10 Ways to Breathe New Life into Your Garden

When we move to a new home, we tend to spend a lot of time and money getting things just right, making sure it’s safe and secure and that the décor reflects our personality. The garden is very much a part of this. Our gardens are a place we can relax, play and entertain, so we often put a lot of work into them. Then, over the years other rooms get repainted or redesigned but the garden gets neglected. If your garden is starting to look tired and dull, here are 10 great ways to refresh it and give it new life.

1. Change Your Fencing

Fencing is a big part of the garden and one of the first things people see. If yours are looking old and dated, it’s time to replace them. Fencing comes in many different colours and styles so look to Oakdale fencing garden fence panels for the best options.

2. Add a Water Feature

Water features come in a huge variety of styles. You could have a large pond if you’ve got the space or just a small fountain or feature pool. Many people find the sound of gently running water exceptionally relaxing.

3. Change Your Flower Beds

Changing your flower beds is an easy way to brighten up your garden. Make them bigger or smaller, and get stuck into some gardening. Bright flowers with their own gentle aroma can be both refreshing and calming. 

4. Add a Path

Adding a path to your garden is a great way of dividing the space. A path can help to create clear zones in the garden and is especially useful if you are working with a large area.

5. Add a Play Zone

If you have children or grandchildren, a play zone could be a valuable addition to your garden. It can be an area for the children to play and grow their own plants while keeping the rest of your garden safe.

6. Create a Dining Area

You probably eat in your garden occasionally or even have a barbeque. Creating a designated dining area will encourage you to do it more often. All it takes is clean decking or a patio with some comfortable furniture.

7. Add Colour

Colour outdoors shouldn’t be restricted to plants. You could paint your fences or dividers different colours and invest in more colourful furniture.

8. Add Interesting Planters

Anything you can hollow out or add a pot to can be used as a planter. Some great ideas include old toys and toolboxes. Pinterest can be a great source of inspiration if you want to create some fun planters yourself. 

9. Look after Your Grass

Grass goes through a lot. From weather damage to being constantly walked upon. Spend time looking after it. Mow it regularly and feed it at least once a week through the summer months to keep it looking its best.

10. Update Your Furniture

Like grass, outdoor furniture goes through a lot. If yours is starting to age either replace it or spend some time cleaning it up and repainting or varnishing. Outdoor furniture is generally built to last so it may just need some TLC.

Spending time outdoors is a great way to relax and relieve stress. Having a garden which looks good will help you to do this more often, especially in the warmer months.

Dont Throw In The Trowel!

As spring approaches it all too easy to fall into thinking about making changes in the home such as brightening up the place with a lick of paint or a few new items of furniture. You may even decide that it is time to give the garden a bit of an overhaul so you can spend more time out there with the family as the weather gets better. Although doing up the garden can be deceptively expensive. But don't let that put you off! Read on to find out more about how you can fund the garden renovation of your dreams.

List the items that you will need

The first step on the road to funding garden renovation is to plan out what you want the end result to be. That will probably include drawing up a visual guide splitting the different sections and beds in the garden up, and marking down what will occupy these spaces.

When you do this, remember that you need to match any plants to the area that you are putting them in. For instance, certain varieties such as Bleeding Heart and Lily-of-the-Valley prefer shaded areas. Or if you are installing things like a soccer goal for the kids then you will need to make sure you have some hardy lawn grass, so they can play on it, and it still looks good. 

Then on a separate piece of paper or Excel spreadsheet if you are that way inclined, make a list of every item you will need to complete your garden project. But be sure to leave a gap by the side so you can record how much each of these things will cost you. 

Work out the cost

Once you have a plan and a list of all the items that you will need to for your garden, it's time to work out what they will cost and whether that is within your budget. What most folks don't realize when they start to do any work in the gardens that it is really no cheaper than doing anything in the house.

The problem is that many folks begin their garden renovations without accounting for the costs, which means that they don't always get their projects finished. Then they are left with a half-done garden, which neither serves its purpose or looks very nice. That is why it's so important to have a tight rein on the budget for any garden work that you choose to do. 

To do this take the list that you have created and write on the cost of each item. You can find this out by visiting the garden centre, or you can look online for a guide of what things will cost.

Of course, if you go the online route you need to make sure that you include delivery costs as well. Which can sometimes significantly increase the overall price of your goods, as garden items are often heavy ones like sand or slate pieces. 

It is also important to factor the cost of any labor that you will need to pay for to get your garden areas up to scratch. Remember there are many things like chopping down large trees, laying patios, and landscaping that are not practical for most people to do themselves. Mainly because of the safety issues or the sheer amount of work involved.

Lastly, don't forget the cost of any maintenance of the items that you have on your list. You may be desperate for an ornamental Koi pond. But do you have any idea of how much it will cost to keep the water clean, and aerated, buy new pumps and filters and keep the fish fed and warm in the winter? If the answer is no, make sure that you work this out beforehand, or you may end up with garden features that are unmanageable in the long term.

Compare what you have saved

The next stage in getting the funding right for your garden is to compare the overall cost of the project with any funds that you already have.

You might have raised the money for your garden by saving a fixed amount a month, or by following a weekly cumulative saving plan. You may even be dipping into your general saving or have sold a larger value item like a car, and realized you have a bit left over that you can invest in your outside space.

But beware, because it is usually at the stage of comparing what you have in your funds to what you need, that most people come across an issue. As it’s common for the two figures not to match up!

But before your throw in the trowel, remember that you can add to your garden fund by raising some more money in the following ways.

Clear out the garage for a yard sale 

The first way of raising a little extra for your garden do-over is to host a yard sale. This is an activity with a double benefit. First of all, you can sell stuff raising money to add to your overall garden renovation budget. Or you can earmark the money for a particular element that is important to you like a fountain and pond, or a new garage door.

Secondly, you get to clear all that old stuff that you are no longer using; out of the back yard and garage. Meaning you will end up with less clutter and more space.

Get some funding

Another option to top up your garden renovation budget it to go for an installment loan.

The good thing about this is that they often don't require you to have good credit like many other loans on the market. You can also pay them back after just a short time, so you don't have any debts hanging over your head long term.

Also, as the installment loan payments shouldn't be too much each month for a small to medium amount, it is a very doable way of getting that garden finished if you are on a deadline. As you might want to get it finished before you have guests to stay, or the warm weather comes in. 

Sell you plants on Ebay

However, there are also other ways of raising some cash for your dream garden, such as selling you plant on eBay. You might not believe it, but there is actually a roaring trade on auction sites for plants and trees. Especially bonsai, seeds, and succulents at the moment because they are so on trend. 

That means if you have a particular talent in growing these items you can sell them at a small profit, generating money to reinvest in your outdoor space.

Open your garden to the public

Now, this is only going to work for some folks, but it's worth bearing in mind, especially if you live in a town or village where there is an annual festival, and you are along the main route.

How does it work? Well, because there are so many extra people in your location at the time of the festival you can make money by renting out space in your garden for them to pitch their tents. 

Another alternative is to hire in some chairs and tables and offer teas, coffees and prepackaged foods to weary travelers and tourists. OK, so it may be only a weekend or a week a year. But you can certainly make some good money doing this.

Choose to do it every year you will have not only enough for the renovation but also to help pay for the upkeep of your garden and keep it looking glorious year on year!

How To Approach A Complete Home Makeover

If you are planning a head to toe makeover of your entire home or have just bought a new house, it can be very difficult to know exactly where to begin. With so many tasks to complete, you need to make sure you have your priorities in order so that you can get the whole job finished as easily and efficiently as possible. Here are just a few of the top interior design tips for a major remodelling of your home to get yourself organised.

Make A Detailed Plan

Most successful jobs in life start with a detailed plan so you know exactly how you are going to proceed. You will probably want to go on a room by room basis, dividing the tasks that you need to accomplish up depending on how easy they are to do. You should also include rough deadlines as you are much more likely to achieve your goals in this way.

Start with Your Colour Scheme

The first step of a complete home makeover should be deciding on your colour scheme. Obviously, this can vary from room to room but you want to have a general overview that runs throughout the home. This will help inspire all the other decisions you end up making so ensure that you are fully happy with your choice.

Choose Larger Items

Once you have the colour scheme as a starting point, you can then start selecting the larger items that will make up the rooms. Furniture is a good choice to begin with. Try to select some personalised items rather than always going straight for the mass produced pieces. You could even go for some second hand items that need fixing up a bit with some drawer runners for example. As you are starting from a blank canvas, you should also think about the storage items that you can choose to help prevent clutter from building up in your home.

Make Sure to Finish Each Job Before Starting the Next One

There is nothing worse than coming back to a house where there are a whole load of half finished jobs that need completing. If you are going for a complete home makeover, try to tackle the jobs one at a time, making sure you finish it before moving on to the next one. This will stop everything getting too overwhelming, making it much more likely that you will get the whole project completed in a timely manner.

Make the Most of the Space You Have

There is plenty of space saving advice out there, but always remember that having plenty of space in a room is as important as the actual features themselves. For example, in the kitchen, you could have an island in the centre that frees up the space around the outside. In the living room, you want to make sure the furniture isn’t too intrusive and people end up falling over themselves when they are trying to get around.

6. 4 Common Mistakes People Make when Renovating their Bathroom

Your kitchen may be the official heart of the home, the central nerve center where the family meets over meals and performs tasks from paying bills to playing games, but your bathrooms are the rooms where you come again and again. Your bathroom is where you come to take relaxing baths, spend hours when ill and stare at that same ugly tile for half an hour as you get ready in the morning. That’s why bathroom renovations rival kitchen renovations on home makeover lists. Here are four common mistakes people make when renovating their bathroom.

Spending Too Much

How much is too much when you are renovating a bathroom? A good rule of thumb is not to spend more than five to ten percent of the home’s value on renovating a bathroom, since you can’t recoup more than a fraction of the investment when the house is sold later. The only exception is when you are adding a new bathroom to the house to bring it up to the neighborhood average. For example, if you have a three bedroom single bathroom older home and add a second bathroom to make a 3 bedroom 2 bath home that is the norm for your community, then and only then will you recoup a hundred percent or more of the cost of installing a bathroom.

Failing to Waterproof the Renovation

Waterproofing failures are one of the top building defects you’ll find in bathrooms. Walls can decay from mold and water damage because the water seeped in through cracks in the tile because there was no waterproofing layer between the tile and the structural wall. Similar problems arise when toilets and sinks aren’t properly sealed and water starts to leak and damage the new construction almost immediately. Shortcuts that don’t waterproof the new bathroom by amateurs and fly by night operations like not putting a concrete slab under the new shower pan or bathtub can let water leak into the ground beneath the house, attracting insects or damaging the foundation.

Using Cheap Products or the Wrong Products

Faulty products will ruin everything you tried to create with the bathroom renovation. Using cheap toilets you found online can result in both water and sewage leaks. Cheap imported plumbing and fixtures, even if not faulty, may not fit properly and are far more likely to fall apart after only a few months of use. This is why you should buy high quality toilets in Toronto or elsewhere in your area.

Hurting the Resale Value of the Home

Bathroom renovations can hurt the resale value of your home in several ways. Extending a bathroom wall into a master bedroom so you have room for a hot tub or exercise space in the bathroom will decrease the appeal of the house to future buyers. Cutting the size of a master closet in half so that you have an in-bath sitting area likewise hurts the resale value of your home. You never want to decrease the size of bedrooms or storage areas to expand a bathroom, since this hurts the resale value of your home. You can rip out a linen closet in the hallway to get more maneuvering room around the toilet or put in a walk in shower, as long as equivalent storage is put in a logical location somewhere else.

Conclusion

If you’re going to renovate your bathroom, try not to go over budget. And also, don’t go overboard with a bathroom renovation and end up hurting the resale value of your home. Go with a pro instead of trying to do a bathroom renovation yourself, so that they use the right size of quality products for the job. Make minor changes to let light into the bathroom before you start knocking holes in the outside wall. And ensure that the entire project is appropriately waterproof so you don’t end up with costly repairs later.

Read This Before You Install New Deck

Decking has become wildly popular over the past decade, replacing patio as the most common “outdoor living space” extension for the home. Decking has become increasingly popular, especially in places with a dry climate, thanks to its versatility and ability to give people al fresco living.

There are, however, some important considerations that need to be made first before you decide to go ahead and install decking, ranging from picking the right material to how much you want to spend. Here’s the lowdown.

Think About What You’ll Use Your Decking For

Different people use decking for various things. Some people use it as an extra space to lounge around in the warmer months of the year. Others use it for things like cooking and barbecues. If you plan on using it for the latter, you’ll want to include a prep and serving area, perhaps with built-in perimeter seating. You might also want to install a wide, flat handrail around the edge of your decking so that your guests have a place to put their drinks while they’re chatting.

If you plan on using your decking to chill out and snooze, consider installing a fire pit (if local building codes allow it) to keep you warm on those long summer evenings.

Test Your Layout

Before you get decking installed, it’s a good idea to think about the layout and how it will look in relation to the rest of your property. Mark out the footprint of your decking on the ground and then place furniture to simulate what the space will be like. You’ll soon discover whether you need more decking or less. Check whether there is enough room to walk around between the furniture and the edge of the decking.

Get To Grips With The Materials

When it comes to decking, there are many different kinds of materials. The two most popular are artificial manufactured boards designed to look like wood and actual wood. Pressure-treated wood is perhaps the best from an aesthetics point of view, but it’s prone to warping and cracking and requires regular maintenance. What’s worse, real wood can quickly become infested with termites, according to Terminix, especially if it is left in all seasons in an exposed location. The alternative to real wood is manufactured board composite. The good news about composite is that it will last a long time, so long as it is cared for properly. It won’t splinter, crack or rot like an organic material, like wood. The only problem is that it tends to look a bit cheap and tacky compared to real wood and spills can leave nasty stains.

Finally, there’s PVC, another type of manufactured board. Because it’s plastic-based, it doesn’t swell or shrink if it gets wet and it’s very resistant to termites and rot. The only problem with these boards is that they often don’t look very much like wood. Having said that, they’re easy to maintain.

The bottom line is that new decking is a fashionable and exciting way to add more space to your home. But before you jump in and get new decking, do some careful planning first.

Top 5 Needs to Buy Luxury Vinyl Flooring

Do you know the problems related to installing vinyl flooring? Are they easy to install and handle? One most likely assumes plain, drab and uninteresting like you view the photos of that plastic flooring of days gone by.

Innovation has boosted for many years and the vinyl flooring these days is much from drab. Thanks to developments in production and layout, it has been replaced with extra resilient, deluxe vinyl flooring that has promptly become in vogue. Daebak Floor has a large collection of vinyl flooring. You can also check the same on their website.

Below are 5 large reasons to take into consideration deluxe vinyl flooring whatever room in the home you are thinking of refurbishing

1. Large range Of Styles and Colours: It is the second layer of plastic flooring that makes it so gorgeous and versatile.

Resilient vinyl flooring is so versatile because it is now made to imitate the look of so many natural substrates. Rock, floor tile, timber, linoleum, block and even marble are just some of the options offered. A wide range of colours, patterns, and textures develop endless possibilities. No matter what your style or budget choice, there are many options to choose from. Daebak Floor are one of the largest sellers of vinyl flooring.

2. Easy To Clean.

Plastic floorings today are normally marketed as "no wax" floors. Such surface areas are less complicated to clean because the floor beams without waxing. A wet mop is all that is usually should keep it clean. The leading wear layer will also be highly immune to staining and scratching.

It is essential to keep in mind that these "no-wax" floors will ultimately shed their lustre gradually. Suppliers suggest that the flooring is buffed or recoated with the "no-wax" material over the surface where the lustre has reduced. It is always best to use the maker's suggested coating product as there are different formulas on the market.

3. Durable, Put on Immune

• Printed Vinyl Flooring.
• Includes 3-4 Layers.
• Use layer (top).
• Printed pattern.
• Cushioning layer (optional).
• Base layer.

4. Comfy Underfoot.

If you are going to install your flooring in areas where you will be doing a great deal of walking or standing, such as in the kitchen, a style that comprises a lessened support will likely be more comfortable.

5. Much less Complicated Installation.

Although a professional is constantly suggested for instalment, the procedure could be much less complicated than other types of flooring because you can typically mount the new flooring right over the existing one. This can conserve you loan and time in the long term because you may not have to pay someone to remove the old flooring prior to installing the new one.

Additionally, with tile, timber and even laminate flooring, your contractor could need to do a large amount of messy cutting to fit the pieces together. With roll-type vinyl, this mess is minimized which could conserve you cash and clean up time in the future.

How to use the best Modern Lightings for making your personal space attractive

There is always a debate as to what makes any space unique, the answer may vary but the use of correct lighting cannot be underrated. The Modern lighting make use of the years of experience and creativity to keep up of the needs and demands of the current market. The interiors of any place come to light literary with the use of the correct lighting. The modern lighting have been in the business of ensuring that the place comes up with a unique outcome. Every space calls for a specific interior which would come to life with the use of special lights. The Modern Lightning ensures that the rooms or the space are attractive and aseptically appealing.

What make any space aesthetically appealing?

To make a house a home it should definitely have appropriate lightning. The various things that are added to a space to make it comfortable can be broadly categorized as:-

• Style: Every corner of a house or a building has a different need. The designs and the fittings thus should be done in a way that it provides what it is desired to. The random light in every nook and corner just defies the whole purpose. The lights in every room should complement the interiors of the room and makes it comfortable. The study for example should be bright as oppose to the bedroom that can be dim and cozy.
• Designs:- Now the choices that one can make between LED, Bulbs, Lamps etc should be made in complement to the preferences. Some people love a well light stairway and some prefer a decently light highlighted one. All these are personal preferences that are fulfilled by the Modern Place Lighting.
• Office space: - The requirement of office spaces is different from that of a house. The Office spaces along with a creative environment also should ensure that replicated spaces are created so as to ensure that there is similar environment provided to all. Along with this many office are looking for creating special recreational areas which should be different and comfortable so that the break feels worthwhile.

The needs may be different but the requirements are all fulfilled by Modern Lightning and their creative and reliable service providers.

5 Important Things to Consider Before Buying a Home

When you are looking to move somewhere new, you are going to try and figure out everything that needs to happen with your new property. How can you make sure that you’re going to get the most for your efforts? How can you find a way to deal with everything that makes sense and that is going to be able to meet your needs? And can you actually find the dream home that has been on your mind for all of these years? Whether you want a thirty million dollar mansion on North Bay Road, or you want to find a property that is more affordable, here are 5 tips that can help you out.

1. You want to know what you want. When you start to look at houses for sale, make sure that you have a list of traits that can help you out. You want to make sure that you find something that makes sense for you. You want to look at the number of bedrooms and bathrooms and look at the layout as well. All of these factors will work together to help you get what you need out of a home.

2. Always have a budget in place. Don’t just dive in without any sort of budget. Instead, take some time and piece something together that is going to make sense for you and whatever you may need to try and do with that money. Not only is it going to be helpful, but you can find a lot of solutions that are actually going to help you out and save you money when you start to budget everything.

3. Understand how much you’ll need to maintain the home. How much are the utilities going to be? What are the local taxes like? Do you know if it’s going to affect your income taxes? How much are you able to put into those sorts of things? What if something breaks or needs to be updated? Make sure that, when you’re putting the budget together, you keep that sort of stuff in mind as well.

4. Don’t underestimate location concerns. Where is your future home located? Is the area safe? What is the school district like? Are you able to enjoy the things that can come with living in such a unique area? Make sure that you consider all of those things before you even get started and you will be in a much better position to go ahead and look into something that makes sense for whatever you may need.

5. Be patient. Many people jump on the first home that they can afford, but don’t do that. Instead, be willing to put in a counteroffer and start working toward what you need to be able to do or achieve. Be patient and give yourself time to find what you need and you’ll be a lot better off when it comes time to actually purchase a home. You’ll be happier with it as well.

Need a good shower? Read on to find out the best way

Who does not like to shower? Everyone does. Be it night owls who shower in the evening or the morning risers who shower in the morning, everyone looks forward to a good and refreshing shower and not just any shower. For some showering brightens up the day by providing the energy needed to conquer the day while for the others showering provides a refreshing experience after a long and tired day. Whatever it is, everything depends on the quality and experience of the shower. Depending upon it, one might not feel the refreshment at all while one may feel the invigoration. So it is absolutely necessary to have a good shower. Recently, electric showers have been replacing normal mechanical showers in providing the best showering experience. Hence they may seem as the obvious choice for those planning to buy a new one. All those who are planning to get one need to know about the top electric showers in the market that fit the bill perfectly.

Electric showers – what are they?

Now, there may be a doubt for all those who do not know about electric showers as to what it is and how it is different from any other shower in the market. Here is the clarification for all such doubts. An electric shower is nothing but a shower that is powered by electricity for all its functions. However, it is not the only difference between normal showers and electric showers as they vary in many other features. Normal showers have a shower head that is connected to a supply of water. Whether or not the pipe is connected to a geyser decides the temperature of the water that spurts out of the shower head. If the shower is connected to a heating appliance, a predetermined quantity of water depending on the capacity of the heater is heated in the geyser and it is channelled out through the shower head. If there is no connection to a geyser, the water comes out cold. On the other hand, an electric heater works smartly by heating the water when it flows through the pipe almost instantly. The heating element in an electric geyser heats the water just as it flows through it. Hence there is no need to switch on the water heater minutes before bathing or showering, for that matter, and wait till it heats the water. Hence electric shower is a lot more advantageous than the other.

How to choose the right electric shower?

Electric showers are not small appliances, that is, they are not ones that require simple ready-to-work appliances but they need proper fitting and installation. Hence, care must be taken to choose the right one which can be done by researching and reading the reviews in Bestelecticshowers.com where a list of top electric showers is provided after careful analysis. It does not end there as the website provides numerous information about electric showers and their use.