DIY Supermarket

A few cracks in your wall do not mean you need to think about a completely new plastering job. It has never been easier to repair those cracks yourself before painting, even if you have never tackled this kind of job before. Fixing cracks in walls and ceilings is such a common problem that the DIY industry is constantly coming up with products and tools to make the job easier.

Plastering Made Easy

Buy a tube of a decent-quality filling product from your local DIY store; as well as this, you will need the tools to apply it smoothly and evenly, such as a plaster trowel. The first step may seem strange, but in order to give your filler a good chance of working you need to get rid of any loose pieces by widening cracks and holes slightly. Then cover the area with a generous amount of the filler, remembering that any excess will be removed when you use the plaster trowel to get a smooth finish. Once dry, apply a resin to the treated area to prevent the cracks from reopening at a later date.

Apart from cool paint jobs, elegant furniture styles and great interior décor, a room needs elegant window blinds to complete its classy look.  With a vast variety of both curtains and blinds on the market, it may be tough for homeowners to make a final decision on what they want!  While many people will select one or the other, it is often possible to get a great visual effect using both blinds and curtains on the same window.

By selecting standard Venetian blinds, the amount of natural light entering a room can be controlled.  However, some of these blinds do not add that touch of class and elegance that homeowners are looking for.  The solution to this is simple: keep the blinds and add some curtains on the window. Not only will this add to the visual appeal, it will help with light control and insulation.

After blinds are installed, opt for curtains that will complement the room décor.  If the window you’re trying to dress is in the kitchen, lightweight and bright coloured curtains will add a nice feel.  On the other hand, living rooms and bedrooms should have darker colours, depending on the colour scheme that is already in the room.  Curtains come in many colours, patterns and weights, with each room requiring a different set of curtains.

Adding curtains over blinds creates a unique effect that is both attractive and efficient.  Instead of spending hundreds of pounds on expensive roller or Roman blinds, curtains over simple Venetian blinds can create a touch of elegance without emptying one’s wallet.

When using curtains in a room that requires natural light, it is wise to opt for filler curtains.  These are, integrally, fabrics that are lighter in colour.  These will allow light into the room without taking away from the visual appeal.  Bright coloured curtains can increase energy in the home while light colours will provide a sense of calm.

There is no such thing as a typical bathroom.  Bathroom furniture comes in all shapes and sizes, and in many different materials, from traditional porcelain through to flash Italian marble or contemporary glass and chrome.  Some bathrooms are based around the bath.  Either free standing and set in the middle of the floor, perhaps with the novelty of claw feet or in the more commonplace style of a boxed in rectangular bathtub, set against one wall.

Though a bath lends itself to a long, hot soak, a lack of time often makes it is more desirable to be able to make use of a shower, for quick, efficient hygiene solutions.  However, not everybody prefers to wash standing up, and a bath will always be the mainstay of an efficient bathroom, although very small closet-type bathrooms may only contain a shower unit, and not have a bath at all.  This is the smallest bathing solution of all.

If you have the luxury of lots of space, then you may have a complete wet room for an exhilarating all over body wash, maybe complete with water jets and a supersize showerhead.  However you choose to groom yourself to get clean and to get ready to go out, a bathroom will always be the go-to room in your household for the purposes of personal hygiene.  In the 20th century, a bathroom became standard fare in all-British housing, and it is an everyday luxury we can no longer do without.

Conservatories are an expensive addition to any home, therefore great care needs to be taken when choosing and installing blinds for a conservatory. The manufacture of blinds for conservatories is more complicated than for normal windows due to the angle of the roof and the different sizes of blinds required. Conservatories require blinds that can insulate well against the heat and the cold, as well as keep out direct sunlight, while still letting sufficient light through.

Conservatory blinds are usually made out of specially fabricated material that optimises insulation.
   
Usually, conservatory blinds are fitted by specialists. It is important that reputable professionals carry out installation, as fitting the blinds means drilling holes in the conservatory structure in order to mount brackets and it is vital that the conservatory is not damaged in any way in the process.

Blinds on a conservatory roof may be out of reach and not be able to be closed manually. The blinds are designed to be opened and closed either electronically, or by a long pole or extra-long cords that hang down within reach.

The most popular blinds for conservatories are pleated blinds, followed by roman blinds.

Many homeowners do not realise how easy it is to refurbish fireplace surrounds.  Refurbishing the surround will almost always be cheaper than replacing it.  An attractive fireplace is an excellent selling point, and improves the look and character of any home.

Fireplace surrounds are most commonly made of wood, marble, or cast iron.

When refurbishing a wood fireplace surround, use coarse sandpaper to remove any old varnish and paint from the wood, and then sand it smooth with fine sandpaper.  You can also use a chemical stripper, but this will remove some of wood’s natural oils and dry it out.  Use filler that is the same colour as the wood to repair any holes or large cracks.  When the filler is completely dry, you should sand the surround again.  Coat the wood with two or three layers of wax to finish.

Marble surrounds must be thoroughly cleaned with a coarse cloth and warm, soapy water.  Combine kaolin powder with epoxy glue to fill in any cracks or small holes.  When the filler is dry, use silicon carbide paper to rub down and polish the marble.

If possible, it is usually worth it to have cast iron surrounds professionally stripped.  If this is not possible, use a chemical blanket stripping kit to remove all layers of paint from the cast iron surround.  Do not scrap or chip at the paint as this will damage the soft iron.  Once all the old paint is removed, apply a rust converter and then iron paste to restore the cast iron to its original silvery-grey colour.   

There have been incidents where children have been injured by cords and chains attached to blinds. The cords and strings associated with blinds can cause accidents by strangulation in children. Slatted blinds can cause harm to children in the form of trapped fingers. This has created a market for the manufacture of blinds that eliminate the use of such cords and chains to lower and raise the blinds.

Other than the risk of harm to children from blinds and their parts, there is also the risk that children can cause the blinds to become damaged by tangling the cords, which can jam the rolling and tilting mechanisms. Child safe blinds are also more suitable for children’s bedrooms as they are simply and easily operated.

Child safe blinds are roller blinds that have no cords or poles and whose winding mechanism is on a return spring. The blind is pulled down by a tab and when it is released stays where it is. In order to raise the blind, the blind is pulled down slightly and then springs back up of its own accord.

Child safe blinds come in an array of bright designs that go well in a child’s bedroom, and they can be lined with blackout material preventing light entering the room and ensuring improved sleeping conditions.

Child safe blinds are also appropriate for places such as hospitals and nursery schools.

Child safe blinds are suitable for older people whose hands may not be so dextrous and who would find cords fiddly and cumbersome.

The look of any room can be enhanced by adding a mirror.  A sizeable mirror will make your rooms look larger because of the reflection that they create.  It is only an illusion, of course, but a few large mirrors and some contemporary decorating with a reduction in clutter is just the thing to give you some visual space.

Cabin fever from too many days and hours spent indoors through the inclement weather? Try a bit of spring remodelling and use contemporary mirrors to enhance the size and spaciousness of your home.  They are available in a number of designs at fine furniture stores.  You can purchase contemporary furniture for your redecorating needs and be sure to include mirrors for every room in which you want to create a larger look.

The design of the mirrors is what constitutes their designation as contemporary mirrors.  Those without frames or with simple lined frames will work.  Unusual shapes with clean lines are great too.  Try a circular mirror or a slightly angled mirror with wavy lines at the top and bottom or on the sides.  This makes them interesting and will draw the eye to them.  Your room will appear larger from the moment you mount the mirror to the wall.

At the same time, remove the overstuffed furniture and replace it with a clean white modular sofa from a design centre and add a few bright, plainly coloured cushions and you will have a new contemporary look.

Roman blinds are a window covering made out of a single piece of cloth, made to measure and usually lined. A series of strings through loops on the reverse of the blind, which is attached to a main rail at the top of the window, enables the blind to be raised and lowered by a cord that hangs down the side of the blind. As the blind is raised, the material forms soft pleats that are attractive to look at.

Roman blinds can be made out of any fabric. This makes roman blinds an attractive option as people can choose to have blinds made from fabric that matches their interior décor. Roman blinds are usually made from silk or linen or soft cotton, in fact any fabric that will be complemented by the soft pleats of roman blinds.

Roman blinds are more ornate and decorative than roller blinds and therefore are a more popular choice for bedrooms or living rooms. Roman blinds are also used in conservatories and in patios or summerhouses as an insulator. The fabric, which is usually lined, is excellent at keeping the sunshine out and keeping the room cooler and less bright, or in the winter, keeping the cold out.

Although many types of fabric tend to let in light, roman blinds can be lined with blackout material making them an ideal choice for a bedroom. Since the blind is made to measure the window, if the aim is to keep the room as dark as possible then a roman blind in this case may be more appropriate than curtains.

Hobbled or teardrop roman blinds have much more exaggerated pleats when the blind is up, making it a more elaborate window covering than the standard roman blind. This style, due to the greater amount of material used, may also cover more of the window when the blind is raised.

While vertical blinds are commonly used on sliding doors, they are also now frequently seen on windows of the home. They look very stylish and although they have long had an image as being for commercial use, in recent years they have been popularly used in domestic settings. Many homeowners use vertical blinds to add height to a room; vertical blinds give the impression of elongation. 

Vertical blinds are also very easily customised. The front face of the blinds can have strips of wallpaper added to them to match the decor in a room and the fabric used to make the blind strips can be chosen to suit a homeowner’s tastes.

Vertical blinds also have the added benefit of allowing air to circulate whilst providing protection from the rays of the sun. Excessive glare of the sunlight in a south facing room can be filtered out with the use of vertical blinds. The strips can also be given a plastic backing, which protects them from sun damage and prevent the colour of the strips from fading.

Some vertical blinds are fastened both at the top and the bottom but there are also free hanging styles which have a weight at the bottom to prevent them getting tangled and to keep them straight. Vertical blinds are available with a head rail that matches the vanes, allowing the blinds to remain neat and tidy.

Blinds are a great choice for the bathroom, as you can easily control the amount of privacy that you have. There are many types of bathroom blinds available, but you will need to take time to select a design that is suitable. Choosing the right type of bathroom blind will enable you to be provided with something that is stylish and long lasting.

As the bathroom is often humid, it is vital that you select white blinds that are suitable for these conditions. Some types of blinds, such as wood blinds or fabric blinds, will become damaged when exposed to water, so you will need to avoid installing these designs in your bathroom and instead choose something that is water resistant, such as venetian blinds. Venetian blinds are stylish, easy to install and easy to wipe clean, providing you with longer lasting blinds.

If you still wish to achieve a wood theme for your bathroom, then opt for wood effect venetian blinds or woodweave blinds. These styles enable you to keep your bathroom looking stylish without your blinds becoming damaged easily. Wood effect venetian blinds and woodweave blinds are available in a wide range of styles and colours, allowing you to easily achieve your ideal wood theme.

Roller blinds are also a great choice for the bathroom. With roller blinds, you can easily control the amount of privacy and sunlight in your bathroom. One of the main advantages of roller blinds is that the many colours and styles available make it easy to find something that matches the rest of your decor. You can even opt for personalised roller blinds and add your own designs to create a unique theme for your bathroom.

Brand new bathroom blinds can be obtained from local and online stores. Exploring what is available will enable you to find bathroom blinds that suit your needs and budget.