Category: Design

Renovating and re-designing your workspace or home can be a daunting task to undertake, considering the significant investment of both financial resources and time. Therefore, owing to the overwhelming nature of the task, it is crucial to make the chose the most appropriate materials for the same. However, given the wide selection of choices that you have for the materials, knowing the most relevant choice for you can be rather difficult. To aid you in the same, we’ve compiled a detailed guide that will ensure that you pick the right choice of materials for your workplace/home. If you wish to browse the aforementioned flooring choices, you can do so at OpuStone.

What are the initial choices?

There are several domains of material available that you can choose from. However, if the place that you wish to work upon endures a daily flow of heavy traffic, it is recommended that you choose a material that is built to sustain this exact situation. The initial choices that you have for the same are Granite, Tiles, and Stone, each of which is strong enough to maintain its durability even through years of heavy traffic flow.
It is worth noting that each of the materials above has various other variants that differ in characteristics and appearance. The following details, each of the same to better guide you to pick the most appropriate material for your place.

Granite: What Makes it Special?

Granite is one of the most used materials for flooring and all for a good reason. Granite is mainly known for its strength and the ability to adapt itself to its surrounding owing to its varying types and finishes. Granite, as a flooring material, has 4 main types:-

• Flamed Granite – As the name implies, this type of granite is known for its texture and appearance which is mainly due to the fact that it is subjected to high-intensity flames. The fire treatment that this type of granite is subjected to gives it unique and appealing textures.
• Brushed Granite – This type of granite finish is owing to the repeated brushing process that it is subjected to. Due to the same, the surface of Brushed Granite is extremely smooth and seems to be silky in appearance. The brushed finish gives the material a finely sculpted framework that is both elegant and durable.
• Honed Granite – Formed when the manufacturers polish the granite to a level where it is not extremely glossy but matte in appearance. This type of granite is ideal for high traffic areas since the granite still retains its strengthened structure.
• Polished Granite – This type of granite finish is better suited for areas with a low traffic flow since the surface of the granite becomes extremely shiny and slippery. The texture and reflective surface are created by polishing the material until the inner framework of the material is visible. Owing to the same, each piece of polished is unique in both texture and appearance.

Regardless of the type of finish you choose, Granite will be relatively more durable and rarely needs any maintenance except for the case of polished granite pieces. The notable aspect of granite is its durability, water resistant nature, and its unique selection of designs and texture.

Tiles: What Makes it Special?

It is known for its wide selection of choices, inexpensive installation and maintenance, and for the affordability that it provides to customers. Tile, as a flooring option, is widely recognized as the most economical choice. Added to that, it is relatively resistant to staining. Tile flooring mainly comes in two variants:-

• Ceramic Tiles – These types of tiles are formed by shaping clay and heating it until the material strengthens itself. Ceramic tiles are not very strong and are relatively more porous. Due to its porous nature, it is susceptible to water damage. Although to make it water resistant, these types of tiles are often glazed.
• Vitrified Tiles – Vitrified Tiles are subjected to a process referred to as vitrification that involves heating the material to temperatures that are enough to turn the material into a liquid. Immediately after, they are rapidly cooled to create a solid which is extremely durable. Due to the same, the tiles formed are non-porous and resistant to stains and water damage.
  

Regardless of the type of tile that you choose, the selected material will offer you a wide selection of choices and designs. You can customize the look of the tiles to match your place. This enables it to blend within the environment and creates an appealing appearance.

Stone: What Makes it Special?

This type of flooring material is created by mining and polishing it to an extent where it gives a glossy and polished appearance. Since the material occurs naturally, each stone flooring piece is certain to be unique in appearance but identical when it comes to durable aspects of the same. The characteristics that make this material a popular choice as a flooring material is its durable nature and its unique textures and designs. However, stone flooring demands regular maintenance session for its to retain its shiny and appealing appearance. The following are the types of stone flooring that you can choose from:-

• Marble – Marble is a popular choice as a stone flooring material mainly because of its seamless and elegant appearance. This type of stone flooring is known for its dense framework that enables it to last long while maintaining its timeless looks. However, it is worth noting that marble is also known to be relatively expensive while being extremely vulnerable to stains and water damage.
• Kota – Kota is a variant of limestone with the differing characteristic being the fact that it is more finely-grained compared to limestone. It is known for its inexpensive and durable nature. Added to that, Kota Stone is a material that boasts of a wide selection of design and texture choices. Along with its durable nature, it is also water and stain resistant.

Stone flooring is ideal if you are willing to provide it with regular cleaning and polishing sessions. Other than that, stone flooring is known to be incredibly durable and well-built for areas with a high-traffic flow.

 

Even though a bed is used for very functional purposes such as sleeping, and regenerating but it has so much more to offer than that. It is also an element that will set the aesthetics of the whole room, meaning it will determine the holistic appearance of what you want your bedroom to be. If you are looking to add some vintage and antique aesthetics to your room then a wrought iron bed is the way to go for you. An iron bed can sound daunting as it usually falls under the category of royal design but we will show you how there are so many simple ways as to how you can add a wrought iron bed to your bed room.

Black wrought iron beds

You can either go for a completely black iron bed, or with a bed a bed that has some gold detailing in case you want to really go with the antique vibe. The shimmery gold of the bed will be beautiful in a plain simple room that has white walls, which will really make the bed stand out and add to the vintage aesthetic of the whole room. However, if gold is too much for you then you can just stick to a completely black iron bed, which will really give a cosy feeling to the whole room, if you pair it with some beige or neutral coloured bedding.

Canopy iron beds

If you want your bedroom to have a fairy tale vibe to it, then you should strongly consider a canopy iron bed. It might sound very bold, but it will be perfect if you want to create a dreamy and romantic setting for your bedroom. The key to pulling this bed off is that the rest of the bedroom should be very minimalistic, otherwise it can all be a little overwhelming. This means that you use neutral or white tones in the rest of the bedroom in order to tone it down.

Charming white iron beds

If you really want to make your bedroom a feminine space, then a white iron bed with a feminine design is perfect for you. It will give your bedroom a rustic yet chic and sophisticated spin to it. The white colour of the colour will really give the whole bedroom a touch of softness.

Bold coloured iron beds

These beds are for people who want to give their bedrooms a quirky and hipster vibe, as the colours will really stand out in the bedroom such as bright yellow, red and orange. It might sound daunting, but you can totally pull these funky colours off as long as you know how to contrast them with the rest of the bedroom.

You can be assured by now that wrought iron beds are very easy to pull off. Just like any piece of furniture you need to know how to compliment it with the other elements in your room.

Putting money back into your residential property is a tried and tested solution to amp up its market worth. However, all home renovation projects are not equal. Some upgrades are pricey, yet unable to recoup the expenses. On the other hand, simple strategies like cleaning your yard can make your home look move-in ready, thereby boosting its value.

Adding value to your home doesn’t necessarily mean investing in lavish renovation projects that break the bank. Read on for creative tips that will not cost you a lot, but will enable you to improve your home’s curb appeal and clinch a deal in case you are planning to sell your asset.

 

• Focus on Basic Repairs and Maintenance

Before undertaking a cosmetic renovation project like building a swanky kitchen or spa-like bathrooms, it is critical to focus on your home’s maintenance needs. Fix leaks, insulate your attic and basement, upgrade your HVAC system, replace gutters, inspect your chimney, and organize your home. These fixes can go a long way in making your home functional, thereby boosting its resale value.

For instance, having a fireplace can improve your home value; yet, if you do not highlight this focal feature you cannot make a lasting impression on your visitors and prospective buyers. Binge watch Fixer Upper or take inspiration from a few creative designs and ideas to set the ball rolling.

However, DIY chimney sweeping is not a good idea. The job is not only messy and intricate, but also dangerous. Moreover, you do not have the eye to unearth the potential issues in your chimney. Chimney sweeps are experts in identifying such problems and use high-tech tools to clean the chimney, flue, air ducts, and dryer vents.

Reputed chimney sweeps are available in almost all cities in the U.S. They offer tailored chimney services in Seattle, Vancouver, Astoria, Cleveland, and many other cities depending on their topography and climatic conditions. Get in touch with your local chimney sweep to create a cozy and inviting ambiance in your home.

Further, broken or old rain gutters dissuade potential home buyers from considering your property, bringing down its market value. Check the gutters for cracks, and wear and tear. Upgrade to stainless steel or copper ones that not only brave extreme weather conditions, but also give the home a polished look.

 

• Get Tech Savvy

Remember the American animated sitcom, The Jetsons? Who doesn’t want to live such an ultra-modern life? A survey conducted by Coldwell Banker Real Estate revealed that a vast majority of American homebuyers want a move-in ready house with smart features.

Imagine moving into a luxurious abode with smart devices and voice-enabled assistants making coffee, turning the music on, or opening the curtains. Investing in smart home technology not only improves one’s quality of life, but also makes his/her home stand out in the neighborhood. The sheer idea of living in a high-tech house with smart gadgets convinces potential homebuyers to pay a premium for the property.

Thus, your best bet is to give your home a high-tech makeover with intelligent devices like smart locks, cameras, thermostat, lighting, and appliances.

 

• Add an Entertainment Room

 

Have a spare room? Convert it into an entertainment area to host a video game or movie nights and impress all your guests. Whether you want to make this space kids-friendly or convert it into a leisure area for adults, this upgrade will add immense value to your home.

The primary requirement for building a media room is 10’X16’ spare room, audio-video system and fittings, atmospheric lighting, and comfortable couches. Hire a veteran home-theater designer who can help you build the perfect home theater to improve your home’s luxury quotient.

 

• Spruce Up Your Home Exterior

 

Your home exterior is the first thing that gets noticed by passers-by, neighbors, and visitors. Simply cleaning up your yard, pruning the plants, pulling out weeds, and planting vibrant perennials can double the curb appeal and value of your house.

Focus on improving the desirability factor of outdoor living spaces such as the patio, the deck, the lawn, and the driveway. These upgrades cost a fraction, but have a high return on investment. A study conducted by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) reveals that upgrading the deck will recover 106 percent of its cost when the house is up for sale.

 

• Make Storage a Priority

Statistics reveal an average American household owns more than 300 thousand items. In fact, according to the New York Times Magazine, one out of ten Americans rent a space to store their belongings. No wonder, having extra storage space is a positive feature that homebuyers boast of.

Maximize your home’s storage capacity by getting rid of the items that are not in use. Decluttering and organizing spaces not only makes a room feel spacious, but also improves its appeal.

Explore storage opportunities like concealed nooks and corners, under the stairs, space in the attic, and the area alongside cisterns and above the sink. Invest in sturdy vertical cabinets, floating shelves, and wall bookshelves that can safely store all your out-of-season or rarely-used items.

Homeowners who make arrangements for extra storage space are often rewarded with a premium when the property is up for sale. Therefore, it is wise to use innovative ways to create maximum storage space in your home.

 

• Add Little Details for Large Impact

 

A small home upgrade can go a long way in improving the value of your property. Simple hacks like replacing an old light fixture with an ornate chandelier can be a real value booster. Similarly, updating your mailbox or swapping your rusty front door knob with an attractive one can instantly improve your home’s real estate value.

Smartening up your abode can maximize your property’s current and long-term value. Whether you want to improve your quality of life, impress your guests, or sell your home at a premium price, the information shared in this post will perk up your home’s worth.

Thinking of upgrading your office flooring?

Consider installing Linton’s solid or engineered wood floors.

The Linton range features floors that are aesthetically stunning and extremely durable. When you are looking for a floor that is beautiful, durable and economical, look no more than Linton.

Linton Wood Floors Create the Right First Impression

Linton hardwood floors bring out the beauty of wood at its best. Linton engineered wood uses solid hardwood as the top layer. So, these floors are as real as solid wood floors.

Whether you like the beautiful knots and grains of wood highlighted or prefer a smoother finish, Linton has a solid and engineered wood floor that matches your aesthetic needs.

Linton floors are made from popular wood species like oak, maple, beech, ash and merbau. These are available in a range of shades from deep and dark to balanced and light hues. You are sure to find a shade the perfectly matches your decor.

These floors are available in different surface finishes and plank formats. This helps create a work setting that best reflects your business. For example, if you are an advertising business, a Herringbone effect can create a distinct and stylish effect. This can help create the right impression on your prospective customers.

A single-strip plank with an oiled finish highlights the richness of wood fabulously. The superior quality of a Linton wood floor reflects your business commitment to quality, which can earn you the trust of clients and stakeholders.

Linton Wood Floors are not Demanding

Flooring solutions such as carpets demand a high level of maintenance. They attract dust and dirt and can carry an odour. They require regular cleaning without which the workspace would become unsightly and unhygienic, which is not good for your business.

Maintaining Linton wood floors is easy. They do require regular maintenance, but the task is not as demanding as it is with carpets.

Linton wood floors are made of hardwood, which makes them naturally resistant to insect attack, dust and dirt. High quality surface finishes make the floor surface more tolerant of stains, scratches and moisture.

Linton Floors Can Last for Several Decades

Linton wood floors can last for more than a lifetime with the right maintenance, thanks to their design.

Linton solid wood floors feature superior hardwood, which makes them exceptionally strong and durable. They can withstand wear and tear occurring from heavy knocks and sharp objects and heavy traffic.

Linton engineered floors feature multiple wood layers, which gives them great strength and stability. Due to this multi-layered design, they can be used in moisture-prone areas where solid wood floors.

What’s more, it’s very easy to clean Linton wood floors. Just follow a simple daily routine of sweeping followed by damp mopping.

The best thing about Linton floors is that they deliver the richness and the durability of wood at the most affordable prices. Every business looks for ways to make the most of their budget. With Linton floors by Lifestyle Flooring UK, you get get a high quality, extremely durable and long lasting flooring that fits your budget.

Have a happy workplace and a happier C-suite with Linton!

If you are anything like me, then you probably spend a little too much time with your eyes glued to the television watching home renovation shows.

What can I say, seeing those rooms turned from trash to treasure just feels too good.

But what doesn’t do it for me is when I hop online and see just how much those renovations cost.

It still hits me in the feels, just in a much less pleasant way…

Which is why I have put together 10 simple design hacks you can use to take your entire apartment to the next level – without breaking the bank.

You can thank me later.

1 – Upgrade Your Bathroom Tiles (but not in the way that you think)

Bathrooms are unquestionably one of the most important rooms in the house.

They can provide a little escape from the rest of the family, and offer a safe haven where you can prepare yourself for the upcoming day.

Unfortunately, they are traditionally one of the most expensive rooms to change in any capacity.

However, they don’t have to be. If you want to give your bathroom a facelift without incurring a cost, look no further than bathroom tile paint.

Changing the colour of your bathroom tiles with a simple paint is the perfect way to upgrade the look of your bathroom on the cheap.

2 – Put on Some Shades

The addition of a funky light shade to your loungeroom is arguably one of the easiest ways to change the feel of the whole room.

A unique lightshade essentially acts as a focal point for the room, in which it becomes a fantastic visual feature.

Check out Etsy for lampshades with character.

As a bonus, a light shade obviously changes the lighting within the room. This makes it the perfect way to give your loungeroom that relaxing vibe that everyone craves after a hard day of work.

3 – Embrace Your Mirror Image

Have you ever walked into a boutique store and been taken aback by how large it is – only to realise that you are really looking at a couple of mirrors?

All. The. Time.

As annoying as this little trick can be, you can use it to your design advantage. By hanging a couple of large mirrors in one of your smaller rooms, you can make them room feel much bigger.

This little design hack works particularly well in rooms that receive a bit of natural light, as the mirrors obviously reflect that. This then results in a room that feels whiter, brighter, and way more natural.

4 – Check the Time

One of the best ways to offer a new perspective to an old room is through the addition of a feature object – something that draws your attention, and that you never get sick of looking at.

And the perfect feature object?

A wall clock.

Not only is a wall clock a great option that offers a point of difference to most homes, but they also serve a very practical purpose – talk about bang for your buck (or back for your clock?).

The trick to using a wall clock as your feature object is to make sure that it stands out above all else in the room like the Thomas Kent wall clock above.

A large clock is a must! It helps if the clock contains a pattern or colour that is slightly different to the rest of the room.

5 – Draw away some clutter

If your apartment is anything like mine, then I can only assume that there are times when it feels small, cramped, and cluttered.
A great way to remedy this is to head to Ikea (or any other furniture store) and try and get your hands on a mismatch of drawers. The shape and style don’t really matter, although you do want them to match your colour scheme of your home.

You can then use these to store any clutter under items of furniture such as your bed, your TV cabinet, and your wardrobe.

This not only provides a really nice look to the room, but also makes the whole place feel roomier in the process.

For a kick of inspiration, start watch Tidying Up on Netflix. It’s a life changer!

6 – Prioritise Minimalist Furniture

Building on the above suggestion, when it comes to a smaller apartment, it really is best to buy your furniture to suit your needs, and nothing more.

A prime example would be the dining table – do you really need an eight-seater, or will that small four-seater suit better?

By choosing smaller pieces of furniture, you increase the space available for decorations, while simultaneously making the room feel larger. Not to mention the fact that you often save a bit of cash on furniture purchases in the process.

7 – Throw It Up

I often find some well-designed rooms end up feeling a little too clinical. The colour scheme comes across almost too well matched, and there is a noticeable lack of texture.

However, this can be remedied very easily by using throw rugs.

Nice patterned throw rugs offer a point of difference to a room. This can be in the form of a unique color, pattern, or texture – and trust me when I say it can make a world of difference.

These can simply be layered about the room on different pieces of furniture. This will obviously increase the look of room, while also creating a much more comfortable feel.

8 – Rug down

We are going to be keeping with the ‘rug’ theme in line with the previous point, albeit in a very different way.

That’s right – we are talking about floor rugs.

Much like throw rugs, floor rugs offer an extremely efficient way of changing the entire feel of a room, although in a much more powerful way.

For example, a nice shaggy rug can turn a room that feels a little clinical into something that is relaxed and easy going. A heavily patterned rug can take a boring looking room into something straight out of a magazine.

The only rule with floor rugs (because they are so damn large) is that you want to make sure they don’t clash completely with your colour scheme – they should be a slight variation.

9 – Go Green

Our second to last design hack revolves entirely around the concept of re-oxygenating your apartment with the integration of plants.

Indoor plants add a touch of natural color that really cannot be produced any other way. More importantly, exposure to nature has been shown to cause significant improvement in mindset and wellbeing – they literally make your house a more pleasant place to be!

Some of the best indoor plants (read: hardest to kill) include the swiss cheese plant, devil’s ivy, the peace lily, and the mother in laws tongue.

10 – Find brighter lights

Often when we are looking for design hacks, we spend way too much time looking at what’s in the room, rather than what we can do to immediately make that room better.

Enter lighting.

Lighting that is too dim can make an already cramped room feel even smaller, a dark room feel darker, and a drab room feel even drabber.

But opting to increase the brightness of your lighting can reverse this effect, making your rooms feel brighter, larger, and much more inviting.

So next time you find yourself wondering if you need some new furniture, take a quick look at the ceiling and see if you can make an immediate change there – your bank balance will thank you.

Take Home Message

Upgrading your apartment doesn’t have to be ridiculously expensive, nor does it require a complete overhaul.

All you need is some smart decision making, and a little bit of ingenuity – which our 10 design hacks have in spades!

So, please give them a go and get back to us – we would love to hear how they went for you.