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Archive for February, 2012

Remember the Cosby Show? One of the running jokes in the Huxtable household was the fights over the use of the bathroom. (I may be dating myself here, but anyway…) Well, it’s pretty close to real life, which was why the show was so funny. After all, the bathroom is probably the smallest room in the house, unless you count closets, but everyone uses it daily for many things. It needs to make efficient use of space and be easy to keep clean as well as look nice. Is it any wonder so many people are doing bathroom remodeling projects or thinking about one? Here’s a few tips to help you with this tricky undertaking.

1) Install a Stall. Bathrooms have multiple fixtures jam-packed into a small space. Not only that, but the surfaces are often watery. Bathtubs and toilets are two slip-prone areas where falls are common. To lessen injury risk and save space, consider replacing bathtubs with a shower stall.

2) Choose your sink with care. Distressed metals like copper and dark porcelain sinks are appealing in the showroom, but can make water stains and soap scum stand out like a bikini on a ski slope. You’ll need to spend more time cleaning and wiping. Think about an elegantly appointed light colored one.

3) If you have your heart set on colored fixtures, order ahead. Before you begin demolition you should have chosen if the remodel will feature white, off-white or colored fixtures. Colored ones will have to be ordered, as they are not commonly stocked at local stores. White is the easiest to clean and most readily available. You can also get replacements at short notice.
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For good nutrition to go along with that great outdoor flavor, look no further than your own garden or green grocer. Grilling is an ideal way to cook fruits and vegetables because there is minimal loss of nutrients.

You don’t need a green thumb to grill perfect produce – here are a few helpful hints.

Start fresh

Choose fruits and vegetables that are ripe and ready to eat. Under-ripe or overly mature produce won’t work on the grill.

Wash just before using For the freshest possible produce, it is best to refrigerate fruits and vegetables unwashed. But be sure to wash and pat dry before grilling.

Smaller is better

Cut fruits and vegetables into small bite-sized pieces. This will help to reduce cooking time and ensure the proper level of doneness.

Take their temperature

For the best results, bring fruits and vegetables to room temperature before grilling.

Add a splash of oil Brush fruits and vegetables (except corn) lightly with oil, melted butter or your favorite marinade or oil-based dressing for added flavor and to help prevent sticking.

For the sweet tooth

Add brown sugar to melted butter, brush over fruits and season with cinnamon or ginger while grilling. To prevent sugar from burning, brush on close to end of grilling time.

It’s hot on the grill

Allow the grill rack to get hot before adding your fruits and vegetables. This will help seal in the natural juices without drying it out.

Use medium coals

To avoid burning, grill fruits and vegetables above a lightly dispersed bed of medium coals. Medium describes coals that glow through a layer of gray ash. To test for medium heat, you should be able to hold your hand over the grill for only four to five seconds.

Think fruits and veggies first

Because they taste best served closest to room tIperature, grill fruits and veggies before grilling meat. This will allow time for the fruits and vegetables to cool so you can serve thI alongside hot meats.

Flawless corn on the cob
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Have you ever considered using Glass block draw light into your home? Many years ago, glass block was used in factory buildings and basements to allow light flowing into the area but still provided some security and privacy.

Glass block has been used in showers and windows for bathrooms in higher priced housing. Home owners are only limited by their imagination when considering this durable material.

I’ve seen glass block used to create furniture such as desks and tables. Other suggestions for its use are for kitchen counters and divider walls. Since the blocks are not opaque, they blur and dim images while still allowing the flow of light.
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White, bright and fabulous bathrooms are all the buzz in the latest bathroom design craze. Bathrooms splashed with boldly colored painted walls and patterned ceramic floor tiles adorned with pristine white pottery bathroom suites create the perfect drama. To finalize the look as the French would say “la piece de resistance”, the bathroom mirror. Bathroom mirrors are one of the primary elements of any bathroom design ensemble simply because they can completely change the look of the bathroom in the sense of how both natural and artificial light are reflected.

Exploring the endless options available in bathroom mirrors, establishing the look one is striving to achieve whether traditional or contemporary, bathroom mirrors have transitioned through the modern ages. Victorian style bathrooms were often built with heavy layers of dark wood types from boxed in baths, wood framed mirror to wainscoting. Today’s traditional styles of bathroom furnishings are sporting similar design concepts, but with a much softer look. Bathroom mirrors are lightly capped with various wood textures and tones and wood bath panels are added to step up the design elements as an extension of tradition. Arched mirrors alone or with the addition of wall sconces for extra lighting can also create a Victorian feel to your bathroom setting.

Selecting the right bathroom mirror

Selecting the appropriate wall mirror is also determined not only by the size of your bathroom, but also on the size of the bathroom vanity, bathroom mirrors should never extend beyond the vanity as it will create an unbalanced look. The ideal wall mirror for bathrooms with double basins, are rectangular wall-to-wall mirrors to disseminate adequate lighting exposing bathroom accessories as well as the other bathroom furniture, increasing the presence of the bathroom.

Solid white bathroom suites are a way of adequately diffusing light for an airy feeling, when the light is reflected off of white bathroom furnishing the illusion of space is instantly created. All white pottery bathroom suites give your bathroom a cohesive look, but more importantly set the stage for the induction of color, warm hues of reds, blues or greens are now showing up in the latest bathroom designs, accented with gallantly solid colored ceramic tiles or tiles with a motif inlay to tie the look of the bathroom together for an inviting sanctuary.
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