Small Bathroom Ideas - Making Small Bathrooms Feel Spacious

Most of the time a tiny bathroom is not your main bathroom, and least you hope not, b1C3But an extra bathroom that is located elsewhere in the home. Many times this bathroom is located in the interior of the home, which makes it not only cramped, but dark as well. Even in these situations there are small bathroom ideas that you can use to make the most out of the room.

If you are considering completely rearranging everything even the larger fixtures in the room, you probably will want to consult an architect or a designer to help you since it will involve moving electrical wiring and plumbing connections. Together, you can sit down and go over the options that are available to you in order to see if there is a way that you can update the room to include a larger bathtub or a stand-alone deluxe shower stall. Sometimes it is feasible that a wall can be knocked out or moved in order to add needed space.

If major renovation is not possible, there are still many tips and ideas that you may be able to utilize in order to give the appearance of a bigger room. First, consider the bathroom door. Can it be changed to swing in the other direction? That alone may lessen the feeling of claustrophobia. Or you may wish to consider changing it to a sliding door or even bifold closet doors in order to save some space. In most bathrooms the vanity cupboard and sink take up a lot of space. You may wish to replace this with a stand-alone pedestal sink, which will increase the look and feel of the room and make it seem less cluttered. If you are worried that you will be losing storage space, consider hanging wall units, shelving or hanging baskets to hold supplies. The more floor space that you can see will make the room seem bigger.

When incorporating small bathroom ideas it is very important to decorate with lighter colors that makes the room feel brighter and even bigger than it really is. Always be liberal in your use of mirrors, as they tend to increase the look and achieve the illusion of a bigger room. The type of lighting that you choose will also make the difference between a dark and dreary room and a light and cheery one. If there is no way to add a window or even a skylight to the room, consider your choice of illumination. Incandescent or fluorescent lighting will achieve completely different looks.

Having a small bathroom is not necessarily a bad thing. It is a smaller space to renovate and decorating it can be a breeze. Use these small bathroom ideas to create a room that feels less like a closet and more like an enjoyable getaway location.

For additional inspiration and ideas for remodeling your bathroom try visiting http://remodelingabathroomguide.com, a popular bathroom remodeling website that includes information on how remodeling planner software can catch problems before the remodeling job begins.

Heat Your Living Space with A Trombe Wall, Water Wall, or Roof Pond

Indirect solar gain is one of three methods of passive solar heating, in addition to isolated and direct gain. When solar heat is collected in one area and transferred to another through the process of convection, this is the indirect method.

Here's a rundown of how it works. As with most passive solar heating systems that don't require the use of mechanical pumps or fans, heat is invited indoors through a series of south-facing windows. It is then absorbed through building materials with thermal mass, or the natural capacity to absorb heat. These materials include masonry walls or floors. When placed in a container, water can be even more effective than masonry or concrete in that it exchanges heat more quickly. Water walls and roof ponds are examples of how water containers can be used for indirect solar gain. These are described below.

Indirect solar gain uses the same strategies of heat absorption and convection as direct gain. With direct gain systems, however, the living space itself acts as a solar collector. Indirect solar gain places the heat collection system outside the living space, such as between the south-facing windows and the living spaces. A Trombe wall, for instance, is commonly located in this space. This wall, made of 8- to 16-inch masonry, with a frontal glass layer, absorbs heat from the sun from the late morning to the early evening. At night, all the warm air it generates begins to travel through the wall and into the living space. It also travels out of the air space between the wall and window through built-in vents. Trombe walls have no moving parts and require no maintenance or on-going costs, making them a popular alternative to active solar heating systems.

Water walls can be located in the same area as the Trombe wall, but the term can also apply to water containers in other building configurations. Along the wall, the water is stored in a container, which can be accented or hidden completely. Roof ponds are located on flat roofs, heating water that warms the room directly beneath the roof pond during the colder evening hours.

Renee Rutledge has interviewed many of the country's' finest solar professionals for CalFinder. Read her exclusive interviews and find solar contractors near you.

Hire Home Remodeling Contractor for Best Home Aesthetics Results

Give a new lease of life to your home with home remodeling. While home improvement has more to do with general repairs, home remodeling concerns itself with giving a whole new look to your home exteriors as well as interiors. Moreover, home remodeling is the best way to keep pace with the home dcor trends and leverage the market value of your home. However, home remodeling is something that does not very often, so one has to ensure that he sets everything right in the beginning itself.

Your home remodeling can include the remodeling contract of your entire home or of specific areas such as kitchen, bathroom, fireplace, etc. Else you can also get specialized home modeling jobs such as plumbing, roofing, and flooring done to just add subtle changes to your home dcor without letting then weigh too much on your budget.

You can hire services of a general contractor or specialized contractors for your home remodeling project. While a general contractor gives you advantage of wholesome service including all aspects of home remodeling, a specialized contractor has the advantage of more expertise in their area of work as compared to a general contractors. While choosing the type of contractor, carefully weigh you options in terms of budget, timeline and quality of work.

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For more details and tips visit http://www.allremodel.com

House Plan Renovation Ideas

There are hundreds of different and exciting home renovation ideas that are out there, it's definably worthwhile making sure that you know all about them. By knowing all of these renovation ideas you stand more of a chance of being able to do home renovation projects by yourself.

The Bathroom

We're going to start with one of the most important rooms in the house, the bathroom. Many people want to upgrade their bathroom, but it seems like such a complicated project nobody is sure where to start. The first thing that you need to do is look at your current bathroom. Work out the size and shape of it, and also work out how much you could afford to spend on doing it up.

You sho5B4uld also decide what you would like to achieve by doing this renovation project. If you think your bathroom is a bit on the small side then perhaps you could consider taking down walls to make it bigger. Of course this would require a bigger budget, and more skills.

You may be considering a much simpler project such as just changing the color or flooring in your bathroom. Even doing something this simple still requires a lot of thought; you need to make sure you will be happy with the complete outcome.

The Bedroom

You can have a lot more fun in the bedroom than the bathroom, and that's true for decorating too! Sorry I couldn't resist! Most people don't see your bedroom it's very personal for most people! This means you can do pretty much whatever you want in this room.

Saying this however, you do want some sort of theme throughout your bedroom. The best way to go about this is to decide on a color scheme. Chose a color that you really like, don't settle for one that you will get bored of after a while. If you already love your sheets then why not choose colors to complement this.

No matter what you are planning to do to renovate your home windows you should make sure that you do them right. For this to be the case you should really talk to a professional, ask them for some advice. This way you can be sure you're doing463 everything in the right order and you're doing it right. It's a good idea to make sure you know how to do everything before you start spending any money!

Guy Morris repeatedly edits news on news associated with locks. You can come across his contributions on locks and hurricane window over at http://www.replacement-windows-tips.com

Three Types of Lighting for Room Remodeling

When remodeling a room, choosing the correct lighting is one of the most important considerations. Proper lighting sets the atmosphere of the room, creates a particular mood, or provides accent to an architectural style. Lighting also accentuates the good aspects of a room or disguises a rooms shortcomings.

There are three main types of lighting, general, task, and accent. Each has its own specific uses, depending on a rooms needs.

General Lighting

General lighting is sometimes called ambient lighting, and is the foundation of any rooms lighting scheme. It is what provides the overall illumination of a room, enabling the occupants to be able to walk around the room easily and safely.

There are many types of general lighting, such as chandeliers, wall or ceiling fixtures, and recessed or track lighting.

Task Lighting

Task lighting allows a rooms occupants to perform specific activities such as writing, reading, dressing, or cooking, depending upon the room being addressed. There are a number of possibilities when it comes to task lighting, such as pendant lights, portable lamps, as well as recessed or track lighting.

The important consideration for task lighting is that it must be bright enough to prevent eyestrain without causing glare or distracting shadows.

Accent Lighting

Accent lighting is designed to add drama to a room through the creation of visual interest. It can be used to spotlight paintings, plants, sculptures, or to highlight an unusual wall texture or drapery. Accent lighting generally focuses at least three times as much light on the focal point as the general light in the room, and is usually provided by recessed, track, or wall mounted lighting.

Using the three types of light dramatically improves the overall look and feel of a room, and should be one of the most carefully considered parts of any remodeling plan.

(c) Copyright 2004, Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved.

Professor Jeanette Fisher, author of Doghouse to Dollhouse for Dollars, Joy to the Home, and other books teaches Real Estate Investing and Design Psychology. For more articles, tips, reports, newsletters, and sales flyer template, see http://www.doghousetodollhousefordollars.com/pages/5/index.htm

Create A Spa Atmosphere In Your Master Bathroom With Accents And Accessories

People spend time at spas in order to feel better when they leave than they did when they arrived. Whether the point of the spa visit is getting a much needed massage to reduce muscle tension brought on by injury or the stresses of daily life, getting a facial that leaves your skin glowing or getting a manicure that makes the skin 1110on your hands feel unbelievably soft as it makes your nails look gorgeous, all spa visits leave you feeling relaxed and happy.

Though you probably don't employ a massage therapist, aesthetician or manicurist in your home, you can still create the soothing spa atmosphere of peaceful relaxation and well being in your master bath using accessories and dcor accents instead of major renovations. The towel racks, mirrors, soaps and sundries you choose can make a world of difference.

Here are a few design tips to help you get started in creating a spa ambience in your home's bathroom:

Choose graceful towel racks big enough to hold body sheet type bath towels without looking crowded. Wrought iron towel racks with a shelf on the top are particularly nice as you can use the shelf to hold and display scented aromatherapy candles and potpourri that add to the spa feeling.

Don't hide bath necessities such as soaps and body lotions under the sink or in the medicine cabinet. Instead, unwrap soaps and store them in a large, pretty, clear glass jar.

Instead of merely folding clean towels and washcloths and tucking them away, roll them and store them in a large, flattish basket.

Use antiques to create charming storage: An old three-drawer chest or freestanding repurposed jam cupboard-especially when painted the same color as the bathroom walls can hold a lot of hair dryers, curlers, cosmetics and whatever else you need. The overall effect is supposed to be charismatic and personal.

Include some greenery to increase a sense of well being. A dark green plant looks great anywhere, and pictures of flowers and landscapes contribute additional notes of serenity. Ferns love steam and moisture and they thrive in a bathroom setting, as long as you have ample natural light to allow them to grow.

Use candles lavishly-nothing says "elegant spa" more than candles! Set candles of all sizes along the edges of your tub. Light them while bathing for a relaxing bath experience.

Listen carefully. Invest in a small CD player and several CDs of soft music and natural sounds such as gentle rain or ocean waves. Listening to soothing music while getting ready for work can help to start a day that runs smoothly; listening to soothing music during an evening bath can take the edge off one that didn't. Many specialty retailers sell "Spa Sounds" music on compact disc.

Use bath salts and body oils every day. Why deny yourself these pleasures except when you go to a day spa? You deserve the feel good benefits that scented bath salts, botanical bath soaks, body lotions and oils provide on an everyday basis, not just once in a while! Many spas now sell the same products you enjoy during spa treatments for home use as well, and buying them for home use will truly make you feel your bath is a luxurious spa!

As with any spa you visit, it is the personal touches and ambiance that make it special and memorable. The same rules apply in your own master bathroom. Choose items you love, and pieces of furniture that add to that spa feeling and you cannot go too far wrong.

Jessica Ackerman is the head author at Wall Dcor and Home Accents - visit to explore exceptional metal wall hangings and research modern wall candle sconces.

For more of her articles on EzineArticles.com, see this interesting article on how to decorate and maximize work space.

Jessica Ackerman is a popular contributor at http://www.walldecorandhomeaccents.com

Label the Electrical Panel

One of my pet peeves of contractors; more particularly, electricians has followed us in every single house we have lived in. Label the gosh darn on-off switches that are in the main electrical panel, will ya!

There is nothing more frustrating when one needs to turn the power off for a certain electrical outlet / light switch. You know what is going to happen, right?

The light switch you need to turn off the power will be the one that is the furthest away from the electrical panel. And, of course there is no label on any of the on-off switches which lead you to having to guess through trial and error, one switch box at a time, which one of them provides the power for the area of the house containing the light switch.

Why are the on-off switches in the electrical panel never labeled? Especially the one you want?

Are electricians lazy? Well, to be honest, that is very debatable. There are building codes and electrical codes and laws of physics which electricians need to adhere. But, none of those codes indicates that the wiring or rewiring16D0 job is not finished until the switch box is properly and accurately labeled. Or, do they?

So, today's waste of 1/2 an hour with a dozen trips up and down the stairs from one end of the house on the main floor to the electrical panel room at the opposite end of the house in the basement was not enjoyable. Of course, not all contractors, electricians and the like are plain lazy and do just enough to get paid and then leave. I am sure any electrical contractor you would use would never do that. It will always be your neighbor who encounters this situation, right? :-)

And, if you are the home owner, for gosh sakes, when you actually do find the on-off switch on the electrical panel that is the one you want, label it yourself! No, you will not remember the next time you need to find it again.

For more lessons learned from our own home renovation experiences, visit our blog, Daily Home Renovation Tips at the following resource link: http://DailyHomeRenoTips.com/