ArtaBerryHome Improvement Blog..

Call it what we may, Cathode Ray Tubes, CRT’s, The Tube or even just the good old ‘Box’ – the old large format televisions have gone the way of the dinosaurs and are a thing of the past.

Luckily for us it wasn’t a meteor strike that killed them off, rather evolution, specifically the advent of LCD, LED and Plasma TV’s which has meant that now, almost everyone owns a flat panel TV.

Flat TV’s have meant that we no longer need to dedicate an entire corner of a room to our AV equipment.  Many people now use straight forward wall mounts to bring the TV up off the floor, others have full arms that allow the TV to leave the wall and move to different positions.  However the new flat format, has lead to a surge in creative ways to hide your TV, and in this post, we present our top 5 cool new ways to keep your TV out of sight until you need it.

Hidden Vision’s Extended Flipout

At Artaberry, we just love this super-smooth way of concealing your TV under a picture and then the fact that it put’s itself in exactly the right viewing position.  It looks like the guys at Hidden Vision do a few types of these, but it’s the extended one that really does it for me – put a great US TV series on and I’m not sure I’d ever get out of bed or go to sleep for that matter!

The rapid drop in cost of ownership of flat TV’s mean that we own more and more of them these days, and the more of them we own, the more chance there is that one of them is going to develop a fault and break. And why does this always happen when the TV has just come out of it’s warranty period? The best way get round this by using a third party extended warranty product – most you have to pay for each item you want covered but we’ve found a tv warranty at  warrantyshop.co.uk that covers every TV in your home, as well as loads of other audio-visual equipment and all the large appliances in your kitchen too.

Conceal it in an existing peice of furniture
Now you can go about this an awful lot of different ways – just make sure you don’t break your TV in the process!  Personally I love the thrift store approach from my fellow blogger Laine, where she’s converted a redundant $10 cabinet below.

But you can go really high end with this and get a master craftsman to personally hand convert an old trunk – Chuck Zeller has done one pictured below – amazing but it’ll set up back some $

Hide it in a wall!
Finally if you really don’t want to know it’s there, hide your TV in a wall!  Tom Stringer has given a wonderful example in the image below – make sure you leave plenty of space for your TV to swing aroud clear though so you don’t break it.

Buying a new house is an exciting event, but what comes after, furnishing it, is where things get really fun. In this digital, technologically advanced age, we humans have found fun and interesting ways to make homes as comfortable and convenient as possible. Of course, there are the basics — like the washer and dryer, and a heater — but then there are the gadgets that may be deemed unnecessary: a digital measuring spoon or an ice cream lock, for example, that would still be really cool to have around the house. Here are a few gadgets that you should introduce to your household that you didn’t know you needed.

USB combo ports
It seems USB cords are being used to charge everything these days, such as phones, tablets and cameras, just to name a few. The USB charger cords for these items usually come with a detachable power plug head, which can often get lost in the recesses of one’s house. When this happens, it’s hard to charge your device without a computer — and this is where the USB combo ports come in. These ingenious little inventions look like regular power sockets, except that there is also a space to plug in your USB head, making it possible to charge your device straight from your house’s electricity source — without an attachment!

Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Euphori Lock
This is the perfect gadget if you live with sneaky housemates who like to pilfer your beloved frozen snack. The Euphori lock was produced by Ben & Jerry’s after a customer suggested they sell their ice cream in containers with padlocks on them. The lock itself is a two-part security ring that can be affixed to the top of a pint of Ben & Jerry’s (or a similarly-sized container) and can only be opened with the right three-digit code. This playful security device can be purchased at the Ben & Jerry’s online store, and ensures that your ice cream never gets stolen again.

Handspresso Handheld Espresso Maker
Most mornings can’t be started without a fresh cup of Joe, but coffee machines can be big and expensive, taking up valuable space on your kitchen counter. Thankfully, the Handspresso exists, meaning that you don’t have to spend a ridiculous amount on a giant machine that is sure to clunk up your kitchen space. Nobody’s got time for that. The Handspresso’s portability means that you don’t have to confine your espresso-making to the house; you can take it out for coffee on the go, whether its on a camping trip or on the way to the office.

idKitchen Digital Measuring Spoon
Baking is a science, and a precise measurement could mean the difference between a perfect sponge cake and a rock-hard one. Kitchen scales are all well and good, but using one to measure out something as small as a teaspoon would be a tad excessive. Still, measuring out tiny amounts of flour or sugar or baking powder is an equally important part of cooking, and the idKitchen digital measuring spoon is perfect for small but precise measurements. Never have your souffle fall down on you ever again!

UV Toothbrush sanitisers
It is a commonly known fact that you should change your toothbrush every three months, but did you know that the state of your bathroom is still rendering your toothbrush unusable all the same? Ways to combat this is to put your toilet seat down all the time, or keep your toothbrush as far away from the toilet as possible, or even get a small cap to enclose the head of your toothbrush in. But there is a much cooler way to protect your toothbrush from germs, and that’s the UV toothbrush sanitiser. It looks a lot like a standard toothbrush holder, except that all the toothbrushes point down, not up. Also, it provides UV rays to sanitise your toothbrushes while you’re not using them.

Whether your new home is part of one of the house and land packages NSW offered or you bought some land for sale Illawarra had available to build a house on, acquiring a new home is an excellent excuse to get some new gadgets.

Author bio: Oscar Wilson is a real estate agent by day, and a freelance writer specialising in technology by night.

If you are looking for quick home Improvement tips, Quick Quid prepared a very useful infographic that presents how to improve your home decor in less then 10 minutes in a limited budget.

When you love books & your thirst for reading is inexhaustible, this does not necessarily mean the same for your storage space for books in your house.The library room can quickly find themselves overwhelmed. So in this case you are not able to expand your collection of books, But no worries, You can transform the entry of your house into a beautiful library in a limited budget. But beware, errors are to be avoided in order not to burden your entry. Here are some tips for installing the ideal library in your driveway.

What books in the lobby?
Please note that the entry act as a welcoming place of your home. This is the first piece that you can see when you get home and it is the place that sets the tone for the whole atmosphere of your home. It would be a shame to store books that do not have an interest in deco. Example, you can highlight beautiful books by putting them front and not on their edge on a shelf wall. In this way, your books will act like paintings that you can change your mood. The entrance is also a common place shared by the whole family, so we must prefer books that can be viewed by adults as well as children and can also be stored in the library for whole family. Finally, be careful not to overload your library that space does not seem too confined, especially if your entry is already narrow. For this, separate the rows of books with other objects such as vases, sculptures or even lamps .

How to choose a library?
If your entry is narrow, you will determine the depth of your library based on the remaining space keeping 1 meter width passage. You can also choose to insert a library on the wall opposite the door to keep your workpiece width. If your wall is equipped with a door, try the library will measure your door frame, an original solution for new storage space. Finally, with a narrow entrance, select a library in the same color as your walls in light colors instead. If, however, your entry is wide and great, you can play on volumes with an impressive library and a different color of your walls. You can also enjoy a library with open bottom to separate your room and hide behind coats and shoes. Finally, if you have a staircase, a library below to install it fill the void.

Installing a library in entrance of your home  is not going to cost you much but if are looking for loans to finance your home library refurbishment, The loans calculator from Lloyds TSB is a good guide that you can check to find a suitable financing solution for the renovation work of your home.

Your lawn has grown but it didn’t gives you satisfaction so far?  Because it is poorly or not maintained the grass is not in perfect condition? Today we want to give you some instructions on how to maintain a healthy lawn.

Mow the lawn
Mowing your lawn regularly, It becomes more dense and homogeneous as it stimulates the growth of thick tufts. If mowing the lawn is a chore for you, you can use a specific fertilizer to reduce clippings.

Watering the lawn
Lawn grasses develop a fibrous root system and end which represents 70% of the total mass of the plant. Water your lawn so that rain water seeps up to 10 cm deep and benefits all roots. After intensive use of your lawn in picnic, get together & games, water consistently.

Fertilize the lawn
A well proportioned and adapted fertilization stimulates grass density, gives a beautiful green color and allows the grass to develop a strong root system to better withstand periods of drought. Ideally fertilize homogeneously with the use of a spreader.

Weed
A lawn in poor condition, which has suffered from the drought, which has been cut too short or pushed on compacted soil may be invaded by weeds. If there is little you can pull them out or burn them one by one. But for efficiency, you can apply once a year, a selective herbicide for grass eliminates all plants that do not belong to the grass family.

Replant weeded areas
For very damaged or bare areas, there are now very practical lawn renovators. It is a medium containing plant grass seed and fertilizer, which swells as soon as the waters the lawn and grown in a short time where necessary. No problem if the grass was burned by the urine of a dog, there is a lawn renovator available in the market.

If you find it difficult to maintain natural grass in your lawn, Artificial grass is always a good solution for you, You can transform your lawn to a beautiful green palace with fake grass. It can bring the natural beauty & elegance to your outdoor in a limited budget.

Creating a new look in a bedroom doesn’t have to mean an entire makeover, with all the expense and hassle that can entail.  It’s entirely possible to change the style and bring an up-to-the-minute look to your bedroom through the clever choice of colour, and introducing new bed coverings and curtains.

Next team bed sets with matching curtains for a chic co-ordinated look, in soft floral designs, or American Pioneer patchwork quilts.  For a more sophisticated style with long-lasting appeal, layering bed throws of cream and palest coffee with a white quilted silk throw, and replicating the colours with Parisian pleated linen curtains gives a sense of space and light to a smaller bedroom. If you are lacking window space, a novel idea for the autumn is to drape material across a wall in generous folds, and pick up the theme in your window curtains.  You can play with contrasting or matching colours in your use of material such as net curtains, and some of this season’s  deep cerise pinks contrasted with a touch of lime green creates a modern and fun look in a bedroom.

Imaginative uses of detailing can link your decor : the same print on curtains and duvet cover, but in subtly different shades of blue, for instance.  If you are planning to replace your bed, consider how you might match your new purchase with a different window dressing.  White plantation blinds look fabulous with a white painted wood bed, and a traditional French “bateau lit” style bed can be complemented by heavy gold silk curtains.

Having an eye for detail extends to planning how you will hang your curtains, and the design of the pleating.  While a simple wrought-iron curtain pole can look just right teamed with a modern bright contrasting striped fabric, it may not be the best choice for a more traditional material such as velvet.  Deep headings work well with some materials, while lighter and lacier curtains can look good gathered in looser folds from wooden rings.

Modern variations on the four-poster are still popular, although much more pared-down in design than the enormous wooden beds that our ancestors might have slept in!  Draping swathes of material from the frame to the floor gives a touch of luxury and femininity to your bedroom.