Installing a Brick or Paver Walkway
December 6, 2007
The use of Bricks or Pavers to create a walkway or patio complements a home in a way that is unmatched. It adds a level of quality and elegance to a home entrance that can not be achieved with either concrete or asphalt. Brick and Pavers also come in many different colors and shapes allowing for unique color schemes and patterns to be achieved. In addition, installing a Brick or Paver walkway does not necessarily require a pro. With some basic knowledge and a relatively simple walkway plan, a homeowner is capable of undertaking such a project.
The key to installing a Brick or Paver Walkway is to first properly prepare the area where the bricks/pavers are to be installed. The area should be dug out at least a foot down, removing all topsoil and clay soil. In addition, string lines should be strung on each side of the walkway. The string lines indicate the finished height of the walkway.
Once the area has been dug down, 3/4″ gravel stone should be laid in and tamped down tightly. Then 2" of sand, or stone dust should be spread over the gravel. Again the sand/stone dust should be tamped down. Stone dust is preferred. The height between the tamped down sand and the stringline should equal the thickness of the brick or paver.
Vintage Labels on Marble Tiles
December 6, 2007
It’s refreshing to note that gone are the days that countertops and backsplashes have to match. There are no decorating rules. The focal point in your kitchen, wine cellar, bathroom, etc. evolves with adding the personal touches that are close to your heart.
Nothing sets the stage for Vintage comfort like a vintage marble tile mural or marble tile wall display in images and labels borrowed from the past . A new and personalized way to showcase a collection of memorabilia, ephemera, or images.
A marble backsplash mural or wall display makes the perfect complement for antiques, beautiful china, flea market finds , vintage furnishings, garage sales, ephemera, trade show collections, or bottles of your favorite wine or brew.
The images are baked into the marble so the quality of the marble with its shadings, nicks , crannies and rounded edges become part of the old world , vintage, and European effect .
Perfume Label Art on Tumbled Marble Tiles , an unusual wall decor for the bath, dressing room, powder room, spa, country club ~ These labels are dated from 1894 - 1905— Alternate plain botticino tumbled marble tiles , or add a few tiles onto each wall. An important trend in decorating is chic and shabby and perfume labels on tiles would be an important accessory to this theme.
Fish Health in Hot Summer Heat
December 5, 2007
Summer is over, but for many of us - the heat remains. Here a couple of things to do to keep your fish healthy and your pond clear going into winter. First, remember to keep your pond well aerated. This is very important to your fish because the pond water actually holds less oxygen at higher pond temperatures. So if it’s still hot in your part of the country, keep those waterfalls and fountains running! This will keep your pond water full of oxygen, and reduce stress on your fish.
If you see your goldfish or KOI gasping at the surface, it’s a good sign that you don’t have enough dissolved oxygen in the water, and this can be dangerous. Especially if you have a lot of green water algae in the pond. This algae can absorb much of the oxygen in the pond water at night and cause very low dissolved oxygen levels during the day - which can be deadly to fish!
One thing we recommend this time of year, is to do a partial water change. Drain off 10 - 25% of your total pond volume, and replace it with fresh, new dechlorinated water. If possible, vacuum or drain decaying organic matter and debris off the bottom to reduce the ponds bio-load.
Remodeling Your Home: How Much Is Too Much?
December 4, 2007
The classic way for homeowners to increase the value of their house is by remodeling existing rooms or adding on to its current plan.
Some choose to build recreation rooms and studies while others add new appliances, fixtures and cabinets to enliven rooms and make their home more attractive to future buyers.
But, when should you decide to stop sinking money into a home and buy a bigger place? And how much rehab is too much when it comes time to recovering remodeling costs through a home sale
For instance, if you’ve just spent $1,000 remodeling your living room and didn’t expand your small bathroom, the chances of increasing the number of interested buyers are slim.
With these concerns in mind, I can offer a few tips for those struggling to add value to their home.
First, always protect the character of your home. Nothing sticks out more than a new addition that is in a completely different architectural style. Be consistent. Recognize your home’s character and stay within its framework.
New Trends in Design & Comfortable Living
December 3, 2007
For the past several years I have seen the emergence of a new trend called ‘Lifestyling’. Lifestyling encompasses many elements on gracious living, extravagant and memorable entertaining, architecture, home design, and tips on where to live comfortably in spaces large and small, with less effort or clutter than you can imagine. In fact, this trend has effectively blurred the lines of traditional titles and professions. New ideas and new inspiration have created new sales to the tune of over 70 million dollars for one large company.
But haven’t good ideas for living always been around? The answer is yes. Certainly there have been people in the past that shared tips and ideas through books and magazine articles on how to entertain, or make a special recipe; they were mostly focused on one area. Lifestyling gurus help you capture all the pieces and put them together graciously and quickly. Collectively, they promote ideas on living, entertaining, decorating, gardening, fashion and design. The focus of some of the ideas is glamorous while others are much more practical. In fact, some of the ideas are not really "new" at all, just regenerated information with a twist. Today, Lifestyling books contain the complete picture. Add to that the convenience aspect. We can obtain many of these ideas in articles, books, websites, TV and video. Product endorsements and specialized lines are also available to top Lifestylists. Can you see why the opportunities are endless?
External vs. Submersible Pumps. Which One Should You Use?
December 2, 2007
For many people, it’s never been a question of whether to use a submersible pump vs. an external pump because most people have smaller ponds and are used to just using a submersible pump. They’re easy to install, and are pretty reliable - so why even consider an external pump?
There are a couple of reasons…
But before we go into that, let’s briefly talk about the benefits of submersible pumps first. For obvious reasons, a submersible pump is named as such because it is designed to be placed in the pond, and submerged under the water.
These are the easiest of all pumps to install, just drop them in the water and plug them in - and you’re ready to do. Of course, you might have some quick plumbing to do, attaching a hose to the waterfall or to a submersible filter (another article entirely), but other than that - that’s pretty much all there is to it.
Submersible pumps range in size or gallons per hour, from 50 GPH all the way up to 50,000 gallons per hour, but for most ponds - pumps anywhere from 350 GPH to 4000 GPH will do just fine…
How To Give Your Home More Space
December 1, 2007
Have you been wondering how to free up space in your home? Do you live in a dorm or an efficiency where every inch of space counts?
Maybe you’re tired of trying to come up with ideas on how to reduce the clutter? Or don’t know where to start?
If you don’t know where to start and feel like you’re backed into a corner then maybe this is your solution to the problem.
Let me introduce you to the top-to-bottom-strategy.
It is a procedure that can be of great service to you if you are starting out and you are about to move into your own home.
Or if you already own a house full of furniture and are willing to sell or donate what you no longer want in order to purchase a better version.
It will work in many situations from great to small.
The greater your willingness to get rid of the old and bring in the new, the bigger space difference there will be in your home.
You may not want to exchange out many items in your home but decide on a few select items that will make a big difference once you’ve gotten rid of them.
Change The Style Of Your Interior With A Minimum Of Costs
December 1, 2007
The style of your interior depends for a great part on the decoration on the walls. Using the right picture on the right place can make your room look bigger. I experienced this for myself when I came in this business. I do sell reproduction paintings, you know.
Actually, I came in the reproduction painting business because I was amazed about what one painting can do to your living room. Let me explain. I had an old painting on my wall that looked very nice. But, there was something missing. I decided that I had to replace it. I always wanted a Van Gogh, but I knew I would never be able to buy one.
After a few months I discovered that there was a business that did just what I was looking for. I bought a reproduction painting from them, and this is the way my own business started. I was overwhelmed by the artistic talent of the reproductionist who captured the realistic impressionism of Van Gogh. So I decided to work together with these guys.
