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Create your Ideal Bathroom Décor with Innovative Teuco Whirlpool Tubs

The bathtubs range from TEUCO is just amazing. There is no wonder that their design and innovation brought the company major international acknowledgements over the years, along with the Interior Innovation Award 2013, which is one of the most prestigious global awards in the furniture industry. The Italian company provides bathroom furniture from the 70s, and starting with the 90s it began producing widespread bathtubs made of Duralight®, a revolutionary composite material at the time. Whether they are round, rectangular or corner- shaped, available with or without whirlpool, made of acrylic or Duralight®, TEUCO bathtubs models impress you through their highest quality and extraordinary features. The simple yet striking design of every bathtub combines creativity, with efficiency and a focus on relaxation and fitness.

They are also highly modular, so you can customize your choice according to your needs and setting. In this post, we shared with you some gorgeous examples of whirlpools, namely Seaside T07, Sorgente and Naos. Stylish, with clean appearance and remarkable characteristics (.mood lighting, waterfall, soft cushions, anti-vibration solutions and silent motors -Hydrosilence®, smart massage system which works deeper into the epidermis, to contact the muscle tissue; -Hydrosonic®), these whirpools offer you a multi-sensory experience. You can use it like a traditional bath or always full and ready for use, just like a swimming pool. Total relaxation is guaranteed! Check out the other beautiful and smart bathtubs and furniture collections by visiting their website at the beginning of this post.

Photos © TEUCO

October 2, 2013
Steps for Staining Your Concrete Floor

One of the methods of adding depth of color and marbling to your concrete floor is through application of stain. But before applying a stain, you will need to work on the floor using concrete grinders. Doing this can easily be done by following the following simple instructions.

Photo © Greenbelt Homes

Step 1#: Remove the Trim Work

If the floor being acid stained is preexisting one, you will need to ensure that all baseboards and trim works are removed. Failure to do this could lead to extensive damage of the stain mixture.

Step 2#: Masking the Walls

Make sure the walls are covered using twelve inch masking paper. This is necessary so as to prevent the occurrence of discoloration when the staining is being done. Cover all your walls and lower parts of cabinets which may be exposed. Make sure you wrap the tape around your finger so that it can have adhesive on both sides. Position the paper on the wall and pull it tight and ensure you secure it after every 12 inches using pieces of painter’s tape. Ensure that knobs on the bottom side of the cabinet cover together with metal screws are covered with painter’s tape.

Step 3#: Mix the Acid Stain

Mix the stains in an exterior place where there is enough ventilation. One of the key ingredients of the mixture is hydrochloric acid and this can be harmful at times. You should make sure that you wear protective devices because of the acidic nature of hydrochloric acid. The acid stain should be added to the water and not water to the acid. For floors that are machine trowelled, make sure that the ration of stain is one to one. When you add water, you are able to control how deep the color will be. Try using the sprayer outside and ensure there is good flow before using it on the inside.

Photo © Artisan Custom Homes

Step 4#: Apply the Acidic Stain

When you are applying the stains, you should make sure that the spray is about 18 inches above the floor. The spraying should be in random and it’s imperative that the floor be made wet. The acid that forms part of the stain reacts with lime thus giving it a hue appearance. The places where there is more lime will turn to be darker. The first and second coat should be separated by an hour. Repeat the process until when the floor reaches the desired color.

Step 5#: Neutralize the Stain

The hydrochloric acid which is found in the stain should be neutralized using one part of ammonia and four parts of water. The mixture of water and ammonia should be applied using a two gallon plastic pump sprayer.

Step 6#: Clean the Floor

Make sure that you allow the floor to dry and clean it using a mop. Any extra water should be vacuumed up and the floor should be allowed to dry before you start sealing.

Step 7#: Seal the Floor

This is very important as it really helps to prevent the floor from everyday wear and tear. There are many types of concrete sealers that can be used to achieve this goal. The sealers should be applied in multiple layers rather than a whole one.

Author Bio:-

Meggie Haneckow is a writer and blogger who loves to write about hot and trending topics. He is currently writing for free spa maintenance eBook.

September 27, 2013
10 Important Tips to Care for Hot Tubs

Spas and hot tubs require regular maintenance and care so that it remains clean and free from bacteria. The temperature of spas and hot tubs are susceptible to the growth of bacteria and so regular maintenance is pertinent. With regular usage, natural body oils, deodorants, residual soap, hair, perspiration and other unwanted contaminants are released into the water. There are different ways to maintain hot tubs and fiberglass spas quite easily.

Hot Tub Care Guide

Quality of water: One of the most important aspects of maintaining hot tub is to ensure the quality of water. Spa water should be checked twice in a week all round the year. Spa water should be balanced and sanitized appropriately. There are basically two types of water Sanitizers which are used in spas and hot tubs which include chlorine and bromine. Although both these Sanitizers can be used for effective sanitation, chlorine releases strong odor and it breaks down quickly in high temperatures. Bromine, on the other hand, is considerably less odorless and seldom causes skin irritations.

The temperature of the spa: The temperature of the spa is another important factor to consider before using it. Most of the modern spas include Eco mode features which can be used to increase the temperature of the water to a comfortable level. This feature can be utilized to save energy.

Maintenance of chemical balance: Most spa owners use chemical test strips to check the chemical levels in the spa water. Spas can be well maintained if the PH level and chlorine levels are balanced.

Change the water: Spa water needs to be drained completely and refilled again once in three or four months depending on usage.

Spa covers: Another important aspect of maintaining spas and hot tubs is using the right spa cover. These covers must fit tightly over the hot tubs so as to prevent heat from escaping. Good insulating covers can help to reduce electric bills to a large extent.

Condition hot tub covers: Spa covers must be conditioned once in a month so as to prolong its life. Regular conditioning will help to prevent cracking and hardening of these covers.

Use of hot tub chemicals: While using hot tub chemicals, the right alphabetic order should be followed. The alkaline levels need to be adjusted first which should be followed by the use of bromine or chlorine sanitizer. The water should also be checked for calcium hardness and finally the pH level.

Maximize the effect of chemicals: Hot tub chemicals must be added one at a time and different chemicals should be added within a time gap of two hours for optimum effectiveness.

Saturation index: Spa water can be evaluated by calculating the saturation index.

Quality hot tub chemicals: It is also essential to buy high quality spa chemicals for best results. It is quite easy to maintain spas and hot tubs with the right information. A free spa maintenance eBook can be downloaded from reputed websites too.

Author Bio:-

Meggie Haneckow is a writer and blogger who loves to write about hot and trending topics. He is currently writing for free spa maintenance eBook.

September 27, 2013
Lovely Single Family Residence “Floating” above the Ground

Located at the foot of the Vitosha Mountain near Sofia, Bulgaria, this 310 sq.m modern house is a residential project designed and projected by Bulgarian architectural company 4DA Ltd, one of the nominated works by the Bulgarian Architects’ Association to compete for the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture Mies van der Rohe Award 2011. The briefing was to build a single family house fully exposed to the maximum amount of sunlight from each and direction, with a mixture of independent renewable energy sources and backup systems, that also have to take advantage of the spectacular vista towards the city.

The project meets both the the residential and recreational owner’s specific needs. Its addresses all the required features, being a welcoming home that opens up to the wonderful views of the surrounding area. Its area is 2780 sq.m and the location is amazing considering, besides the natural landscape, the mountain climate with cooler summer, snowier winters and fresh air all year round. Given the constraints of the existing steep slope of the terrain, the residence is designed to “float” above the ground and the main entrance is made as a bridge and finds on the upper of two levels. At this level are also situated the main rooms of the house (the living room with a separate kitchen and three bedrooms), designed in such a way that an atrium is formed in the middle of it allowing the sunlight into the premises more effectively.

Partially beneath the upper floor, the ground floor includes a service room along with a small SPA equipped with a counter-current swimming pool. Green design concepts were integrated, including floor to ceiling windows for natural light and ventilation, solar panels installed on the south slope of the roof for optimal sun exposure and a sewerage system that runs through custom designed waste management station equipped with holding tanks so the purified water can be used for irrigation.

The interiors features stylish contemporary furniture and neutral color palette that give the entire layout of the house a clean and elegant look. Floor to ceiling windows that partially replace the use of common walls are everywhere allowing the sun to flood each room with warmth and offering a maximum connectivity with the environment. The views captured are splendid, inviting to calm and relaxation. Here are some pictures with the project.

Photos © Valentina Petrova

September 26, 2013
Ideas for Bringing the Fall Atmosphere into Your Home

With the weather getting cooler and the leaves turning yellow, it’s starting to become apparent that fall is upon us. This is a great time to redecorate your home and start using accents to add fall into your home. Since summer is over, you’ll want to make your home feel cozier for the upcoming seasons. Here are a couple of tips for making this happen:

Photo © Shelley Gardea Photography

Invest in quality pieces for your home. Furniture and lighting that you can use year after year, and even season after season, are great ways to add a touch of fall to your home. Lamps with burnt orange shades, dark oak tables, and Hunter Fans are all a good start to decorating your home for fall. These are timeless pieces that will last a long time, and you don’t even need to redecorate next spring! You can also find tablecloths for your existing furniture with cute and quirky fall symbols like pumpkins and leaves.

Photo © risa boyer architecture

Photo © Edmunds Studios Photography

Nothing screams fall more than the smell of pumpkins and cinnamon spice. It’s easy to just run to the store and grab a couple of candles, but did you know it’s pretty easy to make candles too? You can even make vegan candles with soy instead of beeswax. These candles don’t take longer than an afternoon to put together. You can add whatever fragrance you want – whether fall reminds you of mulled cider, pumpkin spice lattes, or crisp leaves. You may never go back to store bought candles again! Check out this cute tutorial for some ideas on turning baby pumpkins into candles as well!

Photo © Amy Renea

Try some inexpensive projects that children can participate in. With fall break approaching and endless teacher work days, you might have more time with your children than you expected. Here is a quick activity that you can use to entertain your children: Take old crayons and using a regular pencil sharpener make crayon shavings. Simply sharpen the crayon as if it were a pencil. This is a project easy enough for children and with a little help they can turn out quite pretty. To do this, you can simply take the crayon shavings and place them in between two pieces of wax paper and iron them together. On this blog, they add a cut out tree making this a really cute craft. Hanging these up in windows allows light to shine through them and adds warm fall colors to your home.

These are just a few ideas for bringing the fall atmosphere inside. There are tons of crafts on the internet you can find that are perfect – from utilizing the crunchy leaves on the ground to creative jack-o-lanterns. What do you and your family do to prepare for fall?

Photo © Anita Diaz

September 25, 2013
Portable Storage Unit with Unconventional Design

Who would have thought that combining a handbag and furniture would result an interesting object that can beautify any contemporary modern living room? This creative idea was envisioned by designer Anne Lorenz for Maigrau. Playing with these archetypes, furniture on one hand and the handbag on the other hand, the designer challenges traditional organizational concepts and principles of mobility, and came out with LOUIS, a portable storage unit that showcases a high level of originality.

LOUIS consists of a solid ash base, a 100% New Zealand wool fabric bag as the body, with a handle made of vegetable tanned leather. The body offers plenty of space for blankets, pillows and other things, so it’s very practical and good looking too. When you look at the object for the first time, you don’t realize that is a chest of drawers, you might thing is a lovely accessory, a travel handbag that you can place it anywhere in the room because it’s a mobile, not stationary piece. We think it’s a great, modern alternative to those usual wood chests, what do you think? Use our comment section to share your opinions with us.

However if you prefer timeless design with modern twist, then check out the Button collection by John Reeves.

Photos © Maigrau

September 24, 2013
Superb Modern House Overlooking a Rich Natural Landscape

Today we’re presenting you Lakeside Studio, an amazing work of architecture, beautifully crafted and located in a pituresque landscape, near the American River. The residence, developed by the office of Mark Dziewulski Architect, is a modern indoor-outdoor interplay of living areas. The brief of the owner requested a construction that offered a tranquil and shelthered environment permanently connected with the rich natural landscape and the spectacular river views.

This relationship created between the amazing natural surroundings and the edifice is central to the design. The architecture of the Lakeside Studio seems inspired by abstract painting and sculpture. Its sculptural shape is integrated within this context being especially designed to be in harmony with the serene nature and to respond to the dynamics of it. The built object curves and twists in order to take advantage of the fantastic river views.

It appears poised over the lake and uses its reflected image and its relationship to the landscape to reinforce its sculpture-like quality. The roof, solid walls, transparent glass, the floor and piers are expressed as independent planes, interwoven yet individual, giving the floating structure openness and an apparent agility and alluding to elegance and lightness of forms found in nature. The observer is carried well over the lake thanks to the stretching cantilevered floor, this great experience being reinforced by views down to the water through zones of translucent glass floor. Although it has a complex program, featuring a great combination of office, art studio, flexible living space and gallery, the single interior space is peaceful and contemplative showcasing a rotating display of pieces from the owner’s extensive sculpture and painting collection.

An interrupted, curved wall of angled translucent and transparent glass panels creates an optical louver that connect the inhabitant with the outdoors and flood the modern interior space with plenty of natural daylight which is used in different ways. On the other hand, the dramatically extended roof creates shade for the living area, so the architect played in a very interesting manner with the natural light. Sunlight reflecting off the water dapples the ceiling with dancing patterns, constantly changing with the progress of day.

Skylights bring light deep within the interior and defines the roof shape. Continuing the sequence of roof penetrations, an oculus in the exterior roof allows a slowly moving circle of sunlight which animate the floor. It’s impossible for the occupant not to feel fully immersed in a benign landscape. The architect and the many participants made an extraordinary effort to surpass all the structural, technical and detailing encountered challenges, but in the end the result worth this effort and we invite you to see these images. What do yo think?

Photos © Keith Cronin

September 23, 2013
Wooden Floor Lamp with Unique Design from ABADOC

Universality and simplicity are the main important aspects when it comes to ABADOC‘s products. With an interest on design and wood, Polish design and manufacturing workshop ABADOC’s goal is to create objects with original shapes for interior design that have not been created before, although they are present somewhere in space. Their source of inspiration are the natural forms found in the surrounding environment, which they strive to underline in their projects. This beautiful floor lamp which we’re showing you in this post is their newest addition to their small, but already interesting portofolio.

Carefully hand-modeled, Woobia is a stylish floor lamp made entirely of wood, which showcases a unique style through its eye-catching shape with an exceptional symbolism and features- an arc. Its creative design with a flexible, rounded lampshade pays tribute both to art and practicability, answering the needs of modern living. Thanks to the use of knots, which allows them to utilize a small amount of wood in its production, Woobia has a very natural look which fits perfectly in both modern and traditional interior arrangements, adding that much needed lighting twist.

The attached energy-saving LED light bulb enables the adjustment of light’s colour and its saturation, making it an object always present in your living room for all kinds of activities. The lamp’s wooden surface is covered with varnish or natural oil, and its dimensions are base 40 x 49 cm, high 160 cm.

Photos © ABADOC

September 20, 2013