Posts Tagged ‘Design’

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Kitchen Remodeling Project on Your Home

Wednesday, October 27th, 2010

The kitchen is the heart of the home, and a kitchen remodeling project is one of the most dramatic, as well as most expensive, projects that you can undertake in your home. Before you begin a kitchen remodeling job, it is important to plan the project from beginning to end. If you neglect this step, it is easy to experience price overruns as well as unexpected structural problems.

Establish a Budget and Design the Space

The most important part of the entire project is to establish a budget. Too often, people decide what they want first, and establish a budget around that. By establishing a budget first, you can choose what you must have, what you would like and what you would settle with in your new kitchen. Everyone’s priorities are different, as is their budget, and there is no right or wrong answer. For some, a natural stone counter top is a priority, while others want to extend the size of the room. Establishing a firm budget and discussing it honestly with your contractor keeps you both on the same page for the duration of the project.

Once you have established a budget, take out some paper and sketch your ideas. Depending on your budget, your contractor, an architect, or the salesman at the local lumber store can give you computer generated plans, but prior to that, sketch your ideas, moving things around, until you are generally happy with your plan.

Empty the Area

Once you have settled on a design, empty everything out of the kitchen. This is a good time to reorganize, getting rid of the small appliances and serving dishes that you never use, as well as cleaning out those drawers and cabinets that inevitably become catch-alls for things without a home.
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Understanding How Interior Design Companies Work: Lighting for Mood Part III – Dimmable Designs

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

Understanding How Interior Design Companies Work: Lighting for Mood Part III a Dimmable Designs

Interior Design Companies understand the term mood to mean a barely-definable, abstract quality that makes us feel in tune with our surroundings. In London, lighting is often a critical part of an interior design company’s toolbox in creating the perfect mood. In this series which I call a Lighting for Mood, I will draw on my experience working with some of London top interior design companies to describe current best practices in this exciting area of design.

The principle way in which interior design companies will control lighting is by dimming the various levels in relation to each other. General lighting, whether in the form of table lamps, up-lights or down-lights, should be controlled separately from feature lighting a especially in older London residences where there is a danger of overloading electrical circuits. By day, relative contrasts are less marked, especially given London rainy weather patterns. When general lighting is at its maximum strength, interior design companies try to make sure it achieves a fairly even light throughout a room. By night, interior design companies will try to create atmosphere and mood by including a feature to dim general lighting to a low level and raise feature lighting. For maximum effect, interior design companies will make sure the contrast between different light sources is high. Alternatively, some London clients request a soft, inviting light, similar to that produced by candlelight; under these circumstances, the interior design company must ensure that the contrast between feature and general lighting is less marked.

Every interior design company knows that mood and atmosphere are very subjective and impact how we feel. After a hectic day in a brightly lit London office, coming home to a softly lit environment can have a very calming effect, helping us to relax and reducing stress. Alternatively, interior design companies may be asked to create an energetic and dynamic atmosphere perhaps for a new London nightclub or classy restaurant. This requires lighting that is more dramatic, creating positive areas of brightness and darkness. While light is the key to changing mood, professional interior design companies know that the right levels of contrast are the means to success, achieved by controlling each lighting effect individually.

In the next article in this series on Understanding How Interior Design Companies Work: Lighting for Mood, a I will discuss pre-set scene lighting.

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How is Home Design Related to Home Security?

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

How is home design related to home security?

Some homeowners need more security than others. This is especially true for those who live in high-risk areas or those who live in homes that have not been security-proofed.

Every home should be constructed with security in mind. Security here means safety from possible intruders and from catastrophic events like fire and even robbery or break ins.

While there are homes that are really in need of security because of their locations, there are homes that require security because of their designs. These are homes that probably look good, made of glass which gives outsiders a good view of the goings on inside the home.

There are home designs that are aesthetically good but are the worse designs in terms of home security. A person who is having his home designed or constructed should consult a security expert before installing materials or home features that may put their lives in jeopardy.

Home security should be planned and installed as early as during the construction phase of the home. The engineers and the architects would do well to incorporate home security designs when planning the home and even when constructing it to make sure that the family can transfer and live in the home with their security already in place.

One of the home security measures that can already be incorporated in the home design is the alarm system of the whole house. The alarm system consists of wires, infrared rays which can be installed to make them look like regular fixtures of the home.

Of course, it would always be better to give all possible intruders a warning that this house is highly protected to make them think twice and perhaps change their minds before attempting to break in. However, a home security system would also be very valuable if possible intruders decide to break in and then find themselves in the middle of a loud shrill directly connected to the local police or security agents.

For people who aren’t able to incorporate home security fixtures to their home design, there are security lighting fixtures that can be installed in an already completed home. These lighting fixtures serve as home security because when set, they can easily be turned on to light up when an intruder passes by a certain radius.

There are also alarms and automatic door locks that can be installed easily to secure the home from fire, intruders and unexpected guests.

Every homeowner should invest in a quality and dependable home security fixture and incorporate this in his home design to avoid the home security fixtures from sticking out like a sore thumb.

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