Happy New Year!

I hope you enjoyed the holidays and had some quality rest and relaxation. I know I did. I also spent some time contemplating my new year resolutions. My wife would probably classify the effort as more like planning my new year home projects, and she is probably more accurate, but no matter. Planning and setting goals are always a good thing to do at the start of a new year, regardless of what they are.

On the top of my list of new year resolutions (a.k.a. home improvement projects) is re-shingling the roof. It is followed by re-siding the home with vinyl siding. I am still contemplating this idea, as I have never been a big fan of vinyl, but after years of painting I am getting more wetted to the idea of vinyl. This may be the year I break down.

Third on my new years resolution list is replacing a couple of all wood windows with vinyl clad windows. I did this on a number of other windows on my home already, and have been thrilled
with the look and performance of them.

In addition to my top three resolutions, I have a number of other items that I am also still contemplating for 2006. They include: installing a Hot Tub, re-surfacing a deck, and landscaping.

Over the next week I will sharpen my pencil and cost out each of the “resolutions” and try to maximize the resolutions with the allowed budget. A must task for every home improvement Do-It-Yourselfer.

I know 2006 is already shaping up to be an exciting year in our home. I hope it is the same for you.

Over the past 20 years Mark Donovan has been involved with building homes and additions to homes. His projects have included: building a vacation home, building additions and garages on to existing homes, and finishing unfinished homes. For more home improvement information visit homeadditionplus.com homeadditionplus.com and homeaddition.blogspot.com homeaddition.blogspot.com

Do you have a faint horror of tablecloths? Do they make you think of hours of ironing, only to have to repeat it all again when someones spilled the gravy?!

If so, then breath a sigh of relief, for the traditional heavy English tablecloth has been eclipsed by the arrival of the French! Or should I say the French tablecloth?

Provence Tablecloths

With a society which enjoys spending long mealtimes together as a family chatting and enjoying food – the French enjoy eating without the hassle of all that ironing.

Visit any French market and you’ll find the tablecloth seller. Selling brightly coloured country style Provence table linens and napkins – these are not the 100% cotton, hard to iron creations that we English are so used to. These polyester cotton mixes have a look of cotton, but are easy to wash and dry and require just a light touch with the iron.

Prices are also lower than the traditional Damask table linen – often less than half the price. Instead of investing in one tablecloth for special occasions, it becomes possible to ring the changes and have different tablecloths for different occasions.

The other wonderful invention is their “anti-tache” or cotton enduit, a finish which makes them resistant to spills and stains. Not only are they easier to wash, but you’ll have to do so less often.

With their wonderful range of colours and patterns, it’s possible to find something to match in with the décor of any room.

Jacquard Table Linens

If you still enjoy the more traditional touch, there’s a wide range of jacquard table linen available in the shops and markets of France.

You’ll notice that they tend to use them for decorative purposes – particularly on round tables. A plain coloured, circular cloth will be placed over the table, draped down to the ground. A second, square patterned tablecloth is placed over this giving a very elegant and decorative effect.

About the Author

Jen Carter has about a dozen round tablecloths in her own home and friends almost always comment on them! You can find ideas for your own mybeautifultable.com/provence-tablecloths.html Provence tablecloths at My Beautiful Table.

Check out eBay for what search.ebay.co.uk/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQsassZjennifer1960jen French Tablecloths are available.

Whether you have just moved into a new house, or would like to add a more rustic appeal to your current abode, old world style walls can add a cozy, and enriching feeling to a home environment. From simply changing the color of your walls, to adding glaze for depth, or hand troweling plaster, the walls in your home can look over a century old in no time.

First decide what color you want to see in your new walls. From warm yellow ochres to rich chocolate browns, these colors are usually based on neutral earthtones. Remember, flat paint will pick up added fingerprints, and can usually not be faux finished over. However, flat paint is ideal if you would simply like to change the color of your walls, and your walls have many imperfections you are trying to hide.

Another option is to add glaze to a wall. Glazing a wall adds translucent color as well as added depth and dimension. From textured walls to smooth walls, a glaze sometimes is referred to as a colorwash. Hiring a professional faux finisher ensures quality products that are durable and will last over the years without fading.

Finally, old Italian walls can be textured with a variety of products to get the look of stucco, crackle and aged crumbly walls. An added bonus is fake areas of stone or brick around the room. The faux architectural stone areas will give the appearance that the walls have been layered with a variety of building materials, giving a very rustic impression.

Changing the look of a room can make a dramatic difference. From color to a variety of paint techniques, your home will feel relaxed and calm—bringing you back in time, as if it was a villa in Tuscany!

Lead artist of Hampton Wall Designs, Julie Hampton has worked one on one with a variety of clients including interior designers, architects, and private home owners. A skilled artisan, Julie guides her clientele in selecting high quality finishes and surface designs.
Hampton Wall Designs works closely with residential and commercial clientele to create beautifully painted walls. Located in West Des Moines, IA the studio offers a variety of services including faux finishes, murals, hand painted designs and lettering.

Would you like to have a gazebo, but you are not quite sure if you want a permanent structure? A canopy gazebo may be a good choice for you.

A canopy gazebo is a type of gazebo that is portable. It is relatively easy to disassemble and store away if you want. Or, it can be moved to another location easily if you decide to do so.

A canopy gazebo is made of a tent style fabric material. It is made to be durable. A canopy gazebo is generally weather resistant and not easily torn. The frame for a canopy gazebo is constructed of metal. Powder coated steel, wrought iron, and aluminum are common frame construction materials. The frame is usually made to snap together to create a sturdy structure for supporting the gazebo material.

One of the biggest advantages of a canopy gazebo, aside from the fact that it is easily moved, is the price. The cost of a canopy gazebo is much less compared to a traditional non-moveable gazebo that is made of a wood or metal.

There are many uses for canopy gazebos. Canopy gazebos are great for providing shade over a picnic table on a hot summer day. Some canopy gazebo types are equipped with sides in them with screens that can be zipped up to keep insects away, or can be tied back to give the gazebo an open look. Many people pack a canopy gazebo for a camping trip to have an area outside of their tent that is bug free.

If you have enjoyed this article and would like to learn more about finding the perfect gazebo for your outdoor living area including information about need-info.com/gazebo/Amish_Gazebo.html Amish gazebos, hot tub gazebos, spa gazebos, garden gazebos, and more, visit need-info.com/gazebo need-info.com/gazebo to get all the facts and info today.

One of the most common of problems in maintaining a vacuum cleaner is making sure that its bag is in the best of conditions. Oftentimes, this leads to consumers having to replace their vacuum bags more often than not. This is one good reason to make the change to a bagless vacuum cleaner. It requires less maintenance and is apparently more efficient than one that requires a bag. Here is a baglesss vacuum cleaner review on a couple of models of different manufacturers.

Bissell Powerforce Bagless Upright

Even though canister vacuums are more popular these days, the upright models still do find there way into the market and into consumers homes. After all, the upright models still are very useful and now that they come in a bagless version, they have just been made all the more important to have around the house. The Bissell.Powerforce is low-priced and is special because there are features on it that are only really ever found on higher end models. With a large dirt container instead of a bag, this allows the bagless vacuum cleaner to pick up more dirt and hair off of carpets. The container is also very easy to remove in order to dispose of the dirt, much like throwing trash from a trashcan into a dump truck. Cleaning is less of a chore compared to bags because you can give the container a quick wash and have it on the go almost in an instant.

Fantom Fury

It seems that bagless vacuum cleaners are becoming more popular these days. Take the Fantom Fury, for instance. It’s an excellent vacuum cleaner that is extremely lightweight and like most other upright bagless vacuum cleaners, you will find the dirt vessel right on top of the cleaning head. This makes it even easier to move around the house. With it’s clear canister, you will be able to see all the dirt that is collected from the carpet and various floor surfaces. And once the cylinder is filled, it is easily emptied, again like emptying out a trash can. The Fury also comes with a long-lasting HEPA filter and is recommended for those who are allergic to dust particles.

Why Make the Switch?

This bagless vacuum cleaner review insists that you make the change. Although it’s true that consumers have become quite used to the original design of a vacuum with a bag, the flaw is that they will end up spending more because they need to change those bags wants they are full. A bagless vacuum’s vessel only needs to be emptied out and then it can be used all over again. Also, a vacuum that does use bags will more than likely be clogged with all sorts of dirt and hair that it picks up. This will require even further maintenance from the consumer side, whereas a bagless vacuum would have save that consumer loads of time. It seems that the bagless variety (with their strong suction function) might even leave your floors and carpets even cleaner than their bagged counterparts.

For more information, product links and allvacuumcleaners.info/vacuum-cleaners.html bagless vacuum cleaner reviews, please visit allvacuumcleaners.info/ www.allvacuumcleaners.info

The Mathmos Color Bubble is made by Mathmos – the company that created the original Lava lamp back in 1967). This is a very intriguing light that illuminates in a wonderful shade of blue. The Mathmos Color Bubble is made with high-quality materials. The outer housing is made of semi-soft kind of rubber. It also features a built-in rechargeable battery with AC plug adaptor (120V) and can be used indoor or outdoors. The battery will last 3-6 hours on a full charge.

Other features of the Color Bubble:

* Built-in rechargeable battery with AC adaptor.

* Uses long-life LEDs to produce light.

* Made with high-quality materials – very durable.

* Splash-proof seal means that it can be used indoors or outdoors.

* 3-6 hour battery life for a full charge.

Ambient Orb

The Ambient Orb is a device that slowly transitions between thousands of colors to show changes in the weather, the health of your stock portfolio, or if your boss or friend is on instant messenger. It is a simple wireless object that unobtrusively presents information. Imagine if you had to go to your computer and type in your zip code whenever you wanted to check what time it was. Your important information should be as accessible as looking at a clock, now the Ambient Orb can make a variety of information just a glance away.

The Ambient Orb is simply plugged into any standard power outlet and it is up and running on a nationwide wireless network – no internet connection required. The Orb does not attach to a PC. The channel for the Orb can be selected via a web interface and will update in a short period of time. Depending on which channel the Orb is monitoring, it will receive updates every few minutes, or perhaps once per hour for some channels.

The Ambient Orb has these features:

* LED lighting that can produce thousands of color combinations

* Orb can also produce color pulses

* The Orb is made of glass

* Pre-configured to monitor the Dow – can be reconfirgured online or through an 800 number

* Premium content available for about $1/week

* Does not require a computer, phone or internet connection

* Three brightness level settings

* Includes power supply, power cord, and glass Orb

* Can monitor: Stock market, weather, pollen count, IM buddies, or custom data

* One-year manufaturer warranty

ambientorb.co.uk Ambient Orb

For more details, see more information ambientorb.co.uk/about-the-orb.htm About the Orb or ambientorb.co.uk/buy-an-orb.htm Buy an Ambient Orb

To summarize, the Mathmos Color Bubble simply cycles color at random, where the Ambient Orb receives information wirelessly and changes color accordingly…

When you want to create a beautiful and functional landscape, the task may be overwhelming. Before the first shovel of soil is turned, close your eyes and picture your dream garden. Begin by asking what are your landscape goals. Some of the common reason to landscape include:

• Create privacy

• Invite entertaining

• Provide recreation

• Modify the climate

• Beautify the property

• Grow a kitchen garden

• Attract wildlife

• Reduce water use

When a landscape is thoughtfully planned, it does more than beautify the property: It can provide a recreation area and places to entertain. Well placed trees and shrubs can cut down on heating and cooling costs. A good design can also add more living space to your home in the warm seasons and provide a window to the natural world during colder months.

Following are some landscape design basics that apply to all designs. Every good garden design owes its effectiveness to certain basic design principles. These rules apply to all levels of gardens, from a simple garden border to an elaborate classical design. Remember, in any well-designed garden no one feature, plant or structure is completely dominant. Instead, all features work together to establish a sense of unity.

A. Repetition. Repeat certain plants, textures or colors.

B. Simplicity. This is the result of constraint. It keeps your design from being cluttered and unfocused.

C. Unity. A unified design ensures that the garden reads as one whole design rather than a hodgepodge of separate elements.

D. Scale. Scale refers to the balance between sizes of various elements, which includes the house, walkways, paths, fences, garden beds and plantings. No one element or feature should overpower all of the others.

Donna Evans is a landscape designer and website designer. Donna along with her husband own, Gizmo Creations LLC, gizmocreations.com gizmocreations.com, works with residential property owners and commercial property owners to create landscape designs that provide beauty and functionality to the site’s owners. As well as having a landscape designer, the company has a licensed landscape architect on staff. In addition to working with nearby property owners, Gizmo Creations also does on-line landscape design through their site at, gclandscapes.com gclandscapes.com. Donna also teaches an on-line landscape design course. For information about the course go to gizmocreations.com gizmocreations.com. More articles on landscaping and sample plans can be seen on the website.

Purchasing home office equipment is to a certain extent a task, if you are buying furniture for a home office, the task becomes intimidating. Home office furniture becomes easy to buy, once you know what it is that you are looking for.

Here are a few things to consider before you do purchase:

Cost is not the only factor to mull over; other considerations are for one, comfort that should supersede the issue fee.

The following factor, ergonomics, you will want furniture that will make available comfort all the way through the day. Bear in mind, the furniture that you purchase will be used by you for loads of hours at a time. On the other hand, you will not wish for furniture that is too much at ease, because in essence, too much comfort can decrease productivity. Comfort in the extreme is no better than discomfort when it comes to purchasing office furniture. You will thus want to purchase furniture that is somewhere in the middle – productively comfortable.

Next and particularly important, you will want to purchase furniture with the purpose of been ergonomically appropriate. In doing so, you will help prevent injuries from repetitive motion, improper posture and so forth. Good posture support in chairs and appropriate desks for keyboards is what you will be looking for. Keyboards and special mice have been designed to help reduce injuries and you should consider buying such products to accompany the furniture that you purchase for your home
office.

Lastly, style and cost are to be considered when you make your purchase. If you will have clients visiting your home office you will require professional looking furniture to convey your professional attitude. Likewise, cost should be considered. Remember that you should never compromise quality for cost when you are purchasing furniture for your home office.

Written by Sherry Amerson.

Find more information on saxen.co.uk/ home office furniture and a saxen.co.uk/home-office-furniture-c-4.html computer desk as well as a saxen.co.uk/home-office-furniture-c-4.html computer workstation

Swimming pool covers are offered in different shapes, sizes, colors and purposes. A solar cover will heat your pool and keep it protected. If safety is your most important concern, you can find safety covers that cover your pool and keep people and pets out of it.

For both in ground pools and above ground pools, you can get a cover to keep your pool protected from people, pets and the severe winter weather.

When buying a swimming pool cover, there are some things that you should take into account. The first thing is to look for a cover that is strong and sturdy. The cover you choose should keep your pool clean from debris, but also provide safety for people who unintentionally step out on to it. The cover must be strong enough to prevent people from drowning and also sturdy enough to keep debris from getting access to the water.

The cover you choose should be acceptable with both local and state regulations. There are some areas that require a certain type or size cover. You can check with local police force. You should always check before you purchase a pool cover, in the event that what you are interested in isn’t allowed.

In addition, you should always ensure that the cover comes with a warranty. The majority of swimming pool covers include a warranty of two years or even more. A warranty should also cover all types of defects. For this reason, buy a cover for your pool from a company that you know stands behind what they sell.

When buying a cover, make sure that your cover offers a good overlap length; a size that is a bit larger than the dimensions of your pool. This will give you more than enough room to anchor your cover down to the swimming pool. You can stretch your cover out over your pool, and still have plenty of room left to make sure that it fits tight.

When you buy the cover, make sure that it includes everything you need to start using it right away. Depending on the type you choose, you will get either straps or anchors. You should make sure that there was no spillage with the cover. The last thing you want is to buy a cover that is missing vital components that you need to use the cover.

Swimming pool covers are essential to keeping your pool safe and clean, and should always be used if you own a swimming pool.

Alex Fir shares a wealth of information on his website

Doing an home improvement project on your own is not to difficult. OK, lets say you want something repaired in your apartment, remodeling or maybe just a property improvement. So now its time to make the decision on if you going to do this home improvement project yourself or should you hire a professional contractor to do the repair or improvement, however you are finding budgeting a mental struggle. Chill out, there are lots of things you can plan that will enable you to start the project in a efficient way.

Set up a financial plan:

1) The first thing you need to think about before you start on any home improvement is a realistic budget. A budget includes setting aside an amount of money for any eventualities this includes mistakes, any accidental damage inflicted on your home and so on. If your project is on a somewhat bigger scale than most home renovations, you can save costs by purchasing materials in bulk from a supplier.

2) However low cost and good quality doesn’t always go together. Compromising on price might also mean getting lower quality materials. Ensure that whatever you are buying is in good condition and long lasting, otherwise you may have to replace whatever you have bought thus doubling the cost.

To use a professional contractor or not:

Very often the best way to judge a contractor’s quality of work is by word of mouth. People will recommend a contractor when they are satisfied with the work. So the best way to find the contractor for you, is to talk to friends who have had repair work done, or a home improvement project completed recently to see if they would recommended the contractor who did the job.

Sometimes whatever property improvement you have in mind can be easily done on your own. Supplies and tools can be bought at your local hardware store and you can cut down on the cost immensely. However if your project seems complicated and you don’t have much experience with DIY projects, it’s best to leave it to the professional house improvement contractors. Remember that although you think by going DIY you are saving money; a mistake might make things costlier later on.

Planning your project:

Timing is a significant factor when setting up your home improvement project. Deciding on the best time for your undertaking makes sure that it can be finished on time and if you have hired professional contractors, it’s wise to keep in mind that this will mean strangers will be in and out of your home; this could lead to a very stressful situation for you and your family.

To reduce the stress aspect, it would be better to plan your home improvement around your life and not the other way around. Try to find a period when your work timetable isn’t so hectic and none of your family have anything important scheduled such as an exam, presentation, or any important appointments.

It is also wise to realize that home improvement projects and remodeling can take more time than was planned for and there’s not a great deal you can do about this. The tips in this article will hopefully help you start your project with very few problems.

Homeimprovementok.com for information, tips and articles about home improvement.