a mesh screen that is placed atop the drain. Or you can install a new drain stopper that has a screen built-in. This way, you will only have to clean the drain catcher every once in a while and not the entire drain pipe.

Install A Lint Catcher

Prevent Clogs In Your Drains

The drain of your washing machine is another point of concern as it can get blocked easily by lint, fabric bits, and even a stray sock. To prevent this from happening, install a lint trap on the end of your washing machine hose.  

A lint trap made of mesh is readily available at most home and hardware stores, but you can even use an old nylon stocking for the same purpose. Just tie the stocking at the end of your washer’s discharge hose and use a zip-tie to secure it tightly.

Prevent Clogs In Your Drains

CONCLUSIVELY

As a rule of thumb, do not let any foreign objects enter your drain pipes. Be it hair, pieces of soap, fruit peels, or any sticky fluids. Ensure a steady flow by regularly cleaning drain covers and douse your drainage pipes with baking soda or vinegar every once in a while. Even though this regular cleaning may seem like a tedious task, remind yourself that it is better than plunging a blocked drain.

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The Complete Guide to Buying and Installing Hardwood Floors

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Hardwood Floors

There are several decisions the house owner would have to take when building a home. Amongst all these decisions required, one stands out as the most basic but important decision that determines the beauty and comfort the home would provide to occupants and visitors. This has to do with the choice of flooring. Currently, the market is flooded with a lot of flooring materials. Nevertheless, one material that is acknowledged for standard flooring is hardwood.

If you would like to check out some flooring options that are ideal for your floor projects, please visit this link: flooring Melbourne

Despite the uniqueness of this material, not all hardwoods are equal. Hardwoods are not just limited to colours and finishes,  they are also influenced by aesthetics and performance. When flooring the apartment with hardwood, you need to think of the type of installation that would be required. In this article, we have laid out tips that will guide you towards installing hardwood floors the right way.

Selecting Hardwood Floors For Your Apartment

Solid Or Engineered Flooring

Solid Or Engineered Flooring

Hardwoods are generally made from thick planks of solid timber. Even till date, it is still installed in various homes and offices. Notwithstanding, technology has paved the way for engineered flooring. What does this term mean? In engineered flooring, the planks are manufactured with a thin layer of wood on the surface which is bound to other layers designed to stop the floor from shifting during contraction and expansion periods.

Interestingly, this may sound new to you; but all woods have three-directional movements known as radial, tangential, and longitudinal movements. The sole purpose of engineered flooring is to create opposing forces to counter these movements, thereby stabilizing the floor panels.

Engineered flooring can be advantageous when used in apartments and basements with concrete subfloors. The height of a floor can be raised by installing solid wood over a layer of plywood or more. The catch to this is that it reduces the ceiling height and interferes with existing doors. On the other hand, you can conveniently install engineered flooring to concrete or a soundproofing mat. By doing so, you still retain the ceiling height and door positions.

However, when selecting an engineered flooring for your apartment, you need to check out the size of the wood layer used. Whereby, the wood layer added is extremely thin, it may be difficult to smoothen or refinish the material in the future. High grade engineered flooring comes with a thicker layer of solid wood.

You Can Go For Either Prefinished Or Site Finish Flooring

You Can Go For Either Prefinished Or Site Finish Flooring

Depending on your choice, you may purchase hardwood planks with raw surfaces which will be finished by a professional after installation or woods that come with stain and topcoat finish. What makes prefinished flooring great is the fact that homeowners already know what they are purchasing in its final state. When ordering this flooring, you can customize it to fit the color scheme of your walls, cabinetry, tiles, textiles, and pieces of furniture,

Installing prefinished flooring is easy and less time-consuming, as you wouldn’t need to add stains or topcoats to it. On the other hand, site finish flooring requires the expertise of a flooring contractor to get the desired result you need. Hence, it may take a longer time to complete.

Nonetheless, site finish flooring provides independence for the house owner to specifically customize the flooring panels. In some cases, you may not find the exact type of flooring customization you need in the catalog of a flooring company. Hence, you would have to work along with your contractor to get the exact customization needed for your floors.

Select The Type Of Flooring Finish You Want

Select The Type Of Flooring Finish You Want

Hardwood flooring planks are available in various finishes. They include water-based polyurethane, oil-based polyurethane, moisture-cure urethane, shellac, wax, penetrating oil sealer, acid-cured finish, and aluminum oxide. These wood finishes are categorized into two main groups, namely, oil and polyurethane.

Oiled flooring planks produce a soft, matte, and natural look owing to the easy penetration of oil into the wood. However, this flooring finish can be affected by stains and damage. On the contrary, polyurethane plank finishes have better resistance to these factors due to their hard topcoat surfaces. Hence, you can use surface material for a house with lots of activities.

Although oil finishes are prone to scratch, these scratches are less detected. You can easily touch up some spots on an oil wood finish. For polyurethane finishes, you would have to change a board or recoat a section of the floor.

It is easier to maintain oil finished flooring, but this is being done more often, while polyurethanes require less maintenance but more work when needed.

Other factors include evaluating the type of wood you need (oak, walnut, cherry, maple, hickory, and ash), selecting your grain pattern (rift-sawn, plain-sawn, and quarter-sawn), and estimating the width of the plank.

Installing Hardwood Floors: Steps To Take

Some various tools and materials would be needed to install your hardwood floor; although, this depends on the type of hardwood floor that is being purchased. Tools like hammer, drill and drill bits, pneumatic flooring nailer, pry bar and saw, and many more, may be needed for your flooring. Here are some steps in this section on how hardwood floors can be properly installed:

Determine The Right Procedure For The Installation

Wood installation methods vary based on the thickness, width, and construction of the hardwood material. Generally, solid hardwood flooring is stapled or nailed to one or two layers of wood materials such as plywood. The plywood acts as a subfloor for the solid wood added cut my plastic.

Engineered wood flooring can be glued, fastened, or installed on other materials as an elevated floor, based on the product selected.

Determine The Right Procedure For The Installation

Your Floor Should Assimilate To The Room Climate

You should not start the installation process as soon as you get your hardwoods. These materials need time to acclimate. They should be left in the room for some days. The importance of this act is to allow the wood moisture content to blend with the conditions of the room. Once this is done, you can proceed to prepare your space.

The Wood Installation Process Can Commence

Your hardwood planks come with an installation guide that contains instructions on how to install the wood panels. It is advised that you carefully follow the instructions laid out by the manufacturer. To get a better result, you can hire a flooring contractor to do the job for you. If you would like to check out some flooring options that are ideal for your floor projects, please visit this link: flooring Melbourne.

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