Hob

The first decision you’ll need to make, is whether you want a gas or electric hob – not forgetting that induction hobs are becoming more popular in contemporary kitchens. If you think of yourself as an undiscovered Jamie Oliver, you might like the look of a modular hob. These cooking centres have a number of ways to cook, often incorporating gas burners, griddles and fryers.

Chimney hood

Whatever type and style of hob you decide to go for, you will need a good extractor fan or chimney hood to keep those pesky smells away and prevent a build-up of grease and grime. There are loads of different types of chimney hoods out there, from brushed stainless steel to under-the-cabinet ones. A chimney hood is not just there as a design feature or to remove odours; it can also protect against carbon-monoxide and help those suffering with asthma.

Oven

You will probably use your oven every single day, so it’s important that it has been built to last, as it’s an expensive thing to replace. Unlike hobs, the majority of ovens these days are electric, so that takes one decision away, but there is still a lot to think about. The right oven will get the balance between making a statement and blending with the overall look of the kitchen. Whether it’s built-in, freestanding or range, your oven is an absolute essential.

Fridge & freezer

There are a few things to consider when it comes to fridges and freezers, the main one usually being whether to have separate appliances or go for the combo. You will need to think about how much food you usually store in each one and whether you have the space for both. Do you want all the mod-cons, such as the ability to set different temperatures in different compartments, or are you happy with a basic model?

Boiling hot water tap

This next kitchen appliance is probably considered a luxury at the moment, but it won’t be long until it’s an absolute essential. The boiling hot water tap does what it says, providing instant boiling water from the tap. This is ideal for people that are always on the go and do not have the time to hang around for the kettle, but also cuts down on energy costs as well.

If you’re thinking of updating your kitchen, take a look at Betta Living’s range of kitchens, where there is a style to suit everyone.

They will be stopping at more than 20 different places across the country to help renovate houses of U.S. Veterans, give help to areas devastated by natural disasters and take part of consumer events.

Their first stop was at a U.S. military veteran owned home in Moonachie, N.J. to help restore a home gnarled by Superstorm Sandy.

“For 86 years, the Craftsman brand has provided quality tools that are made to make. The Craftsman ‘Make a Difference’ Tour brings the desire of making to life, by mobilizing Craftsman Club members and local volunteers to make a difference in communities across the country, ” said Michael Castleman, president, Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard and senior vice president, Sears Holdings.
The tour is the main part of Craftsman’s “Made to Make” campaign. More information about the tour as well as the campaign can be found at Craftsman.com/MakeaDifference and Facebook.com/Craftsman.

Disclosure: This post was requested by an advertiser.

Bank of the West was founded already in 1874, operating as a subsidiary of BNP Paribas that that is present in 80 countries with hundreds of thousands of employees, you can assume that they know what they are talking about.

The video series is called Mortgages In Brief and they are all available for free at their dedicated Youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAD6A638FBCC93244. The video series has been created with one main thought in mind – as the spring season is picking up, they’d like to educate the consumers on financial matters such as mortgages and everything else related to buying a home.

“As part of the Bank’s ongoing commitment to the importance of financial literacy for everyone, we want consumers to understand financial topics, such as the mortgage borrowing process and insurance premiums,” said Paul Wible, Head of Bank of the West’s National Finance Group. “There are a lot of questions out there, and Bank of the West believes in offering answers from trusted experts.”

Disclosure: This post was requested by an advertiser.

Viewers have had the chance to vote and blog about everything related to the design of the blog cabin, from kitchen to master suite, from color palette to fixtures and much more.

This season the Blog Cabin‘s crew of experts together with the host Chris Grundy are transforming a 1895 cottage into a modern-day coastal retreat. The premise of the show is based on a simple idea – You Design It, We Build It, You Could Win It!

The fans of home improvement and renovation junkies are invited to log in to DIYNetwork.com/BlogCabin and take part of the whole process. From start to finish.

Once the cabin has been completed, the fans will have the chance to win this newly renovated home for themselves. However, before they can do that, everyone will also have the chance to win a number of housewarming gifts with “Cabin Comforts” Sweepstakes. In order to win, viewers can vote on all interior design elements and much more through May 16.

Disclosure: This post was requested by an advertiser.

This minimalist bedroom layout and furniture comes from “Italian Furniture”. Note that a great deal of the impact of these designs comes from the use of minimal colors in a fairly consistent and limited color range. The few decorative elements or other creative accents that diverge from the basic scheme stand out all the more as a result. Even when the room dimensions are small, this combination can make the room expand and look spacious and nice.

So to help, I’ve put together some suggestions on how you can remove animal odours from your house or flat.

• Wash upholstery

Something you can do regularly to reduce the strength of the scent in the air is wash your upholstery. So if you’ve got rugs and curtains, and you can remove your sofa cover, I would put these in the washing machine every few weeks. This will help to clean the items and give them a more pleasant smell that will then spread through the rest of the house.

• Swap carpets for laminate floors

A more long-term solution is to take off your carpets and replace them with a laminate floor. Carpet fibres can easily trap bad odours, and it can be difficult to get rid of these even with intense carpet shampooing. But with wooden or laminate floors, you can simply wipe and wash them regularly, and the smell won’t linger.

If you’ve had a bad experience with training a puppy or a kitten (and who hasn’t?), you’ll know they can often have accidents and your carpet may sometimes end up being the victim of this. After they have gone to the toilet on your plush carpet, not only will the stain be difficult to remove, but the smell may never fully go away – or, from my experience, your room is left with a stench of bleach, which isn’t pleasant either. So, don’t hesitate in finding a new covering from websites likeUK Flooring Direct if you want to keep your floors looking pristine.

• Buy neutralising odour sprays

Not all pet owners have huge problems with the smell of their animals but just need a little help making their place smell a bit better; this is where neutralising odour sprays come in handy, as they help reduce the stench our furry friends can often leave. You can typically find these in pet stores, and are a quick fix solution to help you get rid of any unpleasant odours quickly. So if you’ve got friends coming over and you don’t have time to wash your upholstery, spray some of this around your house!

• Use household items to help

You don’t have to just buy specialised products to do this though, as there are a number of items you can find around the house that will help neutralise the smell. Vinegar is something you can use, and all you need to do is spray some on your dog or cat’s bedding and place some near the litter tray of your feline friends. If your pet has a little accident on the floor, it is worthwhile using some of this when cleaning it up to get rid of the lingering odour. And if you hate the smell of wet dogs, simply put some on your pooch when you rinse him or her after a wash.

Baking soda and lemon juice are other good items to have around the house. The former can be sprinkled in litter boxes and bedding; you can also put some on carpets before vacuuming the area. Lemon juice is a pleasant smell itself, so it helps add a nice scent to the room. But don’t forget to place this high up so your pets don’t end up drinking it!

Get a new sofa

I think that sofas can tell visitors a lot about a person and a shabby-looking couch can give off the impression that you don’t take pride in your appearance. While we all have the best intentions to keep couches looking their finest for years on end, this often doesn’t end up being the case, as it is one of the most used pieces of furniture in the house.

If your sofa cover has been through the wash a number of times and still doesn’t look its best, it may be time to get a new one. Couches that are particularly popular in 2013 are corner sofas, and if you put one of these in your house, as it has lots of seats for your friends it could imply you’re a friendly, sociable person to anyone who visits – hardly a bad thing, is it?

Repaint the walls

Nothing makes a room feel like new than a fresh coat of paint, and if you’re thinking of adding a splash of colour to your living room walls next year, think carefully about what shade to go for.

You should pick a colour that will be popular in 2013 – and hopefully for many years beyond that. The hue you choose will obviously depend on your decor and the rest of the house, but if you love greys, navy blues, emeralds and deep reds, you’ll be in luck, as these tones are going to be huge next year.

These shades will look great in your living room if you have dark-coloured wooden furniture, tall traditional lamps and wooden floors.

You could, of course, go in the completely opposite direction and paint your walls a crisp, clean white. This no longer has the clinical undertones that it once did and, instead, can create a fresh look to your room. This is one of my favourite colours to paint the walls, as you can put your personal stamp on the rest of the room with no restrictions – just think of all the decor you can get that will show off your character if you have a blank canvas to work with!

Put up wall decorations

2013 also sees a variety of new and interesting wall decorations. You might have favourite pictures and photos hanging on the walls of your living room, but this is the time to think outside the box.

This year will see people hanging plates, cushions, strange-looking clocks, fancy pin boards and decorative books on their walls. Short shelves are also popular, with these items being fitted in corners or in other locations where it can be inconvenient to position a large picture. You can place a couple of photo frames and ornaments on these, while you can pin pretty images and notes to yourself on your decorated pin board.

Invest in floor lamps

If I had to choose just one accessory for the living room, a lamp would be it. I can’t relax in the evenings if the main light is on, and have to switch on small lamps and lanterns around the room, as the soft lighting instantly makes me feel more calm and ready for an evening in.

Luckily, these features will continue to remain popular in 2013, but there’s always an opportunity to replace your lamps. I’d love a Moroccan henna lamp in my lounge, as these create a fantastic, relaxed ambience with their low lights and pretty patterns. Other lamps that will be popular next year include tall traditional ones with large shades and lanterns that hang quite low – but be careful with these if you have tall people living in your house, as they might bang their head on the shade (which is often made from metal!).

Partly, of course, you could be right. Take two houses, side by side, built the same year, looking very similar, but one house sold at a price higher than the other one. At first glance the cheaper one might look better for the buyer, but at a closer inspection, the one with a higher price tag makes more sense. How? The answer is simple – one is simply more energy efficient. And even if we forget all about being green, it all comes down to money. How much less will you be paying for your energy, how much less will you end up paying for your utility bills, how much more comfortable will your life be with more energy efficient home. And that’s what it’s all about.

When selling your home, you simply need to make the buyers well aware of it, the buyers as well as the real estate agents and appraisers. For more information about it you can read the articles you can find at www.johnsoncontrols.com/panoptix. Johnson Controls, by the way, is a company that helps you improve your energy efficiency and their Panoptix solution is a way to track the performance of all of your systems real time. Panoptix gives you the information you need to track the building performance and reduce the energy usage based on the data you get through it.

Learn more about it here -

Disclosure: This post was requested by an advertiser.

It can be tricky thinking about what to get someone as a present, but I think snapping up accessories to go with your loved one’s Weber Q is unique and will go down a treat. Below are five must-have gadgets that should be on your shopping list.

BBQ Accessories

1. Tongs

OK, I admit tongs don’t sound very glamorous, but it’s amazing how often these utensils are used. For a start, you require a couple of pairs for both raw and cooked food, while if you need to wash some having a clean spare to hand is also useful.

Stainless steel is your best option, as the material is durable and long lasting. Invest in some quality tongs, and your friend or family might not need to replace them for quite some time.

2. Woodchip smoker

Whether you’re buying accessories to go with a Weber charcoal or gas barbecue, a woodchip smoker can be used with any of these grills. All the budding chef needs to do is place wood dust and woodchips into the box, and the burning material with give food a richer, smokier flavour.

It’ll certainly impress guests when they taste the meat and vegetables, and the recipient of your gift will no doubt be thrilled that you thought of them and bought them such an unusual present.

3. Recipe book

While there are loads of ways to cook meats and vegetables (and even fruit!) on a barbecue, sometimes it can be tricky to find inspiration. I don’t think you can beat a sausage and a burger, but I also love dishes like spicy chicken and roast pork sandwiches.

A recipe book will help the barbecuing fan in your life to come up with new ideas, which will go down well once the temperatures start to rise again and you’re invited to their next garden party. Alternatively, I think a book of cocktail recipes would also work well, especially as such drinks are refreshing when the sun shines.

4. Marinades and sauces

A marinade and sauce set is the perfect gift for a foodie who likes to experiment, especially if you push the boat out a bit and invest in some good-quality items. They can really transform meat and veg and create a completely different dish, and your loved one will have endless fun trying out new flavours.

5. Cleaning kit

It can be easy to stash away a BBQ once the summer is over, but it’s important to make sure the equipment is properly cleaned to ensure it’s in good condition come next year. Otherwise, when it’s next brought out of the shed or garage, it could be full of dirt, rusty or even broken.

A cleaning kit might not be the first gift that springs to mind when deciding what to buy someone, but you can guarantee they probably won’t have thought of buying sprays and brushes themselves.

Can you think of any gadgets or accessories that a barbecuing fan would love to receive? Leave your top tips below to help inspire other shoppers this Christmas.

Victorian House

Here are some tips I’ve put together to help you learn how.

Show off your fireplace

The fireplace is one of the integral fixtures of a property from the 19th and early 20th centuries, and is one of my favourite features. They are incredibly beautiful, so they are definitely worth showing off. If your fireplace looks quite old and dishevelled, I would spend some money on restoring it.

Not only will it look great, but homebuyers are also willing to pay a lot for original features, so if you can keep the authentic fireplace, you might see more interested parties when you come to sell your home. As well as making it look nice, I would also get a specialist to see whether it can be used for fires (as, obviously, was originally intended). If so, I wouldn’t waste any time whatsoever in burning some logs in there and giving the house a real old-fashioned feel.

Don’t worry if your fireplace isn’t in the best condition, or if it has been covered up – or you don’t have one at all! You can get it uncovered or you can build an entirely new Victorian-looking fireplace. And I’m sure most people will be none the wiser.

Re-stain your wooden floor

Wooden floors are characteristic of many Victorian properties, with lots of houses built during this period having hardwood floorboards. With a Victorian home of your own, you’re likely to have these, but if you find your house is covered in carpets, all you have to do is look underneath and you might have some great original wooden floorboards underneath.

I think it’s definitely worth making a feature of these, so I would sand them back and stain them with a dark mahogany colour – this was the colour du jour during the Victorian period. Of course, not everyone is blessed with good-quality floorboards and if you find that the wood in your home has suffered with age and has become rotten, you can recreate the look with new wood flooring from companies like the Solid Wood Flooring Company.

Sash windows

Authentic sash windows are perhaps the hardest thing to find in a Victorian home, as many people have replaced the single-layer glass with double-glazed windows in an effort to reduce their energy bills over the years. So if you own a house with this style of window, I’d advise you to keep them, as they are extremely sought after.

Of course, glass windows with wooden frames deteriorate over the years, so you might have to restore them so they look their best. Alternatively, if you don’t have sash windows, you can buy new double-glazed ones in a sash-window style these days, which may be a worthwhile investment if you want to have as many Victorian-themed features in your house, but are also concerned about spending a lot of money to warm up your house.

… And the rest

These are just a few fixtures I’d make sure I’d restore if I had a Victorian home, but, of course, there are many more. Other original features I’d protect and bring back to their former glory include the likes of:

• Dado rails
• Roll-top baths
• Wallpaper
• Elaborate staircases

You can also get help from a specialist if you want to make sure you do these authentic fixtures justice when restoring them.