15 Outdoor Decoating Ideas on a Budget

With spring in full swing, many people are spending more time outside. The warmer temperatures, beautiful blooming flowers, and green grass growing, it is time to get outside and see what nature has to offer.  It is also the time of year when avid gardeners turn to outdoor decorating.  Listed below are 15 outdoor decorating ideas on a budget.  Which of these ideas will you implement into your outdoor décor?

• Bring in the flowers.
  If your garden just doesn’t seem up to par, add beauty through flowers. Replace old flowers that may have seen better days.  The more color you have in your flower beds, the more curb appeal your home will have. Your local nursery will have beautiful plants at great prices.
• A stylish second hand bird bath. 
  A bird bath will attract wild life to your yard.  Put a bird bath in your yard that will be stylish and attractive to your guests as well.  Sit on your porch in the spring enjoying the outdoors and beautiful wildlife that is attracted to your yard.
• Find great outdoor furniture at garage sales.
  Outdoor furniture will make a big impact when decorating your outdoor space. Unfortunately, it can get rather expensive.  Visit garage sales around the area in search of second hand outdoor furniture that is still in good shape.  You may even check the ads in your local newspaper.
• Recover your existing outdoor furniture.
  If you already have furniture, choose to recover it instead of going out and buying brand new furniture. This is a cost efficient way to get  a new look for your outdoor space.
• Make your own outdoor accessories.
  Choose to make you own stepping stones and outdoor art to help beauty your space.  The options are endless when creating classic pieces to help decorate outdoors. If you have a creative touch, use your skills to save you money.
• Shop at your local craft store for outdoor accessories.
  Some large craft stores will carry outdoor accessories at a cheaper price. To really save money, go in search of accessories that may have minor defects. This is a great way to save you money.
• Find an outdoor rug on clearance.
  An outdoor rug can help warm up the space and make it seem as if you are really indoors. This is a great way to add in color and texture to your outdoor living space.
• Build a raise platform with lumber you have laying around.
  A raised platform is a great place to put a dining table or to make a sitting area.  If you have extra lumbar lying around, use it to decorate your outdoor space.
• Don’t be afraid to bring the indoors out.
  If there are things from indoors that you plan on getting rid of, why not bring them outdoors and allow them to act as garden accessories.
• Make your own stepping stones.
  Stepping stones can be rather expensive if you choose high quality materials. Save some money on those stones by making your own from cement.
• Discover inexpensive outdoor lighting.
  Outdoor lighting is a must to help complete the perfect outdoor space. When decorating, choose inexpensive lighting that can make a big impact.
• Bring in a water element.
  A water fountain in the corner can give you and your family the illusion of being someplace else.  Wait until the end of the season and get a water fountain on sale.
• Potted plants can make a big impact.
  Add potted plants to your porch area for another inexpensive burst of color.
• Invest in a trendy outdoor fan.
  Outdoor fans are inexpensive, provide relief from the heat, and can also make a statement in your outdoor space.  Choose a trendy design that is eye catching.
• Outdoor pillows are must!
  If you can’t afford to recover your outdoor furniture, choose to buy new outdoor pillows to help give the space a fresh look. This is an inexpensive way to add a touch of color and elegance.

Are you busy decorating your outdoor space? If so, choose to implement the ideas above to help get the look that you want on a small budget. 

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*article from letsrenovate.com

Remodeling Hell Giveaway

Win a copy of my book Remodeling Hell! Remodeling Hell describes my journey as I endeavored to build my dream home, which turned into a two-year nightmare. It's packed with money-saving tips and ideas.  This book contains often hilarious, but always valuable lessons of what to do and what NOT to do when building or remodeling homes. This book also contains a "Salvation Guide" 36 pages of remodeling guidelines that will save you time and potentially thousands of dollars. The valuable lessons in this book will help people as much today as it will in the future.

Fill out the form below using your 'tab' key to enter for a chance to win a copy of your own!  The contest will run  until the end of the month, with the winners contacted via email and announced here!  

Five Tips for Choosing a Kitchen Remodeling Company

There are many considerations when considering a partial or full remodel of your kitchen.  In addition to cabinetry and appliances, it’s good to think about the space itself, and how it meets your needs for space, food storage and preparation, and energy efficiency.  If your kitchen is a primary gathering place in your home for entertaining your family and friends, an update should include a focus on making this room an inviting spot as well. 

1. What are your remodeling needs?  Even if you’re trying to replace outdated appliances, keep in mind that a new refrigerator, stove, hood, sink and microwave oven may be somewhat larger than your current appliances.  You may have to reconfigure the space of your kitchen to accommodate some, or all of these.  Also, Energy Star Appliances will add value to your home, and lower your energy costs while giving your home an EPA Environmentally Friendly upgrade.  Be sure to determine what your most basic needs for a remodel are–the “must haves” before you continue to the smaller renovations.
2.  Plan your budget to include low-end, middle, and high-end renovations.  This will give your kitchen contractor a basis from which to work, and will open your options a great deal.  While you may not be able to afford a premium remodel, there are many opportunities to move funds within your budget to allow for some high end renovations while saving money in other less-crucial areas.  Explore all your options and choose a contractor who will work within your budget without trying to “up-sell you” on costly, often unnecessary upgrades.
3. Interview two to three different companies and consider only companies that:

• Offer many choices, styles, and brands
• Provide free estimates
• Understand your budget and show you the math to prove they know how to stay within it
• Are licensed, bonded and insured, and provide numerous references from satisfied customers
• Have experience in a variety of remodeling styles and approaches, including energy saving green building practices
• Guarantee their work to completion on the projected date, and guarantee your complete satisfaction
• Have received awards for excellence in design, service and customer satisfaction

4.  Keep it simple.  In order to avoid becoming overwhelmed with all of the choices that exist, narrow your search to companies that are local, highly rated for satisfaction, affordable while promising quality work within your budget and time frame, and who listen and communicate with you throughout the process.  Choose the company that understands your style, and with whom you feel most comfortable.
5.  Be flexible with your design plans.  Many kitchens can be designed various ways to accommodate your evolving needs.  Be sure to find a kitchen design company that can offer you many different floor plans, cabinetry designs, kitchen counter options, and appliances while staying within your budget.  A creative designer will help you think outside the box, and offer you the latest in affordable design choices, hardware, tile, flooring and appliances.  Knowing your personal style, favorite colors and preferences for appliances ahead of time certainly helps your designer in the initial consultation, but avoid being rigid.  Having several preferences can open the door to options, and may just save you money.

 For your copy of Remodeling Hell, CLICK HERE!

*article from http://www.greensborocabinetrydesign.com/

Women Leading the Way in a Man's World

While DIY may be traditionally seen as a man's work, a new survey says roles are being reversed with women leading the way and showing up their other halves' handy-work.

The survey by the AA's Home Emergency Response Service has revealed men are losing their traditional DIY skills as more women step up and take over around the home.

Young men are now less than half as likely to perform the tasks their fathers and grandfathers could, like rewiring a plug or bleeding a radiator. The findings show 35 per cent of men aged 18-24 can no longer change a light bulb, compared to 29 per cent of women the same age. It also states that women aged 18-24 are more competent than males of the same age at assembling flat pack furniture – 64 per cent against 54 per cent. Women are also catching up at hanging wallpaper, patching holes in a wall, and replacing locks.

It seems this trend has been gathering momentum for some time, with females working professionally in male-dominated industries, including plumbing, construction and electrics.

Justine Wood, 40, has been running her own successful painting and decorating business in Cheltenham for 14 years. After working several different jobs, she ended up painting almost by accident, but soon found her services in high demand.

"I was taking a gap year and needed to earn some cash, so I started with the painting and decorating, and before I knew it I was working full-time.  It was quite unusual and people were surprised to see me at first, but in the last seven or eight years people don't seem to mention it," she said.

Justine believes she brings things to the job which male firms cannot, and that there are many benefits to hiring a woman to work around the home.

She said: "It's all about attention to detail, taking care and knowing you're working in somebody's home, not just a site. Where we come through is in applying those finishing touches, the little things that others may miss, and communication is important – letting people know what's happening as we go, rather than just turning up and getting on with things."

Do you agree?  Do you think DIY repairs are no longer just a man's world?

To order your copy of Remodeling Hell, CLICK HERE

Nine Secrets for Soundproofing Walls

Forget stapling egg cartons to your walls — you can quiet down your house for good if you know these 9 little secrets for soundproofing walls.

This wall art is actually a soundproofing panel. Some manufacturers offer custom-printed fabrics. Image: Fabri Trak Systems, Inc.

Down the hall, your 10-year-old practices saxophone. In the garage, your husband fires up his table saw. The racket has the artwork on the walls jiggling.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could muffle all that noise? By soundproofing your walls, you’ll gain peace and quiet, and restore a little sanity to your household.

To quiet household noise, you’ll need to reduce vibrations, plug sound leaks, and absorb sounds.

Secret #1: Extra drywall. Sounds are vibrations. Deadening those vibrations is best done with heavy, dense materials that stop noise in its tracks.

When it comes to heavy, brick and stone are great but impractical for retrofitting your interior walls. The easiest strategy is to add a second layer of drywall to build up a thick, sound-deadening barrier.

You don’t have to add drywall everywhere — you can isolate the noisy room (kid’s saxophone) or the quiet room (your reading nook).

You’ll have to refinish and repaint your new drywall, and probably extend electrical outlets and switch boxes, but those are relatively easy and inexpensive DIY projects.

Secret #2: The caulk sandwich. As an extra defense, separate the two layers of drywall with 3/8-inch-thick beads of acoustical caulk ($9-$20 for 28-oz. tube). The caulk deadens vibrations that try to travel from one layer of drywall to the other.

Secret #3: Mass-loaded vinyl. Made especially for noise control, mass-loaded vinyl (MLV) is a flexible material that comes in 4-foot-wide rolls. It’s made to hang on walls or install on floors to help deaden sounds. Sandwich it between layers of drywall to greatly reduce sound transmission through walls.

A 15-foot-long roll of 1/8-inch-thick MLV (60 sq. ft.) is $80-$110. It’s heavy, so if you buy it online, expect to pay another $40-$50 for shipping.

Secret #4: Plugging sound leaks. “Sound is like water,” says Josh Kernan of Westside Drywall in Hubbard, Ore., noting that anywhere water can leak through — cracks and openings — sound can get through, too.

To stop leaking sound, use acoustical caulk to plug holes and gaps around:

• ceiling fixtures

• switch boxes

• receptacle boxes

• door casing

Add sweeps ($6–$14) to the bottoms of doors and weatherstripping to door frames.

Secret #5: Absorbing sound with acoustic panels. Acoustic panels absorb sounds before they can bounce off walls and ceilings. They’re made to improve the sound inside a room, such as a home theater, but they’re also helpful in reducing sound transmission through walls.

Made of porous expanded polypropylene (PEPP), panels come in a variety of sizes and thicknesses. Most types for home use are covered in fabrics with dozens of colors to choose from. Some manufacturers offer custom-printed fabrics that turn your sound blocking panel into a piece of wall art: Send in a digital photo, and they’ll reproduce it on your panel.

Panels attach with clips or Velcro, and installation is an easy DIY job. A standard 2-by-2-foot panel is $25-$30.

Secret #6: Quieting ambient noise. Adding soft items to rooms — rugs, carpets, drapes, potted plants — helps reduce vibrations and ambient noise.

Secret #7: Silencing ducts. Sound-deadening duct wrap quiets noisy ducts and adds thermal insulation. A 4-by-30-foot roll of 1-inch-thick wrap is $50.

Secret #8: Adding solid-core doors. A solid core interior door ($60–$80) absorbs sound better than a hollow-core door. Add a sweep to cut airborne sound.

Secret #9: Knowing your STC ratings. Soundproofing products often come with a Sound Transmission Class (STC) rating. STC is a measure of how many decibels of sound reduction a product provides. The higher the STC rating, the better.

An improvement of 10 STC makes the noise seem like it’s been cut in half. On the other hand, a rating difference of 3 STC or less is nearly imperceptible — worth knowing when comparing products.

Read more: http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/home-improvement/soundproofing-walls/#ixzz1qFbaULX9

To order your copy of Remodeling Hell, CLICK HERE!  

*article from houselogic.com