Your construction project is only going to be as good as the contractors you choose to work with. Their expertise, experience and reliability can totally make or break the entire project.
Continue reading “Here’s What You Need to Ask Your Roofing Contractor Before Working with Them”
So, your house has asbestos – you can just take it out right? Surely, there are some DIY instructions out there on the internet somewhere.
Well, while there probably are some of these sort of instructions, the last thing you want to be doing is removing asbestos from your home yourself. It’s a job best left to the professionals.
But, how do you even know if you home has asbestos, and what is asbestos for that matter? Keep reading to learn more about what asbestos actually is and why it should be removed in the first place.
Continue reading “Should I DIY My Asbestos Removal?”
Photo by Tina Witherspoon on Unsplash
If your current property is starting to feel a little too small for your needs, but you don’t have the budget to extend it or even move, that doesn’t mean that you have to just carry on as you are. Taking a look around your current space and working out if there is anything that can be adapted to increase the area that you’re working with could uncover a wealth of potential. With this in mind I thought I would share with you five places that don’t always occur to people to be used as a functional living space, but actually can offer a number of different options.
Continue reading “How to Make the Most of the Space in Your Home”
Bay window spaces can be awkward to know what to do with; furniture often does not fit easily, and simple placing a statement palm tree in it can often feel like poor use of the space. This piece aims to show you some fun ways to think about your bay window, with some tips to making the most of it, and making your house shine in the process.
Rather than treating the bay as a token space in the room, and adorning it with a cursory lampshade or houseplant, consider turning the space into a statement. You could do this with a single piece of bespoke furniture, like an armchair which clashes with other furniture in the living space. You could use a wire-frame shelving unit or waist-high rack to store a number of houseplants of different sizes and levels, creating a window herbarium with interesting topography. For an even quirkier approach, considering investing in a hammock with a bold fabric design on it, for window-lounging and statement décor.
The above ideas add visual appeal to the space, but can only be so functional. You could install a fitted bay window seat, comprising a padded seat situated just below the sill of the bay window, and your choice of storage beneath said seat. This storage could be used for further aesthetic appeal, in the form of accessories, decorations and perhaps the odd succulent, or alternatively used for utility purposes. Cupboards under a bay window seat present a handy place to hide additional blankets or throws, as well as consumable objects like candles and matches. The space could even be used to store books.
If your budget is big enough to make larger changes to your bay window, this could be the perfect opportunity to install French doors. If your bay window is ground floor and backs onto a garden space, the conversion of the bay into a form of porch for French doors out into that space would create additional light and air into your living space, and provide you a unique entry point into your garden. If the bay is on the first floor, things get significantly more expensive; the addition of a balcony can have the impact of extending your bay out even further, taking advantage of the vertical space above you and creating more light.
Of course, your bay window might be in a space less amenable to these kinds of furnishings – namely, the bathroom. A fitted window seat could still work here, but upholstery in an essentially wet room could be a bad idea. Instead, make the most of the room’s function; consider installing a stand-alone bath unit in the window, giving you views of outside from the comfort of a luxury bath. A separate shower cubicle in an opposite corner could give you a real sense of space, and allow you to maximise your bay.
If you’ve got people coming over for Christmas but feel like your home isn’t quite looking its best, you may be thinking about doing some quick DIY fixes. However, with time being short and money being potentially being even shorter, you might need to find some quick and low cost solutions. Here are five quick decoration tips for keeping costs down.
If you want to decorater without having to strip walls or do tricky wallpapering then opting for stick-on wall tiles could be a great solution. As well as giving you a convenient solution to covering walls quickly and efficiently, you can often find tiles with textures to make the walls look like brick or stone. They’re also great for covering walls which are less than perfect, allowing you to avoid costly filling or plastering.
If your fireplace doesn’t get used take advantage of this natural focal point. A fireplace is any room’s greatest asset, so play it up! Paint the inside of your fireplace in a bright or bold color. Place a large plant, stone bust or other artifact inside the empty space. Create a small scene or vignette using art, coffee table books and other collectibles. Group candles of all sizes together and light them to create a warm and lovely setting. Or store extra books or a large wicker basket with extra pillows here. Don’t let this extra space go to waste!
Add oversized mirrors to your space. Mirrors will open up your space and enhance the room’s natural lighting. Large mirrors need simply lean against a wall or rest on a mantel for a simple and perfect touch. Add one mirror, add several. You can’t go wrong here!
We all have corners in our homes that we don’t quite know what to do with. One easy DIY solution: install some simple floating shelves which give you more storage space and look great at the same time. It requires a bit of woodwork, but it’s worth it to take a previously unused corner and turn it into a statement corner.
Whether you upgrade your doorknobs to a vintage or contemporary style, the results will be impressive. If you choose to use reproduction knobs, check local salvage yards to help reduce cost. Otherwise, you can check sites like Etsy for some creative designs. New doorknobs can really elevate the look of your rooms with minimal effort and outlay.
