Your home - the next big Film Location?

The movie industry and print magazines are always looking for new locations. Your property may be just the thing they are looking for. If you are willing to share your property for a price then listing your property with a location library is a good idea.

Say you live in a big city like London and an agency is looking for a great London photographic location for hire. Your property has great double height ceilings, parquet floors, Southwest facing windows and a lovely open plan feel.  

How do you put it on offer?

First make sure you have high quality shots of your interior and exterior. It would be worth it to hire a professional to get the best views possible. Include different angles that show the flow of the rooms, lighting, and types of window your property has.

Most location agencies look for large rooms and a minimalist décor. But don’t think that rules you out if you have a funky, one-of-a-kind interior. If you are a packrat and have stacks and stacks of interesting objects around, that may be just what someone is looking for as well.

Here is a list of other attributes that may sell well:

• Double height windows 
• Floor to ceiling windows 
• Open fires 
• Rough brick walls 
• Brick wall 
• Roll top bath
• Loft style 
• Mezzanine floors 
• Seaside location 
• Open plan kitchen 
• Period house 
• Fireplaces 
• Wooden floors 
• Roll top bath Ensuite bathrooms 
• Swimming Pool 

Next, make a list of all the amenities you may have on-site. This may be an outbuilding, extra parking, quiet atmosphere or loads of electrical outlets. This will help you create a profile of your property with contact details.

You may want to check with your local government or housing development about any restrictions or licensing. You may have to get creative to find solutions to accommodate large filming crews but the rewards could be quite lucrative.

After you have all your information together, check for online websites where you can register your place for a percentage of a booking and others which are paid monthly or yearly.

Get advice everywhere you can, such as how to negotiate contracts and what to consider when you are booking a shoot.

Be prepared that client may want to re-paint your walls or change window coverings. Know how far you are willing to go in advance to save dithering during important conversations. It is best to also have a talk with neighbours and get their co-operation before signing anything.

 Lights, camera, action, income.

LCD wall installation – dangers of DIY

Televisions are thinner and lighter than they used to be ten years ago, this makes for so many possibilities. With the Televisions being smaller they take up less space, and now you can hang them on your wall, like putting a photograph up.

The trouble is mounting a LCD television to your wall is much more difficult than hanging a photograph. It is actually dangerous to do TV installs yourself unless you are a professional. There are several reasons not to hang your LCD television yourself.

1. Parts. The mount, not all mounts fit all televisions. Even when they say “universal” on the manufacture slip of the mount. You need to compare the mount to your television before buying the mount. You can often do this by calling the manufacturers to see what will fit your television properly.
2. Tools. You need to be sure that you have the proper tools. Without them you will surely have a disaster on your hands. A professional installer will have the proper tools needed to mount your television; stud finder, power drill, screw driver, and a level.
3. Risk. If you are hanging the television by yourself, then this could be a costly disaster. Televisions are lighter than they used to be however, it’s not easy to hold them up by yourself and finish the mount, you could drop your television, and then have to spend 100s to 1000s of dollars to replace it. Most professionals have a partner to save them from these costly mistakes.
4. Placement. If you don’t have the mount of the television in the studs of the wall, then the television will fall. That will cause damage to your wall, break your television, and possibly injure anyone who is nearby. Professionals know where to find the studs in the wall. They can save you from this costly mistake.
5. Also positioning is important. Many DIYers  find they get to the end of the job and the angle isn’t quite right from where they wanted to view it from and the images don’t have the right resolution, sort of like a laptop when angled slightly the wrong way.
6. Children. This is the most important thing of all. Many home installers never even consider that at some point a child may pull or hang on your TV. No matter how well behaved your children normally are, this is very common and people do not consider it. A falling TV sends a child to the Emergency about every 30 minutes and there are hundreds of deaths a year. Protect your family and trust a professional

Hiring professionals can seem expensive however, it can be more expensive if you were to mount your LCD television yourself and it fell. There are a couple of things you can do when searching for a professional installer.

1. Cost. You can call around and search online for local installers and ask about the cost, find out if they charge by the hour or per job.
2. Licenses. If you are going to want your wires hidden in the wall you want to be sure that your installer is a licensed electrician. You want to be comfortable knowing that he will do the job properly.
3. Search out reviews if it is possible. Look on the Internet; ask other people if they have used other companies.
4. Experience. Just having a little conversation will give you a clue about their experience. The best one for the job will probably ask the most questions about your job or give an on-site estimate.

Mounting your LCD television does not have to be a stressful task. Save yourself time and frustration and call in the professionals.

Wine Cellars Designs

Wine Cellars are becoming more popular. As I look at new model homes I've discovered that many of the high end homes now offer wine cellars as an option.

If you are a wine lover you want to have a place to put your collection.

You may want to consider having a wine cellar custom made if you already own a house without one or the builder you are working with does not offer a wine cellar option. The average cellar temperture is between 52 and 55 degrees with humidity ranging around 70% so if you have an existing cellar you already perfect places to store your wine collection!

The wine cellar can take up just a portion of your basement for a modest collection or the entire space for an extensive collection. A 7 x 3 foot space with a 9 foot ceiling can hold about 300 bottles, a 9 x 4 foot space with a 9 foot celing can hold 800 bottles and a 13 x 4 foot space with a 9 foot ceiling can hold 1,200 plus bottles. Custom wine cellars vary widely in price due to size and materials such as etched mirrors, hand painted tiles, and stained glass that can be incorporated into their design. The price simply for the cooling units in a custom cellar start at about $1,400 so even a small cellar can be quite an investment.

There are many companies that will custom make a wine cellar for you. Many even have wine cellar kits that you can purchase and put together yourself.

However,the look, ambiance and the quality of the storage is absolutely worth the price if you are a serious wine connoisseur.

Here are some options for your wine cellar:

An under cabinet wine cooler. If you make it 24 inches high and 24 inches wide, it will hold 30 to 50 bottles of wine. This type of cooler will cost $1,400 to $1,700. Wine coolers are also becoming popular in master baths adding to the luxury feeling.

A wet bar can be modified to include a wine cooler with wine glasses stored overhead.

A full size wine cooler,same size as a refrigerator can hold 130 to 150 bottles.

You can convert your kitchen desk area into a bar area by raising the height of the countertop and adding a wine cooler. You can put a rack for wine glasses above it. This will become a focal area for your kitchen.

If you like the Mediterrean/Tuscan look you can have a special wine room complete with an iron gate. You can do this with a closet. Put in hardwood shelves, granite countertop and brick detailing on the ceiling. You can also have custom lighting and stone on the walls.

Decide which option is best for you and you will be toasting your decision to include a wine room in your home.

For the price sensitive buyer who wants a wine cellar all is not lost. Another option is to go for one of the many specialized units that are made for under the counter and store wine at optimal tempertures. They sell for a mere couple of hundred dollars! I believe that we will be seeing many more wine cellars being incorporated in house plans.

In addition to the home builders the major home retailers are jumping on board with this trend. Pottery Barn and Williams Sonoma to name just a few are carrying many more products that are used to serve and hold wine for parties.

Shopping for Furniture? Know Where The Best Places to Buy

If you are just about to start furnishing your home, do you know the places where to buy high end and quality value furniture? Of course, a furniture store is not included in the list since it is primarily where one must go to buy furniture.  After all, it is a specialty store that caters different kind of furnishing needs and is focused on distributing and selling furniture. Furniture store could be a nationwide chains or a locally owned one. Well, here are some suggestions where to go aside from a furniture store.

Flea Markets. 
If you are for antique pieces then flea markets are your kind of place. Flea markets could be your furniture bargain heaven if you know what to find and what you want. After all, the trending style of furniture for this year is recycled or reclaimed wood to furniture.  There are lots of unique and one of a kind pieces that you can only get from flea markets. You must not also expect to find a wide range of selection from different furniture manufactures.

Auctions. 
This includes EBay where buying for something like furniture deals with your ability and insistence of monitoring for the item and actually paying for it with the bid price.  Some have permanent facilities while others use the location or a nearby site for the sale to auction off furniture. When you find a reputable auctioneer keep contacting them for an updated listing on local auctions. Auction sites are the place if you want to find prized and treasured furniture pieces.

Dollar and Discount Stores. 
Most often than not, these kinds of stores keep a wide variety of pieces and furniture set. However, oftentimes these pieces are not the best of quality that is why they are at a very affordable price. If you are on a budget, then a dollar store could be your one stop shop.

Online Furniture Stores. 
One of the most popular ways to shop for quality discount furniture is through online. This is because of the convenience and hassle free transaction that online shopping offers and the fact that most online store don’t keep a physical store to save from other expenses thus having the lowest price possible.  The only additional expense to be incurred is the shipping fee but there is an online furniture store that offers free shipping. You just have to find the best online quality furniture shop that also guarantee to provide safe and secure shopping.

Local Warehouse Stores.
Local warehouse store is different from a local furniture shop. But you need more luck and effort if you want to go to this kind of store. Mostly warehouse stores are located in major cities and that, you will be just presented with a limited selection since the items left are the things that were not used or just a surplus of the items. A great sample of a warehouse store is located in a local hotel where have purchased bulk furniture and turned out it was not the furniture needed so they have put it on sale.

Unusual Home Design

A property is just not a property until eventually you have fit your own personal effect with it. One method to make it happen should be to get around mass-produced models that could seem to be one of a kind to the year, but become in each and every house inside obstruct from the occasion the summer season has expired.

As an alternative, hunt for excellent and long life as part of your one of a kind house design (like this lollipop house design) statements therefore you is not going to should get worried later on.

You will not solely spend less over time by means of deciding on long-lasting, excellent, art work goods, but you'll also make it much more challenging intended for neighbours to content your style.

Customized Doorways

The 1st pretty factor that your targeted visitor recognizes is the threshold. It's also probably the most overlooked design take into account mass-produced cookie-cutter properties.

Rest room building a design statement with custom made doorways in and outside the house can have such a substantial visible effect. Customized models can fixed this stage to get a particular fashion.

Doorways with design information just like discolored cup and wrought iron can cause an existing entire world allure right from the start.

Outdated American elegance certainly not quickly scans the blogosphere connected with fashion and that look and feel can be started at your front door.

Other forms connected with describing unavailable in mass-produced home designs are generally wooden carving, inlays, and lovely equipment. You shouldn't be stingy when you're choosing ones custom made front door. It's going to develop an excellent first impact that's long-lasting and tough to tremble.

Craft Items

Indicate identical excellent selections in the rest of the family with custom made models of which demonstrate of which your home is one of a kind. Murals which are created specifically for your crafted bedrooms can be a great way to create of which statement.

Even so, any kind of private or even unusual place addition they can double to tell apart your property with the necessity to receive a color comb.

Pics framed in custom made adjustments are definitely one of a kind for a household which enables it to supply lasting entertainment connected with different wonderful functions in your lifetime.

Sculptures selected to bring within a particular sense to the house can be devote this lounge as well as the back garden places. It is possible to individualize almost all almost any house addition by means of generating very careful selections like wood design with beige color.

Put in a custom made lamp-shade to some typical table lamp foundation and it will likely be a genuine creation of which is perfect for your property design system.

Small Facts Make any difference

Make sure you remember your little friend information because this will frequently create this big difference concerning models which are excellent to those who are generally great. As an example, add highlight lighting effects to places to high light custom made works of art of which grace ones walls.

Work with designer window curtain rods rather then plain types. Obtain crafting and sew your own personal place cushions or even put in a household quilt to the lounge through the cold months of winter. It really is a lot of these little touches of which will reveal proper care enough to be aware of possibly your little friend factors in life.

If you need assist in generating these selections, recruit a designer or even buddy into the future look over ones active hide connected with stuff to assist you to find that ought to possibly be featured and available and and this can be eventually left intended for a later date.

[image: homenizing.com]

Studio Apartment Design

Getting minimal room is probably the largest conditions many individuals face these days. Together with present day tendency of having smaller places along with bedrooms, those who are residing in a compact facility condominium usually are dealing with a wonderful challenge. In case you are residing in a rental product, there is a good idea how minimal space may be.

Consequently how can you convert ones facility condominium in a cozy, relaxing, along with appealing home? Below are a few home decor guidelines; nevertheless, you have to 1st talk to ones landlord as well as property managing in order that ones interior planning concepts usually are acceptable along with allowed.

Get What exactly is Needed

The standard suggestion intended for adorning ones condominium is to ensure that this doesn't happen show up packed, messy, along with tiny. The obvious way to make certain you are certainly not weighed down from the tiny room is to get what is essential. You must stay away from putting non-essential objects. Remember that any facility condominium will not offer the high end associated with setting up pointless objects intended for simple appearance.

Pick a Design

There are numerous models along with themes it is possible to choose from, which includes Mediterranean and current  fashionable, along with skill deco themes. Through deciding on a concept, it will be easy to determine which often fresh paint hues to make use of along with what exactly accessories contain to offer the concept you have in mind.

Also, having a solitary concept will allow you to organize ones home furniture along with belongings to make a suitable movement with the bedroom. Don't forget although to prevent overdoing the planning, nor complicate factors. You should maintain that simple along with make sure that you get well-defined regions along with places.

Painting The particular Surfaces

It's also possible to consider art work the actual rooms of this room; nevertheless, you have to talk to ones landlord if you are permitted to adjust the actual hues with the bedroom. In case you are given permission next you might like to consider using brighter hues, specially for those who have a compact room.

Remember that the actual shades you ultimately choose could influence the actual spatial look associated with almost any bedroom. Making use of brighter color, for example smooth along with muted colors shades, is likely to make ones facility condominium look greater.

Even so, if you wish to use dark hues, make an effort to only feature the actual rooms. Throughout this, the space couldn't look closed-in along with tiny.

Separating The place As well as Introducing Lighting

To make parts inside your room, you need to use partitioning, or maybe you can play it with the floor, use hardwood flooring to make it different with other space.. You need to use goblet as well as timber partitioning. Also, you have to likewise put suitable lighting effects.

This will put attract ones bedroom along with support set the actual mood. Also, suitable lighting effects could make ones facility condominium look fewer crammed.

[image: idesignarch.com]

Apartment Interior Design in Urban Area

Interior design offers frequently been recently any complicated subject matter regarding renters. The amount work does a single want to undergo to improve an area that particular won't basically own? Happily, most interior design issues non-structural do the job which focuses on coloring and home furniture format.

Nonetheless, tenant decorators often seek more quickly, more affordable ways of their particular decoration troubles than their home owner counterparts. Within huge locations wherever housing costs are substantial and area is in a premium, this specific difference is usually all the more noticeable. The truth is, the actual hipper the area, greater imaginative you need to be.

Obtain it from the ground:

It's a good unforgiving concept of dynamics: greater trendy the area, the greater the actual lease and the smaller sized space. In case you ended up to get the actual home furniture at a a single room condominium or perhaps a rooftop penthouse, then chances are you couldn't be able to create a stage without bumping directly into something.

Brand new area arrivals quickly learn to attach bookshelves for the retaining wall whenever you can and lessen the amount of 4 legged home furniture things that consume important important living area.

Urban home furniture merchants handle this specific together with decor made for this reason (see wooden apartment by fixonic as example). Even though you can't afford any swanky slender, modular bookshelf, they are fairly easy to construct on your own.

One good friend of quarry facing funds and area restrictions invented the actual imaginative notion of constructing bookshelves which hang on a series of 35 level sides; setting up a zig zag impact which manufactured me personally speculate the reason why this got certainly not been recently accomplished before, as they say "Necessity will be the mother of invention". Actually dog beds could be retaining wall attached, made to swing action decrease from your retaining wall when necessary. This basic Murphy bed is a good case in point.

Applying Showcases:

Numerous little eateries hire the actual means of employing mirrors to generate their particular area look more substantial. Showcases indicate lighting and, consequently, double the actual conception of level inside a granted bedroom.

Showcases come in a simple selection of designs, sizing's and frames. Find any reflect layout which works best on your granted wall surface area. You can also receive some mirrors and attach them complete opposite another regarding compounded glare that create a straight more substantial conception of area. Remember, on the globe of design, conception is usually seven tenths actuality.

A pair of Places In a single:

A fantastic idea regarding addressing the actual storage devices problems of an little area would be to heighten the actual bed. Once enhanced, space under the bed becomes the perfect utility area. The higher your current limit, greater height (and so storage) you can get absent together with.

Yet another fantastic little condominium piece will be the traveling shoe. Obtain a big shoe, place it by way of a eye-port, toss several bedroom pillows on it, and presto, you have eye-port with capacity of location using a little hint of adventure.

[image: britainmarkt.com]

How to Make Your Garden Safe for Kids to Play

The backyard can be a fun place to hang out for old and young alike. However, special safety precautions should be taken when kids are playing. They will tend to run around a lot, not pay a lot of attention and accidents can happen. That is why it is very important to know that they can play around safely in the garden.

Here are a few tips to help you out.

1. Careful with the swings

If you do install a set in your garden, be careful with it, the majority of injuries in the backyard are related to swings so. If you install more than one, try to keep two swing seats at most suspended from the same section of the support structure in order to limit the pressure exerted on it at any given time, they should be made out of a softer material such as rubber instead of a hard wood and.

2. Cover important areas

Kids playing around in the backyard are going to fall down…a lot. You can limit the damage this will do, even though there is not much you can do to stop this. Cover all the important areas where the kids will be playing with a material which is capable of absorbing a lot of the shock damage such as mulch or sand.

3. Remove tripping hazards

Part of the reason why kids will fall down a lot is because they run without looking where they are running. In order to limit the chances of them falling over, remove as many tripping hazards from the backyard as possible. This usually refers to bigrocks and stumps, concrete footings etc.

If you are looking for accessories and furniture for your garden, such as offset patio umbrellas, look no further than http://www.yescomusa.com. Here you will be able to find exactly what you were looking for and all at very reasonable prices.

Vintage oriental carpets: great look… great investment

Decorating a home can be expensive and often what you pay for floor coverings can never be recouped. But finding a great vintage oriental carpet can mean the next time you decide for a complete re-decorate, you may actually make money.

The key is finding a vintage oriental carpet company that can assist in finding a great carpet that is well made and will rise in value. This is much like finding an art dealer that will ensure your money is well spent.

Many believe that oriental carpets all look the same and are of the same colours but few are aware of the amazing range of designs and colours available today.

It is even possible to have a custom design woven for you at a fraction of the price of some inferior quality but “designer rugs” whose prices will never go up.

Handwoven, hand knotted oriental carpets do not even have to look “oriental”.

A bespoke oriental rug company that uses natural dyes and quality handspun wool can create a masterpiece that will rise in value rather than depreciate as soon as you buy it.

Natural dyed carpets that are well made and taken care of will always find a market with collectors. Oriental carpet prices are fair and not over-inflated with hype.

Vintage carpets that are unusual in pattern or colours are more apt to increase in value more quickly. Of course, like art, the price is often subjective to who is buying it and how much they will pay, but a reliable oriental rug dealer will have posted prices that are held accountable. The will also if selling rugs online have a no quibble return policy and impressive client list to assure the client of reliability.

A vintage carpet might be aged ten years or nearer to a century but it is the quality of the making that will make it unique. The knots per square inch will mean a longer wearing and cleaner, crisper image.

At Sharafi & Co we pride ourselves in sourcing the best in Persian and Oriental vintage carpets.

Is It Safe To Depend On Customer Reviews When Buying Furniture Online?

Back in the days, you’d be hard pressed to count a handful of people willing to make large purchases online. Large meaning they will need to part with a sizeable amount and then wait for the purchased items to arrive.

Today though, thousands of purchases are being made online thanks to the fact that more and more sites now have security measures in place that make them trustworthy to consumers. When it comes to buying online though, you still have be very careful as not all online stores are equal. Some take customer service seriously while some are just in it for the money.

One great tool that can help you with online shopping is the review/s left by people who have bought from a particular store. Would these reviews help you though? It really depends on what they are saying and what you want to know.

For example, if you want to know if an online retailer would promptly deliver what you will order, you can check reviews if there were people who were unhappy about the wait. If most of the reviews are about the quality of the products, then you can be sure that they had no trouble about the wait since people online love to share they would certainly highlight the shipping promptness if they had a problem with it.

On the other hand, if you are looking for information about the quality of a product made by a certain manufacturer, you have to go through different websites since most manufacturers offer their products through different retailers. If there is really a problem with their products, it would show not only on one retailer site review but on others as well. So as to the question whether it is safe to depend on these reviews, the short answer is yes. You still need to be very careful in analyzing just what the reviews are saying so that you can make a better decision.

Best 9 Ideas For Halloween Decorations

It’s time to Halloween parties and have some spooky fun. When there are parties there should be decorations too. Do you have any ideas of how to make your indoors look like a spooky house?

If you trying your hand in crafting the decoration items for the first time, here are some of the ideas for Halloween decorations which help you to make homemade items at a very less cost but do not appear so.

Boo Bottles:
Glass bottles, straws of different colors, white paint and black marker are all what you need. Remove the labels from the bottles and spray paint with white. Once the paint dries up draw faces with the black marker. Drop some straws inside the bottle removing the cap. That’s it. Nice center pieces are ready for your room.  

Cobweb Coasters:
The things you may need are bobby pins, twine thread, white paint, 3/8 inch flat metal washer and toy spiders. Fix the bobby pins on the washer and wrap the twine thread through them. Spray the white paint to give the ghostly look you want. Put some toy spiders on the web to make it complete.  

Vampire Napkin Rings:
To make your table look scary you can tie the napkins with vampire teeth. Tie the white napkins at the center with a thread and fix the vampire teeth. Sprinkle drops of red color to give the ghoulish look to the set.  

Ghostly Lanterns:
Take empty gallon milk jugs and draw faces on them. Fill the jugs with holiday lights and keep them at the entrance of your house to give the ghostly glow to your house. You don’t actually need to spend much for this.  

Wicked Witch Candy Dish:
Take an old pair of heels and wrap it with sparkling paper and decorate it. Fill it with the treats to make it a perfect Halloween candy bowl.  

Hanging Bats and Ghosts:
Change egg cartons into bats. Cut the egg cartons, paint them black and complement it with sparkling eyes. Convert leaves into ghosts by painting them with white color and draw the faces with black marker after the paint dries up. Hang these bats and ghosts to give a perfect look.  

Long lasting Pumpkins:
Take empty jars, clean them and wrap them with orange construction paper. If you don’t find a construction paper tissue paper also works. Add the facial features using black paper. Put a tea candle inside it or a battery operated bulb. Your pumpkin glows even after Halloween.  

Candy Corn Garland:
Take paint chips in yellow and orange colors and make a garland out of them and put it at the entrance of your house. You can cut these paint cards into lantern shapes or any other shape you like.  

Candy Corn Vases:
Take clean empty bottles and spray paint them with orange yellow and white and they make your table perfect for Halloween.

All these ideas for Halloween decorations are very cheap and can be made from the reusable items in your house.

Touring Model Homes

I like to consider myself an expert when it comes to home architecture - after all that's how I've been making my living for almost a decade. Model homes are a fascinating and fun place to tour when you are looking for design and redecorating ideas.

Each home will always have a distinct color scheme and theme. For example, the home might have a Country French theme designed with reds, golds and greens. The furniture, artwork and accessories (if it's well done) will always follow this general color scheme and theme.

If you think you want a contemporary theme - go sit in a contemporary model for awhile. If it feels good to you then you're pretty safe to move right along in that direction. But what if you don't like it? And you are still convinced that this is the theme that you are going to love. It's most likely the color scheme throwing you off.

Try try again; go sit in another contemporary model. Color has a powerful psychological effect on people and if you don't like the color you won't feel comfortable in that home.

If you've gone to three distinctly different model homes in the style that you feel you want to redecorate in and still don't get a comfortable feeling you may just need to modify the style a bit. Model homes are rather strict in their approach to their themes.

If the model was designed with a country theme you may see chickens and plaids, but that doesn't mean that you have to have chickens in your house! Take what you like and leave the rest behind.

This is especially notable with contemporary design. The contemporary look can be quite beautiful in a picture but it can often feel cold and stark in reality. That doesn't mean that you can't take elements of that style and soften it up utilizing color and textures that you find more comfortable.

You can have a contemporary themed home without sitting on a straight board sofa with a stainless steel coffee table in front of it! Again, take the elements you like and work with them - leave the rest behind.

Take a look at this for example.. if you wondering how the  $24.5 Million house looks like then watch this video

Wall Decals Quotes are unique gift for friends and family

There are many different ways to improve the overall appearance of your home. Home decorating should be personalized and customized to your preferences. Quotes wall stickers are an inventive way to add style, inspiration and creativity to any room. Instead of having plain walls you can now have inspirational sayings stylishly adhered to your walls.

You can decorate your home with these wall stickers quotes and get constant compliments from visitors. Beautifully written and crafted wall decal quotes are the perfect way to welcome guests are make your home more appealing. With many different design and quote options to choose from, the choices are endless.

Every once in a while we all need some type of inspiration or pick-me-up. Some days can be more unbearable and overwhelming than others. However, with the use of quotes wall stickers, you can have instant and immediate reminders of what is really important.

With the help of wall stickers quotes, you can get through the difficult times and push forward to happier moments. This will allow for an added boost of positivity to be displayed in your home for all to see. Inspiration will keep you motivated and on track at all times. Even if you aren’t having a bad day, you can still be uplifted and cheered on by these cute and inspiring quotes wall stickers.

These decals are ideal for every room within your home, which includes bedrooms, kitchens, living rooms, dining rooms, sun rooms and even bathrooms. There is no space that can’t be enhanced or transformed by an inspirational or glowing wall sticker’s quote. This will add light and positive vibes to your home that will inspire your entire family. If you are looking for a new way to add cheer and make your home more inviting, than these quote decals are the perfect way.

Not only can they look great and inspire in your home, but these quotes wall stickers also make the ideal gift for friends and family. This will enable you to pass along an inspirational message that can have powerful results. There are many different quote options to choose from, so you have the ability to choose the quote decal that will make the best gift.

No matter if you choose these quote decals for your home or as a gift, you will be able to pass along positivity and inspiration in the form of a stylish and unique quote.

How to Enhance your Home Decor with Abstract Art

When it comes to setting up a new home, people tend to stimulate their senses of adventure. They want their home environment to be a reflection of their personality and character while at the same time providing a welcoming and relaxing atmosphere that offers satisfaction and enjoyment.

It makes no difference if one owns an apartment in the city or has a country estate; customization based on personal style and taste is possible. In regards to this fact, the kind of wall art décor chosen will play a crucial role in the mood set in each room of the house. Abstract wall art enables one to express their individuality through ordinary home settings.  

Why choose abstract art

Abstract wall art does not always appeal to everyone but one thing is for sure, it adds creative flair to one’s home décor. There is a wide variety of abstract art designs to choose from, making it possible for one to find artwork that suits their style or personal taste.

Abstract art also comes in a range of textures, sizes, colors, materials, designs and styles. One has the option of putting up displays that are able to blend in beautifully with the current home furnishings, rounding out the contemporary living room, bedroom or dining room set up. One can also choose to go with abstract art that contrasts completely with the current décor they have, which will make the artwork the focal point of whichever room it is placed.

Abstract art in a way defines the real person; it enables them to express their individuality in not only one-way but also in a variety of ways. When one puts up abstract work, it results in giving the home a unique décor style, placing it in a category of its own.  

Enhancing your home with abstract art

A beautiful abstract piece can give a simple-looking living room a fresh perspective. It can contrast the traditional aspects of a home bringing out a phenomenal blend.

Abstract art has the wonderful ability to create and set the mood of a room and due to this reason, abstract art makes a perfect backdrop for spaces like sittings rooms and bedrooms, which are all contemplative areas.

One can use abstract art to create a palette. One can take color cues from the abstract piece and repeat the same colors in the fabrics they use or the kind of lighting they have in that specific room.  

Types of abstract wall art

From posters to metal works, paintings, tapestries and much more, abstract art offers a whole range of new artistic designs to develop the kind of home décor appearance you want.

Things such as contemporary wall tapestries are readily available as there are quite a number of intricate abstract patterns. The good thing about this is that it makes it easier for a person to complement any color scheme that they have within their home.

The main purpose of any type of abstract artwork is to brighten up a dull room by adding some splashes of color, giving the room a touch of distinction and class.

A Few Helpful Tips When Buying Quality Furniture

Furniture is an investment but how do you find superior quality home furnishings at the best possible value?  How do you know you're getting your money's worth?  If the price is too good to be true, it most likely is.  This is true whether you're shopping at furniture stores in New Jersey or those in California.  You really can decorate your home with quality furniture that adds a splash of fun and here are some tips that will help you decorate your home with furniture that truly reflects who you are. 



The Price Is Too Good to Be True...

The old saying is spot on. There are plenty of reasons why a piece of furniture, such as a sofa, is inexpensive in certain furniture stores.  In order to sell you that sofa at such a low down price, shortcuts are taken during the production process.  A quality sofa frame should be constructed from hardwoods and not particleboard.  The joints should be corner blocked, glued, and screwed.  If the corners are simply stapled, run as far as your can.  Bonded leather is not genuine leather.  Don't get swept up by the enticing price.  A piece of furniture may look fantastic on the showroom floor and you could probably envision it in your home but first you need to find out a few things.

What to Look for in Sofas

When you're shopping for living room furniture, such as a sofa, you need to ask the sales representatives the right questions.  We'll start with the foundation, the frame.  Make sure the frame is kiln dried because all the moisture will be removed, otherwise the frame may experience shrinkage.  As far as the frame joinery, ask how they are reinforced.  They need to be doweled, glued, and screwed.  You want the frame to be stable and to last.  Solid hardwood wood frame is the best choice.  Even plywood will do, when it comes to reinforcement material but stay away from particleboard.  A helpful test is to lift one corner of the sofa a few inches and if the other leg rises as well, the frame is strong. If it doesn't, the frame is too weak and you should skip that particular one. 

A good quality frame supports the seating and the filling enhances it even further.  The best springs out there are what are termed as eight-way hand tied.  Next in line are sinuous coil springs (S-shaped springs).  A simple way to check if the springs are sturdy is to remove the seats and feel them.  Press down on them and they should spring back into original position instantly.  If the seats are attached, you need to ask the sales representative about the spring construction.  Stay away from sofas that have just webbing.

As far as filling on the seats (foam), you want high resiliency polyurethane foam so that your seating can last for years and offer excellent support and comfort.  Lower density foams don't last as long and deteriorate pretty quickly.

What to Look for in Case Goods

When purchasing case goods, such as chest, dresser, nightstands, buffets, and sideboards, look for hardwood solids as the main construction material.  Even a combination of hardwoods with veneers can be a quality piece.  You want to stay away from case goods where the main construction material is particle board or MDF with paper veneer on top.  Paper veneer is pretty much a layer of paper printed to resemble wood grain.  It looks descent but it sure won't last.  Keep in mind if it wobbles on the furniture store floor; imagine what will happen down the road in your home.

The drawer construction is very important as well.  Open and close the drawers.  The operation should be smooth.  One of the best joinery methods is English dovetailing.  French dovetailed case pieces are just as good.  Stay away from stapled-only joinery.  The bottoms of the drawers should be center supported as well as corner blocked because you don't want the bottom of the drawer to fall out and empty your contents on the floor.

Buy from Quality Furniture Stores

Don't just search for price.  I’m sure some of the prices that you see on television ads from certain discount furniture stores are enticing.  Before you drop that hard-earned money of yours on disposable furniture, keep in mind that in a few years, you'll probably have to replace it.  Instead, consider buying quality furniture from stores such as FOW Furniture in New Jersey. The furniture itself in other stores may look very attractive from far away but closer inspection reveals otherwise.  Ask yourself if in the long run you're getting a bargain.  Initially, quality furniture will cost a bit but in the years of ownership it ends up being less pricey to own.

Types of Windows – Choosing the Right Style

Windows let in light, ventilation and noise whenever needed. Such an architectural invention serves as the eye of a building and gives its occupants a view of the outside. For any type of building, there is a type of window to meet the requirements, whether in style or function.

Factors to consider when choosing the type of window.

 

Familiarize the Different Types of Windows

Windows come in a variety of styles and designs. Each window type will yield a different set of advantages and disadvantages. Choose among casement windows, sliding windows, bay windows, picture windows, and sash windows.  

Building Design

A building’s architectural design is a major consideration when choosing the type of window to buy and install. Older houses typically have wood windows. Such windows will also have to be in a traditional design. If you want to replace the windows, you will need to find a traditional design to match the doors and other building components. For a modern look, go for sleek designs but made of durable materials.

Location

Your location will also affect the type of window to choose. The placement of the windows and their style must contribute to the optimum use of energy.

Thus, energy efficient windows are the trend these days. For heating or cooling climates, choose windows that have good insulation properties like having double glazing and reinforced core designs. Sliding windows may not be a good idea for energy consuming buildings since such window type is hard to effectively seal.

Aesthetics

When choosing the type of windows, it is also important to find the one that will enhance the beauty of the building. Windows add to the aesthetics to a building and choosing the type that provides both function and beauty can be of great advantage.  

Cost

As with any home improvement and construction projects, keeping your expenses in check is very important to keep costs down. Strive to find a good deal in windows online or at your local stores. There are plenty of window types to choose from and you may opt to add energy efficiency features that may be more expensive than regular windows but will return more savings in energy bills.

Weigh the costs carefully and find the windows for your needs at the best price possible. Moreover, consider maintenance requirements for the windows so that you will find the low-maintenance option. This way, you will not have to spend a significant amount of money in the future to repaint, refinish or repair the windows frequently.

Using a laser level

Grading your driveway at your new home with a laser level will give you a quality job. You may have one or know someone who will lend you one. Lasers are very delicate so be careful with them. You can also rent them if you want to do it yourself. Go to a local rental place and ask them if you can rent a laser.

A transit level takes two people to operate, one to look through the level and the other to hold the measuring stick. The transit level works well, it is just a little slower. Transit levels are much cheaper to buy and rent. Set your transit level up in a spot where you can see your whole work site. But not in a place that needs to be graded. Check your transit often to make sure it is still level.

If I remember correctly I could see the measuring stick about 150 feet away. How far away you can see it, depends on the size of the numbers on the measuring stick. I also taped a measuring tape to a board for checking the grades. The numbers on the measuring stick that comes with a transit level are nice and big for seeing at a long distance.

A laser level can be used by one person. The laser level sits off by itself out of the way. It needs to sit where you can see your whole site. When you get it set up you don't want to have to move it again. All you need is a two inch board, there is a device that comes with the laser level that fastens to your board. You walk around with the stick checking the grade. There is an electronic eye that sends a signal to the device on the stick. When the bottom of the stick is on grade the device will beep.

Carry a can of orange paint with you so you can mark that spot as grade. You can even dig a few spots down to grade. Once you have a few spots to grade it is just a matter of working the area between your level spots. It will take a bit of work but it’s easy to do. A laser level will work for inclines as well. You can build a crown on your driveway to. Build and check your high points and then do the sides.

Once you are compacted and graded up nicely you are ready for the finished product. Spend a bit of extra time on the grading if you are putting brick down, because you will see every bump if you don’t. With asphalt and concrete you can come and go a little because you can adjust the thickness of the material you are installing. If you are within a 1/2 an inch of grade for asphalt or concrete you will be ok. If you are out a 1/2 of inch of grade with brick it will be very noticeable.

If you can’t get your hands on a laser level or a transit level, a string line will work just fine. Drive small wooden stakes every 16 feet along both sides of the driveway across from each other. Put a mark on the stake 4” higher than the height of the base grade. Put a loop in the string and hook it to the stake at the 4” mark, pull it tight so it won’t slide down the stake. Take the other end of the string to the next stake and hold it tight. Do not let the string sag in the middle.

Get a helper to hang a line level on the string. All you have to do is raise or lower one end of the string until the line is level. Now you can go along the string and measure to see if you have 4” everywhere from the string down to the base grade. This also works across the driveway. Check the grade across the driveway exactly the same as you did along the driveway.

If it were me and I was building a driveway for asphalt, concrete or brick, I would put the base down and drive on it for awhile. Driving on it will settle it as fast as anything. Don't drive in the same track all the time either. Make an effort to drive on all parts of the driveway. Your top will last longer and your wheel tracks won't show as bad.

Every new home I worked at I used my TD 8 dresser dozer for spreading the crush or screenings as these little machines can do a nice job. They have tilt and angle blade for putting material anywhere you want. I use the same machine to bring the driveway within a 1/2 an inch of grade.

If you can hire someone that has a laser level mounted on the blade of the bull dozer, it would be worth the price they charge. Once you are graded and compacted you are ready for whatever it is you want for a top. The driveway should look good for the new home. Do a really nice job on the grading and your top will go on smoothly.

There are rental shops everywhere. They would rent anything from a bull dozer to a laser level. Mini excavators work well too for grading a driveway. They have a little blade on them for moving material. The blade on a mini excavator will cut little bits at a time until you have your driveway to grade.

Got Small Kids? - You Will Need Table Pads

Children are wonderful, you have to be an absolute Scrooge to not like kids but they are also notorious for new and innovative ways to mar, mangle an ultimately destroy household items and furniture. The two main things to remember when little ones are going to be having the run of your home, whether your own brood or visitors, is to cover it up or put it away.

Child proof locks on cabinets, fragile items out of reach of the longest arms of the little darlings is only the tip of the iceberg. If it is breakable and you value it then you have to look for ways to protect it. Moreover if you have small ones that are new to walking or are just pulling up it is important that you make sure they are safe as well. What is dull and uninteresting to you will be new and exciting for them. They will be pulling up and climbing on things to get a better view or just because they can.

Meals at the dining room table can be fraught with anxiety but you can eliminate much of it by placing edge guards on the corners of the table and using custom table pad. When you purchase a table there is a lot that you considered. If you spend hundreds on a table of good quality wood you don’t want to risk scratches, burn marks and water rings. Protective coverings need to be sturdy but this does not mean that you need to sacrifice style and beauty.

A great custom table pad should be able to protect the furniture from spills, dents, moisture and heat. You can find table pads for any style of table but if you have a hard to find shape you can get one made to order. A custom made pad will fit any table better since it is designed for that tables’ specific dimensions. Generally there are pad locks that keep the pad tight to the surface, no slipping is very important.

It is not just people that are detrimental to fine furnishings. Direct sunlight can fade anything. have you ever moved a piece of furniture only to notice that the carpet or flooring underneath the object looks more like it did when it was new than the rest of the exposed areas. This is the effect of direct sunlight. There are several ways to combat this issue on your wood tables and that is to purchase custom table pads. It is cheaper than replacing windows with ones that cut down the UV glare, and easier than opening and closing the blinds several times a day.

Another option is to move the furniture so that it is not in the sun but that only helps one issue. The expense of table pads will be offset by the years that you get to enjoy your furniture without fear.  Learn more about table pads and the benefits of owning them here.

How To Use Your Brand New Dining Room Table Without Fear

You spend a great deal of time picking out your home furnishings, especially the dining room table. Then there are the elegant wood coffee and end tables that are just gorgeous. If you want to keep them looking like new there are a few things that you can do to make sure the surfaces do not get marred, scratched or dented. Table pads are making a comeback, keep reading to find out why.

Many of the people reading this article may have never heard of table pads. There was a time when people who struggled hard to purchase nice things would cover them to make them last longer. We all hear the jokes about the plastic slip covers on couches and chairs, this was the same era that table pads became a very popular item.

We know that purchasing a formal dining set is a big deal and probably one that we won’t make more than a couple of times in our lives. They represent a huge investment and you will want to protect that investment as much as you would an automobile. Well maintained furniture can last a lifetime, just look at how much fine furniture from different eras has been passed down through generations. One of the best ways to protect your dining room table is with custom table pads.

Dining room table pads are protective top covers for a table that are moisture resistant, heat resistant and scuff resistant. Sure  most manufacturers of fine dining room furniture use some sort of protecting oils on the wood, these are only designed to handle small spills anything major could really destroy your table. A fallen candle or hot wax could ruin it or cause you to need costly repairs.

You have spent a lot making your home look grand, spending a few dollars more to make sure it stays that way is a no-brainer. Through the years there will be overturned glasses and gravy boats, silverware can leave scratches on a surface without you even trying. Watermarks from sweating drinks and the table could even diminish the texture of the wood over the long run. Refurbishing a great piece of furniture can cause a real pain in the wallet, and it is especially bothersome when it is a new piece.

Dining table pads can be bought in standard sizes or you can have yours custom made. There are soft pads that are easy to fold and store or try out the sturdier cardboard backed pads. The ones with the hard board has hinges, the top covering can be leatherette, velvet, vinyl, waterproofed weave or cotton. To choose the best options for your home speak with a professional.  You can also get single plate table pads that work similarly to a placemat. The only thing you need to worry about is choosing colors that will match the existing décor. Investing in a table pad or two is a small price to pay if you consider how long that table is bound to last if you protect it.

How to Build a Fish Pond

Has it been a dream of yours to have a fish pond? If you have built a New Home in the country it is very possible that your dream may be able to come true. If you have lived there for twenty years it is still possible.

There is really only one thing that will stop you from fulfilling your dream, no water. You need a steady flow of water from a spring or an overflow to keep the water fresh in the pond.

Fish need fresh water coming into the pond to provide oxygen. Some people have set a sump pump up to do the same thing; you need a close source of electricity for this method. Install the sump pump at the edge of the fish pond, hook a hose about 4 feet long to the pump and secure it to a wooden stake.

Point the hose outward into the pond so that the water shoots upward and falls into the water, this creates oxygen for the fish. You may have a low supply of fresh water coming into the fish pond that won’t create enough oxygen to keep fish alive.

So if you can manage this hurtle you can probably build a fish pond. How do you know if you have enough water for a pond? If you have an area out back that is wet or soft year around then you have what it takes.

A good spring will produce water even in the driest months of summer. There are two ways to approach this! You can build the fish pond at the source of water or you can build it in a dry area and pipe the water to it. The spring area must be higher than the level of the water in the fish pond. If you are uncertain of this, get a transit or a laser level and check the grade.

The spring water must run down hill and at a pretty good rate so that it creates enough oxygen. Building the pond at the source will create enough oxygen for the fish. Why else do you need a steady flow of water? The hot sun evaporates water from the pond and will actually dry it up.

The water needs to be a certain temperature for fish to live. I build my ponds at least 12 feet deep, the deeper the better. A deep pond will keep the water cool on the bottom, you can put an object in the bottom to provide shade if you have something suitable.

Make sure it is environmentally friendly so it does not poison the water and the fish. Build a pond in amongst the trees or plant some willows for shade.

Interior Design Schools: A Career In Design

Decorator or Designer? The number one difference between a "decorator" and a "designer" is education. Before you engage in a career in design it is good to know the difference. In many states all you have to do to be a decorator is hang a sign on your door that states that's what you are. As a decorator you cannot move walls, add windows, design cabinetry or work in commercial design.

First Step

Research Schools and Design Programs.

If you are planning on becoming an "interior designer" the first step is to find a school that offers at least a two-year degree in interior design. Some states require the school to be a FIDER (Foundation for Interior Design Education and Research) accredited school.

If you plan on becoming a commercial designer, someone who specializes in a area of design deemed "commercial" such as the design of office buildings, shopping malls, hotels, restaurants etc. then you will most likely need a four to five year degree.

If you would like to design residential homes you can get away with just a two year degree but I urge you not to plan on starting your own business fresh out of school. You will need at least a few years of experience with a firm before you risk the liability of going out on your own.

Second Step

Talk with faculty members. Ask them questions regarding job placement, scholarship offerings, the teaching philosophy of the program, the average percentage of graduates that actually pursue careers in the design industry and what types of jobs they have landed i.e. does the school (or program) lean more toward residential jobs or commercial.

Third Step

Once you've determined the school and the program I would suggest getting involved in the local student chapter of ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) or IIDA (International Interior Design Association). By doing this you can become involved in the industry and network with future employers.

Research all of the options before making a decision. It is not a field for everyone and does require physical stamina. You will be required to lift heavy objects. These are things that you need to be aware of before investing your money in a school.

Area Rugs For Makeover

If you are thinking about making over a room, why not try adding an area rug? If you have hardwood floors or tile, this is a great way to add color to your room.

Area rugs also add warmth and can define a space. You can also use them on carpets as well as hardwood and tile.

First consider what you want your rug to do. Will it be a focal point for the room or will you use it under a grouping of furniture ? Maybe you just want to add color to your room.

Here are some tips on color. Don't try to match the colors perfectly with the walls or other furniture. The area rug should blend with the other colors in your room.

Pick shades of colors that blend with your walls, furniture and accessories. Be careful of picking competing patterns. If your room has neutral colors and wood floors, pick a rug with rich colors to warm up the room.

Oriental area rugs are made from silk or wool. They are quite expensive but are also the most durable. If you have children and pets olefin is known to be the most stain resistant. Nylon is also very easy to care for and durable.

Cotton and wool rugs are softer but aren't as durable or kid friendly and of course jute is prickly. You will have to keep these rugs out of sunlight as well.

Area rugs come in different shapes. Choose a rectangular shape for defining a space such as the living room. Irregular rugs are used as a focal point in a room.

Area rugs come in many standard sizes. The smaller rugs work well in hallways or entryways or to define spaces such as the fireplace.

If using an area rug in the dining room make sure that the rug is big enough to accommodate the dining room furniture.

Do your shopping and look for bargains and you may be able to pick up a great looking area rug for a good price. You will find some ideas on shopping directory area rugs los angeles. They have a good price for luxury, handmade rugs and carpets

Tips on caring for leather sofa

Having a leather furniture is great because it has a classic and elegant models and will make your room comfortable. However, there's always dirt because of water spills, sweat, dust and mold that makes your sofa appearance dull. And for that we need to do a weekly clean to make sure its sustainability.

 For weekly maintenance, here is what you should do:

• Use moisturizers and sofa cleansers usually they came in "2 in 1 package" such as leather care, leather cleaner and conditioner.
• Spray a soft cloth to drugs, clean it up with wash cloth and allow up to 2-3 minutes.
• Wipe with dry wash cloth gently. if there is a mold, you can clean it with sponge with liquid soap.Rinse with a slightly damp cloth and immediately wipe with dry fiber cloth.
• You can apply a moisturizer after that and allow it to dry for 2-3 minutes, then wipe gently with
• soft clean cloth.

Sometimes even with the regular maintenance, over time a layer of skin will peel and crack. If this happens you can buy liquid leather repair kit which has special heat in their kit. This way they can repair your sofa in a minutes.

Dos and don'ts for your sofa

• Avoid cleaning the leather sofa chair using chemical cleaners because it will make the color and the surface changed    
• Avoid using cleaning agents that are too hard because it will make the surface of the skin becomes irritated and abrasion occur.
• Avoid placing the sofa in areas exposed to direct sunlight, such as in front of the window. Sunlight will make skin color will fade quickly and will make your sofa dry and cracked
• Avoid high humidity because it will accelerate the growth of mold and can damage the leather.
• The most rapid dirty or damaged on the sofa is part of the hand and the back of the head. Use cloth cover on the arms and backrest, which can be removed and washed.

How to Choose Tile

Tile is one of the most versatile product available on the market today. There is an astronomical variety of colors, patterns, sizes, shapes and textures to choose from. The most common types of tile consist of glazed, and non-glazed ceramic tiles, porcelain tiles, and natural stone tiles. When considering adding tile to your home there are a few characteristics of tile to consider before choosing the color and style. For more assistant in choosing your tile for your home project you can call best tile San Francisco

Slip Resistance

This is important when considering where you are going to place the tile. Will it be a kitchen or bath where you will need asurface that has more slip resistance as opossed to the bedroom?

Size and color of the grout joints

This will tremendously effect the overall look of the tile and the room.

The thickness of the tile, size of the tile and the suitability of the substructure.

The thickness of tile is very important when you are not tiling your entire house. If you have a very thick tile butt up against a flat carpet then your going to have an awkward transition and probably a dangerous tripping situation. And it certainly won't look attractive!

The size is important in the sense that you want to maintain proper scale within your space. For example, you may want a smaller tile on the floor of your shower for better slip resistance and larger ones on the wall and the floor of the rest of your bathroom.

The suitability of the construction is important when considering where you want to place your tile. For example, if you would like to tile your stairs they will need to be reinforced so that they are strong enough to withstand the weight.

The same goes for if you would like to tile the second story of your home. Chances are that you will need to have the entire floor reinforced to withstand the additional weight. This is a very expensive option so before you have your heart set on it contact a subcontractor to come out and take a look and quote you a price.

Culvert Installation!

The driveway culvert is usually the first new home project that needs to be done. It can be moved quite easily if you find out it won’t work where you put it. Plastic and concrete pipes are available and approved for highway use. I prefer to use plastic because they are lighter than concrete and cheaper. They are not only cheaper they are easier to install. You can buy them pretty well any length you want. One piece means no joints to come apart.

Before you backfill and compact your culvert consider this! Have you ever noticed asphalt driveways with a bump directly over the ditch area of the driveway? Or a low spot in the same area? Two things you need to know before you go any further.

A lot of people never compact the material they place around the culvert. As sure as I am alive if you don't compact the material it will settle in after. When it settles, so does your asphalt and or paving stones. Do you have any idea how hard it is to fix something like this? Very difficult! If you have laid asphalt you can't fix it so it looks original. You need to cut the asphalt out and patch it.Who wants a patch on their new asphalt driveway?

Do you want to know what causes your culvert to rise? Of course this only happens in places that freezes. The frost goes down under the culvert and pushes it up. Stop the frost before it gets to the culvert by placing a sheet of 2 inch blue styrofoam directly over the pipe. Use 4X8 sheets and center them over the pipe. Cut 1 foot wide strips off a sheet and place it over the joints.

The material under the styrofoam must be compacted so it doesn't settle and crack the styrofoam. Make sure the styrofoam is secured and use a fine screened gravel for backfilling. If this procedure is done properly the frost will never get to the culvert.

!8 I have bought plastic pipes as long as 36 feet. The concrete culverts are 8 feet long; most driveways require three pipes 8 feet long. Most driveway culverts are 18” in diameter. If there is a heavier flow of water in the ditch you will be asked to install a larger one.

Anyone building a new home needs to contact the local government for their approval of the pipe. The pipe has to be big enough to handle the water, otherwise it will over flow and wash your driveway out. In the winter time it could freeze up and get plugged off, and then the water will run down the side of the road and cause problems with ice build up.

In rural areas it is the responsibility of the new home owner to organize and pay for the installation of their own driveway culvert. You must install the culvert you have been asked to install, if you don’t and it over flows you will be responsible for digging it up and replacing it with the proper size. Or the Department of Highways will fix the problem themselves and send you the bill.

If your driveway is going to be installed at the top of a hill chances are you won’t need a pipe because water will run both ways. Talk to the Highways people about this to see if they agree with you. They may say you can get away without a one. If you don’t need one, all you have to do is dig the topsoil out of the ditch and fill it in with gravel.

Important! The department of highways will also make sure you don’t install a culvert where it will cause traffic problems. You should have at least 300 feet of vision both ways so you don’t have to worry about pulling out in front of another vehicle. It is important that you choose a good spot to put your driveway; we don’t want anyone getting hurt or killed.




Plastic culverts need to be placed on a smooth, compacted surface. This will keep the inside of the culvert nice and flat on the bottom so water runs freely. Your culvert is now ready to be installed and backfilled with fine granular material. Bring the gravel up no more than half way on the pipe and level it off.

Make sure you crowd the material down in around the pipe with your shovel and then run a plate compactor over the material. Bring the material to the top of the pipe and compact it again. Make sure you don’t leave any valleys in the gravel because it won’t compact as good. Now you can completely back fill the pipe and smooth it off for one last compaction.

Important! Keep an eye open for big sharp rocks, don't let any sit directly over the pipe. The weight of the traffic can push the sharp rock through a plastic pipe.

Heavy machines can crush a plastic pipe if both sides of the pipe are not compacted properly. The water would still run through the pipe but not as fast. I have found that it is cheaper to do thing’s right the first time. If I can, I usually try to get a minimum of 12 inches of gravel over the pipe. This will depend on how deep the ditch is and how steep your driveway is.

A deep ditch will allow you to put plenty of material over the pipe. But a steep driveway won’t allow it! You tend to dig down to try to make a level spot at the foot of your driveway. This causes you to uncover the culvert. On some steep driveways I have used a 12 inch pipe because it will allow you to leave another 6 inches of material over the pipe. I did this knowing for a fact that the 12 inch culvert would handle the water in the ditch. Most importantly check with the local government to see if they approve of your idea.


The smaller 12 inch concrete pipes are sometimes used around new homes. You may have a small trickle of water you want to get from one spot to another. Or you may have a foot path on your building lot that has a wet spot. Simply dig a small ditch and lay the pipe in.

Building a Roadway or Driveway to a Dream Home

Building a roadway for your new home that has a few trees, and likely has a lot of topsoil is the easiest kind to build. When culvert installation is completed and you are able to get on your lot you can begin removing the top soil. Pile the top soil in a place that is out of the way so you can use it later. Topsoil is very expensive so save as much as you can.

Do not disturb any more ground than you have to. The more you disturb the more you will have to clean up later. Use an excavator to load the dump truck with topsoil and haul it to another part of your lot. I found it easy to follow the driveway by making a track with the excavator.

I normally dig down about a foot so I can put gravel back in. How much you dig out depends on the material in the ground. If it is good material you won’t have to take as much out. Maybe all you will need to do is take the topsoil off and level it up. The important thing is that the base of your roadway is solid. Don’t worry about mixing a little mud in with the topsoil it will all work together.




Grading the driveway will be one of the last new home projects to do. Once all of the heavy equipment is finished and out you can start bringing in the screened or crushed gravel for the top. The finished height of the driveway should be slightly higher than the lawn, 3-4 inches if possible. If you plan on finishing your roadway with asphalt or any other surfaces bring the gravel back up to the original ground. The water won't run across a roadway that is higher than the lawn. The snow will blow across better too.

For now get the roadway passable, so you can get to work on the new home basement. After I get the topsoil off I put a good layer of gravel on just in case it rains. The gravel keeps the mud down! It depends on your finances what kind of material you use for the roadway. If you are feeling rich you may want to buy screened or crushed gravel for the full depth. The crushed gravel lies together nicer and makes a better base. The crushed gravel is also more expensive.

If you are trying to save money, bring the pit run up about 6” and leave the rest for the screened or crushed gravel. This material will make a great base for whatever you put on top, such as asphalt, brick or concrete. Important! I do not recommend that you put rocky gravel under asphalt or brick driveways! Once the material is in place you need to compact it thoroughly so it will never settle later.

Don’t compact the material if it is too dry, you need to water it down a little so it will stick together. You can over compact too, if you over compact it will start to crack so be careful. Once you are compacted you can spend some time and check it for grade.

Make sure the base of your roadway is a foot wider than your finished product. If your asphalt or concrete top is going to be 10 feet wide, make your base 11 feet wide. Doing this makes sure you have lots of room for the top. Making it wide is extra important if you are laying brick. You need the sides as good as the center so the outside brick doesn’t settle. Keep your base a consistent width, and follow the path exactly.

Important! Never use material that won't pack down if you are leaving the top gravel. Screened clear rock will not pack because it is usually round, and continually rolls. The best material to pack is crushed gravel. The sharp edges hold the fine material in place Fine screened sand will not pack either! If your top doesn't pack down well, the snow plow will push it all over the place. That's pretty well it! Not as complicated as you thought, right!