Lighting for Your Basement
Basements are rooms generally used for storage constructed below the ground level. Obviously these rooms do not get much natural lighting and people do not bother much about getting the area lighted up. But what if you are having a space crunch and need to use the basement for some other purpose. How do you light up the area?
First of all check how much of natural light you can use? You can dig out window walls which help transfer light. Some basements extend a little bit above the ground level. In that case you can install egress windows on the top of your basement walls for lighting as well as ventilation. See to it that these windows do not get blocked by obstructions, like plants. As for installing artificial lights, recessed lightings are the best as basement ceilings tend to be low. You could also go for spot lighting if you need to light up a particular spot rather than the whole room. Make use of the spare room. Trust me; you do not need a cave in your house
Eco friendly lighting for your homes
We have done our own contribution of being ignorant about the environment. It is high time that we do our own bit for it. Do you know how much energy your traditional lights consume? The answer is, a lot and since this source of energy is not renewable, we should use it properly. Go for eco friendly lighting instead for your house.
Compact fluorescent lighting, CFL are your eco friendly lighting solutions. They are durable, long-lasting, efficient and consume 75% less energy as compared to other sources of light and produce more light. Most importantly less consumption of electricity would also mean less electricity bill to pay. They are available in all varieties and sizes possible. This makes it easy to fit anywhere, not only your home, but even in street lamps, offices and factories. Their prices are also very reasonable and they are easily and conveniently available at all retail stores. What are you waiting for more; go get your eco friendly lighting.
How to clean and maintain Curtains and blinds
Curtains and blinds are such items that are always there for public display. Make sure they are clean. Moreover maintaining the curtains and blinds of your house also increases their long life and ensures that you need not invest in a fresh set again.
For daily cleaning, dust your blinds and curtains regularly. To deal with the minute dust particles invisible to the eye, use a vacuum cleaner. While dusting make sure you are doing that with care and it is best to use a soft feather one. While dealing with the blinds use the cleaner with a brush attachment and when dealing with the curtains use one with an upholstery nozzle.
Once in a while detach them and wash them up. Before washing go trough the labels and find out the recommended way to wash them. It is always safe to use a mild detergent. Some curtains and blinds need to be dry cleaned.
It is advisable to get professional help once in a while for great maintenance.
Bamboo curtains for your home
If you have been thinking of adding that natural touch to your room décor for a long time, you can do that now with bamboo curtains. This accessory will give your room that perfect tropical feel, plus you’ll be going for a greener alternative this way. Besides enhancing the aesthetic appeal of your room, these bamboo curtains are quite durable too.
Another added advantage of going for bamboo curtains is that, it goes well will both contemporary as well as traditional décor. Now you can match your bamboo curtains with bamboo room dividers or wall hangings to complete the whole natural feel. Cleaning regular curtains can be quite a tedious job sometimes. But with the bamboo ones, you take a step ahead towards convenience. These are quite easy to maintain and requires just a simple wipe with a damp towel once a week to make it look as good as new.
How to furnish your home within a budget
Have a clear idea about what you want – the basics and such. Walk around and visualize the places you would want to place these in. Then set out for some cheap shopping.
If you have furniture you don’t like, do not dispose of it. Redecorate it with some cheap alternatives like paint, sand-papering and repainting and such. When you are in need of furniture like book shelves use brackets from the nearby hardware store to construct cheap shelves. Paint them to make them look new.
Your wooden flooring can use a new look instead of an expensive refinish – give it one using paint. Construct toy boxes by covering boxes with colorful paper which you get at your local departmental store free of cost.
For the curtains, bed sheets, pillow and cushion cases you can sew it yourself, with the cheap fabrics you will find on the remnant tables at the nearest fabric store, which come way cheaper, you can sew things better than what you can buy. Shop from Goodwill, thrift shops, garage sales and flea markets for excellent bargains. Decorative items can be picked up for cheap from the Dollar store.
For a natural finish, make use of natural greens inside your house which are inexpensive when compared to faux foliage.