Kitchen & Bathroom Remodeling

by: Elizabeth Morgan
Do you want to try your hand at building a platform bed? For those of you who don’t yet know what a platform bed is, it’s an exciting, old way of sleeping that incorporates a simple, elegant frame and a single mattress. Its lines have been used in Europe, Scandinavia, and Japan for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Platform beds can be made of wood or metal. If you’re looking to build a platform bed, you’re probably thinking about wood.

Platform beds can be extremely simple. The extremely simple platform beds have no headboard or footboard, and certainly no canopy. They incorporate slats, which, in effect, replace the need for a box spring, since, because they are sturdy yet somehow slightly flexible, support the single mattress on top. The result is that you get a good night’s sleep, are very comfortable, and yet don’t end up with back pains or numb muscles in the morning.

It’s ever better for your back than sleeping on the floor. And now, with the rapid proliferation of memory foam, your platform bed can be even more comfortable and healthy. Memory foam is a gel-like polymer that accepts your shapes and bones, but supports it fully. (It was first used in hospitals, and is now a popular mattress and pillow material.)

Platform bed plans can be more complex too; you can add headboards, footboards, canopies, even extra flourishes and storage units. You can build the storage units as one with the bed frame, or you can create rolling drawers supported by castors, so that the drawers are modifiable and easily maneuverable throughout your bedroom.

It’s not the most difficult job in the world for a handyperson. If you want to build a platform bed, you can order platform bed plans from any of a number of plans retailers. Woodworking clubs, furniture enthusiast groups, and other organizations can give or sell you plans. You can also buy plans online.

About the author:
Platform Beds Info provides detailed information about contemporary, Japanese, discount, and wood platform beds and platform storage beds, as well as platform bed frames and plans. Platform Beds Info is the sister site of Futons Web.

by: Lee Dobbins
Using accessories is a fun way to accent your bedroom for a beach theme. You will find that you can dramatically change the look of your room simply by making small changes with the accents. See how easy it is to get a designer beach theme look in your bedroom without shelling out the big bucks.

If you’re not sure exactly what you want in your beach desing, try looking in decorating magazines and books to get a flavor of the accessories you would like to see in your bedroom. For keeping the beach look consistent, you’ll have to limit yourself to only purchase the accessories that match your theme.

Colors for a beach décor should make you think of the beach. Light and breezy with lots of blues and maybe even some yellows. If you prefer neutral tones think of the beige of beach sand and the color of shells.

Incorporate sea shells, ocean prints, and other seaside accents that will help bring out the beach in your bedroom. You should group your accessories in odd numbers. It always looks nice if your groupings consists of tall and short accessories mixed together. An interesting group of accents might consists of some shells aside a nice beach theme frame and a taller lamp.

Use beach theme prints and photos on your walls to establish the theme throughout your bedroom. Many people do not know how to correctly hang a piece of art and this makes a big difference to the visual appeal. Whether you are hanging a large oil painting or a small print, the middle of the piece should be at eye level. If you have a large piece of artwork you can try using it as a headboard. When hanging prints or photos behind a table, always place them 7 to 10 inches above the table. Hang pictures in circular, triangular, or rectangular geometric groupings to add interest.

When accessorizing your bedroom don’t forget about the lighting. When purchasing lamps make sure to buy ones that go with the beach theme you want to create. For beach style lighting try using clear glass lamps filled with shells or figural light house shaped lamps.

Area rugs can define a space and pull your bedroom together. Rest furniture completely on the rug for a warmer effect. Only use rugs that go with your beach accessories.

Using pillows can add interest as well. Use several at the top of the bed and vary the texture colors and patterns while still keeping the color and theme within your overall bedroom design.

Don’t think you have to buy everything for your bedroom at once. Shop around to find the perfect accessories to match the beach theme in your bedroom. You can find bargains at consignment stores flea markets and yard sales.

About the author:
Lee Dobbins writes for http://www.bedroom-designs-and-decorations.com/where you can find out more about decorating your bedroom. Read more articles on bedroom decorating at: http://www.bedroom-designs-and-decorations.com/articles8.html

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by: Beverly Marshall
We spend a great deal of time in our bedrooms, hopefully 8 hours, and decorating ideas for them should reflect that and be well thought out. Very few other places should capture our attention like that of the bedroom. It doesn’t matter if you are alone in the bed or not, you might try looking at this room with Feng Shui eyes. Feng Shui is the Chinese art of placement. In Feng Shui, it is said to make a difference how you feel according to where you place the bed and what is around you when you sleep. Feng Shui suggests that you should feel safe and secure in a bedroom. You don’t need to practice Feng Shui to realize that. You should also feel comfortable and very calm energy there because you spend so much time in that room. Sometimes that feeling you get speaks volumes about how you sleep and it can determine how much time you really want to spend in the bedroom.
When you think about the bedroom, you may be thinking about a partner or finding a partner. Since practicing Feng Shui involves a lot of metaphor; take a look around your room and see what you are telling the universe by your furniture placement and surroundings. If you have pictures around you of a figure standing alone, you are reinforcing the reality of being alone. If you want to feel more comfortable, sleep well and/or find a partner; check out a few of the following guidelines. For a total list of guidelines; check out http://www.bedding-4u.com
• Place two pink candles or hearts on a side table in a bedroom; suggesting you would like a partner
• Don’t have photos of family or other friends in the bedroom as this is “your” space. Pictures of you and your partner is okay
• Place the bed so that the head of the head of the bed is opposite the door. You want to easily see people as they enter
• The head of the bed should not be over a window or you may feel lack of support
• Don’t have a TV staring at you in bed. If you must watch TV, cover it up before you go to sleep at night
• Try not to bring work home from the office; only to work on it in the bedroom. You are sending the wrong message
• Do not have a lot of books surrounding your head when you sleep. All of that information could be confusing and distracting your sleep
• Never place a ceiling fan above the bed because you don’t want the feeling of having fan blades above your head
• Having a night table on each side of the bed suggests there is another person in the bedroom, even when you do not have a partner
• Paint your bedroom pink. I painted mine pink and two weeks later I met my husband
• Make sure your bedroom door opens and closes easily. Noisy doors are disturbing
• Place earthy elements in a bedroom such as plants, stone, crystals or things that remind you of the earth
These are just a few bedroom decorating thoughts using Feng Shui as a guide. Have a clear intention of what you want in life and go about getting it. You can apply Feng Shui guidelines throughout the home and office with this ancient art and just see what a difference you will feel in your home or bedroom with a few subtle changes.

About the author:
Bev Marshall is a successful freelance writer Aromatherapist and Feng Shui consultant offering guidance and suggestions for consumers buying bedding, mattresses, comforters, bedspreads, and baby bedding. Her many articles can be found at http://www.bedding-4u.comShe gives information and tips to help you save money and make informed buying decisions.

by: Lee Dobbins
Everyone needs more storage space, right? Well a good closet organizer can double the storage space in your closet and make it easier for you to find just what you need.

There’s 2 basic types of closet organizers. One is actually more like closet furniture and has built in drawers cubbies and of course poles to hang your clothes. These can run you quite a bit of money but do a great job to organize and beautify your closet and will be durable enough to last a long time. A less costly alternative is found in wire closet organizers that offer almost the same amount of organization but aren’t as pretty and may not wear as well. Both kinds will work with a walk in closet or a simple reach in closet.

When buying an organizer system for you closet, you want to keep in mind what kind of clothing you have and how much of it. Do you have tons of shoes, but not a lot of shirts? Then you’ll want more storage units for shoes. If you have a lot of hats, scarves and purses, make sure you design in storage space for those. Your organizer system should be customized to the types of clothing and accessories you own as much as possible.

There are many different storage units you can incorporate into your closet design to make things easier to find and also give you more storage space. Some of the organizer units you might want to think about include:

Shoe Cubes - each cube fits a pair of shoes and they stack on top of each other so all your shoes are available at a glance
Shelves - for folded jeans, sweaters, purses and hats
Tiered Tie Racks - for ties, scarves or belts
Drawers - for those personal items you don’t want to leave out in the open
Slide Out Bins - great for laundry, just slide them out and bring them down to the washer.

A well though out closet organizer design can double or even triple your storage space. Don’t forget to add stacked rods for your shorter items to hang on top of each other which gives you twice as much space in the same linear area.

Those with expanding families or who are looking to increase the overall value of their home often begin looking into a variety of basement bedroom ideas. The basement can be an excellent space for expansion and is generally less expensive to remodel than adding on to a home. Fortunately, great basement bedroom ideas are easy to come by and to create with just a little creativity and careful planning.

Drywall

After sifting through a variety of great basement bedroom ideas, you will need to give your new space walls. Some homeowners choose to simply place paneling on the walls of the existing basement. While this is an option, it will result in walls that have a thin and flimsy feel to them. The best choice for putting walls up in the basement bedroom is to install drywall. These walls can then be wallpapered or painted any color to match the style and taste of the person who will be using the basement bedroom. Or, paneling can later be installed over the drywall if desired. Installing drywall as a base will result in sturdier walls that are also more capable of holding wall decorations or shelving to add that personal touch to the bedroom.

Carpeting

If the basement has not yet been finished, it most likely has a concrete floor. Concrete flooring has a tendency to be cold on the feet in the morning. To avoid this uncomfortable possibility, carpeting should be your final step in creating your fantastic basement bedroom ideas.

Carpet squares are a great choice for completing your basement bedroom ideas because they are easy to install and come complete with padding and a moisture barrier. To properly install carpet squares, you need to first measure the area carefully. You want to determine the layout of the carpet panels ahead of time so you avoid having small slivers of carpeting at the ends of the room. To cut carpet panels to size, use a utility knife and cut through all layers of the square. Be sure to butt the panels close to each other and prevent fibers from getting trapped between squares. When finished, vacuum the floor to help remove the lines between carpet panels and, voila!, your basement bedroom is finished.

By: Carlo Morelli

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

by: Beverly Marshall
Ladies, we spend a lot of time in the morning getting ready for the day. We take showers, put on makeup, blow dry our hair and put on just the right outfit we feel good in. Then we top it off with the hot colors of accessories from sunglasses to sandals - the details of what we wear matters in how we look and feel. Maybe it shouldn’t be that way, but it is. You can think of your bedding as fashion for the bedroom because you dress your bed just as clothing and accessories dress your body. The little details we put in our bedrooms such as vintage rag rugs, beaded lampshades, hand crocheted pillowcases or satin sheets will make all the difference of how we feel as we spend time in our bedrooms.

A bedroom is a place to feel safe, comfortable and cocooned as we sleep at night. I like the bedroom to be an expression of who I am as well as that of my husband. I don’t want it to be all cabbage rose, salmon pink and lace because that doesn’t make my husband feel too comfortable. He isn’t exactly the cabbage rose type. However, it also doesn’t have to be golfing, fishing and rustic log furniture either. We can compromise on a majestic leaf pattern with just a small floral touch. I use deeper colors of blue and green mixed with a sophisticated plaid and stripe for the bed linen. I love to mix all the patterns together and it turns out great. If you have never done that before you might find it a little tricky, but you will be okay if you stick to the same hue in the same color families. We live in the north woods so our colors are stronger, rustic and outdoors. There is a nice blend and flow throughout the home. Doesn’t it make sense to begin with colors inside that reflect the great outdoors, striking a balance between the two? I am surrounded by pine trees and a beautiful lake. I feel serene and happy when I take those same colors and make a beautiful room to spend my private time.

Take a cue from the great outdoors
If you are confused about where to begin when it comes to decorating the bedroom or other parts of the house, take a cue from the outdoors. Stand at one of the windows from inside a room and look out. What do you see happening in your backyard? Do you have a blue swimming pool or is your garden filled with yellow marigolds? Does your lawn look like green velvet or do you have earthy shades from rocks and stone? Do you love the cold strength of black wrought iron patio furniture or do you prefer bold awning stripes? You can begin to get the idea of how the inside can reflect the outdoors or vise versa.

You want your whole family to feel as comfortable in their bedrooms as you do. If you pay attention to details of bed linens, color, furnishings and small personal touches for your kid’s rooms, they will feel like they are special, and they may even clean the room a little more often. For example, your baby’s bedding could look cute and cuddly, the colors and patterns for kids can be bright, fun and whimsical. It doesn’t matter what size of mattress you or your kids have, the mattresses must all afford comfort. The goal of every bedroom is to have linens that are beautiful, easy to take care of, and mattresses that are comfortable to sleep on. You will be able to find everything you need at http://www.bedding-4u.com. If the room is dressed right, you will feel good while you are in it. You might consider just adding a duvet cover for a quick change over the tired comforter. I have taken old fitted sheets that were worn and placed them on the windows for an instant dramatic valance. Be creative when it comes to your personal style and get the kids involved. You don’t have to be extremely crafty to just get some fabric paint and let them design their own sheets. Isn’t it kind of boring to always buy what is shown to you in catalogs or retail stores? Place a table you had in the living room at your bedside and put a family quilt on it. Use solid velvet throw pillows that you haven’t had out in a while and add a few baubles to them or stitch a lace handkerchief to the top.

Take what you already own and just put it somewhere else in a new way. Divide all of your little collectibles into piles by color. Never prejudge something that you think is strictly for the kitchen, or just for a bathroom. If you look at the small knickknacks with fresh eyes you might be surprised at how warm a room can be just by using the play of color. I love using things in an unexpected way. Don’t limit these ideas to the bedroom. Your whole house can be spruced up with a quick change by just moving around the pieces you already own. Another trick is to keep the small items all together in one spot. Don’t try to spread the small things out to cover space. You will make much more of a statement if you keep them together because there is strength in numbers.

Know your priorities before you buy
Do you prefer your bedding to be 450 thread count Egyptian cotton, or an easy no fuss fiber blend? Do the mattresses need to have a thick 100% cotton mattress pad? Are you looking for the most high tech mattress on the market? Do you want the baby’s bedding to be the softest available or is the cute factor more important? Do you want to be surrounded by fancy luxury or casual chic? Have a good idea of what you are looking for before you start making buying decisions. You are dressing your bedrooms in fashion just as you would your body. Don’t be afraid to experiment a little, and use the things you already own for a fresh look.

About the author:
Bev Marshall is a successful freelance writer Aromatherapist and Feng Shui consultant offering guidance and suggestions for consumers buying bedding, mattresses, comforters, bedspreads, and baby bedding. Her many articles can be found at http://www.bedding-4u.comShe gives information and tips to help you save money and make informed buying decisions

(Family Features) - Remodeling can be a lot of work, but the payoff is worth the price if you focus your efforts in the right place. Specific home improvements can increase the value of your home above the cost of the improvements. According to Remodeling magazine, which publishes an annual “Cost vs. Value” remodeling report, a remodeled master bedroom suite can return 82 percent to the owner.

Remodeling the master bedroom suite doesn’t end with the purchase and placement of a queen- or king-size bed. In addition to selecting furniture, flooring and fixtures, choosing the right lighting elements for the master bedroom and the master bath can be just as important as deciding on wall colors, bed linens and towels.

Using the right bulb for the fixture means increased light output, better functionality and overall improved aesthetic appeal. Employ general purpose bulbs in table and floor lamps and enclosed ceiling fixtures. Use globes in lights above the vanity. Try decorative bulbs in chandeliers, sconces or anywhere the light source is visible. And utilize spotlights and floodlights in track and recessed fixtures.

For overhead and general uses, recessed spotlights supplement task lighting, like bedside lamps. GE Reveal and GE Reveal Halogen light bulbs have neodymium in the glass that filters out dull yellow rays, making colors in artwork, wallpaper, carpets, paint and curtains really pop, says GE lighting specialist Kathy Presciano. Add window blinds, which can easily be closed, for light control and privacy.

The bedroom space is not just for sleeping. This room needs flexible lighting that can change from functional to romantic to suit the need and mood of the moment. Consider dimmable lights - perhaps in the form of a wall-mounted sconce - for decorative and accent lights that set the mood.

Bedside lamps are key for both nighttime reading and for navigating your way out of bed. You may opt for lamps located on a bedside table or ceiling-mounted hanging fixtures. Or, consider mounting swing-arm lamps on the wall which enable you to focus the light right where you want it.

The master bathroom can be a tranquil, peaceful, spalike setting where homeowners can wind down and relax. When lighting your bath consider these tips:

At the vanity or sink, grooming light requires shadowless light from above and from both sides of the mirror or counter. Bright light sources with translucent or plastic glass diffusers provide good illumination. GE Edison halogen produces bright, crisp white light.

If the bathroom mirror is 36 inches wide or greater, use a ceiling fixture at least 24 inches wide or shielded wall fixtures mounted above the mirror. You may also opt to use a row of exposed globe lights along the tops and sides of the mirror.

For bathrooms with small mirrors, select three matching fixtures. Use a ceiling fixture above the front edge of the countertop or sink and hang two additional light sources, preferably pendants, on each side of the mirror about 60 inches high and 30 inches apart.

Track lights are a great option for accenting tub and shower areas in bathrooms with high ceilings.

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