Remodeling Your Home in 4 Easy Steps

Remodeling Your Home in 4 Easy Steps

No matter how big, new or fancy your home is, renovating it from time to time is something you simply have to do. Even though most people don’t like doing that, these things will take your home’s visual appeal to a whole new level, and make it more practical at the same time. However, not all home renovations are the same, and you need to pick the right ideas first. Doing that might take some time, so here are a few remodeling ideas you might want to look into.

Make it eco-friendly

More and more people realize that our planet is heading towards an ecological disaster, which is why they’re getting ready to do something about it. While you can’t do much on your own on the global level, you can certainly make a difference in your own area. Making your home eco-friendly and sustainable is one of the things you should do. Turning this idea into reality is easier than you think, so start simple, small and easy. Place your light bulbs with those LED ones, install double glazed energy-efficient windows, add solar panels to your roof, and switch to eco-friendly appliances. These things don’t look like a lot at first, but they’ll make a massive change, so start exploring them straight away.

Update your kitchen

This is one of those expensive and complex projects out there, but it’s one of those that make the most sense. Updating your kitchen and making it look amazing takes some time and energy, but it’s all worth your while. You can stick to simple projects like repainting your cabinets and replacing handles, or you can do something a bit more expensive. Remodeling your kitchen includes getting new cabinets, countertops, and appliances, but don’t forget to opt for energy-efficient models only.

Designing a home theater

This is one of the most exciting projects out there, and something every member of your family is going to appreciate. Turning a spare bedroom into a home theater isn’t just a great way to get your family another hangout spot, but will also boost the value of your property. This is particularly important, especially if you’re trying to sell your home in the future. Still, before actually creating a home theater, you need to get ready – logistically, financially, and emotionally. Doing this is quite hard, but if you spend some time preparing for a partial home renovation, you’ll be all right. Try to learn as much as you can in advance, and figure out what needs to be done, and your renovation will be smoother than you think.

Fix the façade

This is one of the most important features of every luxurious home, and it’s also something that will boost your curb appeal and make your home even more inviting. But, before you can enjoy your home better than ever, you need to check the façade and figure out what to do with it. Most people don’t do this and end up finding out about mold, ants, and other dangers only after purchasing the property. That’s why you should fix the façade – on your own or call a guy – and make it more appealing than it’s ever been. This will take your home to the next level, and introduce a new dose of luxury to your already luxurious place.

Regardless of their size and age, all homes require love, care, and attention, and your home is no different. If you put your mind to it and find a few projects that can go a long way, you’ll be making the right decision and spicing up your living space once and for all!

 Guest Contributor, Diana Smith

Interior Paint Colors: A Comprehensive Selection Guide

Interior Paint Colors: A Comprehensive Selection Guide

When trying to decide on the perfect color or color scheme for your interior, do know that you absolutely don’t have to rely solely on the traditional color choice for a particular decorating style you have going on. Instead, it’s always better to start off with your favorite colors and work your way around.

If you make your favorite color the base of your design, you’ll be able to create a color scheme around it that will work perfectly for your interior. Besides, this way, you’ll be able to create a completely unique color palette with your favorite color working as the base, which will allow you to reflect your personality in your interior design with ease. So, let’s see what are some of the main points you should pay attention to when choosing the perfect colors for your interior.

Find your inspiration

To start off, you will first need to get inspired. While we once used to draw inspiration from décor magazines and catalogs, nowadays, the Internet is the place where it’s at. With websites, such as Pinterest, allowing you to browse through different shades and hues and even create your own inspiration boards, choosing the right color for your interior has never been easier. So, allow yourself to get inspired and learn how you can decorate your home with your favourite colour, without making it too overwhelming.

Determine your favorite color

One of the easiest ways you can determine your favorite color is to inspect your wardrobe. All of us have wardrobes filled with items in various colors and hues, but in every single one, there is bound to be one color that sticks out the most. We usually tend to gravitate more towards certain hues without ever realizing it every time, so chances are that the most dominant color in your wardrobe is your favorite one. Alternatively, you can even find a color wheel on the internet – the more detailed, the better – and spend some time looking at it. Chances are that one color, or even shade, will speak to you more than the rest – it’s safe to assume that that’s your favorite one.

Get creative

When trying to implement your favorite color in your interior design, you need to be somewhat careful. If, for instance, your favorite color is red, simply painting the entire room in this shade would turn out to be a bad idea. However, these interior painting experts from Sydney, for example, suggest that if your favorite shade is such a vibrant one, you can choose to implement it in your design through details, rather than wall paint. This means that you should stick to neutrals – most commonly whites – for your walls, and introduce your favorite color through throw pillows, area rugs, wall art and even painted bookshelves.

Pay attention to lighting

If the room you’re about to paint is exposed to a lot of natural light throughout the day, do know that it can significantly affect the final outcome of the paint job. Let’s say, as an example, that you’ve chosen a light grey shade as your wall color. If the wall you’ve decided to apply it to is well-illuminated during the day, the shade will appear to be much lighter than it actually is. However, versed painting experts will warn you about this potential issue and will even advise you on how to avoid it altogether – usually by going with a deeper shade on the sunniest walls and treating the rest of them with the shade you’ve originally chosen.

When choosing the perfect color scheme for your interior, make sure you take some time and really think things through. And if you want to go with a color your other housemates really strongly dislike, consider making a compromise and choosing some different shade together.

Guest Contributor, Lillian Connors

An Introduction To Renters Insurance Coverage

An Introduction to Renters Insurance Coverage

Renters insurance is an extremely affordable way for tenants to keep their belongings safe, with the average premium totaling less than $150 per year. Yet under 40% of all renters are insured, in large part because of a lack of awareness among tenants about the benefits of renters insurance.

It’s impossible to predict when an emergency situation will strike, and the best way to prepare for the unexpected is to stay insured. Understanding the benefits and coverage of a renters insurance policy will allow you to make an informed decision about acquiring coverage.

How Does Renters Insurance Work?

Since relatively few people purchase renters insurance, there are some common misunderstandings regarding what exactly is covered under a typical policy. Some tenants assume that they’re automatically protected under their landlord’s insurance, but the truth is that you need your own policy to be covered in case your possessions are damaged or stolen.

Many tenants wonder if renters insurance covers water damage, bedbugs, and other unexpected occurrences. While there are some important differences in the fine print of many policies, a typical renters insurance plan provides coverage up to a certain limit in case of weather events such as rain, wind, fire, and hail. That said, more extreme conditions like earthquakes and floods will generally require additional coverage, so it’s important to make sure you’re protected if you live in a vulnerable region.

Your policy will also pay for temporary relocation in case your apartment is no longer habitable, a responsibility that may or may not be picked up by your landlord. The price of a few coffees each month is well worth the peace of mind that comes from knowing you’ll be kept on your feet no matter what happens.

Exceptions to Renters Insurance Coverage

While renters insurance provides critical protection for a number of costly situations, there are some things that most policies won’t cover. The first two examples are earthquakes and flooding, which many insurance companies offer as a separate policy. 

Under a standard renters insurance policy, you won’t be compensated for any damage done to extremely valuable or rare items such as jewelry and fine art. The most common insurance limit is $100,000, but you’ll likely still need to purchase additional insurance if you want these items covered.

Other common situations tenants often find themselves in, like losing a phone or having a pet cause damage, are not covered under renters insurance. Your protection also won’t apply to anyone else living in the apartment unless they purchase their own coverage.

Renters insurance is a low-cost, reliable method of keeping your belongings safe and ensuring you’ll have a place to stay even in a worst-case scenario. For less than a dollar a day, you can cover all the possessions in your apartment from loss or damage resulting from anything from fire to theft.

Guest Contributor, Armand Levitz

Tips to Avoid Common Heating Problems This Winter

Tips to Avoid Common Heating Problems This Winter 

They say winter is the most magical time of the year, but is that still so if your heater breaks down? There’s nothing more troublesome than going through the cold months with a faulty heating system. Sure, it’s nice to watch the snow falling and feel the cold breeze once in a while, but it’s a different story when you’re looking forward to a cozy night at home only to find your heater fail you.

Keeping your home warm over the winter months is not only essential to your comfort but your health as well. The drop in temperature can affect your immune system and make your body more vulnerable to sickness and infections. That said, it is imperative that you take the time to make sure that your heater works well before the colder days hit.

How To Keep Your Heater Working Smoothly 

Schedule regular heater maintenance

Nobody will ever do it better than the pros. Make it a point to schedule a heater tune-up before winter starts and another when it’s over. Having your heater cleaned and checked by professionals will extend its life and give you peace of mind throughout the season.

Make sure the pilot light is on

Checking if the pilot light on your furnace is lit should be one of the first things on your list when preparing for the cold days ahead. This is a fairly simple task, and the steps on how to do it should be on your user's manual.

Clean your heater and perform a visual inspection

Wipe the dust off your heater and clean or replace dirty filters. Also, give your heater a visual once-over to ensure that all parts are intact. Check the wires closely for any signs of damage or fraying. If you see something wrong with the wirings, get in touch with an electrician as soon as possible.

Watch out for weird noises

As you clean your heater, turn it on and listen for any odd noises. Any weird or gurgling sounds could mean that there's a leak, a crack, or some other problem within. Holes in the heater can be dangerous and should be addressed by an HVAC professional immediately.

Give your heater a trial run

Lastly, do a trial run. Turn your heater on for about 10 to 20 minutes to make sure that the system is generating the expected level of heat. This will assure you that your heater is in prime condition and will work like new when you need it to.

Guest Contributor, Michelle West

How are you planning on celebrating the 4th of July?