Choosing the right lighting for your home can either enhance your decor or keep it in the dark. If you’ve gone through the hard work of setting a beautiful scene in your common areas, make sure that you illuminate it by using a variety of lighting intensities and fixtures. You can flip through design magazines and check exclusive home sites like AchicaLiving for ideas. But in the meantime, here’s a guide to choosing your lighting.

Recessed Lighting

If your home possesses a more modern mood due to your decor choices in artwork and furniture, recessed lighting is a wise choice, especially for common areas like the living room, because they can be installed to flood a particular space with light, such as a piece of artwork. Recessed lights look best on high ceilings, and they are multifunctional because you can install dimmer dials that allow you to adjust the lighting easily.

Wall Lighting

You can also create a focal point in the living room with wall lighting, which is a good choice if you have a small common space that you would like to make appear larger. Wall lighting is usually used in proximity to seating areas, and it can also be paired with a warm paint colour to create interesting visual effects.

Floor Lamps

Another common choice for living rooms is floor lamps, which are a good source of light to place near an armchair or sofa. This is a classic choice that can be easily updated as your home decor evolves. Floor lamps also offer the flexibility of being moved around the home if you decide to rearrange furniture or find yourself in need of more lighting in a particular room.

Kitchen Lighting

In the kitchen, recessed lighting under cabinets also serves multiple purposes. Not only does it make cooking easier, but it can also serve to highlight the appearance of a granite or marble counter top. And when you decide to entertain, having cabinet lighting makes your kitchen a more inviting place for guests. If your kitchen has an island counter top, it can be perfectly complimented with pendant lights in a set of three or four that hang overhead from chords. The focal point of this kind of lighting is the actual fixture, so it gives you a chance to pick out a unique style that will serve as the statement piece of your kitchen.

Exterior Lighting

Once you have chosen the lighting for your home’s interior, you should also consider exterior lighting. This is a must-have to ensure the safety of your family as well as to send a warning sign to would-be intruders that they are not welcome. Flood lights and wall sconces are popular choices, both because they look great and they serve a purpose. Finding the right amount of light for outdoors can be tricky, however. You don’t want to make it too bright because it will lose its aesthetic value and it will also cost you more in energy bills. However, if it is too dim, it loses its functionality. In order to strike a balance, observe the lighting of houses around you, or pay a visit to your neighbourhood association if you have one.

When choosing lighting, keeping a focus on variety and functionality is key. And once you have the right lighting, you’ll find it much easier to set the mood for each occasion.

Top tips for removing an old kitchen

Removing an old kitchen may not always be straightforward. If you are simply intending to replace something from the 80’s or 90’s in a fairly new house, it’s unlikely you’ll encounter too many problems. However, if you are working in an old building with a very old kitchen and some dubious appliances, make sure you plan well and take appropriate precautions.

Old buildings often throw up unique challenges, and when it comes to old kitchens, you are bound to have a few surprises. Remember the following:

1) If you are dealing with an old building, with old utilities and white goods, always ensure you seek the advice of a qualified engineer before you start. Working with old gas pipes and electrics can be extremely dangerous. Watch out for asbestos and other dangerous building materials too and seek professional advice if you have any concerns.

2) Ideally, ask a gas engineer or electrician to disconnect and remove old white goods, ensuring old connections and pipe work are dealt with properly.

3) You may find a lot of old pipe work, hangovers from previous heating, cooking and plumbing systems. It’s a good idea to remove all old, unused material if you are able to.

4) Remove all work surfaces, cabinets and titles with great care; old plaster can easily fall away and in very old buildings walls may have become unsound. If you are in any doubt about the stability of your walls, ask an expert before you start.

5) When the room is free of all cabinets and appliances, make sure you check all the walls for any evidence of damp, dry rot or wet rot that can cause a lot of damage if it is not treated quickly. If you have any concerns, call out a specialist – it will save you a lot of money in the long run.

6) Make sure you dispose of your kitchen responsibly. There are a number of specialist firms who will take care of everything from appliances to woodwork, ensuring all items are disposed of in the correct way.

7) Finally, if you are working in a listed building, you must check you have consent to make your internal alterations, even just replacing a kitchen. If you are in any doubt, contact your local planning office for advice.

When putting in new kitchens, always take time to explore all options and put together a thorough plan.  There are numerous ideas and solutions to suit every taste so it’s worth taking it slowly to get the look and functionality exactly right.  Now may be the time to consider bespoke fitted kitchens, which naturally offer the most tailored approach – particularly important if you are replacing a kitchen in an old building as it has to have the wow factor.

Remember, the kitchen is the hub of the home, so choose wisely and plan carefully.

[contact-form-7]Win a free ticket to attend The Great British Home Show

The Great British Home Show 2012 will be held in Kent’s brand new events venue, Glow, Bluewater, over the Bank Holiday weekend from 31st May to 4th June. They have offered us 10 free tickets for our readers. If you would like to attend just fill in your name and email address in the form below. We will select 10 people at random on April the 12th and they will each get a free ticket. Make sure you fill in your email address correctly because this is the only way we have of contacting you. We will not use your email address for our own marketing nor we will pass your details onto anyone else so filling in this form will not result in any spam emails!

Discounted Tickets

If you do not get any of our free tickets you can buy yours on-line in advance for only £7 by visiting gbhomeshow.co.ukand entering the discount code Bluewater1. You can also call to book tickets on: 0871 2200 260 quoting Bluewater1.

The Great British Home Show 2012

The show’s theme “reveal your hidden home” recognises that people are choosing to stay where they already live and will showcase thousands of inspirational new ideas and products from the best that Britain has to offer.

Alongside hundreds of Great British Home Show exhibitors, there will be a spectacular Diamond Jubilee street party across one level of the Glow complex, complete with a village green, a central bandstand, a sports village and traditional market stalls all surrounded by some amazing gardens designed especially for the show.

There will be demonstrations and advice from celebrity experts including: DIY Expert, Big Brother star Craig Phillips, Architectural Designer, DIY SOS Oliver Heath and Guardian gardening columnist and BBC gardener Alys Fowler.

The Great British Home Show will give visitors a fun-packed family day out, a shopping extravaganza and the country’s biggest exhibition street party. The show has been designed with a single goal in mind: to create a one-stop-shop for everything to do with the home. A ‘must attend’ event for anyone with an interest in interiors, gardens, DIY and design.

The venue, Glow, Bluewater can be easily accessed just off the M25 and M2 in Kent and free parking will be available.

For further information about the show or for any queries, please call The Great British Home Show Team on: 0845 5000 328.

Sash windows have been in use for hundreds of years and are often the crowning glory of a beautiful Edwardian, Victorian or Georgian-style home. A sash window is comprised of multiple panes of glass that are separated by narrow strips of wood. The upper or lower section of the window can be opened completely to allow maximum air ventilation or opened just a little to keep the home secure against break ins and to keep children safe indoors, free of any risk of falling out the window.

Sash Window Wear

Over time, these beautiful windows can begin to suffer from all types of problems caused by wear and weathering, from loose sash joints and broken pulley wheels to rotten timber parts and broken panes of glass. As a result they can begin to rattle and let in the cold drafts as well as spoiling the look of your home both inside and out.

Often the assumption is that the windows have to be replaced which is very expensive and wasteful. Repair is a cost effective option. One of the benefits of timber-built sash windows is each individual section of the window can be repaired or replaced when necessary.

DIY or Open the Door to a Specialist?

Repairing sash windows is not too difficult for an experienced DIY’er, but if you’re strapped for time or feel your DIY skills are not up to it there are a number of specialist companies around that can help restore your beleaguered windows to their original glory.

Furthermore, if the windows are still in good condition, but draughts through the small gaps in between panes are adding to your energy bills, then draught proofing the windows can improve the home’s energy efficiency. Draught proofing the windows will eliminate any rattling, reduce the transfer of outside noises, keep more dust and dirt out of the home and keep the indoors better insulated. When all else fails and the window needs to be replaced, you can always resort to Plan B and fit a new sash window – each comes with a double glazed to ensure maximum home energy efficiency.

We live in the country and spend our time walking, gardening and working on the house. Our clothes are not glamorous but practical - we have a lot of wellies, old jeans and fleeces.  I am a big fan of the fleece.  The DIYer in me loves the fact they are warm and light and the housewife in me loves the fact they are easy to wash, fast to dry and do not need ironing. They were created in 1979 to mimic all the best qualities of wool but at a fraction of the weight.

Most of the time I am happy with my utilitarian wardrobe but sometimes, now and again I long for something that makes me feel slightly less of a tramp. I have tried gardening in flowery wedge sandals and painting the house in a fancy t-shirt but these clothes choices are not exactly practical are they.  So my husband and I decided that maybe we should try a branded fleece rather than the £5 bargain models we are used to.

A quick perusal of the internet shows there are hundreds of designer fleeces out there priced around £50 – GULP!  First thing to note is that most of them can be found at greatly reduced rates if you are prepared to spend a few minutes looking for the right online shop.  I could find most of the ones I was interested in retailing at about £30. So I could buy one fancy fleece or 6 cheap ones.

I looked at my huge stack of cheap ones – no pockets, faded colours, no shape and gaping cuffs that let in all the bad weather.  Not one of them was passable even for a night in the pub. So I bit the bullet and bought a size 14 Regatta ladies fleece for me and XL Helly Hanson fleece for my husband from ebrookes.co.uk. We then put them through their paces in the garden, in bad weather and through the wash cycle.  Read how they did below.

Regatta Womens Lustrelight Fleece

Regatta Fleece

This fleece is sold as soft and cuddly and the blurb says things like “designed with Thermo Guard technology” and made with “Lustrelight”.  Some internet research revealed that all this meant was the fabric trapped air which makes it warmer. It is designed with two zippable pockets and stretchy tight cuffs to keep out the wind.

On opening the packet and having a good feel I can say that the Regatta fleece really is supper soft, it looks almost velvety but never fear it does not have that tacky look of those nasty furry tracksuits. The greeny/blue mesh liner in the hood add the only colour apart from the zip cord.  It looks nice and fit is good – there is a waist as you can see from the picture but also enough room for a layer or two under it and the cuffs are not too tight.

So how does it stand up to a day’s work?  Well it is very warm and no restriction on your movement.  The cuffs do stop the wind getting up your sleeves and the hood fits well and shades the side of your face. My only niggles are that the sleeves are quite short so if you reach they slide up your arm.  Also there is no fabric strip behind the zip so if you have the hood up the freezing cold zip is pressed into your chin.

It washed well with no lost of shape or colour and was still lovely and cuddly even though I do not use fabric conditioner.

Conclusion

Lovely and warm with a soft texture, good fit and plenty of room for manoeuvre.  Worth the extra money in my opinion.

Helly Hansen Minto Microfleece Jacket

Helly Hanson Fleece

My husband is not an exuberant dresser.  He likes plain things as long as they are black, white or dark blue.  When you couple this with the fact he buys cheap clothes the overall look is not exactly snappy.  I am always trying to get him to choose clothes with a bit of statement to then to add some interest to his wardrobe.

The picture of the Helly Hansen fleece passed his approval test as it looked plain and black. When we unpacked it we both had a very nice surprise.  The picture does not do it justice there are some flashes of colour (orange) here and there and also more shape to the jacket. The overall look is really good.  This one is good enough for the pub and even more relaxed restaurants!

My husband is 6 3″ with muscley shoulders a 44″ chest but no gut.  It is hard to find him clothes that fit his shoulders but do not gape around his waist.  The Helly Hanson cut is perfect for him and frankly he looks really fit. I could hardly be bothered to test it further because it was already worth the money as far as I was concerned.

But I did complete testing so here we go.  There is an extra pocket on the chest and a a fancy zip guard strip (stops the cold zip contacting your skin) which you rarely find on fleeces so these were big ticks. The sleeve length was good with holes for your thumbs if needed.  The slightly snugger cut restricted movement a bit.  It does not have a hood so you need to wear a hat and scarf in bad weather.  It washed well.

Conclusion
Lovely stylish fleece but also high quality item suitbale for work wear.

As temperatures start to climb, insulating your home is perhaps the furthest thing from your mind. Nevertheless, as all of us in the UK are more than aware, this lump of rock that we call home is more than capable of the odd chilly summer night and the subsequent need to switch on the central heating.

One of the biggest impediments to improving a building’s energy and heat retention is cost –there’s little doubt that home insulation can be a very expensive business. It is for this reason that the Green Deal initiative is fantastic news for those homeowners whose bank balances aren’t substantial enough to pay for insulation to be installed.

If your eyes glazed over upon reading “green deal” and you’ve written it off as just another political gimic, then it may be time to reassess as it could ultimately save you lots of cash and contribute towards saving the environment. So, exactly what is the Green Deal and how does it work?

So What Is The Green Deal?

At its heart, the Green Deal is an initiative put together by the coalition government with the aim of making homes more energy efficient and therefore cutting carbon emissions in the UK. The basic theory is that by reducing the heat loss from buildings via the installation of double glazing, modern boilers and better insulation, less energy will be required by homes and therefore less fossil fuel will be expended. All very logical to say the least.

Essentially, the scheme will provide loans to be paid back over time; this ensuring that home owners don’t have to invest a lump sum outright. The loans will cover any of the improvements listed above and will be carried out by approved Green Deal Providers therefore guaranteeing a professional service.

How Does It Work?

It will be surprisingly simple to take advantage of the initiative despite the overly confusing flow charts you may have seen online! Following an expression of interest, a homeowner will be visited by Green Deal assessor who will evaluate a home’s current energy efficiency and eligibility for the scheme. Should the building indeed by suitable, then the assessment can be taken to a Green Deal provider who will then carry out the improvements as suggested.

Upon completion, repayments on the loan will then be made via the building’s electricity bill. While the loan will not be interest free, it will have low rates and therefore should prove cost effective when put in the context of a buildings energy consumption and bill payments.

With the initiative due to launch in autumn, it is believed that further information will be available soon and subsequently homeowners will be able to register their interest in a visit from an assessor. So keep an eye on the news for more details!

3 Essential Requirements for DIY Success

With the costs of living continually on the increase and your household income being stretched, calling in the professionals to carry out repairs or maintenance at home may have become an expense which you can no longer afford. DIY is an affordable alternative to hiring a contractor, and if completed correctly, can be a much more rewarding way to update your property. If you are planning to use the upcoming weekend for a spot of DIY, there are a few things which you should keep in mind. Take a look at three essential requirements for any DIY project to learn how to help your next job run as smoothly as possible.

A Clever and Creative Plan

To fail to prepare is to prepare to fail – and this is never truer than during a DIY project. To achieve the results you are looking for, it is important to have a thorough plan of action in place before you take up your tools and dive in. For simple projects such as putting up some new shelving or constructing a garden shed, a simple drawing complete with measurements should suffice, but for more ambitious undertakings – a new en-suite for example – you should ensure that you have a design that works before you begin.

The plan will help you establish what materials you need and how much, it will help you think through how to break down the job and what order each stage should be tackled in. Drawings can also highlight where you might not have left enough space – for example where doors or drawers have to open or where you need room for people to comfortably walk around furniture or fittings. Think about water pipes and electrical cables – are you in danger of damaging them with your drill and can you run your cabling to the places where you need sockets? A plan will also help you think about what could go wrong and help you avoid accidents and damaging materials.

Even if you are planning to complete the work yourself, you could still get some professional advice to help you develop a plan or design to follow during your DIY project. This is the best way to ensure that your project will always run smoothly, and careful planning at this initial stage could help to save time, and stress, later on.

The Top Tools for the Job

Having the right tools to hand can make the difference between a DIY project which succeeds and one which ends in disaster. Finding tools which are designed for your specific job can help you to work much more efficiently and can ensure a higher quality finish. Whether you are trying your hand at plumbing, plastering or painting, there will be a number of pieces of equipment which should be top of your shopping list. For example grout floats, spacers and finishers are cheap but can make the difference between a job that looks like it was done by chimpanzee and one completed by a professional. Making sure you have the right sized drill bits and ones that are designed for the material you drilling into will not only save you sweating buckets and reduce the risk of injury, it will also reduce the wear on your drill.

In fact, you don’t even have to invest in your own tools, as you can save money and have access to every piece of equipment you could ever need by using a tool hire company. Just make sure that you know how to use any complicated equipment before plugging in the power tools, as wasted materials and unexpected injuries can ruin any DIY project.

Tidy Up with Skip Hire

Once you have successfully completed your DIY project, it will be time to tidy up. However small the job you have undertaken, you are sure to have some building waste left over, whether this consists of some excess timber, your old bathroom suite, or the masonry from a garage you have demolished.

Skip hire can help you to dispose of any rubbish safely and efficiently. When you are looking for a responsible way to dispose of waste, skip hire from a firm who place an emphasis on recycling can help to minimise the environmental impact of your building work. This is the most effective way to clear your home of any rubbish, and can provide the perfect finishing touch to your DIY project.

If you have caught the DIY bug and are ready to renovate, refurbish or redesign your home, remember to plan ahead, make sure that you have the right tools, and finally, don’t forget to tidy up. Ensure that you follow these top tips and you can enjoy some DIY success when you embark upon your next project, and avoid a DIY disaster.

Written by Hayley Francis on behalf of AMA Waste Management; a professional company providing skip hire with a commitment to recycling and protecting the environment.

Forced Air Heating

35 million homes in the USA use a home heating system called Forced Hot Air run by a gas furnace. The gas furnace heats air which is circulated around the house via ducting and fans. These heating systems are not very common in the UK because they can be noisy and they require extensive ducting throughout the property which is very expensive to install if they were not part of the original house design.

Electric Heaters

Using electric heaters is just one way to introduce warmth to any room. And, for the family on a tight budget, electric offers a distinct advantage over other forms of heating. This type of heating will improve efficiency by giving you control over electrical consumption as you can easily control which rooms you heat and when, while maintaining low installation and maintenance costs. Electric heaters are affordable standalone units meaning you can invest gradually in your heating system.

There are an increasing range of heater types on the market allowing you to select options ideal for each room too. Ther are traditional radiators, oil and water panels. Infrared heaters can look like pictures and provide fast heat. Towel radiators are a great idea for bathrooms and kitchens as they not only give the homeowner a great amount of comfort by keeping your towels dry and warm; they also heat the room as well.

Hydronic or Water Heating

Hydronic heating systems use water by pushing it through pipes into radiators as a heating method. If your home is already heated by hot water the cost will mainly come from buying and installing your new heaters, new copper pipes, and if necessary a new oil or gas boiler. Though it is more efficient to use the small, sleek hydronic baseboard radiator heater units, they are also available in cast iron and steel.

This can be a very efficient way to heat large areas but you need to ensure that your boiler is well serviced. Check your boilers age and efficiency rating, although they are expensive to replace newer models can provide much better performance and energy efficiency.

Before You Buy Checklist

Before you commit to buying a heater you should carefully consider the following points:

• Setting a budget limit and sticking to it.
• The size of the room(s) and the amount of heat you want.
• The type of material: aluminium, cast iron, or steel.
• The colour and style: contemporary, classic, industrial, or modern. It should blend with the décor and colour scheme of the room.
• Determine the size of the heater: wall panel, short, fat, skinny, tall. It should be powerful enough to heat the entire room.
• Finally, determine how you want it powered: by electric heating, hydronic heating, or solar energy heating.

Once you have selected your heating type and budget the fun part can start! These days you can buy a huge range of colours and styles such as fat, thin, short, tall, flat, round, triangle, square, roller, wall panels and chrome. So your choice of heating panel will actually add some personality and design flare to your room.

Shutters are a great addition to your home that have many benefits including the fact that shutters are a great way to insulate your home reducing energy costs. They secure your windows against storms and break-ins and they look great and can give your house a real continental feel. There are a number of companies who specialise in the installation of shutters but if you are a DIY enthusiast and you want wooden shutters then build your own. As with any wood work job one of the most cricital stages of the project is choosing the most suitable wood to use. This article will help you choose the right material for your shutter project.

Pine

Pine’s abundance has kept the cost of using this softwood quite low making this an excellent choice if you are on a tight budget. For making shutters to install on the outside of your home it is important that you use yellow pine as this is a far denser and more weather resistant wood. Painting the wood will of course further improve its weather resistant nature but if you prefer to let the wood age naturally it will turn honey gold in colour.

Lime Wood / Bass wood / Linde Wood

There are several types of trees in the family ‘Tilia’ which are suitable for wood working, what you will be bale to get depends on where you are. In North America you will be able to get Bass Wood and in the UK Lime which is called Linde in the rest of Europe. All these timbers are perhaps more suited for interior shutters used to keep direct sunlight out of rooms. Lime wood has a small grain which makes painting it easy, usually only requiring one coat. Lime is also great for making other household improvements so if you want the woodwork in your house to match you shutters, lime could be the way to go.

Red cedar

An interesting quality of red cedar is that it naturally repels insects which can be a fantastic benefit in the summer months. Red cedar is also a long lasting wood, its weather resistance means that if properly taken care of it can last for decades as an exterior shutter and longer still when fitted to the interior. Red cedar is also just a beautiful wood with a spectacular grain and colour.

Phoenix wood

If you are really after some oak shutters but your budget doesn’t stretch to it, phoenix wood shares many of the qualities of English Oak but is a lot more affordable. It is a great choice for larger windows or casement windows, particularly on older buildings where a wood like oak would really fit the style. Another benefit of phoenix wood is that it is flame retardant so making doors and shutters from this wood can actually slow a fire down.

Manufactured wood

Don’t be too hasty to rule out manufactured woods like MDF, they actually hold a great many advantages over natural woods. They are cheaper than natural woods and also a lot easier to work with. One feature that contributes to their ease of use is that manufactured woods are sold by their size at sale whereas natural woods are sold by their size before drying; the process of slowly drying natural woods in a kiln reduces their size significantly so it can be difficult to work out exactly what what sizes and quatites you need for your shutter project. For longer life shutters consider shutters made from treated acetylated wood such as the products offered by Accoya.

If you do decide to build your own shutters from wood, or indeed when working with wood for any project it is important to make sure it is approved by the forestry commission who ensure that the trees used for the wood are taken in a sustainable manner.

There is nothing more satisfying than having the right tool for the job in hand – and nothing worse than trying to use the wrong tool for a job! The tools featured below are ten tools that no self-respecting toolbox can afford to be seen without. It could be argued that this list should contain more power tools but it has focused solely on the absolutely essential everyday DIY tools.

You should be able to kit yourself out with these essential tools for no more than £60 at tool specialists such as Tool-Net, so there really is no excuse to be left without the right tool for the job anymore.

1. Claw Hammer

The humble claw hammer is essential for driving nails in, pulling them out, and even small demolition jobs.

2. Screwdrivers

You will need both a Phillips screwdriver – with a cross shaped point – and a flathead screwdriver. You can use your flathead for light prying, scraping, and nudging.

3. Tape Measure

A good quality tape measure is invaluable for a number of DIY jobs whether you are estimating paint coverage, measuring wood for cabinets, hanging wallpaper or just checking to see if furniture fits in a room.

4. Crescent Wrench

This versatile tool is a must – you can think of it as about 50 tools in one as the sliding jaw of this adjustable wrench can change its width and allow you to use it on nuts and bolts of all sizes.

5. Socket Wrench (or Ratchet)

A Socket Wrench

6. Pliers

Vice grip pliers and needle nose pliers will both be needed for different jobs. The vice grip plier is essential when you need an extra pair of hands as they lock into place. They are a versatile tool that can be used as pliers, a wrench, wire cutters, or a clamp. Needle nose pliers are an essential tool for electrical work but are useful whenever you need to cut, bend, grip, or strip wire.

7. Cordless Drill and Bits

Cordless Drill

8. Crosscut Saw

A good general purpose handsaw is useful for cutting wood, whether this be branches in the garden or timber for woodworking projects. Crosscut saws are used to cut against the grain on a piece of wood. If you’ll be doing woodwork that requires a cut along the grain you need a rip saw.

9. Spirit Level

The simple bubble spirit level still holds its own in the face of hi-tech competition from laser levels and iPhone apps.

10. Stanley Knife

The super sharp blade of this knife will ensure it is constantly in and out of your toolbox whatever the project.