This very simple box with its hinged-top lid panels is ideal for storing items such as copier or computer paper, old job files and children’s artistic endeavours.
The box used here is 2.4 m long to suit the standard length of MDF board, but could be shorter. The completed box can be positioned under a window and finished off with cushions, or placed anywhere in your office or study, depending on layout, so that it doubles as a piece of furniture. (more…)
These fabric shelves are ideal for a dual-purpose room which is short on space.
| MATERIALS | |
| ITEM | QUANTITY |
| 115 cm wide large check print cotton fabric | 2 m |
| 115 cm wide stripe print cotton fabric
|
2.20 m |
| 115 cm wide small check print cotton fabric | 1.50 m |
| Rectangles of hardboard (39 cm x 29 cm) | 5 |
| PATTERN
Cut two rectangles of large check print 152 cm x 32 cm for outside panels and top. Cut two rectangles of stripe print 212 cm x 42 cm for shelves and back. Cut eight squares of small check print 32 cm X 32 cm for inside panels, and cut one rectangle of small check print 62 cm x 32 cm for inside top. 1 cm seams allowed. |
|
Sanding is the other method used to remove accumulated layers on timber surfaces. It is hard work but rewarding, and the effects will be most gratifying.
Start with a coarse grade of sandpaper graduating to finer grains as the sanding proceeds. Once the timber has been reduced to its (nearly) ) original state, the process of filling and smoothing must be tackled. Whatever finish you are to apply, be it natural or a painted one, it is important that the surface you are working on is as clean and free of imperfections as possible. Paint, wax or sealants will not adhere to dusty, damp or grimy surfaces. (more…)
Step by Step
1 Slate must be laid on a firm base that will support it. Timber floors present a problem in that timber and particle (chip) board expand during humid periods, and shrink during drier times. Timber floors can be prepared in several ways. Care should be taken with all the procedures however, bearing in mind that timber or particle (chip) board is not the best base material for slate.
2 A number of slate suppliers have specially developed membrane systems available for the installation of slate on a timber floor. The one used here is the hessian and bitumen method and will provide the necessary `slip’ joint between the rigid tiles and the timber. (more…)
Dressed windows, in the form of curtains, elaborate drapes and blinds, are probably the most decorative type of fabric use in the home. Large or small areas of attractively used fabric can quickly transform a room — so look upon window dressing as interior decorating, as well as a practical essential. (more…)
As far as bedding is concerned, ordinary household sheets, pillowcases, blankets, quilts etc. are usually too sensitive to be used for camping. They are also rather bulky. Instead of separate items of bedding, it is more practical to have a one-piece sleeping bag that will not suffer as a result of being trampled on or crammed into the car boot. It also provides the right kind of warmth because the way to ensure a comfortable night’s sleep is to have as much insulation underneath your body as on top of it. Neither an air mattress nor a thin campbed gives enough warmth by itself. (more…)
A French term for woodwork or wainscoting. In decorating it refers to the carved woodwork and paneling of seventeenth- and eighteenth- century French interiors. The carved details were often picked out in gilt and frequently were extremely elaborate. Traditionally used in conjunction with gilt furnishings and frames, and with an overdoor paneling with painting, boiserie blends only in very formal settings. (more…)
Fabrics made from a combination of several fibers, either natural (such as wool, cotton, linen, or silk), man-made (such as acrylics and polymers), or both, in contrast to fabrics made of only one type of fiber. The advantage of blends is twofold. (I) Blending several fibers can yield fabric with the virtues of each of the fibers used (color absorption, durability, wrinkle resistance, warmth, or washability), some of which would be missing in a fabric made from any single one of these fibers. For example, the addition of Dacron, an acrylic, to cotton has produced sheets that do not need ironing. (2) Fabrics made with several fibers often have new qualities (weights, textures) with decorative possibilities that no single- fiber fabric has. (more…)
The toilet is hissing, spurting, gurgling and generally not sounding too health Maybe you’ve tried one of the following options to silence it — lifting, hitting, ignoring, or for those of you with a violent disposition — kicking! The latter became the most often tried remedy for us as we’ve been plagued by malfunctioning toilet for the best part of our independent lives. How silly, considering a pair of pliers and 5 minutes of fiddling would have solved the problempermanently, if only we’d known.
When you flush the toilet, it starts refilling wit water immediately so the next person who uses the toilet can follow suit. The toilet float-valve stops this flow of water as soon as the cistern is full. If the toilet float-valve does not work, the water keeps on running, driving youcrazy and wasting a lot of water. (more…)
Choosing a bed is one of the most important things you will do. Your choice will determine whether or not you spend one-third of your life in comfort. Since selection of bed sizes and mattresses and box springs is truly of great importance, look the market over carefully. There are all kinds and sizes available.
A big man needs a big bed, one long enough to let him sleep without dangling his feet over the end. He needs a firm mattress and box spring combination to support his weight. A woman may be equally comfortable in a shorter bed with less firm support, because there is less weight to support. A child can fit into a cot in comfort.
Pillows should be chosen for maximum comfort, too. There are many sizes, degrees of firmness, and types of fillings. (more…)
Where do you find a guest room? In most homes there is some area that can be converted to this special use. A remodeled and redecorated basement or attic may be your answer, may give extra living space as well. If you are planning a master-bedroom addition to the house, turn the old master bedroom into a spacious teen-ager’s room, let the smaller nursery be your guest room. Even an unused storage space in the basement or on an upper level will serve, if you make it cheerful through lavish use of light and color. Do try to locate it near an existing bath, or provide lavatory space. (more…)
Outdoor benches can serve many purposes, from coffee tables to end tables, from a grouping creating a conversation center to doing double duty as buffets for patio parties. Purchased ready-made, they can be inexpensive benches keyed to the style and color of the exterior of your home. Complement the exterior of the house by choosing materials that blend with or duplicate other materials in this area. Using a wooden siding, stained or painted to blend with the siding of the house, is an example. Whether you buy the benches or make them yourself, remember that your patio should be as carefully considered as any room inside your home. Plan for maximum use of space—be sure the benches fill the area where they are to be used. Movable seats should weigh no more than 35 pounds unless they are equipped with casters or wheels. The maximum comfortable seat height is 17 inches; the minimum can be as low as 6 inches. (more…)
The dictionary definition of a bench is “a long seat for several people,” a reminder of benches in parks, in bus stations, and in railway depots. At home, benches can be used in almost any room of the house, the basement or garage, the lawn or the patio.
There are benches on which to sit while studying, lounging, eating; benches to hold TVs, stereo components, luggage, accessories; work benches for basement, hobby room, or garage.
Bench materials include wood, stone, marble, wrought iron, cast aluminum, and tubular metals. Bench tops may be solid, planked, or slatted wood; upholstered or cushioned; or laminated plastic material. (more…)
Benches add seating room indoors or out and are also useful for storage and as tables or work counters. A bench is one of the easiest pieces of furniture to build yourself.
A heavy silk fabric, ribbed crosswise, first produced in the Bengal area of eastern India. It is used for dresses, draperies, and upholstery, but it is perhaps best-known in its ribbon-cut widths, called grosgrain. When made entirely of silk, it is sometimes known as bengaline de soie, but itis often woven on a cotton or hair warp that contributes to the heavy ribbed effect. Bengaline has an attractive texture and is very durable. (more…)
While walls are the obvious surface for displaying pictures, don’t hesitate to make a feature of a striking rug or quilt by hanging it on the wall. After all, needlework panels and tapestries enhance the walls of many a stately home. As well as being decorative in their own right, pictures and paintings can be used to define certain features of a room. A focal point such as a chimney breast provides the perfect backdrop for a stunning arrangement combining wall-hung art with a variety of decorative objects displayed on the flat surface of the mantelpiece. A collection of identically framed prints or drawings becomes a focal point when framed and mounted correctly, and can also add a sense of order when hung above a sofa or table. (more…)
The newer trend is for a simpler style of heading, often with the fabric just tied or threaded on to a pole, or wrapped around it. With so many good- looking tie-backs and hold-backs available, the curtains don’t even have to draw in the conventional sense — the fabric can simply be hooked back out of the way.
Curtains like these tend not to be so full, with the advantage that they use up less fabric, and — best of all — they often require little sewing beyond the side seams and hems. They also make more of a feature of the pole itself, so it’s a good chance to try out some of the decorative poles. Quick to make and very adaptable, they are particularly good for small rooms where too much fabric would look over-fussy. (more…)
Flat aluminium or nylon tracks are designed specifically for traditional gathered curtains, and come fitted with a row of sliding runners into which you slot the curtain hooks. This is a good solution where there isn’t room for a pole — if you want to hang the curtain inside the window recess, for instance — or where a pole would look too dominant and unbalance the effect of the window.
Poles and rails — wooden, brass or wrought iron — give the window a more finished look. They come in a variety of diameters from about 1 cm (2 in) to about 6 cm (21 in), and can be plain or ornate, with extra decoration added by the finials, or end pieces. Because this sort of fixing makes the curtain hang a little way out from the wall, it is much better than a flat track for windows with a protruding surround. (more…)
Windows are a natural focal point and, in modern houses particularly, they can take the place of a fireplace or chimney breast in giving architectural interest to a blank wall. Curtains, blinds and shutters come in all shapes and sizes, to suit all kinds of window, and some windows look good enough to need barely any dressing at all.
The two main elements to consider with a window are the amount of light it lets in and the amount of privacy it gives you.
Remember that the more you get of one, the less you’ll have of the other. Rooms where you spend a lot of time — living rooms and kitchens, for instance — will generally benefit from a good supply of light, and you probably won’t feel it necessary to keep the window heavily screened unless your house fronts a busy street. In bedrooms and bathrooms, on the other hand, light and privacy need to be carefully balanced. (more…)
Ceramic tiles provide a good-looking, hard- wearing floor that is waterproof and easy to clean. They can be used to create a vast range of effects, from a plain run of one colour to a decorative pattern of different colours, shapes and sizes. They’re extremely useful for floors in kitchens, which will need washing frequently; in bathrooms, which need to be waterproof; and in halls, which need to be tough and, again, easy to clean. The disadvantages, however, are that they can be cold and noisy to walk on, and breakables dropped on them are unlikely to survive! (more…)
Large blocks of contrasting plain colours will have a jarring effect, so the easiest way to introduce extra colours to your basic scheme is by adding accent colour. This is colour used in small quantities to highlight areas of interest and break up the background shade.
Accent colour is often used for woodwork detail. Picture rails, dado rails, skirting boards (base boards) and window frames picked out in a different shade from the walls will outline the shape of the room and prevent the main colour from feeling flat and monotonous.
The best thing about accent colour is that you can also add it in movable details. Cushions curtains, lamps and pictures should all be chosen with the overall colour scheme in mind, and as your confidence with colour increases you can add more accessories to try out different effects. (more…)
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