There are a number of common myths regarding log homes that unfairly affect perceptions of people who might otherwise enjoy the log home life. Many of these myths have gotten an honest start sometime in the past but are no longer true.

Myth #1: Log homes are dark and gloomy. The truth: In Abraham Lincoln’s day, yes. Today, no. Log homes today tend to have large expansive windows, skylights, well-designed lighting systems, and optional light-colored interior walls.

Myth #2: Log homes are cold and drafty. The truth: This is another perception that comes from many years ago. Today’s log homes are professionally engineered and built to be energy efficient and draft-free.

Myth #3: Log homes require a lot of maintenance. The truth: This is partially true but log homes typically require no more maintenace than any other type of wood-sided and wood-framed home. Maintenance usually means periodic cleaning and application of protectant stains.

Myth #4: Log homes cost more to build. The truth: Log homes are typically custom-built homes, not mass produced conventional spec homes — and therefore cost more, but generally no more than other type of custom home. Handcrafted homes can cost more.

Myth #5: Log homes are hard to finance. The truth: Some banks don’t like to finance log homes because they are unfamiliar with log home construction. However, there is no shortage of other local banks and national lending companies who are comfortable with log homes and are eager to loan money, especially in areas where log homes are common.

Myth #6: Log home walls settle and cause problems. The truth: Again, this is mostly old information. Modern logs are thoroughly dried before used for construction, making them virtually free of the problems of the past. However, some settling is still possible, and most log home builders use special techniques to compensate.

Myth #7: Log homes are fireproof. The truth: This is not quite true but solid log walls do withstand fire much better than conventional framed walls. This fact probably doesn’t matter much, however, if the only thing standing after a major fire are the charred walls.

Myth #8: Log homes are stronger than conventional homes. The truth: This is almost completely true, because it’s actually the massive log walls that provide strength. Even though other parts of a log home may not be as strong as the walls, the walls tend to hold everything together in times of storms or earthquakes.

Myth #9: It’s difficult to find log home builders. The truth: Not true at all, especially in areas where log homes are common. Many builders specialize in log homes or have log home experience. When a log home builder is not available, conventional builders can learn from seminars and construction manuals provided by log home companies.

Myth #10: Log homes are only for eccentrics/retirees/vacation lovers/empty-nesters. The truth: Modern log homes have grown up and are no more simply small vacation cabins. They are full-time residences for families with children, often in conventional neighborhoods, with all the conveniences and luxuries of any other type of home.

Al Hearn is owner and operator of Log Home Advisor ( LogHomeAdvisor.com LogHomeAdvisor.com) where log home enthusiasts can find helpful log home articles, information, expert advice, planning tools, cost estimators, and affordability calculators.

What is the one thing that you usually notice when you first enter a room? It’s the flooring, because you are normally looking down to take your shoes off and it’s where your eyes are first focused so you can navigate through without tripping on anything. This only happens for a moment but it does leave a
lasting impression. It’s like meeting a person for the first time; studies have shown that you always notice their shoes first. After this your brain allows you to take in the scenery like people, furniture, wall colors etc…

Try this experiment! The next time you leave a room ask the person you are with what color the room was or what type of fabric was used on the couch. Then ask them what kind of floors or floor coverings they had. In most cases the person will have noticed the flooring or a particular area rug. This is why your choice in floor coverings is so important. The trend today is to install hardwood flooring or laminate wood flooring, but too much of a good thing can be over powering. This is why area rugs become so important in decorating. They add color and texture to your floors and at the same time compliment our furnishings. What style you choose also plays an important role in decorating.

Oriental and Persian rugs can be used as a main decorative feature and are normally seen in dining rooms or a formal living rooms. They are also popular as a wall hanging or tapestry. Colors are more of a light earthy tone to very dark depending on the colors of your floors, walls and furniture. All of these must blend in together like a painting. Remember that tapestries are made imperfect, slight inconsistencies are the proof that a rug was not made with a machine. Even if a rug is coming out perfect, the weaver will usually make an intentional mistake, in line with the belief that only God can make something that is perfect.

Bedroom rugs can be very ornamental but usually are chosen as part of the bedroom decor. They are best placed in front of the bed for a softer warm feel for when you first get out of bed in the morning. For children’s bedrooms decormotif.com/Rugs/play.htm kids room rugs or play rugs allow your child to use another play area to keep them entertained, these can be educational or just for fun.

Kitchen rugs are the most fun to buy and serve a very useful purpose. You always need one in front of the sink area to save your floor from marking up with puncture marks from falling knives and forks. A padded kitchen rug will also reduce leg and back pain if you spend a lot of time in the kitchen. These floor coverings are also the easiest to buy. Fruit patterned rugs and Rooster rugs are probably the most popular for country kitchens.

For more information on rugs go our main site at www.decormotif.com Here you will find rugs for girls bedrooms, decormotif.com/Rugs/kitchen.htm kitchen rugs and information on decormotif.com/Rugs/livingroom.htm living room rugs.

For making your hallway floors look more attractive and your stairs much safer, rug runners or long area rugs with a pad underneath work best. If you have a dark hallway and adding another light source is not in your plans, use lighter colored rugs on the floor.

Carry writes many decorating articles for decormotif.com about how to choose colors and patterns in home furnishings and flooring designs, that leave people with a lasting impression in how your home was decorated. Her specialty is flooring and area rugs and how they interact with your lighting choices.

Proper lighting is essential in your home office. A desk lamp provides adequate lighting for general tasks performed at the desk. A torch lamp or built-in lighting fixture will provide additional lighting for the entire room. Whenever possible, use a dimmer switch for built-in lighting to obtain additional control

Also It’s a must to have plenty of electrical outlets and sufficient phone jacks. Invest in a surge suppressor and battery back-up unit for your computer and install additional outlets if necessary.

When decorating your home office, keep the design professional, yet comfortable and inviting. Paint the walls a cool or warm shade such as blue or green. Artwork should be a reflection of your personality or your business. Include a picture of mountains on the wall behind your desk. Mountains are symbolic of support and are frequently used in office designs. Hang a picture of water in front of your desk, as this is symbolic of prosperity.

Plants add a homey touch to any environment. Use plants that grow in an upward fashion and avoid using cactus or plants with thorns or spiked leaves. At the very least, use silk plants or keep a vase of fresh flowers on your desk.

Tabletop water fountains make a beautiful addition to any home office design. There are many styles to choose from or you can make your own using a waterproof container, small aquarium pump and decorative rocks.

Designing a home office is a personal choice and should include the elements which make you feel comfortable. Bring in the colors, fabrics, art work, and textures that excite and motivate you. Keep your home office clutter-free and organized and you will be well on your way to being a happy and productive home worker.

Copyright Shrinivas Vaidya

Shrinivas Vaidya is the webmaster of homedesigndatabase.com homedesigndatabase.com Visit today to get more free

Are you tired of how your old cabinets look? Instead of hiring an interior designer, why not take a trip to the hardware store and look for the things you need to make the changes? You can start by buying some cans of paint, paintbrushes and rollers, pans, a few bottles of thinner, sandpaper, hinges and some cabinet hardware. Of course, you’ll need proper tools like screwdrivers and maybe a drill if you plan to make some new holes in the wall.

But before you take a trip to the hardware store, make a few observations and plan ahead. Make sure that you know what you want to do and what kind of hardware you need. You can choose between a knob, which is something you use with one screw to mount as a handle of your cabinet, or a pull, for which you need two screws. You might want to take into consideration the design and the finishing of the hardware as well. You can choose from steel, brass, wooden, nickel, and many other kinds of finishing.

Make sure you consider all the hardware you will need. You don’t want to go all the way back to the hardware store just because you missed one screw or one knob, would you? Another aspect that is very important is taking the exact measurements of the hardware that you need. Surely you want the hardware you bought to fit in the existing hole of the cabinet. Though you may be prepared to drill a new hole just to accommodate your hardware, knowing the diameter and the depth of the existing hole and using it as a reference for the hardware you intend to purchase will save you a lot of time and hardship in the end.

e-CabinetHardware.com Cabinet Hardware provides detailed information on Cabinet Hardware, Discount Cabinet Hardware, Decorative Cabinet Hardware, Antique Cabinet Hardware and more. Cabinet Hardware is affiliated with e-CabinetKnobs.com Square Cabinet Knobs.

The most popular material used by far when it comes to kitchen countertops is plastic laminate. Some people may even call it Formica, but that is a brand name just like WilsonArt is.

The reason they are so popular is that they are easy to install, easy to clean and maintain, very inexpensive, and come in a huge range of textures, patterns, and colors.

You will want to take some care with them; use a cutting board since scratches and chips from sharp knives will damage your countertop fairly easily. If you do get a scratch or chip call in a professional to repair it or you may be replacing your countertop.

Always use trivets since the countertop cannot take heat from hot pans and burns and scorches cannot be removed.

While solid core laminate is a little more expensive it is worth it. Since the color runs all the way through it small scratches won’t be obvious and both your seams and edges will look better.

A design element I like to see when it comes to plastic laminate countertops is when people add a stone or tile edge material on them. If you are interested it is not hard to dress up your counters that way, you can have the manufacturer leave the countertop front edge open (just like the ends) and then you attach your edging choice after the countertop is installed.

One last thing I would like to mention is when it comes to backsplashes the post-formed backsplashes look so much better because it has a seamless look. So keep that in mind and think about purchasing your backsplash at the same time you get your plastic laminate countertops.

Robin Reckard, co-founder of Jorbins.com Lifestyle Magazine – jorbins.com/ jorbins.com/ keeps busy producing, writing, and editing for the magazine as well as raising and enjoying her six year old daughter.

Also visit Jorbins jorbins.com/home-improvement-decorating/kitchens.html Kitchen Discussions and jorbins.com/home-improvement-decorating/kitchens/countertops.html Kitchen Countertop Discussions for more great information concerning designing and remodeling a kitchen.

Copyright 2006, Jorbins Inc. – Reprints of this article can be made as long as the article is in it’s entirety, unchanged, and the resource box with links and urls remain unchanged

The dependability and prevalence of video surveillance cameras has increased dramatically in the past decade. Numerous home and business owners have integrated video surveillance cameras into their security systems to ensure safety, crack down on regulations, and catch criminals in the act. Video surveillance is considered covert when the cameras are hidden or aren’t identifiable. Video surveillance is largely legal in the United States, as long as it doesn’t directly infringe on a person’s fourth amendment right to privacy.

Uses of Covert Video Surveillance

“A picture is worth a thousand words.” This saying rings true in court. According to a recent study, when a jury is presented with video surveillance footage, it is twice as likely to convict as when not shown video surveillance evidence. The strategic placement of covert video surveillance cameras aid in the detection and prosecution of vandalism, theft, child abuse, elder neglect, stalking, and harassment.

Some of the more common places to use covert video surveillance are: Homes, Casinos, Police Stations, Nursing Homes, Construction Sites, Prisons, Hospitals and Retail Stores.

Monitoring the activities of nannies and household help with covert video surveillance cameras is a growing trend. Due to recent advances in technology, cameras are now small enough to be hidden in many home items such as teddy bears, house plants, clocks, and wall paintings.

Video Surveillance Laws

Most video surveillance is legal in the United States. The majority of video surveillance laws concern the invasion of privacy with the use of covert video surveillance. The use of covert video surveillance is particularly controversial in areas in which a high level of personal privacy is expected, such as: locker rooms, dressing rooms, bedrooms, and bathroom stalls. There are some general guidelines to follow to ensure the legality of your video surveillance system.
Covert video surveillance is illegal when: Audio surveillance is also taking place, without the consent of those being monitored and the person being monitored by the video surveillance has a reasonable expectation of privacy.

Covert video surveillance may be illegal when: The video surveillance encourages an illegal activity and the subject under video surveillance has a right to counsel, as when being questioned by law authorities and the person in charge of the premises have not given permission for video surveillance.

If you opt to incorporate a covert video surveillance system into your home or business, consult with a lawyer or your local law enforcement agency to ensure your compliance with local, state, and federal video surveillance laws.

Many independent studies in the United States and United Kingdom have suggested that video surveillance acts as a powerful deterrent, stopping crimes before they happen. Studies also show strong evidence that video surveillance systems can be an extremely effective tool in detection and prosecution.

Where you can find out more about

Designing your kitchen involves picking fixtures and appliances that are coordinated for a harmonized look. Achieving this involves paying attention to details, like the color of the fridge, the curtain rods and even the cabinet knobs on your cabinets. Nowadays, there is a wide variety of cabinet knobs that you can choose from, which makes it harder to pick the right ones for your kitchen cabinets. Glass cabinet knobs are gaining popularity, because apart from giving your kitchen an elegant look, the neutrality of the color makes it easy to match them with any cabinet surface. However, given the delicate nature of glass cabinet knobs, you need to be aware of the return policies of the stores you buy them from so that you can be protected when you make your purchase.

Return policy and warranties

One of the factors you need to consider before buying glass cabinet knobs is the return and exchange policy of the store you are buying them from. Most stores readily accept unused items that you return as long as you return them within a prescribed amount of time. If you are going to ship the glass cabinet knob that you wish to return, you may have to shoulder shipping costs, which are not refundable. Some stores also give you refunds with deductions that cover re-stocking fees. Sometimes you need to contact the store first before you send them the glass knob for shipping instructions so that your refund can be processed even before they receive the item.

You should also consider the warranties that the store offers. If you are buying from a retail store, most of the warranties on glass cabinet knobs depend on the warranties that suppliers provide. However, some stores have a general warranty policy for all the items available. As much as possible, you should buy glass cabinet knobs that come with a lifetime guarantee.

Glass cabinet knobs can be a good choice for your kitchen cabinets because of the elegant look they can give your kitchen. These knobs are very delicate, so before you buy them, you should be assured of the consumer protection that you will get on your purchases in the form of return polices and the warranties that come with the knobs.

e-CabinetKnobs.com Cabinet Knobs provides detailed information on Cabinet Knobs, Glass Cabinet Knobs, Square Cabinet Knobs, Discount Cabinet Knobs and more. Cabinet Knobs is affiliated with e-CabinetHardware.com Decorative Cabinet Hardware.

Laminate flooring is a new type of flooring, one that has been on the market for just a few years. If you have not seen laminate flooring in a home yet, you are going to be in for a big surprise. Laminate flooring is all about obtaining that real wood floor look, without having to have all the needed care for a wood floor in the long run. This type of flooring can be installed in any room of the home, where lots of moisture is not going to be found. If you have a laundry room where you have water dripping on the floor all the time, you may want to avoid putting laminate flooring in that room. Laminate flooring is great in the bedroom, in the hall, in the living room and so much more.

Laminate flooring is easy to care for. To clean a laminate floor in your home you will need just a dust mop or a very dry wet mop. As with a wood floor, you really don’t to over wet the flooring in your home. The flooring that is too wet, all the time is eventually going to warp. The water will get in the material and hold that water. As the water dries out the material in the laminate flooring is going to move and change just as real wood does. Don’t worry, laminate flooring installed properly and care for can last years and years in your home, often times longer than linoleum or tile flooring.

Laminate flooring can be installed in any room of the home, which has a level floor. If you have a floor where the sub floor is not even or level, you should install a new sub floor before putting the laminate flooring down. Laminate flooring is going to ‘go’ together and ‘fit’ together better when it is all level, and it is going to last longer as it is going to connect together best when on a level surface.

You can install a laminate flooring in a bathroom where you control the amount of water on the floor. You can also install a laminate flooring in the kitchen if you are careful about how much water and spills you have on the flooring. These same principles apply to wood flooring as well so don’t worry about being the ‘first’ to do this. Laminate flooring can be installed in the family room or in the basement rooms where you spent a lot of your time. Laminate flooring is going to keep your home cool, and it great if you have pets so you can just sweep up for hair off the floors in your home.

Copyright 2006 – Ivar Rudi. Ivar suggests you find great market for less by shopping online today. For more information and resources about this subject check out: laminate-flooring-guide.org/ laminate-flooring-guide.org/
and also prefab-homes.biz/ prefab-homes.biz/

In 1860, Auguste Mouchout, concerned about the uses and limitations of coal, endeavored to create a device that used the energy of the sun for the energy needs of humankind. But it wasn’t until the 1980’s that solar power became a serious contender as an alternative to traditional energy sources. At the same time in the 1860’s, Etienne Lenoir invented the first successful internal combustion engine. Interestingly, the engine was not powered by gasoline but by the less toxic illumination gas (hydrogen, methane and ethylene). About a decade later, gasoline was used to fuel the I.C.E. Now over a century later, most prominently in the 1990’s, environmentally conscious inventors have made the effort to develop effective, alternatively fueled automobiles. As we begin the 21st century, alternative “green” building is becoming the topic of discussion for consumers, inventors, and builders who, conscious of our responsibility to future generations, venture to use our resources responsibly.

Green Building Defined

Green building is an alternative approach to building construction and remodeling by using fewer raw materials and reducing unnecessary waste while, at the same time, managing to construct energy efficient and durable buildings. The term green is used so often that it is difficult to determine what may be considered “green.” The criterion that follows will attempt to clarify this ambiguous term.

# 1 Considering the material

The most pressing questions when one determines whether a construction is green or not: Can the material be recycled? Can it be reused? Is the material biodegradable?

–Recycled materials are materials that are collected and reused in a different form. (e.g., a coke can into another manufactured product
–A material is considered reusable when it is salvaged and reused in its original form. Reusable materials cut costs and reduce unnecessary use of other materials.
–A biodegradable material is a material that can break down organically back into the earth without any toxins and/or waste materials.

#2 Is it environmentally friendly?

Simply stated, a dwelling is environmentally friendly if it is constructed and maintained in such a way that it does not harm the essential stabilization of life upon the earth. Quite often, an environmentally friendly dwelling replaces traditional approaches to construction that cause harm to the environment. A few questions one can ask to determine how green a building is are: Which and how much raw materials are used? What sorts of toxins or pollutions are eliminated by choosing this green material? Is the construction process detrimental to the health of the builders and/or the future occupants?

#3 What types of material have a direct negative effect on the environment?

If one decides to build green, one must eliminate destructive materials used during or left after the construction of the dwelling. Here are a few questions one must consider:

–. What is the LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) of the building material? To determine the LCA of a dwelling one can use this “Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability” bfrl.nist.gov/oae/software/bees.html/” target=”_blank software

– Which materials damage the environment and in what way are such materials detrimental? Materials to be avoided include, but are not limited to: persistent organic pollutants (POPs), persistent bioaccumulative toxics (PBTs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs)

The ramifications of irresponsible use of our natural resources may be incalculably disadvantageous to the future of life upon this planet. Instead of knowledge and technology, convenience and simplicity may be our greatest enemy. Moreover, in a world where the use of resources create political instability, it is an understanding of our weaknesses rather then the application of our strengths that may prove beneficial.

Mark Fagiano is the president of Arete Apprenticeship. His latest project is the creation of an information based real estate website. realestatetriumph.com realestatetriumph.com If you wish to write an article demonstrating your real estate expertise in exchange for free advertisement for your business you can contact him at mailto:triumph@realestatetriumph.com triumph@realestatetriumph.com

In this next article in our continuing history of chairs we’re going to pick up with Chinese chairs.

There is not much known about ancient Chinese chairs. What we do know is that during the Tang dynasty, which was from 618 to 907 AD, higher seats started to appear among the Chinese elite and then soon spread to the more common people of China. By the 12th century, sitting on the floor, which at one time was what every Chinese person did, was becoming less common even though in other Asian countries the custom of sitting on the floor continued.

We then move on to the Renaissance period. In Europe especially, it is because of the Renaissance period that the chair became a symbol of authority in the European State. It became custom that the only people who had chairs were those of authority or royalty or those who could simply afford them as they were very expensive. However, once the idea of privilege faded away, the chair became more common in everyone’s household.

Once chairs started to be manufactured for common people it was immediately noticeable that the chairs themselves reflected the fashions of the times. Over the course of the Renaissance period chairs have varied in size, shape and sturdiness. They were fashioned not only after women’s dress but after men’s as well. The chair itself started to become too monstrous with many of the items they were adorned with and soon these items started to disappear in order to make the chair more functional.

By the 18th and 19th centuries the costly adornments of these chairs were threatened by the ordinary adornments of the more common chairs. Because of this came the development of the “conversation chair” which enabled the person sitting in it to sit with his face to the back of the chair. This can actually still be done with many chairs even today. The earlier chairs usually had large arms and it wasn’t until the end of the 16th century that the smaller chairs became common.

The majority of chairs in the 17th century were made of oak and were made without upholstery. When it became fashionable to cover them, most of the time leather was used. Sometimes velvet and silk were also used. During later periods, less costly materials were used.

An old Abraham Bosse engraving from around 1630 depicts a Parisian musical party that has pulled their low chairs, which were called backstools, away from the tapestry hung walls where they were usually lined up. The padded back panels were covered with needlework panels. Plain cloth was put across the back to hide the wooden framing. The engraving also depicts stools with column legs.

Leather began to be used only for the most costly and elaborate chairs. These chairs were sheathed in thin plates of silver and were usually sent from Venice to other places all over Europe. To this day, leather is still the most infrequently used material for chairs. Until the 17th century the main characteristic of chairs was to be made sturdy and bulky. After the time of Louis XIII, chairs were made with cane backs and seats and their weight was reduced substantially.

In our next article in this series we will continue with English chairs.

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Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to chairs.selection-guide.com/ Chairs
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