How We Redid Our Bathroom On A Budget

We wanted the bathrooms in our home to look great. My husband knew updating them would be a great idea for resale. For me, I just wanted fresh modernized bathrooms. I didn't like the idea of people visiting our outdated bathrooms. They always felt dirty to me no matter how much I cleaned them. So I was thrilled when my husband said we have our bathrooms remodeled. But of course we were on a budget.


We knew the main features that needed changed in order to make the bathroom bright and fresh. We couldn't redo it all so we had to pick and choose. After a lot of research and assessing our bathrooms we knew a few things. First of all, they both needed new toilets. This was an easy fix as toilets are not that expensive and many of the new toilets are more efficient and save water which saves money.

But we also we needed new counters and cabinets. At first I was so discouraged. New counters were expensive and cabinets were out of our budget. But then I found several discount bathroom vanities. I was so happy. And at the same time I found discount cabinets. They weren't a fortune and yep they fit into our budget.

I found a site online that offered the same variety and beauty as our local stores. Only I honestly had even more choices. We even found a marble top for our master bath. They arrived quickly and the quality was incredible.

I can't tell you how please with our low budget bathroom. We also added new lights and new faucets. We were able to easily install of this on our own. It was so much fun seeing it all come together

So here is what I learned. You can redo your bathroom on a budget. You just need to choose a few things that will make your bathroom shine. I would say that our discount vanities helped our budget immensely. They were so much fun to choose and look fabulous. Have fun shopping around and don't tempt yourself with the most expensive stuff. It isn't necessarily better. Stick to your budget and see what you can do.

I know the resale of our home has increased and the visitor factor has increased as I am no longer shy to have people view or use our bathrooms. I am one happy woman.


Author Bio: Lucy is a freelance blogger and likes sharing her stories online. For more informaiton about the discount bathroom vanities she used please visit premierevanities.com

Give A Rustic Touch To Your Hi-Fi unit

Here is something for you from our Brooklyn Oak Collection - The Brooklyn Oak Hi-Fi Cabinet. This oak cabinet is here to provide a rustic touch to your hi-fi unit. Constructed of solid oak and a tung oil finish, this fully assembled cabinet has 3 adjustable shelves that can accommodate all your hi-fi needs.  Even though the cabinet comes with a rustic touch, its crisp and clear lines make it ideal for both contemporary and traditional setting. The plain table top of the cabinet can hold décor piece thus making it one of its kind. Are you ready for the mix and match game? Then come and grab this piece right now.

Brooklyn Oak Hi-Fi Cabinet

How to remodel the house for resale

When it comes to resale of a house, there are so many factors that affect its value. The place where the property is located, the age of the property, etc are few of the factors over which the owner does not have any control.  But there are certain factors, if properly planned, which can boost up the resale value of the house. One such factor is the the ambience of the house.

Once the decision is taken to sell the house, the owner should go that extra mile to make sure that the house is worth a good investment. For that remodeling of the house plays an important role. Let us see few of the remodeling tactics that need to be adopted to boost the resale value of a house.

Living and dining: When it comes to resale of house, living room and dining room remodeling assumes great significance as these are the rooms that the prospective buyers first step into. If the owner intends to sell the house with furniture, then make sure that the furniture is in good condition. A fresh coat of paint and minor repair work, if needed, would serve the purpose.  Similarly a fresh coat of polish or a new carpet on the floor and a new coat of paint on the wall can make the room appealing to buyers. It is a good idea to leave the drapery on as it can change the entire appearance of the room. The owner should ensure that all lights are in working condition. Broken and non-working lights can leave a bad impression in the mind of prospective buyers.

Bedroom: Bedroom remodeling includes changing the wardrobe and flooring. A wise decision would be to give provision for mirror in the wardrobe itself so as to do away with separate dressing table. This has the double advantage of creating an illusion of space as well. A new light colored carpet on the floor makes the room look more spacious. Similarly the paint provided should also be of light shade so that an illusion of space can be created.

Bathroom: This is one area where majority of remodeling work happens. Since bathroom fixtures and fittings are subject to fast change, the bathroom should have the latest ones to boost the resale value of the house. New cabinetry can change the entire look of the bathroom. It is a good idea to co-ordinate the faucet, knob and towel racks. If space permits a wall mounted vanity can change the entire appearance of the bath. A sliding shower door, latest wall and floor tiles etc can add to the value of the room.

Kitchen: Since a major portion of kitchen is covered by cabinets, new cabinets would be a value addition. Cabinets should have separate provision for cutlery, crockery and other appliances. Provision should be given for oven, refrigerator and dishwasher. Polishing the floor or using new rugs can enhance the look of the kitchen. If the kitchen is dark, painting the cabinets in a lighter tone can make the kitchen look more spacious. As far as possible provide an uncluttered look to the counter.

   Apart from the above tips there are few which are applicable to the entire house

• A fresh coat of paint is a must have to both the interior and exterior of the house
• The front door can be changed to make the house look more appealing
• Garden and landscaping should be up to mark
• While polishing furniture, outdoor furniture should not be neglected.

Keep these tips in mind. You are sure to sell your home at the dream value!

Author Bio: The author Sandra Johnson is a freelance content writer who has more than 3 years experience writing article for home improvement/décor niche. At present she is working as a guest blogger for Michigan Basement Contractors who provides great Michigan Basement Reviews, construction, finishing and remodeling work. 

FINALLY THE RESULT IS OUT.....

And the lucky winner of Arco Floor Lamp is   

                                           CLAIRE TOPLIS

From 140 contestants, 111 qualified for the draw. The final contestant was selected using a Random Line Picker online tool

How a picture frame can add quality to your room furniture

Your home decor usually creates the ambience which is experienced by your guests when they enter your house. Although furniture as well as table-top displays may make a great impact, walls will appear bare without photographs, art and other decorations.

Home decor does not have to include extensive remodelling as some of the best additions to one's home are the little changes which they are able to make. It is more about getting inspiration particularly from simple things in our lives rather than adding something new to your home. There might be several reasons why you feel that your home decor is lacking enthusiasm but at times this is fixed more easily than it was perceived originally.

Whether you wish to rearrange or add furniture in the living room, update the whole look of your house, before you begin to buy new things and rearranging everything, you need to look at the uncovered areas. Find out the blank space available on your walls and how you can use them. At times you can include a focal point in your living room by placing a wall art effectively. Not only does the wall art add interest to the area of the room but it is visually tricky.

By putting interesting pieces into the wall picture frames, you then draw the attention of the eye throughout the room. This is a technique of highlighting great aspects of the living room which would otherwise be unnoticed. For instance, if the room has a structure that is interesting then you can highlight the angles made by the walls by placing a colourful print inside a picture frame. In case you wish to make the art appear more professional, you can add some matting inside the frame. When you purchase big picture frames which have a gold or mahogany finish, it will give a vintage appeal to your living room.

Make sure that the prints or paintings emphasize the theme. If you want a display of colour and you do not want to change the furniture then you can purchase cheap frames and from there you can paint them as per your preference. If you wish to have the boldness of picture frames which are black for example, you can add border photos colour matting which are good for photo collages and family photos. You also need to consider other inspired arts and crafts ideas as well.

Heart Shaped Venetian Photo Frame

Lace matting for picture frames measuring 8x10 is great for cherished photos and ribbons can be used to string several photos together in a collage on a wall. There are several things that one can do to add quality to their living room decor and these do not have to be costly options. Just look into the design of the wall and purchase picture frames. This is an easy and quick fix which can bring a big difference to the quality of your living room.

Most picture frames usually look at their best when they have been treated with varnish, however at times a picture frame painted surface will look better in your living room. Deciding which kind of picture frame appears best depends on your personal taste. Varnished wooden picture frames may be restyled to complement new decor schemes in your room by painting them.

Design Advice for the Modern Home – Designer Sofas and Your Overall Theme

The well designed home is a thing of beauty, in which many luxurious hours are spent relaxing surrounded by the perfect objects of chairs, tables, lamps and sofas. We’ve all got the built in urge to create a beautiful nest, to provide somewhere for ourselves and for our loved ones that is truly inspiring to be in. Designing a room and designing a home can be a daunting task. A little information, a little guidance, can go a long way towards keeping you on the straight and narrow path.

 In some ways it is surprising to find that really good design has an almost always conservative element. But when you think about it it makes sense. Because even where the thrust of a design is to make a place cosily chaotic, you still have to abide by some hard and fast rules to make sure you don’t go too far.

 What we’re really talking about here is coherence. Design is only at its best when everything in the room hangs together – there has to be cohesion throughout otherwise the sense of place is lost. This is true even in dens or studies, where the apparently random bringing together of elements such as globes, desks and knick knacks should be done with a calculated effect in mind. If, for example, you buy into the current craze for Victorian style rooms filled with curios, you still have to apply a selective filter to the curios you choose to use and the kinds of furniture you permit to surround them.

 Designer sofas, for instance, have to fit with the general theme or feeling of a room. So you can’t have a big 90s or Noughties style sofa in a room full of Victorian looking lamps and tables. Instead, you need to take you cue from a more era-appropriate set of lines, fabrics and colours. Exposed, slim wooden legs and striped upholstery; curving backs and delicately bellying arms.

 Current design trends fall into a couple of obvious categories – shabby chic, which may also be described as colonial (normally in America, shabby chic furniture is referred to as colonial furniture); retro Victorian, Edwardian or Georgian; and 50s, 60s and 70s retro. In each case there are signifiers that hep with designing a room from disparate pieces – elements of shape or material that are common to most furniture pieces within the style. So colonial furniture, or shabby chic if you prefer, is normally pale and features wood and light cotton very heavily. Blue and off white are the major colours here, with purposefully distressed surfaces and apparently half-finished paint jobs – all lending an air of furniture that has been scoured by the winds and sands of time.

 Edwardian, Georgia and Victorian retro furniture is full of patterned fabrics and polished dark wood – mahogany, chestnut, and cherry. While 50s, 60s and 70s retro is all about bright colours, simple geometric designs and lashings and lashings of lipstick-bright enamel finishes. The theme you choose reflects your personality – and the furnishings within it should all match. Pamela Johnson and her husband Patrick Johnson have been making Designer Sofas in France for around ten years.

Torino Desk Table from CB2

For those of you who have difficulty organizing your home office product, CB2 has introduced a new product - the Torino Desk Table. The brain child of the famous Industrial designer Manuel Saez, this matte lacquered with polyurethane finished table is made of low emission engineered wood and comes with a white top and wooden base. The main attraction of the table is the hidden racks for storing office items. The white table top opens via integrated pull to reveal nine square feet of space for laptop, iphone, ipad, projects, books, planners, folders etc. The table even comes with hidden cord cutouts to charge electronics. Check out the CB2 website for more details.

A Gift for your little one from Dooleys

Till now I have introduced only furniture for your home. What about gifting something for your little one? Yes today’s product is all for that bundle of joy in your house. It’s the childs wooden rocking horse -waxed. Made of pine and wax finish, this rocking horse is completely hand crafted and comes with leather bridles, reins and saddle. The glass eyes and flowing mane and tail provides a natural look to the toy. If you have a naughty little one above the age of 5, then you should not miss out on this rocking toy. 

Childs wooden rocking horse-waxed

World Bamboo Day

The World Bamboo Organization celebrates World Bamboo Day every year to protect this natural resource and ensure its sustainable utilization.  This year the World Bamboo Day is celebrated on18^th of September. Through this program WBO strives to increase the awareness of bamboo globally.

     Being an eco-friendly product the demand of Bamboo is growing day by day. But it’s utilization is exploited a lot. The aim of World Bamboo Organization is many fold

• To protect bamboo
• To make its best utilization
• To promote the cultivation of bamboo
• To promote the traditional uses of bamboo

Image courtesy gardenofeaden

The general notion is that bamboo can be used only for manufacturing furniture. But this is not the case. Bamboo can be put to myriads of uses like the following

Medicinal purpose: In countries where bamboo is available in plenty it is used for curing lot of diseases like kidney disease, diseases affecting bone etc.

Infrastructure purpose: Bamboo is used for reinforcement of roads and also to construct bridges. It is common, in developing countries like India, to see houses constructed of bamboo. In fact bamboo houses are becoming a must have in eco friendly tourism.

Clothes and accessories: Bamboo is used to make eco friendly clothes and also fashion accessories like earring, bracelet etc. Bamboo toys are a rage among people looking for organic material for their kids to play with.

Furniture: Last but not the least bamboo is the major raw material for making eco friendly furniture. Beautiful and intricately carved chair, tables, beds etc can be made out of bamboo. Bamboo rugs and bamboofloor mat are picking up the market in oriental world.

Bamboo floor mat

Whatever said and done, we as people of modern world should strive to protect this natural resource. Let us do our bit by planting bamboo, building with bamboo and breathing bamboo!

DIY Home Improvements to Boost Resale Value

Depending on your source, the housing market, both locally and globally, is either rebounding steadily or still hovering in the low-price end of the spectrum. Countered by tougher mortgage qualification standards and higher interest rates even for people with good credit, more people are turning from selling homes to renovating and improving their current ones. Some real estate-savvy investors are turning their new-home deposits into reinvestment funds that increase resale values and heighten enjoyment of their living spaces.

The Kitchen

A great many homeowners look to their kitchens for complete renewal, in hopes that this central gathering place will stand as a cornerstone in value escalation. Unfortunately, unless your current kitchen was decorated several decades ago, your money would be better spent in slightly redirecting your activities.

For example, instead of completely gutting your kitchen, replacing all the cabinetry, flooring and lighting, revamp the appearance of what you already have to the greatest extent possible.

Flooring: While replacing your flooring might be high on the wish list, if you can polish tiles and use decorative runners and rugs instead, you can save yourself a considerable sum of money. Whether you do replace it or just dress it up a bit, wait for this facet until all else is completed: There's no sense in marring that good-looking surface while fixing others.

Cabinetry: Changing the face of your cabinets, racks and drawers is drastically less expensive than installing all new frames. Coordinate handles and knobs for a unified look. Match wood and grain patterns and colors to meld and intrigue.

Kristina White Wine Cabinet Dresser

Window Space: Don't forget to sneak in a bit of extra space around your windows. If the basic architecture suffices, you might consider decorative shelving from your upper cabinets to the window's wall. Don't secure the shelving to the actual window, but grab that unused space for spice shelves or other oft-used items or some coordinating knickknacks if desired. What you can store above the counters leaves more room on your counters, reducing that cluttered look that sometimes sneaks in.

If your kitchen is dark, consider using light colors in your window dressing. Even on the gloomiest of days, a light, bright curtain or blinds can lighten and liven up a room quite a bit.

Bathroom

 New cabinetry can improve the look of an older bathroom significantly. Coordinate your faucets, knobs and towel racks and rings and your shower-bathtub appearance together.
A new wall or assembly in your shower will cost so much less than replacing a free-standing tub and shower assembly. It can also make cleaning it a breeze. Sliding shower doors can enhance value over a waterproof shower curtain. The style, color and pattern of your external curtain can join together your entire bathroom motif for practically pennies.

Walls: Gifting your walls with new paint, whether you keep your current color or splurge on a new one can give your interior walls a hefty facelift and boost the resale value of your house. Go light for brighter spaces or if you want the appearance of more space.

If it's been several years since you've painted the home's exterior or repaired siding and gutters, consider a facelift there as well for building even greater value in your home.

Bio: Emily is an article writer that loves sharing her knowledge on home improvement, she also works in fife property for a leading estate agents.

Provide a Victorian touch to your décor with this wardrobe

For me storage is a main concern especially when it comes to bedding and related items. If you are facing the same problem like me and if Victorian style is the décor theme for your bedroom, then you should definitely go in for Victorian White Full Hanging Double Wardrobe. Standing at a height of 200cm and width of 110 cm, this wardrobe in white color and distressed finish is big enough to accommodate all your bedroom items. The main advantage of this wardrobe is its color which helps it to easily blend with the surroundings. Get this Victorian beauty right away and solve your storage woes!  

Victorian White Full Hanging Double Wardrobe

Bring the beauty of embossed furniture to your indoors

There are people who like having lot of prints and patterns in their décor items. Such people usually go in for printed curtain, wallpaper, pillow cover and bold patterned rug. But if you think that this type of décor is very common, then the silver embossed chest is your cup of tea. 

Silver Embossed Chest

 With silver embossing work done on dark wooden frame, this fully assembled furniture would stand out in a contemporary setting. Place it near a crème colored wall or beside a set of white furniture, this chest is sure to capture the attention of your guests.

Home Bar Furniture: Different Types and Uses

For homeowners who are also avid wine collectors, the best way to display their prized commodities is through home bar furniture. In addition to their functionality, they also come in aesthetically pleasing units—perfect for those—who want to add a sense of sophistication to their home.

There is a wide array of bar furniture out on the market and finding the right one can be quite troublesome. To simplify the process, it would be best to read the paragraphs below.

Wine Cabinets

Some of the most purchased bar furniture on the market are wine cabinets because they are simply beautiful and they can hold a myriad of wine bottles without compromising safety. Typically, the said cabinets are used for everyday storage, but they can be quite useful during social gatherings where a number of guests are present.

Wine cabinets usually come with sturdy doors and hooks that are designed to handle wine glasses. In ordinary days, the said cabinets can be kept closed and act as decorative items.

Entertainment carts

Entertainment cars are prevalent among wine collectors because they also act as serving trays. Most of them come with wheels so that they can be easily moved from one area to another. In general, the said units come with well designed shelves, drawers, and even smooth tops.

Expanding wine bar

Very functional and aesthetically appealing wine furniture is the expanding wine bar. It usually comes in different sizes that are ideal for those who usually hold large social activities such birthday parties and family reunions.

When not used, the sides as well as top covers can be utilized to store wines. Since a myriad of expanding wine bars are made of wood, displaying them with other home furnishings is relatively easy.

In the end, it is a must for wine lovers to own home wine bar furniture simply because the said commodities are extremely functional. Aside from wine serving, they can be used in a myriad of other tasks since they can act as side tables.

What makes the furnishings extremely ideal is the fact that they can also improve the aesthetic qualities of one’s home since a vast majority of them are made of wood and they add a sense of cosiness that cannot be attained from other furniture.

Simply put, avid wine collectors should make it a point to purchase the bar  furniture in this article because their uses are endless. 

A Silver Chair For Your White Setting

In one of my earlier post titled Provide a Silver Touch toyour Indoors, I introduced a silver velvet chair for your living room. If you are looking for a companion for that chair, then the Silver Velvet Oval Back Chair would be the ideal choice. Falling under the occasional furniture category, this chair would be ideal not only for your living room but also dining, kids or any other room which you feel like using it. Upholstered in silver velvet, this chair has a black wooden frame that works out a contrast. The oval chair back provides a mirror like finish to the chair. Get this chair right now and adorn your interiors with a silver touch. 

Silver Velvet Oval Back Chair

Provide A Rustic Look To Your Kitchen With The Country Ash Kitchen Island Unit

Rustic look is always acceptable in kitchen mainly because it does not make the kitchen look shabby. In my earlier posts I have introduced two oak furniture for kitchen – one is the oak bar stool in the post Barstool – An essential furniture for your home and the other is an adjustable oak stool which I introduced in the post titled Extend the rustic look to your bar or pantry. Today’s post is about a rustic style kitchen island ie Country Ash Kitchen Island Unit. Made of solid ash, this kitchen unit has an oiled finish which provides a special glow. The unit comes with four drawers for holding kitchen stuff, four open compartments for holding wine bottles and glasses, one closed cupboard space and one towel rack. The rustic handles and sturdy frame add to the country style look of this fully assembled piece. If you are planning to do up the kitchen in country or rustic style, you should not miss out on this unit from Dooleys. 

Country Ash Kitchen Island Unit

Provide A Glossy And Stylish Finish To Your Dining Area

In my earlier posts on high gloss furniture, I have introduced living room and bedroom high gloss white furniture. If you are thinking of extending the white glossy finish to your dining area as well then the White High Gloss Sideboard with Wine Rack would be the ideal choice. This side board comes with 4 drawers where you can store all your cutleries and small bowls. The one door of the sideboard has internal shelf that provide ample storage space for all your crockery. The 12 wine racks in the centre are spacious enough to store your precious bottles. Coming in a high gloss lacquered finish, this sideboard can act as a décor piece in itself or if you want can place artifacts on the top. This sideboard comes as a fully assembled piece and hence takes away the pain of going through the instruction manual. Get this glossy finish sideboard and bring the glow of white to your dining area as well.

White High Gloss Sideboard With Wine Rack

Add color to your dining room with multi-colored chairs

People have a tendency to associate colored furniture with kid’s room. Even I was having the same impression till I spotted a set of colored chairs neatly arranged around a dining table in one of the websites. 

Image courtesy inhousedesign

That is when I browsed online and came across the Jazz Dining Chair. Available in 5 colors of Black, green, orange, red and white and upholstered in leather this set of chair can add vibrancy to an otherwise dull dining area. Since it comes as an armless chair it is easy to stack it. Hence it is best suited for a small dining room where the chairs can be stacked and kept in a corner after use. If you are thinking of adding a dash of color to your dining area, look no further.  

Jazz Dining Chair

A Companion For Oak Video Unit

Some time back in my post titled “Get a solution for your living room needs with this video unit” I introduced the Brooklyn Oak Low Corner Video Unit. Even though the Cardinal Oak Coffee Table Chrome Legs does not fall under the Brooklyn collection, there is nothing wrong in mixing and matching oak furniture. Made of solid oak and steel legs, this table comes in oiled, chrome finish. The use of oak table top ensures the durability of the furniture. This is one of the best tables that you can use in living room as it is capable of withstanding the wear and tear of everyday use. Even though the table comes as a part assembled piece, it is easy to get it organized as the design is not too complicated. Get this simple oak table and give a companion for your video unit! 

Cardinal Oak Coffee Table Chrome Legs

The Perfect London Souvenir

Are you planning to meet your friend living in a different part of the world and would like to give her something? Or is it your best friend’s birthday or wedding and you would like to provide a special gift? Then look no further. The Black Frame London Wall Clock is the perfect gift you can provide them. With the dark frame and numbers in Roman letter, this clock resembles a classical piece of décor. If you are planning to do up your house in the Victorian style, then also this clock would be a good addition to the wall. Because of the black frame, it would look best when placed against a neutral colored wall. You can shop for this wonderful clock from our online store.

Black Frame London Wall Clock

Introducing A Bronze Finish Home Décor Piece

In my earlier post titled “Bring In an oriental touch to your décor” and in another post titled “Give an Indian touch to your décor”, I have introduced two different versions of Buddha. The Silver Sitting Buddha and Silver Buddha head on stand respectively. If your décor has an antique or rustic touch, then silver décor would not go well with it. For this type of décor the Sleeping Budda Bronze Finish would be the ideal choice. At a height of just 28.5cm, this statue would look good as a living room show piece. Keep two bronze candle stand on both side of the statue, your antique home décor is all set to catch the eyes of your visitors!

Sleeping Budda Bronze Finish