I recently gave my bathroom a complete makeover. It was much easier than I expected, and only took a few days to complete. For less than $200 I gave my bathroom a completely new look that I love.

The first thing I did was choose some paint. I started out with bare white walls. I chose Kilz brand paint. The color is called "Garden Glove" (a cheerful spring green), and a gallon cost about $15 at Walmart. One gallon was plenty to paint the entire bathroom. Just painting the bathroom gave it whole new look. I also bought a small can of white paint to touch up the paint around the doorways.

Because our master bathroom is not very well lit, we decided to change the light fixture. For only $40 (including bulbs) at Home Depot, we installed a vanity light fixture over the mirror behind the sinks. It only took a few minutes to install, and it looks great. The bathroom is much brighter now than it was before.

To gain some extra storage space, we purchased a white cabinet that stands over the toilet. It has four shelves and a cupboard and cost about $100 at Home Depot. I recently saw that Walmart had some similar cabinets for between $50 and $75.

We have two windows in our bathroom so I thought plants would really brighten up the room. I bought some pretty solid color flower pots from Walmart for a couple of dollars and some matching spring primroses (less than $2 each). I set the pots on top of the new cabinet. The finishing touch will be a couple of ferns to hang above the garden bathtub, in front of the windows.

I love my new bathroom. It looks like a completely different room. Just a few simple changes can update and rejuvenate your bathroom too!

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom of four. For easy home decorating ideas for busy moms, visit Frugal Home Decor at http://www.Frugal-Home-Decor.com

Not all duvet covers are made of standard fabrics like cotton. Some can be made of luxurious materials like satin and silk. Luxury duvet covers are often more expensive than standard covers, but they provide can provide more comfort as well as a more luxurious appearance. Different types of luxury duvet covers have unique advantages.

Satin duvet covers are very popular. Satin is a luxurious fabric that looks and feels great. Satin is a blend of other materials like silk, cotton, and rayon. The types of materials used to make the satin have an effect on the look and feel of the fabric, but all types of satin do have some similarities. Satin is characterized by its shiny appearance. One side of the material is bright and shiny and the other side has a rougher and duller look. Most people think that the dull side is the most comfortable due to its deep grain and soft feel. The shiny side is perfect for giving a bedroom a classy, luxurious look.

Silk is another material used to make luxury duvet covers. Silk is a strong fiber that does not tear or crease easily. Silk duvet covers are smooth and soft to sleep on and look great in any room. Silk comes in many different colors and does not fade as quickly as many other materials. It is a hypoallergenic fabric, meaning that no one will have an allergic reaction to sleeping on a silk duvet cover.

Silk and satin are merely two types of luxury duvet covers available. Other materials like velvet and sateen also have unique advantages. Luxury duvet covers are among the most comfortable types of bedding available. Luxury duvet covers provide beauty as well as comfort, and they come in a variety of colors and patterns to compliment the look of any bedroom.

Duvet Covers Info provides detailed information about luxury and discount duvet covers, as well as duvet cover sets, sizes, materials, and more. Duvet Covers Info is the sister site of Slipcovers Web.

There are many spaces inside a home where you can use an indoor water fountain. Living rooms, bedrooms, partially open spaces such as patios. Also office and hotel lobbies are also great for using this amazing accessory.

There are basically 5 types of indoor water fountains.

1) Tabletop water fountain.
2) Floor water fountain.
3) Wall mounted indoor fountain.
4) Garden Courtyard water fountain (for partially closed spaces)
5) Waterfalls (for partially closed spaces)

Depending upon the volume of space to be decorated and other accessories already used to decorate the interior space a water fountain can be selected.

What are the requirements to install a water fountain?

Before we can answer this we must first see that what are the various components of a indoor fountain. It contains a water reservoir, a submersible pump that runs on electricity, a hose pipe that carries the water from reservoir to upper level, (from where it drops down) and finally the environment or cascade through which the water falls.

The submersible water pump consumes something around 120 volts. Precaution should always be taken to see that the pump remains dipped in water all of the time. If the pump is run dry it can get damaged.

Those who have already used an indoor fountain in their homes talk about some of the following problems that can occur at some point of time during the use.

1)Noise of the pump.

Actually a silent pump can not exist but the noise can be reduced substantially if the pump rests on shock absorbent material such as cork/rubber. Both these materials are water proof hence are durable even in water.

2)Water being contaminated overtime.

This is quite a common problem. The water in reservoir at the bottom gets pumped at the top and drops down because of gravity again in the reservoir. The only loss of water is because of evaporation. The water can become unclean because of growth of algae. If the water doesn’t contain any living creatures such as fish or turtles etc. then adding little chlorine bleach to the water has shown good results with some people.

While selecting the pump for the fountain you must take care to see how much water it can lift per hour. For smaller pump this number varies from 200 to 500 liters/hour. Normally the pump which has been designed to run in water should NEVER be run dry or can get damaged.

A good water pump will also have the capacity to control the amount of water flow flowing out at the top. Depending upon the amount of water flowing out, the beauty of fountain will change. For example do you want a water fall type of fountain or a water curtain or small droplets of water like in rain. This final appearance will decide the amount of water that should flow and the pump should have that kind of mechanism to keep it in control.

The environment through which water flows can have infinite shapes and sizes. Actually sky is the limit to design the kind of environment through which the water will flow. Ceramic is a very creative and commonly used material for constructing fully water bearable environment.

I hope you have enjoyed this text…

Copyright Shrinivas Vaidya

Interested in an indoor fountain? Visit Shrinivas Vaidy’a bedroom decorating uperstore (in association with Amazon.com) to get some great deals on bedroom decorating products to pamper your home.

If you are looking for a unique, decorative heat source for your home, you might want to consider a gas fireplace stove. Gas fireplace stoves are free-standing units that can be used in most any room of your house. With their old-fashioned shape and styling, they add a bit of country charm to any décor. If rustic isn’t your style, that’s okay, too—these stoves are also available in contemporary or traditional looks. Gas stoves are available in any color and can match any decorating scheme.

Aside from their looks, gas fireplace stoves have practical advantages, as well. For instance, they help you save money on your electric bill. Since they are fully gas-powered, they can still operate even if you lose your electricity do to a power outage.

Gas fireplace stoves are available in different venting options: direct vent, natural vent, or vent free. To a certain degree, your choice will be dictated by your home. For example, direct vent stoves can be used when you do not have an existing chimney. According to the Vermont Castings website, “The sealed combustion units draw outside air in without using a chimney or flue. You can install these units in almost any room in your house.”

If you do have a chimney, you should use a natural vent gas fireplace stove. They will vent directly through the existing chimney.

Vent free stoves do not require a chimney, but they also use no venting. This means that some of the burnt gas will circulate in your home. Before purchasing a vent free stove, check local and state ordinances to find out if they are legal in your area. If you do decide to buy a vent free model, follow installation and use instructions carefully.

Gas Fireplaces Info provides detailed information about ventless, outdoor, corner, and natural gas fireplaces, and gas fireplace stoves, as well as gas fireplace inserts, logs, and more. Gas Fireplaces Info is the sister site of Fireplace Mantels Web.

Powder room ideas can help you create perfect powder room designs. Another name for a powder room is the ‘half bathroom’ or the ‘guest bath’.

The purpose of a powder room is to provide a place to groom while main bathrooms are being used in busy morning and evening times. And the powder room can function as a bathroom for guests so they do not have to use your main bathrooms. The most basic powder room designs include faucets, a toilet and a sink and mirror. Powder room ideas could include using a pedestal sink, a small corner-mounted sink or small sink/vanity with a mirror over the sink or vanity.

If your powder room will only be used occasionally, you do not have to be quite so concerned about the durability of the fixtures as in the bathrooms that are used frequently. You can pay more attention to the powder room’s appearance, using more elaborate fixtures. You’ll definitely want the powder room to reflect the architectural style of your home. You would not want to have a Victorian home with a contemporary powder room, for example.

Here are five powder room ideas to consider for powder room designs:

1. Powder Room Designs and Square Footage - common dimensions of small powder rooms are 3×6, 4×4 and 4×5 feet, the size of a smaller closet or laundry area. You can easily find small bathroom fixtures designed for these sizes of powder rooms. Powder room sizes should be proportional to the square footage of your house. If your home is large, you may want to build your powder room with one or two sinks, more countertop space, tub/shower and ample storage space. Powder rooms designs with dimensions of 5×7, 5×9 or 6×8 are still modest, but they will provide you more room for storage and grooming supplies.

2. Locate the Powder Room Near an Existing Bathroom - another of the powder room ideas is to locate the new powder room near an existing bathroom. If your home has different floor levels, stack the bathrooms one over the other. This way, you will be using the same plumbing lines for both of the rooms which will save considerably.

3. Budget for Good Lighting - use both artificial and natural lighting if possible to avoid shadowy corners. A small powder room should have wall sconces, task lighting for applying makeup, general lighting and a larger well-lit mirror. If there’s no window, consider adding a wall skylight or a roof skylight to allow natural light into the powder room.

4. Be Careful When Mixing Materials and Textures - small powder rooms should not have a lot of materials and textures as it can become overwhelming. Use light colors and surfaces to make a small powder room appear more open and larger. Avoid frilly curtains. Use light colors, small tiles and simple patterns to help your powder room appear more spacious.

5. Use Mirrors to Enlarge the Room - using mirrors along the walls can be an attractive way to widen the powder room. Mirrors will create a sense of openness in the room, making the space appear larger than it actually is. Mirrors will also enhance the lighting in the room because of the reflecting capability of mirrors.

If you decide to sell your home, adding a powder room can be a good investment as potential buyers will enjoy buying a home with ample bathrooms for their family and guests.

Planning is the most important part of powder room designs before you actually begin the work. Try to get a clear picture of your powder room design and look. Keep all your powder room ideas in a notebook as you accumulate them. Look at bathroom books and magazines, visit showrooms and show homes and search online for powder room ideas that you like. Above all, have fun as you create the powder room design that will provide you with a very special room to enjoy for many years to come.

Copyright 2006 InfoSearch Publishing

See examples of powder room products available online and read more about bathroom layout, lighting, storage, bathroom vanities, small bathrooms, childrens bathrooms and more. Olinda Rola is President of InfoSearch Publishing and webmaster of http://www.yourdreamloghome.com - a popular website for those who love homes.

Many people long for a simpler time, for hours spent with the family, happy just to be together. People long for a quieter time as well, time to sit and think and read, time to be. Somehow, for many people a fireplace represents all of those things and more. A fireplace evokes a feeling of home, family, security, and warmth. People imagine their family and friends gathered around a fireplace, smiling and laughing.

Despite this, most people just do not have the time or the patience to maintain a wood-burning fireplace. That involves chopping or buying wood, storing wood, and starting the fire. Long after the fire is just a distant memory, you still have the ash and soot to clean up. Most people just don’t have the time, patience, energy, or desire for all of that work. That’s where natural gas fireplaces come in.

Natural gas fireplaces are available in styles ranging from traditional to contemporary. They can be found in a wide variety of colors, such as cherry, mahogany, oak, pine, white, antique white, black, and designer colors. Some natural gas fireplaces are used primarily for decoration, although they do produce a small amount of heat. Others, though, can be used as a primary heat source.

Fireplaces are available as direct vent, which must be installed near a gas line and vent through the wall behind the fireplace. Direct vent fireplaces do not require a chimney. Natural vented fireplaces must also be installed near a gas line and they are vented through the roof. Ventless or vent free natural gas fireplaces can be installed most anywhere as they do not require venting. You must be careful in buying a ventless fireplace, though, because they are illegal in some areas and have specific rules in others. If you do decide to purchase a ventless natural gas fireplace, you must follow precautions to prevent dangerous gases circulating throughout the home.

Gas Fireplaces Info provides detailed information about ventless, outdoor, corner, and natural gas fireplaces, and gas fireplace stoves, as well as gas fireplace inserts, logs, and more. Gas Fireplaces Info is the sister site of Fireplace Mantels Web.

4 techniques to highlight the color of your furnishings, artwork, plants, wall hangings, and wall textures.

1) Silhouetting: Place a floor spotlight with a broad-beamed bulb behind a sculpture or plant, one foot from the wall pointing straight up on the wall. This provides backlighting for a silhouette effect, particularly effective on bronze sculptures, bonsai, and dense plants.

2) Shadowing: Place a plant light inside the plant just behind the trunk pointing straight up to throw leafy shadows on the ceiling or put the light 3’ in front of the foliage to see shadows on the wall. This uplighting technique is most effective with sparsely foliated plants and unique branching patterns.

3) Moonlighting: This effect is achieved using recessed lights in the ceiling with soft incandescent reflector bulbs shining down through plant leaves sprinkling shadow patterns on the walls or floor. Incandescent lighting (regular household bulbs and PAR bulbs) brings out reds and yellows while halogen lighting (PAR bulbs) will intensify blues and purples.

4) Grazing: This technique is used to bring out the texture of an interesting wall such as stone, silk, or flocked wallpaper. Place the light source 2-3 inches from the wall surface, pointing straight up. A series or floor uplights can create a “scallop” effect along the wall.

©Shades of Light 2005

Ashton Harrison has a bachelor of science degree from UVA and a masters in business administration from the University of Richmond. Ashton was the V.P. of Operations for This End Up Furniture before opening the first Shades of Light retail store in 1986. She started Shades of Light national catalog operation in 1995 and launched the Shades of Light web site in 1997. Shades of Light specializes in the highest quality lighting, lamp shades, chandeliers, rugs, and curtains for every lifestyle. For more information please visit the Shades of Light web site and sign up for a free indoor lighting catalog.

A fireplace is a beautiful addition to any room. It adds warmth, style, and focus. You can build the entire room’s decor around a beautiful fireplace. If you are not lucky enough to already own a fireplace, that’s okay. You can buy a gas fireplace and install it in your home.

What if you only have a small space for a fireplace? Or, what if your room is oddly shaped? That’s okay, too, as today’s fireplaces are available in varying sizes to accommodate different room sizes and different budgets. Corner gas fireplaces are also available if space is limited. These fireplaces are exactly like their traditional counterparts, except their shape easily lends itself to placement in the corner of the room.

Corner gas fireplaces are available in direct vent, vent free, or natural vent. They are available in a variety of styles, such as traditional, modern, and country. They are available with wooden mantles in cherry, oak, pine, mahogany, white, and antique white.

The following is just a sampling of the many stores offering corner gas fireplaces. Stacks and Stacks offers nice deals, such as two ventless corner gas fireplaces for $450 each. Shop.com offers several portable ventless corner gas fireplaces, ranging in price from $450 to $650. JC Penney offers the Charleston Corner Fireplace, a compact portable unit that is meant to be decorative. Home Click offers the Malm Carousel Freestanding Gas Fireplace. This unusual unit is round and see-through and can be used in any part of a room, including the corner. Made of porcelain, it is available in 16 different colors. This unit requires a chimney, and costs $3,465.

Gas Fireplaces Info provides detailed information about ventless, outdoor, corner, and natural gas fireplaces, and gas fireplace stoves, as well as gas fireplace inserts, logs, and more. Gas Fireplaces Info is the sister site of Fireplace Mantels Web.

If you have recently begun a career in interior design, you should be very excited to be entering such an exciting field. You’ll find that you’ll earn a lucrative income but the rates of pay can vary significantly. Even an entry-level design position can provide an income that you will be proud of!

By being an assistant interior designer, you can expect to earn as much as $20 per hour with the right design firm. Once you become a certified interior designer, your income will increase to $50,000 or more. The most lucrative income is as a partner in an interior design firm where you can earn in the $100,000 and up range.

Most interior designers just entering the business will find that initially clients have to be sought out and convinced that you are the right person for the job. Don’t be discouraged! There is a great deal of competition in the field but you will begin to land clients and the more references you provide, the easier contracting new clients becomes.

When the exciting time comes, you obtained a customer, don’t fall into the trap of always trying to always bid the lowest. Sometimes interior design clients feel that a bid that is too low is a sign of poor work. They will comparison shop and you want to bid reasonably.

One way to win the client is to offer a good bid with the incentive that you will be glad to accept the job at slightly lower than the lowest bid they can obtain in writing. This can be the key to winning your first few clients and building your reputation.

Marketing your services is a key to obtaining clients. First, you must have business cards, a professional portfolio that contains samples of your work available. You can then offer your services through a kiosk at your local mall or find a furniture shop interesting in showcasing your services as an incentive to customers to purchase.

Also, starting your own business requires additional steps and expenses. You’ll need to obtain a business number and registration so that you can conduct business. There may be other requirements as well. Look in the telephone book under Government Listing or call your local accounting firm. They will point you in the right direction and tell you what steps must be taken.

Another great marketing tool is to join the local Chamber of Commerce or other local organization that provides networking opportunities. Trade shows are another means of marketing affordably. Also, a portfolio will be valuable tool. The portfolio will also contain the files of letters of references. Having references will show that your work is professional and satisfactory. Also, you may want to include some references from your friends and family as well as your instructors from school.

With hard work and dedication, you’ll find yourself in-demand and sought out by clients after a short time. Just remember in the early days that you do have a great future ahead of you. You can be a success in interior design!

Valentine Campos makes it simple to learn about interior design with must have articles, reviews, newsletters. To claim your free report that will provide you tips and unique interior ideas, visit http://www.beaninteriordesigner.com.

Imagine that you are sitting in your backyard on a cool, breezy night. You’re sipping hot tea and looking at the stars. The sound of crickets chirping and frogs croaking is nature’s symphony. The scent of jasmine is in the air. It’s the perfect night—almost. It is a tad cold, the air a bit too nippy. If only there was a way to heat your outdoor space the way you do your home. Thanks to outdoor gas fireplaces, you can.

Outdoor gas fireplaces can range from rustic simplicity to elegant extravagance. They can be free-standing or built-in structures. A built-in fireplace can be the centerpiece of an elaborate outdoor living area. These fireplaces are designed by landscape architects or designers. Some are built by pool and spa professionals. Made of bricks and mortar, they can feature any design elements you might desire. They can be a part of an outdoor kitchen or near the pool. Many people are using outdoor gas fireplaces to make their pools and hot tubs more useful year-round. In cool months, they can sit on the deck and enjoy hot chocolate and roasted marshmallows by the fire. Others create an elaborate backyard oasis, complete with palm trees and veranda—with the fireplace an intricate part of the design.

On the flip side are the smaller, less expensive portable models. Pacific Products, for example, offers a portable outdoor gas fireplace. This lightweight fireplace can be easily transported on camping trips, to tailgate parties, or simply to your backyard deck.

Chimineas are another form of outdoor fireplaces. While these are not technically gas fireplaces, some can use natural gas inserts.

Target and Sears both offer a selection of low-cost outdoor fireplaces. These are small, portable models. You might also want to check your local retail, department, and garden supplies stores.

Montigo is another source for outdoor gas fireplaces. An internet search for “outdoor gas fireplace” will uncover even more resources.

Gas Fireplaces Info provides detailed information about ventless, outdoor, corner, and natural gas fireplaces, and gas fireplace stoves, as well as gas fireplace inserts, logs, and more. Gas Fireplaces Info is the sister site of Fireplace Mantels Web.