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Best English Cottage Designs

by Posted in Kitchen Improvement

The English Cottage style is a popular home design that many people love. This is because the cozy English cottage design style will make your home feel rustic and closer to nature than ever before. However, it can be difficult to find the right one for you. There are so many different types of English cottage house plans, and they all have unique features. 

It’s hard to know which ones will work best for your needs. We’ve done some research on this topic and put together a list of the most common types of English cottage house plans below. You’ll learn what makes each type special and how you can incorporate them into your home design project.

What is English Cottage Design?

English cottage design blends antique and architecture to recreate the look and feel of a quaint home in the English countryside. English country homes are warm, comfortable, and inviting. The English cottage house plans are characterized by extensive gardens, thatched roofs, and rustic interiors full of wood and character-filled antique furniture.


Image credit: https://www.thespruce.com/

Characteristics of Cottages

Though there are some differences depending on the region of origin, English cottage house plans have a number of things in common. These include:

False-Thatched Roofing

This is the perfect alternative to the traditional thatched roof. False-Thatch is an insulated, fire retardant roofing material with a natural appearance of thatch. False-Thatched Roofing is made in many styles and colors to suit all properties.

False-Thatched Roofing
Image credit: https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/

It didn’t take long for people to realize that False-Thatch was indistinguishable from thatch in appearance, durability and that it could cost up to 40% less. It is made of modern materials such as steamed wood shingles, and composition roofing is rolled around eaves, resembling thatch.

English Country Garden

This English cottage house plans to have a romantic garden and a great atmosphere. The style of the English Country Garden is a long-standing tradition that dates back to the 18th century when they were created for practical reasons in an age when time was precious and labor was expensive. This tradition has continued into the 21st century, albeit with many modern twists.

English Country Garden
Image credit: https://www.britain-magazine.com/

This cottage-like home is like stepping into earlier times in England. Since the English Country Garden style uses natural materials, the look has a rustic feel. This home is perfect for anyone who loves to garden or prefers to eat homegrown vegetables and fruits. The charm of this cottage lies in its simplicity and use of natural resources, which allows it to be low-cost yet very functional.

Older-Looking English Cottage

If you have French antiques and furnishings, English country decorating might cause the room to look cluttered and crowded. The English country style is less formal than other types of interior design and would best fit a bedroom decorated in ornate Victorian antiques, like this one.

Although there is simplicity in the cottage style, it doesn’t mean that you should avoid color. In fact, you can add architectural elements and furnishings to give a newish home character and lots of personal touches.

Bibury Cottage

If you want to stay in the cottage style with English country decor but add more color, go for it. There is no reason why this room has to be painted white. This bedroom with dark wood paneling and bed frame with blue Peacock fabric looks striking with its gold accents. The tall mirror adds height, which is always great in a room.

Colorful patterns are another way to add more color without having to change the overall color scheme. Here, English country decorating styles clash with modern furniture creams and reds, but it is still fun to look at. Also, note the characteristics of front-facing gables and steeply pitched roofs.

dd Cottage Door Windows

Cottage doors are charming. They help create that English countryside looks and feel, such as the door here -with its blue floral design almost like wallpaper. If you don’t want to go with a fully-fledged country style for your cottage bedroom, keep the doors but do something interesting with them. 

The geometric pattern on the left-hand side of this door is both striking and scrumptious. Add a contrasting color for the doors, such as the pastel green, to complete your design. A favorite choice is French windows that are inset into the wall rather than being freestanding in front of it. You can use wooden shutters to close these during the day and then open them at night, perhaps with a candle placed on top of one.

Use Every Nook and Cranny

If your home features angular, tight spaces, don’t be afraid to put them into cozy nooks. Features that are difficult to navigate are easily given purpose with English cottage house plans. English cottage style is known for its cozy, small living spaces used for as many creative purposes as possible. You can highlight your style by using every nook and cranny in the house to create a homemade, rustic feel.

Wiltshire English Cottage House

This cottage is located in a tiny rural village in Wiltshire, England. It has a false thatched roof, leaded, casement windows, and stacked chimneys. This English cottage style is made of stone and timber with red brick. There is a small portico on the front of the home with black supporting columns, giving it a rustic feel. 

This house has mainly all wood interior, including floor plans, staircase, walls, wainscoting, doors, and baseboards. It also has decorative plasterwork throughout the house. This house is about 7,000 square feet. It includes two bedrooms, four bathrooms, and three fireplaces. This cottage-style home has an open plan kitchen with breakfast area that leads to a family room with a stone fireplace.

There are reclaimed beams throughout this home, giving it the rustic feel that the owner was trying to achieve. The dining room is open to the kitchen with an island. The living room has a stone fireplace.

FAQs about English Cottage House Plans

How do you make an English cottage look?

Create an English cottage look by planting lush greenery. Plant bushes, trees, and other greenery native to your area, and creeping plants such as ivy will make your home look like it’s emerging from nature.

Final Thought about English Cottage House Plans

English cottage house plans are very popular home plans because they offer so many different layouts. When building your own house, you can choose one-story English cottages or two-story versions, but be sure to consider the number of bedrooms and bathrooms you must have for your family size. Be sure that you include plenty of storage to keep all of your belongings neat and tidy.

 

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Things Not to Wear to a Funeral

by Posted in Kitchen Renovation

Fashion is not always the top priority when someone you know passes away. However, putting on the wrong funeral attire can be a major concern. Figuring out what to wear to a funeral often comes down to the specifics of the service and the wishes of family members. 

What should you wear to a funeral? Funerals are somber occasions, which is why it’s important to dress appropriately. Therefore, funeral clothes should be conservative and not draw attention. This makes choosing clothes that you would wear for church or job interviews a safe bet.

Below are some things not to wear to a funeral. If you’re getting ready for the services of someone close to you, take note of these tips and make sure that your outfit doesn’t offend any family members or other attendees at the service.

Tips on How to Wear Funeral Clothes

Read the Obituary for Clues

Before worrying about what to wear and not wear to a funeral, consider what the family wants. Most families won’t specify what to wear, while others will request something specific in the obituary details. These family requests involve a break from the traditional funeral attire. 

Some people may want funeral guests to wear bright colors to make it look like a somber affair and more like a celebration of life. Others may suggest the favorite color of the deceased. It can also be a themed request such as superhero shirts to honor a child who has passed away. 

If a family requests something specific, make sure you follow those suggestions to give them great comfort during those tough times to see that funeral attendees are honoring those wishes.

Religious Customs

Religions have different customs when it comes to funeral attire. If this is a religious service, contact the funeral director to learn what kind of clothing is permissible for those in attendance. For example, in Asian cultures, the family wears white. Red should never be worn because it’s considered the color of happiness. Families also don’t wear jewels at the funeral service.

For Hindu funerals, the clothing is white, simple, and casual, and for Buddhist funerals, the family wears white while friends wear black. Knowing these cultural differences can help you choose appropriate clothing to avoid against the family’s wishes and stand out at the funeral service.

Funeral Attire Colors

Black is the traditional color when it comes to funeral clothing, especially in Western culture. Black is still the safe choice for funerals. However, you’re not limited to a dark color. Other dark colors like navy, gray, burgundy, and brown also work well.


Image credit: https://i.pinimg.com/

When choosing colors, consider the tone of the event because most funerals are somber events, which align well with a darker color. Wearing bright colors can make you look like you’re celebrating or you’re in a festive mood.

Location of the Service

When planning your outfit, consider the location of the funeral and visitation services. If it’s a church service, wear formal attire and try to be conservative. If it’s held at a casual location, your clothes can match the more laid-back environment.

Seasonal Considerations

The weather plays a big role in what you wear at a funeral. During summer, wear lightweight clothing while sticking to the guidelines. Keep clothing with muted colors without flashy designs. You want to stay cool but not wear shorts to a funeral. For men, wear lightweight slacks to stay comfortable and respectful.

Seasonal Considerations
Image credit: https://img.huffingtonpost.com/

To women, wear skirts or dresses to keep cool as long as they’re not too short. Your necklines shouldn’t dip down too far. Wear something with a sleeve and avoid spaghetti straps and if you wear a sleeveless dress, try to pair it with a lightweight cardigan. Dress pants and a jacket are now acceptable in funerals.

ccessories

It’s okay to wear accessories but keep them to a minimum. Avoid bold jewelry or carrying flashy purses. Consider how noisy your jewelry is because a stack of bracelets and noisy necklaces will be distracting during the funeral. Avoid flip-flops and tennis shoes because they’re too casual unless the funeral is a casual event. Women should avoid stilettos and flashy shoes. Dress shoes that can easily take you from a funeral home to a burial site.

The Formal of Funeral Clothes

How formal you go with your funeral dress decisions depends on the preferences of a family member and how formal the overall funeral is. Do not wear casual clothes like athletic wear. Too casual doesn’t show respect for the situation. Jeans are a gray area.

Some families may prefer a more laid-back celebration of life where jeans are acceptable. If you wear jeans, pair them with a nice blouse and a collared shirt.

Clothes to Avoid When Attending a Funeral

void Bright Colors

It’s not a time for bright colors and wild prints. Wear something subdued, avoid wearing white and black clothes because they look too formal. In addition to avoiding bright colors, steer clear of shiny fabrics. In many cases, attention-grabbing clothing can be positive, but that shouldn’t be the case in a funeral home.

Don’t Wear Sexy and Revealing Outfits

Funeral etiquette also dictates that you should avoid overly revealing attires. However, it’s not easy to tell where this type of clothing line is since what’s considered sexy can vary from one person to another. But if it’s too sexy for a professional job interview, it’s also sexy for a funeral. 

Sexy and revealing clothes you should avoid include very tight pants, high slits in dresses and skirts, sheer fabrics or mesh, very low-cut tops, and blouses, skirts that make it difficult to bend.

Skip the Casual Clothing and Athletic Wear

A funeral is about showing respect to someone who’s passed away and not a casual event. Proper funeral attire is similar to what you’d wear to a business event. Some of the casual clothing you shouldn’t wear unless it’s an exception from memorial services include sneakers, tennis shoes, flip flops, baseball caps, casual hats, yoga pants, tank tops, and t-shirts.

Others include sweatpants, joggers, hoodies, and jeans unless you know others will be wearing them. Wearing jeans could also be acceptable if paired with a collared shirt and a blazer.

void Controversial Shirts and Other Clothing

A funeral isn’t a place to reclaim your political and social views, even if the deceased person would agree with you. People at the funeral event are already distressed, so it’s not okay to bring up controversial topics at this time. Avoid clothing that might lead to such a situation. 

Controversial clothes to avoid at this point include political t-shirts and sweatshirts, caps, and hats with social and political messages. Others include clothing that promotes religion and a specific belief. Avoid shirts with slogans that may upset people.

void Glittery Items

Avoid glittery things such as sequins, flashy metallic fabrics, heavy cologne, and perfume. These elements can be distracting in a funeral event. In terms of footwear, choose a shoe that can easily take you from a funeral home to a place of worship to a burial site where you might be walking in grass or gravel.

Also, there isn’t really a dress code for visitation or calling hours since many people often attend straight from work and maybe wear whatever they had during the day.

FAQs about Things Not to Wear to a Funeral

Can you wear blue to the funeral?

Even though black is the traditional color to wear at a funeral, gray-blues are also great for this occasion.

Do you have to wear black to the funeral?

Black is the most traditional color when it comes to funeral clothing. It symbolizes death or mourning. The tradition of wearing black also dates back even further to the Roman Empire.

Final Thought about Things Not to Wear to a Funeral

You can never go wrong with funeral attire if you follow these guidelines. Dressing for a funeral doesn’t mean that you can’t be smart. You can still learn how to iron your clothes properly for the occasion and look your best. Just make sure your clothing doesn’t distract from the purpose of a funeral event.

 

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18 Scandinavian Bedroom Decoration Ideas

by Posted in Kitchen Improvement

When it comes to interior design, a bedroom isn’t always for an amateur interior designer. Ranging from the bed, choosing the nightstand, and thinking about storage for your clothes and belongings, there’s so much you have to consider.

You want to create an all-white Nordic style or hotel room but don’t know-how. If you’re looking for clean lines, simplicity, light, and airy while still maintaining a sense of calmness and relaxation in your bedroom, then Scandinavian bedroom decor is perfect for your home.

Along with a common culture and language, the Scandinavian countries of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark share this decorating style that is light, airy, simple, and clean. Let’s take a look at the different ways you can create this relaxing space in your own home.

1. Peaceful Scandinavian Style

Scandinavian bedroom decorating style borrows from the country’s history and sensibility. Since many residents of Scandinavian countries reside in small apartments, they have to find ways to maximize space and light. That’s why this Scandi style is popular worldwide, not just in the chilly north. The peaceful bedroom captures the serenity of real Scandinavian decor.


Image credit: https://www.thespruce.com/

2. Lighting is Key in Scandinavian Interiors

Scandinavian bedrooms might be some of the best-decorated rooms in the house. One reason for this is because of the lighting needs of Scandinavian residents; they need to maximize natural light and add simple lighting fixtures such as bedside lamps or overhead chandeliers. This helps to create a restful atmosphere, which is what Scandinavian designs are all about. 

So, when thinking about your Scandinavian interior, make sure you provide several types of natural lighting. This will not only create a restful atmosphere but will also help with mood-building purposes.

3. Color it White

Many Scandinavian bedrooms start with the color white. White is a reflection of light and also works very well with other colors. If you choose to paint your bedroom walls white, it is best to leave at least one wall in a different color; this will add depth and interest to your room while maintaining an overall feeling of simplicity and relaxation. 

Color it White
Image credit: https://st.hzcdn.com/

The leaning wall ladder is a popular decoration in Scandinavian bedroom design, so when painting your walls, paint the leaning ladder in white color. The ladder can be used in different ways in your bedroom, including storing your robe, a throw blanket, a faux fur rug, and other fabric items.

4. Mid Century Furniture

A great feature of Scandinavian bedroom decorating ideas is Mid-century furniture. This style features clean lines, simplicity, and minimalism. Mid-century furniture can be tricky to pair with other designs or concepts.

Mid Century Furniture
Image credit: https://www.thespruce.com/

The best way to introduce the concept into your home would be by choosing a specific room like your bedroom, where you can easily incorporate this type of furniture without worrying about clashing with other styles.

The sleek look of this furniture can work well with the minimal aesthetics of Scandinavian homes. You can also buy a mid-century nightstand, a mid-century bed, and a mid-century dresser to achieve this look in the bedroom.

5. Canopy Bed in a Scandi Bedroom

A modern canopy bed with a dark wood finish is the perfect piece to use to introduce this design concept into your bedroom. The monochromatic colors of the room and simplicity of the design of the bed will create an interesting contrast and fit right in with Scandinavian bedrooms.

6. Black Walls

A bold design choice like a black bedroom wall can work well in a Scandinavian style bedroom. Since Scandi style appreciates neutral colors such as black, brown, white, and beige, this high-contrast interior is great for the bedroom. 

Black Walls
Image credit: http://cdn.home-designing.com/

Also, people like it as dark as possible when they sleep at night, and the black-painted walls can help you achieve this ideal sleeping situation. Make sure your bed and walls are lighter colors like beige and white to prevent creating an ugly black box.

7. Muted Colors

The ceiling, the floor, and the furniture should be in lighter colors than black if you want to create a Scandinavian bedroom. Most Scandinavian bedrooms are created using muted colors like dark purple, pale pink, and faded blue. There’s also a Scandinavian blue, which is very popular in Scandinavian kitchens.

8. Bring in Natural Light with Large Windows

Bring in natural light with large windows to create a more spacious feel. This is what Scandinavians are known for, their love of nature and the outdoors. Make your bedroom full of life by bringing in natural sunlight. 

Bring in Natural Light with Large Windows
Image credit: https://media.designcafe.com/

To complement this, ditch heavy curtains and use adjustable window treatments such as blinds and shutters instead. If your windows are not large, try to enlarge them with sheer curtains.

9. Consider a Fireplace in the Bedroom

Most Scandinavian bedrooms have a fireplace as it was originally intended as a room for firewood. In this age of gas and electricity, the fireplace is more for aesthetics, with some models even holding candles.

10. Scandinavian Cottage Bedroom

While the Scandinavian decor is generally pared down and minimalist in feel, it doesn’t mean that there’s no room for personality, warmth, and touches of other decorating themes. The Scandinavian bedroom has a cottage vibe while maintaining the limited palette, clean lines, and airiness typical to Scandi style.

Scandinavian Cottage Bedroom
Image credit: https://st.hzcdn.com/

11. Neutral Wood Beds and Headboards

Scandinavian bedrooms often have beds with headboards made of wood. However, other materials can be used for the headboard, including metal or wicker, but wood is most common. But both neutral wood bed and headboard are great Scandinavian bedroom design choices.

It will warm up the bedroom while keeping in line with a minimalist aesthetic. There are no fancy elements with this bed. It’s functional and simple, with two nightstands on either side of the bed that blend well with white walls behind them.

12. Go All Out with Textures

A blend of cozy textures is essential for creating the ultimate Scandinavian bedroom. The room must be warm, inviting, and comfortable so that you can relax better at night. By adding soft cushions and pillows to the bed, you get a cozy reading nook where you can curl up with a book or watch television in comfort after a stressful day at work.

13. Abstract Wall Art

Many Scandinavian interiors feature black and white artwork. There are no representational works in Scandinavian homes. So, stick to abstract shapes and minimalist forms when placing art on your wall. You can opt for drawings, paintings, and sculptures; be sure to keep it minimal and abstract.

While you’ll often find a gallery wall of smaller black and white artwork, it’s always good to big with one large artwork. The larger pieces will add a zing of excitement, while the muted color will keep the overall vibe soothing.

14. Create a Cozy Reading Corner

A beautiful Scandinavian bedroom is often one where you can curl up and read your favorite book while enjoying the comfort of soft pillows, sheepskin throw, fur, cozy blankets, and a steaming cup of homemade tea. This kind of space allows you to get lost in your books while cozying up with loved ones or friends.

15. Go Slightly Bolder with a Colorful Scandi Bedroom Scheme

Now, this doesn’t mean painting the walls bright red or yellow. A Scandinavian bedroom usually sports muted colors like light blue or grey. You can still achieve that light and airy feel of a modern Scandinavian design while adding a playful touch to your decor with traditional folksy prints and rich tones such as mustard and burnt orange.

16. Maintain Open and Airy Spaces

The typical Scandinavian room leaves plenty of open space between pieces of furniture. This gives the room an airy, fresh vibe and prevents any cramped and cluttered feel during the dark winter days.

17. Small Scandinavian Bedrooms

When you’re working with a small space, it’s best to go with simple modern furniture. Twin beds and small side tables can be a great addition when working with a small bedroom design.

18. Add Rustic Touch to Your Modern Bedroom

Love the country charm of large, wooden slatted beds? Pair it with a sleek modern dresser and bedside tables for styling contrast. Choose a stand-out piece of vintage furniture to make your bedroom look more rustic and modern.

FAQs about Scandinavian Bedroom Decorating Ideas

What is a Scandinavian bedroom?

Scandinavian ideas originated from countries such as Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. A Scandinavian bedroom design has many different vibes, depending on the design route you choose.

What makes a Scandinavian bedroom?

Scandinavian bedrooms, just like the rest of their interiors, have a minimal amount of color. These bedrooms feature all dark walls, a dark wall, and richly colored textiles about comfort, coziness, and textures.

Final Thought about Scandinavian Bedroom Decorating Ideas

As you can see, Scandinavian bedroom decorating ideas are very popular not only in the chilly north but worldwide. This decorating style is easy to implement, and the results are very appealing. So, if you’re just learning how to decorate your bedroom, consider the Scandinavian decor and you’ll love it.

 

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IKEA Cabinet-Greenhouse Hacks

by Posted in Kitchen Renovation

Space is at a premium in most apartments. You want to grow your food, but you don’t have the space for a full-sized greenhouse or even a small one. Well, with that limited space you have in your apartment, Ikea cabinet greenhouse hacks are the best way to go.

For plant enthusiasts, finding the perfect balance of creativity and plant displays is an art. Everyone loves it when plant parents show off their favorite tropical plants while creating a perfect environment for the plant. And that’s where the Ikea greenhouse cabinet hack comes in. 

Countless individuals have turned their IKEA cabinets into growing systems by adding home components like grow lights, fans, and special herbs. Here are some great ideas for transforming your IKEA cabinet into a greenhouse:

Features of the Ikea Greenhouse Cabinet

Robin Schouten, the founder of a popular Instagram page @Ikeagreenhouse cabinet, states that the Ikea cabinet greenhouse features IKEA cabinets that were converted into greenhouses for tropical plants. 


Image credit: https://www.thespruce.com/

Schouten, the founder of an Instagram account called Ikea greenhouse cabinet, was looking for a glass greenhouse for her humidity-loving plants and found people using these Ikea DIY ideas. In this trending DIY hack, plant parents transformed glass Ikea cabinets into indoor greenhouses, making it ideal for plant enthusiasts to deal with their limited space. 

It’s fairly easy, and all you need is a glass cabinet, grow lights, a small fan, and a humidifier. These Ikea greenhouse cabinets are versatile and can be cheap and simple or expensive and complex as you want. It all depends on your budget, DIY skills, commitments, and the type of plants you want to keep inside them.

cquire Ikea Glass Cabinet Choices for Greenhouse Hacking

Ikea offers a lot of glass cabinets that you can transform into a greenhouse. These include the detolf, fabrikor, milsbo and rudsta. These Ikea glass cabinet hacks are available in different colors and sizes. Make sure you find one that suits you.

Install Grow Light

You can install fluorescent grow lights and a simple timer to keep your houseplants alive. Fluorescent tubes are cheaper, relatively cool, and very easy to set up. You can also use LED grow lights that are more expensive but last longer. They are very efficient compared to normal light bulbs. A fan is also necessary because it helps circulate air inside the cabinet.

Perfect the Air Environment

You can grow any plant you want in your greenhouse, but these plants are helpful for tropical plants which require high humidity. In this case, add a small humidifier and tray filled with water. Include mini fans to help with air circulation and prevent mold from growing. You can also monitor the climate by keeping a temperature and humidity gauge on one of the shelves.

Customize Your Liking

You can customize your greenhouse. There are shelves, hooks, and baskets that you can glue to fit your needs. You can also use Ikea cabinet doors or covers to make sure all of your plants do not go directly on the wall or floor of the cabinet. This is an awesome way to reuse old cabinets. 

This greenhouse will help produce healthy plants, vegetables, and food for your family. Some people add pegboards, fern wood panels, and a wire rack to the back of the cabinet to clip stems and vines as plants grow. Others like adding heat mats, weather stripping, and replacing glass shelves with wire or acrylic ones.

All of these are not necessary. Beyond the main function of houseplants, indoor greenhouses are meant to please the eyes, so arrange the plants as you wish and keep monitoring their conditions to ensure their success.

Ikea Greenhouse Cabinets

Robin Schouten’s Fabrikor and Milsbo Greenhouse Setup

Robin Schouten’s greenhouse setup is pretty simple. A 3-tier Fabrikor shelving unit was attached to the wall, then a Milsbo cabinet just below it, followed by smaller plants on the top shelf. Two mini fans were used to increase airflow, and she uses grow lights in an area that doesn’t get much light. This would be perfect for growing strawberries or other vines that need support to hold them up.

Robin Schouten's Fabrikor and Milsbo Greenhouse Setup
Image credit: https://i.pinimg.com/

Vancouver Collector’s Milsbo Cabinet DIY Greenhouse

The plants inside this setup include basil plants and fig trees, both taking advantage of growing on top of cupboards that have fluorescent lighting that can be turned on at any given time. The Milsbo is retrofitted with wire shelves to allow better airflow than the glass shelves it comes with. 

A Vancouver Collector's Milsbo Cabinet DIY Greenhouse
Image credit: https://i.insider.com/

There are also three grow light panels, weather stripping, a small fan for air circulation, and a water tray to boost humidity. There is a hygrometer to monitor the temperature and humidity.

Gorgeous DIY Terrarium from an IKEA Fabrikor Cabinet

There are a few steps involved in the process of building one of these units. One of the most important is to find an existing cabinet with a backlight that you can remove or buy a Fabrikor piece that allows for this feature.

This unit gets air from a small computer fan that blows into it from the back, and there is a removable water tray for easy watering of the plants. It’s sealed and waterproofed by installing fiberglass at the bottom so that it can open and close.

3 Cabinets for a Huge Aroid Collection

The owner of this house has a nice IKEA Fabrikor unit that he mounted to the wall to store his impressive colocasia and yucca collection. As you can see, it also houses some other plants, like an interesting-looking cactus.

3 Cabinets for a Huge Aroid Collection
Image credit: https://live.staticflickr.com/

The interior is filled with soil, and drainage holes were added to make it easy to keep plants alive. It’s a cheap but interesting approach to home plant storage.

FAQs about Ikea Cabinet Greenhouse Hacks

What can you grow in your greenhouse cabinets?

You can grow anything in your greenhouse Ikea, ranging from succulents, vegetables, and cacti.

Can you use perlite instead of a humidity tray?

Yes, this is an alternative way to increase air moisture for the benefit of your housing plants.

Final Thought about Ikea Cabinet Greenhouse Hacks

Well, that’s all about Ikeas cabinet greenhouse hacks. So, pick one according to your budget, DIY skills, and plant requirements to enjoy your indoor greenhouse.

 

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How to Grow Oriental Poppy Plants

by Posted in Kitchen Improvement

Growing Oriental poppies is a fun and rewarding experience. However, it can be hard to know what you need to do before planting them in your garden. Oriental poppies are beautiful flowering plants that you can grow indoors or outdoors. 

They are usually planted in the spring and bloom during the summer season. The flowers of these plants come in different colors including red, pink, white, purple, maroon, orange, salmon, and peach. These beautiful flowers attract many butterflies and bees, making them a perfect addition to your flower garden.

What are Oriental Poppies?

Oriental poppies, also known as Papaver Orientale are herbaceous perennial flowers with large, brightly colored blooms featuring petals reminiscent of crepe paper. Oriental poppies are grown mainly for their flowers, although they bear attractive foliage in spring. 


Image credit: https://www.saga.co.uk/

The big, thistle-like leaves of Oriental poppy are downy, deeply lobed, and rich green, offering aesthetic value in their own right. What makes the Oriental poppy a good cut flower is its tightly packed leaves and stiff and hairy flower stems.

Oriental Poppy Plant Care

Indigenous to elevated lands in Western Asia, the Oriental poppy has naturalized in parts of North America that have cold winters. This cold-hardy plant hates high heat and humidity; instead, this perennial needs cold temperatures in the winter and fares poorly for most parts south of planting zone 8.

Oriental Poppy Plant Care
Image credit: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/

Make sure you mulch around oriental poppies for the first couple of years for winter protection because most varieties are clump-forming. Also, propagate them by seed instead of transplanting because the clumps are slow to become established. Oriental poppy has multiple uses, which makes it a valuable garden plant.

Sunlight Requirements

Make sure you plant your oriental poppies in full sun. This will not only promote better flowering but will also encourage a bushy habit. If you want a tall, slender plant, then choose a location with some afternoon shade. Full sun will also reduce the chances of powdery mildew infestation, which is a potential problem with oriental poppies. At least six hours of sun a day will help your plant to thrive.

Soil Requirement

The soil should be fertile and well-drained. The plants need a lot of water in summer but less in winter. They are extremely intolerant to wet soils, so choose your planting site carefully by avoiding low areas that remain damp for long periods. 

Growing your oriental poppy in a well-drained soil enriched with compost will give the best blooms. Oriental poppy also prefers neutral to slightly acidic pH. Root rot can be a problem if the pH is too high so make sure you test the soil pH and ensure it doesn’t exceed the limit. 

Water Requirements

Poppies like moist but well-draining soil throughout the entire growing season and regular watering. Make sure you water when the soil is dry and avoid overwatering, especially during dormancy. Poppies grown in containers will need more frequent watering than those in the ground.

Water regularly and thoroughly so that water runs out of the planting holes at the bottom of pots. Poppies are drought tolerant; however, they will flower less and instead put their energy into developing more leaves and stems, making them greener but not as attractive.

Temperature and Humidity

Poppies don’t like it too hot. As a general rule, if you are comfortable outside, the poppy will be happy. It can tolerate temperatures down to 20°F, but you must protect the flower buds from an early frost that could damage or kill them. This plant doesn’t prefer high heat and humidity. They grow in hardiness zones 3 through 9.

Fertilizer

Poppies require well-draining soil and regular fertilization. They respond very well to all forms of fertilizer, including slow-release fertilizer in the spring. Be careful not to over-fertilize. Too much fertilizer will cause the plant’s energy to be put into producing flowers rather than leaves and stems.

Fertilize in spring just before new growth appears. If you already have fertile soil, use ammonium sulfate instead because it also contains some nitrogen. If it is too late for this application, you can side dress the soil with compost or manure tea. Make your own compost for your plants and you’ll like the outcome.

Propagating Oriental Poppies from Seed

If you have an adult poppy plant, the division is easiest to propagate new poppy plants. There are a couple of ways to do this. The first way is called layering. This takes several weeks and should only be done if you want just one or two new plants.

To layer oriental poppy, bend one of the stalks down to the ground, and bury it in the soil where it touches the ground. Hold the stalk down with a rock or other object. Water frequently while your Oriental poppy is lying on the ground to dry out too much. It’s better to do this late after the blooms have passed.

How to Plant Oriental Poppies

Once you’ve purchased these plants from a garden center, plant them from early spring into early summer. Direct sowing is the standard method for growing oriental poppies. Scatter poppy seeds directly on the surface of the soil in spring or early fall, where they’ll receive the sunlight they need to germinate. 

How to Plant Oriental Poppies
Image credit: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/

Poppies grown in containers are easy to plant. You gently settle them in the ground at the same depth they were in the pot. Be careful not to disturb the roots when transplanting. For bare root plants, plant them with the top of the tap root about an inch below the soil surface. Make sure you follow all directions that come with your bare root plant.

Pests and Diseases

Poppies rarely suffer from pests and diseases. But the oriental types can be set back by powdery mildew. This fungal disease can affect the whole plant by covering leaves and stems in white mildew in spring and summer. 

Make sure you deadhead spent flowers and cut the plant to the ground level as you also clear fallen leaves to prevent the fungal disease from overwintering in the soil.

Oriental Poppy Varieties

Papaver Orientale Livermere

The most fragrant of all poppy varieties. It has large flowers, is very hardy, and is tolerant of poor soils. It also has a scarlet red flower that is 2 to 3 feet tall.

Papaver orientale Patty’s Plum

Patty’s plum is a variety new to the UK; it has purple petals with white markings. It is very hardy and loves poor soil. It’s heavily textured and plum-colored 2 to 3 feet high.

Papaver orientale Fireball

Fireball is a spectacular poppy with flowers up to 18 inches in diameter with bright scarlet petals, and a golden yellow center. The leaves are dark green and rough-textured, maturing to red-brown tones in autumn. It’s semi-double or double blooms.

Papaver orientale Bolero

Bolero is an amazing poppy containing purple-red flowers with purple eyes. The center of its flower is golden yellow. It’s 2 feet high, and it blooms in mid-summer.

Papaver orientale Princess Victoria Louise

This is another spectacular poppy variety that is 6 to 8 inches large, salmon-pink blooms, and 2 to 3 feet tall.

Companion Plants for Poppy Plants

Plant your oriental poppies in the middle or at the back of the flower bed to let other flowers fill in once they die. Hide the withering poppy foliage with summer bloomers such as Siberian iris, baby’s breath, Russian sage, daylilies, and rudbeckia. Protect the new poppy foliage in fall with bark mulch and pine boughs.

FAQs about How to Grow Oriental Poppy Plants

Do oriental poppies grow back every year?

Oriental poppies are true perennials, meaning the mother plant returns each year and slowly expands overtime to produce a larger plant and more flowers.

Should you deadhead oriental poppies?

Yes, you should cut back and deadhead oriental poppies after flowering. This will stimulate the growth of fresh new foliage and even new blooms.

Final Thought on How to Grow Oriental Poppy Plants

As you can see, growing and caring for oriental poppies is a fairly simple task. If you want to capture the magic of these brilliant blooms, consider planting them near your home or garden as an addition to the landscape.

 

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What are Faucet Aerators and Why You Should Install Them

by Posted in Kitchen Renovation

As a homeowner, you should constantly look for ways to improve your home functions. Home renovation helps you conserve water and energy, improve user experience and help you save money in the long run. One thing that often gets overlooked is faucet aerators. 

Faucet aerators reduce the pressure at which water comes out of a faucet by reducing the flow rate. This reduces the amount of water used per action and brings down your monthly water bill. The truth is that there are many reasons why installing an aerator can be beneficial to your home, regardless of whether you live alone or with family members. Keep reading.

What is a Faucet Aerator?

A faucet aerator is a round device installed on the ends of faucets that channel water into steady steam. But without a faucet aerator, your faucet will still deliver water, but the stream will splutter and splash. A faucet aerator helps to reduce splashing and spluttering because it uses a small channel to introduce water from the faucet into a larger channel, creating a steady stream.

The result is that your dishes and laundry will be cleaner, and you can also save water. In addition, an aerator is a small screen that breaks up the flow of water into multiple small streams, adding air in between. Today, a faucet aerator is very common in all kitchen and bathroom faucets.

By diluting the water stream with air, the aerator significantly reduces the volume of water flowing from your faucet. The aerator does this while maintaining the feeling of a high-pressure flow.  Aerators also reduce splashing in sinks.

Choosing Faucet Aerators

Daniel O’Brian, a technical specialist with SupplyHouse.com, says that different faucet aerators are designed to enforce different flow rates. Here are what you should consider before installing a faucet aerator

Consider the Flow Rate When Installing an Aerator

You might be tempted to choose an aerator with the lowest flow rate to maximize savings. You should also remember that you’ll rely on certain gallons per minute GPM minimums on activities such as washing the dishes. However, O’Brian suggests choosing an aerator with a flow rate between 1 and 1.5 gallons per minute GPM is a good compromise between conservation and practicality. 

To wrap it up, there’s no rule here, so your personal preference and use cases will dictate what GPM you should choose. For the most part, it’s considered to install an aerator with a flow rate of 1.5 gallons per minute GPM if you want to conserve water while maintaining functionality.

erators Come in Different Sizes

Apart from knowing how many GPMs you require, you should also know the size of the aerator you’ll need. Faucets come in different shapes and sizes, and aerators come in three different varieties. These varieties include standard, junior and Tom thumb.


Image credit: https://upgradedhome.com/

Other than the diameter, you also have to know if your faucet has a male or female spout. You’ll be able to identify this by locating the sprout’s threads, which are grooves found at the end of the spout. If the threads are outside, then it has a male spout and requires a female aerator. If the threads are inside, then it’s a female spout and requires a male aerator.

erators Provide Different Water Streams

You’ll also want to consider what kind of water stream you would like your aerator to provide. There are three different stream designs to choose from. These include the aerated stream, which is the most common in households.

In the aerated stream, the air is introduced to the water flow, causing the water to come out in even. There is also a laminar stream where the air isn’t mixed with water. The laminar stream also differs from the aerated stream by offering more gallons per minute GPM. The last one is spray stream, where faucets require very few GPMs.

Benefits of Faucet Aerators

Decreased Faucet Noise

Also, by installing a faucet aerator, you will end up having a decreased flow rate without actually needing to cut your water pressure. The water stream that comes out of the faucet is frizzy and mist-like. This makes it much quieter than the concentrated streams.

Decreased Faucet Noise
Image credit: https://kitcheneminence.com/

As mentioned above, water flow can be reduced by up to 35 percent. This is a great benefit as the faucet remains to deliver adequate water without causing any inconvenience or discomfort.

Lower Water Bills

As you save more water, your water bills will also get lowered. Though this might not be noticeable in the short term, it is great to note that the faucet aerator can help you lessen your water expenditure over time.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, installing a faucet aerator is the single most effective water-saving plumbing change you can make. This is true because you’ll use less water when you use an aerator to accomplish the same task.

More Consistent Water Pressure

A mesh screen allows the water pressure to be more consistent. It also slows the flow of water, making it possible for you to use less water and still achieve the same task. Instead of experiencing pressure changes right away as they happen, the steam will stay steady due to water caught behind the aerator. 

Reduced Overall Water Use

Reducing the flow rate of water may cause some people to feel like they need to use more water to get the job done. However, experts say that using an aerator will not cause you to increase your overall water usage. 

They claim that it is possible for you to reduce your total amount of daily and total monthly water usage. Apart from reducing water consumption at home, installing an aerator means less water usage, thus, reducing your home’s impact on the local and global environment.

Increased Filtration

With a faucet aerator, drinking water is filtered as it comes out of the tap. By using a filter, you can ensure that water used for drinking is free from toxic chemicals and metals. This reduces the overall amount of money spent on bottled water which would have been required if no aerator was installed.

The small screens increase the particle filtration for an individual faucet. A high-quality aerator works with a filtration system to keep your water clean and clearer. Ensure that if you have dirt and debris problems, you deal with them by regularly cleaning your aerator to prevent buildup.

FAQs on Faucet Aerators

How do faucet aerators work?

Faucet aerators work by getting air mixed into the flow, reducing the amount of water passing through the tap.

Final Thought on Faucet Aerators

That’s all about faucet aerators! Make sure you clean your faucet regularly to keep it as clean as possible. Do not forget to use a filter if you need it to keep your water pure and clear.

 

The post What are Faucet Aerators and Why You Should Install Them appeared first on Kitchen Infinity.

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10 Best Wallpaper Removers of 2021

by Posted in Kitchen Services

Removing wallpaper can be a difficult task, especially when you haven’t done so in the past. But with the right tool, removing old wallpaper becomes easy and fast. If you’re planning to remove old or outdated wallpaper from your walls, then we have got an easy solution for you. With the help of these best wallpaper removers, your home remodeling project will be very simple and fast. 

So without wasting any more time, let’s begin with our reviews on Best Wallpaper Steamers in 2021.

1. Wagner Spraytech Multipurpose Wallpaper Remover

Among all the wallpaper removers available in the market, Wagner Spraytech is an ideal choice for you. It’s easy to use and very efficient at removing even wallpapers with glue left on it. It will save you valuable time instead of using other methods like scrapping it out, which can consume a lot of time.


Image credit: https://images.zentail.com/

If you’re looking for an affordable steam cleaner optimized to use as a wallpaper remover, this pick suits you perfectly well. For those tough jobs that call for stronger tools, consider using this wallpaper steamer from Wagner. It’s an efficient and effective wallpaper remover. The steam plate has an easy-grip handle to help you complete long steaming jobs. 

With its large tank capable of producing up to 70 minutes of steam, you’ll get enough working time out of this budget-friendly steamer as you steam and soften wallpaper and its adhesive backing. The steam plate also attaches to an 11-foot long hose, stretching to those hard-to-reach areas.

2. WP Chomp World’s Best Wallpaper Stripper

WP chomp citrus solvent is a darling to many people, thanks to its ability to transform the tedious task into a quick spray bottle. This ready-to-use wallpaper stripper is effective on all types of wallpaper, including vinyl, grass, strippable and temporary wallpaper. Its commercial strength formula is designed to penetrate quickly, making wallpaper adhesive and leftover residue easier to remove. 

WP Chomp World's Best Wallpaper Stripper
Image credit: https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/

This strip wallpaper remover has a mild citrus scent that won’t leave a strong chemical smell behind. However, WP chomp recommends using this spray with a wallpaper scoring tool, especially when it is tough to remove water-resistant wallpapers.

3. HomeRight Steam Wallpaper Remover Review

The HomeRight Steam Wallpaper Remover is a steam cleaner that can take wallpaper off your walls. The powerful handheld steamer features touch-free technology, which enables you to remove old wallpaper without touching it with your hands. Whether you want to remove double or triple-layered wallpaper, this steam wallpaper remover is equipped to separate paper glued with the toughest adhesive.

HomeRight Steam Wallpaper Remover Review
Image credit: https://cdn.wallpapersafari.com/

It’s powered by 120 volts of electricity, a 40 ounces water tank, heating element, jet nozzle, and a steam plate. These elements enable it to discharge pressurized steam as the only mode of effective wallpaper removal for fast and effective cleaning. 

With different furnished nozzle attachments, this versatile cleaner isn’t only capable of wallpaper removal and works in showers, kitchen stovetops, bathtubs, and grills. This device is also equipped with a pistol-lock mechanism to promote continuous and intermittent steam discharge operation.

4. WP Chomp Wallpaper Scraping Tool

Apart from wallpaper removal, this device is also capable of scraping paint and rust. It’s an effective one-stop solution for various surfaces’ decontamination without the need to use a mop or brush. Vinyl is one of the harder wall coverings to remove due to its thicker construction and two-layer application. This makes it very hard to remove.

Fortunately, you can remove such stubborn wallpaper with WP wallpaper Chomp’s scorer. This wallpaper remover includes dual cutting wheels that are made of tempered steel for added strength and durability. It’s also easy to get into tighter areas, thanks to its compact size, plus the ergonomic design helps reduce fatigue.

5. Zinsser DIF Wallpaper Stripper

This wallpaper stripper from the house of Zinsser is a staple for any DIY enthusiast who wants to remove old wallpaper from their walls. It provides excellent adhesion and durability, giving you an easy time while removing stubborn wallpaper. 

Zinsser DIF Wallpaper Stripper
Image credit: https://images.thdstatic.com/

This best solvent from Zinsser is a basic wallpaper stripper that will dissolve adhesive and soften paper, paving the way for a smooth transition to bare walls. You’ll need to dilute it before application with each 22-ounce bottle yielding two gallons of stripping solution. 

You’ll also need to put in some work when using this budget-friendly wallpaper remover solvent. You can pair it with the best scoring tool and a scraping tool to supplement your efforts.

6. Bates Choice Scraper

If you’re planning to tackle a range of wall renovation jobs, consider this set of multi purpose scrapers from Bates Choice. This inexpensive dual pack comes with two metal scrapers to remove paint and wallpaper. The tool comes with a compact design, making it easy to work in tight spots like behind the toilet and underneath cabinets.

Bates Choice Scraper
Image credit: http://bateschoice.com/

The scrapers can also scrape windows and remove old adhesive leftover from decals or bumper stickers. Each scraper comes with a thick stainless steel blade and wooden handle. The dual edge blade is sharp and rust-resistant, making it ideal for sliding beneath wallpaper, even in damp and steamy conditions. The comfortable and sharp handle provides a soft grip to tackle long jobs with ease.

This wallpaper remover is made for multi-purpose use with a pointed end and a cut-out design to function as a go-to tool for home renovations. It’s also helpful in spackling drywall and removing crown molding to get walls back to tip-top shape.

7. Zinsser Paper Tiger Free-Floating Wallpaper Remover

With its three scoring heads, paper tiger free-floating wallpaper remover can perforate an entire room of wallpaper with ease. It has self-aligning heads that cover greater surface area than single head tools to finish the job in less time and with less effort. Paper tiger also has an ergonomic handle that can fit in the palm of your hand, making it easy to zip across the wallpaper surface.

While it can be a bit challenging to use paper tiger in corners, it still does a great job of quickly perforating large areas of wallpaper. You apply pressure and glide the wheels across the wall for a trail of tiny holes for effective wallpaper removal.

8. Spraytech 915 on-Demand Steamer

The Wagner 915 on-demand steamer is a handheld device that works as a steamer and a wallpaper remover. It’s called on-demand because it heats up instantly when you pull the trigger, producing steam immediately to remove wallpaper.

Once the trigger is released, the device cools down quickly to save energy and help preserve your wallpaper. With warm air and steam cleaner, this steamer can loosen the adhesive and lift the wallpaper without using any chemicals. This steamer cleaner is an essential household tool that you can easily adapt to remove wallpaper from plaster and drywall.

While it includes various attachments for different household cleaning tasks, you’ll be more interested in the wallpaper steam plate. You’ll then press the plate directly against the walls to loosen the paper. Making a few rounds with the steamer for wallpaper removal will take you some time, but it’s worth waiting for a chemical-free experience.

9. Husk Soft Grip Wallpaper Stripper

Wallpaper removal is a tough task, so householders need to have a powerful tool. This wallpaper stripper from Husk does the job effectively. The most impressive thing about this design is its top-loading boiler tank which ensures constant steam pressure for ease of use. 

You can easily remove multiple layers of paper with this steamer within a short time. It features a replaceable blade securely held in a patented blade lock system with added tool-free blade changes. 

With a 4-inch soft-grip handle, this wallpaper scraper is comfortable to hold and offers a safe, secure way to use the razor-sharp blade to peel back wallpaper. Its long handle provides additional leverage and proves useful when you’re working on hard-to-reach areas like ceilings and behind a radiator.

10. Roman’s Piranha Liquid Wallpaper Remover

When removing old wallpaper, you have to deal with both the paper and the adhesive. Some processes might help you bring down the paper quickly and leave behind an adhesive glue. In that case, try to use Roman’s Piranha Liquid Wallpaper remover. 

This wallpaper remover is capable of dissolving wallpaper adhesives to give you a clean, smooth wall surface. Its spray bottle helps you quickly apply it to the wall without wasting too much of its contents.

FAQs about Best Wallpaper Removers of 2021

Do wallpaper steamers work?

Yes, wallpaper steamers use hot steam to soften the adhesive attaching the wallpaper to the wall. This makes it easy to peel and scrape away the old wallpaper.

What is the easiest way of removing old wallpaper?

This depends on the type of wallpaper you have. So, the ideal way to go about this is to know your wallpaper type; then, you’ll be able to use the tools of removing the old wallpaper.

Final Thought on Best Wallpaper Removers of 2021

Removing an old wallpaper doesn’t have to be an uphill task. Having the right tools and the required technology will help you do the job right and have a fresh new wall.

 

The post 10 Best Wallpaper Removers of 2021 appeared first on Kitchen Infinity.

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13 Best Aqua Paint Colors for Your Home

by Posted in Kitchen Renovation

We all know that interior design is a crucial part of home decor, but it can be hard to decide on the right paint colors. There are so many options out there, and you might find yourself overwhelmed with choice. You may also lack inspiration when trying to pick the perfect color for your walls or furniture. 

Try out these bright, cheerful, muted, and relaxing aqua paint colors. Aqua paint colors are a hot choice right now and work perfectly in homes with modern, contemporary, or even rustic decor. Aquatic paint colors provide fresh feelings and look incredibly stylish. 

This blog post will help you choose from the best aqua paint colors for your home. Each option has its personality and style, which makes it unique in its way. Read on!

1. Sherwin Williams Sea Salt

This shade of aqua is the most popular option right now, with its freshness and brightness. It can be used on walls or furniture to provide a contemporary feel to your interior design. It looks great paired with browns, blacks, greys, and whites.

If you’re looking for the best light aqua paint, Sherwin Williams sea salt is the right choice. With its rich colored accents, the green undertones in this light aqua paint shine through. Sea salt aqua paint color is perfect for any room, including bedroom, living spaces, and kitchens.

2. Benjamin Moore Jamaican Aqua

Jamaican Aqua paint color is one of the most popular aqua colors right now. With rich, bright blue undertones, this green aqua color will brighten up your living space instantly. Jamaican Aqua looks great when paired with white accent pieces and fabrics. This is a truly saturated color. 


Image credit: https://st.hzcdn.com/

This shade of greenish aqua is the best choice for painting kitchen cabinets hardware, furniture, and the front door. Jamaican aqua is balanced perfectly between blue and green. Despite being vibrant and striking, Benjamin Moore Jamaican aqua is also relaxing and tranquil. It’s a good choice for bathrooms and cheery laundry. Plus, it’s the perfect blend of green and blue.

3. Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray

Comfort gray paint is one of the best aquamarine colors. This aqua paint color is made up of a gray undertone, making it the perfect shade for any room in your home. This aqua color is not too dark or heavy but also not too bright and vibrant. What makes this shade so unique are its warm gray undertones that make the aqua pop.

4. Behr Marina Isle

If you’re looking for the best dusty aqua paint colors, you’ve just found it. This color is perfect for a bathroom or laundry room to create a relaxing and restorative atmosphere. The best part about this shade is its ability to make the entire room feel more spacious, thanks to its blue-green undertones. 

Behr Marina Isle
Image credit: https://www.behr.com/

This aqua paint pairs well with other muted tones such as beige and olive green. It works well in both large and small living rooms. Make sure you pick the bolder green accents to make this aqua hue pop.

5. Sherwin Williams Aquatint

A soft, light blue aqua paint color that makes your home feel clean and calm. This shade is perfect for a powder room, mudrooms, or even an accent wall behind the bed. This sea foam green shade would be beautiful in a guest room or master bedroom where you want to create a relaxing retreat space.

Pair it with white woodwork and a white tile shower for a crisp feeling. Sherwin Williams Aquatint is a versatile blue-based aqua suited for nurseries because of its cheerful nature. Light wood and crisp white trim would be perfect with aquatint for a contemporary bathroom and master bedroom.

6. Glidden Deepest Aqua

If you’re not afraid of trying deep bold colors, glidden deepest aqua is the right choice. This color is an excellent choice for almost every room. This rich, mermaid-inspired aqua is perfect for a playroom and an accent wall. Plus, it can pair well with other bright colors such as coral and pink.

7. Sherwin Williams Waterscape

Sherwin Williams’s waterscape is a soothing gray-aqua that is perfect for any living space. This color would be great in the bedroom or bath, because of its calm and serene nature. Adding watery blue curtains or an aqua rug could enhance this shade to tie the room together. 

This refreshing aqua paint color works perfectly well in the home office and a kid’s bedroom. It is a great color for any room you want to add some youthful energy and calming feeling to it at the same time.

8. Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue

Palladian blue is a soft, muted aqua with blue undertones that works beautifully in airy, sunny living spaces and bathrooms. If you’re looking for a perfect blend of gray and blue with a calming effect, Palladian blue is your perfect combination.

Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue
Image credit: https://i.pinimg.com/

 Add some little pigment to that small space using these aqua paint colors from Benjamin Moore. This soft aqua can add a little personality without becoming too intense.

9. Sherwin Williams Interesting Aqua

Sherwin Williams Interesting Aqua is bright with a little green in it. It’s like a bright teal and can be the perfect paint color for your kid’s room. It gives an impression of water, which makes it calm and soothing.

With its gray and green undertones, this unique aqua shade is a great choice of color for entryways, kitchen cabinets, and bedrooms. Interesting aqua adds the perfect dose of color without feeling juvenile and outdated.

10. Valspar Beach Blanket

Valspar Beach Blanket has gray and blue undertones, which means it is soothing like water and calming like the ocean. It’s probably not the best choice for your kid’s rooms, although you might want to try it, it can be great in bathrooms since they are usually small spaces that need something light and calm. 

If you love green and beach-inspired vibe that much, then this aqua hue is a great choice. It’s a warmer aqua than others, making it a great paint to pair with neutral beiges and yellows.

11. Sherwin Williams Tame Teal

Sherwin Williams Tame Teal is one of the many sophisticated hues that come in this shade family. It has brownish undertones, which means it’s calming and cozy like the ocean at sunset. When paired with lighter tones, painting your bedroom and office space makes your room feel modern and updated. 

Sherwin Williams Tame Teal
Image credit: https://i.pinimg.com/

Make a modern, contemporary girls’ room with a feature wall painted in tame teal and decorated with golden circles. This beautiful green, blue aqua paint looks excellent in the front door, kitchen cabinets, and tray ceiling as well.

12. Benjamin Moore Quiet Moments

Quiet moments from Benjamin Moore is an aqua paint color that leans more toward the green side of things with a good bit of gray undertone to it. If you’re looking for aqua paint colors to incorporate in your kitchen and dining room, Benjamin Moore quiet moment is one of those aqua paint colors you should never let go of.

13. Benjamin Moore Caribbean Breeze

Benjamin Moore Caribbean Breeze is a cool aqua hue. It’s a romantic color paired with warm colors like oranges and yellows to create a fun girls’ room painting. This soft aqua is also a wonderful choice for a space that has less than ample natural light. With its inner glow, the Caribbean breeze can light up a room regardless of its size.

FAQs on Ten Best Aqua Paint Colors for Your Home

Is aqua warm or cool?

Aqua is a color that lies somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. It’s best to think of aqua as its category and not associate it with any particular warm or cool family.

Is aqua paint easy to work with?

Yes, aqua paint is easy to work with as long as you know how to pick the right paint for your space. It’s important to realize that just because a trending color doesn’t mean it will work in every room. Aqua requires a cool or neutral backdrop so it can shine as its statement.

Final Thought on Best Aqua Paint Colors for Your Home

As you can see, aqua paint colors are trending big time. And their popularity is well deserved. Aqua paints are lively, calming, and refreshing all at the same time. Plus, they go with just about any color palette you can think of, so there’s no shortage of options when it comes to decorating with aqua hues. So, if you’re struggling to choose paint colors, aqua paint is for you.

 

The post 13 Best Aqua Paint Colors for Your Home appeared first on Kitchen Infinity.

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12 Gorgeous Flower Garden Ideas To Add To Your Home

by Posted in Kitchen Improvement

Flower gardening is a fun and rewarding hobby, especially if you know how to do it right. You can use beautiful flower garden ideas to create an amazing backyard oasis that will impress everyone who sees it. These beautiful flowers help you express yourself in ways you never thought possible. All it takes is a little creativity to show your personality through these amazing flower garden ideas. Here are some ideas that can help you start this amazing hobby.

1. Consider Large Garden Areas

Many flower garden ideas are perfect for smaller spaces, but consider planting something other than flowers if you have a large backyard area. If you’re looking for an easy way to create an impressive look that’s also functional, go with ornamental grasses or evergreen trees. These plants are great year-round and require very little maintenance over time.


Image credit: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/

Choose two contrasting colors and one color family, such as purple or pink. You can then add perennial flowering plants in groups of three to five, and you’ll have an eye-catching flower. Make sure you carry out regular weeding because today’s weed might be tomorrow’s weed patch.

2. Create an Edible Flower Garden

Create an Edible Flower Garden
Image credit: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/

If your goal is to create a garden as an outdoor kitchen, consider making a dedicated flower bed for herbs and vegetables. If possible, flower gardens should be beautiful and delicious. Vegetables will get a huge boost in productivity with the flowers available when pollinators are drawn to nectar-rich planting beds.

Edible plants such as tomato, squash, and cucumber will blossom in such flower garden beds. In addition, the beneficial insects that rely on floral nectaries will help control vegetable pests, thus, reducing the use of pesticides.  You can get ideas on types of squash to grow here so you know which one can work for your flower garden.

3. Plant Flowering Plants on Trellis

Trellises and topiary create focal points in the garden, especially when consistent color and style. When creating an edible flower garden, place trellises along walkways and at the edges of beds to lead visitors through the garden and to help keep plants upright as they grow. Make sure you define borders against which to plant flowers of varying heights.

They provide support for climbing vines such as morning glory, cucumber, and sweet potato, and vertical growing flowers such as clematis. Trellises also provide structure for flowering vines that may not need support, like the passion vine. You may also trellis-filling vine in one season from seed with morning glory and moon vine.

The passion vine can climb up an arbor or trellis to create a lush canopy of green leaves. Passion flower blooms are attractive to bees, which adds to the benefit of an edible garden. Gloxinias, petunias, and their foliage can also bring beauty to your trellis.

4. Combination of Bogs and Rain Gardens

Brighten that soggy spot in your backyard with a rain garden or bog garden. And when planning a bog garden, consider plants that love both full sun and wet soil. Flowering plants that thrive in bog gardens include candelabra primrose, cardinal flower, and yellow iris and leopard plants.

You can also introduce fun and funky in your wet by including carnivorous pitcher plants. Make sure your garden rain never dries out. A natural bog garden will be replenished by rainfall, but a dry spell hits; ensure you help it out with a hose. 

If you see frogs, salamanders and turtles, know that a bog environment is present, so use it to plant some rain garden plants. If you don’t have a natural depression that collects water, create your own by sinking a plastic kiddie into the ground. You can use pond liner to create a bog garden as long as you disguise the edges with rocks and fill the bottom with peat moss and sand.

5. Consider Flower Garden Paths

When you think of your garden, do you see only the flowers that need to be planted? A flower garden is perfect for an area where you can walk through and view the various blooms. If your current yard doesn’t have one existing place, design a path with bricks or stones, so everyone has easy access.

Consider Flower Garden Paths
Image credit: https://www.thespruce.com/

But keep in mind that you’ll need to choose flowers that can handle foot traffic. A flower garden path should comfortably accommodate a wheelbarrow and a cart with room to turn around. Make sure you mulch your plant beds as much as possible to keep them flourishing.

6. Butterfly Flower Garden Ideas

The butterfly garden works especially well near a porch or patio area. Butterflies love water, so add a small pond, and you’ll be treated to the sight of not only butterflies but frogs and lizards as well. However, some beautiful flowers may fall flat when it comes to attracting butterflies. 

Butterfly Flower Garden Ideas
Image credit: https://www.loveyourlandscape.org/

Some butterflies are designed to extract nectar from particular flower shapes, meaning that some blooms sound like the dinner bell while others miss the mark. Even though butterflies love bright colors, it’s important to include flowers with rich nectar stores easily accessible in shallow flowers. 

Butterflies and other pollinators will stay in your garden throughout summer as long as you include seasonal blooms in your garden. This is because their food sources are usually most plentiful when the weather is hottest, and most plants bloom during springtime or summer.

Butterflies will truly thrive with a combination of butterfly-friendly flowers, annuals, and perennials, which they can land on for rest periods between nectar-feeding sessions.

7. Combining Tulips with Annuals and Perennials

Create a harmonious arrangement with this amazing flower garden idea. Extend your garden blooms with tulips, annuals, and perennials that will come back each year with less maintenance. Make sure you space out your flowers so that tulips stand taller than your shorter, low-growing annuals and perennials. 

When winters are cold, your tulips will return for several years but won’t survive when grown in warmer, moist climates. A flower garden bed with a blend of red and yellow tulips will make the whole bed look amazing. 

Create that festive effect in a mixed flower bed by planting clear, primary tulips. Daylily, catnap, salvia, and bells of Ireland are some of the great tulip companions, and once you should reconsider when recreating a gorgeous full flower garden bed.

8. Pallet Flower Garden Ideas

Flowers that provide color with the way you want the artwork to appear are a good start for any design. For example, mixed white and yellow flowers will provide interest for your garden whether you want a spring or summer look. The tulips will be particularly appealing in beds where most flowers are filled with one particular shade.

If you have a lot of flowers of the same style, plants with distinctive features will draw attention. Choose something really small tulip for this circumstance. Chives will certainly give you an option to create a variety of patterns by simply including or eliminating plants from your flower bed.

9. Recycled Rubber Tires Flower Garden Ideas

You can never go wrong with turning your old tires into a garden ornament. Rubber tires are tough and long-lasting, making them fantastic materials for your yard or business’s landscape design. This reclaimed rubber tire flower garden idea is a great way to recycle old tires while beautifying the area at the same moment.

Recycled Rubber Tires Flower Garden Ideas
Image credit: https://morningchores.com/

If you have an old bike lying around, make use of its tire as well. If you have some scrap tires lying around, turn them into a flower garden. This will not only make your lawn look good but will also help you avoid worrying about tires taking your space or disposing of them.

10. Potted Flower Garden Ideas

There’s nothing more pleasant than a stunning potted flower garden in the backyard. So take your time and plan it well so you can enjoy it for many years to come. When it comes to convenience, nothing beats flowers planted in clay pots and half buried in a bed of gravel.

Potted Flower Garden Ideas 
Image credit: https://nextluxury.com/

It doesn’t have to be complicated – using a simple pot will also do the trick. You can also bring in some hanging baskets if you have a nice outdoor space for them. To achieve a harmonious and colorful look, choose a different flower for each pot. Round your flower bed with pots.

A circle of purple, white, red, and white striped Bizzy lizzies spread out from the pine ringed by stonecrop, moss, and pots of pink and white Bizzy lizzies. And if you want to enjoy the view from your home or balcony, consider adding some cascading plants, vines, or grasses, which will make it look like an entry from fairy tales. Add in some wooden trellis and little lights too to complete the look.

11. Formal Flower Garden Ideas

Of course, the clean lines and tidy layout of a formal garden will provide a respite from the stresses of modernity. Adding some flowers on top of that grass and well-cut boxwood shrubs will be the finishing touch to the garden’s look. You can stick one or two flower varieties in the formal garden.

Lavender, roses, tulips, hydrangeas, and salvia are a few things that you can use in your formal garden. You can mass the flowers around a central fountain, use them to edge paths, and fill in geometric hedge plantings with blooms.

12. Flowering Cottage Flower Garden Ideas

You can turn your cottage garden into plant beds with the help of perennials, ornamental grasses, and flowering shrubs. Roses, lavender, cosmos flowers, lilies, snapdragons, and hydrangeas are among some of the plants that you might use to make up your cottage flower garden. 

Grasses like colorful ornamental rye can be used as a ground cover to fill in spaces between other flowering plants. Perennials like bleeding heart, lupines, black-eyed Susan, and daylilies are among the many types of flowering perennials that you could use for your cottage garden.

FAQs about Beautiful Flower Garden Ideas

How do you lay out a flower bed plant?

Arrange border plants with plants taller than 2 to 3 feet tall, then place them in the back with the mild-size plants from 10 inches to 2 to 3 feet tall in the middle. After that, layout shorter plants in the front of the bed. It’s also best to use groupings and drifts of plants for a natural feel.

How do you plant a flower garden for a beginner?

First, make sure you remove the weeds and amend the soil. If it’s a new bed, put down a layer of landscape fabric to block weeds and top with six inches or more garden soil and topsoil. If your area doesn’t receive much sun, you can consider growing shade-loving flowers as they blossom in such areas.

Final Thought on Beautiful Flower Garden Ideas

Build your corner of paradise by adding different types of flowers in your backyard. You can enjoy your backyard for gardening, spending time with your loved ones, or just relaxing.

 

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post

Types of Flat Roof Material Options

by Posted in Kitchen Renovation

Flat roofs are the most economical type of roofing. They offer great protection to your home or commercial building against weather elements while keeping the building’s interior dry and warm. Although flat roofs provide you with a lot of benefits, they also have their disadvantages. 

Therefore, knowing what type of flat roofing material you’re going to use when building your own house is very important. This will help you make better decisions about maintenance and replacing an old flat roof system. It will also help you communicate and relate better to potential roofing contractors as you’re looking for the best roofing company for your project. 

Here are the most common types of flat roofs:

Build Up Roofs or BUR

Build-up roofs or BUR type of flat roofs consist of a series of layers applied over the substrate. These layers, usually asphalt and felts, are necessary for getting watertight protection from your roofing system. Like other types of roofs, these systems will last you a long time if you do regular maintenance on them and get rid of any moisture build-up.


Image credit: https://www.homeadvisor.com/

Bur flat roofs are often referred to as tar and gravel roofs. They’re made of layers of materials bonded together by asphalt tar and hot tar to a liquid state and then mixed with gravel to ensure the mixture maintains its strength and durability.

This flat roof material option has solved the low-pitch roof problem for ages, a challenge that asphalt shingles could never handle. If you’re also concerned about fire safety in your building, then built-up roofings can meet higher fire ratings.

Pros of Built-Up Roof

Safety Against Fire

Built up roofings are known to be more rugged than other flat roof material options. They provide greater protection against heavy snow loads and high winds. Since they can handle these weather conditions, you don’t need to worry about damages, leaks, or breakage.

Most of all, built-up roofs are very safe against fires because their layers are made of non-combustible materials. They won’t increase the risk of fire or suffocate it completely.

Longevity

Built up roofings last longer because of the thick layers and the waterproofing materials used. This means you will spend less on maintenance and repairs for your roof.

Multiple layers also prevent leaks and tears, thanks to their heavy-duty construction. It won’t turn into a major problem that requires replacement or extensive repairs when a leak arises since you can spot it easily.

Cons of Built-Up Roof

Weight

The main downside to a built-up roof is its weight. It’ll be difficult for you to install one yourself because it will require a lot of time and effort to lift all those layers, particularly if you need to reach high altitudes. The materials used are also heavy, such as the gravel that’s designed to protect against fire.

Modified Bitumen Roofs

Modified bitumen roofing looks similar to built-up roofing, only that they use a single layer of adhesive roofing material, making it feasible for DIY installations.

Modified Bitumen Roofs
Image credit: https://coxroofing.com/

Modified bitumen roofs are only made of two layers and piles. These include a base sheet and a cap sheet. Both base waterproofing layer and a surface layer bonds to a material that resembles regular asphalt shingles.

dvantages of Modified Bitumen Roof

esthetics

You can find a number of modified bitumen roofing designs that mimic the traditional asphalt shingle roofs. This means that you can easily select a variety of materials to match your building exterior, which may have parts covered by asphalt shingles.

Easy to Install

The installation process of modified bitumen roofing is relatively the same as traditional asphalt shingles. This also means you can easily find a contractor for this project.

Insulation and Energy Efficiency

Because of its dark color or black, modified bitumen roofings absorb heat from sunlight. This makes it more energy-efficient than traditional roofing materials such as metal roofs that reflect this heat to the environment.

Cons of Modified Bitumen Roofs

Torch Down Systems

The torch-down systems can be a fire hazard. That’s why it’s not recommendable to install torch-down modified bitumen roofs on occupied buildings.

Durability

Another downside of modified bitumen roofing is that it’s not as durable and resistant to foot traffic and blown debris as other flat roofing materials. They also last about 10 to 20 years before they need to be replaced.

Fragility

These flat roofing materials are very fragile compared to other roof types, which are more resistant to hail and falling branches. When installers try to walk on your roof to put it in, it’s more fragile to break down.

EPDM Rubber Roofing

EPDM rubber roofing is an affordable solution for flat roofs. It’s also designed to last many years without the need for repairs or replacement, but it can get damaged by severe weather conditions like strong winds and hail. EPDM is a very durable synthetic rubber roofing membrane.

Rubber roofs are easy to recognize and are installed in two basic ways: ballasted or weighted down with a smooth river stone and adhered or glued down. The adhered rubber roofs are easy to spot since they’re black and are stretched over an insulation board or fiberboard.

Pros of Rubber Membrane Roofs

Easy Maintenance

Leaks in the rubber membrane roof can be easily repaired at a very cheaper price. Finding these leaks is also easy and straightforward.

Easy Installation

The rubber membrane material comes in a large single-layer roll, making it easy for the roofing contractor to work with. Thanks to its elastic and flexible nature, you also don’t have to use blowtorches to seal the seams together.

Resistance to Elements

The rubber is elastic, meaning it will naturally expand in the summer and contract in the winter. It can also withstand extreme temperatures without wear. Plus, rubber is fire retardant and naturally impact resistant.

It’s Affordable

The average installation price per square foot is around $2.50, making it more affordable than flat roofing systems.

Cons of Rubber Membrane Roofs

Shrinkage

While expandable, the rubber does shrink through time. This may lead to insufficient sealing and leaks, which will cost you additional money for repairs and maintenance. If left untreated, it could also cause damage to your other roofing systems, such as the flashing and insulation. It’s also harder to patch up compared to other materials like TPO or PVC.

Thermoplastic Membranes PVC or TPO

A thermoplastic roofing membrane is a more durable roofing system compared to rubber membrane roofs. It will be white or grey, but it can also come in other colors. There are two types of thermoplastic membrane roofing. These include polyvinyl chloride PVC and thermoplastic olefin TPO.

Thermoplastic Membranes PVC or TPO
Image credit: https://www.chaffeeroofing.com/

PVC roofing is the third most-produced synthetic plastic polymer. It’s also easy to install, thanks to its flexibility. If you’re looking for the sturdiest membrane among the two, then PVC is the right choice. On the other hand, TPO roofing is considered a more eco-friendly variation of the thermoplastic membrane roof. It’s best at UV absorption and flame resistance.

Pros of TPO Roofing

Cost-Effective

Like PVC roofs, TPO roofs come in at a more budget-friendly installed cost of about$3.50 per square foot.

Energy Saving

White coatings can reflect heat and keep the surface temperature lower than that of a dark roof.

Easy Maintenance

You don’t have to pressure wash this roofing material because the single-ply roof membrane’s surface is laminated. It’s very difficult for algae and fungus to grip in.

Lightweight Material

With its single-ply nature, this lightweight material can perform well over low slopes. It weighs an average of half a pound per square foot, making it an excellent choice for older structures that cannot withstand the pressure and load of a built-up roof.

Cons of TPO Roofing

Takes Longer to Install

You will need to order new tools for this product, but don’t worry, it is still a far less expensive material to install than metal roofs.

Spray Polyurethane Foam Roof

A spray foam roof begins with a layer of high-density polyurethane foam sprayed from a wand or sprayer. After that, the contractor will spray a layer of waterproof elastomeric topcoat. This roofing type will often have a grey or white finish.

Spray Polyurethane Foam Roof
Image credit: https://www.americanweatherstar.com/

Pros of Spray Polyurethane Foam Roof

Easy to Install

This type of roof is very easy to install. You can expect to pay about $1.15 per square foot for this type of foam roofing material without topcoats.

Cons of Spray Polyurethane Foam Roof

Expensive Top Coat

The downside to this type of roof is that it is the most expensive to install. Some homeowners have also reported having problems with bubbles after installation.

Metal Flat Roof

This type of roof is a great option if you want a long-lasting solution. The metal roofs come in many different colors and styles so that they can blend in with your home’s exterior design. Metal roofing thrives in dry, warm climates. 

Metal Flat Roof
Image credit: https://roof-experts.ca/

The most used material is always aluminum because of its malleability. You can also choose other metals such as tin, copper, steel, and zinc.

FAQs on Different Types of Flat Roof Material Options

What is the best material to use for flat roofs?

This will depend on your budget and style, but PVC roofing is considered the best flat roof material.

What type of roof is a flat roof?

A flat roof is a roof that is almost level with many types of sloped roofs.

Final Thought on Different Types of Flat Roof Material Option

As you can see, there are several types of flat roof material options available. These flat roofing offer a few perks that even commercial building owners can enjoy. Before making any purchase decision, make sure you consult with a reputable flat roofing contractor so you can make the best choice for your house.

 

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