A Closer Look at Wireless Home Alarm Systems

Home Alarm

Many people keep their families and homes safe and secure with a home alarm system. This can add protection whether there is someone home or not. With today. 's technology it is possible to have a wireless home alarm installed. These systems not only provide security, they do it with very little visible signs of the presence of an alarm.

One way of securing the home is by installing and using a combination of devices. The use of a motion sensor lights is just one of the variations of home security. Other helpful devices are offered in many home improvement stores and can be found on the World Wide Web.

Motion sensor cameras make it possible to actually see what is happening in a home or office without being there. These cameras are turned on by movement and records for a certain amount of time, depending on what the owner wants. The images can be displayed on computers and phones, which allow the owner of the dwelling to see what is happening.

By using a couple or more of these security devices, the home owner can be alerted as soon as the alarms are set off. There is software that can be used that allows the camera to notify the person by cell phone or computer if the device has been triggered. The homeowner can see the images just a couple of seconds after the camera has been turned on.

There are a few high quality services and systems that can be found on the World Wide Web. Many of them offer specials on devices and installation. Before committing to one company in particular, it is important to do a little research on the systems being offered. They vary in cost, and some are very pricey.

Although getting the alarm system and using a service can be quite pricey, it may protect families in the long run. It is worth the extra cash to have the wireless system installed by the company's technicians. This will guarantee that the system will work when it is needed.

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How to Prep For Interior Painting

Interior Paints: Most paint jobs that are done indoors are done with latex-based paints. You can get latex paints in a ton of different colors and it is easy to clean up by just using water. If you have rooms that don't get used a lot the best paint for you would be flat or low-gloss. For the rooms that are used mor often such as your children's bedrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, and pantries you should look at paint with a glossier finish. Paints with a glossier finish can handle more wear and tear as well as more cleaning.

Floorboards and trims usually get dirty from hand prints and smudges than the walls so it would be beneficial to use glossy paints here, as well as the fact that it can be a good contrast to flat painted walls. You should use an oil-based paint for rooms that get a lot of traffic and humidity like bathrooms. If you need a really tough paint choose an oil-based paint that has a high-gloss enamel finish.

Paint Usage: If you are only doing one coat, one gallon of paint will cover 400 square feet. It will change a little bit based on the quality of the surface, the color of paint, and how thick you make the coats. If you hire a professional, they will use the right amount of paint needed, where a home owner will usually use too much paint. Your gallon will last longer if you do two thin coats opposed to one thick coat, and your walls will look better too.

Interior Wall Surfaces: Wall surfaces vary a lot. In most modern houses and remodels you will find the walls are finished with textured drywall's. The textured look will give the effect of bumps or ripples. A lot of modern homes will also use smooth drywall which almost looks like glass. Many older homes have plaster on their walls which looks like putty has been trawled on a lath. In commercial buildings the lath will be metal, on wallboard's it will by gypsum lath, and in pre-1930 homes, the lath will be wooden strips. The finished product will look a lot like the drywall you find in modern homes however the plaster is much more brittle and hard.

Preparing for the Painter: You will need to move anything that could get in the way of where the painter needs to go. You should cover your furniture with drop cloths and move them away from the walls to protect it. You will want to make sure that your baseboards and corners are clean. Usually the painters will take the time to cover the floor and tape anything that needs to be protected.

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The Right Paint Colors For Your Home

With the housing market the way it is, you will want to do everything you can to sell your home quickly and at the right price. A lot of things can help you sell your home this way including curb appeal, setting it at the right price, and painting. Most people may not think of the painting as something that will factor into the home sale, but it definitely is. Right before you put your home on the market you should paint at least one room. Buyers will come in your home and smell the fresh paint and know that the house is up to date and that you take care of the house. You should paint a lot of different things in your home. This article will help you know what you should be painting as well as the right colors for each room.

Some of the most important things to paint are on the outside of your home. The door, garage and outside walls all can use a fresh paint to bring the curb appeal up. Neutral colors are usually best on the outside, but clever painters can work of their scenery and do great things.

In fact, neutral colors are best for the rest of your house as well. As much as you may love the yellow walls in your kitchen, a buyer may not. Buyers tend to like white or something close to it. The two rooms that you need to focus on the most is the bathroom and the kitchen. These are the two rooms that buyers tend to look at when they want to see if the home is up to date. In the kitchen, the cabinets are a big part of it. Cabinets that are not too crazy in the color scheme is definitely best. Although buyers tend to go toward white cabinets, any type of brown also works well. It is up to you if you want to change you cabinets, and even light fixtures to enhance all the color in the room.

For bathrooms, you do not want to use more than two colors in the whole scheme. This not only includes the walls, but the tiles and water fixtures as well. Most bathrooms still have the white sink, bath, and shower. This is perfect because the white plus one color scheme works for almost any bathroom. People will tend to look at the bathroom and if there are a lot of non-neutral colors in there, then it can make someone not want your whole house because the bathroom does not appeal to them. Do not let this happen and keep to the two color scheme.

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Home Improvement With Minimalist Style

If you're trying to find just the right look for a small space, try home improvements with the minimalist look in mind where the focus is on less over more. Minimalist style is a simplistic style where you basically have only a few pieces of accents without a lot of color.

Now minimalism doesn't mean boring. On the contrary, it can be very much the modern way to go or it can be retro.

Born out of the post World War II Minimalist Movement in some other art forms, the minimalist style is for those who are said to see their homes as they would see an oasis of order amidst a world of chaos and clutter. However, note that Minimalist decorating is not basics, stripped down. It just means that there will be a purpose for each item you choose.

And with Minimalist home improvements, there will be an overall good feel in the area with orderliness, clean cut lines, order, no waste needless frivolous adornments.

This means:

- No powerful bursts of color.
- Wall colors are generally white based cool greens, teals and coral.
- Space-making effect with light on smooth white walls.
- Absence of textured relief.
- Architectural features are visible
- Objects used in decoration will be the central focus.

Most minimalist fabrics are sleek, smooth and soft to the touch. Forget about fabric window treatments or windows trimmed out. Preferred are 90 degree plastered corner beads and wood flooring is butt joined plank, flawlessly smooth and shiny.

Base moldings are linear, used for the function of covering the wall to floor gap, not for the purpose of being noticed for its profile design. Kitchen cabinetry is lacquered to a super high shine and topped with polished granite.

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Concept of Modern Furniture Design

MODERN BEDROOM FURNITURE

Modern furniture design recognizes the role of furniture as being more than just tools for specific use. Traditional design heavily depended on the cultural and technological orientation of the users. The more sophisticated a person is, the more sophisticated were his appliances. The social and economic class also determined the perception of various models and stereotypes for home fittings, fixtures and accessories.

In more advanced societies, the home furnishings defined the status of the owner. The royalties for example had special furnishings made by specific carpenters. In fact, in some communities, it was against law to own the same type of appliances as the king. Religion also determined the design concepts and requirements for chair, table, sofa, stool, bed etc. All movables like desk, bookshelf, wardrobe, sideboard used in religious rites such as church worship in the Buddha temple was specially designed.

Therefore, unlike traditional design that was determined by the social orientation, the contemporary designs are more personalized, sophisticated and need oriented. There is no more restriction on what an individual may desire in his home appliances.

Personal space is a major consideration when designing modern day household items. Perspective is created by the shapes and color scheme. The texture is also manipulated to achieve aesthetically pleasing design. In a workplace, furniture designs have continued to evolve from a closed workstation to a more open and shared workstations.

Technological advances have also forced a change in modern fabrication of home appliances. Remember the introduction of network cable and the resultant tables that provided the space for cabling? Now with the wireless internet and intranet technologies, the design of modern home accessories had to drop off some of the unnecessary parts. Then shrinking computers have also meant that we no longer need large desks that held the big desktops. Technology is indeed forcing a rapid change in modern office furniture designs.

Contemporary design concepts continue to be inspired by some traditional designs. The Indian and Italian furnishings are examples of traditional furniture that have inspired modern designers.

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Interior Decorating Your Bedroom Can Be Fun

The bedroom is the most personal space in your house. Have you done it up in a way that makes it calming and relaxing where you love to spend time? Or is it just a place where you sleep at night with a bed and a few pillows thrown in? If it is, then it's time to change. Whatever your budget might be, you can turn your bedroom into a romantic love nest to spend time with your special someone, or a place where you can retreat to with a book for some 'me' time.

Doing the interior decoration of your bedroom can be fun and fulfilling. Create a space where you can recharge your batteries after a stressful day at work. Personalize it the way you want instead of bothering with what people will think of it.

Girl's Bedroom Design Ideas - Suitable Color Combinations Are a Must,

Girl's bedroom design ideas consist of a lot of options but just a splash of color here and there will not make it work. Most girls love color but that has to be presented in a suitable quantity for it to work. The first most important thing for a girl's bedroom design is to choose a theme.

Once you choose a theme, you get the idea of how to decorate the rest of the room. In this article, we shall discuss a few of these themes and how they can be accommodated in a girl's bedroom design idea.

The waves of the ocean are a good theme for a girl's bedroom. Now this is something that does not only consist of water but also different aquatic plants and animals. This can be very colorful and done in a very nice way so that if you love blue or have a fetish for the sea, you are bound to love this.

Ocean theme also includes the beach which in contrast to the blue will be sunny and sandy. The yellow floor, the watery blue walls and the blue sky ceiling form a good combination.

Starlight is another theme which is a favorite among girls. This theme can also be used for boy's bedroom design ideas. This is a relatively easy theme to do because there are a lot of wallpapers and fabrics that can help you with this. If you decide to do it yourself, you can do that also.

You can create your own star patterns and color them likewise. Professional can also be hired but you can do it at home with the help of sponges and rubber stamps. Furniture can be decorated accordingly and you can have a star shaped rug to complete the picture.

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Bedroom Paint Color Schemes and Design Ideas

Bedroom paint color schemes can help you redo your entire home. Often the bedroom is one of the last rooms to be decorated in a home simply because it's not open to the rest of the house. In typical fashion you might be putting yourself last even though it's your room. Use paint to transform your space on a budget.

You might want to go for a bolder master bedroom paint to make a big impact or add intimacy to a large space. You can make your room modern by going with a contemporary black or deep charcoal color. Paint one wall in a deep color to be the focal point of the space. If you have a low platform bed then paint the wall behind it darker to give the allusion of height and add importance to the room. The rest of the walls should be neutral and you may find that you want to add extra lighting to keep the room from becoming depressing.

You can still use black paint colors for bedrooms even if you aren't feeling daring. Start out with taupe walls; you can even use subtle damask wallpaper for a touch of elegance. Then paint your furniture black. This will give importance to a traditional four poster bed and lend a contemporary air. Make the room sparkle with crystal chandeliers and lamps to give your room a look of a fancy hotel suite.

You'll want to choose tones that are relaxing to create a space that you can actually sleep in such as pale green bedroom paint. Shades of gray, lavender and blue can also create a calming atmosphere. You might want to go for a monochromatic color scheme so that you don't break up the space. You can use different tones of the same color on moldings, doors and the walls. You can even keep the furniture in the same color family. Even if you are going for neutral ivories and browns the space will still be interesting because of the different textures and shades.

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Japanese Bedroom Design

Japanese culture has always been a source of great curiosity and awe due to the serenity it evokes as a result of its simplicity and minimalism. Due to the stressfulness at the office, more and more homeowners have chosen to emulate the tranquility of Japanese bedroom design. Being in a Japanese inspired bedroom provides quietude and calmness, away from the bustle of the modern world.


In designing a Japanese-themed bedroom, one has to consider the salient aspects vital in Japanese design. Japanese bedrooms are marked by simplicity and minimalism for a pared-down look. Careful thought is put into Japanese bedroom designs. Each piece is carefully considered, not only for aestheticism, but, more importantly, for function. Moreover, furniture placing and type symbolize the Zen philosophy that the Japanese believe in.

Use of natural materials and natural light also defines Japanese style. Natural materials such as stones and wood are used for a low-key look that is equally appealing to the senses. Since natural light would be the main source of illumination, lighting fixtures are either concealed or recessed or are altogether minimized. The use of muted colors, such as greens and grays, are also helpful in minimizing visual "noise" and business, a vital aspect of achieving serenity and tranquility.

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Holiday Decorating with Antique Grainsacks of Interior House

Everyone who regularly reads Willow Decor knows my love (obsession?!) with antique grainsacks. So can you imagine how excited I was when textile artist, Kym Fraser, of 3 Fine Grains sent me photos of her new Antique Grainsack Holiday Collection.
Kym transforms authentic antique German grainsacks, hessian and french jute into gorgeous pillows and throws, but what to do with the small scraps of the precious material that is left over? Well Kym has designed these extra pieces of history into the most wonderful Christmas ornaments and stockings.
Above is her Christmas star made out of French Hessian with real antique glass buttons.
Another star fabricated from a striped German grainsack.

One of my favorite designs is the Dove. This lovely little gem is made from 100 year old antique linen and an antique glass button eye.
Hanging in front of the Dove is an antique button over an antique spoon ornament.
Here's another one for that special mother in your life - (I hope my children are reading this!) Plain small hearts and large hearts are also available, as well as partridges. Kym's ornaments range from $10 to $15.
My other favorite items in Kym's Holiday Collection are her antique hessian and French jute stockings.

They come with a ruffled or striped cuff made from 100 year old antique linen. The striped stocking is $65 and the Ruffled $75. Surely Santa would appreciate these beauties and pack them full of goodies!!

Finally, an antique German grainsack finds new life as Christmas tree. Contact Kym directly for more information on this one of kind item. Notice that Kym also used jute upholstery webbing as garland for her tree. You can learn more about using jute upholstery webbing in home decor in my post here. Now here is the exciting part; contact Kym between now and December 6 and mention Willow Decor in comment line and you will receive 10% off your purchase. If you are interested in any of these items please contact 3 Fine Grains. Happy decorating!!!

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To see more of Kym's designs visit Trouvais.

Fitting a Shower Into a Small Bathroom

Is the only problem with your home the fact that the bathroom is so tiny? These small necessary rooms were often tucked into unused corners or built in closets so as to be unobtrusive and take up less space when they were added after an older house was built. Even in modern homes, bathrooms can be small, because builders prefer to use the space that's available in other ways. Due to this lack of foresight by some homebuilders and remodelers, many homeowners are at a loss for how they can redo their bathrooms to make them look larger while still adding a desired shower stall.

Unless you absolutely have to have a bathtub in your small bath, you might consider not having one at all. After all, a bathtub needs to be large to accommodate all sizes of users, and it takes up a lot of room in a small space. Eliminating it means that you can add a spacious shower stall in same amount of room formerly occupied by your tub or put in a smaller stall that will open the room up even more. Before you make a drastic move like getting rid of your tub altogether, though, stop and consider the fact that in doing so you're not only going to deprive yourself of an occasional long, relaxing soak, but you'll also be lowering the value of your home to potential buyers who expect to find a bathtub in every bathroom. Of course, if you have more than one bathroom, this may not be a major issue.

If you do decide to opt for a shower stall instead of a tub, choose an enclosure with clear glass which will open the room up so much more than opaque glass will. Clear glass is ultra-modern and will give your bathroom a much more spacious look. If you keep your tub and put a shower nozzle over it like so many people do, be sure to add either clear glass doors that can be pushed back to open up the space or a shower curtain which you can tuck away into one corner. Anything that breaks up the space is going to make the room look smaller, so you'll want to opt for clear, unobtrusive accessories no matter which way you decide to go.

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Bathroom Remodeling Ideas

Bathroom remolding is one of the best things that you can do for you home. Imagine this. Starting every morning in your beautiful bathroom with all the amenities you need and love. A bathroom is the place where you start your day, and remodeling your bathroom and turning it into a place you love can make your days start off right! There are many things to consider when want to start your bathroom remodeling project from budget to finishing touches. Your bathroom is one of the most important room in your house so it should be a place that you enjoy being.

Before you start remodeling your bathroom you need to come up with a budget and a plan. Keep in mind when you come up with the budget for your bathroom to add extra money for things that can and will go wrong. After you decide how much money you want to spend, you can narrow it down to the types of fixtures that you want in your bathroom. Next think about how you want the bathroom to look. There are many different resources available for bathroom remodeling ideas, and its always helpful to look at pictures of bathrooms to get ideas for your project. You may not no how you want to remodel your bathroom until you see a picture of a perfect one. Because remodeling a full bathroom may be out of you budget, I have put together a list of the top bathroom remodeling ideas. These products will help you get the most out of your bathroom on a small budget.

First thing to greatly improve your bathroom experience is a new showerhead. They now have multi-jet bathroom showerheads that will please just about anyone. Another simple project for a bathroom is to get heated bathroom tiles. There is nothing more comforting to getting out of a hot shower and stepping on heated tiles. Another small bathroom remodeling project is installing steam showers. There are now fixtures that have a steam option, so you can decide if you want to go in for a full shower, or just relax in the steam.

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Bathroom Shower Tile Ideas

Nowadays designing the bathroom following different themes has become a trend. To make your bathroom look luxurious yet comfortable, you must choose tiles of perfect colors. You must also go for a proper bathroom shower tile ideas as it will add up to the splendor of your bathroom. These shower tiles are found in various shapes and designs and each of these designs is found in different price ranges.


Thus, while selecting your bathroom shower tile ideas, firstly you will need to decide on your budget and then select the materials accordingly. You can get bathroom shower tiles made of different materials, for example, stone, cobble stone, marble, glass etc.


Very common mistake that most people make is that they spend many bucks for buying beautiful curtains and accessories. You must realize the fact that, having a great bathroom shower tile idea can provide a wonderful ambience to your bathroom at a much lower cost. Choosing the right color of the shower tiles will depend on the size of the bathroom. If the size of the bathroom is small, it is preferred to use light color tiles, as due to more reflection of light, the bathroom will seem to look bigger.

There is also another easy process of decorating your tiles. You can change the colors of your old tiles by painting them according to the theme you chose from different bathroom shower tile ideas. You can use multiple colors to make the bathroom look more attractive.

The painting procedure must be carried out carefully. It is advisable to use enamel paint for the shower tiles as they are highly water resistant and also resistant to frequent changes of temperature which are quite common for any bathroom.

You can also make the painting procedure easier by using stencils to decorate the area around the shower. Stencils are very convenient to use, cheap to buy and are available in any local crafts store. You can buy the stencils according to the theme of your decoration. The popular themes available are waves, beach balls and others.

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Some Ideas of Bathroom Decoration

Today a bathroom is not only considered as the place to take a shower. A bathroom can be seen as the space or room to set your mood in the morning. You can also spend your private time in this room. Therefore, decorating bathroom is important to gain the perfect look and make the room to be more comfortable and cozy. So, these are going to give you some ideas of bathroom decoration to help you determine decoration for your bathroom.

Let us start from the master bathroom. The master bathroom is also known as the luxury bathroom. Basically, this room includes at least a toilet, two sinks, bidet, separate tub and shower, whirlpool or spa and maybe more. This room usually has wider space than the other bathroom.

Instead of master bathroom, there is also half bathroom which only contains a toilet and sink. Moreover, the full bathroom commonly includes shower combo and bathtub along with it, while the smaller bathroom maybe just include shower area stall rather than both bathtub and shower.

If you love to spend long time to take shower in the tub to relax, you can add the aroma of candle and relaxing music so that you can obtain a spa-like feel in your bath. Or, you can also insert some luxury items to be your bathroom decoration like the exercise equipments, mini-refrigerators, saunas, see-through fireplaces, and even flat panel televisions that can be mounted on walls to really pamper you.

There are several styles of bathroom decoration that you can apply for. Some of the styles are contemporary, modern, Victorian, and traditional bathroom decoration. You can choose the style which will go well with your home decoration or you can just follow your own taste.

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