French polishing storage cabinet is a skilled craft but, using proprietary solutions, it can be tackled by anyone with patience for that special piece of storage cabinet that is beau but not faux.
Step by Step
1 Remove broken latch and strip wood veneer off storage cabinet top panels.
2 Rub down storage cabinet timber with methylated spirits using steel wool to remove lacquer. (more…)
Bathrooms are common storage trouble spots that seem to get very messy, very quickly. These days there are lots of bright ideas for bathroom storage that utilize every bit of available space.
Building a vanity unit around a pedestal basin will help disguise any unsightly pipework while creating extra shelf and cupboard space. (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…)
Before phoning the plumber consider the following — you can’t take the mountain to Mohammed, so Mohammed will be charging a call-out fee to come and look at the mountain, after which he will charge you a bit more to fix the mountain. After 5 minutes you may realize that the mountain was in actual fact a very insignificant little molehill, easily taken care of yourself, if only you’d known.
The molehill could take on various forms: a leaking tap, a blocked toilet or a blocked drain, all of which you will be able to fix if you follow our detailed instructions. But there are a number of mountains best left to the plumber. These will include a burst water pipe (possibly caused by over-eager digging in the garden), a water pipe that accidentally connected with a power tool near the bathroom or kitchen (caused by over-eager drilling) or an old geyser that is on the blink. (more…)
Vacuum regularly and get into those corners. If you entertain you would have had to get rid of some nasty stains; if you entertain heavily, you may have had to get rid of some more severe markings, and smells.
Generally, always work from outside in and never brush or rub too vigorously as you may damage the fibres. When using some of the stronger solutions, first test it on an inconspicuous part of the carpet. (more…)
If we didn’t think you could do it, it wouldn’t be here! So except those of you who suffer from acrophobia (an abnormal fear of being at a great height, not of being swung around on a trapeze by a monkey), read on — you will thank us.
There is nothing worse than getting home in the pouring rain only to be showered once again by an overflowing gutter as you’re struggling to get the key to go in the front door! The solution? Clean it (the gutter, not the key!). (more…)
The days when a bathroom was bleak, cold, and unimaginative are gone.
It has not been too many years since the miracle of indoor plumbing, with hot and cold running water, became a common convenience in most homes in this country; but the history of bathrooms goes back many centuries.
Although bathrooms were found in early Egyptian palaces, it is the palaces of the Minoan civilization (1700-1400 B.C.) that provide the earliest well-preserved examples of bathrooms. They are remarkable both for careful structure and for an advanced system of water supply and drainage. (more…)
Bathroom linens and accessories are those items in a bathroom other than fixtures. These include carpeting or rugs, towels, shower curtains, window treatments, lotion bottles and jars, plants and flowers, mirrors and pictures, soaps and soap dishes, tissues, decorative lighting fixtures that are not permanent installations, figurines and bowls, shelving, decorative hardware for cabinets and doors, towel rings and bars, clocks, and scales. In addition to metal, glass, and plastic accessories, there are wicker, wood, and mirrored items.
When these accessories are chosen to complement the rest of the home, the bathroom can be made as beautiful as any other room in the house, and still furnish the basic comforts and conveniences necessary in the modern bath. These intriguing, interesting “extras” can add color, character, and individuality, regardless of the size of the bathroom or whether its background and fixtures are lavish or simple. (more…)
There are countless ways that bead hangings can make that all-important decorating difference in your home. They can create a dramatic division and, at the same time, keep space free-flowing. Although they are revivals of the very ornate period of Victorian styling, today’s adaptations are equally at home in traditional, country, Mediterranean, or contemporary settings. They can be used to curtain a window, disguise a nonview, and at the same time allow light and air to filter through. As a divider, they take almost no space, yet give a feeling of semiprivacy in each of the separated areas.
Along with beauty and versatility, there is another factor in their favor—beads require no dry cleaning, laundering, or pressing; all you need to do is wipe them with a damp cloth to restore them to their original appearance. (more…)
There is just as wide a choice of pillows as there is of mattresses and springs. They range from 100 percent white imported goose down, to half goose down and half goose feathers, to man-made materials such as pure latex foam and dacron polyester.
Degrees of firmness run from supersoft to high-firm. There are several sizes for the conventional twin or double bed, plus the larger sizes for king- and queen-size beds. There are also several sizes of pillow thickness, and different shapes from which to choose. Pillows with double-corded side panels offer extra support. There is an electric, wedge-shaped and foam-filled pillow that vibrates; it can be used under either head or feet. (more…)
Bedroom furniture has undergone a drastic change in recent years. No longer is it displayed, priced, and purchased in “suites” as it was for so many years. A suite consisted of a bed, or twin beds, a chest of drawers, and a vanity and bench, or dresser. No matter what style a person preferred, there were the same furniture pieces.
Now, bedroom-furniture manufacturers offer complete groupings from which to make your selection. Each collection will usually have beds in twin, double, queen, or king size, chests in more than one size, dressers in single, double, or triple versions, armoires, bedside tables, desks, and multipurpose units. (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…)
In ceramics, pottery or porcelain fired without the application of a glaze. The method was introduced by Jean Jacques Bachelier about 1753 at the Vincennes-Sevres works in France. By omitting glaze and color, a resemblance to white marble was achieved. Modelers also sought to imitate the sharp modeling that could be obtained in carving marble. The process was used largely for modeling figures, the first of which were created in Vincennes in the early 1750’s. Biscuit ware produced at Vincennes and later at Sevres was especially noted for its fineness of grain and smooth finish. The illustration is The Little Dead Bird made in 1770 at the Bellevue manufactory. (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…)
Mood lighting is illumination used as an accessory, a purely decorative effect designed to highlight the room’s features and furnishings. In some cases it can be achieved simply by positioning a light where it accents the colour of a wall or the shape of the room, but you can also make the most of the room’s existing decorative features by fixing a wall bracket over a favourite picture, for instance, or placing a table lamp next to a group of photographs. Similarly an alcove of shelves filled with plants or ornaments can be lit from behind for extra effect. (more…)
When you start planning how to decorate a room, you are probably thinking mainly of the walls. These are what gives the room its overall effect, by providing a background colour. The individual rooms and on colour and pattern offer advice on the best options for specific areas, but you’ll have a basic choice to make between paint and wallpaper.
Painting is cheaper, quicker, easier and gives you a more versatile range of colours — all you have to do is make sure that you pick the right type for the job. Paper has the advantage of adding pattern if you want it, and gives a better- looking finish to a less-than-perfect wall surface. (more…)
Equally as important as the quality of our water is the quantity we consume. Most of us have become accustomed to using a lot of water everyday and take it for granted that supplies are limitless (or at least put to the back of our minds the fact that they are not). This attitude is particularly in evidence in North America where an average family of four can use on average up to 1000 litres (220 gallons) a day - between two and four times average consumption for a family in Europe.
Before water even reaches your home, huge amounts are often lost through old and corroded underground distribution pipes. This waste can be as high as 40 or 50 per cent of valuable, processed drinking water. On top of this, an additional 5 to 10 per cent can be lost through leaks in the home, mostly from faulty toilet cistern valves and worn tap washers - a steadily dripping tap can lose 90 litres (20 gallons) per day. Hot-water leaks increase your energy costs, too. As a first priority, run a regular check on all your tap washers and cistern valves. You can also fit a check valve to the incoming main water supply. This valve shuts off the flow if a predetermined rate is exceeded by either a sudden or slow, steady loss. (more…)
This type of problem is less universal and arises from locally high exposure. Ozone is a cause of immediate discomfort; radon, however, a more serious, long-term hazard.
Ozone is an unstable poisonous gas present in small amounts in the air, and it is responsible for the protective atmospheric layer that shields the Earth from ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Ozone is also generated when the UV in sunlight acts on hydrocarbons and nitric oxides in polluted air, as well as by electrical discharges from appliances with brush- type motors and photocopiers. High ozone concentrations cause smog conditions and can be hazardous to people with chest problems. (more…)
