The home improvement Blog

If, like me, you live in a cramped apartment, you are probably always whining about not having enough space in the bathroom. A small bathroom just doesn’t give you the luxury of a bath (since there is no place for a tub) or storage (since there are no places for cabinets and such). But if you do your own research, you will realize that there are many bathroom fixtures in the market that are perfect for small bathrooms. A 48-inch mini-claw tub is one example. You can get it brand new at around $1000 or you can buy one from a salvage yard for around $200. You can also buy a 2-feet sink that has a cabinet underneath. The possibilities are endless, even with a small bathroom.

Usually, homes in northern states where there is a lot of snow have a mudroom. This is where residents shed their winter outdoor clothes before entering the main hallway of the house. But if you live in warm places,  you can probably use a mudroom, too. Mudrooms are not just for housing heavy outdoor clothing. They can also be used to store sports gear, outdoor equipment, and other things you may need when you go outside. A mudroom can make your entry way organized. Of course, you don’t really need an actual room to have a  mudroom. Even a recession on the wall near the door can be a perfect spot for storing boots, coats, umbrella, rain boots, and others.

Somehow, there is something about a chain link fence that says unfriendly and rundown. This is especially true when the chain link fence already has its share of rust. If you have a chain link fence, you can always prevent it from being a neighborhood eyesore by giving it a fresh coat of paint. Go to your nearest hardware and buy a can or two of aluminum paint. This will cost you no more than $25 per gallon. You will also need wire brush for cleaning off rust, a chemical that will prevent rust from eating your fence away, and a roller for painting the fence. After a couple of coats, you will no longer be  ashamed of your chain link fence.

I work from home but I don’t have the luxury of space. I don’t have a specific room in the house where I can do my work. This is why the idea of having a wall or corner cubicle office appeals to  me. All I need is a small corner where I can fit a closet with enough space for my computer and printer. A 21-inch space is enough. For lighting, I can have a lamp or install lights under the cabinets or closet shelves. And if I’m not working, I can choose to have a door on this closet so that I can shut it and forget about work for a little while. Do you think my idea is great or would you rather work on the dining table?

Having an outdoor shower may seem like a medieval idea to you but it can be a wonderful luxury. Having one these days can bring you great convenience. The site where you install your shower will depend on how you will use it. If you will use it for rinsing after soaking in the pool, installing it near your pool is a great idea. If you want to use it for freshing up after a jog or a walk on the beach, you can place it in your backyard. This way, you will no longer be sweaty when you enter your house. You will also not trail sand on your floor.

Good neighbors, perhaps? I don’t know about this but one thing that good fences certainly make is a good house. A good fence will give you privacy from traffic and nosy neighbors. It will give provide you with a great place for entertainment or just chilling and enjoying a quiet time. If you are thinking of enclosing your yard with a fence, there are many kinds of fences for you to choose from. Metal, iron, concrete, stone, wood are the many materials that you can use. Depending on the kind you choose, this requires a lot of work. You will need to contact an expert to help you with this work.

Many homeowners find themselves confused when it comes to choosing the kind of paint for a home improvement project. Usually, they are never sure if they want oil or latex paints. If you choose latex paints, you may want to remember the following pros and cons about them:

PROS:
1)Dries quickly
2)Cleans up with water

CONS:
1)Takes long to cure and susceptible to damage
2)Does not form a smooth finish, unlike oil paint

Despite these disadvantages, if you do end up using latex, make sure that you get the kind that is 100% acrylic. They are more durable than vinyl acrylic.

Home makeover shows such as Extreme Makeovers always transform boring and plain rooms into theme rooms. So if the owner of the room loves the beach, he or she will get a beach-themed room. I have to admit that these kinds of rooms are very creative but I think that they will become boring after a while. What if the owner is no longer into the surfing lifestyle? Wouldn’t it be better to just give the owner a clean and classy room that has no obvious theme? Even if I were a surfer, I’d still love a room that has no theme. What do you think?

Are you thinking of repainting your old kitchen cabinets? If you have consulted guides, you will probably get the notion that stripping the cabinet is a necessary step. Stripping is done by removing the old paint through sanding until the raw wood is left. However, expert contractors say that stripping is not absolutely necessary and is not entirely practical.  So forget about stripping. You only need to clean the old cabinets until grime is removed. After this, you can do light sanding. These two steps will be enough to make your new paint adhere to the cabinets.

You do important work in the kitchen. Some people enjoy cooking while others find it a boring chore. And if your kitchen is not well-lighed, food preparation will definitely be one of your least favorite household chores. For a kitchen, track lights are great. They can be installed even in sloped ceilings. They are also easy to replace. Aside from lights on the ceiling, you may also want to have lights near work zones. Lighting under cabinets is also important.  You can get halogen bulbs or fluorescent lights. They can be purchased at any hardware store near you.