Easy Ways To Make The Best Use Of Space In Your Smaller Home

A smaller home comes with its limitations. These are obviously the amount of room you have to manoeuvre and the space you have. However, that doesn’t mean that they have to be any less loved. Sometimes, if your home is feeling claustrophobic, it just takes some décor tips to open it right up. If you don’t have enough space, perhaps you need to redefine your storage. Or choose different equipment to do the same job as smaller bits. If you have a small home and you desperately want to love it, keep reading. These tips we’ve collected should help you.

Add dimension

With a small home, especially an apartment, you don’t have the luxury of adding space. A conversion or extension might not be in the books. So the key lies in illusions, in making things look bigger. How you do that depends on depth and natural light. One excellent way to do this in the home is make use of mirrors. Big mirrors add dimension to the home that in turn makes it look bigger. It won’t give you any more space but it can make you feel better about the space you have.

The kitchen

The kitchen is one of the more difficult rooms when it comes to having a small one. It’s easy for it to feel overwhelming, especially if you leave things lying about. Reduce clutter when you’re cooking and try keep things tidy as possible. Use smaller appliances like fans from Stove Fan Reviews & ONLINE SHOP or mini-fridges. Magnets can also be great replacement for knife blocks.

Add storage

The magnet is just one of the examples of how you really give yourself more space in the apartment. Or rather, how you learn to use more of the space you’re already using. Wall hooks and cork boards can be great places to put things and papers that normally go in drawers. Use the inside of cupboard and wardrobe doors by adding hooks that can hold more. There are lots of great storage tips, but be prepared to think outside the box a bit with them.

Bright it up

The one thing that people hate most about small homes is how light can seem to get lost in them. Maximise the amount of natural light that gets in the home by using sheer curtains or thin plastic blinds. Position your lighting above your main furniture so you rid your house with as much shadow as possible. Wood floors are reflective and tend to hold light much better than carpets, too.

Build it in

One more way to think about storage is how you actually store your furniture. When it comes to a smaller home, sometimes the best trick is to build it in. A lot of installers can build things like beds into your wall. If you don’t have the money, you can do it yourself. By making your home part of the furniture, it means you need less floor space to hold it all.

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Buying The Most Appropriate Contract Furniture For Your Café

One of the key points to running a successful café is to ensure that all of your diners and guests enjoy their experience. From the moment they book, or first walk through the door, to the second they leave, you want to ensure that they enjoy every minute. Not only will this help ensure that you can charge reasonable rates, but it will also help to ensure that you always have full occupancy for your tables and seats.

Not only will your diners come back for more but they will be more inclined to share their positive experience. In the modern social media climate, this not only means that they will let friends and family know of their positive experience, but they are likely to leave positive reviews on social media websites. Check ins, and local business reviews, are becoming an integral part of managing a modern business, and this means that you have to pay even more attention to every detail, including choosing the most appropriate, comfortable, and functional furniture options that are available to you.

Furniture may sound like a dull consideration, when designing and fitting out your new café, but it is important. The tables and chairs that you choose can play a major part in determining how appealing your premises look, the type of atmosphere you offer, but also whether you are making the most of the space that you have within your premises. You can even introduce any branding and café design colours that you have in order to ensure an even greater experience.

One of the more popular options in modern cafes is the use of banquette seating, especially when combined with a booth style layout. Essentially, you can create booths through the addition of fixed bench seating, and this seating can be cushioned and upholstered so that it is comfortable and attractive looking. This style of layout typically also enables you to make the most of the space that you have available to you, while providing every guest with enough room and a comfortable place to sit and eat.

Banquette seating is only one option available to café owners, but it is a popular choice. You can create traditional or contemporary designs, provide standard or luxury seating, and you can choose from a spectrum of colours to match your décor, your art, or the theme of your premises. You can also choose from a range of dimensions, including booth seating that is designed for two or three people, while opting for short, standard, or high backed chairs.

To run a successful café, you need to ensure that you get everything just right. From the curb appeal that pulls your diners in, to the price of the food and drinks that you serve, you need to entice diners, ensure that they want to stay, and then encourage them to pass on positive reviews of their experience. The furniture you choose is only one part of the equation, but it is an important part.

Atlas Contract Furniture provides contract furniture for commercial and retail businesses, and has a large selection of banquette style seating for businesses to choose from. Make the most of your space, and offer comfort and luxury to your guests.

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How To Sell Your Home Quick

When it comes to selling your home, it can feel like a lengthy process. The idea is simple. You want to sell your home as quick as possible for as much money as you can. It’s the homeowners dream. But sometimes you can be your own worst enemy when it comes to house sales. So here is a simple guide on how to sell your home fast.

Clutter will put potential buyers off.

A cluttered home will always put a buyer off. When you are looking for a potential new home, it’s important to be able to envision what the home would be like with your belongings in it. When someone else's clutter is everywhere, that can be difficult to do.

Clutter also gives off the impression of a mess. Your home may not be messy at all but that is the perception you could be giving your potential buyers. The best thing to do is declutter your home as much as possible. See it as a head start on packing. You could box it all away and store it ready for moving into your new home.

A bit of remodelling could go a long way.

I appreciate that spending money could be the last thing you want to do. But what if spending some extra money on your home could gain you some extra money in your home's resale value. Your home remodelling could just be your kitchen and bathrooms, or some other spaces in your home. A kitchen and bathrooms are both rooms that can sell a property. It allows a new buyer just to move into their new home without the need to do the remodelling themselves. Just remember that you are not remodelling for your tastes. So bear in mind that a neutral finish could be the best outcome.

A neutral decor will always be more appealing.

When someone is looking round a potential new home, it’s important for them to be able to see the home for what it is. The room sizes and how their furniture would fit. This will always be more achievable if the decor wasn’t distracting. Bright walls and flashy wall paper could distract your potential buyers. Of course, it’s important for your home to have personality. But when it comes to selling your home it may be worth re-decorating some parts of the house to a more neutral colour. This will also give off the impression that the house is a place that someone could move into straight away. Without worrying too much about what needs to be done.

A clean home is a saleable home.

Lastly, it may seem like an obvious point but a clean home will always be more saleable than a home that could do with a good dusting. When selling your home, it provides you with the perfect opportunity to give your home a thorough clean. This means dusting skirting boards and cleaning windows.

I hope this guide helps you achieve a sale on your home quickly.

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Beautiful Bathroom Design Ideas for 2016

Are you looking to renovate your bathroom this year? If so, then you might be thinking about looking at this year’s bathroom design trends. We’ve had a look through several expert opinions and found that nature and minimalism are the key terms going into 2016.

Ignoring the fact that nature and minimalism are always the best key terms in design, here’s a quick guide we hope will inspire you.

Introducing wood

Wood might seem like an odd element to use in your bathroom. But think about it. All beautiful, modern houses use a lot of wood in the design. Why not use it in the bathroom? And it’s not like wood doesn’t have a history of sanitation. You may link marble and ceramic with being easy to clean, but wood has many hygienic benefits. Did you know that wood has naturally antibacterial properties? It’s why it’s used so much in kitchens. The best chopping boards are all made of wood because the substance doesn’t harbour as much dangerous bacteria.

Nothing adds more colour and depth to a room than wood. The trick is to ensure it’s properly coated. This being your bathroom, after all, there will be a lot of moisture. You need a water-repelling coat, like a decorative oil.

Keeping it cool and calm

Minimalism is spoken about often around these parts. There’s nothing that helps you relax more than a minimalist design. Clutter, superfluity, mess - leave that for the outside world. People forget about this, but the bathroom is often a relaxing place. One of the main reasons is probably the lock on the door. It’s a room that becomes exclusively yours, if only fleetingly.



Minimalism works perfectly with wood or lightly coloured tiles. This fancy tile from Tilemarkets can bring forth the clean and relaxing vibes your bathroom needs.

Bringing in nature

Surely the running water of your shower would be perfectly complemented by bringing in more elements of nature? As mentioned before, wood is a great addition. If you’re looking to do some big renovation though, you might want to look into installing more windows. Bring in some more natural light.

If you have the space, bring in a plant. You want something simple. A garish bouquet of flowers won’t be appropriate. A simple green and white aesthetic will serve you well here. If you do want to be slightly more adventurous, you could consider getting a small citrus plant. They’re easier to maintain than you may think and grow beautifully indoors. Just make sure you have a lot of natural light in the room.

Putting function first

A beautiful design that doesn’t put function first isn’t a beautiful design at all. Usability is the most important thing about your bathroom. A single inconvenience can tarnish the entire thing. You may want the bathroom to be spacious, but if that means you’re installing a sink that’s too small, then you may want to rethink your priorities. And beautiful decorative materials won’t mean much if they can easily give way to damp. Remember the put function first and aesthetics second.

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Feel Like You Need A Better Home? Here Are 3 Ways To Get It

A happy home environment can work wonders for your general enjoyment in life, and should be a key priority for everyone. Whether you’re living by yourself, with friends or your partner and kids doesn’t matter. You deserve to feel comfortable at all times.

If you are feeling underwhelmed by your priority, there are ways to improve the situation. The key is to analyse your options and find the best one for you. Here are three possible answers to your prayers.

Move 

It might sound a little drastic, but moving is certainly an option worth considering. Perhaps your life situation has changed through a change of job or birth of a child. Or maybe you just need a change of scenery. The exact circumstances are irrelevant. What matters is that you make sure your next property is perfect.

One of the best ways to make those dreams come true is to have things built to your specification. Beach house architects can turn those visions into a reality. Let’s face it, any property you buy through traditional methods will need a lot of modernisation. This is the perfect way to ensure that you move straight into one that’s right for you.

You will need a little patience. But in the meantime, you can occupy yourself with selling your existing property for the best price possible. Getting the right deal here will obviously increase your options going forward. What more could you want?

Make Space Count

One of the most common reasons for needing a move is that the home has become too small. As your family grows in size and numbers, you could find yourself needing more space. If moving isn’t viable, it’s imperative that you make use of the available options in your home.

A loft conversion can instantly provide the space for a new bedroom or office. This guide will help you achieve the very best results with this job. You should know that it will take a little time, but the rewards of getting it right are truly outstanding. The project will add value to the property too.

While you’re at it, make sure that the garden and other external areas are being appreciated too. A simple deck or patio can add a whole new realm of possibility. Embrace it, and you’ll be amazed at the impact it brings to the property.

Increase Security

The family home is your castle, and you should feel like royalty. The only way to achieve this is by protecting your property. Fail to do this, and you’ll never feel 100% happy with the home.

This can be achieved through better CCTV and alarm systems. Meanwhile, automated gates and intercom facilities can also boost the safety. It’s not just about protecting your family and your assets. You’ll also gain the emotional security. This will improve your relationship with the home greatly, which will brighten up your entire life too.

It’s better to be safe than sorry. A secure home is a happy home. Do not forget it.

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Interior Design Tricks That Will Make Your Property More Homely

As the saying goes, your home is your castle, which is why comfort needs to come first. There are homeowners that plump for style over substance, but style comes a distant second in the comfort stakes. If you can’t sit at home and relax, what is the point of sitting at home? The only problem you may have is transforming your home into a haven. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it is going to take a lot of time and effort. And, if you don’t have the correct information, your home will stay the same as usual.

Thankfully, you have come to the right place. Below is a list of ideas that will make your property much more homely than before. All you have to do is follow these simple tips, and you will never be uncomfortable in your house again. Enjoy!

All About The Furniture

The furniture is the main part of your home. It is in every room from the living room to the kitchen and bathroom, so it needs to be welcoming. The trick is to buy furniture that you like because of the comfort levels and not for the style. You could generalize and say that you should buy fabric because fabric is more comfortable. However, everyone is different, and you may prefer leather instead. Also, consider the size of the pieces that you buy. Don’t buy furniture that is too small because you won’t fit comfortably enough. With regards to comfort and furniture, bigger is better.

Accessibility 101

Still, you need to make sure that the furniture leaves enough space to get around easily. If you can’t move for the furniture, you can’t be comfortable. Comfort isn’t just about lounging around on a sofa all day long – it is also about ease. Try and arrange the furniture so that it takes up enough room, but also so that it doesn’t get in the way. It’s a tricky balance, but it’s one you need to get on the money. If you don’t take up enough space, your home will look bare. Is it all too confusing? If the answer is yes, you should check out http://ift.tt/Kir4FR. The link will give you real life examples and lots of inspiration.

Fabric Works Wonders

Fabric, however, does work on the walls if you don’t want it on your furniture. The texture of fabric is incredibly warm and instantly warms up a room. As soon as you walk in, you feel at home. The actual temperature might not increase, but you will think that the room is warmer. And, because you think it, it becomes true. A great example is throw pillows on the sofa. But, wood is also a fabric in interior design circles for the reason it is deep and warm. So, try a nice wood coffee table in the center of the room instead of a PVC or plastic version.

Color Scheme

Talking of warmth, nothing adds warmth like the color scheme. The great thing about the color scheme is that it is easy to incorporate, which makes it your best friend. All you need is a brush and a few tins of paint, and the house will look completely different. Better yet, it’s cheap! Pick colors that are deep as they add the most warmth. Purples and reds are a good choice, as is a deep yellow. If you want to be clever, you can go for cream. Cream is easy to paint over if you don’t feel like it adds the warmth or color that you want.

Personal Accessories

Your home, like a human being, should have its personality. At the least, it should embody the people that live in the space day in and day out. Otherwise, it will look like a blank canvas that is cold and bare. Your best option is to add little accessories that have some meaning to you and your family. For instance, you could use family pictures and portraits like a lot of families. Or, you could go a little unconventional and choose a theme that you all enjoy. A traveling family can put up a map of the world and mark the places they have visited. Or, a musical family can use instruments to fill up space. As long as it is symbolic to you, it is going to show off your property’s personality.

Go Eclectic

One way to personalize your home is to make it unique. Uniqueness is something that very few homeowners cherish nowadays as they want to copy their look from a magazine or a neighbor. But, uniqueness is what stands out from the crowd. An eclectic mix of choices is always a good idea if you don’t know where to start because it’s random. Randomness, by definition, is hard to replicate. As such, it won’t look like a generic cut out from a magazine. And, because you have picked the choices, it will imbue a part of your personality.

DIY Decorations

To take the point above one-step further, you can make decorations and put them up in your home. After all, what is more personal than something you have created? Although the artsy homeowners among you will love the idea, it isn’t just for you. Anyone that has a small budget and a spare couple of hours can participate. All you need is something to spark your creativity and your memory banks. One awesome tip is to use paintings and pictures that your children draw, but only if they are good enough!

Focal Points Are Good

A focal point is an item that grabs your attention as soon as you walk into a room. In the bathroom, it is usually the toilet or the shower as they dominate the landscape. However, you can choose whatever you want as your focal point. The logic is that you can build the room around your focal point of choice. When you finish, your house should be littered with items. And, the focal point brings all of them together and ties them up in a nice bow. You can create a comfortable home without focal points, but they make the process much easier. Remember that focal points don’t have to be massive to work. They can be colorful or even subtle as long as they catch the eye. A focal point you may not be aware of is curtains. Curtains add texture and warmth to a home thanks to their style and material.

Invest In A Smart House

Are you trying to work out what ‘smart house’ means? It’s simple: it’s a house that you can control via your laptop or tablet. For example, you can sign up to an app that lets you control the temperature of your home from anywhere in the world. That way, you never have to be cold again when you haven’t been in all day. Another great smart home feature is the security feature. Again, you can buy security features that let you control the security of your home from you iPad. One quick look at http://ift.tt/1LpM39A will tell you everything you need to know. The gist is that you connect to your home through the app. Then, you can react and limit the damage if anything goes wrong. After all, there is nothing more comfortable than knowing your house is safe.

Au Naturale

Most people like to leave the outside firmly where it belongs – outside. But, they are missing a trick because parts of the outside look good inside. It is the contrast of the colors and the vibrancy that makes it work. For instance, plants and flowers are always a hit, especially if they are bold and dynamic. Any plant or flower will do as long as it has these qualities. These touches add a cozy and organic look that lots of homes lack. Sadly, these homes also lack the comfort that the outside can bring into a property. Also, it’s a cheap way to decorate without having to spend a fortune. Result!

Rugged Perfection

When you hit the shops, you will look for the newest pieces in the pile. Why? You look for new things because new is another word for best. However, new items are also a little cold and lack personality as they aren’t dated. They haven’t been through the ringer yet, so they don’t have any stories to tell. To avoid this, go for pieces that are a little worn. Their battle scars are a sign that they will add a unique element to your house. It is called rugged perfection, and it is a desirable trait in every property. Obviously, make sure the item is worthy of your money. Otherwise, you will have to spend your cash on a replacement as soon as it breaks.

Every property should a place of comfort because your home is where you go to relax. Now that you have these tips, there is no excuse not to make the transition. Honestly, it will be the best one you ever make.

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Pesky Problems That Every Home Could Face

Our home is our castle. It is the place we go to relax and unwind after a hard day. The place we make memories with our family and loved ones. But our home is always at risk of things going wrong. A lot of the time these problems are unavoidable. If only we had a crystal ball to tell us when they are likely to occur. These pesky problems listed below are the ones that are likely to occur when we least expect it to.

Heating system breaking down in the winter.

It’s almost guaranteed to happen on the coldest day of the year. Your heating system decides that is the day to break down. If you have a further dose of bad luck, this will happen on a public holiday when it’s difficult to call someone out to fix it. There isn’t much worse than a cold house.

Of course, we can’t predict when that is likely to happen. But there are few things we can do to avoid the situation as best we can. Having your heating system regularly checked and serviced is a great place to start.

Oh no! There is no hot water.

Much like the heating system breaking, this is likely to happen on a cold day when you have somewhere to be. One minute you will be happily having a wash in the shower. The next an ice cold blast of water hits your head and shocks your system.

It would be nice to avoid this situation if we can. So making sure all your water works is in tip-top condition once a year is a recommended habit to get into. It would be advisable to do this just before the winter sets in. With icy weather causing pipes to freeze, it’s best to make sure they are all in good working order.

Unavoidable flooding in the home.

Flooding can be one of the worst things a home could endure. Sometimes there is very little warning. A flooding incident in the home can cause a lot of damage. Not only to the items in the rooms but to your decoration and the house structure itself. Mostly, people who are at risk of flooding in their areas will be aware of it. But it doesn't change how devastating it can be.

Other than having sandbags at the ready and moving as much as you can to a higher floor. There isn’t much else you can do to avoid these situations. However call a local water damage company to try and help restore your home after the event.

Infestation of creepy crawlies

Finally, the last pesky problem your home could endure is an infestation of creepy crawlies and pests. Things like ants, a wasps nest or a collection of flies can dampen how you feel about your home.

The best thing to do is find the source and try and get a professional in to help remove any nests that have been created. It isn’t always a nice thing to deal with. But it can be quite easy to resolve with the right help.

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How To Choose The Best Air Conditioning System

Summer is just around the corner, which means lots of warm, sunny evenings and hot, sweaty days. One way to get your house ready for the warmer months is to make sure you have the best possible air conditioning system installed. There are a few different systems out on the market to consider. Whichever one you go for will depend on your home and the climate in which you live. So how do you know which is best for you? Use these handy tips to help you decide.

Window Units

These units will need to be fitted to one of your windows. They are usually a couple of feet wide, but you may be able to find mini systems that can be half the size. The hot air from your rooms will be pumped out through the window. Even though they are very cheap to install, there is one big downside. They can only cool one room at a time. However, you can easily move them from window to window if you want. These are super easy to repair as well. You’ll be able to find plenty of specialized repair man who can carry out one hour heating and air system maintenance and repairs.

Portable Units

Portable units just need to sit on the floor by a window. As the name suggests, you can take them around the house without any problem. Hoses are attached to them and take all the hot air from the room, into the machine and then out of the window. You can choose between a single and dual hose unit. The former can cool down a small room very quickly, but if used in large rooms it will increase your energy bills. Dual units are much more efficient and are great for cooling down any size space.

Wall Units

These units use the same technology as window units. There’s just one big difference. Instead of using a window, you will need to cut a hole into your wall. Watch out for pipes and electrics when you do this! It is much simpler to call in a professional to install your wall unit. Otherwise you could end up with a serious D.I.Y. job on your hands!

Split Units

You will need to install two separate parts of the split unit into your home. One bit goes outside your home while the other can be placed on any interior wall in your house. As this unit can go anywhere, you will be able to blend it in with the rest of your home decor. You’ll have to get your toolbox for installing this unit, as most of them require drilling into the wall. These types of air conditioning are the best choice if you live in a very hot climate as the cool air it creates is as fresh as the air outside.

Now that you know all about the various air conditioning systems, you’ll be able to pick one that will suit you the best. And just in time for summer!

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Here's What You'll Need to do to Build Your Home From Scratch

When it comes to looking for a new home, you have quite a few options. A lot of people like to shell out for a newer, better place and make a move. Some elect to work on the place they already have, and make modifications. But, perhaps the best way of getting a new home is to build your own from scratch. This really is the best way because it allows you to customise the place and get it exactly how you want it.

The major advantages to building your own home are that you have a little more versatility to do what you want and the cost. See, it’s so expensive to buy property these days, and for a lot of people it can never be a reality. However, building your own place can often work out significantly cheaper than buying. This is excellent for first-timers too because you will be able to work on the home and ensure you make a profit in the future. There are a few things you’ll need to know if you want to build your home from scratch, and that’s why you need to look at this list to help you moving forward.

Draw up Plans

The first thing you’re going to want to do is draw up plans for what want to do. Head over to http://ift.tt/LERUbs and use their services to try to construct some house plans. To begin with this is pretty much going to be working out the plot and size you want. The finer details you can work out at a later date. But, at this stage what you really need to know is the size. This is so you can work out what size plot you need to start building on. Now, you figure this out you’ll need to have an idea of how you want the home to look. So you might think about roughly sketching this out. You might even think about getting the plans professionally drawn up. You basically want something you can present to people with decision-making authority.

Get Permission

Once you have your plans draw up you’re going to need to look at getting planning permission. Now, this can be somewhat convoluted depending on the nature of the build itself. Now, if you want to extend on your property, you will often need planning permission. But, because you are building from scratch things are a bit different. You’ve secured the plot yourself and should have no problems building on the plot of land. However, there might be things that you are not permitted to do during the build. You’re going to have to speak to the relevant authorities about the planning permission and see if you need to get any. Figure out what you can and can’t do, and this will help make your build a lot more straightforward.

Speak to an Architect for Ideas

When you’re trying to come up with ideas for your dream home why not speak to an architect? They are experts when it comes to things like this, and can give you some great ideas. If you’re lucky enough to have an architect in the family, then you should make use of them. But you can always bring one in as a consultant, or visit a firm. Architects will be able to offer some cool design ideas and suggestions. And they will also be able to give you advice about how to integrate different things and make the home a bit more efficient and practical.

Save Up Cash

Building your own home might be cheaper than buying one outright, but it’s still not cheap. So you need to make sure you have enough cash to do what you want to do. So, if you are planning on building your own home, you need to make sure you start saving. The sooner you can get around to saving up the better. This is something you need to sit down and plan together as a family. It might take you a while to save up and get to the amount of money you want to have. So you need to make sure you start as soon as possible. You might even consider taking out a loan to help finance it as well. But you will need to cross that bridge when you eventually come to it.

Decide What You Want From Your Place

It’s also important to think about what you want to get out of your home. Because this is going to be a DIY home, you can do anything you choose. So decide how you would like it to look and what features you want to have. This is vital for the planning process so you can engineer and design the home perfectly. If you don’t know what you want from your place you’re going to run into problems because you’ll be making things up as you go along. This is often a recipe for disaster, and hardly the best way of constructing the home of your dreams.

Integrate Greener Living

Because you are building your own place you can basically do whatever you want. So, this is the perfect opportunity to integrate a greener way of life. Things like solar power and LED green lighting can be adapted into the home as you build. This is great because adapting your home to be more energy efficient can often be tricky and expensive. But, doing it as you go is going to save you plenty of cash, and won’t cost any extra work. It equips the home to be more energy-efficient as well as adding some value and visual appeal to it as well.

Security System

You’ve also got to make sure you address security as an important part of your home. It’s essential that you make changes to try to make your property more safe and secure. You have to prioritise your home security these days. And, as you’re doing a home build job you can customise your security. You’ll be able to add in whatever security system you need or want. There are so many different things you need to figure out to make the home secure. Think about adding in CCTV cameras as well as an amazing intruder alarm. You might want to fit an electric gate on the premises as well. Make security a priority and you’ll benefit from it.

Build a Garage

Think about what other features you can add to your property that will improve your life. You’ve got to consider what changes can benefit your property. And, as you are building and developing things yourself you may decide to include a garage in that design. Think about the size and shape of the garage you want to have. This may well depend on what you want to use the garage for. Take a look at http://ift.tt/1zTmi7E and choose the right kind of garage door. This is an important part of the process, and will help make your garage look at lot better.

Look to Make a Profit on the Home

It’s important to look into the future and try to think about how you can profit from your home. This might seem curious to suggest considering the fact you haven’t built it yet. But, you need to think of your home as an asset for the future. That means you’re going to need to come up with ideas that will help you make the home more valuable in the future. Your home will increase in value as the years go by, but you can make additions to improve it and add value as well. Think about going for an extension because this will add value. You also need to think about trying to make the property greener because that is going to add money as well.

Try to do a Lot Yourself

The best thing to do when you’re building your home from scratch is to try to do as much as you can yourself. You want to oversee the entire process yourself and take charge of everything. That way you can get the home exactly the way you like it. Head over to https://www.youtube.com/ and check out some ideas for building your own home. Of course, there will be elements you’re not going to be able to take care of yourself. And that means you will need to bring in professionals at some point. But, you should try to do as much as you can yourself. It’s the best way to cut costs, and to work towards getting the home of your dreams. Maybe you could make a list of the things you won’t be able to do yourself so you can prepare for that as early as possible.

Building a home from scratch has become a popular option for many people these days. And that’s why you need to make sure you decide what course of action you want to take. Buying a home can be so expensive that you may decide building one makes more sense. There’s so much more you can do with your home if you build it yourself from scratch. However, as a visit to http://www.freshome.com will show you, there are a many mistakes you’ll need to avoid. But, on the plus side, you have a blank canvas to work towards getting the home of your dreams. And that is one of the major advantages of building your own home from scratch these days. You’ll need to know how to proceed in order to build the perfect home for you.

from Home Design Ideas | Interior Design Ideas And Architcture http://ift.tt/1SnFlSS Here's What You'll Need to do to Build Your Home From Scratch - International Home Design Interior

Roof Lanterns: modern design, with a long history

Roof Lanterns must be one of the most significant trends in home improvement and interior design to happen in the last few years. It is very easy to understand their appeal and increasing popularity. Roof lanterns give the interior of a modern home a welcome boost of natural light, as well as being a visually appealing new feature, from both outside and inside the building.

But because they seem to have had this huge burst in popularity in recent years, it would be easy to only think of them purely as a modern lighting solution. That is however not the case at all, roof lanterns have been a feature of great architecture since the middle ages. Many of the great renaissance churches and cathedrals still impress us today with their beautiful lantern roofs and domes. The eternally beautiful Baptistery in the heart of Florence for example features a wonderfully understated roof lantern in the centre of its breath-taking golden ceiling. And what is the iconic dome in London’s St Paul’s Cathedral but a spectacular example of what a roof lantern can add to a building.

As architectural techniques developed, roof lanterns became a popular addition to manor houses and stately homes. Vaendre Hall near Cardiff for example features a lovely lighthouse style roof lantern. Eventually, by the Victorian age, roof lanterns began to be commonplace features in more modest homes and buildings, bringing in much needed natural light into narrow corridors and dimly lit stairwells. They are a common feature on the roofs of 18th century terraces and town houses in many European cities such as Paris.

The roof lantern went out of fashion somewhat in the early twentieth century. But in the last forty years, huge developments in building materials and engineering have seen the use of glass as a major feature of modern architecture. From the now famous domed roof lantern on top of Berlin’s Reichstag building, to the Shard and Gherkin that dominate the modern London skyline, the desire for natural light is at the heart of modern building design.

The resurgence of the roof lantern as a desirable feature for ordinary homeowners was therefore perhaps inevitable. The modern Atlas aluminium roof lanterns are a great example of the best of modern day roof lantern design. At only 40mm thick, the sturdy aluminium frames have an incredibly sleek slim line look, in keeping with the desirable uncluttered look of the modern home and are designed to let the maximum amount of natural light in.

Our renaissance forbears were probably less concerned with the issues of “thermal efficiency” or “U-values” than we might be today. The modern aluminium framed roof lantern can wear its green credentials with pride. It is designed to keep the home well insulated, especially when combined with efficient double glazing (the Atlas lanterns can deliver U-values as low as 1.2-1.5 W/m2K). Furthermore, the modern roof lantern owner doesn’t have to worry about leaks, damp and wind-proofing in the same way the owner of a period home owner might. Today’s roof lanterns require very little maintenance and will easily deal with the harshest weather conditions year after year. As with so many trends and innovations, whether in architecture, product design or technology, new solutions are usually the result of taking old solutions and simply improving on them.

from Home Design Ideas | Interior Design Ideas And Architcture http://ift.tt/1RnX9bH Roof Lanterns: modern design, with a long history - International Home Design Interior