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Adding storage to a makeup vanity can help make the entire room seem less cluttered. Add storage to a makeup vanity with help from a registered interior designer in this free video clip.
Decorating clothes with buttons is a great way to give your creations a really fun and interesting look. Learn about decorating clothes with buttons with help from an award-winning evening wear designer in this free video clip.
Combi steamers combine convection and steam cooking methods. Learn how a combi steamer is used with help from a registered interior designer in this free video clip.
A slate backsplash fits into a very particular decorating style. Learn what decorating style is a slate backsplash with help from a registered interior designer in this free video clip.
Lean-to style sheds are ideal storage solutions for front porches because they are designed to lean against another structure for support. A lean-to features a roof pitched in one direction, resembling one-half of a shed. This design is for a 6-foot wide, 4-foot deep lean-to, but the dimensions are easily adjustable to fit the available space on your front porch. This lean-to works especially well for homes without a garage or mudroom because you can discreetly store everything from bicycles to muddy shoes.
Using a standard color negative in the DTR process is similar to developing a photo without the DTR composite. The main difference is that when developing a DTR photo, you need to use a DTR coating before transferring the image to your media, whether it is video or photo. When applying the coating, take care to ensure that the room stays dark and you are not interrupted. When possible, choose a room that has two doors so that you can leave and enter the room without letting light into your photo editing room.
Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 provides options that complement the text and content of your presentation. Creating a background for your PowerPoint slide provides visual interest for your viewers. The “Design” tab on the command ribbon helps you refine a background for one slide or the whole presentation. As examples, a background can comprise a time-saving, built-in theme or a custom theme with an image file of your company logo.
Small hay wagons can be versatile and fun additions to your landscape, allowing you to decorate them seasonally or according to your favorite holidays. The small hay wagon is usually a replica of larger ones used to haul tons of hay from field to barn. Such a wagon would have at least one open side, four wooden or metal wagon wheels and a long wooden or metal hitch. Instead of being made of steel for practical hauling, these small wagons are replicas of wooden hay wagons prevalent in a different era that are still used in Amish communities.
If you want to announce that you're becoming a grandmother on Facebook, it's always a good idea to have a little fun with the whole scenario. Learn about fun ways to announce that you're becoming a grandmother on Facebook with help from a director and producer of media content in this free video clip.
Choosing colors for your office requires you to keep a few very important things in mind. Learn about colors for offices with help from an experienced designer in this free video clip.
You can make granola right in the comfort of your own home so long as you have the proper ingredients. Make granola at home with help from a private chef in this free video clip.
Sometimes it's the little things that matter most -- especially when it comes to decorating and updating your home. Even in a large renovation, it's often the small finishing touches that make all the difference, and it's the accessories that can be changed easily to fit with the trends. So why not skip the major projects and see if a few inexpensive changes can energize and modernize your space? The biggest tricks of the trade might actually entail the smallest of steps. All you might need is a free day and a few dollars to make major things happen in…
A headshot is a photographic technique where the focus of the picture is on someone's face. Get tips for shooting your own headshots at home with help from a fitness and nutrition expert in this free video clip.
Made in America is more than a slogan. For some, it signals a desire among home decor consumers and retailers alike to buy and sell items that came from this county. “People want to buy American,” said Jo Ann Miller-Marshall, executive vice president of trade shows for AmericasMart in Atlanta. “Our exhibitors are emphasizing their made-in-America products or lines in their showrooms, something they didn’t do a few years ago. It didn’t matter as much to retailers or to consumers. But now it does. "People feel that when you buy American you are creating jobs or helping keep jobs in…
The only thing better than a chocolate chip frappuccino is a double chocolate chip frappuccino made right at home. Make a double chocolate chip frappuccino at home with help from the owner of a coffee shop and a coffee consultant in this free video clip.
Green products are more popular than ever, where the eco-friendly movement has gone from fringe to mainstream. But going green isn't just about the product itself. It entails other aspects, like the manufacturing process and even how far the products are shipped. And it's not just about new. Just as important is reuse -- making your own creations out of things you already have around the house.
You don't have to run out to the nearest cafe to make a nice cafe espresso. Make cafe espresso at home with help from a longtime coffee industry professional in this free video clip.
Just because you want to make a frappuccino at home doesn't mean you have to use coffee. Learn how to make a frappuccino at home without coffee with help from a longtime professional in the coffee industry in this free video clip.
Sunporches create the perfect outdoor space during the spring and summer months. You can entertain guests on your porch, enjoy a cool drink or relax with a good book. But if your sunporch lacks style and charm, you might avoid this area of your house. Rather than cast off your sunporch, transform this space into an inviting oasis. Decorating can often be costly, but a few cost-effective methods can help you add style to your porch.
Faux finishing allows you to create the look of a certain material or surface without dealing with the cost or labor involved in using the actual material. A plain wooden table can be made to look like one carved from -- or at least topped with -- stone. It doesn't take a great artist to create a faux stone tabletop, though it may take some practice to learn the technique. For best results, pick up some extra scraps of wood to test your skills on before embarking on your main project.
Perk up your home and enhance its curb appeal with a front porch overhang. This addition to your home can give your family an additional space to spend time together as well as give your house a more inviting feel. When planning this project, take the style of your home, the needs of new electrical systems, the pitch of the roof and your area’s building codes into consideration.
Louvers are parallel, angled, usually horizontal slats or flat strips placed at regular intervals in a furnishing. They are most commonly seen in window treatments such as shutters and blinds. A pine louver is simply this type of feature made of pine wood. In addition to their aesthetic effect, louvers have functionality that make them advantageous in certain parts of a home.
Refinishing your home's exterior with a rough finishing technique can bring new life to old, worn-looking masonry. Whether you want to improve the weather-resistance of your walls or give your house a facelift, you can rough-finish your walls on your own with a few supplies and basic techniques.
Veggie smoothies are a great snack that you can make right in the comfort of your own home. Make veggie smoothies at home for kids with help from a food expert in this free video clip.
Gunmetal is similar in appearance to the natural bluing that occurs to metal, including firearms, after years of exposure to heat. Achieving this dark blue, oxidized finish on the metal products around your home, including stair rails and metal sconces, is possible with metal finishing gel. The gel is applied to a clean surface and allowed to react with the metal until the desired depth of color is achieved. Before the first drop of finishing gel is applied, prep your metal to prevent any unwanted discolorations or imperfections.
Moving into a new apartment can be an adventure, but it can also feel limiting, as most leases bar any big design changes. Even though you don't own the property and can’t make drastic renovations, that doesn’t mean you can’t make it feel like home -- and you don't need drills, bits and hammers in order to make it happen.
The English language can be quite confusing, particularly when it comes to words that sound the same but mean two entirely different things. It can be tricky to use a word in the correct context. With a few fun tips and activities, you will be able to remember which word to use in what context.
Save space in small storage areas by installing sliding doors to close up an open storage space or to eliminate the need for opening doors outward. Sliding doors are easy to install in an existing opening. You also can change the look of a built-in cabinet or bookshelf in any room of the house to create a partially or entirely enclosed storage area with sliding doors.
The arrangement of desks in a classroom is one way that a teacher can help add variety to the students' experience. Rearranging the desks can help students work in groups and facilitate interaction. However, teachers must be sure that the desks are arranged in a way that does not isolate any students or make it hard for them to see the chalkboard.
A front porch harkens back to a gentler time of year, when the evenings were cool, but not cold and the daytime sun was bright and hot. There's nothing quite like sitting out on the porch protected from the heat of midday and the buzzing of unfriendly mosquitoes or no-see-ums. If you decide to put a front porch on your house, there are a few things you should think about before starting to build.
Commercial denture cleansers can be costly, and many of them have mysterious ingredients. Using a homemade denture cleanser erases all of your concerns since you control the products that go into it and the price. As a bonus, you can get rid of the unsightly stains from nicotine, food, soda, tea and coffee and sanitize your dentures. The ingredients for a safe homemade denture cleanser suitable for everyday use can be found in your kitchen pantry.
Plum has a rich, romantic and sophisticated look, making it a favored color for walls, furnishings, pottery and floral arrangements. Deep plum shades stand out even more when paired with other complementary light colors. Balance the room by featuring decor that showcases both light and dark shades to go with plum leather sofas, accent walls and rugs.
A fireplace mantel, not a big-screen television, should be the focal point of the room. Creating an architecturally interesting mantel ensures that whenever the living or family room is entered, what is seen first is the fireplace mantel and not any other decorative elements of the room. Turning your mantel into the center piece is not as difficult as it sounds. Before choosing the correct method, consider the overall decorative style of your home.You don’t want to modernize your mantel if the rest of your house is classic, just as you don’t want to choose a classic stone covered mantel…
Cultures across the world began using mosaics as decorations thousands of years ago. Colorful bits of broken tile, arranged randomly or crafted into pictures then glued in place or set in mortar, create a permanent installation that personalizes a space. Make a rough sketch of your design before you begin and use colors that complement your home. Once complete, the mosaic porch is a durable surface that's easy to clean and stands up to the elements.
Besides finishing the look of a fireplace, a mantle serves as an area to display pictures, trophies, knickknacks and other items. If you are ready to install a mantel above your fireplace, you must provide enough clearance between the two to avoid a fire hazard.
If you're looking for a way to make your outdoor living more comfortable or you'd like to make use of space surrounding your front porch, expanding the porch can accomplish either of these things. Expanding your porch doesn't require an entire remodel, as you can use furniture, temporary enclosures and structures, and even plants to expand the porch and allow it to mesh with its natural surroundings.
For many families, the front porch is an extension of home -- a place to welcome guests or gather on summer evenings. Wood and concrete are the most common materials for porches, and both have their merits. Drive through your neighborhood to find examples of porches you like before you talk to a contractor.
In a rustic room design, the charm of a fireplace provides a natural focal point. For the fireplace to coordinate with the simple and unpolished decor of the room, the mantel and the hearth must have a rustic appearance as well. In a rustic decor, wood is a natural choice for decorative elements such as the fireplace mantel.
A handrail adds character and safety to a front porch. Although railings vary in styles and designs, constructing and installing a basic assembly that features an upper and lower horizontal rail and vertical spindles in between is a straightforward procedure. Include sturdy railing posts along the span of a long rail to support the structure. Depending on personal preference, paint or stain the handrail so it stands out, or leave the wood structure as it is so it adds rustic charm to the landscape.
A doorbell consists of little more than a switch, a power supply, and a bell or buzzer. Electricity flows down one wire from the power supply to the bell or buzzer and back to the power supply along a second wire. Somewhere along the second wire, a button switch opens and closes the circuit. When the button is depressed, the circuit is complete and the bell rings. The rest of the time, the circuit is broken and the bell is silent.
Drywall panels feature beveled edges on their long sides and flat edges on their shorter ends. Where the flat ends of two panels meet, there is no beveled seam recession, so the joint compound can form a bump over the seam, marring the flat look of the wall. Careful panel layout and butt finishing techniques reduce the problem.
Arches not only provide additional support to doorways, but can also liven up an entryway. Installing an arch doorway takes very little time and contributes greatly to the appeal of any room, requiring very basic carpentry skills. Arches can be added to any doorway, irrespective of width and preferred design.
Cottage porch architecture is as varied as cottage architecture itself. Many styles are referred to as "cottages," ranging from the streamlined sophistication of Craftsman architecture to the storybook appearance of Cotswold cottages. Craftsmanship in the details of cottage-style porch construction is a defining characteristic, as are an intimate scale and emphasis on comfort. The magnetic quality of cottage porches is in the social activity they invite. Stay consistent with your favorite cottage style for the porch, but capture cottage feeling in the welcome it extends.
The front of a home is very important. It is the first thing to convey messages to visitors about the style of the occupants -- that famous “first impression.” When selling a home its frontage determines curb appeal, an impact that often that decides a potential purchaser’s interest level before they even set foot inside. A hip-roofed covered porch need not be a utilitarian feature that keeps callers dry and gives you somewhere to climb out of dirty footwear; it can be a beautifying feature that adds character and style.
Whether you're setting up for a post-game picnic or celebrating a baseball-themed wedding, there's more than one way to decorate a baseball-themed table. With the right decor, you can combine your love of the game with your stylistic sensibilities -- after all, there's more to decorating a table than slapping down a tablecloth and a centerpiece. Focus in on a cohesive design, and your baseball-themed table will be a grand slam.
Design and decoration inside of a house can alter the way in which the house appears. Optical illusions created through lighting, color, arrangement and spacial positioning can make an area appear larger. This method works best when working with small spaces, as the right mix of interior design elements can project the image of a much larger, wider and more open area.
No matter what your home decorating style is, neutral colors will complement it. Neutral colors are versatile in that they blend with both light and dark hues. Neutrals are often used in home decorating to tone down bright hues or tie two contrasting colors together. Work neutrals into a room to lighten the look or start with neutral-hued furniture and introduce other colors into the scheme.
Before the emergence of Victorian design styles in the mid-19th century, the British embraced the geometry, order and symmetry of classic Greek and Roman architecture. Neoclassicism was an antidote to the excessively elaborate design styles, such as Baroque, that grew out of the Renaissance. British interior design underwent changes as industrialism and mass production opened up products and choices to the middle class that were once available only to high society. The simple balance of Neoclassical symmetry shifted in Victorian interior design to symmetry, harmony and pattern.
Audio racks come in a variety of sizes and space heights to suit user application and equipment needs. Used to mount audio components adhering to industry width and height standards, racks serve to consolidate equipment in stationary or mobile environments. Racks help minimize cable obstructions by rear interconnection of audio components and allow easy access to device controls and front-mounted patch cable devices.
Design conventions evolve over time because they work either in terms of physical convenience or safety. Eventually, they end up in standards or building codes and are used, not just because convention has become law, but because these design elements just look right due to familiarity. Fireplace mantel and mantel shelf height provides an example of such a convention.
