February 24, 2009
Posted by: admin : Category:
Decorating,
Interior Design
Here’s a quick ‘how to’ guide for anyone looking to paint their walls without a monotone colour. All three of these techniques are great for walls with imperfections, as the contrast in colours will hide them perfectly.
Ragging
Materials needed – Lint-free cloths, Decorator’s brush, Masking tape, Paint roller, 2 contrasting paints, one diluted with 1 part of water to 8 parts paint.
Instructions -
- Apply a contrasting, base colour to the wall.
- To prepare the rag:
Saturate it in the diluted paint solution. ring out the access and form the rag into a cylinder shape between both your hands. Twist it slightly.
- While rolling the rag across the wall, ensure you use your finger tips and that the rag touches the wall evenly. Practice on a small piece of the wall or a piece of cardboard to ensure accuracy. your technique will improve over time.
- Experiment with colours – use two or three complimentary colours or different shades of the same colours for different results.
Sponging
Materials needed – Non-synthetic natural sea sponge, Decorator’s brush, Masking tape, Paint roller, 2 contrasting paints, one diluted with 1 part of water to 8 parts paint, bucket of water with clean rags.
Instructions -
- Apply a contrasting, base colour to the wall.
- To prepare the sponge:
Dip it in the clean water and ring it out thoroughly (if you decide to use oil paints, keep the sponge dry). Dip the sponge into the diluted paint solution and dap access paint onto a clear surface of your paint try.
- Practice dabbing the sponge on a piece of cardboard, ensuring a twist in the sponge with each dab so that the impression left is slightly altered. When you feel satisfied with how it looks, start on the wall.
- Again, you can experiment with colours – use two or three complimentary colours or different shades of the same colours for different results.
Colour Washing
Materials needed – Specialised colourwashing brush, rounded sponge, paint tray, paint roller, bucket of water, latex paint for base coat, clean rags, dropcloths, masking tape, scrap cardboard, varnish.
Instructions -
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Colour washing can be done with either a sponge, rag or a colour washing brush – you choose the tool.
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Apply your basecoat and allow it to dry completely.
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Mix the glaze in the paint tray but fill to about 1/3 full.
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Using a circular or washing motion with a sponge or cloth, lightly dip your glazing tool in the glaze, and apply to a small section of the wall. Blend it until your sponge or cloth is dry.
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If you’re using a brush, you can create a variety of patterns. Just move the brush along the glaze lightly in whatever direction you prefer.
Good luck to you all!
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February 24, 2009
Posted by: admin : Category:
recipes
February 09, 2009
After the purchase of your home, it’s said that the second most expensive investment you will make is buying a new car. Having spent all that money on both, it’s worth doing a little something to protect your beautiful new car and invest in your dream home. Looking after your pride and joy (the house and the car) should be top priority and it’s possible to simultaneously achieve higher sales value and keep the depreciation figures low for the two.
According to the National Door Company;
“New garage doors can increase the front value of a house by up to 25%”
So why not choose to look after both your new investments by investing in new garage doors. With so many options available, from up and over’s, roller and sectional doors and different finishes like, steal or timber there should be an option to suite the needs of all proud home owners and car enthusiast to boot.
New Garage Doors Add Value to Your Home
Investing in New Cars and new Houses, takes time and resources but these investments will not only ensure that the property is well maintained but also ensures that the resale value of both remain high or if not, at least won’t drop considerably in value.
For inspiration for garage door designs to house all your new cars and used cars visit these sites:
Cordula | Garage Door Systems | National Door Company
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February 04, 2009
Posted by: admin : Category:
Home Improvement
The front door is more than just an entrance to your home. As it is the first point-of-contact for your guests, it’s believed to make a statement on the owner’s personal style. Through the front-door, it defines the architectural style your home is perceived, even small details makes a big difference.
Composite door is a popular choice for front door replacements for its variety in style and features. Here are five factors you should keep in mind when shopping for the right door for your home.
- Architectural Style
Would you put a sharp-edged metallic coffee table in your Victorian-styled living room? Similarly, a modern steel door for your Victorian home may look out of place. Same applies for the modern and contemporary homes. Your door should match the architectural style and detail of your home. Composite doors offers a range of designs and finish, you can find the traditional six-panel doors, or stylish ones with double glazed panes in plain or decorative glass.
- Colour & Finish
Depending on your style and preference, composite doors are available in plain painted or stained wood-effect finishing. You can choose from a variety of colors from the standard red, blue, white, black and green, to classic Oak and Rosewood.
- Security
Color and style is important, but security is still a top priority. Composite doors are made from high-performance material with heavy-duty frames and construction, it is considered to be very safe. If you want a peace of mind, look for vendors that are certified with BSI (British Standard Kitemark License) PAS 24-1, which is the standard for enhanced door security performance. Composite doors are rated high by security companies.
- Energy Efficiency
Insulation is also a key factor for the doors. Composite doors are structured with solid, high-density wooden framework it is suggested to provide superb insulation against heat-loss. As it will not warp and flake overtime, composite doors is said to be more energy efficient than aluminum and wooden doors. Look out for the BSI PAS 23-1 certification when selecting your vendor, for the standard of general performance requirements against weathering test for air, wind and water.
- Functionality
Need to say more?! Apart from the apparent style, color and design, your door should be functional for your lifestyle too. Depending on your needs and preferences, you can customize your door with knockers, handles, letterboxes, number plate, spy-holes, safety chains and more.
When it comes to your home, it is ideal to select experienced and trust-worthy vendors. Safestyle Windows is the largest independent company in the UK that provides top-quality double glazed composite doors and windows.
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