ArtaBerryHome Improvement Blog..

Space is at a premium and utilising the home you have is often more economical then moving into a larger home.  Many think of increasing their homes size by building extensions and venturing into the loft space, but there is an alternative, either converting an existing cellar or excavating a basement.  Creating this extra space gives a flexible approach to living, with extra bedroom space or home office space.

Many homes are suitable for conversions; even those who live in ground floor flats may have the opportunity to explore this avenue of increasing living space.  It can take about 6 weeks to complete if a cellar is already in existence, but it is a major project.  If the basement has to be retrofitted (excavated) it can take up to 24 weeks.  However, the disruption is not as bad as you may think as the access to your home is normally via the garden.

Planning permission is probably unlikely if you are thinking of converting an existing cellar into a spare bedroom but if your homes external appearance changes because of light wells then this requires consent, also if it is to be a bedroom you will need to have egress windows fitted, as these are large enough to escape through if there is a crisis. The ceiling height is important and it needs to be a minimum of 2.4 metres, if your current cellar is less, then excavation can be undertaken to increase this, otherwise bulky items such as bedroom furniture or bookcases will be impossible to fit.   Retrofit basements always require planning permission.

Getting the right people in to do the work is essential, never just go for the lowest quote, you need to make sure they specialise in cellar conversions and retrofits.  If corners are cut, the costs could mount up in the end, as an inferior basement could cost you more in the long run than hiring experts within their field.  Problems could include your basement becoming an indoor swimming pool every time there is a downpour.

To ensure your conversion is successful, try and have a shower room or cloakroom installed, it makes the space more versatile when you decide to sell your property or if your needs change.  Make sure you let your neighbours know that there might be some disruption and also if you do not own the freehold on your home you will need to get the consent of the freeholder before any conversion takes place.

Choosing an aesthetically pleasing window treatment can be a difficult and often expensive task. One is left wondering whether they should match the curtains with the sofa, the wall colour or the carpet, how much they are going to have to spend to get curtains with a quality lining, and how much larger than the window the curtains should be to get the best appearance. After considering all of this, it is clear to see that wooden blinds would be a far easier and more practical choice.

The greatest fact about wooden blinds is that they are suitable for almost all homes. Blinds can be sized to fit most windows, and they are practical for every room in the house. Wooden blinds will provide the privacy needed, without the arduous task of matching multiple fabrics in each room. Although one can opt to match their blinds with certain wood furniture in the room, they can also match the blinds with wooden floors, or the window frame, which often gives the most cohesive look throughout the home.

There are several styles of blinds, and the type of wood used should be considered to some extent. Different woods have different shaping limitations; similarly, some styles are better for keeping out unwanted light than others. For a patio door or very large window, one may want to consider vertical blinds, as they can be moved apart for ease of access to a door or window. For other windows, a popular style is Venetian blinds, as they can be raised and lowered, and the slats can be easily adjusted for varying degrees of sunlight exposure.

Many companies offer a made-to-measure service, where a trained professional will come to the home, measure the window and door openings required, and take the appropriate measurements to the manufacturer so that the customer receives the precise sized blinds that are needed. These companies will often provide a fitting service, also; this means the customer will not need to tackle the task of hanging the blinds themselves. Therefore, the only task the customer needs to worry about is choosing the style and colour, in this instance.

Another pleasing feature of wooden blinds is that they can be combined with curtains or decorative drapes, if desired. The task of keeping out light and providing privacy can be left to the blinds, while curtains can be hung over the blinds for added texture and colour. The choice to add a decorative window dressing is purely an aesthetic one, and is not a necessity for privacy. One would not need to be concerned with a thick curtain lining, in this instance, as the blinds provide the adequate protection.

It is clear to see why wooden blinds are becoming a popular choice in many homes. They have versatility, offer an array of functions to suit a variety of windows and doors, and they are clearly a very practical option

When it comes to decorating tall windows and sliding doors – you need not look further than vertical blinds.

The way the strips hang from the blind rail means that they can be adjusted to provide complete light blockage, or simply gathered to the side to allow light and air to enter the room. There are a number of things essential for getting the right blinds for your home, none more so than the length of the rail. The functionality of the blinds means that the rail has to be the correct length to be effective in your home.

Once the boring, routine job of finding the correct rail is out of the way, it’s time to get creative with your blinds. Whilst extremely functional, they can sometimes be a bit dull on the eyes. Some people may look at them and instantly be reminded of a school classroom, or perhaps a waiting room in a doctor’s surgery. With that in mind, here are a few quick tips on how to customise your vertical blinds.

Colour

It goes without saying that you don’t want to plan your entire room around a window treatment, so why not do the opposite? If there’s a certain theme or colour scheme in your room, maybe with the walls, rug or furniture, then you can match your vertical blinds with this. If you can get a colour sample then you can match this up fairly easily, and if you’re more patient you could even shop around to find a retailer who will design your blinds to your exact colour specification.

If you’re feeling a little more experimental then why not go for something completely different and contrasting with your current colour scheme? Just because the colours don’t match doesn’t mean they won’t complement each other, so it’s definitely something to bear in mind.

Pattern

If you don’t fancy being too radical with the contrasting colour scheme, then it might be an idea to add a pattern to your vertical blinds. Whilst these don’t stand out quite as much as a colour change, they add a subtle bit of character to the room without looking out of place. A lot of blinds retailers offer standard generic patterns that can easily be transferred onto your window furnishings. However, if this doesn’t suit your needs, then some vendors will offer a custom-pattern service, where they can work from a drawing or photograph to produce the ideal blinds for your home.

Start in an area away from the most obstacles if there are any, this will give you the chance to practice on the easier tiles first.  Don’t start with a corner tile if you don’t have all of the tiles around it still in place, the surrounding tiles need to be in place to help keep the grid square.

• Remove the first old tile gently since you may not be able to see obstacles that could be damaged or cause personal injury.  Use a mask if the ceiling is old, because a high level of dust can often accrue over the ceiling and the dust can easily get in your eyes.

• Always use an adequately sharp cutting tool, a fresh knife blade always cuts and trim tiles neater than an old one.  When cutting a tile, securely site it on an old surface or workstation so that any knife damage from the cutting doesn’t hard a new surface.  Mark the tile size using a tape and a pencil and then cut the tile down using a straight edge and sharp knife.  Gloves are also a good idea when using a sharp knife.

• When facing clearance problems it is sometimes possible to remove a few cross-tee’s place the tiles above the grid, re-insert the cross-tee’s and then drop the tiles in to place.  Where this isn’t possible it may be necessary to cut a tile in half, place it through the grid and then either butt the two pieces together or place a new cross-tee in between them – whichever looks neater.

• Few tile suppliers will supply single tiles, due to the difficulty in posting such an item in single form without it getting damaged as such you will have to buy them by the box, which can mean you have a few more than you need.  If you’re a DIY’er and looking to change your own tiles, these few extra tiles can be a life line!  There’s nothing worse than breaking a tile, or two, and then being “just” one tile short.

Suspended ceilings incorporate a grid consisting of metal components that support the ceiling tiles. The grid consists of; L-shaped metal strips called wall trim, interconnecting the wall trim are the main support sections, called Main Tees that are an inverted T-shape and come in 3.6 metre lengths.  Main tees hang by wire attached to joists or an existing support above the ceiling and sit on the wall trim.  Cross Tees also sit on the wall trim and provide support to allow the individual tiles to sit in place. There are both 600mm and 1200mm cross tees, giving you the option of either a 1200×600 or 600×600 grid patterns (with 600×600 being slightly more common).

Since the tile is wider than the grid opening, due to it needing to sit on the grid, you must tilt the ceiling tiles at an up-angle to get it through and above the grid opening and allow it to drop onto the grid.  For that reason suspended ceilings require a clearance of between 17.5cm and 20cm, between the grid and the lowest hanging obstacle.

Choosing a leather sofa for your living room or drawing room is not easy if you want perfection in your interior design & decoration theme. Here are some tips for buying a leather sofa or fabric by analyzing different trends of modern, rustic style, convertible sofa designs. Among the models and material used. The sofa has always been the star of the furniture in any living space. In its natural nobility, comfort & durability, I believe leather sofa is a joy that is rarely matched by tissue or synthetic materials. This explains its success among all generations. However, it also requires the manufacturers and distributors constantly to renew their range of sofas and furniture to adapt to modern demands with the changing lifestyles…

Before choosing the design, you need to answers these questions.

Size: Do you have enough space in your living room? Raise your exact measurements and make sure that the sofa you are looking to match the available space in your living room.

Ease of use? You must note that furniture wears out faster if you have kids.

Price and quality: The couches usually found in most of the physical store at prices around more than two to three percent. You must strive to find attractive & durable design at competitive prices.

What type of leather to choose?

The cow, born of different cattle like ox, bull, etc… Is the one that is most commonly used, it has a relatively strong grain and excellent resistance to wear. On the other hand the calf, a finer grain than the cow or bull, owes its exceptional softness and smoothness to its youthful skin. The buffalo leather on the other hand is leather whose relief is more important; its texture is both natural and irregular. So choose the type of leather according to your requirements, however a premium leather sofa lasts twice as long as a mid-range sofa like 20 years vs 10 years. Understand the price difference afte checking the material used in the sofa.  Choose according to your future plans & budget.

If you are looking to bring a pleasant change in your room. The non-woven wallpaper is a delight for you. Using wallpaper for walls is a quick makeover for any room & this is famous trend for room makeover these days, this is both durable, easy to apply & maintain. with non woven wallpaper three short hours are enough to line a room of 20 m². The non-woven wallpaper is obtained by assembling a paper textile compressed fibers. Its weight makes it an ideal camouflage for damaged or uneven walls. The higher the weight is heavy, the more imperfections will be hidden.

The advantages of this wallpaper is a quick and easy installation, The major reason that makes non-woven wallpaper much acclaimed by interior designer is primarily for its ease of installation. Unlike conventional wallpaper, no need to go through the lengthy procedures to apply it & yes! i gives better result as compare to conventional wallpapers. There is also no longer necessary to prepare the strips. cut the strips takes the cutter directly on the walls. Time savings estimated by the professionals is 30% versus installing a conventional wallpaper. Thus, three hours is enough to line a room of 20 m2.

This wallpaper is more suitable for wet rooms and easier to remove after another advantage of this wallpaper here: its impermeability which also allows it to be laid in damp rooms. Finally, the uprooting is as easy as the installation if one has bothered to paint the media before and if the glue was used for non-woven. The equipment required for the installation of this wallpaper includes..

-Sponge
-A roller or brush to glue
-A cutter
-A roller joint
-A brush with squeegee

For already lined walls, the first task will be to take off the old paper. A laborious task that is likely to leave you the envy of the rest wallpaper classic when you taste the happiness of the withdrawal of non-woven ultra simple bare hands! But before that, you’ll have to bring a steam stripper to get rid of this wallpaper that you can not see painting. You can now begin the installation of non-woven …

Step 1: Spread the glue directly on the wall with a glue brush.
Step 2: Apply the non-woven wall down the roll up and down without having previously cut.
Step 3: Flatten it with a brush chasing bubbles.
Step 4: Cut it down the wall with a knife.
Step 5: Now that you have the knack, it’ll just repeat the process until the room is fully carpeted.

We all have different bodies, tastes and circumstances so divans, mattresses and beds are something that needs to be chosen to match our personal needs. As we spend a third of our time in bed, it is important to make the right choices and ensure a relaxing and comfortable bed. With so many choices however, sometimes it can be difficult to choose. With this in mind here are a few pointers for consideration.

Whatever kind of person you are the two key factors for choosing a bed are usually down to size and physical comfort. As comfort is often down to each individuals personal taste it is a good idea to actually try different beds in the show room to try help inform your decisions. Sizes are available in a standard range and you should be able to fit comfortably on mattresses with the ability to stretch and move a little as well. Generally larger beds can be more comfortable as there is greater freedom of movement and more space to stretch out in.

For couples, it is generally the larger person who needs particular consideration and both of you need room to lie and move around comfortably. If you are single then a single bed is not your only option as double beds can potentially provide you more freedom and comfort. Divans that are higher off the ground can often be of benefit to people of greater age as these types of beds can assist mobility as getting in and out of lower beds may be an issue.

The quality of a bed normally increases with the price. Better quality materials and construction methods usually boost comfort levels as well as costs. Out of beds, divans and mattresses it is the mattresses that have the greatest impact on comfort and it is here that spending more can bring rewards in terms of comfort. Some mattresses now a days can even help with back pains.

The style of a bed is another important consideration and there are numerous possible styles to choose from. Like our clothing, beds need to be both comfortable and in a style that you can feel really good about. Unlike clothing however, beds are there every day, so you choose one that you think you’ll like today and for the future. If you’re with a partner be sure to find a style that you’ll both like. Other options such as transportability and storage can also be considered to match our personal preferences. Divans have storage compartments that can be a great feature when space and furniture in a room may be limited. As a good nights’ sleep is important to one and all it’s worthwhile to take the time to choose the right combination of beds, divans and mattresses that suit personal needs and requirements. Try before you buy if you can that way you will know that the bed, divan or mattress will be the best for you.

Home decor is all about personal taste & inspiration. most of the interior designers agreed with the fact that majority of the home owner get bored with the fresh interior decor job even after a couple of years. every time they aimed for something unique & simple.  so keeping in mind with that particular preferences of the clients. today i want to explore some facts about Japanese way of interior decoration & home remodeling. Japanese decor showcase simplicity with convenient. their method of renovation is of great importance due to environment friendly & the use of natural materials. like wood, paper, bamboo etc.

The element of traditional Japanese decor are shoji. it represents a door, window or room wall made of wood and washi paper that is handmade in Japan. The shoji divide rooms into zones. With Washi, the shoji becomes opaque and softens the light of day by invading part of gentleness, tranquility and comfort. it gives a natural & soft impression to the room.

Lanterns on the other hand is the Japanese traditional art. you can  find it everywhere in late August in Japan to celebrate the Lantern Festival. For the Japanese it is the symbol of the light of home and the family home. This symbol of washi or silk, round or square, is also used to decorate the house. Similarly you can surprise your guests with the tea ceremony. this represents harmony, respect & purity. Japanese utensils can both serves as a decoration tools at every part of the world. furniture made of wood or bamboo also represents classical deco. today we put the roller in the dining room to create a solemn atmosphere of celebration and to decorate the room this is all Japaneses way of decor.Today Ikebana, a traditional Japanese art embodies is not only the Japanese aesthetics and philosophy, but serves as a backdrop to housing.

Your home is not only an auxiliary heating system, it is in itself an important element of decoration. Interior designers are always striving to add warmth, ambiance and style to your home. Whether for a conventional model or something more modern or even to decorate a whole wall, an elegant fireplace at home gives a modern style blended with the moments of comfort & luxury in any living space.  The trend of fireplaces in modern home decor is at boom & considered as the most compelling item on the market today. I assumed that the future of fireplaces in interior design is an art & required proper planning.  The conventional wood fireplace is available in a wide variety of styles and building materials. Wood stoves are also available in a multitude of colors and styles, depending on your heating needs, However both Wood Fireplaces and pans provides an impressive feature to the architecture to a room. We can say that well built home or a stove can be an additional source of heat for your home. But unfortunately, the smoke coming out of our homes, caused by conventional wood stoves can be extremely harmful to our environment. That is why in recent years, many home owners in UK are warned every now & then for smoke caused by inherent wood heating at their homes.

Modern bioethanol fireplaces

Yes! There are alternatives of wood fireplaces in the market that is convenient & environment friendly. In this case the electric fireplaces & gas stoves are extremely advisable; it looks elegant and offers breathtaking features. It installs virtually anywhere in your home, in your living room or bedroom where you can place it according to your requirements & room settings.  At the touch of a button you can control your room temperature, flame, flame speed, volume and brightness.

However if heating is not your primary requirement, you are also looking to fulfill the decoration aspect,  I believe the custom design Limestone & Marble fireplaces is a good option to go for. It gives a classic effect to the atmosphere in winters. That will meet your heating needs and your personal taste for quality, style and comfort.

The Christmas and New Year celebrations are surely one the brightest & happiest occasion in the whole year. Do note that your house needs your special attention on this occasion as Christmas & new year is not all about buying gifts, invite friends & peers for dinner, joining family get together or preparing tasty meals, it is important to decorate your house or apartment to create a festive& warm atmosphere.

Start with cleaning or polishing the furniture. Check other parts of the house & paint dull wall surfaces. Then decorate your home with some Christmas decorations. It is better you try some exclusive decoration by trying to make some handmade decoration objects like wall frames, key hangers etc. On the other hand, you can casually bring a tissue or brocade velvet on the sofa and chairs, pillows with images of New Year Brocade creates an atmosphere of luxury, comfort and cushions the well-being. Decorative elements are well matched to change your room and highlight your style and individuality.

Install Christmas wreaths on the door as well as on the interior doors of the house. If you do not have time to prepare yourself, you can buy in decoration stores. Most often, Christmas wreaths are made with branches of fir, holly or ivy. While decorating your house for Christmas, keep in mind that dominant colors for this occasion are the red and green. You can decorate each corner of the house supported by a window, fireplace, mirror, chandelier, aquarium, with images purchased from stores or crafted by hand. Remember that all elements of sets must be supported in the same range of colors.

The fir is the main element of the festival. You can choose between natural and fir artificial tree that can be traditional and modern, shiny or matte, blue or pink, etc. The tree can be decorated by balls bought in stores or made by you using fabric, feathers and glass beads. You can also make candies and chocolates for the children. Candles help create an atmosphere of comfort, mystery and magic. We can put them everywhere, for example! On the coffee table, dinning table, balcony etc. With fire in the fireplace flickering is another better way to celebrate Christmas.