Archive for March, 2010

The age-old obsession with status symbols has found a welcome home in the kitchen, which is now a hotbed for name-brand appliances, luxury materials and custom work. No matter your budget, making your kitchen look like a million is all in the know-how.

To that end, consider this list of today’s most popular kitchen status symbols and the snazziest alternatives.

Countertops. Real stone is the belle of the ball, with pricey granite reigning supreme. While granite is too rich for many budgets, new WilsonartHD high definition laminate is not. Complex layers of color and the high definition technology-which combines high performance and optics-create the crisp, elegant dimension of natural stone. The subtle, tactile nature of the finish gives it the feel of real stone. There are three WilsonartHD series to choose from–Bella, Sedona and Deepstar.

Cabinetry. Custom cabinets steal the show-and the budget. To get the same look for less, you can install oversized crown molding on top of stock cabinets to make them “pop.” Also, get creative with the layout. For example, don’t place all your cabinets flush against the wall. Instead, bring the cabinets above the sink and stove out a few extra inches from the wall.

Appliances. High-end name-brand appliances are de rigueur in some kitchens. Fortunately, many affordable lines offer similar looks and performance. Doubling up on less costly appliances is another way to achieve a high status look. For example, kitchens with two sinks or two refrigerators say luxury and can still be had at half the price of a single name-brand model.

Sinks. Let’s say you don’t have $1,500 to spend on a trendy oversized farm-style sink; consider a commercial one. Many manufacturers produce lines for a range of commercial applications and you may find one that suits your needs for a fraction of the price.
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Candles first served as the main source of light for early civilization. They have made many changes through the years. The candles of today are not the same candles from hundreds of years ago.

Before the introduction of wicks, early Egyptians lit their reed torches by soaking them in molten tallow, which is fat from sheep or cattle. Romans later developed wick candles which they dipped into the tallow.

By the Middle Ages, beeswax was being used in the making of some candles. The candles burned cleaner than tallow and had a more pleasant odor than the tallow candles. However, they were more costly and only the wealthy could afford them.

In Colonial times, the settlers found they could boil berries from the bayberry bush to make a sweet smelling and clean burning wax for their candles. Unfortunately, it was tedious work and it took many berries to make just one candle.

By the 18th century, candles were being made from spermaceti, a wax which was crystallized sperm whale oil. These candles had an even better odor and would not bend and soften in warm weather.

In 1834, a machine was invented which mass produced molded candles. By 1850, we were using paraffin wax made from oil and coal shale. It was processed by distilling residues of crude petroleum refinement. Soon after, stearic acid was added to the paraffin wax and these are still the basic ingredients of today’s candles.
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It has been said that the curb appeal of your property is the difference between a quick sale and a property that may stay on the market for months and months. That is why it is so important to have good curb appeal when selling your home.

If you have the money to invest, it would be a good idea to hire a company that offers landscaping and has a history of preparing houses for selling purposes. This type of company would be able to make excellent recommendations and be able to give you the best opportunity to sell you home fast.

If you don’t have the money to invest in a landscaping company, there are a few things that you may be able to do as a home owner to beautify the front of your property in order to prepare your house for selling.

If you have the cash, it always looks nice if you have fresh sod laid when someone is walking up to your house. It gives the feeling of a brand new house, even if the house may not really be brand new. Sod can get a bit pricey depending on how large your front lawn is but it can definitely b worth it if you are looking to sell your home fast.
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When shopping for new bedding ensembles for your home many retailers will refer to their product lines as Contemporary. Contemporary bedding itself doesn’t really have a concrete definition. Often the definition will vary depending on who you ask, and even when you ask them. Like the clothing industry, bedding fashions change over time and a pattern or style which today falls under “contemporary” or “modern” may very well be considered under a different heading in the future. In this article we will discuss three of the major bedding manufacturers and what styles in their lines are currently considered contemporary.

Contemporary bedding offered by Dakotah represents Dakotah’s usual fine fabrics and clean linear designs. Using simple color palettes and sleek minimalist design features make Dakotah bedding a very elegant choice. Some of their current contemporary designs include:
Aurora – Features an abstract wave pattern in the season’s hottest color combination, mocha and sky blue.
Metrotech – Combines a clean stripe pattern with warm honey tones for a look that is simple and chic.
Odyssey – Combines classic black silk shantung with stylish metallic shades of gold and copper.

Thomasville Contemporary Ensembles follow Thomasville’s usual approach to creating fine bedding that is versatile and diverse. Thomasville offers their bedding a la carte so creating an ensemble which fits your lifestyle, price range and personal preference is easy. Thomasville designs are described as artistically abstract, using bright color palettes and detailed accessories. Their current contemporary line includes these designs:
Altessa – A beautiful abstract swirl pattern using rich earth tones with gold shantung accents.
Coronado – A modern take on art deco, using bold patterns with accessories that add a bright pop of color.
Pavilion – takes its cue from the bohemian trend, using patchwork patterns in soothing shades of sky and parchment.
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Laminate floors add a touch of class and sophistication to a room. Laminate floors are available in innumerable designs and finishes. Any room of the house can have laminate floors, it’s very easy to maintain.

These floors have three layers, the backing layer, the core layer, and the wear layer. The first layer, that is, the backing layer allows the other layers to have strength and durability. The core layer has high density fiber board and the last layer, that is, the wear layer provides surface protection with aluminum oxide. This ingredient provides the protection to the outer layer.

Nowadays, most of the designs are computer generated, and some of the most stylish, modern designs have come in the market this way. Laminate floors are available in different plank widths. Various square tile sizes are available too.

As mentioned earlier laminate floors are ideal for those who want the style and look of hard wood floors but cannot afford the price. Real wood floors are expensive and most will not be able to afford it. These floors are very durable, and they have a hard surface that is resistant to scratch or other types of damage. The laminated designs do not fade with usage and are resistant to burns as well.

Laminated floors are quite easy to install in the house. It does not take too much time either. These floors can simply be “glued” over the concrete or vinyl floor. Some laminate floors require very little or no glue. Most laminate floorings use the tongue and groove edges. This allows the installation to be a very easy process. The owner can do it himself, if he is handy with tools and measurements.
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A crocus is a well loved perennial flower that grows that grows to be 3 to 6 inches tall with yellow, purple, lavender and white cup shaped blooms. A member of the iris family, the crocus is a hardy plant that commonly blooms in the spring, with the exception of a few species of crocus that bloom in the fall.

The crocus plant has over 80 species, about 30 of which are raised commercially. The most commonly planted crocus is the Dutch Crocus, also known as the crocus vernus, which also has the largest bloom. Other common species of crocus are crocus chrysanthus, which is one of the first to bloom in late winter or early spring, crocus sieberi, which is also fairly short and blooms very early, and the crocus tommasinianus, another early bloomer that comes in various shades of purple.

Crocuses can be planted both indoors and outdoors, in either flower beds, borders or containers. Crocuses do well with full exposure to sun and can grow in poor to average soils, if the soil is well drained.
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Here is what you really need to know:

1) All down is not created equal. Goose down is better than duck down. Down from mature geese that live in cold climates produce larger down clusters that trap more body heat keeping you warmer as well as lofting up to produce a comforter that is puffy without weight. Fill-power is the measurement of a down cluster’s ability to loft up after compression. 650 fill-power and up is considered luxury quality. The higher the fill-power the greater the thermal properties and the puffier the comforter. There is also cluster count to consider. This is the percentage of whole down clusters as opposed to pieces of broken down known as “fly”. Canadian White Goose Down is considered to be the finest in the world. Siberian, Hungarian and Polish white goose downs are premium qualities and the very rare Eiderdown, the ultimate in softness and warmth without weight, is the best down in the world.

2) Down will eventually “leak” out of anything other than a cotton cambric downproof fabric. What makes the long staple Egyptian cotton fabric downproof is not just a high threadcount but callendering. This is a natural process of compressing the fabric between giant steel rollers to fill in spaces invisible to the eye. The best cambric cotton downproof fabric comes from Germany or Switzerland. Many of the cambrics are made with a sateen finish. They are very soft,durable and breathable. Threadcounts over 300 are best and will remain downproof for 10-15 years. For Eiderdown the best ticking is Swiss Batiste the lightest of all downproof cambric cottons with the highest threadcount, sateen finish and a silky soft touch, woven specifically for Eiderdown the softest down in the world.
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Any room in your home can benefit from the addition of some fantastic scented jar candles. The style of scented jar candles will never fade and they are durable and long lasting. The majority of scented jar candles will last anywhere from 50 to 120 hours. They always look great and they are some of the most affordable candles on the market today.

Everyone loves nice scented jar candles, that is why they are so popular and hard to keep on the shelves of stores. If you look in any home décor magazine you are gong to see plenty of these scented jar candles in all different rooms. Decorators suggest putting scented jar candles in your bathroom to get rid of any lingering unwanted smells, in your front hall so that guests are greeted with a warm and inviting scent and eve the dining room.

When you choose some scented jar candles for the dining room or the kitchen you should take the time to choose the scented jar candles that will promote an appetite. You do not want to choose a smell that will make people not want to eat. A more subtle scent is usually the kind that you want to go for in any room where eating will be done.

You can even use scented jar candles to create a romantic mood between you and your lover. Everyone like to forget their troubles for awhile and what better way to do this than to light up some scented jar candles and sit back with the one you love. Perhaps have some wine and listen to some soft music or even just talk to each other. I am telling you that scented jar candles could make all of the difference to your night any day of the week. Light some up tonight and relax with your partner, you both deserve it.
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