Monday, June 18, 2012

Top 10 Reasons Why People Have Orangeries

The orangery has been popular now for hundreds of years. The precursor to the conservatory, orangeries provide a lot of benefits and there are numerous reasons people have them - here are ten of those reasons.

1. Sun
Of course, the orangery is a bright and sunny place due essentially to the number of windows and the amount of light that can get inside. It makes the perfect place to relax on a sunny evening and take time out from the world around you.

2. Plants
Originally, the orangery was named as it was used for growing its namesake the orange, as well as a number of other citrus plants. So naturally, plants are very well suited to growing in this environment which is great for those who enjoy gardening, but can't rely on the British weather.

3. Space
Obviously, the orangery also adds extra space in the home and is that bit more attractive during the summer than many other areas. In addition, the abundance of light in the room gives the illusion of even more space. A strong reason for its popularity.

4. Light
Not only does light give the illusion of extra space, it also means people can have the effect of being outside when still inside, something especially important on those cold, but bright days.

5. Adds Value to a Home
Like any additional piece of home improvement or extensions, an orangery will add value to the house. Long term benefits such as this are important to consider when looking at pricing options.

6. Desirability
Homes with something as stylish as an orangery are always going to be a more attractive prospect than homes that don't have one. Great for showing off to friends and neighbours, but also links to the value of your home.

7. Aesthetics
Orangeries can be adapted to both modern and traditional designs and so really add aesthetic attractiveness to a house, no matter what style it is.

8. Outdoors and Indoors
These buildings allow people to bring the outdoors and indoors closer together. This means that with the doors closed your orangery is a warm, bright room that is a few inches from the garden. Open the doors and it is virtually one with the garden, what could be a more attractive prospect in those summer months?

9. Entertaining
Orangeries are a great area for socialising, the beautiful designs are a great talking point, and the light allows for comfortable entertaining. What's more, it's kept away from the rest of the house meaning any extra mess made is all in one place and easy to clean. Especially as flooring tends to be hardwood or tiles.

10. Away from the Madness
Orangeries are usually built at a distance from the bustling part of the home and so offer the perfect respite from the business of family life. Put the kids to bed, get a good book and escape to the orangery.



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Monday, June 11, 2012

How Would Using an Interior Architect Benefit Me?

Regardless of the need, an interior architect might just have the solution for you. From solving your spatial problems to turning your dreams into a reality, these specialists have the knowledge, skills, and resources to achieve your design goals on time and on budget!

An interior architect will research the project through an in-depth analysis of your needs and activities along with the given space. They work with engineers, contractors, and consultants to determine service requirements and develop a plan that incorporates future growth potential and new technologies. Design, development, specification and documentation are all parts of the interior architecture process that precede the costing and construction of any project. Supervising construction and regularly communicating with the builders and contractors is also important. Ultimately, interior architecture takes into account the anticipated behavioral activities of a client to create an intentional psychological experience through planning and design. But are you sure that you can handle all of that? If you were planning on handling your own renovations, you might wish to find out how an interior architect might benefit you before engaging in what could be an overwhelming and costly process.

Whether you are renovating your loft to create a spare bedroom for guests, engaging in property upgrades to increase rental income or renovating an old property to start a new business, an interior architect will be able to design a plan that will benefit the project from start to finish. But is hiring an interior architect an unnecessary expense or a worthwhile investment? With tight budgets and limited resources, you're probably wondering if an interior architect is the right choice for you. Let's review some considerations to see how using a specialist of this nature can benefit you.

Knowledge

As humans, we typically know what we want and what we like. Design and lifestyle is uniquely personal and we all aspire to live and work in environments that reflect our personalities. Interior architects are trained and qualified in their fields to articulate your vision into an actual design and plan. In addition to having access to industry contacts and product information which is not readily available to the general public, they possess knowledge about the effect of proportions, dimensions, perspectives, surfaces, textures and colours not only on a structure itself but on our physical and emotional reactions to that structure. It is these very fundamental elements of design that can turn a house into a home or an office into an energized and motivational environment. The specialized and in-depth knowledge interior architects possess can assist you with your design needs and analyzing your requirements, assessing the feasibility of projects, and ultimately defining and realizing your goals.

Time & Financial Resources

Whether a project is residential or commercial, it can be a significant financial investment and the process can be time consuming. Mistakes are costly and the impact of both financial pressure and time constraints can turn what should be an enjoyable experience into an absolute nightmare. But an interior architect can design a plan based on your needs and budget making any project affordable. Typically, most people are unaware of the various ways that interior architects can actually save them money. For example, many interior architects possess the added skill of being able to source items at wholesale prices, and also have access to a much wider variety of products that are generally not available to the public. For the time deprived home or business owner, this represents an incredible added value. The other important consideration is that mistakes are costly. Many people engage in major renovations only to later realize that one or several key aspects of the space simply don't work well together. This results in a substantial amount of money that must be spent again trying to rectify the problem in order to finally turn your dream into a reality.

Doing Things Right the First Time

With an interior architect, you pay them to get things right the first time and eliminate any margin of error which is exactly what they are trained to do. It's a simple case of pay now or pay later. When you work with an interior architect from the inception of a project, you are best equipped to ensure that your home, office, or business achieves the spatial, visual, and decoration requirements in order to move right in. It is always important to remember that interior architects are experts in space, technical design and drafting and it is these skills that save you money in the long run by making sure that you get the space that you have always wanted right from the very start. Interior architects can alleviate the pressure of costly mistakes to create a design and source the materials and products, which deliver the desired outcome. They have the ability to create a design which you simply couldn't have comprehended by yourself but which you will absolutely love. They can source materials that you didn't even know were on the market but are perfectly suited to your project. Furthermore, they can ensure that the design and orientation of the space will produce energy efficiencies, the dimensions of the rooms suit their purpose, and that life overall is as efficient as possible. The time and cost savings which these initiatives deliver is considerable.

Managing Contractors and Builders

With any construction project comes the need for contractors and builders. An interior architect will produce comprehensive architectural drawings and specifications that will maximize the prospect of your builder and sub-contractors completing your project without error, without the need for variations, on time and most importantly, on budget. In addition to being skilled in developing designs, an interior architect will be able to produce the technical drawings required to sufficiently explain the design to a builder along with the necessary communication skills and experience to be able to coordinate all of the people required from inception through to the completion of the project. Furthermore, your interior architect will be able to source materials and products at wholesale prices.



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Can a Fireplace Shop Fit Stoves Into Narrow Chimneys?

This question is often asked in fireplace shops - can stoves be fitted into narrow chimneys? There are a lot of factors involved in this and this article will discuss the various options available and other considerations to think about. However, it is always better to consult an expert at a fireplace shop.

It is possible to open a chimney to have a stove fitted. The reason for this is so that the chimney needs to be widened to allow heat around it. Your fireplace shop will know whether this is possible, another option would be to have a builder survey the chimney and advice if it is possible to widen the chimney. If it is possible to widen the chimney a builder will need to do this work. The chimney will need to be properly inspected, as some chimneys are found in bad condition. One of the biggest problems is that some chimneys are no longer capable of safely containing hot combustion gases.

To have an extremely efficient stove means converting the burning material into useful heat. A highly efficient stove should ideally be connected to a well-insulated and lined chimney. An issue we discover with chimneys, especially those built before 1966, is that they have unlined brick flues. Such old chimneys are often only one brick thick, and have already been exposed to weather and have had substantial use over a period of 60 years or more. They were also built using soft lime mortar rather than modern cement mortar. All of this can pose a problem.

Once the chimney has been widened the fireplace shop will then need to measure up. The measuring is important so that the fireplace shop can recommend different stoves that will be:-

• Suitable for installation
• Fits within your budget
• The correct kilowatt for the room size.

There are other options too for fitting stoves into narrow chimneys. Some manufacturers have started making stoves that will fit into tighter places. These stoves are ideal especially when the widening of the chimney is not possible or is very limited. There are many stoves to choose from, from different manufacturers, which your fireplace shop will be able to advise which are better for your situation.

If you do discover that you have a narrow chimney and would like to have a stove fitted, it is better to consult an expert from a fireplace shop and to check with a builder the cost and integrity of the chimney.



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Friday, June 8, 2012

Sink Holes - Repair Tips

Most people ask: What exactly are sink holes? By definition, sink holes are actually a natural phenomenon that occurred as a result of a consequence of physical or chemical disturbance under the earth or soil. This occurrence happens when bedrock is weathered by erosion or lack and loss of land surface support under the soil. Sink holes take place due to flooding and also lack of water to support the soil's sub-surface structure. If in case you found a sink hole close to your home, like your yard for example, it is important that you act fast in order to avoid further harm in your neighborhood. Sink holes are considered harmful and dangerous to communities because they indicate complications that occur beneath the ground, thus, should be treated accordingly to avoid further distraction.

Obviously, you cannot handle and fix huge sink holes. You have to ask professional assistance in this case. But, there are minor and small sink holes where you may possibly do something, or at least temporarily filled them before further professional assistance arrives. First and foremost, you need to seek help of the authorities. Ask the help of those in charge of the utility infrastructure and services within your area. Make sure that gas lines, phone cables, elecMost people ask: What exactly are sink holes? By definition, sink holes are actually a natural phenomenon that occurred as a result of a consequence of physical or chemical disturbance under the earth or soil. This occurrence happens when bedrock is weathered by erosion or lack and loss of land surface support under the soil. Sink holes take place due to flooding and also lack of water to support the soil's sub-surface structure. If in case you found a close to your home, like your yard for example, it is important that you act fast in order to avoid further harm in your neighborhood. Sink holes are considered harmful and dangerous to communities because they indicate complications that occur beneath the ground, thus, should be treated accordingly to avoid further distraction.

Obviously, you cannot handle and fix huge. You have to ask professional assistance in this case. But, there are minor and small hole where you may possibly do something, or at least temporarily filled them before further professional assistance arrives. First and foremost, you need to seek help of the authorities. Ask the help of those in charge of the utility infrastructure and services within your area. Make sure that gas lines, phone cables, electrical cables, and so on are not buried under or in any place that is close to the sink hole. Do not ever do any tweaking or digging in cases where you encountered utility cables inside the sink hole.

After following the important precautions when dealing with holes, you have to dig at the outer side. Dig the edges at least 1-2 feet in width. For the depth, dig as much as you can to touch the bedrock inside the soil. The bedrock, by the way, is the solid or concrete-like surface.

Once you found the bedrock, you need to fill in huge rocks on that area. These rocks should be as big as the average size of a cabbage. You have to fill in the space with rocks densely and congest them as much as possible. Fill in the entire bottom in the exact same manner. Then, start generating another set of rocks and placed them with the first layer of rocks you made. The second layer should consist of rocks as huge as the size of oranges. Fill in all space as what you have done with the first layer. You have to spread at least 4-inch layer of gravel above these layers as well. Additionally, you also have to create a layer of landscape fabric at the top of these layers.

After you are done with layering of rocks, gravel and landscape fabric, you have to make a 5-inch layer of sand that should be able to cover the entire arrangement of landscape fabric. The rest of the sinkhole should be filled with sand and at the same time should be tampered periodically to pack and fix as soon as possible. After you completed all process mentioned above, lay sod over the sink hole and then water it for 15 minutes, twice daily for two weeks. You may schedule the watering of the sinkhole according to your preference. trical cables, and so on are not buried under or in any place that is close to the sink hole. Do not ever do any tweaking or digging in cases where you encountered utility cables inside the sink hole.

After following the important precautions when dealing with sink holes, you have to dig at the outer side of the sink hole. Dig the edges at least 1-2 feet in width. For the depth, dig as much as you can to touch the bedrock inside the soil. The bedrock, by the way, is the solid or concrete-like surface.

Once you found the bedrock, you need to fill in huge rocks on that area. These rocks should be as big as the average size of a cabbage. You have to fill in the space with rocks densely and congest them as much as possible. Fill in the entire bottom in the exact same manner. Then, start generating another set of rocks and placed them with the first layer of rocks you made. The second layer should consist of rocks as huge as the size of oranges. Fill in all space as what you have done with the first layer. You have to spread at least 4-inch layer of gravel above these layers as well. Additionally, you also have to create a layer of landscape fabric at the top of these layers.

After you are done with layering of rocks, gravel and landscape fabric, you have to make a 5-inch layer of sand that should be able to cover the entire arrangement of landscape fabric. The rest of the sinkhole should be filled with sand and at the same time should be tampered periodically to pack and fix as soon as possible. After you completed all process mentioned above, lay sod over the sink hole and then water it for 15 minutes, twice daily for two weeks. You may schedule the watering of the sinkhole according to your preference.



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Thursday, June 7, 2012

How Do I Find a Good Interior Architect?

So you finally decided that you want to employ an interior architect to turn your interior dream into a reality? But with all of the varying degrees of skills, experience and knowledge required, how could you possibly know if you found the right one? These specialists often challenged with a certain task when asked to design an interior space for a commercial, retail, or residential client. A retailer may ask to design a space that fosters consumer spending while a commercial client may ask to design a space that promotes workplace productivity. Whatever the task at hand, a successful project relies on selecting the right interior architect. Let`s review some of the considerations in order to help you match the right professional to the right project.

Education

Since an interior architect is the marriage of the three different design disciplines of interior design, architecture, and industrial design, knowledge is a critical asset. Let`s start with the basics. Be sure to check on the education credentials, along with their years of experience. Most interior architects will possess at least a bachelor`s degree in interior architecture.

Licensures & Accreditation

In addition to their base knowledge of general architecture, interior design, and product design, it is imperative that the designer is abreast of current design trends, planning and building regulations. You can check with your Local Authority Building Control department to determine if they are working with an interior architect within their partnership scheme. This may assist in determining whether your chosen interior architect is up to date on knowledge of local building regulations. In certain jurisdictions, an interior architect may be able to become certified by a national or regional organization that is dedicated to the industry or profession.

A Good Sense of Design

This category might be too obvious to mention but certainly not one to overlook. They must have an understanding of how space, scale, colours, and furnishings can alter an interior environment. They must know how to manipulate these elements to create a specific mood. The theoretical and conceptual possibilities are explored within interior architecture, in cooperation with the pragmatic concerns of clients, to create innovative, meaningful spaces that facilitate the ordinary and extraordinary activities of people at home, work, or play. A great project starts with a great concept and a good sense of design is critical to achieving this goal. Evaluate your designer`s portfolio and past projects. This will be your best way of determining their design ability.

Specialization

Many interior architects will carry a specialty either in residential or commercial buildings. Their portfolio and past project history will be a strong indicator of their specialization. Some may specialize in niches such as theatres, retail spaces, exhibition halls, or other types of buildings. Be sure to select a professional that is experienced with your particular project. Regardless of their specialization, good interior architects should have a solid working knowledge of interior construction, building systems and components, regulations, equipment, materials and furnishings. They should also be acquainted with the technicalities of electrical wiring and plumbing.

Project Management & Communication Skills

They must have strong written, oral, and visual communication skills. They must visually interpret verbal instructions and suggestions. Furthermore, they must be creative within the constraints of a budget. This is particularly important in preventing cost overruns. Look for someone with a team-oriented attitude, an attention to detail and an ability to meet deadlines. Projects are generally undertaken in collaboration with a team of specialist architects, engineers, and consultants to manage and coordinate a client`s needs. An interior architect needs to be able to coordinate with these professionals in order to facilitate and maximize a productive working relationship. Being able to explain design ideas clearly to all parties and to solve problems effectively and efficiently will ensure a seamless execution of any project.

These are just some of the various aspects to consider when selecting the right interior architect for you. You will find these specialists in a variety of firms, companies and agencies. Most work in small architectural firms, though some work for commercial building companies or government agencies. Some will work alongside architects or construction companies on a contract basis. Others will collaborate as part of a team of production designers in an architectural firm`s production studio.

If you have reviewed all of the various considerations and still don`t have a candidate that stands above the rest, don`t forget to request references and contact past clients for their opinions and recommendations. Often contacting someone who has already been through a similar process can assist you in finding the right match for you without making the same mistakes they did. Alternatively, going with your gut might just be the defining factor. Trust is arguably the most important variable of selecting your interior architect. If most of your candidates appear the same on paper, you might feel more comfortable selecting the candidate that you trust the most and find the most personal rapport. After all, they are designing your dream, and the person most qualified to articulate your dream in a design might just be the person who identifies with you the most.



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Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Studio Apartments

Lack of space and costly rentals narrows our choice. The latest option is that of studio apartments. In fact, they are the most-sought-after things in the real estate world. One room wonder as they are called, a skilled display of color, artifact and utility furniture can make it the best place to live. Placement of furniture is the key and if you browse through the luxury home interior designs, you will find that the best one is all about smart allocation of space. Floor space can be covered well and hence it is best to keep it bare. When friends come over, you can use the oriental rugs or the folding chairs to get the best cozy effect.

You can use the flowery tones and create a good space with yellows or even the subtle blues. Keeping the cushions minimal, you can use a lot of whites or even pinks that instantly gives the illusion of space. If there is enough daylight coming into your room, you can have the best display of furniture. A bit of compromise is surely needed and you can do that with a coffee table instead of the lavish dinner table. A smart lamp and a few candles are enough to give you illumination when you need it. Use the windowsill as a showcase to keep your trinkets.

A bed close to the window and the wall is the ideal solution. You can use the same space for lounging, writing, reading and stay happy with minimal furniture that does not clutter your room. Use interesting bedspreads to give the happy feel around your home. Use a simple drape that has a single color and alternate it with contrasting colors to make an elegant choice. Racks are also the best way you can store your clothes. A special corner has to be set for the kitchen but nothing lavish. It is good to use a have a chimney so that the room is always fresh and free of any smell.

Though you may have a lot of trophies, photographs and artifacts and value them as sentimental pieces, it is best to not clutter the room. Perhaps you can keep rotating the same for a better look each time. Use minimal gadgets and a wall mounted LCD screen is the best idea. There is no real reason to demarcate it as a living room section or a bedroom or a kitchen. Since you can organize things well, you can have a homogeneous effect with wood and the color white. A final word here is to keep off the clutter so that your room always looks welcome and warm.



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