Category: Exterior Design

Skylights aren’t always the first thing on people’s lists when it comes to installing new lighting in their home, but that doesn’t mean that these lighting styles won’t work in their ceilings. Skylights are a longstanding feature in many people’s homes, and they effectively reduce energy usage and heat in the house during the warmer months of the year.

Finding a business in your home city that installs skylights is as easy as searching “ skylights in Brisbane”, for instance, and making a booking. However, it is worth noting that installing skylights in a rental property is only possible with the written permission of the owner of the house. We have put together some points to explore whether or not Velux or Solatube style skylighting systems are right for your home, and we hope this will help to further open your eyes to the wonderful possibilities afforded by these often under-utilised lighting solutions.

Velux

To start with, it’s important to understand the difference between the two aforementioned types of lighting. Velux lighting is a form of skylighting that includes some ventilation features as well, and is more effectively described as roof windows. This means they have larger panes of material, often a shatter-resistance perspex to aid with weather-proofing, and several all in one area.

This allows a lot more light directly into your house from above, but doesn’t allow for much to enter from lower-angled suns, such as at dawn or dusk. This is a good idea for houses that are in less hilly areas, as it allows more light into one main room, such as a living room or dining room. These windows can be opened electronically, allowing the hot air to rise straight out of your house and away, proving environmentally-friendly cooling as well as power-free light.

Solatube

Solatube, on the other hand, is a good solution for people in more hilly areas, and it differs radically from Velux style sky lighting. A Solatube is like a bubble placed on top of a hole in your roof, which then connects via a reflective tube to another bubble mounted on your ceiling inside. These bubbles are usually made of hardened acrylic or perspex and can be large distances away from each other, meaning you can pipe natural light into a dark side of your house from a side that faces the sun.

The tubes inside are usually 99.7% reflective, meaning little to no loss of light in “transit”, and this means that almost any room of your home can be brilliantly lit up with natural sunlight. The main drawback to this system is a lack of ventilation through these tubes, as they are sealed to ensure correct weatherproofing.

Other Options

Your only other significant skylight option is the old-fashioned, single-window sized hole in the roof that is covered with a notoriously breakable plastic dome. These do wonders to diffuse the light they capture, but hardly provide the benefits of the others. As well as this, in the unlucky event of wild weather in your neighborhood you might end up with a large hole in your roof that can’t be fixed all night, likely leading to water damage beneath the skylight.

The choices are fairly clear in this case.

The older, outdated method of using natural light to illuminate your rooms has been surpassed by the newer methods to the same end. Both of the methods mentioned here have benefits and drawbacks, but one will be more suited to your home than the other. It’s up to you to weigh the options and settle on one that will properly fill your house with the brilliance of the sun.

If you have a pool at your property, you would agree that it is no less than a blessing, especially on those hot summer days. There are rarely any people that would refuse a dip in the cold and rejuvenating waters of a pool when the temperature rises.

While pools are great for relaxing and rejuvenating, we often forget that they are also a vital part of our property. A lot of people would renovate their homes in order to keep up with the changing times, but forget about the pool.

It is not your fault if you did not renovate the pool along with the house, as it is a time consuming and effort demanding process in itself. However, just like any other renovation or home improvement project, pool resurfacing contributes to the aesthetic and monetary values of your home.

As mentioned earlier, pool resurfacing is no joke. For this reason, there are a number of considerations to be made before undertaking such a project.

Time

Talking about time first, a lot of people want to get their pools renovated during the winters. After all, who doesn’t like a dip in a freshly built pool on a hot day. However, this also means that renovation experts are quite busy during this time and finding someone that would undertake pool resurfacing in Perth can be quite a task in itself.

The ideal time to get such a project done is right before the beginning of summer. Keep that in mind if you want to enjoy great prices and service as most renovation experts have little to no projects to take care of at this time.

Choosing a contractor

While it might seem simple enough, finding the right contractor can be as much a challenge as the project itself.

The reason behind this is simple, all the good contractors would usually be busy, and you do not want to go to the bad ones. However, people still get their pools remodeled all the time, and this kind of problem should not get in your way. Simply do a lot of research when looking for aa renovation expert, ask a lot of questions, check for licensing and do not sign any kind of contracts before you are completely positive about your decision.

Whether

Although it is true that no one has control over the whether, it is still part of the considerations you have to make before the beginning of the project. The reason? Most pools are situated out in the open, and projects done in open areas are seldom not affected by weather conditions. Make sure you view the forecast of the next few days, to avoid discontinuing the project because of such issues.

Budget

Everyone wants a huge pool with innumerable features. However, the problem is that such pools tend to be more on the expensive side.

To make sure you don’t start a project you cannot finish, set a budget in the beginning itself. Explain this budget to your renovation expert and then decide upon the size and features you think you can afford and want to have in your pool.

Conclusion

Renovating a pool is a great responsibility, and like all other great responsibilities, the reward is also amazing. All you need is a good contractor, little bit of preparation, and few things to consider before starting out, and you are virtually guaranteed a positive pool resurfacing experience.

With Summer just around the corner the days are getting warmer and therefore, you must figure out ways to make the most of your outdoor space. Nothing gives a more beautiful feeling to you and your loved ones than spending some quality time together in your lovely garden. If you are lucky enough to have a spacious garden, you can do a myriad of things with it.

York Timber Products have some helpful tips that can improve the look and feel of your garden this Summer.

Grow More Trees And Shrubs

If you think that your garden does not have those much-needed plants and shrubs, then it’s never too late to plant them. All you should do is bring the right plants that can more easily managed by you or your family, you don’t want your plants dying as your busy work and family life get in the way. In addition to that, if you want to enhance the appearance of your garden, it’s important for you to uproot all the plants which aren’t growing so well. Rather than accommodating these plants in your garden, you can make space for better ones which can help bring in some colour and variety.

Install a Garden Summerhouse

Summerhouses are the best way to spend more time in your outdoor space and they also increase the value of your home.

There are several stunning ways of using a summer house, such as you can host small parties for your friends in it and can also use it for playing games with your kids. In addition to that, you can use it as a study, where you can take some time away from the noise and work on some hobbies.

Add More Seating

If you are planning to buy a new sofa for your living room, then you could potentially place your old one outside with a bit of work to avoid summer downpours. You can easily create stunning exteriors by placing some nice and lovely oak furniture pieces as they look great in outdoor spaces. Apart from accommodating a beautiful sofa in your garden, you can also make it more unique by placing a hammock.

Enjoy Your Lunch And Dinner In The Garden

With the changing weather, you can start enjoying your lunch and dinner in your garden. Having your lunch in the garden is some often enjoyed during the summer with friends and family, nothing beats it when the weather nice and warm.

Play Games In Your Garden

Your garden remains truly important for you when it comes to playing outdoor games. Spending time with your family and friends playing football or other sports, it’s often hard to get time to do this when the weather is horrible.

Use Your Garden For Exercising

If you love working out in the morning, then nothing can prove to be a better place than your garden. You can do aerobic exercises and yoga in your garden and it’ll make you feel a lot better compared to doing it in a stuffy room indoors.

If you don’t feel like exercising then a little sunbathing never hurt anyone, perfect for the summer months where it’s likely to be nice and sunny.

There’s a multitude of activities you can do in your garden, it’s just about adapting your garden to suit your needs. Keep on top of it during the summer months to avoid damaging it, a well maintained garden is what makes it so relaxing.

In the last few years, there has been a huge surge in the popularity of outdoor living spaces. Going far beyond the routine patios and decks of a decade ago, these upgraded areas are including more and more of the things we typically expect to find inside the house, and the results have proven very enjoyable for homeowners.

The great thing about an outdoor room is that the construction is already complete. The patio, porch, or deck is the floor, the landscaping is the walls, and a beautiful blue sky is the ceiling. That leaves you free to focus on the niceties that create beauty, comfort, and function for the room.

Let’s start beneath your feet. Sure, you have a solid walking surface, but to give a real indoor feel, you should be able to kick off your shoes and relax. Some outdoor rugs are in order. When you can cool your toes on a comfortable and inviting carpet, you’ll really bridge the gap between feeling like you’re indoors and feeling like you’re outdoors.

Of course, you can’t stand up the whole time you’re outside enjoying yourself. You need a comfortable place for yourself and your visitors to sit. Thanks to the creation of durable outdoor materials like wood, metal, and fabrics, you can get chairs, swings, gliders, and the associated tables that will give you all the comforts of indoors with the ability to survive outdoors. There are furnishings for eating, drinking, or just relaxing with friends.

Once you have a seat on your comfortable patio, you’ll need something to do, like eat. The products available for creating an outdoor kitchen are amazing, and they too mirror your conventional indoor version. There are outdoor appliances, outdoor kitchen countertops, and outdoor sinks that will let the gourmet chefs in your family ply their trades in the fresh air.
 

Not only does it make your cookouts something phenomenal, it saves you money by eliminating the battle between your air conditioner and your indoor oven and range. And now everyone can be together outside as the food is prepared, instead of someone being stuck in the kitchen while the rest are outdoors soaking up the sun.

You won’t just be out in the daytime, of course. With nightfall comes some of the best entertainment–TV shows, movies, and of course, sports. It would be a shame to miss a great ball game while you’re relaxing on a breezy summer evening, so you might as well just get an outdoor TV. They’re affordable, durable, and provide terrific picture and sound for your get-togethers. And you won’t have to worry if you spill proper popcorn. You’ll wish the game would never end.

And sometimes, it may feel like it won’t. Baseball claims that nine innings is enough, but many times, it’s not. The great thing about the sport is that they will just keep playing until somebody wins the thing. That means a great time for you until that summer evening breeze becomes a nighttime breeze with some bite. You’re in your lucky, comfortable spot, and you don’t want to move. But you are also about to freeze, and your party just may break up if things don’t change.

No problem. You can have a fire pit or outdoor fireplace to keep you warm. Can you imagine how comfortable it would be to sit back on a comfortable chaise, looking over a crackling fire at a baseball game on a big-screen television? It’s just the kind of thing an outdoor room is made for.

But maybe the temperature swings the other way. Maybe you’re catching an afternoon game that’s dragging on into the hottest and most humid part of the day. Never mind the fireplace; it’s time to cool down. Your outdoor room will be complete if it’s situated next to your pool, giving everyone equal access to the food, entertainment, and conversation whether they’re wet or dry.

Outdoor rooms have gotten popular for a reason. It’s those great meals, great games, and great times with friends. The products available to furnish and operate your outdoor room are as numerous as the ideas you can come up with, and the enjoyment you’ll receive will be tough to beat, indoors or out.

Using decoration ideas to make a statement will help your home rise in value every year, and you will turn the heads of everyone in the community when they come to your home. You must ensure that you have taken every step possible to make your home as appealing as it may be, and this article explains how you may make changes to the home that are exciting for you and those around you.

#1: Decorating the Home’s Exterior Properly

You may go so far as using Home Depot equipment rental when you wish to make a change to your home’s exterior. Each part of the process of remodelling your home will include te help of equipment or parts that you may buy at Home Depot to ensure the highest quality. You may make quite drastic changes and you may need the equipment to ensure you reach parts of the home that are difficult to find.

#2: Changing the Trim

You may change the trim on your home when you are considering decoration ideas to make a statement. A bold trim on the house will take your home to a new realm of style, and you may completely change its feel in just one project. You will need equipment to ensure that you have the means to reach the trim, and you may paint it any colour you like. This is quite important for you as a homeowner as it may be the one small thing you do to turn your home into a masterpiece.

#3: Change the Shutters of Your Home

You have beautiful wooden closing doors on either side of your windows, and they are used to add colour to the house. You may paint and change these at any time, and you will find that there are a number of paints you may use in the process. You can make the shopping at a paint store where you will find all the colours you could ever wish for. They have a program that will help you pick the proper shade, and you may use a picture of your home to fiddle with the colours you like. Painting just a few things on the front of the house will make quite a different going forward.

#4: Adding a Garden

You may build up a garden or a seating area to your front yard that will change the way people perceive your home. You will find the garden to be quite a relaxing part of the home, and your guests will want to sit in the seating area because they believe that is the most-comfortable spot around the home. You must add a few flowers that will make the home look much more welcoming. You will notice there are a number of flowers you may add to the space that will help make the colours on the house pop.

#5: Change the Walkway

You may add something to your walkway that makes it special, or you may pull up the walkway to add bricks or pavers that create a pattern going up to your door. This is quite a lot of fun to build, and you will have a walkway that makes people want to come to your front door. They may not realize you added it yourself, but they will see there is a definite style to the pavers that would not have been there otherwise.

#6: Add Lighting

You can add lighting to the lawn or front of the house that will guide everyone and will make them enjoy their time there at dawn. Your home will be illuminated and everyone will notice how beautiful it is. People will love walking to your front door because of the lightning and the special atmosphere it creates.

The are many things you can do in order to make your home more appealing. You can take each of these steps in-turn to build a home that is welcoming to everyone. People will enjoy simply looking at the house. The end result, the beauty you created through these decoration ideas, will help you make a statement as a homeowner.

 

Home is the place where you return everyday to relax, rest and replenish your energy after the working hard all day. To keep your home welcoming and comfortable you have to pay attention to cleaning, tidying up and also arranging your space in the most efficient way. Investing time in getting organized will benefit your health and mood, as well as it will increase the amount of free time you have at your disposal. For those of you who own a yard, making it neat and orderly is a little more difficult, but once you will be able to enjoy that extra space, it will be worth it. Here are a few simple steps to make the most of your outdoor area:

1. Find a purpose for your yard

Think whether you want a garden, a dinner and party place or a playground for the kids. Get a cup of coffee and sit for a while outside. Look at that space, think about dimension, position, where the best viewpoint is, how much natural light you will get and what sort of vegetation and surroundings you have. Taking into consideration all these factors, you can find out if it fits your wishes or not.

 

2. Clean and gather

Now that you have decided what to do with your yard, put all your belongings in one place and sort them into categories: decorations, gardening, tools, outdoor furniture. Some will fit your new plans, other won’t. Throw out what’s broken and donate what you don’t need anymore. If you have a big pile of things, you can plan a yard sale and make a social event out of it.

 

3. Storage is the key to maintenance

If you used to leave your stuff all around the yard, now is time to change this habit. There are plenty of outdoor options for storage and choosing a garden shed will completely change the aspect of your place, making it look much more well-kept, since there will not be any more unsightly objects lying around. Also, if you have children, a shed can be used to keep away any dangerous tools.

 

4. Use your creativity

Once everything is put in place, use the objects you chose not to discard and invest in new ones, according to your planned design. Do not hesitate to visit thrift stores and antiques shops where you can find hidden gems. Try DIY solutions to keep these improvements low-cost, as well as to give the space a personal and unique touch. If you can afford a more generous budget, use it for lighting or for water arrangements, since these assets will add charm to the ambience.

 

5. Make a cleaning schedule

Even with the help of a shed and some landscaping, your yard will need proper care. A flower garden with grown weeds and withered grass will look depressing, so try to take into consideration your lifestyle when you choose a certain makeover for your outdoor space. Depending on your up-keeping needs, plan your maintenance days in advance.

 

Spending time outside and relaxing is highly beneficial to your mood and reduces your stress levels considerably. To that end, use the aforementioned tips to optimize the aspects of your yard that truly matter. Making your yard a cozy and refreshing part of the home is small effort that will have a long-term positive impact on your overall well-being.

“If you did not keep your yard in reasonable order, then your whole life would be similarly untidy. A messy yard told Mma Ramotswe everything she needed to know about its owner.”

― Alexander McCall Smith, The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine

A man is generally known by the company he keeps, why then should the cleanliness of his yard matter? Should it?

If someone visits you for the first time, and they have to walk across a messy yard before reaching your living room, they might not have a great impression about your approach towards life. No matter if you serve them with a cup of kopi luwak, a bad first impression is not so easy to cover up. But it’s not all about impressing people, is it? Cleanliness is a practice not a project.

But even the ones who keep houses clean end up procrastinating cleaning their yards. We figured, it’s because people don’t know where to start. Don’t worry about that, we are here to inspire you.

Our yards need a lot of maintenance which generally results in production of waste. It could be anything ranging from tree trimmings, leaves, weeds to grass clippings. If you are able to recycle this waste, it helps in saving landfill space across the country.

Let us understand how and why you should recycle yard waste:

Why?

On one hand, you’ll save a lot of landfill space, as yard waste can be termed as green waste. Green waste is anything that is biodegradable. Such waste can be turned into rich organic material rather than landfilling it. On other hand, you are helping to keep our planet from global warming, When the yard waste decomposes in the absence of oxygen, it creates pollution. By recycling it, you are saving the environment from the harmful effects of greenhouse gases coming out of it.

Recycling Yard waste

Compost at Home

There are various DIY methods to create compost at home. To form a good one, you will need equal amounts of green and brown waste and sufficient moisture. Dead leaves and twigs are the brown waste; grass clippings and vegetable waste is the green waste. This compost can then be added to the soil and it will help the plants to grow.

Hire a professional green waste removal service

If you do not want to recycle it on your own, you can get a professional green waste removal service which provides recycling options. They will come to your place to collect the yard waste and put it to proper use. Make sure to find out what is taken as green waste and what can’t be included. For example: you must not mix dirt and rocks with the yard waste as they won’t compost.

Go a step ahead, reuse!

Recycling is beneficial but even better approach is reuse. Instead of throwing away your yard waste or making a compost and recycling it, you can do the following:

● You can spread the grass trimmings over the grass instead of throwing it away. The trimmings decompose and provide nutrients to the soil.

● Grass cuttings and dried leaves can be used as mulch. Spreading the mulch around the base of the plants help them regulate temperature and also provide them nutrients.

Conclusion

Yard waste should find its way back to the environment without harming it. The best way to do so it to recycle or reuse it. If you wish to recycle it on your own, there are various ways you can do it. If you want tutorials on how to do the same, you can find them online and try it at your home. If it is inconvenient for you, go ahead and hire a paid service.

One of the best feeling for an interior designer is not only leaving their clients satisfied in their new space, but also getting returning clients!

Our client reached out to us a year later wanting to get their outdoor patio designed in their apartment in Palo Alto – the heart of Silicon Valley.

Despite of a very tight space our aim was to design an outdoor space that resembled a living room that served as a hang out area to entertain guests.

Since our client was a telecommuter he wanted his patio to embody a zen like design in which he could not only engage in work but also relax in.
To achieve this we decorated with a mini Buddha & laid down dark neutral colored tiles from Home Depot on what was once an empty plot to even out the walking space.

In respect to weather & space we used a refurbished sofa/lounge chairs & a side table that converted into a coffee table.

Along with the zen theme we wanted to incorporate an adventurous atmosphere so we added a hanging compass fixture, candles, & a Tiki Hut Tavern sign to give it a contemporary Polynesian feel. Overall our client loved the outcome & couldn’t wait to entertain his guests in his transformed patio.