HGTV reaches 89 million households, “Devine Design”,

HGTV reaches 89 million households every week and over 800,000
nightly prime time viewers. The format of the show has been copied
several times and spin offs like Trading
Spaces, Extreme Makeovers. Viewers sit for hours watching
“Design on a Dime” “Devine Design”, “Landscapers Challenge”.
The home improvement shows just keep coming.

HGTV provides instructions for thousands of home improvement projects.
They provide video clips for everything from garden projects to
constructing a bed. HGTV is the one-stop resource for finding anything
you need for expert help with “doing it yourself” projects.
HGTV makes home improvement look easy and fun. HGTV gives viewers
new ideas and inspires the week end warrior to do some type of home
improvement project. HGTV mission is “to provide ideas, information,
and inspiration for decorating and home improvement”.

The impact that HGTV has on home improvement can be measured in these
statistics.
# Furniture sales grew by 75%, between Between 1995-2005
# Sales of home furnishings increased 97% in this same period.
These items included soft goods as well, carpets, lamps, area rugs,
linens, glassware
People all over the country are decorating their homes to look like
these superbly beautiful fantasy creations that they view on HGTV.
If you are not a “do it yourselfer” you can just imagine the way your
home might look when you go on tours of million dollar home all
across the country. You see people who look like you making grand
improvements to shacks that end up looking like your dream home.
HGTV has had a dramatic impact on the home improvement industry
because HGTV appeals to the age group of people who have the money
to pay for major home improvement projects. The demographics of the
typical HGTV is a female age 35-64 years old. Over 70% of HGTV
viewers are females.
That means that the female viewers are encouraging husband, fathers,
brother to do the work so they can enjoy the benefits.
The additional general consumer demographics for home improvement by
female indicate:
# They shop more often
# Visit more stores
# Spend more than the typical shopper
The target demographic for the Do It Yourself Website is:
# Homeowners
# Ages 25-54
# Incomes of $60,000
# Internet access
# Propensity for home improvement

The home Improvement Research Institute studies show that both men
and women are active participants in the planning of home improvement
projects as well as the purchase of those products used for
improvement.

The popularity of HGTV (Home & Garden Television)

thriving market in do-it-yourself home improvement and interior
decorating. All sectors of the home improvement industry have
benefited since HGTV started airing in 1975.
The real estate boom was followed by a home improvement boom.
People would buy a old house and want to redecorate the house
from floor to ceiling. People who had lived in their houses for
a while wanted new kitchen cabinets. The home improvement shows
were an impetus for a massive movement by homeowners to start a
remodeling revolution
The home improvements that people take on include makeovers from
the attic to the basement. They perform functional repairs like
fixing a leaky roof, replacing windows, and adding more room to the
house. Then there are the projects that are just for the
beautification of the home like updating kitchen, remodeling a
master bedroom.
Some people use home improvement as a creative outlet. They paint
and redesign just for the satisfaction of improving their living
space. HGTV has been a large contributor to the home improvement
revival.

Complement the design of your ceramics

When choosing your bathroom taps, the basis of your ceramics design should be considered as a key influence. If your bathroom suite is very angular and geometric, then taps with a high level of curvature would not match. The shape of spout and handles should both be thought about. A lever tap denotes a contemporary, angled finish, when combined with straight or square-based spouts.

For a rounded-front basin, a tap design with a curved spout or round handles balances these features, and moves towards a better designed bathroom. Before purchasing your taps, ensure that you consider all the items in your suite, from the basin, to the bath and also to the shower fixtures, to ensure all products will tie in together. It is worth buying all of your items from one manufacturer, as they will often supply showers as well as taps, and their ranges will harmonise with each other.

Practicalities

If you are elderly, or have joint or arthritis problems, the design of your taps is crucial. Taps that have little ergonomic consideration in their design are difficult to grip, turn and therefore turn on and off. This becomes even more of an issue if you do suffer with joint problems, as they can be painful to use. A lever tap offers a solution; they are easy to use, without any reduction in efficiency. The tight sealing of valves in modern taps means that there is no longer the need to screw them as tight as possible to prevent them dripping; they can be turned over with a simple move of the lever.

Lever taps are also more hygienic; professions where cleanliness and hygiene is rife have been using these designs for decades; it is important to doctors, dentists and vets alike that germs are not spread. A simple lever attached to the taps allows them to be turned on and off with an elbow, or side of the arm, meaning germs are not transferred from the handle directly back on to a clean hand. These designs have now moved in to the public and domestic domain in the move towards lever taps, which also reduce the surface area available to transfer germs from and to.

Mix it up

Mixer taps or monobloc taps are different to individual taps, in that they combine the flow of hot and cold water in to one unit. These single taps can have one handle to control flow and temperature, or two, but the water flow comes out of a single outlet. The benefit of using a single unit is that it allows less brassware to feature on your ceramics, making the appearance more minimalistic, and an optimum temperature can be achieved by combining the hot and cold water.

Hudson Reed is a well-renowned supplier of taps, accessories, mixer showers and heated towel rails and you can be assured that their products are of a high calibre. They offer a mix of traditional and contemporary designs, and different options for handles, so that you can be sure they will have a range to suit you.

Glass Sinks

 

The newest additions to the family of high end bathroom sinks are glass and crystal. Glass sinks can be the best choice for those who want to turn their ordinary bathrooms into a stunning piece of art work.

Glass sinks seem to work very well in both traditional and contemporary bathroom and kitchen settings. Most glass sinks come in as vessel bowls, but they are also available in over-the-counter, wall-mount, pedestal, under-the-counter as well as countersink models.

It is a very common misconception that glass sinks are not durable. They are much more durable as anyone can think. Most of them can withstand temperature changes of about 20 degrees, and most of them are resistant to minor accident breakage, such as accidentally dropping your toothbrush or your plastic bottle onto it. It is true, however, that heavy objects falling into normal glass sinks will cause them to shatter. Tempered glass based sinks, however are more resistant, they can withstand the force caused by heavy objects: they might crack or break, but they do not tend to shatter. Laminated glass behaves similarly, but is more resistant than tempered ones.

Laminated sinks consist of an interlayer made of resin or tough plastic that are bonded together between two glass panes. They are sealed together, behave like one single unit, and looks like a normal glass. When hard object fall on them, they may crack due to too much pressure but the fragments tend to adhere to the interlayer so that they do not cause injury. Glass sinks come in a wide variety of designs, shapes and sizes. Some of the common ones are:


Textured Glass They are moulded into different shapes and textures, or bas-relief motifs at very high temperatures.

Colored Glass Glass sinks now come in various colors; the common ones include blue, green and red. These colors are usually achieved by adding some metal oxides and incorporated into the hot glass melt.

Frosted or Etched Glass These types of sinks have an opaque look. It usually gets transparent when it gets wet, but goes back to its opaque, frosted look when it dries.

Polished Glass These sinks have a polished finish so that the exterior looks very smooth.

Care and Maintenance Glass sinks might be durable, but it must be properly maintained to make sure it lasts a long time.

You should clean it with plain water or with a mild glass cleaner regularly and wipe the sink dry every after use so that water spots do not develop. If your sink is textured, make sure that you wipe the outside area regularly. Never use abrasive bathroom cleaners as they can scour or full the glass surface.

For the high end bathroom, glass sinks are perfect. Glass sinks are one the most beautiful and classy trends today. A glass sink can catch the attention of your guests and friends that visit your home, leaving you a remarkable positive comment. Many of you may think that it is not a practical investment and may also doubt its durability but the fact is they are durable are much as they are beautiful.

Decor:

Glass vessel sink is a vessel style sink that is gaining popularity for the home design. You may also find that some of the glass sinks integrate the light in their design. The light can be anywhere, above the sink, below it or simply inside the glass to raise the luminescence of the glass. You will find many online retailers that will provide you variety of designs for the glass vessel sink.

Different styles of the glass sinks:

1. Pedestal style: these sinks actually have a single pedestal as a base or they can have multiple legs.

2. Vessel mount sink: they are either climbed up on the counter top or dropped in counter's hole or mounted on the other surface with a self-rim.

3. Wall hung: the wall hung glass sinks are also called as wall mounted. They require plumbing the sink which is hidden by the wall and other fixtures and the faucets are projected directly from the wall.

Quality glass sinks can be cleaned easily than the metal sinks. Vinegar, glass cleaner or little acid can help clean the sink and make it shine as a brand new glass sink. All the sinks, that are made, are highly durable and very easy to maintain. To clean the sink one should make use of a gentle piece of cloth and gentle cleaners.

Single hole faucets are also being used widely for the purpose of style. They not only add style but they also have the functionality. With great range of products comes difficulty in finding the right one. Though you know the products that you want to buy, but choosing the right one for you and your house can be a tough job.

The online retailers have come in large number as more people are using the World Wide Web. The retailers and the buyers find it easy to get the best deal online. No wonders with the use of internet one can get the best deal, but then one should also know the perfect retailer for the particular article. If your friend has lately upgraded the décor and used the glass sinks then you can seek their advice and get the best deal.

Change is always preferred and it is good to change with the time. The trend today is to keep things stylish and when style comes with durability it becomes a must have.

How to Choose the Best Bathroom Taps

 

If you are considering redecorating your bathroom or perhaps even renovating or remodelling it completely then choosing the correct taps is very important. The overall style and feel of your bathroom can be greatly influenced by the taps you choose. In fact to update and rejuvenate the whole look of your bathroom you may be able to simply change the taps. If you are lucky enough to have original Victorian or Edwardian taps or perhaps even original antique French taps it may be possible to have them restored.

Some people LOVE traditional bathrooms and wouldn't want anything else. Certainly the trend does seem to favour this style at the moment. You may prefer a more modern bathroom tap or if your bathroom would look good with large Art Deco taps. Some people like to have their bath taps match exactly their basin taps. This is not always possible if you are installing original antique taps. Quite simply the matching pair of either bath taps or basin taps may have been damaged or destroyed some time ago. If you are fortunate to find a matching pair of antique taps they are well worth installing them into your bathroom.

There are also several different styles of spout for both bath taps and basin taps. The bath tap can have one spout with 2 handles or 2 spouts with 2 handles. Similarly with the basin taps. Or off course there is the Bath Shower Mixer tap which although typically a very traditional style, compliments any bathroom and does save on plumbing fixtures.

Fortunately, whatever your style, an eclectic approach tends to work very well. A traditional Edwardian or Victorian cast iron roll top bath looks fantastic with original Antique Taps or modern Deck Mounted Pillar taps. Similarly a modern square bath that may otherwise look quite ordinary can look stunning with lovely original large Victorian bath taps or even reproduction Victorian Shower Mixer Bath Taps. Art Deco taps look great on these baths as well. Most of the time you can get away with mixing and matching modern & traditional taps, baths, tiles, decor etc. The only exception could possibly be an Art Deco style bathroom suit. Although you can put Art Deco bath taps or basin taps on a typically modern suite it doesn't always work the other way around. Some Art Deco styles are okay. They can look good with a modern wall mounted bath filler (taps with 2 handles to control water flow). The typical Art Deco skirted bath however really needs to have matching Art Deco style bath and basin taps and matching decor to pull the whole look off well.


Before you even look at the different styles there are a few things you do need to know.

The majority of bathroom taps are made from brass which can then be metal plated or enameled. They can be plated with high gloss or matte finishes such as chrome, nickel, polished brass, pewter, silk steel and antique gold. Nickel plating is becoming more popular as this provides the traditional look for a traditional Edwardian or Victorian bathroom. These taps are not necessarily cheap. The style and finish are also important and part of what you will pay for.

More expensive bathroom taps are made of solid stainless steel, which can be polished to a high shine or brushed to create a low sheen finish. Although these are considerable more expensive, they are more hard-wearing than their cheaper alternatives which will eventually lose their finish.

The brass taps, if they have been chrome or nickel plated, should take years to lose their finish. Having the bathroom taps re-chromed or Nickel plated is an option and the finish looks fantastic. The replating in chrome, nickel, antique gold etc can be done to both original antique bathroom taps and fairly modern bathroom taps. You would just need to get your plumber to remove the taps and have them sent to a specialist. You would need to weigh up whether the additional expense of purchasing solid stainless steel taps was worth it.

Antique taps are often in a polished brass finish. This means you will need to polish your bath and basin taps fairly regularly to ensure they look good. If you are lucky enough to have a cast iron plunger bath with a brass plunger and bath taps then having the plunger and taps polished makes the whole bathroom looks sensational and definitely produces the "WOW" factor. They do look great when this is done and a lot of people prefer to keep this finish and undertake the additional cleaning that would otherwise not be required if you installed modern bathroom taps. Frequently people choose to have their antique taps Nickel or Chrome plated. They look fantastic once done and the bath taps are so much easier to keep looking pristine.

Your budget will probably be the determining factor in which taps you do choose to install in your bathroom. As it is unlikely you will renovate or update your bathroom again soon after doing so. If your budget allows it may be wise to invest in the best taps possible for your bathroom.

What the tap is made from is not the only important factor.

If you are ripping your bathroom out and completely remodeling it then your options are not limited at all. You can install deck mounted bath taps where none existed before if the desire and funds suffice. However if you are replacing existing bathroom taps you will need to look at what is already there as this may limit you. You may love the look of a wall mounted concealed filler but if you do not have the plumbing it is not going to work and you may be better looking at another style completely.

You should also check with your plumber who is installing your taps for you if you have enough water pressure to deal with the requirements of the taps you wish to install. If the pressure required is higher than normal bath taps most supplier will say so in their literature.

Generally speaking, single lever mixer taps require high water pressure, while pillar taps and fillers can function with low pressure.

Once you know this you can get on with the job of choosing and purchasing your taps. Then off course there are the accessories.

The finishing touches to your bathroom are what really determine the design of the bathroom. There are many suites on the market that are quite traditional in style, but their timeless designs can easily be complemented by contemporary taps, to add that twist to convention. Alternatively, taps can flatter the character of your ceramics by mimicking the curvature of their design, adding to the overall ambiance of your bathroom.

Invest in quality

When deciding on the budget for your bathroom taps, it is important to consider the finish that you wish to achieve. In a kitchen, you can buy a budget kitchen and add more expensive doors, work surfaces and handles, to make it look a million dollars. The same theory can be applied to bathrooms. A reasonably-priced suite can be made to look more expensive with cleverly chosen taps. However, it is important to remember that this theory can also been applied to the contrary, if you team your bathroom suite with cheap-looking budget taps, this will reduce the calibre of your bathroom design overall. Investing in high-quality bathroom taps is, therefore very important.

Chosing the best Tap from the above is quite easy for you. these are the popular designs used in bathrooms.

Kitchen New Designs

 

When you live in a home for a few years, you can usually indicate whether the home has enough storage space available for your needs. More times than not, most people always need more storage. It does not mean you have to purchase a new home with lots more closet space, it means that you need to organize and clear some of the clutter you are storing.

For instance, a bedroom closet usually can hold up to two times more than its current capacity. You can maximize the use of space through organization. Utilizing the space that is available efficiently will help to conquer this issue. Typically, in a standard bi-fold door closet, there is one shelf that spans across the back of the wall. Above the shelf is storage space. Neatly folding bed linens or extra blankets is a good use of space. Using the area for items you no longer want in your bedroom classifies using the space as a clutter collector.

Many people also have problems with proper storing of their DVD and Music collections. Often times, these get tossed under the media cabinet and finding the song you want to hear becomes an impossible task. There are many pieces of furniture that you can buy that will look great in your home and that will keep these collections neatly organized. Then, the next time you want to watch a movie, you will have quick and easy access to it.

As you can tell, a lot of being an organized person means getting rid of unwanted things so that you can free up the space for the home necessities. It is a good idea to go through every room once to two times a year and clear your home of things you would normally shove in a closet. This will keep your home nicely organized and allow you to find exactly what you want when you want it!

You never realise how many things you accumulate in your home until you have pack it all away. However, the moving process is a complicated one and there can be delays at the final hurdle when all belongings are packed and ready to go. If you find this is the case, there are services that can provide solutions for the storage of boxes and furniture.

Facilities for home storage Leicestershire can ensure that your belongings remain safe and secure until you need to retrieve them. Contained within rooms to which only occupants have the key, there is no risk of belongings getting lost or being disturbed by any one other than you, the owner.

Specialist storage facilities allow home movers to store their belongings for as long as necessary. Also, if larger storage is needed, then many will provide rooms to accommodate their customer's belongings.

With the housing market as it is, storage companies understand that people are unaware of their house situation from in week to the next. As long as payments are up to date, many storage specialists will not charge their customers for the removal of their belongings at any time in the month, allowing you to remove belongings as and when you need to.

It is important there are places you can go when house sales don't proceed as planned. However, make sure the storage company you choose in the Leicester area provides you with an unbeatable service. There are those available that also supply boxes, bubble wrap, padlocks and much more to help ensure your personal belongings remain in the same condition you left them in.

Nice House Decoration Pictures

 

Do you really and truly want a small home? Over the years of helping people with their small

home designs I've noticed one thing. Small house plans grow.

"Oh, but I want this, too!" Yep, I've heard it over and over. It can takes real discipline to

keep that evolving house plan small. And working with an architect is not necessarily a

solution! Architects are often eager to design in that pantry, laundry, extra room or whatever

else you suddenly feel you just have to have!

What Do You Really Want in a Home?


You love the advantages of a small home design, right? The idea of saving money while building,

saving energy year after year, and the convenience of keeping that small home neat and tidy are

appealing benefits.

But, what are you willing to give up? You simply can't have the same number of rooms or the

same size rooms, or all the same features you're accustomed to in that larger home. Something

has to give. What do you really want in your home and what are your priorities? It comes down

to, what's a must, and what can go?

That Small House Plan Can Still Work

Once you figure your priorities and settle on what's important and what isn't, a good designer

can work wonders. But, you have to guard against getting "big eyes" and stick to your guns.

And, don't give the architect free reign.

If you know what you want, with clever design and a combination of functions in the home, you

don't have to do without. But, it may not be easy.

The Home Building Coach to the Rescue

I recommend getting yourself a home building coach. Industry professionals often hire

themselves out as a go between ... between you and your other building professionals like

contractors, architects, lenders, engineers, etc. This person can be especially valuable in

helping you devise your strategy concerning the design of your home.

No, the coach won't likely design your home, unless he or she happens to be your architect, but

they'll definitely be able to help you refine your goals and translate them into practical

approaches to help design your perfect small house design.

Get Those Benefits You're After

With the home building coach by your side, you'll have the support to stick to your guns and

create something that stays small, offers all the advantages of the home you want, and provides

style and beauty at the same time.

The small home is making a big comeback. We can point to several reasons for this. Economical

reasons head the list but people are keenly interested in efficiency, environmental

responsibility, and ease of upkeep.

What do you really save by building a small home? Let's look at this logically to see if

building smaller is, in fact, economical.

Small House Plans vs. Bigger House Plans

To be fair, the size of your home is dictated, in part, by the number of people to occupy it.

But, strictly from a standpoint of preferences, there are a few cost advantages for building

bigger.

BUILDING BIGGER HOMES

Larger homes often cost less per square foot to build:

* Contractors are already on the site and on the job and additional work while they're

already there is cheaper
* Bigger doesn't always mean more rooms, bathrooms, kitchens, etc. Simply expanding the

size of rooms is relatively inexpensive
* Materials purchases can cost less per unit, the more you buy and deals for quantity

purchases also help

BUILDING SMALLER HOMES

Building from a small home design house plan has its advantages:

* Shorter building times save interest charges on the construction loan
* Fewer bathrooms, windows, doors, fixtures, and other costly items
* Less expensive home design costs, lower taxes, and smaller permit fees

Comparing the Costs of HomeBuilding

Your small home is likely to cost more per square foot to build if we assume equal quality,

materials, and labor. Ten percent more is typical. So, let's say a 3,000 square foot home will

cost $100 psf for a total of $300,000.

To compare, if a 1500 square foot home can be built for $110 psf, that would cost $165,000.

Obviously, even though the cost per square foot is substantially higher, the overall cost to

build is considerably less. But, there's more to it than the upfront costs to build.

Life-Time Value of Small Home Designs

The lifetime value of a home considers the cost of maintaining the home over the years. Here

are some of the other economical advantages of a small home:

* Smaller homes can be more efficient/less wasteful
* It costs less to heat and cool a small house
* Replacement costs are less
* Utility bills are significantly less
* General maintenance requires less time and money
* It uses fewer natural resources both in construction as well as for your ongoing living

needs

If a small home fits your needs, you should pursue the idea wholeheartedly! For the

do-it-yourself "professional", the choice of a smaller home is a particularly wise one. The

more you can do yourself with friends, the more you'll save and the better off you'll be.

Interior villa concern design

Transparent glass volume and wooden box volume creating contrasting and floating effect of this villa concern design. This design also perfect for preclude hot of the upper house, shade with wooden slats in unique placement. Sustainable feature with innovative economy and energy efficient obtained from astir objective construction andgeothermal power. Inside the straight glass in first floor, open volume kitchen-dining-living space exist with modern foppish inland design, correct to display arts craft collections. Designed by Paul De Ruiter