Author: SPC Web

Picking the right paint colours can be a daunting task. It can turn into a real dilemma when you have no way to test each colour and make an informed choice. The best thing is not falling in love with one colour, but instead test many. That’s why virtual painting software is so useful! You can “paint” your house in a virtual environment and see how it looks like without making definitive choices.

Here is a list of the top 5 virtual painting software, which can be useful to decorate houses in London or anywhere else in the world. We will show the basic features to give an idea of their functions.

Sherwin-Williams Colour Visualizer

You can explore a “world of colour options” with this online tool that allows you to upload the pictures of your house and test many colour combinations with a virtual palette. Go to the site

ColorJive

If you want to paint with your mouse, Colorjive is another free solution to test the colours you like. A premium version is also available. They say “a picture is worth a thousand words”. Go to the site

Resene EzyPaint

The cutting edge in virtual painting technology with a click of your mouse. This software allows you to see the final results before starting the decoration and is based on an extensive collection of interior and exterior designs. Go to the site

Valspar Paint

Follow a basic tutorial and decide whether starting with a picture or with a colour. This simple virtual painter is easy to use and will help you make your choice. Go to the site

Color-a-Home

Ideal for exteriors, this tool by Better Homes and Gardens is another great option if you want to test before buying. Signup required. Go to the site

Making the Most of Natural Light

Natural Light is a great way to show off a room whether it be for your personal use or to help in marketing a property for sale. Having natural light has many benefits including making the room look bigger and reducing the need for artificial (and the cost associated with this).

How can I maximise natural light?

With a few quick changes to your property you can enhance the natural light some good fixes include hanging mirrors in and around windows (especially opposite) as this will allow the light to flow through the room, removing items from around windows like windows dressings (curtains) and replace with materials that encourage light such as muslin and voiles, if the room has any inter connecting doors it would be ideal to have these as glazed panels so the light can bounce through or replace completely with clear or stained glass. If you are looking for natural light to aid with selling the property then natural carpets and natural coloured walls (white and creams work best) are perfect and act as a light reflective surface – this simple step alone will attract potential property buyers.

It doesn’t just have to be inside that natural light can be improved. If you take a step outside with your back against the windowlook at what is in front – are there any overgrown bushes or trees that can be clipped of trimmed back? Many windows are completely blocked out by trees or underlying branches.

Natural Light in the Home Office

If you are looking to increase natural light for a more personal use i.e. you work from home so want the home office to appear brighter, then you may be willing to spend a little money renovating the property to increase natural light. Some great solutions for this include dropping windows sills – this enlarges the windows without affecting the wall structure itself. If you have any sash windows then look at the cost of turning them into French doors, bear in mind with this solution you will need to instruct a builder to cost up implementing a beam to bear the increased load of a French door.  The most popular solution currently is adding skylights (also known as roof lights), if placed correctly in the middle of the room then it can add natural light to all four corners of the room.
[message type=”simple”]About the author:
John Nord writes on behalf of Lichtkultur GmbH
[/message]

Photo credit: mkosut, ::coco Rina:: and jinkazamah.

Our houses are having doors at many places that are exposed to a lot of rough conditions that include weather as a prime condition in which it may get spoilt. The choice of the material for the doors at such places is very important before it is made to be used there. The correct planning is the best way to save any part of your house from looking bad in the event of a few years. The maintenance of these external wooden doors if used is hence very important too and should be done with good amount of care.

Initials at using wooden doors:

Besides avoiding wooden doors in exteriors your habit of looking well after them can save their look and durability to a great extent. While installing them they should be of the material which is not that affected by water in the wood types. They can even be laminated by options available to cause minimum damage from things like water, sunlight, weather etc. The doors if properly sprayed with termite and other such disinfectants can eliminate spoilage due to them in a better way. These are all attempts to use doors made of wooden material in the exterior. The wooden doors should be used of good quality as they must be strong, look good and even will withstand the weather better not getting spoilt earlier in time.

The regulated protection:

The other ways to protect wooden exterior doors are to keep them clean by wiping them occasionally. Doing this will keep the dirt away from settling on to them and would not even let insects grow or affect it. The moistness of the wooden doors should be protected and coatings available in the market that protect them from sunlight and water must be used from time to time. These preferences will make your wooden exterior doors to be lasting longer. Your look of the exterior doors won’t even be hampered. Not taking precautions in extreme weather conditions can lead to early disposal of the doors.

The correct brand and products should be purchased such as termite disinfectants, laminates and coatings. Bad quality products will get washed away quickly and fail from protecting your wooden doors. Maintaining your home doors is a task that requires you to check it from time to time to see how it is taking the different conditions it is being subjected to. Even in spite of doing the above things if you do not care to see the door, it might get affected by something else that is spoiling it. Wood is a durable material but needs its due care to be prove to be long lasting. The pest control should be adequately done within intervals so that the insects and pests in your own house do not tend to spoil the wooden doors. There are robust varieties of wooden doors available which should be opted for in the first place to get relaxed from the extreme steps that must be taken to maintain external wooden doors of your household.

[message type=”simple”]About the author

Jolie is an independent online supplier of folding doors, bifolddoors, Patio Doors and Creative doors. He has written various guides on how to decorate your home.[/message]

You are ready for the makeover of a lifetime. Over the next few weeks a decoration team will transform your home. Instead of sitting around twiddling those thumbs, follow these five steps to prepare your home for London decorators.

Warn the neighbours!

Decorators can disturb the neighbours when doing noisy jobs like drilling. You have the right to renovate your home, but the neighbours have the right to live in peace.

Always warn the neighbours before the decorators arrive. You could send a letter, but going in person adds that personal touch. Take over a nice gift like chocolates to show your gratitude for their understanding.

Save your parking space.

When London decorators come to work, they’ll need somewhere to park. Parking round the corner isn’t a good idea when you’ve got heavy tools to carry.

Move your car and find some way to save the parking space. Put your wheelie bin in the space or move your car so it fills two spaces. You could always book your decorators when your neighbours are away and make sure work finishes before their return.

Clear the work space.

London decorators shouldn’t expect to show up and have to clear a room. They came to decorate, not tidy up. If they gave an estimate for the job, don’t be surprised when clearing the room adds to the final cost. The business has to pay for those man hours.

Clear out their work space beforehand so they can start work immediately. Clearing the space also protects your valuables from damage. If the decorators move your things and break something, how will you feel? Do it yourself to make sure your possessions are moved with the utmost care.

Hide private information.

Leaving private information lying around is never a good idea when strangers come over. You don’t know their background or true intentions. When you let them see documents like bank statements or computer files, you risk being the victim of identity theft.

London decorators aren’t all thieves, but you should always be careful. Lock away private information that could be used to commit fraud. Make sure your computer has password access and don’t leave open documents onscreen.

Give London decorators personal space.

At work, eating at your desk makes it hard to switch off. It’s nice to have somewhere else to unwind. Then you can go back to work with renewed energy.

When the decorators arrive, show them a private area where they can enjoy their breaks. Provide snacks like biscuits and chocolate, and drinks like water, tea, and coffee. After such good treatment, you’ll be very popular with London decorators in the future. This will come in handy if you need a discount on your next quote!

Once you’re done following these steps, you and your decorators will be so relieved! Now your home is ready to be transformed into something even more special. After working so hard, time to put your feet up! You deserve it.

Home renovation seems easy. Just paint, drill, saw, glue, and paint some more. Be careful with tools like drills and hazardous materials like asbestos. Unfortunately, focusing on those common hazards means less obvious ones slip through. Then accidents happen. You must stay on your guard to stop silly mistakes. Here are two home renovation hazards you forgot when you renovated. Beware of these hazards to reduce the chance of getting hurt when you redecorate.

No. 1 Home Renovation Hazard You Forgot: Poor Communication.

Picture this: a wife leaves her paint can at the top of a ladder. She comes down and warns her husband about the can, but he is distracted by the radio. He trips over and knocks into the ladder, sending the can crashing down. He stands, drenched in paint.

Now imagine the paint can was a drill.

Poor communication is the most dangerous hazard and the easiest to prevent. When your team works on home renovation, communicate properly. Every hour, every day, every week should have good communication. Make sure the whole group knows what’s happening before it happens. Make sure the person being spoken to is listening. Turn off distractions like the TV, radio, and internet. When speaking, look each other in the eye and clarify that everything is understood. Do this every time.

Charts and drawings are other highly visible forms of communication. Like phone calls, they are hard to miss. Anyone can overlook a text message or email during a busy home renovation project. When you’re not communicating in person, choose a contact method that’s almost impossible to miss. Vary your communication channel to keep everyone on their toes and maintain their attention.

No. 2 Home Renovation Hazard You Forgot: Careless/Silly Behaviour.

Picture this: a teenage son stops packing boxes to watch football on TV. When the game ends, he reaches down and tries to lift a box. Unfortunately, he’d forgotten it was very heavy. He lets go and clutches his aching back before his parents lead him away.

He’s put on bed rest.

Make sure everyone on your team takes home renovation seriously by paying attention. It only takes one silly mistake to get someone killed.

Careless behaviour to watch out for includes leaving tools lying around. Someone could easily trip over and land on a sharp object. Another careless mistake is leaving hot items unattended without warning others. This could cause serious burns. More careless behaviour includes not tidying up after yourself. When you move through a messy room, some hazards will catch your eye, taking attention away from others. Practice good communication by reminding others to keep their work space organised.

Respect the hazards of home renovation. You shouldn’t be scared to do those much needed odd-jobs, but always be on your guard. Silly mistakes are dangerous when it comes to home renovation, so keep this list somewhere visible. Refer to it on a regular basis and make sure your team knows what to look out for, for everyone’s sake.

The bathroom should become a room you take pride in showing off to guests. It can be a sanctuary and a place to recharge your batteries with a hot bath or shower. A contemporary bathroom showcases your style with clean lines, colors and fixtures. The towels you choose should not feel like cheap sandpaper; they should feel luxurious and expensive. Five quality towels stand out in luxurious style without an exorbitant price tag attached.

1888 Mills Commercial Quality Bath Towels

The 1888 Mills Commercial Quality Bath Towels can be purchased online from Amazon in packs of eight. They measure 28” by 58,” large enough to cover most body builds. Made from a blend of 86{438cb2300061349b6c7d90eaf8485b34cb640385e490e43e302dd2e197f2ab69} cotton and 14{438cb2300061349b6c7d90eaf8485b34cb640385e490e43e302dd2e197f2ab69} polyester, they are soft, absorbent and durable. Reviewers consistently report these inexpensive towels are soft, luxurious and easy to care for.

Glodina Black Label towel

For those who want an eco- friendly option as well as luxury, the Glodina Black Label towel collection should be at the top of the list. Purchase them online and in fine linen stores. They are made from 100{438cb2300061349b6c7d90eaf8485b34cb640385e490e43e302dd2e197f2ab69} cotton percale and woven for durability and softness. They dry faster than other towels of the same size, which saves on the utility bills. These towels resist snags or fraying, so you can use them every day. Choose from a wide array of different colors.

Martha Stewart towels

Luxury does not have to come with a high price tag. Martha Stewart towels are sold in big box stores and online at prices far below luxury linens. Known for quality, these towels are 100{438cb2300061349b6c7d90eaf8485b34cb640385e490e43e302dd2e197f2ab69} 2- ply cotton. They are well- known for durability, luxurious feel and economy. This collection has the largest choices of weaves, sizes, colors and patterns on the market today.

Madison Collection

For spa-quality lightweight towels, choose the Madison Collection. They can be found in both fine linen stores and online. Some soft towels feel like lead weights after absorbing water. These all- cotton towels are woven for premium softness and maximum absorbency without the weight. Buy a couple for those “me” moments, or more for the entire family and guests.

Zenith Towel Collection

For the ultimate indulgence, nothing beats Turkish cotton. The Zenith Towel Collection is available online. This means you do not have to book a room in a luxury hotel just to have soft towels. Choose from many different colors, styles and weaves. Reviewers rave about the softness, quality and affordable prices.

Buy a set of wonderful towels for yourself, family or friends. They make excellent gifts for any occasion.