Design Tips & Ideas
Posted by Keren Fathi-Poor at 2 February, 2012
Photography by Frederik Vercruysse via OWI
We have collected hundreds and hundreds of images of interior design for home design inspiration since we started ChicTip.com. We have compiled it for you and sorted it Room by Room. Now we’d like to share them with you. Today we present to you 10 beautiful powder rooms. Enjoy!
Posted by Keren Fathi-Poor at 30 January, 2012
Designed by DADA Partners
We have collected hundreds and hundreds of images of interior design for home design inspiration since we started ChicTip.com. We have compiled it for you and sorted it Room by Room. Now we’d like to share them with you. Today we present to you 10 beautiful staircases. Enjoy!
Posted by Keren Fathi-Poor at 26 January, 2012
Many people look for tips and guidelines when they are planning to remodel their kitchen. Here, we will talk about some things to keep in mind if you look forward to a successful kitchen remodel.
Appliances
Your lifestyle is one of the bases for deciding what to buy for your appliances. You should not buy these expensive things just to make sure that you are at par with the neighbors. Do not get too excited looking at fancy appliances because for all you know they could be just for show. Practicality should be your first priority especially when you are on a tight budget. Simplicity will make the results of your kitchen remodel stand out. Instead of investing money on unnecessary appliances, why not invest it on nice cabinetry instead? You should evaluate the needs of your family and buy appliances accordingly.
Lighting Fixtures
One of the most important elements of kitchen design is the use of lighting fixtures. Usually, there are two mistakes that people often commit under this category namely – poor lighting and wrong choice of lighting. This should be the first things to consider when constructing the kitchen but should be addressed properly during a kitchen remodel project. If you cannot do it yourself, you should hire someone who knows and understands how to choose the correct lighting for your kitchen.
Posted by JackieAzuela at 23 January, 2012
Posted by Keren Fathi-Poor at 16 January, 2012
Posted by Keren Fathi-Poor at 9 January, 2012
Posted by Keren Fathi-Poor at 5 January, 2012
The 2011 color of the year, PANTONE 18-2120 Honeysuckle, encouraged us to face everyday troubles with verve and vigor. Tangerine Tango, a spirited reddish orange, continues to provide the energy boost we need to recharge and move forward.
“Sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive, Tangerine Tango is an orange with a lot of depth to it,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy.”More on PANTONE.
Posted by Michelle Lesser at 2 January, 2012
Mysterious knocking on your bedroom walls in the middle of the night? Creepy creaks and eerie moans in your hallway? Sounds like you’ve got a supernatural visitor, an avenging spirit or a poltergeist…Well, it’s that, or your plumbing’s acting up.
Most ghostly noises can be explained with a little exploration and common sense – so rather than cowering under the covers, look into the three common causes of freaky squeaks and flickering lights. You’ll save yourself sleepless nights – and, if you get dangerous problems fixed, in the long term you’ll save on your house insurance.
Heating and Pipes
If your hot water is controlled by a boiler, air in the pipes can bubble and bang as they fill and heat or empty and cool – temperature changes cause the metal to expand and move. Pipes are often hidden in walls and floorboards, so the noises of air pockets or the metal tubes tapping together can sound like footsteps.
Loud bangs in more recently installed plumbing can be caused by ‘water hammers’; valves in the pipes slam shut to prevent modern appliances like washing machines or dishwashers from over-filling, causing water to slam into the end of the pipe. This ‘hammers’ the pipe forward, causing a loud bang as it shifts things around it.
If you suspect the noises in your house are caused by the heating or water systems, see if draining your radiators helps – limescale in the water tank can also cause clogs and hissing, so it might be you need to have it cleaned. The louder the noises, the more likely it is your pipes are under undue stress and you might need shock absorbers or rollers. Contact a plumber – a small expense at this stage could stop large-scale damage.
Settling and Structural Shifts
Houses aren’t as solid as we think they are: they’re designed to shift and move with the earth and air as well as different temperature and moisture levels. If they weren’t a bit flexible, they’d snap under the strain of an ever-changing environment.
In a new-build home, beams and doorframes that became damp during construction will take a while to shift and settle into their new shapes. In older homes, something as regular as night falling will cause wood to contract and in some cases creak and moan. Floorboards rubbing together and walls shifting can echo and reverberate – the little shifts can make the most dramatic noises and you’re more likely to notice them in the quietness of night-time.
It’s all completely normal – but by all means call in a structural engineer if you’re nervous. Real danger signs are cracks, damp patches or bowing walls.
Electrical Problems
A light flickering, turning on and off without obvious cause or dimming unexpectedly could be a sign of a serious electrical problem; it usually means that somewhere in your house a connection has become skewed. Before you call in an electrician try changing the bulb – it might not be screwed in properly.
If your appliances are also acting up, think about checking with your neighbours and supplier – it’s possible there’s been surges or problems across your whole area, rather than just in your house. If your problem persists, get in touch with a professional immediately – electricity in the wrong hands is scarier than a miffed poltergeist. This is especially true if you’re dealing with large electrical items like washing machines or televisions – TVs can give you a mortal shock up to 2 days after they’ve been unplugged.
Amy Chambers wrote this article in association with Churchill building insurance. She doesn’t believe in ghosts – but she does believe in being prepared.
Posted by Keren Fathi-Poor at 16 December, 2011
