Seven reasons to install a barn door in your home!

If you have noticed, barn doors is one of the hottest design trend in the last couple of years. However, the barn door craze is not showing signs of slowing down anytime soon. What used to be part of exterior design has been converted into interior design. What is the appeal and why you should consider installing it in your home? You asked.

Versatility.

Nowadays, barn doors come in a variety of options. You can easily find modern barn doors, traditional barn doors, rustic barn doors, reclaimed barn doors, cottage-style barn doors, steel barn doors, wood barn doors, glass barn doors, etc in the market. They also come in different sizes such as one panel or double panel to fit the space of your home. Additionally, you can select the types of hardware and colors to suit your home's style and decor.

Flexibility.

Not only they can effectively partition open spaces, they also offer partial separation. Additionally, they give you the option to easily close off a room without adding permanence.

Space savers.

Because barn doors run parallel to the wall, they are useful space savers and do not require any hinges. They are especially useful in small spaces that might not allow for swinging doors. 

Visual appeal.

Because of the size of most barn doors, they can instantly make a big design statement in any home. For example, you can paint your barn doors a bright red or a bright green to highlight this powerful design element in an all white home to jazz up your interiors or use a rustic reclaimed wood sliding door to add warmth in a contemporary home. Instead of hanging a large artwork or a group of artwork on your wall, a beautiful barn door with a large, decorative "X" design can do the job as well, thanks to its distinct features.

Add character.

Without a doubt, a barn door adds instant character to any home. Many people adore them for their charm and unique features. It also add visual interest in any setting especially in a neutral room or a minimalist style home.

Easy installation.

Instead of hiring a handyman, you can easily watch a DIY video online, gather a few tools and do the work yourself. All you need are a barn door of your choice and a set of sliding hardware to install your new barn doors.

Add value to your home. 

According to a recent study conducted by website Zillow Digs, it shows that barn doors help to sell as many as 57 days faster and at a higher price point. In the study, it shows that over 2 million homes sold between January 2014 and March 2016 who uses the keyword "barn doors" in their listings brought the highest premium and typically sell with an average of 13% above expected value. This should not come as a surprise because many homeowners like the distinctive, high-end look as well as the doors' beauty and functionality when it comes to closing off spaces.

With all these wonderful qualities, it is easy to see why barn door continue to be one of the most popular design trends in the interior design world. Are you ready to install a barn door in your home too? 

Home Gardening Tips No Matter Where You Live!

This post is provided by Samantha Waites.

Create a perfect home landscape with a garden which feeds your family and beautifies your neighborhood, all while reducing waste.

Twenty years ago, home gardens were relegated to rural plots where your nearest neighbor was 15 miles away and food was expensive. Now, in most urban regions, a processed food supply- better known as a grocery store- is right around the corner and costs less, per capita, than other food options. With so much in chaos and prices rising, people are turning to a home garden to feed their family while providing some stress-free moments puttering around the green.

What gives?

As life becomes more and more complicated in these modern times, more people are returning to nature. And growing your own food is a part of that. The foods which can be grown at home- either in a front yard garden or a tub on the balcony- are varied and can fit any taste or appetite.

How? A home builder of the year awardee suggested these ideas.

Tag your crops

Keep tabs on your garden. Take an old-school notebook, paste in images of each vegetable you plan to grow, and add your plant tags. Then go crazy and make it as detailed as you want. Add information detailing where the plants were bought and where they are in the garden- obviously not a problem if your garden is a steel wash tub on the balcony. Be creative and add your artistic flair with hand drawings of your garden.

Dig easier

Spray your favorite garden tool with silicone or a Teflon-like lubricant. Shoveling and digging will be a snap. A good coating will make any sort of soil slide off a garden tool without leaving a mess.

Lighten the pot

To save your back and take the strain out of lifting large planters, fill the pot one-third full with packing peanuts. Place a piece of landscape fabric on top of the peanuts and then layer in your potting soil. To cut down even more on the weight, use potting mix with lots of peat moss.

Safe transport

Before heading to the plant nursery, line the trunk with a tarp and put a small step ladder on the tarp. The slots between the ladder rungs will serve as compartments to protect the plants and you would not have to worry about spilled dirt or a filthy car.

Rain readout

Add a few drops of food coloring to the bottom of your rain gauge. When the next rainfall comes, the water will blend with the dye and the water level will be easy to read.

Prevent invaders

Plants like gooseneck loosestrife can take over the garden. You can keep that from happening by putting them in a plastic container. Then, cut the bottom off so the roots would not die out, but can grow into the soil.

Root bound

Buying potting plans can be a pain as the plant grows in the pot. The roots do not have room to grow and begin to form tight knots inside the pot. The problem? Tightly curled roots can prevent water and nutrients from traveling to the leaves. Guide the roots outward and carefully make vertical cuts in the root ball.

Protect the bulbs

Tired of furry freeloaders snacking on your flower bulbs? Keep them out with netting staked over the flower bed. When it is springtime, remove the netting or cut holes so the plants can grow through.

Portable pots

Fit a piece of plywood to the back  with wood cleats. The wood creates a flat surface perfect for potting. Now the soil and plants can be wheeled to the garden in one trip.

Selecting the right HVAC system for your home!

This post is provided by Jesse Hughes.

At some point you will need to replace or add a HVAC system into your home. It does not matter where you live in the country you will appreciate the benefits of a good Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning unit.

But when you come to start looking you will realize that this is a huge decision and one that you want to get right. After all, the system should be in your home for many years to come.

Just follow these steps and you will be sure to get the right system.

Manufacture

Choose a well known and respected manufacturer such as Axiflow. This will ensure you are purchasing a quality product which comes with guarantees and should last you for years.

If you are unsure regarding a manufacturer you can easily check their reputation online, specifically on their website and social media sites.

Know The Ratings

There are 3 main ratings when dealing with HVAC systems:

Average Fuel Utilization Efficiency

This rating shows how efficient the system is. For example, if it has a rating of 70% then the HVAC system is capable of converting 70% of the fuel used into heat or cooling for your home.

The higher the rating the better the system.  The best systems are rated at 98%; it is recommended that you choose one that is offering at least 80%.

Heating Seasonal Performance Factor

Instead of assessing the efficiency of the system this rating relates to the energy efficiency of the heat pups within the system. 

Again the higher the rating the better. A high rating means the pump is very efficient and uses very little energy to power it. You should aim for at least 8. But the best are in the region of 13.

Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio

Again the higher the rating the less energy that is used, this makes it more efficient and more desirable.

You should aim for a HVAC system with at least 14 although the best are 30+!

Your Budget

Of course you need to decide what you can comfortably afford before you commit to a HVAC system. There are two elements to affordability.

The first is the cost of the system to buy and install.

It is worth noting that installation is more complex and costly if you are not replacing an existing system. This is because you will definitely need ducts installed round your home. If you are replacing an existing system it may be possible to use the ducting already in place.

The second is the cost of running the system. Generally the higher the purchase cost the lower the running costs!

The Capacity

You need to know the HVAC system will be effective at heating your home. To do this, you will want to measure the area inside your home and find a system that can comfortably meet this requirement.

It is worth getting a system that does a slightly larger area than your home, this will help to extend its life as it would not be working at full capacity all the time.

Top tips when renovating your living room!

This post is provided by Thomas.

Redecorating or renovating your living room does not have to be a stressful or costly project. In fact, there are many ways to make it enjoyable, and ensure the desired outcome in the space. Consider a few of these tips when you are ready to redecorate, to keep things easy, and achieve the desired look. 

Start bigger. When redecorating, go with the bigger pieces. Choose new furniture, drapes, and other larger-items, before you go ahead and settle on smaller things. Do not pick out your couch based on the wall colors; you want to do the opposite, so you can create an engaging and welcoming space for your guests into your home. 

Understand the room. Is it very bright and sunny? You might want to invest in UV shades or blinds. Do you get lots of traffic in the room? Maybe the costliest hardwoods are not the right choice; instead, maybe a linoleum or even some type of granite or tile is a better option. You have to think things through before making final decisions in order to create a space which works. 

Put your own touches into it. Paintings, adding wall bordering, or even doing the painting yourself, rather than hiring a contractor, are some options to make the space your own and truly unique. You have to find something that looks good, but also something which you can appreciate. Make sure you are incorporating your own personal touches and style throughout, if you want to create a space you will truly love. 

Your living room is a room you spend plenty of time in, for this reason, you have to make sure you choose the right approach when you are ready to decorate it. If you would like some help when redecorating your living room, you could always get in touch with painter and decorator to do some of the work for you. These are a few ways to ensure the project goes smoothly, and to know you are going to love the outcome once you are finished redecorating that room of the home.