Tips on Patio Furniture to Meet Every Need

The end of the cold winter months means more than just warm weather. Along with the warm summer months comes cooking out, soaking up the sun and kicking back on the patio or deck. If this is the year you finally decide your outdoor furniture needs replacing or fixing up, here are some great tips on ways to renovate your patio without needing a loan to do it.

Keep Them Nasty Bugs Away

One of the unfortunate things about cooking outdoors or just relaxing on the deck is dealing with the bugs! Citronella candles work great for keeping the bugs away and they also make an excellent source of outdoor lighting.

In keeping with a “go green” style, you can make your own outdoor lanterns with items from. If you have any old canning jars or tin can, you can clean them up, stick a candle inside and hang them with a wire.

You may also put a several candles in a can and let them sit on your picnic table. It will not only do wonders for the bugs, but it looks great. Best of all, by reusing items you already have in your home, you’re saving money.

Turning Old into New

People are spending more time outdoors than ever before, making comfortable and environmentally friendly outdoor furniture a necessity. Furniture manufacturers are now making furniture that can be used both indoors as well as outdoors.

One advantage of this is when your living room furniture reaches the point where it needs to be replaced, it can be moved out to the deck and used as outdoor furniture. This allows you to use a reusable item for your deck while saving money. There are numerous things you can do with your outdoor furniture to spruce it up and make it look brand new, starting with a top to bottom cleaning. Pillows (water repellent) add a great sense of style to your outdoor furniture.

Don’t worry about matching colors. In fact, the bolder and larger variety of color you can have on the deck, the better it will look.

Tips for Purchasing New Outdoor Furniture

If you really do have your heart set on new outdoor furniture, you’ll be happy to hear there are many stores that sell eco-friendly pieces that are made of reusable materials and are also very reasonably priced. Ask for outdoor furniture that’s made of sustainable and renewable sources such as cork, bamboo or wood from trees that are from renewable forests. Coverings for your outdoor furniture should be should be natural fibers like cotton, silk, linen, wool or hemp. Once your deck or patio is complete, you’ll love the chance to show it off to all your friends!

Remodeling the Right Way

As much as we look forward to remodeling our home, a lot of our enthusiasm if often squashed when we see the bill. Fortunately, there are ways around this. You can have fun remodeling without breaking the bank in the process!

In addition, when you keep the word “green” in mind throughout the process, you’ll end up with a home that meets all your dreams is energy-efficient and will continue to save you money while providing you with a home you can be proud of.

Check out some of these great tips to add to the fun of remodeling…

Window & Window Treatments

One of the major sources of heat and energy loss is your windows. Windows that are old, cracked or in poor condition should be the first thing replaced when remodeling. The extra money you’ll spend will easily be saved in energy costs. Whether you choose to hire a contractor or get instructions for DIY, make sure you get windows that are energy efficient such as Energy Star. A wide variety of window shades, curtains or blinds will help you to further save on energy as well as enhance the beauty of your room.

Floor Coverings

Seldom is a home remodeled where new floor coverings are not needed. If your carpet is old, replace it as it’s probably filled with dust and other allergens. Although carpeting is beautiful and soft on the feet, you may want to consider a more “green” type of flooring such as wood flooring from renewable forests, bamboo, cork or similar items. Although they may seem plain at first, you’d be amazed at how much a few area or throw rugs will do for the room. Most of these floorings are very easy to install yourself, saving you a bundle on installation costs.

Wall Coverings

You can easily decorate your walls with a fresh coat of paint, wood paneling, wallpaper or some of the many different styles available at your home building supply store. If you’re painting, make sure you get paint free from harmful chemicals that are in the traditional paints of the past. You don’t have to paint all four rooms the same color for a great look. Consider wainscoting or wall borders for a great and very stylish look as well. Always ask for materials that are reusable and come from renewable sources.

Exterior Remodeling

New siding or a paint job? As with any remodeling job, you’d be surprised how much a fresh coat of paint will do for your home. Unless new siding fits into your budget and is badly needed, new eco-friendly paint can add years to the beauty of your home.

Giving Your Interior a Facelift While on a Budget

When the cold wintry days change to warm and sunny days, we tend to want to make some changes within the home as well. Don’t let the recent economy stop you from giving your interior a much-needed facelift. There are many ways you can improve and brighten up your home while not going over your budget. You’ll have a lot of fun doing this in cost-efficient green ways

Painting & Wall coverings

Few people realize how much a coat of paint can spruce up a room. A dark room can be suddenly brightened with some of the new colors that are now available. Since so many traditional paints are loaded with harmful chemicals and toxic compounds, you’ll want to look for paints that are natural and nontoxic. AFM Safecoat paint is an excellent choice to use in any room.

Painting the walls different colors or allowing your child to paint designs on the walls will add a lot of variety to the room. You can also find some borders for the middle or top of the room. Whether it’s Wal-Mart, Kmart or your building supply store, you’ll find these are a very inexpensive ways to spice up a room.

If you sew, your possibility for window treatments is endless. Fabric is still very inexpensive and curtains or valances are simple to make, even for the inexperienced seamstress. Old sheets that are no longer being used will give you all the material you need while allowing you to reuse what you already have.

Floors

Renovating or redoing your floors doesn’t have to be a big expense. If you’ve had carpeting in your rooms for years, you may want to rip it out. It’s probably filled with dust and pollutants that you just can’t vacuum out anymore. If you can afford it, consider replacing your carpeting with cork, renewable bamboo, or a sustainable hard floor.

Many of these are very affordable and they’ll last for many years. In fact, you’ll be surprised at how affordable they can be when you install them yourself with the included instructions. By adding a few throw or area rugs, you’ll be giving your room a total facelift.

Extra Accessories

There are so many little extras you can add to your home to make it attractive, green and not break the bank. Potted plants add a lot to your room as do pictures on your wall. If you take a lot of pictures, put some of these on display on your walls. A quick trip to the second-hand store will find many knick knacks to make your rooms more interesting.

Choosing Interior Furniture That’s Green & Affordable

Is your living room badly in need of a facelift but your budget just can’t seem to stretch any further? If this is the case, there’s good news! There are ways you can totally renovate your living room in a way that’s not only attractive but green as well, without sacrificing on style. When we hear the word green, we often think of the color.

However, green furniture is furniture that’s eco-friendly and good for our environment. Even furniture manufacturers are now doing their part in making furniture that’s environmentally friendly.
Furniture Arrangement: Sometimes, just rearranging your furniture is all your room may need to give the entire room a new look. Consider spacing your furniture in a way that makes the room appear larger without compromising on walking area. You don’t want to have to make walking through the room difficult because of furniture blocking the walkways. Throw pillows in bright and cheery colors add a lot to couch or loveseat.

If you have some old pillows you’re no longer using, you can make simple and removable covers for them. Even if you don’t have the pillows, you can still make them buy purchasing stuffing and sewing them together yourself, making sure it’s all hypo-allergenic.

Consider Redoing Furnishings: If your furniture is old, you may consider having them reupholstered or covered. While reupholstering may be more than you care to spend, coverings can be very inexpensive. This allows you to work with what you have and preserve it rather than throwing it out and purchasing new stuff.

Old coffee and end tables can be easily stripped down to the natural wood and refinished with eco-friendly stains free from harmful chemicals. Before you rush out to price new furniture, take a good look around your room at the many things you already have. You’ll be surprised at the results when you’re finished redoing your current furnishings! You’ll also be pleased at the dollars you’ve saved in the process.

Go Rummaging: A trip to the local thrift shop can help you find many things that may enhance the décor of your room, while helping to keep them out of the trash.

Like the saying, “one man’s junk is another man’s gold.” For instance, look for picture frames that have been made from reclaimed materials or consider making your own from old chunks of wood laying around the garage. Nothing adds a more personal touch to a room than family pictures.

Once your room is totally redone to your satisfaction, you may find some area or throw rugs in the thrift shop that coordinate with your “new” furniture. Or, consider redoing the furniture to match the floor coverings you already have.

You’ll be amazed at the satisfaction you’ll get out of renovating your living room (or bedrooms) in a green style while spending very little!

Linoleum Flooring – Quick Installation Guide

The Healty Tips To Linoleum Installation

While renovating your house if you are looking for a change in the flooring and if you cannot afford much on it, then the most apt choice is Linoleum flooring.

Linoleum flooring is a less expensive choice for flooring. If you are thinking of changing the flooring in your house with linoleum, you can do that all by yourself. You need to take care of basic things and the work will be done. You will need to clean the surface with a vacuum cleaner so that no dirt will remain on the floor. It should be dry as well.

Once you do that you need to choose between the linoleum tile and a sheet. Sometimes laying linoleum tiles may be an easier option. Whatever may your choice be, take measurements of the room very carefully. Once you have the measurements roll out the linoleum sheet and mark it on the linoleum sheet with erasable marker. Leave about an inch extra space before you cut it. You can trim that extra when you install it.

Roll half of the sheet and let the second half flat on the floor. Apply the gule and start rolling the sheet carefully. Once you finish half the room roll up the other half of the sheet and repeat. Make sure that the sheet is attached firmly to the glue and there are no air bubbles left. Let it dry as per the instructions.

Rubik’s Cube Coffee Table

The Rubik’s Cube Coffee Table is a new take on an old and favorite design. Known to many as just simply a toy, or a headache depending on your ability to solve it, Jellio has created a coffee table modeled after the Rubik’s Cube.

Made popular in the 1980’s, the Rubik’s Cube has continued to be a much loved item that is still being bought in record numbers. To honor the nostalgia and memories that come with a Rubik’s Cube, Jellio’s Rubik’s Cube Coffee Table has taken the design and created a much larger version ideal for any room of the house.

The coffee table comes in the classic style, complete with colors we all associate with the toy. Luckily, the Jellio Rubik’s Cube Coffee Table comes solved so all you have to do is kick back and put your feet up.

Made from acrylic, the coffee table is durable and strong. The dimensions of the coffee table is 16″ x 16″ x 16″, a perfect square, or cube rather. The Rubik’s Cube Coffee tables are versatile and can make a perfect end table and by combining two together will make a more fitting coffee table.

The Rubik’s Cube Coffee Table is perfect for those fun loving designers and consumers. The table often finds itself in spare rooms used for entertaining guests or play rooms but why hide these fabulous tables?

The table is definitely not for the faint of heart with its bold colors and style, but if you can pull it off by all means do so and do so proudly.

Images courtesy of: jellio.com, coffeetablezone.com, and maniacworld.com

Retractable Awnings on the Deck

Deck awnings are excellent to have as they will keep you cool and protect your furniture throughout the hot summer months. They come in a variety of different colors and style to suit all homes too.

If you have a deck in your garden then you will notice just how much everyone loves to spend time on it during the summer months.Barbecues are often enjoyed on the deck and it provides you with the perfect place to entertain friends and family.

No matter what you use your deck for, sometimes in the summer months in particular it can get a little uncomfortable whilst you are out on it. Also the deck can start to fade because of the suns rays.

This is when a deck retractable awning would come in extremely handy! More on deck awnings here…