ArtaBerryHome Improvement Blog..

These days, TV lounge or entertainment room is one of the most important place in the house. It is usually the place where the whole family gathers everyday for chatting, watch their favorite show & have fun with their loved ones. So the selection of TV & the decoration of your TV lounge is the topic that most of the visitors would be interested in. To help you in selecting & using the right TV for your entertainment room, Here are some tips.

Screen size according to the size of TV room
It is very impotent factor in the selection of TV, Carefully calculated the distance between the TV and the sofa/couch where you sit before choosing the screen size of your TV. An ideal TV viewing distance varies from person to person but you can check below mentioned chart for assistance . If you don’t have a TV stand or you have limited space in the room, it is ideal to install a TV against a wall. For small rooms there is no need to buy a large TV. Besides the technical aspect ideal viewing angle, it is recommended to choose a television that is in harmony with the rest of your room.  For best entertainment experience  choose latest model of LED TV with HD video support.

Every room is not a TV room
Although there is a common practice of adding a TV in bedroom & drawing room, But it is not recommended to put a TV in every room of the house.  A recent research revealed that  the waves emitted by the TV even after turning it off can disrupt sleep. Moreover, when it came to perfect sleep, it is better not to fall asleep with watching TV just before bedtime. However, if you must have to place a screen in the room, install it in a way in which you got the option to hide it easily when sleeping.

Comfort should be your first priority
Wherever you want to place the TV, either in kitchen or living room, never compromise on the comfort-ability factor! For example, it will be quite unpleasant to watch television to turn your head or if it is too far into the room. This requires the installation of the TV at a position that allow maximum viewers to watch their favorite show in a relaxed mood. Also, do not install the TV facing a window because the brightness could hamper the quality of the image & you always require to use shutter or curtains to aid you.

Importance of TV stand
The best practice is installing your screen on a dedicated stand or a piece of furniture that allows you to watch your TV at right height.  A TV stand is also importance because it allows you to store all TV related equipment (Gaming consoles, DVD/Blue-ray player, Home theater etc) . The easiest way is to opt for a cabinet with doors or drawers so it can accommodate and conceal DVD players and other gadgets of TV easily. Also, make sure the furniture has a grommet to facilitate the installation of your media equipment. Your TV stand can be more useful & elegant with a cabinets that include shelves for your favorite books.

White kitchens are still the most popular finish according to the kitchen manufacturers. I often wonder why because it must be hard to keep that pristine new kitchen look without a daily clean. After all you lose the impact and freshness of white if it gets faded, streaked or marked. Gloss white kitchens must be the most difficult to look after although I am advised that regular glass cleaner does the trick perfectly.

Kitchens are available in many materials and doors are the crucial component as that is what you see. If white is to be your choice you need to give careful consideration to the different finishes available.

Gloss white – This is usually for modern kitchens and is available in laminate, vinyl, lacquer and acrylic. The cheapest is laminate but this can have a ripple effect over the door. Vinyl is next and is acceptable if you are on a budget. Lacquer is an excellent surface and has a very smooth finish. Acrylic gives the effect of a glass surface but its prone to scratching.

Matt white – Again this is ideal for modern kitchens and is available in  laminate, vinyl and lacquer. If you can afford it the lacquer is stunning and has a silky smooth surface.

Profiled MDF – This is where the door has a structure perhaps like Shaker kitchens and the door is then vinyl coated or painted. It is a perfect way to get a timber door look on a budget. After all who knows what is under the surface.

Wood grained Melamine – For those who want kitchens with the look of a white wood painted finish with the grain structure showing this is the new budget offer. It is very realistic and only an expert could tell its not wood.

Painted wood - This is the ultimate in kitchens and is for those who want a traditional kitchen. These kitchens always look expensive and usually are. So you have decided on the material for your beautiful new white kitchen units and doors however that is only part of the story. What about kitchen worktops, and decor.

I personally like to see a contrast for the worktops and some colour in the decor. If you have chosen a modern kitchen in a white gloss then a gloss black granite worktop is the biggest contrast. Grey is also an ideal partner and there are a wide collection of quartz finishes available from brands like Silestone that also have a structure which adds more interest.

Matt finishes will suit any worktop material which includes laminate, quartz , granite or hardwood. Painted wood kitchens again will suit most materials but I really like to see them with a hardwood like Oak, Zebrano or Teak as it fits well with the traditional look.

To add a splash of colour use kitchen accessories in your favourite colour or if you really want to add colour then glass splashbacks can be in any colour you enjoy and are a stunning addition to modern and traditional kitchens.

The clothes you wear, the car you drive, the house you live in: all of these things reveal something about you. As indicators of both your taste and your personality they are not always reliable, after all we’ve all worn things that don’t suit us, but there’s no doubting that most of us pick up signals about other people from how they look and what they choose to buy. The same applies to interiors. The way we decorate our homes is a reflection of our characters, tastes and lifestyles. However, not everyone finds decorating easy, and getting the home decorating style you really like isn’t always a straightforward process. With that in mind, here are a few tips for creating home and style interior designs that reflect your personality.

Keep it personal
When it comes to choosing ornaments and pictures, it’s very important to go with something that reflects who you are. Seek out accessories that say something about your interests and tastes, rather than things which just look nice in the shop. If you are keen on travel, sports or music, there are ornaments, pictures and even colour schemes that can represent your interests. A room full of ornaments chosen because they seemed to complement one another in the display in the shop window might look impersonal and anodyne in your living room. The more varied and individual your approach to decorating, the more unique and personal your home will be.

Choose a shade that speaks about you
The house colour scheme you choose for your interiors is likely to say a lot about your personality. It is also an essential aspect in getting the atmosphere of a room right. When it comes to choosing wall paint or wallpaper, think about your character: are you an extrovert with an outgoing and bubbly nature, or are you more low-key and calm? Also, don’t forget to consider what you want the room to be used for: is it a living room for relaxing or a space for entertaining guests and having parties? As a general rule, reds, pinks and raspberry shades suggest an outgoing nature and look great in lively spaces, whereas cool blues, pale greens and creams denote a quieter nature and complement a relaxing space.

Be comfortable with who you are
When it comes to choosing furniture, do not go for appearance at the expense of comfort. You should always choose an item of furniture because you like it, because using it is a pleasant experience; because it makes you feel good, and not because you think it looks cool. When in doubt, go with something tried and tested rather than new and snazzy. After all, a sofa is a large purchase item, if you choose a luxury leather sofa from simply leather sofas, it is likely to be with you for a very long time, providing many years of comfort and aging gracefully along with you.

Article provided by: Leathersofa.co.uk

Function and style are two very different concepts. A car provides a function; what type you buy into shows your sense of style and says something about you. The same goes for your clothes, your home or any room in it. If you live alone you have free choice to be as reserved or creative as you like however most of us live within a family setup and have to reach a satisfactory agreement that keeps all parties happy.

Function
Firstly there is the question of function. When considering revamping your bathroom apart from the obvious need for the basics, have you considered who would be using the facilities? Do you need special  customised solutions for a member of your family, for instance, walk in baths or showers, low handrail or grab bars, easy seating at basins or safety toilet seats? What about non slip floor tiles for elderly people or easy reach lighting switches? Then of course there may be a need for easy flush buttons or arm adjustable tap leavers for people with arthritis.

Even if everyone is able bodied, do you have a baby that is going to need a secure changing surface or young children that can’t reach the sink and, more importantly, shouldn’t be able to reach the medicine cabinet?

Style Factor
So what about style? Are you short but your partner is tall, who chooses the height of the mirror, do cupboards slide open or swing and catch your knees? Do you want a fancy slow lowering toilet seat, a shower that folds back against the wall or movement activated lighting that does not leave you in the dark before you have finished?

Remember that you have to live with your choices for a long time and what is the latest fashion today could look rather silly in a year or so. It may be an idea to do a makeover first before ripping everything out and starting again. Sometimes a lick of paint and a few adjustments in the way things are arranged can revitalise a tired bathroom and save you a lot of money in the process.

Colour has a psychological effect and can make such a difference to a room; brighten it up, cool it down, make it look bigger. Put a warm tinted mirror in and it will make you look better in the morning when you stagger to the bathroom. Have subtle lighting, accessories that aren’t just functional but add to the ambience. Put in an automatic aroma spray so even the smallest room feels fresh.

If you decide to go for customised solutions remember what looks good in a catalogue may not work in your space as you may have to cut a few bits out to get it in or it might not match other rooms in the house. Try and see examples on the company website or at a showroom to get an idea of how units will look in the flesh before fitting them in your home.

Over the years, We strive towards a life that is better when it came to comfort & elegance. That is why we alter living spaces that are available to us in the house according to our convenience to meet the latest standards of interior designing. Thus, after taking possession of the garden as the most healtheir place to spend the time in house, Interior designers make a new trend by make the bathroom a real living room. So if you are looking for something similar, This article is worth reading.

Why invest in the bathroom?
If we give more importance to the bathroom, In most of the cases, one good reason is the lack space in the house. In addition, the apartments are sometimes unbalanced and thus the problem of small space in the living room can be solved transforming the large size bathroom into an ideal place to spend your time, Finally, interior designers has now realized that all the parts could be used to feel good in the house and so we do not neglect bathroom.

A bathroom as a living room?
When it comes to bathroom built in living room, this does not mean that you can eat in this space. Rather, it means that we now carry as much attention to the bathroom as the lounge and a bathroom can be transformed into a beautiful reading room or entertainment room. The bathroom has also now are as strong as other places in the home in terms of decoration. But the bathroom living room also sign the renewal of furniture. Today, the washbasin is like a buffet and add a chair next to the tub is mandatory for most of the interior designers. In other words word, we can do everything to enjoy our time in the bathroom.

Spaces dedicated to relaxation are many in the house!  But however the bathroom relaxation is quite playful. While remodeling the bathroom, in addition with selecting the right decoration & sanitary material, you must focus on adopting green energy for your bathroom. Some designers in UK are using VELUX® sun tunnels & solar hot water systems in their bathroom renovation projects. You can check VELUX products at www.veluxshop.ie . If your budget allows, you must try their solar energy & window renovation products. Selecting the right furniture for your bathroom is also an important task in bathroom makeover, for example, as you can see in the picture, Rather opting for a contemporary furniture, you can put on a cabinet that can accommodate two washbasins. You can also use the shelves to put baskets of laundry and give a natural style to your bathroom.

A family of 4 releases on average 12 liters of water in the air. The rate of moisture is very important in a home. Too high, it can be a destructive factor for your health and your home. In addition to problems respiratory infections and degrade wall coverings, moisture encourages the growth of bacteria novices on the environment. So it is very important to perform regular checks for the prevention of prevents & its appearance.

Why it is important to check the moisture rate in your home?
A significant presence of moisture is needed in all healthy homes. An average of 30% and 40% humidity in the air is good in the interior of house, Below or above might be problematic. That is why today the standards in new homes are regulated and define those needs to ensure good air ventilation. But sometimes the mere presence of people is enough to raise the moisture content. For example, a family of 4 releases on average 12 liters of water in the air. This amount may increase depending on the activities like Households, showers, dishes, bathroom. sometimes climb rate to 80%. Good ventilation  system in the house can overcome to surplus moisture.

4 steps to optimize ventilation for a healthy indoor.

• Treat damp rooms by maintaining it regularly.
• Do not block the vents of ventilation ducts.
• Always allow 2 inch gap for air circulation.
• Do not turn off the electrical ventilation system.

checks  for proper ventilation in the house.
Insulating your home is good for the optimum performance of heating & cooling system of the house. But a poor  insulation work might prevent air circulation in your home, which promotes rising humidity. Always choose industry experts to for home insulation. If moist air did not escape, the water collects. A glaring example: a very modern detached house offers nearly 10 hours to renew its air, then an old house or less isolated about 1 hour. - Ventilate your home every day at least 5 minutes, taking care to turn your radiator and after all activities that cause moisture load as a bath or cleaning. - Check the sealing barrier in your home. Everything that surrounds your house or come into contact with moisture should be regularly maintained. Roofs, walls, cracks, masonry joints should be checked. Frost, wind, sun or heavy rains can damage the surfaces often requested. - Check capillary rise. This phenomenon comes from up welling from the ground. They relate mainly to the ground pavement. This rise can be caused by a diversion of the water system, too steep terrain, poor water drainage …