Decorating Ideas for Tiny Bathrooms

January 14, 2010

Tiny spaces are the most difficult to decorate. That is because they simply don’t have any room for frivolous pieces. This is especially true in environments like the bathroom, where every inch of space has to be turned to serve a functional purpose. Here you will have to use creativity and a discerning eye, to find niches where attractive items can be fit, while also turning more practical items into decorations themselves.

While all of the horizontal surfaces in a bathroom have to be dedicated to the business of personal hygiene, the vertical surfaces, namely the walls, are open for decorative purposes. Think of the walls as canvases for your artistic endeavors. Fill them with beautiful portraits, pictures, wall clocks, or posters. However do so with caution, a bathroom is a place of water, heat, and steam. Make certain that anything you place on the walls of this space is immune to damage from these effects.

Solid wrought iron wall hangings and hardwood pieces protected by a chemical finishing agent should be fine. You can also get posters or portraits with glass panel frameworks which can seal them away from moisture and heat damage. However due to the volatile nature of the air in here, it is best not to place expensive items, or irreplaceable pieces in here.

Aside from dressing the walls, there are many functional items which can be coordinated to create an attractive look in this space. Rugs will keep your feat warm on cold winter mornings. These can be purchased in colors designed to match the towels, wash clothes, and even the shower curtain of the space. By paying attention to style when choosing practical pieces, you can inject the room with beauty without taking up any space at all.

Toilet seat covers are a nice way to dress up what is an otherwise unseemly object, and coordinate it with the other colors in the room. Waste baskets are another unsavory item that can, nevertheless be used as part of your decorating tool kit.

You should also look to smaller items for color coordination. Boxes can be purchased for hand soaps, toothbrush holders can be matched to soap dishes, there are a million tiny ways you can add beauty to your everyday bathroom routines.

One of the best ways to increase the effectiveness of these efforts is to coordinate everything. If all of the colors of all of your accessories match up, the patterns complimenting one another then the room will take on a distinct personality that will be inherent in its bones.

If all else fails and you are still looking for ways to beautify this space, you may have to consider spending a little money, and switching out the inherent structures in the space. Depending on how elaborate you want to get, you can replace mirrors, bath and sink hardware, toilets, even your entire vanity in order to customize the look of the space. There are a variety of space saving designs which can be implemented quite effectively in a smaller bathroom setting.

A tiny bathroom can be a chore to decorate. You should use the walls effectively as canvases, and then try to create a decorative theme with the various practical accessories that you need in the bathroom anyways. In this way you can control the look and feel of even the smallest space.

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Efficient Ways to Heat Your Home

January 11, 2010

Right now heating costs remain steady. However there is always the threat of another economic shift driving the price of heating oil and gas through the roof. That is why you should take steps now, to ensure that your home is energy efficient, so that you get the full use out of every dollar you spend to keep the place toasty.

Not sure about where to start? Hire an expert to conduct an energy audit of your home. These experts will start by measuring the efficiency of your heat pump or furnace, and examine your homes interior, and exterior to see just where cold air is entering your home. Even if your home was built relatively recently, you may be surprised to find out about the number of ways you can save on heating costs.

Many homes have gaps between their stone foundations and wooden frameworks. These gaps can create an effect that is similar to leaving a window partially open in the middle of winter. To seal these cracks, use spray foam insulation, a very cheap fix to a very expensive problem. (You can buy this product for $5 to $10 a can at a local home improvement or hardware store.)

Similar gaps often exist between the roofing and wooden framework of your house. Sealing these can be a little trickier, especially if you have heating duct-work that runs through the attic or upper story of your house. You may also find small gaps between heating ducts, and fixing these may cost you around $20.

Replacing the furnace may also be necessary, although a good tune-up may suffice to get a few more years out of a newer model. Although this can be expensive, you’ll soon find yourself glad you did – and the energy tax breaks provided by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) may make this upgrade even more affordable!

If your hot water heater is more than 7-10 years old, consider replacing it. If it is a newer model, and is located in a cooler part of your house or an area that is frequently exposed to the cold, consider using an insulating jacket to keep the water hot while using less energy.

If your home is older, or has not been renovated, you may need to install energy-efficient windows and doors, or even renovate the exterior of your home to seal off the cold that has been draining your home’s furnace – and your bank account. This can be a lot more expensive than any other improvement we’ve suggested, but in the long run, the savings will be well worth your while.

Even if your heating costs are relatively low, take an afternoon to pinpoint areas of your house that have air leaks or use more energy than necessary. The extra savings will be well worth the hours you spend, and if you ever decide it’s time to sell your home, you’ll be very glad you did take the time for an energy audit! It’s a small price to pay for big savings.

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