Carpet installed on your hardwood stairwell can yield this part of your house a cozy, homey feel. Furthermore, steps that are carpeted are less hazardous and less apt to cause a slip and fall where somebody could become hurt.
If you have ever thought about carpeting your stairs on your own, you may be amazed to know that installation of carpet on steps is a very easy operation that most individuals can do. While it’s not as much fun as browsing for tropical wall hangings or wall décor art, you can save hundreds of dollars in contractor charges by doing the task yourself.
The essential aspect that must be adhered to when putting in carpet is to take precise measurements. Measuring is the initial step when putting in carpet. Starting with the right measurements will permit you to start your carpet installation on the right foot. For the purposes of this article, we will talk about the "waterfall" method of carpeting installation. This technique of installation is foremost suited for steps that are uniformly constructed in both height and width. Here’s how to take correct measurements for the ‘waterfall’ method.
Make measurements of the width of the entire stairway
The very first task you need to do is to measure the width of the total staircase. Stairways that are uniformly sized will only need that you measure the width at the stair's widest portion. Position one end of a basic measuring tape at one end, and next measure crossways the breadth of the step to the other end. Write down the breadth and consider that you may add two to four inches of supplemental breadth as allowance.
Measuring the breadth of every riser
The part of the stairs that you step on when ascending or going down a stairwell is known as the riser. In the waterfall method, you will basically want a single long piece of rug that will extend over the entire staircase. That is why it is essential to measure the dimensions of every riser. To take this measurement, measure from the top of the riser up to the joint where the riser stops. Take a note of these dimensions.
Take measurements of the "fall" of each step
The distance between one riser and the next is the "fall". To measure the fall, start at the end of one riser and extend your measuring tape to the start of the consecutive one. If your stairs have nosing, the fall stops below this jutted out part of each step. Jot down this measurement.
Combine the dimensions for the fall and the riser
To do this, simply add the two former measurements, and to this sum add a few inches for allowance. A margin will allow you to cover edges and corners neatly. Once you have determined the length of each step, including the leeway, you will simply need to multiply this number by the number of steps that you plan to cover. The end result is the total amount of carpet length that you will require for the job.
Finally, take these dimensions of entire length and width with you when browsing for carpet, and allow a professional to aid you in choosing the carpeting for the task.
Other Interior Decorating Articles:
Bedding Colors for a Young Man’s Bedroom
Wall Mounted Wine Racks for Tuscan Style in the Kitchen and Beyond
Guide to Decorating with Wall Sculptures
Save money and repair leaking windows
Monday, April 26, 2010
Kitchen Cabinet Updates on a Shoestring Budget
Oftentimes an old kitchen simply needs to have its charm reawakened. If you recently purchased a new house with an aged kitchen or you wish to make the kitchen you've been living with a bit more pleasing and picturesque, you can do it without replacing the cabinets or becoming bogged down in stripping and refinishing. The below tips will help you produce the look you want in your kitchen, without the hard work that is oftentimes involved in restoring kitchen cabinets.
Vintage Cabinets Facelift
Many older kitchen feature the retro charm of all white cabinets and black and white checkered counter tile. Cheerful yellow paint can brighten up this color scheme. If you're lucky enough to have curved corner shelves, outline the edge in a perky blue. You can add an open shelf trimmed in the same blue above the kitchen sink to display collectibles, coffee tins, vintage vases, and the addition of blue and white checkered curtains on kitchen windows adds retro polish. Keep the color going with brightly patterned ceramic canisters on the counter. A bare wall can be dressed up with a spice rack or a wooden shelf that is either painted blue or trimmed in blue. Whether you want to add roosters, cherries or Tuscan accents and sunflowers, this color scheme will work with a myriad of themes.
Fix it Quickly
- When cabinets must have a facelift, it's much easier to paint than to strip and refinish. To paint cabinets, you just need to lightly sand the existing surface. It's easiest if you remove doors and drawers, remove all hardware and work on a flat surface. Use a paint roller to make things go more quickly.
- You can achieve a quick makeover of older cabinets by replacing the fronts of the cabinets with glass. Simply paint the interior of the cabinets with a deep shade that will allow you to showcase the contents of the cabinets.
- Change hardware on your cabinetry for a quick and easy update. This one small and simple change can work to provide inspiration for an entirely fresh and different color scheme and style that you can reinforce with the use of wall art, chair cushions, curtains and other accents. Glass knobs are ideal for hardware changes when you want to add some sparkle to a kitchen that is lifeless.
- A new backsplash can brighten up the kitchen inexpensively. Bring some cheer to a darker kitchen with green and white tiles. Open up the entire area and reflect light by making a backsplash from mirrors. You can have custom cut glass prepared at any glass store.
- Get rid of your upper cabinets and opt for open shelving instead. Shelving is much cheaper than new cabinets and you can paint them or choose hardware, like elegantly scrolled wrought iron brackets, to tie in with a theme. Open storage and plate racks allow you to add color wherever you like while also giving the illusion of more space. Hang cups or cooking utensils below the shelving for convenience and decorative appeal.
- Be a bit more risque and try a totally unanticipated theme in the aged kitchen: Try bold colors like yellow and mango as a backdrop for a tropical theme kitchen complete with palm tree wall art and tropical wall hangings.
Before rushing to replace or refinish cabinets look for other ways to bring color and brightness to the kitchen. Stylish wall art, wall paint, collectibles situated in different areas on the top of upper kitchen cabinets, and improved lighting can really make a huge difference in the overall aesthetic enjoyment of your kitchen.
Other Home Improvement Articles:
Measuring Carpeting for Stairs
Decorating Walls Adds Interest to Any Room
Adding Candlelight to a Room Design
Guide to Using Metal as Home Decor
Vintage Cabinets Facelift
Many older kitchen feature the retro charm of all white cabinets and black and white checkered counter tile. Cheerful yellow paint can brighten up this color scheme. If you're lucky enough to have curved corner shelves, outline the edge in a perky blue. You can add an open shelf trimmed in the same blue above the kitchen sink to display collectibles, coffee tins, vintage vases, and the addition of blue and white checkered curtains on kitchen windows adds retro polish. Keep the color going with brightly patterned ceramic canisters on the counter. A bare wall can be dressed up with a spice rack or a wooden shelf that is either painted blue or trimmed in blue. Whether you want to add roosters, cherries or Tuscan accents and sunflowers, this color scheme will work with a myriad of themes.
Fix it Quickly
- When cabinets must have a facelift, it's much easier to paint than to strip and refinish. To paint cabinets, you just need to lightly sand the existing surface. It's easiest if you remove doors and drawers, remove all hardware and work on a flat surface. Use a paint roller to make things go more quickly.
- You can achieve a quick makeover of older cabinets by replacing the fronts of the cabinets with glass. Simply paint the interior of the cabinets with a deep shade that will allow you to showcase the contents of the cabinets.
- Change hardware on your cabinetry for a quick and easy update. This one small and simple change can work to provide inspiration for an entirely fresh and different color scheme and style that you can reinforce with the use of wall art, chair cushions, curtains and other accents. Glass knobs are ideal for hardware changes when you want to add some sparkle to a kitchen that is lifeless.
- A new backsplash can brighten up the kitchen inexpensively. Bring some cheer to a darker kitchen with green and white tiles. Open up the entire area and reflect light by making a backsplash from mirrors. You can have custom cut glass prepared at any glass store.
- Get rid of your upper cabinets and opt for open shelving instead. Shelving is much cheaper than new cabinets and you can paint them or choose hardware, like elegantly scrolled wrought iron brackets, to tie in with a theme. Open storage and plate racks allow you to add color wherever you like while also giving the illusion of more space. Hang cups or cooking utensils below the shelving for convenience and decorative appeal.
- Be a bit more risque and try a totally unanticipated theme in the aged kitchen: Try bold colors like yellow and mango as a backdrop for a tropical theme kitchen complete with palm tree wall art and tropical wall hangings.
Before rushing to replace or refinish cabinets look for other ways to bring color and brightness to the kitchen. Stylish wall art, wall paint, collectibles situated in different areas on the top of upper kitchen cabinets, and improved lighting can really make a huge difference in the overall aesthetic enjoyment of your kitchen.
Other Home Improvement Articles:
Measuring Carpeting for Stairs
Decorating Walls Adds Interest to Any Room
Adding Candlelight to a Room Design
Guide to Using Metal as Home Decor
How To Welcome Spring with a Sunny Front Porch Exhibit
The front porch is your first opportunity to welcome guests and there is no better way to provide a warm welcome than with spring porch decor. Bringing some much necessary color to this section of the home after a long, seemingly endless wintertime will make everyone who goes in feel fortuitous.
Springtime Wreath Selections
A wreath adds a playful and cheerful spring component for your front door. You will find umpteen spring motifs on wreaths in your local craft or home store, including those featuring whimsical bunny rabbits, springtime blossoms, and brilliantly colored eggs.
Or make a wreath that's uniquely "you" by producing one yourself. All you will need is a standard grapevine wreath and a few ornamentations like vines, flowers, floral picks, and a bow.
Old World Springtime Charm
Whatever metal container, from an antiquated ash bin, to buckets and watering cans, can be transformed into a captivating planter. Give galvanized buckets a little color by painting the exterior in cheery hues of yellow. Recall that any container that you repurpose for live plants will need to have drainage holes, which you can drill into the bottom of the container; then just add your planting soil and plant. A good choice for a springtime container is the cold-hardy pansy with their bright little "faces" that appear to lend cheerfulness to even the gloomiest wet day. When the conditions starts to warm up for summertime and the pansies start to fade, exchange them with summertime blossoming annuals like geraniums, impatiens, petunias or lobelia.
Completing Touches
When it comes to finding splendid and cheerful decor for the porch, there are literally thousands of options. From the home improvement store and garden center to a multitude of online outlets, there are truckloads of decorative accents and wall decor art that may find a
spot on your springtime porch.
- Old antique seat can hold a basketful of blossoms or put in a wire basket stuffed with blooms right into the seat frame.
- Turkish Boxwood topiary make the ideal element for filling a footed urn. Try a fleur-de-lis planter with a gently distressed finish for a feeling of Old World style.
- Opt for individual concrete, metal, or ceramic ornamental figurines and statues to lend a playful emphasis to the porch. Choose from bunny rabbits, toad frogs, ladybugs, snails, hedgehogs, birds, dogs and cats. The number goes on perpetually.
- Add a decorative flag to your porch that invites spring with robins and tulips or chicks and Easter eggs. A quick online search will divulge a remarkable number of retail merchants merchandising flags for all seasons.
- A tricycle or bicycle planter makes old-fashioned style fresh again with handbaskets that will hold pots of fresh blossoms. Mini wheelbarrows are another captivating selection.
- Bestow cottage appeal that can change with the seasons by installing flower boxes below your windows or upon a porch rail.
- Ladders and plant stands let you exhibit pots of flowers in bloom, small statues or a collection of watering cans.
- Welcome friends and guests to stay awhile with a couple of timeless rocking chairs, a traditional bench, or a classical porch swing.
- Nothing says spring like a welcome mat that features the flowers and colors of springtime.
- Impart the sounds of spring to your porch with rollicking wind chimes.
- Lend a whimsical touch to the porch with classic sun wall art that welcomes the spring and adds a playful feel to the entire space.
Other Home Decorating Articles:
Kitchen Cabinet Updates on a Shoestring Budget
Interesting Accents for the Walls
Adding Interest to a Space with Texture
How to Accurately Measure Stairs for Carpet
Springtime Wreath Selections
A wreath adds a playful and cheerful spring component for your front door. You will find umpteen spring motifs on wreaths in your local craft or home store, including those featuring whimsical bunny rabbits, springtime blossoms, and brilliantly colored eggs.
Or make a wreath that's uniquely "you" by producing one yourself. All you will need is a standard grapevine wreath and a few ornamentations like vines, flowers, floral picks, and a bow.
Old World Springtime Charm
Whatever metal container, from an antiquated ash bin, to buckets and watering cans, can be transformed into a captivating planter. Give galvanized buckets a little color by painting the exterior in cheery hues of yellow. Recall that any container that you repurpose for live plants will need to have drainage holes, which you can drill into the bottom of the container; then just add your planting soil and plant. A good choice for a springtime container is the cold-hardy pansy with their bright little "faces" that appear to lend cheerfulness to even the gloomiest wet day. When the conditions starts to warm up for summertime and the pansies start to fade, exchange them with summertime blossoming annuals like geraniums, impatiens, petunias or lobelia.
Completing Touches
When it comes to finding splendid and cheerful decor for the porch, there are literally thousands of options. From the home improvement store and garden center to a multitude of online outlets, there are truckloads of decorative accents and wall decor art that may find a
spot on your springtime porch.
- Old antique seat can hold a basketful of blossoms or put in a wire basket stuffed with blooms right into the seat frame.
- Turkish Boxwood topiary make the ideal element for filling a footed urn. Try a fleur-de-lis planter with a gently distressed finish for a feeling of Old World style.
- Opt for individual concrete, metal, or ceramic ornamental figurines and statues to lend a playful emphasis to the porch. Choose from bunny rabbits, toad frogs, ladybugs, snails, hedgehogs, birds, dogs and cats. The number goes on perpetually.
- Add a decorative flag to your porch that invites spring with robins and tulips or chicks and Easter eggs. A quick online search will divulge a remarkable number of retail merchants merchandising flags for all seasons.
- A tricycle or bicycle planter makes old-fashioned style fresh again with handbaskets that will hold pots of fresh blossoms. Mini wheelbarrows are another captivating selection.
- Bestow cottage appeal that can change with the seasons by installing flower boxes below your windows or upon a porch rail.
- Ladders and plant stands let you exhibit pots of flowers in bloom, small statues or a collection of watering cans.
- Welcome friends and guests to stay awhile with a couple of timeless rocking chairs, a traditional bench, or a classical porch swing.
- Nothing says spring like a welcome mat that features the flowers and colors of springtime.
- Impart the sounds of spring to your porch with rollicking wind chimes.
- Lend a whimsical touch to the porch with classic sun wall art that welcomes the spring and adds a playful feel to the entire space.
Other Home Decorating Articles:
Kitchen Cabinet Updates on a Shoestring Budget
Interesting Accents for the Walls
Adding Interest to a Space with Texture
How to Accurately Measure Stairs for Carpet
How to Install Integral Pad Carpet
One of the most favorite types of carpeting on the market is integral pad carpet, which is carpet that has its own cushiony padding that is attached to the back side of the carpet and that eliminates the need to lay down extra carpeting padding. Integral pad carpet is also alluded to as cushion-backed carpeting and is the perfect flooring solution for concrete floors because you do not need to use nails or tacks to hold it to the floor. Integral pad carpet is also ideal for smaller areas such as bathrooms and closets as they can be located and fitted on the flooring without the need for carpeting tape. To preclude the edges from curling, however, larger sections can be easily grounded with double-sided tape. You can find integral pad carpet in a diversity of styles, including cut pile and Berber, and in a rainbow of different colors.
Preparation
As you would when putting in any other carpet type, checking the area to be carpeted is fundamental; the flooring beneath should be dry, clean, and smooth. Make certain that there is no dust, dirt, sticky residue or debris on the floor. If the flooring is not properly prepared, the double-sided tape will not stick properly. Besides the integral pad carpet, you will require double-sided carpet tape that is two inches wide, a carpeting cutter, a measuring tape or ruler, and a chalk for marking the carpeting. You may also need a seam adhesive if your particular installation necessitates you to lay down more than one section of carpeting in one space.
Measuring and cutting
Measure the perimeter or space to be carpeted, taking both the width and length and adding an inch on each side of the measurement. For instance, if the width is 80 inches, you should cut the carpet so that it is 82 inches wide accounting for the surplus inch on both sides of the width. Do likewise for the length. Apply the chalk line to mark the line where you will cut the carpeting. Lay the carpet on the flooring so that it encompasses the whole space.
Finishing touches
After the carpeting is pressed into position, start out with a corner section, being certain not to slide the carpet out of its position as you work. Lift up one section of carpeting and put on a border of rug tape below it, applying it to the floor below. Smooth out the tape in its position, removing any air bubbles, and then peel off the backing of the tape. Drop the carpet onto the tape and put force on the carpet so that it will stick, smoothing it with your hands. You can also get a rolling pin to help you in smoothing out the carpeting. This procedure should be repeated around the perimeter for all remaining carpet sides. After you have attached all sides to the floor, trim excess carpet from the edges. And finally, press the edges of the carpet beneath the mopboard. You might also look at positioning a shoe molding on the carpet edges and then securely nail it to the baseboard.
If the carpeting requires seaming, install five-inch carpet tape underneath the seam, push the pieces of carpet into place and put on seam adhesive as directed on the product label.
Adding carpeting over concrete floors directly makes a room more trendy and cozy and it can help turn a utilitarian space, like an incomplete basement, into useable living space. Now that the job is complete, you may be inspired to decorate the space with brilliant colors and an informal motif that includes palm tree wall art and metal or ceramic sun wall art. No matter what you choose, be careful to add your own personal style to the space.
Other Interesting Articles:
How To Welcome Spring with a Sunny Front Porch Exhibit
How to Decorate Hallway Walls
Artists who have Shaped the Development of Modern Sculpture
Living Room Decorating: Stylish Ways to Clear the Clutter
Apartment Living in China
Preparation
As you would when putting in any other carpet type, checking the area to be carpeted is fundamental; the flooring beneath should be dry, clean, and smooth. Make certain that there is no dust, dirt, sticky residue or debris on the floor. If the flooring is not properly prepared, the double-sided tape will not stick properly. Besides the integral pad carpet, you will require double-sided carpet tape that is two inches wide, a carpeting cutter, a measuring tape or ruler, and a chalk for marking the carpeting. You may also need a seam adhesive if your particular installation necessitates you to lay down more than one section of carpeting in one space.
Measuring and cutting
Measure the perimeter or space to be carpeted, taking both the width and length and adding an inch on each side of the measurement. For instance, if the width is 80 inches, you should cut the carpet so that it is 82 inches wide accounting for the surplus inch on both sides of the width. Do likewise for the length. Apply the chalk line to mark the line where you will cut the carpeting. Lay the carpet on the flooring so that it encompasses the whole space.
Finishing touches
After the carpeting is pressed into position, start out with a corner section, being certain not to slide the carpet out of its position as you work. Lift up one section of carpeting and put on a border of rug tape below it, applying it to the floor below. Smooth out the tape in its position, removing any air bubbles, and then peel off the backing of the tape. Drop the carpet onto the tape and put force on the carpet so that it will stick, smoothing it with your hands. You can also get a rolling pin to help you in smoothing out the carpeting. This procedure should be repeated around the perimeter for all remaining carpet sides. After you have attached all sides to the floor, trim excess carpet from the edges. And finally, press the edges of the carpet beneath the mopboard. You might also look at positioning a shoe molding on the carpet edges and then securely nail it to the baseboard.
If the carpeting requires seaming, install five-inch carpet tape underneath the seam, push the pieces of carpet into place and put on seam adhesive as directed on the product label.
Adding carpeting over concrete floors directly makes a room more trendy and cozy and it can help turn a utilitarian space, like an incomplete basement, into useable living space. Now that the job is complete, you may be inspired to decorate the space with brilliant colors and an informal motif that includes palm tree wall art and metal or ceramic sun wall art. No matter what you choose, be careful to add your own personal style to the space.
Other Interesting Articles:
How To Welcome Spring with a Sunny Front Porch Exhibit
How to Decorate Hallway Walls
Artists who have Shaped the Development of Modern Sculpture
Living Room Decorating: Stylish Ways to Clear the Clutter
Apartment Living in China
Use Wine as a Decor Accent with Wall Mounted Wine Racks
The aim of a wine rack is to properly hold your treasured vintage so that the cork rests in constant contact with the wine within the bottle rather than becoming mildewed or drying up. It does not matter if you enjoy smooth modern-day style, or the romance of Old World French Country or Tuscan style, there is a wine rack that will enhance your decor.
Wall mounted wine racks have a bonus space saving characteristic, since they do not take up precious counter space. And keep in mind that they can be mounted on any upright space, such as the end of an upper cabinet or a narrow wall between the kitchen and dining room, making the most of ‘dead’ space.
You can enhance your wall and produce a nice focal point with these two ideas for hanging your wine rack.
Functional and Visually-Pleasing Focal Point for Home Bar Area.
In place of old-fashioned race car posters and beer signs used for wall decor art, why not bestow some worldliness and elegance to the area? A large wall is a remarkable space upon which to exhibit three wall mounted wine racks. Place them in a triangular fashion with the center rack being hung up the highest, and the other two parallel with each other and off to the side. Then place another piece of wall art beneath the center wine rack. For a Tuscan feel, select a pleasant picture or framed photographic print of a trattoria surrounded in a stunning piazza or wrought iron Tuscan sun wall art. You could also decoupage labels from your favored vintages on foam board then mount your collage in a svelte frame. Wineries oftentimes carry large posters of special or yearly issued vintages. These can be stylishly framed as well. Top it all off by adding a few dangling pendant lights to illuminate the grouping.
Bestow French Rural Flair to the Dining Area.
Definitive French toile patterns and an elegant wrought iron wall mounted wine rack work in harmony to transport your dining room to the stunning French countryside. Start with walls in a cozy tone of pale sky blue or warm yellow, with wood trim accented in buttery cream. A black wrought iron wall mounted wine rack creates an attention-getting focal point. Beside it, place a grouping of plates and platters hung on the wall with individual plate hangers in French rustic motifs like sunflowers or roosters. Carry the theme to a black wrought iron chandelier fitted with various bulb shades in black and white check. Lend unique elegance by choosing black and white toile chair cushions. Finish off the presentation by positioning white pottery on a black hutch and positioning a bowl of grapes and other fruits on the table.
Additional Home Improvement Articles:
How to Install Integral Pad Carpet
Having Fun while Decorating your Child’s Bedroom
Wall Decor Infuses Style in the Bedroom
Using Abstract Canvas Wall Art in Modern Spaces
Wall mounted wine racks have a bonus space saving characteristic, since they do not take up precious counter space. And keep in mind that they can be mounted on any upright space, such as the end of an upper cabinet or a narrow wall between the kitchen and dining room, making the most of ‘dead’ space.
You can enhance your wall and produce a nice focal point with these two ideas for hanging your wine rack.
Functional and Visually-Pleasing Focal Point for Home Bar Area.
In place of old-fashioned race car posters and beer signs used for wall decor art, why not bestow some worldliness and elegance to the area? A large wall is a remarkable space upon which to exhibit three wall mounted wine racks. Place them in a triangular fashion with the center rack being hung up the highest, and the other two parallel with each other and off to the side. Then place another piece of wall art beneath the center wine rack. For a Tuscan feel, select a pleasant picture or framed photographic print of a trattoria surrounded in a stunning piazza or wrought iron Tuscan sun wall art. You could also decoupage labels from your favored vintages on foam board then mount your collage in a svelte frame. Wineries oftentimes carry large posters of special or yearly issued vintages. These can be stylishly framed as well. Top it all off by adding a few dangling pendant lights to illuminate the grouping.
Bestow French Rural Flair to the Dining Area.
Definitive French toile patterns and an elegant wrought iron wall mounted wine rack work in harmony to transport your dining room to the stunning French countryside. Start with walls in a cozy tone of pale sky blue or warm yellow, with wood trim accented in buttery cream. A black wrought iron wall mounted wine rack creates an attention-getting focal point. Beside it, place a grouping of plates and platters hung on the wall with individual plate hangers in French rustic motifs like sunflowers or roosters. Carry the theme to a black wrought iron chandelier fitted with various bulb shades in black and white check. Lend unique elegance by choosing black and white toile chair cushions. Finish off the presentation by positioning white pottery on a black hutch and positioning a bowl of grapes and other fruits on the table.
Additional Home Improvement Articles:
How to Install Integral Pad Carpet
Having Fun while Decorating your Child’s Bedroom
Wall Decor Infuses Style in the Bedroom
Using Abstract Canvas Wall Art in Modern Spaces
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