Published
August 9th, 2008
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Accessories, Blinds, Covers, Curtains, Lighting, Windows |
3 Comments »
The project is to install a skylight in a concrete tile roof to provide a lightwell for maximum lighting in an enclosed kitchen. The skylight will be 800 mm square so will need a rafter cut, and the lightwell is to be painted white for maximum natural light.
Step by Step
1 The size of a skylight is based on the floor area of the area to be lit. It is generally recommended that the skylight be at least 10 per cent of the floor area. In this case the skylight will be 800 mm x 800 mm.
2 Order the skylight, specifying size, roof type, the shape required, and if any accessories, such as diffusers or solar control features are required. (more…)
Published
June 8th, 2008
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Accessories, Baths, Cleaning, Curtains, Fabrics, Leather, Painting, Showers, Texture, Windows, Wood |
4 Comments »
The list of materials that are suitable for decorating bathroom walls and ceilings is so extensive that it is well to evaluate each one carefully before you make your choice. This is especially true for bathrooms where you have to contend with great amounts of moisture.
Marble, ceramic tile, terrazzo tile, or quarry tile are wall materials reminiscent of the opulent era of the royal bath and belong to the luxury class.
Less expensive materials include mirrored walls, vinyl products that simulate marble or tile, and plastic-finished or laminated hardboards. Reproductions of hardboard paneling are easy to install and are available in realistic wood grains. This type can be cut with a knife and applied with adhesive. Wood paneling is available with a plastic finish. (more…)
Published
June 1st, 2008
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Accessories, Baths, Bedroom, Cleaning, Covers, Curtains, Decoration, Fabrics, Furniture, Knitting, Laundering, Nylon, Showers, Windows, Wood |
4 Comments »
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…)
Published
May 31st, 2008
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Accessories, Bedroom, Covers, Decoration, Fabrics, Furniture, Indoor, Lighting, Rugs, Texture, Wood |
3 Comments »
Architecturally, a beam is one of the principal horizontal supporting members in a building, such as a support for a roof or a floor. Today these supports are often hidden within the outer framework of the house, tucked away behind the more ornamental façade of the roof. But this need not mean you cannot have a beamed ceiling. You can install false beams. You can buy boxlike vinyl beams that fasten to wood strips nailed to the ceilings or lightweight plastic foam beams that you glue in place. With either type, you actually have to touch them to tell them from the real thing.
These false beams are easy to install, inexpensive, and give a special decorative effect— yet permit proper insulation between ceiling and roof, or ceiling and attic space. (more…)
Published
May 13th, 2008
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Baths, Bedroom, Decoration, Fabrics, Lampshades, Leather, Lighting, Painting |
5 Comments »
When shopping for light fittings you will need to bear in mind what sort of light the lamp will provide. You might find a particular design immensely appealing to look at, but the actual light effect it produces could prove unsatisfactory for certain tasks. Make a study of the many different types of fittings on offer in specialist lighting shops before you come to a decision. By using a combination of fittings it’s possible to create a flexible lighting system that can dramatically change the mood of the room without compromising the more functional aspects of your lighting requirements. Single, central ceiling lights hanging from a flex do nothing to improve a room. A chandelier is a very different matter, especially when the level of light is controlled with a dimmer. (more…)
Published
May 7th, 2008
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Fabrics, Iron, Lighting, Wood |
5 Comments »
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…)
Published
May 7th, 2008
in
Bedroom, Furniture, Lighting, Painting, Windows |
6 Comments »
Light gives accent to the colours and shapes of your home — softening outlines or defining angles, altering perspective and completely changing the character of the room according to how it’s used.
Lighting, like colour, has a sense of mystique about it. We know what we likewhen we see it in situ, but it can be difficult to work out how to create the same effect in our own homes. If you’re looking in despair at a room fitted with a central ceiling pendant and an on/off switch, the ideas will provide inspiration for alternative light sources and help you create the scheme you want. (more…)
