Homes and Gardens
March 5th, 2010 at 12:46pm
Under Homes and Gardens
With wealth and security inevitably come a profusion of styles and an irresistible temptation to go over the top: a broad statement, but one borne out by history. In the twentieth century we have to look back no further than to the 1980s to see evidence of this. If we retreat even further - to the mid-nineteenth century - we find perhaps an even finer example - I’m talking of Victorian interior design ideas.
Victoria was on the British throne, her empire was churning along quite nicely and the rewards of the industrial revolution were being appreciated by a rapidly growing middle class. In the ‘workshop of the world’, as England was then known, fortunes were being made through trade with the colonies. Add to this newly found wealth and security, a monarch with strong feelings about home and family, and you have all the back-ground ingredients of Victorian style.
With all attention on the home, it was obvious that this was where an individual’s status could best be demonstrated to the world at large. The message was loud and clear: ‘I have arrived, I have substance and I espouse family values’ (sounds familiar?). A great surge in building and urban development ensued, much of which constitutes the English housing stock of today.
The penchant for classical styles was declining, but without any strong, new, directional fashion surfacing, the only way to look was back and to reviving previously popular interior and living room design ideas (this too has its parallel in the 1980s when shabby-chic country-house eclecticism became all the rage). Gothic, Elizabethan, oriental, Scottish baronial, Egyptian and rococo - these were among the many styles that the Victorians mixed somewhat indiscriminately. When interpreting Victorian style today, you have the choice of jumbling these various furnishing styles within one room or perhaps of concentrating on just one theme in each individual space.
Industrialization had arrived and furniture was produced en masse (but, alas, not always to the highest standard). At least this meant that furnishings cost less and were therefore available to a wider public and in greater abundance. It should be no surprise, then, that house dwellers of the time overdosed on exuberance. The Victorian home is typified by the cluttering of furnishings, layer upon layer. Why stop at one pair of curtains at a window when these can be accompanied by blinds and net drapes too? Every imaginable item was draped, trimmed and bedecked; every inch of floor space crammed with furniture and every table spilt over with memorabilia.
While the dictates of today’s decorators may be ‘Less is more’ or ‘If in doubt, leave it out’, the byword of their Victorian equivalents was ‘More is marvelous’!
Although at the beginning of this long-enduring period (1837-1901) schemes tended to be relatively light in feel, by the turn of the century they had become altogether more somber. Window treatments were designed to restrict light, the decorator’s palette took on deeper tones, furnishings became bulkier and dark woodwork dominated living room designs. Artificial lighting, despite the arrival of oil lamps followed by gas lamps, did little to brighten interiors. This all sounds rather dull until you remember that the Victorians would dress their rooms according to the season.
Come spring, many of the heavier elements would be replaced or covered by lighter-weight materials in paler colors; then the winter scheme would be re-imposed in the autumn. We adopt this arrangement for our personal clothing, so why not for our rooms?
In Victorian times there was a preciseness that we perhaps lack today with our flexible casual lifestyles. Each room had its definitive purpose and style of decoration. Libraries, drawing rooms and dining rooms tended towards the sumptuous, while upstairs was generally given a lighter, more feminine touch.
By Kym
February 12th, 2010 at 08:07pm
Under Homes and Gardens
When Eric made the decision to place a bid on the run down property being auctioned he knew it was in need of a great renovation. He was not intimidated by the project and looked forward to restoring the once beautiful home. Upon finding out that his bid was chosen and after completing all the financial paperwork, the house was his to do with as he pleased. He immediately began formulating a game plan so he could begin renovation. He met with his electrician who was able to get the home up to code electrically in just a very short amount of time. He decided to start with the electrical tasks first. He ordered a candlestick style chandelier light for the living room and dual chandelier lights for the entrance. He ordered sconces for the parlor area and several stationary lamps for the study and the library spaces. As he looked at lamp options he tried to keep in mind the type of lamps, sconces, and pendants that originally graced the ceilings and rooms of the aged mansion. In this area, as well as in the entire renovation, his goal was to return the mansion to its long ago luster. He wanted an authentic restoration, one that would show the house just the way it appeared when it was originally built. Period restoration is not difficult but it can be a long, drawn out process, and it can be very expensive. There are a few things to keep in mind if trying to complete an authentic home restoration.
The first thing to keep in mind when tackling a home restoration project is the era in which the home was built. Through the eras styles always change significantly. Even though you personally might not find attractive a specific design feature from the era of the home you live in, consider maintaining authenticity whenever possible to create a true restorative look. Even such things as color hue and color combinations can be a good indication of the year a house was constructed. Do not be afraid to consult design books or history books to get a feel for the architecture and design elements from different design periods.
The second thing to keep in mind is to keep track of even the most miniscule details. The mark of a truly authentic restoration can be found in the tiniest of elements. Take for example cabinet knobs or pulls, which would be considered very small items. Vintage replications from all eras, from Victorian to Art Deco are available for kitchen and bathroom restoration projects. Even switch plates and covers have changed from era to era.
Another good thing to keep in mind in a classic home restoration is functionality. While maintaining the integrity of the home comes in high on the list, the ultimate goal is to create a timeless, yet usable space. Make necessary updates for the current century. Even restoration aficionados hope to see updated copper pipes, 120 volt electrical capacity, and energy efficient mechanicals and appliances. The combination of timeless features with the necessary modern updates makes for great value and resale potential.
By joanne
February 12th, 2010 at 09:08am
Under Homes and Gardens
In the past bifolding doors were more commonly known for their interior uses. Now external versions are available They are a flexible and appealing substitute for French or patio doors.This article will tell you why you should consider this versatile option.
Bifold doors are much more versatile than normal patio doors. They can be fully opened, completely closed, or partially opened depending on the amount of space required. Their ability to connect the inside to the outside is unsurpassed. As a boundary between garden and home these doors are unsurpassed. In good weather the whole back of a house can be opened out to the outside.
Bifolding doors are also called zig-zag doors. Zig-zag is a fairly accurate descriptions of the doors working. They are usually made up of 3 or more glass panels that can be joined together in a number of configurations. A single panel can be used as a normal door when the whole doors is made up of an odd number of panels. Street side cafes often use these kinds of doors to give them the flexibility to open the whole shop front when the weather is fine.
Available in the common white PVCU these doors are also made in hardwood, aluminium and aluminium clad timber. A very attractive option is aluminium clad timber allows a timber finish on the interior and the flexibility of aluminium on the exterior. PVCU doors are usually the cheapest option but are limited in colours (white). However doors made in aluminium are available in a wide variety of finishes and colours.Laminated timber or often hardwood are used to make timber framed doors. If timber doors are located on an exposed, coastal or south facing positon then they must be made from laminated timber. Any reputable bi fold door manufacturer will advise you of the best choice for your situation.
When choosing bifolding doors it is essential that you select ones that are constructed to the latest regulations. They must keep the wind and rain out even when the weather does its worst. The thermal insulation offered by the glazing must be good. What type of threshold is required and where should the trickle vents (that prevent condensation) be located?
The use of these doors has become more and more highlighted in the media. Their visual impact makes them popular for use in home rebuilding programs such as C4’s “Grand designs” where they often used to stunning effect.If you are in the process of building an extension or replacing an existing patio or french doors then Bifold doors must be regarded as an option.
By joanne
February 11th, 2010 at 12:58pm
Under Homes and Gardens
A revolving Christmas tree stand will make your tree seem additional magical. When the tree turns, all the ornaments catch the light and throw it back giving you a sparkling winter wonderland right in your living room.
The most vital thing is to make certain you get the measurements right. The last thing you want is to get a stand and then discover that it doesn’t fit your tree. Being a chunk of vacation products, returning something like this is going to be difficult. The best way to get round this is to just double check all the measurements. You may also need to check the height and weight of your tree to make fully sure that the Revolving Christmas Tree Stand can handle it.
If you want to get round this difficulty, get a tree that comes with a rotating stand. In many ways, this is basically a better option than attempting to find a stand to fit a tree you already have.
Having lights on the tree is something you should think about during the shopping process. There are a couple different options you can select for this. Many trees come with lights already on them, and this takes a large amount of trouble out of the method of decorating your tree.
If you have special lights that you would like to use, find a tree that’s made to keep the number of cords on the floor low. Some trees with a revolving Christmas tree stand have a plug at the top that you can plug your lights into. This way the wire runs down the interior of the tree, and then there’s only 1 wire going from the tree to the wall. If this is the option you’re going to go with check to discover how many strings of lights or watts the plug can handle.
If youare searching for a awfully fancy model, you can find one that also plays holiday music. Many of these can have the music option switched on and off as you please. This naturally will affect the price. It is great that when you are shopping for a revolving Christmas tree stand, you can find everything for awfully cheap models to terribly pricey ones that do many different things. So no matter what your requirements or budget are, youcan find a stand to fit.
A rotating stand is one of the finest paths to show off your ornaments. No matter what kind of ornaments you have, the delicate motion of the tree will show them off nicely. One of the very best things about them is that you never have to stress about which ornaments are going to finish up against the wall.
when you have your revolving Christmas tree stand, youwill be in a position to decorate your tree just how you need it. Use the rotating feature to test the tree over as you decorate so you can fill in the spaces. Most of all, step back and enjoy your handwork once youare finished.
For more about the Revolving Christmas Tree Stand, visit our site, http://fwdmagazine.com/christmas/. We provide information from Christmas tree stands to Christmas gift giving ideas. Stop by and tell us if you’ve have some Christmas ideas.
By joanne
February 10th, 2010 at 05:23pm
Under Homes and Gardens
The Rust Belt which has also been known as the Manufacturing Belt are various states in the Northeast, the Mid-Atlantic and the Upper Midwest. The Fox Valley area is included in this area where a Fox Valley handyman does his Fox Valley bathroom remodeling. This entire area got that name for the various types of manufacturing plants that were sprinkled throughout especially in the steel industry. A lot of this happened in Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio, Indiana and upper parts of New York. The factories are located near lakes in the area. The term, Rust Belt became well known in the 1970’s when the industry declined and many factories were closed. Rusted gates are the only thing left from these buildings.
This area became the main area for industry and manufacturing for it’s proximity to navigable waters and access to various resources. There was a big population boom that occurred bringing many immigrants to these states for work and using the rivers, lakes and the railroad helped to be perfect for shipping purposes. Life was good in these states that were connected to the manufacturing belt.
Some of the difficulties began happening when other countries like China were able to produce itmes for much less by paying their workers much lower pay . This produced huge competition for the United States and we were not able to produce the same things for such a little amount as China could. This created outsourcing where businesses began to pay people in other parts of the world to do the work for less than American workers could. The outsourcing work overseas have resulted in jobs lost for Americans.
Free trade has caused the factories to {struggle financially|have financial difficulties in this area. Companies in industry learned that steel could be produced for a lot less in 3rd world countries than in America so they started to get it from there rather than in this country. By getting the supplies through free trade from other countries it has completely changed the supply and demand factor. With no supply of steel here in America, there is no demand for it either and the cycle continues to where we must rely on different countries for certain items. This also, has caused struggles on this region.
A lot of people have also been leaving the bigger metropolitan areas that are in this region like Chicago, Duluth, Philadelphia, Buffalo and Pittsburgh deciding to venture into the suburbs where it is more affordable than in these downtown cities. This has created less work and jobs in the cities and more employment in the suburbs that have no relation to industry as it had always been before. This rust belt area has recently risen in jobs since 2008 with some new industries coming in. They are dealing with biotechnology information technology and hydrogen cell development as well as some other newer businesses. This has been a wonderful boost for this area and the people here are hopeful that it will prosper again like it did before the 1970’s.
By joanne
Previous Posts