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Top Feng Shui Tips For The Bedroom

by Trish



Our bedrooms were designed for two activities: rest and romance. However, our busy lifestyles, coupled with the need to constantly multi-task or exercise, has rendered the bedroom more of an extension of the office or the gym than a haven for rejuvenation. The ubiquitous television has furthered reduced the bedroom to a gathering place for strangers rather than a sanctuary for solitude.


By using the principles of Feng Shui, we can restore our bedrooms to the heavens they were intended to be as well as increase our vitality, our health and the quality of our romantic relationships.

The First Easy Steps

Remove electronics

Feng Shui for the bedroom begins with removing all electronic and electrical devices from the bedroom, especially the television. If there is a need for an alarm clock, then place it as far from the bed as possible. However, all other electronic and electrical devices need to be removed from the room, including the telephone.

Electronic devices emit electrical signals even when they are turned off. These signals interfere with your sleep cycles as well as the energy in the room. Removing these interferences will result in more restful sleep.

Clear the Air


Another easy step is to open the windows every day so that energy in the room does not stagnate. This can also be accomplished by the use of a ceiling fan, but don’t use the fan while you’re sleeping.

Assume the positions

The principles of Feng Shui state that certain positions and styles of furniture are better than others. For example, the bed should:

• Not be placed under the window because this weakens your energy.

• Be placed against a solid wall.

• Not be in line with the door, which is called the coffin position, although the door should be plainly visible.

• Not be placed underneath overhead beams as this symbolizes the possibility of death.

Headboards should be made of wood rather than metal; padded headboards are also acceptable. There should be ample free space under the bed in order to facilitate the free flow of energy.

Sharp corners should be avoided in Feng Shui because rounded shapes facilitate the free flow of energy whereas sharp corners block it.

Mirrors facing the bed are verboten in Feng Shui. The energy leaves the body at night and will be startled if it sees itself reflected in the mirror; this will cause restless sleep or nightmares. Large mirrors are also thought to promote infidelity.

The Finish Line

Keep your bedroom free of clutter.

Displayed items should be kept to a minimum and only displayed in pairs. In other words, use two candles, two nightstands, and so forth. This promotes the concept of a couple whereas a single item promotes the concept of singlehood. However, twin mattresses should be avoided because this promotes separation. Try to use symbolic items, such as the endless knot, that promote the relationship.

Avoid having an aquarium in the bedroom as the movement of the water will promote the perpetual movement of energy in the room and will result in restless sleep. Plants and flowers promote the very active yang energy so they should be avoided as well.

Your bedroom should be relatively quiet and only items that pertain to you and your partner should be in it. Pictures of friends and relatives should be displayed elsewhere. Use cool and soothing colors such as tones of beige, green, blue and lavender and avoid bright colors such as red, vivid purple and so forth, as these promote the movement of energy rather than tranquility.

By using the concepts of Feng Shui in your bedroom, you can revitalize your romance as well as your individual energy and restore your bedroom to the haven it was meant to be!

Jeff Gross is a freelance writer and marketing consultant for Arverne Long Island online presentation. He enjoy’s in finding new creative ways to improve online visibility of his clients.

photo by: conceptDawg

Filed Under: Home Decor, Home Improvement Tagged With: bed, bedroom, busy, clutter, electronics, feng shui, gym, Health, lifestyle, office, rest, romance, round, sanctuary, solitude, tips, vitality, wall

Bathroom Remodels Which Won’t Scare Your Wallet Away

by Trish

While you might want or badly need a part of your house remodeled, the truth of the matter is that renovations cost money, something which most of us do not have a lot of. In fact, bathroom remodels are projected to cost an average of $15,789 per project. For this reason, remodeling plans which you have conceived more than five years ago have been pushed to the back of your mind and your budget. But whether you are thinking about upping the value of your house or making a much needed modification for someone who is having trouble using your current bathroom, here are some remodels which you are sure won’t break the bank:

Changing the Grout

Do you want to make a huge impact on your bathroom without having to spend your son’s college fund? Then try re-grouting your bathroom tiles. If you’ve been to old houses, you have observed how these homes seem to have no, if not only meager, problems with their tiles. For as long as the tiles you buy are not chipped and cracked, you can re-use them but breathe new life into them by using a new color of grout. While replacing old tile can cost as much as $2000, it only costs $500 for you to re-grout your entire bathroom.

Refinishing the Tub

If you have invested in a high-quality tub which still functions great although it has already look worn-out and outdated, just like every item after it has been used for at least a decade, you do not need to have it removed and replaced with a new one to have a spa-like bathroom. You can choose to have your bathtub refinished so that you can get rid of all the stains and water spots which have developed over time. Not only is this job affordable with services costing only around $475 to $600, this job can also be completed in just 24 hours. While it is true that you can buy a new tub at just a few hundred dollars, the entire work involved will run for a longer period of time than the former which can lead staggering labor fees of up to thousands.

New Mirrors

Because we never forget to look at ourselves in the mirror when we’re in the bathroom, doing something as simple as getting a new mirror is sure to not be left unnoticed. One of the tricks of really getting the best out of any remodel is to spend time on the items and parts of the house which are often used.

Jeannie Conner is a writer who has several experiences with bathroom and plumbing services. She has many great advise when you read articles in Filan & Conner Plumbing .

photo by: juhansonin

Filed Under: Bath and Shower Tagged With: bathroom, budget, grout, money, new mirror, refinish tub, remodels, renovation, wallet

Eight Simple Tips For Choosing The Right Carpet

by Trish

One of the cheapest ways to revamp a room or two in your home is to purchase some new carpets. If you want to get the most out of your decision however, it’s important to make your choice carefully. Though carpets themselves are certainly not complicated, choosing one sometimes can be. Here are eight simple tips for making the most out of your choice

Shop Around

The cost of carpeting varies drastically. Price comparison is therefore an absolute must. Though most people expect to pay extra for quality, many are surprised to learn that where you shop can also play a major role in the price that you pay. Some carpet stores are significantly cheaper than others.  It pays to shop around.

Careful About Installation

Regardless of how nice a particular carpet looks in store, if it’s not installed professionally, you’re unlikely to enjoy the final result. If at all possible, purchase your carpet from a retailer that does its own installations. If this proves impossible, always ask exactly who will be doing the installation. How experienced are they?

Pay Attention to Styles

Though all carpet shoppers pay attention to colour, many don’t spend enough time considering style. Carpet styles include Saxony, Berber and textured. And different carpet styles have different benefits.

  • Saxony carpets are very beautiful but they tend not to be very durable.
  • Berber carpets on the other hand are very durable and are therefore ideal for high traffic areas.
  • Textured carpets tend to reflect light. Because of this, dirt and tracks are much less noticeable.

Take a Long Term View

If you want to purchase something unusual for your home, make it a rug, not a carpet. In general, you are better off sticking to subtle styles that you are likely to enjoy for many years to come. Flashy carpets, or worse, those based upon short lived fads, rarely make long term sense.

Maintenance Matters

If you want to relax, avoid cream carpets. Even if you don’t have children and animals running around, a single glass of red wine is all you need to leave an attention grabbing stain. In general, the darker a carpet is and the more patterns it has, the less noticeable the odd spill is going to be.

Careful with the Stairs

The most difficult area in a home to carpet is always going to be the stairs. Not only do stairs tend to get a ridiculous amount of foot traffic, the carpet also obviously needs to be bent over the edges. To handle the excess foot traffic, choose a dense carpet. And to handle the edges, avoid loops, look for the open coil variety.

Go Organic

Some brand new carpets come complete with a pretty distinctive smell and it’s usually caused by formaldehyde. Though the smell goes away, the chemical remains and is known to cause a host of health problems. To protect yourself and your family, choose a carpet made from wool, jute or other organic materials.

Pay Little Attention to Warranties

Finally, never opt for a carpet solely because of its warranty. Carpet warranties are notorious for being very difficult to claim from. The most common warranty provided with carpets refers to “wear”.

While you might define “wear” as a carpet that looks old and shoddy, most carpet retailers won’t provide a replacement unless there are visible bald spots. Warranties are worthwhile with many purchases but carpets aren’t one of them.

Weston Markley works as a PR professional for PortaCo Inc that manufactures the best power units. He writes press releases and articles about home construction and building to promote the company among the masses.

Filed Under: Flooring, Home Improvement Tagged With: berber, carpet, cost, installation, maintenance, price comparison, revamp, room, saxony, shop around, styles, textured

Transform Your Room Into The Greatest Place Even With An Extension

by Trish

Everybody always has one special room in the house where they love to spend all their time. If you love watching sports then it’s probably the living room. Cooking fanatics never seem to be out of the kitchen. But everyone always wants more. They want bigger. It’s just who we are. Once you have had something for a certain amount of time it gets boring. Mom wants all those big fancy appliances in her kitchen. The ones you can’t fit in at the moment and probably won’t use anyway. Dad wants somewhere more than a tiny corner of the living room to work.

Why don’t you just admit it. You need more room in the house. And the last thing you probably want to do is move to a different neighborhood. You don’t need to. Not if you add an extension onto the side of your house. Apart from the hassle of getting planning permission it’s quite a smooth process. As long as you use a reputable company they can have it finished quite quick. It will cost you a bit money, but just imagine all the things you could do with it. Let’s have a look now at a few things you might be interested in.

Have your very own office space

The trouble with working from home is that it’s hard to get anything done if you don’t have your own office. It’s unfortunate if you don’t have any free rooms in the house. You have to work where there will always be people around. Maybe you are scared of leaving stuff on your tiny desk in case someone moves it and you have a heart attack. That all changes when you have somewhere to call your own. You get more done and the business improves drastically. That’s why an extension onto your living room would be great.

Entertaining guests

Everyone loves to entertain guests in their home. It’s a great way to socialize with friends when you become older, because it’s just not the same hitting the bars anymore. You need somewhere to feed people and have a good drink. If you only have a small dining room then it can be a problem. It can get a bit squashed when you try and fit everyone around a small table. If you add an extension onto the dining room that all changes. You finally have somewhere that’s perfect for entertaining and your social life definitely improves.

Keep the kids happy

It is really annoying when you want to relax in the living room and the whole place is a tip because the kids have left their toys lying around. A solution could be adding an extension to the living room to turn into a playroom. Somewhere dedicated to the kids where they can keep all their toys. You will have a lot of space and the living room will be much nicer. You can have a partition so the kids can play in their room and you can play in yours. And they are right next door so it’s always easy to keep an eye on them.

Give your kitchen a Michelin Star

If anyone in the household likes to cook then you would love an extension onto the kitchen. Just imagine all those wonderful appliances you can install. You’d have room for anything you wanted and would have the space to leave it lying out. Turn your kitchen into Starbucks by having an amazing coffee machine. The kind that makes coffee so good you think you’re in heaven. Add a stone baked oven and make better pizzas than Domino’s. The possibilities are endless.

Julia Watson often blogs and provides suggestions on various home improvement techniques. She is the proud owner of lean to conservatories – a firm excelling in providing instant price comparision quotes.

Filed Under: Home Improvement, Renovating Tagged With: den, expand, extension, house, Kitchen, living room, renovate, special room, time

The Ins and Outs of Hiring a Kitchen Designer

by Trish

According to recent trends, more people are deciding to stay in their homes and explore kitchen-remodeling options. Often do-it-yourselfers undertake this project, but many folks are interested in learning about using the services of kitchen designers for professional results.

Scope of the Project

Homeowners that are handy with tools and have the skills and time for remodeling may decide to tackle smaller jobs for themselves. However, if the remodeling job requires major modifications to the kitchen, you may need the services of a professional kitchen designer with the necessary skills.

Large kitchen projects are often benefitted by using designers that know how to utilize every square foot of kitchen space efficiently. Experienced designers specialize in kitchen remodeling and stay current on new trends while offering their experience and services.

Benefits of Hiring Kitchen Designers

Professional kitchen designers are trained and ready to take on the smallest to the most complicated of kitchen remodeling jobs. Often homeowners create a vivid picture of the features they want without understanding the physical space requirements in addition to the plumbing and electrical needs involved in the remodeling process. Kitchen designers take in all aspects of the job.

Kitchen designers can spot problem areas and alert homeowners of new options for resolving problems. They can also discuss improvements and enhancements while recommending energy saving products and desirable kitchen concepts.

The Role of Kitchen Designers

The role of a kitchen designer is to listen to the homeowners wishes for remodeling their kitchen. The designer may discuss specific types of hardware, cabinetry, trendy new flooring, designer stoves, lighting alternatives and other enhancements that could be included in the remodeling job.

After discussing remodeling ideas, the kitchen designer takes detailed measurements and draws up plans. It is common for homeowners and designers to visit showrooms and view catalogs for the final selection of cabinetry, tile, countertops and appliances.

Finalized plans are then submitted for bids to several contractors to perform the work. Some designers may continue to act as a project manager during the installation phase with contractors.

Hiring Designers

Check the qualifications of kitchen designers before hiring. Ask each designer you are considering about his or her experience, education, qualifications and skills.

Ask kitchen designers for references. References from previous customers can offer a wealth of information about the qualifications and services provided by the designer.

When interviewing designers, you should obtain a price quote in addition to an estimate for completing the kitchen design plan.

Before hiring kitchen designers, you should confirm whether they are creating the design plans in addition to overseeing the contractors as well. Some designers take responsibility for designing kitchen plans, while others stay involved through the entire project.

Cost of Designer Services

In some cases, people may shy away from working with kitchen designers fearing the costs associated with their services. However, in reality there are many reputable kitchen designers with affordable prices ranging from five to 10 percent of the total project cost.

Each designer may set his or her own prices accordingly. Some kitchen designers may charge a minimum fee based on the project size or others charge hourly. High-end designers may charge $150/hour and the low-end of the spectrum could be $40 to $50 an hour.

Hiring a talented kitchen designer and paying for services, may far outweigh the costs you incur with poor planning, mistakes and poor quality construction. Save time, money and frustration by consulting with a kitchen designer to receive expert services.

Image by Arizona Prestige, and licensed through Creative Commons.

Bath & Kitchen Studio stocks beautiful vitreous china sinks and other kitchen fixtures at some of the lowest prices you will find anywhere. Visit www.bathandkitchenstudio.com and start saving on your kitchen remodel.

Filed Under: Home Improvement, Kitchen Tagged With: designer, homeowners, job, Kitchen, kitchen designer, project, remodeling, trends

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