Archive for February, 2010
Ten Tips For The Perfect Bathroom or Wet Room
1 Storage, storage, storage
A bathroom’s priority is storage. This might mean a large, low level cupboard that sits hidden beneath two curvaceous, countertop sinks. Or a wall cupboard, either with doors painted to blend in with the tile surrounds or with mirrored doors that reflect light and make the space seem bigger. If space is tight, wall-hung units might be your only option and if this is the case, choose mirrored doors to make the room look bigger from the reflection.
2 Make it practical but stylish
Two sinks are highly practical if you’ve got kids and they’re also very fashionable. When it comes to the bath, a big one is a plus point for a family so if you can fit one in, do! And by placing the taps on the wall at its centre rather than at one end, you will give it that elusive ‘spa’ feeling that a lot of baths lack.
3 Family friendly can be good looking
As for floors and walls, the more areas covered by wipe-clean and waterproof surfaces the better. Tiles are the number one choice but if you’re covering a large area then choose big ones as they’ll make the space seem bigger as well. Go for a sophisticated finish, such as a slate-effect, then indulge in an enormous mirror and good lighting to make it as light and bright as possible.
4 Make lighting a priority
A small bathroom cries out for good lighting so take out the central light fitting and go for halogen spots that mimic natural daylight.
5 Pick a show off
One focal piece – whether it’s a slightly impractical but good looking enormous sink, a sexy shower head or even just a fabulous mirror – will give the room instant character and turn it from a practical, apologetic cell into a room you’ll want to be in.
6 Choose clever surfaces
Use every trick to make a low-ceilinged room look taller. A white ceiling and good lighting will help, as will low-slung fittings. As for the surface, pick large, light-coloured tiles to enhance the space or go for something more unusual, such as wood veneer panelling.
7 Let in natural light
You need to get natural daylight into your bathroom any way you can. Put a big skylight in a loft room but if small windows are the only option, undress them completely and replace the glass with frosted panes or fit white roller blinds on for privacy.
8 Zone: Your room
If your bathroom combines with a wet room, a step to confine the wet area is a must. You needn’t splash out on getting one built in to your floor though – a super-size shallow shower tray does the job.
9 Ditch the shower curtain
A bathroom needs to look super-sleek to work well, so ditch the idea of a shower curtain in favour of a smart, glazed panel or door. Where do you hang it in a wet room though? It needn’t go right across the opening to the wet room – they are supposed to be open, after all – just hang it so that the shower area is accessible but not awkward to reach.
10 Get the flooring right
Bathroom and wet room floors need to be non-slip as well as waterproof. That means natural stone (not marble), treated concrete, treated dark woods such as teak, and Corian.
Casinos Reviews by Scandinavia
Gambling is wagering of your money with the intent of winning additional money. Nowadays, you are allowed to gamble on the web through online casinos. There are many games you can play like slot and roulette. The development of online gambling is thriving in the past year. As a result, we will come across such an easy system of playing casino games. Read the rest of this entry »
Online Casino Games Guide
Playing at the best online casino is surely important in gambling online. The best online casinos provide the best features that will make your playing of online casino games more interesting. They usually offer a great amount of sign-up bonus too. It surely gives more benefits for players who want to play online gambling for real money. Read the rest of this entry »
Choosing the Best Online Casinos
Maybe we are worrying that when we are gambling at online casinos, we will be cheating by them. It could be happened if you are playing in the online casino, which cannot be trusted, which is still questioning the legality. It is much better for you to select in which online casinos you would like to play. Read the rest of this entry »
How To Turn Your Old Car Into A New Car With Low-cost Interior Accessories
Don’t Get Stuck With Your Old Car
In today’s economy, if you dream of a new car but can’t afford a large car payment, then you can still ‘own a new car’ by giving your car a much-needed makeover with interior car accessories. When you are driving in your ‘new’ car, you’ll feel better too!
So how can you dress up your ‘new car’? You can pick one or all of the car accessories that will help dress up your car:
$ Car seat covers – Over time leather seats get scratched, and fabric seats show stains and tears. Buying new car seat covers will cover up those stains and scratches, while giving your car a ‘fashionable twist’ and your car a ‘renewed life’. Car seat covers are easy to install, and cost a fraction of replacing leather car seats.
$ Car floor mats – Rubber floor mats can cover up worn out spots on your car’s floor, while giving it a cleaner look. If you can spend a little more, you can also customize your floor mats to fit the model of car exactly.
$ Car sun shades – You can select from a wide range of sun shades that fit the front windshield, back windshield or side windows. And you can make a ‘fashion statement’ by picking out sunshades that are color coordinated, or maybe feature a favorite activity, scenery or sports team.
$ Steering wheel cover – Leather steering wheel covers quickly and easily slip onto your steering wheel, giving even the most beat-up car a new ‘racy’ look. Contoured ribs in the steering wheel cover not only gives it a stylish look, but massages your hands while driving.
$ Car seat cushions – Car seat cushions can ‘jazz up’ the interior or your car, but you can also buy a massage car cushion or heated cushion to make your ride a little more comfortable
All of these accessories can turn even the oldest car into a flashier car, at a fraction of the cost of a paint job, or buying a new car. Not only are these accessories fashionable, but also functional by helping save your car’s seats, floor, steering wheel and helping keep it cool during the hot summer months. Padded car seat cushions and steering wheel covers will also make driving your car more comfortable. How much will it cost for a ‘car makeover’? While it depends on what you buy and where you buy it, purchasing accessories from an online wholesale car accessory dealer will help you save a lot of money versus shopping at your local car dealer. When you buy from an online wholesale car accessory dealer, you can plan on seeing big changes in your car’s appearance on a limited budget.
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How To Choose Perfect Spanish Property
Let’s assume you’ve already chosen the geographical area in Spain you want to live in. So what else should you think about? It’s so easy to fall in love with a property and sign the dotted line before you’ve thought it through sufficiently. I strongly advise you to make yourself a check-list.
In addition to the usual stuff, ask yourself the following:
1. Do I really need to be near a beach, or is a pool sufficient?
The further inland you go, the cheaper the property. Even if you can’t afford your own pool, most villages have a public one and many apartment blocks share a communal pool.
2. Old or new?
Older properties will be cheaper, but bear in mind how much money you will need to spend to make it into your dream home. Older properties will require more maintenance. New properties are usually covered by a 10 year insurance, but may lack the character you are looking for.
3. Are views important to me?
If you want a first-line sea view, you’ll pay extra for it. If you want rolling mountain views, make sure your house is not too exposed or isolated. Winters in Spain can be surprisingly windy, cold and wet.
4. What direction does the house face?
Do you want to be able to sit in the sun? If so, check that your outside space faces south to fully enjoy those rays all year round.
5. Do I need handy shops?
In larger towns, this isn’t a problem. However, if you move to a small village, be prepared to purchase from white vans bearing bread, fish, fruit and vegetables. These mobile shops often visit villages daily. Listen out for their hooting as they announce their arrival.
6. What about medical care?
Find out how close the nearest hospital is, and whether there is a doctor’s surgery close by. In small villages, a doctor may visit once a week, or not at all.
7. Can I get broadband access here?
Many villages are too remote to enjoy broadband. (How I wish I’d thought of that!) However, as long as you have a telephone landline, you will get a dial-up internet connection. There are alternatives, like satellite, to acquire broadband, but they will be expensive.
8. How strong is the mobile phone signal?
In our village, we get a signal about 80% of the time. However, we only get a Movistar signal (Telefonica) and our visitors’ mobile phones on other networks are useless.
9. Do I want to be in an all-Spanish community or close to other expats?
Choose carefully. If you want to enjoy an authentic Spanish life-style, don’t choose an urbanisation that is obviously full of fellow expats. However, if you choose a tiny, remote village like we did, there may be no other foreign residents, and nobody will speak English. For most people, a balance is best.
10. And finally… try before you buy.
Consider renting a house in your chosen location first. Then you can take the time to find your perfect house. Not only will you become familiar with the area, but you’ll be in a great bargaining position to buy your perfect home.
Want to find out more about living in Spain? Victoria’s book ‘Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools’ is packed with irreverent humour, animals, eccentric characters and sunshine.
Why Flat Roofs are Not The Best For Your House
Flat roofs may be a cheap choice at the beginning but as time passes by you are going to realize that they are not necessarily the best option for they present a number of problems. They have a high cost of maintenance meaning that you will have to spend a lot of money on their care. Flat roofs are highly susceptible to damages, which require that keep replacing them every now and then. Replacing these flat roofs is not an easy task and may take many days before the process is completed.
The coatings of flat roofs usually wear off within a short period of time. They are likely to get damaged if the weather is too hot or too cold. Too much rain may also cause considerable damage to the flat roofs. Flat roofs do not allow for easy flow of water to the ground. This water may cause the roof to rust or cave in. pitched or slanted roofs do not have this problem. The water flows easily down the roof leaving very little or no room for damage.
The water that accumulates on the roof tops usually weakens the roof material causing leakages. The water can also cause untold damage to walls especially if the house has just been built. During the winter season, a lot of snow will collect on top of the flat roof. Taking the snow out is hard enough, not to mention that damage that it can incur not only on the roof, but to the entire house. These roofs are uneconomical for top floors.
Flat roofs offer little or no ventilation. When it is very hot, these flat roofs usually absorb incredible amounts of heat making the house to be uncomfortably hot. Many people are forced to add a layer of insulation to avoid overheating. The same case applies during the extremely cold seasons when the roof lets in cold into the house. Slanted roofs on the other hand allow for energy conservation.
Flat roofs also present security concerns. Burglars will find it very easy to get onto your roof and into the house before you know what is happening. With a slanting roof, it would be hard for the thief to balance his weight, thus reducing the chances of burglary. Another security issue concerning flat roofs is their inability to withstand natural calamities such as strong winds and earthquakes. The design of slanted roofs makes them to withstand the pressure caused by these forces of nature.
When building a house, make sure that you choose the slanting roof as a design for your rooftop. This will save you a lot of utility and maintenance cost as compared to flat roofs. Pitched roofs will from the effects of adverse weather conditions and will last longer.