If the building design of your home has left you with a windowless bathroom, it might feel like you’ll be stuck with a gloomy room forever. Well fortunately, there are some handy design tips that could brighten up even the dullest of bathrooms.
We’ve collated the best tips for your bathroom, that are easy to carry out and will help you to create the illumination you’re looking for. Read on to find out how you can make small changes and create a beautifully lit haven in your home.
Incorporate mirrors
If you do happen to have a small window in your bathroom, a great way to maximise the light it brings in is to strategically place a mirror opposite it. This will allow the natural light to bounce off the mirror, and fill your room with a warm glow.
You can also get this same effect without natural lighting, by placing ceiling lights or lamps around your mirrors, again enhancing the light already in the room.
Angle the lighting
Alongside using mirrors to create brightness, you can also experiment with your lighting in the available space. When selecting your bulbs, consider warmer tones to give the room a cosy feel.
You could install spotlights in alcoves to create space, and use the lights in strategic places such as under cabinets to give a feeling of all round brightness.
You don’t just need to stick to your ceiling lighting to make your room look bright either. Positioning table lamps or even hanging spotlights around your bathroom can illuminate the space.
Use colour to your advantage
If you use the right colours, you can not only create light in a windowless room, you can also create space. White is a great colour for giving off brightness, as it bounces any existing light around the room. You don’t need to change your space too much, just incorporating a white bath tub, cupboards and towels can have a big effect.
Keeping your room decorated in one, light colour will also help create light. Instead of fitting hundreds of tiles, you can install cladding, such as marble-effect cladding. This design is not only modern, it can also reflect light around your room and create the brightness you’re looking for.
Consider the furniture in your room
Alongside buying white furniture, you can do other things with your bathroom fittings to create light. Instead of frosted glass in your shower, try textured glass. This will protect your privacy while also allowing light to travel through the glass and into every corner of your bathroom.
You can also consider installing a bathroom sink and using shelving rather than cupboards underneath to expose even more space, and allow light to come through.
So, as you can see, you don’t need to make big changes in your bathroom to create the sense of light you need. Making aesthetic changes to your colour scheme, and to your bathroom furniture can really help to brighten up your space and illuminate its features.
Dishwashers are a cherished item in the household, as they save us from many gruelling washing up tasks!
Despite their ability to tackle a huge batch, there are some things that you can’t put in a dishwasher due to the damage it can lead to your kitchen utensils and more importantly the appliance itself.
Read on to find out about these 10 things which have no place in your dishwasher.
Knives
Knives can quickly dull when placed in the dishwasher, which is particularly frustrating when this happens to your best ones. Not only does the detergent in the dishwasher wear down the sharpness of the knife over time, but the banging of the knives with other cutlery can extenuate this problem. However, some dishwashers come equipped with a knife rack, which helps to keep them protected.
Cheese Graters
Cheese graters are messy utensils, due to all the small food particles getting stuck in the tiny holes, so for that reason they shouldn’t go anywhere near your dishwasher.
These objects need to be cleaned by hand because if you place them straight into your dishwasher after using them, you’re bound to notice that it’s left some mess in your appliance. Hand wash your cheese grater to ensure that it’s clear of any loose food particles, so that it doesn’t leave any dirt in your dishwasher.
Placing dirty cutlery or objects in your dishwasher can clog the pump assembly which may leave you in need of having your dishwasher repaired.
Non-Stick Pans
Unless your non-stick pan has a label saying, ‘dishwasher safe’, then these are objects should not be thrown in the dishwasher, because they won’t last for much longer after that.
The detergent can majorly affect these pans non-stick quality and it is best that you wash these by hand.
Insulated Mugs
Despite that some new insulated mugs have been made to be dishwasher safe, some older models will lose their insulation quality when placed in the dishwasher, as the space between the outer and inner layer can fill with water.
Plastic
It is commonly questioned whether you can put plastic in your dishwasher. In fact, some dishwashers can accommodate plastic cutlery, but for those that can’t, they can melt the plastic and leak harmful toxins when heated.
However, the plastics that can be problematic for your dishwasher are the weaker ones. Plastic cutting boards and mixing boards are less troublesome and can go in the dishwasher, but make sure they are kept on the top shelf so they are as far away from the heat as possible.
Aluminium
Whether it’s disposable or not, any objects made of aluminium that you place in your dishwasher run the risk of becoming discoloured.
This discolouration will come in the form of either black residue or marks all over your aluminium item. Or even worse…it could discolour other items in your dishwasher too.
Make sure you don’t get your aluminium cookware confused with their stainless-steel equivalent, as the latter are more than equipped to tackle your dishwashing appliance.
Gold Plated Crockery
If you have any fancy gold-plated dishware, then it’s essential that you only wash these objects by hand. By running them through the dishwasher, then there’s a chance that the gold can be eaten away …. a chance which certainly isn’t worth risking.
Crystal
Crystal bowls and glasses don’t come cheap and by throwing them in the dishwasher they’re surely not going to be a long-lasting investment.
By putting crystal in your washer, the high temperature can leave it chipped or cracked. However, some manufacturers now make dishwasher safe crystal, but it’s still important to make sure that they are secured tightly in the appliance to stop them from moving around and breaking.
Objects with Adhesives
Any objects that you throw in the washer that have labels on them containing glue, can cause damage to the appliance. Either hand wash any labelled objects, or simply remove all labels before loading into the dishwasher.
Garlic Press
Garlic presses pose a similar threat to your dishwasher than cheese graters because they are messy and a nightmare to wash.
Garlic in particular can turn into a paste form and can get stuck in the crevices of the press which is not a good mix with your dishwasher. This is due to the amount of dirt it can leave within the appliance, which will worsen its washing effectiveness.
So now you know all the things that can be detrimental to the condition of your dishwasher, you have no excuse not to hand wash these items, no matter how much of a rush you are in! This way, you can prolong the lifespan of your dishwasher so it can continue saving you time for many years to come!
Whether you are buying a new pool and designing your own backyard oasis or you are design more comfort and luxury around an existing swimming pool, many patio and pool design ideas are universally appealing. This means that you can enjoy your setup now, and also increase the value of your home and property. Some of the most widely appealing designs are found below.
1. Open Spaces for Sunning, Tanning and Reading
Whether your teen loves to work on their tan or you enjoy catching some rays with your favorite book, wide deck plans and open spaces allow you to get as much sun as possible without having to worry about what time of day to go outside in order to avoid seasonal shadows. Sunshine and fresh air really are the best medicine!
2. Ivy Covered Arbors for Outdoor Evening Dining
If you don’t get a chance to hang out by your pool during the day, maybe your friends and fellowship times occur in the evening or later at night. Putting a small, heated pool beside a vine covered arbor, complete with table and chairs, can bring outdoor dining a fresh cozy atmosphere. String white Christmas lights through your ivy covered arbor to create a partially enclosed dining oasis. If you like fresh, outdoor scents, plant sweet smelling vines by your arbor, and maybe some wisteria to hang down from the roof as a pleasant aroma for your guests. Make sure to feather your white lights in and out of the lattice and the vines to create a layered, ethereal lighting effect. It will be magical.
3. Multiple Decks allow Safe Spaces for Kids
If you live on a hill and/or have small children, your patio and pool design ideas must have these features in mind. If your pool is at the bottom of the hill and there are multiple decks down to it, you can easily block off areas so that your children do not accidentally fall into the water. At all times, you must remember that children love to climb and go into new areas. A metal fencing can keep upper decks off limits from the pool area. In addition to this, remember to put motion detectors around the edge of the pool, so that you can hear an alarm ring from the furthest corners of the house if someone falls in! Multiple decks on a hillside are also beneficial to keep your patio areas flat and luxurious. Put luscious plants on both ends of your steps to create a forest-wandering feeling as you walk downhill.
4. Cozy, Enclosed Spaces create Safety and Warmth
Many pool and patio designs are built with artificial rocks, faux caverns, cedar and redwood arbors and arches, and by making use of natural nooks and corners in your back yard. Put warm lights around the edges of your patio and place cool shaded, underwater lights deep within your caverns to create a cozy wilderness effect.
Which design style you choose, remember that you can mix and match design ideas if your landscape shape, slope, and family needs require them. Keep a uniform design through lighting or color shading, and allow your brilliant ideas to unfold!
Nowadays, the bathroom definitely plays an important role in any home. Needless to say, bathrooms are no longer just places where you can take a bath or shower and perform your other necessary hygienic functions – it is now considered one of the most crucial rooms in the home, simply because it does not just epitomise form and function – it can epitomise comfort and luxury as well. The standard, ‘basic’ bathroom is long gone. Today’s bathrooms are often outfitted with every luxurious feature one can think of, from steam showers to freestanding baths to whirlpools and a lot more. But before getting carried away with these elements, you also have to remember to consider one major element that can affect the overall atmosphere in your bathroom: the lighting. Here, then, is your all-important guide on how best to light up your bathroom.
The types of light you need
In order to make your bathroom a beautiful, relaxing, and luxurious space, the lighting you choose matters. There are four basic types of light you need: task lighting, accent lighting, decorative lighting, and ambient lighting.
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Task lighting
Task lighting, essentially speaking, is the kind of lighting you need in order to properly see what you are doing and view yourself as well. Pay particular attention to the area of the mirror, as it needs to be ideally illuminated. Sconces can do a great job at illumination, and if you want to go ‘the extra mile,’ as they say, you can even install a special lighting ‘makeup mirror’ as well. When installing your lights, avoid putting lights on top of the mirror, as this can create shadows. Even recessed lighting installed on the ceiling is not recommended.
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Accent lighting
Another type of light you need for your bathroom is accent lighting. This is especially true if you like to decorate your bathroom with some artistic touches. Recessed lighting can bring focus to paintings or flowers, and specially-chosen bathroom spotlights can give your bathroom a cosy, pleasant theme.
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Decorative lighting
You may think accent lighting is the same as decorative lighting, but they do, in fact, have certain differences. Decorative lighting is often used to add a kind of ‘sparkle’ to your bathroom (think chandeliers on the ceiling and so on). Candles can also serve as decorative lighting, whether they are real or operating on electricity.
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Ambient lighting
Ambient lighting, on the other hand, often acts as a kind of filler, filling the room with enough light. Not all bathrooms need ambient lighting, but bathrooms with high ceilings or coves can definitely benefit from some ambient lights such as pendants and wall lamps.
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When it comes time to move belongings and items from a home or business then it is always important to be selective about hiring a well-regarded removalist so that there will be minimal issues. There are countless stories of people who experienced problems such as damage to their possessions or faulty work, and so the necessary precursory work should be done in order to insure that a trusted 24 hour locksmith is chosen for the job at hand.
One of the most credible pieces of information that a 24 hour locksmith who works with removalists can provide is a certification. There are a number of highly trusted associations that such a certification can come from, and being able to verify that the workers have one is the ideal situation. A certification is proof that the locksmith has been through the necessary training and testing so that there is no need to be concerned about their technical proficiency and knowledge. For example, there is the Masters Locksmith Association which represents and certifies locksmiths in the United Kingdom or the Associated Locksmiths of America which offers similar coverage in the United States.
There is a variety of different specialties when it comes to locksmiths, and finding a trusted one should be no problem for the consumer armed with the proper information. For example, practically every locksmith should be highly skilled at various basic categories such as key duplication, cylinder servicing, and lockset functions and servicing. Some are better than others are more specialized areas such as exit hardware and alarms, master keying, or keyless and electronic locking systems. If there is a need for a removalist to handle such issues then it can be beneficial to look for a team with these specialties on tap.
One of the next easiest ways to ensure that the removal takes place without any trouble is to check for reviews both on the company websites of the removalists that you are considering as well as on neutral third-party sites. Nowadays, there are quite a number of mover review sites which should be able to give a glimpse into the quality of past services so that this information can be taken into account. Once a few reasonable services have been chosen then one can call around for estimates in order to find a removalist that will be able to handle the type of moving service needed making sure that their locksmiths are ready for the task at hand.
One of the easiest ways to end up with unsatisfactory work is to choose a locksmith based on price alone. If price is used as the primary metric of selection then one can be assured that there is a higher chance of problems. That is because attending all of the training such as seminars and testing comes at a cost for the trusted 24 hour locksmith, and they have to keep their price at a level to offset that. Also, insurance for the removalist company will take some upfront money as well. Use all of these tips and the removal should go smoothly with no problems.