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Five Ways to Increase Your Privacy at Home

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Five Ways to Increase Your Privacy at Home

It would be easy to assume, now that we live out in the countryside, we had more privacy then when we were living in a busy suburban area. However, we actually find that living out here means we get far more people who are out for a lazy amble in the surrounding walking paths who will quite happily peer through windows rather than purposefully walking onto the destination! With this in mind we have been thinking about ways that we can increase our privacy levels without having to make major structural changes or move house altogether. Here are five of the things that we’ve come up with:

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Home · Money

Ways to Reduce Your Home Insurance Premium

JayneLeave a comment
Ways to Reduce Your Home Insurance Premium
Photo by Tierra Mallorca on Unsplash

Buying home insurance is a great idea for many reasons, not least of all the fact that you will be covered in the event of any theft or accidents. Shopping around and finding the best policy for you is always going to be one of the best ways to ensure that you get a good price and a good value policy, but there are things that you can do in and around your home which will also help to bring your insurance premiums down, especially if you live in area which is identified as a higher risk. Here are five things that you can do to keep your premiums down:

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DIY · Home

Five Original Features You Should Definitely Hang On To

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Original features - tiling

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

While there’s something appealing about the thought of moving into a new or relatively new house where everything is clean and well-maintained, there’s a lot to be said for older houses with renovation potential. As well as maximising your investment by adding value to an older property, there are a few “original features” which, should you be lucky enough to have them, you should definitely consider keeping. Here’s a few of them:

Radiators

While you may want to get your plumbing looked at by a professional or even totally updated, traditional cast iron radiators  are definitely an example of an original feature that you should keep and restore, rather than removing and updating. Aside from looking fantastic, they’re actually a really valuable asset and can add value to a period property if they’re properly taken care of.

Fireplace

It may seem like having a fireplace is a lot of work (yearly sweeps, maintaining liners, etc) but having an original fireplace in your property can not only add value, it can help you to save money in the long run. Using a fireplace for heat is cheaper than gas or electric heating and it’s also a more carbon-friendly method of heating a property if you burn wood, rather than coal.

Doors

Many newer houses come with cheap, hollowfibre doors with flimsy modern handles, wheras older properties usually have hardwood doors with brass doorknobs. The beauty of original doors is that you can sand them down, refinish them to your liking and even add new door furniture. It might be a little bit more work than hanging new doors, but the results speak for themselves.

Windows

Houses that were built before World War II didn’t have windows with plastic UPVC frames. Instead, most got built with sash windows – the ones with wooden frames that slid up and down to open. In England, the oldest surviving sash windows date back to the late 17th century! Although sash windows might not have the benefits of modern uPVC, the look of original features are far more suited to a modern property and secondary glazing can be added to help with insulation for heat and sound.

Tiling

In many period properties, lifting carpet and other flooring treatments will very often reveal ornate tiling, especially around fireplaces or in hallways and bathrooms. It’s often possible to restore tiling to it’s full glory with a bit of polishing or re-grouting, and it’s even possible to find reproduction copies of your tile pattern if you want to replace broken ones.

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Dress up Your Outdoor Windows for Summer

Jayne5 Comments

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

As we move into the warmer weather, you may want to give your home a fresh look to reflect the change of season. Not only can you make interior décor changes to fit the summer vibe, but the exterior of your home deserves some TLC too.

Do you ever walk past a lovely-looking house and admire decorative features in the driveway, beautiful windows, or a brightly painted door? First impressions are everything, and what your home looks like from the outside can instantly boost a home’s curb appeal.

With so many styles to choose from, it can feel overwhelming to do a complete overhaul of your home’s exterior, so take it one step at a time, and begin with your windows.

Here are four ideas to dress up your outdoor windows for summer, using the classic English House for style inspiration.

Select Your Window Type

Don’t underestimate the power of your window frames as they make all the difference when preparing your home to “pop” from the outside. Sash windows are the perfect choice to achieve the English House look as the “sashes” form a frame to hold the panels of glass. They’re an elegant and timeless way to finish off a period-inspired home.

You can choose between uPVC Sash Windows or Timber Windows, each of which offers you a range of styles and configurations. From dual swing to tilt and slide to casement and sliding sash, you’ll be sure to find the right option to suit your home. For a classic English House style, a timber window with the sliding sash style would be ideal.

You can also choose any colour for timber windows if you treat the frames with several coatings of specialised paint. White window frames offer a classic English House style and look great against bricks or stone. View sash window inspiration here.

Add Window Flower Boxes

When properly arranged and placed, window boxes are a wonderful addition to your home’s exterior to add some colour and to make heads turn.

The best window boxes compliment the style of a house, so make sure that the size is correct (not too wide) and that the depth gives your flowers enough room to grow, without blocking the window’s view.

Pick your favourite summer flowers and you can look at them with pride every time you return home. View window flower box inspiration here.

Install Decorative Exterior Shutters

Typically, window shutters are used on the inside of the window frame to control the amount of light that comes through. However, you’ve likely seen them on the outside of people’s homes and wondered — do people actually open and close them? Although window shutters were originally designed for privacy and security, they are now more commonly used for decoration and style.

Exterior window shutters add character and charm to your home’s appearance and require little in the way of maintenance. View exterior shutter inspiration here.

Consider Window Awnings

Window awnings are another great addition for aesthetic purposes as the overhang above the window adds an extra dimension to your home’s exterior. With so many, colours, patterns and designs available, it’s easy to choose an awning that will match the style and décor you are trying to create. View window awning inspiration here.

Awnings also prevent the sun from shining in through the windows and protect the window from above.

Not only are these window additions great for curb appeal and your own enjoyment, but they can also translate into a higher resale value of your home — in case you ever decide to move.

Now take a step back and admire your Pinterest worthy outdoor windows — you’ll be amazed at how much they doll up the exterior of your home!

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Ceiling Mounted Blinds: What You Need to Know

Jayne8 Comments

Ceiling Mounted Blinds: What You Need to Know

Window treatments can generally be mounted in a variety of ways. Typically, blinds are mounted either inside the window area if it has any depth to it, or on the wall just above the window pane. In some cases, you might want to mount the blinds on the ceiling above the window.

Here’s some tips from selectblindscanada.ca that you need to know when mounting your blinds on the ceiling.

Brackets

Every type of window treatment will come with brackets, which are essentially sturdy metal pieces with a variety of holes in them. The distribution of these holes will allow the blinds to be secured from different angles around the window.

If you’re going to be mounting blinds from the ceiling, make sure the brackets are designed in such a way as to allow this. Fortunately, most blind and shade brackets are universal, meaning they can be used for a variety of mounts, including a ceiling mount.

Note that Roman shade brackets are a bit different but will usually have holes at the top for ceiling mounts.

Where would you need ceiling mounted blinds?

In regular or high-end homes, ceiling mounts are uncommon for window treatments, but there are certain situations that will call for them. For example:

The window is too shallow and there’s no space on the wall

In this case, you wouldn’t be able to secure the blinds inside the window or just above it on the wall. Your only option would be a ceiling mount.

On a patio with no pillars on the sides

If you’ve got a covered patio and you need blinds for privacy and sunlight management, your options for mounts will be limited by the structure. In some cases, you’ll have to affix the blinds directly to the ceiling of the patio’s roof if there are no secure pillars around.

Covering large or multiple windows

If you need to cover a large window or several windows with one shade, a ceiling mount can be a better option. If it’s properly secured, it can be great-looking solution in this case.

How to secure ceiling mounted blinds

When installing ceiling mounted blinds, make sure you are mounting the blinds into rafter beams, studs or joists. If this isn’t possible, you can use drywall anchors to secure the mount, but check their specifications to make sure they can support the weight of the blinds.

If the ceiling is shared with an attic floor, you can always add extra support like a beam or joist in the attic to secure the blind mount.

If you secure the ceiling mount well, it should result in a sturdy installation. As we’ve said, this type of mount can actually work better for large windows.

Trust the experts

Mounting blinds in your home shouldn’t be a headache. Ceiling mounted blinds are a great solution if installed properly. If you’ve got unusual windows or outdoor areas that need different mounts than the conventional ones, do your research online to find the best solution.