The Increased Popularity of Granite Kitchen Countertops
October 10, 2008
The popularity of granite kitchen countertops has increased dramatically in recent years, with the media focus on kitchen remodeling and personal incomes rising. Originally the choice for granite countertops was limited to wealthy individuals. Today, homeowners of moderate means choose granite countertops for their durability as well as beauty. In addition to their utility and longevity, granite kitchen countertops are one of the few home improvements that maintain their value. Typically, any appliances, flooring or cabinetry decisions will only add about twenty-five percent of their retail value to the appraisal value of a home. In addition to long term value, the beauty and warmth of granite makes it an ideal material for aesthetic appeal among homeowners and interior designers.
The natural beauty of a granite kitchen countertop complements any style of cabinetry, from French country to the sleek lines of cosmopolitan styles. This ancient stone adds warmth and character to any kitchen, whether it’s a new build or a remodel. Granite is found world wide, and is available in hundreds of colors. Brown and beige tones are the most popular, as they work well with a variety of kitchen color schemes and offer a great deal of flexibility. Some granite colors exhibit “movement,” or a noticeable design within the color, while others have very small patterns. The combination of color and movement means that no two countertops look exactly alike.
Rug - Snug as a Bug!
October 8, 2008
Rugs are a great way to decoratively cover a floor. Whether you have carpet, tile or hardwood, a rug can protect your floor and add a designer’s touch to it! Since rugs are more interchangeable than the base flooring, you can change the rugs and change the whole look of a room. It’s a great way to vary your interior design.
My favorites are Persian rugs. I love the intricate designs. In fact, they are so pretty that I don’t always put them on the floor. Yes, there’s a big one in the living room and another runner in the hall, but my favorite is a small round multi-colored Persian rug in deep red tones that I hang on the wall in my bedroom. It’s always been just too beautiful to walk on. Cream-colored fringe on the edges hangs down so nicely from the rug!
Early American designs are a favorite of many. There are hooked rugs and shirred rugs and braided rugs. The hooked rugs, in particular, have very intricate designs with various scenes pictured on them. Shirred rag rugs are a creative use of strips of fabric sewn together in a coil or in rows. Everyone knows the traditional braided rugs. They are also coils, but these are made of braids. They can be one color or multi-colored. Look at Rugs Direct.com for some great examples of all three kinds, as well as others.
How to Install a Wood Stove
October 7, 2008
“There are a number of factors that must be taken into account when installing a wood stove. It is important to make sure that the stove is set on a proper type of flooring. Wood stoves must have a stovepipe or chimney that channels smoke or exhaust outside. Finally, wood stoves must be a safe distance from all walls made of combustible material. Wood stove installation is a complicated process. It is usually a good idea to hire a professional for wood stove installation.
The first step of wood stove installation is to find a proper place for the stove. It is vital that the stove is not placed on flammable or combustible material like carpet or hardwood. Materials like ceramic tile and concrete are much better options since they do not catch fire easily. The law states that the stove must be placed in an area with at least 12 inches of acceptable material surrounding all sides of the stove except for the side used to load the wood, which must extend for 18 inches. This insures that it will not be possible for any sparks to land on wood or carpet and start a fire.
A Guide to Wood Stove Inserts
October 5, 2008
A wood stove insert serves several purposes. First of all, they can keep heat from escaping through the fireplace. Wood stove inserts also raise the heating efficiency of the fireplace, allowing it to spread more heat to a wider area. Fireplaces with wood stove inserts are cleaner and easier to manage than open fireplaces.
Wood stove inserts fit mostly inside of the fireplace. They consist of a shell that lines the inside of the fireplace and a glass door that can close the fireplace as well. Wood stove inserts keep heat from escaping through the masonry of the fireplace. The lining provides and extra layer between the fire and the hearth that keeps the hot air in the house. The glass door can keep heat in the fireplace when the fireplace is in use or it can keep heat in the house when there is no fire present.
Wood stove inserts make fireplaces more heat efficient. They prevent heat loss through the masonry, allowing the heat to warm up the house. Many wood stove inserts have small, unobtrusive electric fans that blow the warm air out into the surrounding room rather than letting it stay in the hearth. The glass door that covers the fireplace opening can keep heat that is already in the house from escaping up the flue when the fireplace is not in use.
The Benefits of Wood Cook Stoves
October 3, 2008
Wood cook stoves have been used for hundreds of years. Before the advent of electricity, people cooked all of their food in wood cook stoves. Wood cook stoves are still used in many parts of the world, such as Central and South America. Some people still choose to use wood cook stoves to conserve energy or to get the great taste of food cooked over an open fire.
Wood cook stoves are large, elaborately designed structures. They need to include room for the wood, so they are bigger than gas or electric stoves. Wood cook stoves often look similar to conventional stoves. They have the oven at the bottom and cooking ranges on the top of the oven. Many wood cook stoves even have a hood area not unlike those found on conventional ovens that can be used for storage. Wood cook stoves are made of high quality cast iron for durability. Cast iron can with stand the heat produced by the fire and will not show external signs of wear and tear. The wood fire heats both the oven and the cooking ranges.
The Value of Antique Wood Stoves
October 1, 2008
Antique wood stoves provide decoration and can still be used for heating and cooking. Stoves from as long ago as the 1870’s are available for purchase in antique stores and over the Internet. Antique wood stoves are collector’s items that are very valuable to some people. They are also great additions to restored homes, hotels, or museums.
There are many different types of antique wood stoves available. Some of the most popular types are Victorian models and pot bellied stoves.
Victorian wood stoves are made of cast iron and feature a wood-burning oven. They were often used for cooking and were usually kept in the kitchen. They are often large and rectangular; some have shelves and ledges above the oven that are used for storage. Victorian wood stoves are often elaborately decorated, with silver and gold inlays complimenting the iron body.
Pot belly wood stoves are shorter, squatter and smaller, and can be distinguished by their barrel-shaped body. Pot belly stoves have a round oven in the center of the body. These stoves are usually less elaborate than Victorian stoves, but they are still decorated with engravings and designs.
The Benefits of Outdoor Wood Stoves
September 30, 2008
Outdoor wood stoves use renewable energy, are less expensive than many other heating systems, and are safer than indoor wood stoves.
Outdoor wood stoves create heat by pumping water heated by the wood fire into the house through underground pipes. Once the hot water is inside the home, it is used in conjunction with the house’s internal heating system to heat the home. Outdoor wood stoves are compatible with most home heating systems, including forced air furnaces, radiant floor heating systems, radiant baseboard systems, and others. An indoor thermostat can control the temperature of the heat.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that people use wood burning as a heat source whenever possible. Unlike fuels such as gasoline and coal, wood is a renewable resource. Wood fires are better for the environment because they do not produce excessive amounts of carbon dioxide like other fuels do. Large, unnatural amounts of carbon dioxide are believed to be responsible for the so-called greenhouse effect that is thought to cause global warming. Wood burns cleaner and is less expensive than other fuels as well.
The Benefits of Wood-Pellet Stoves
September 28, 2008
Wood-pellet stoves were invented in the 1980’s and have gained in popularity in the last few years. These are small electric stoves that burn small pieces of recycled sawdust that are compressed into pellets. There are a number of advantages to using wood-pellet stoves. They are extremely efficient, produce very little waste, and use inexpensive fuel.
Wood-pellet stoves are fueled by tightly compressed pieces of sawdust. They have complicated machinery that adds new pellets to the fire when more fuel is needed. The user merely has to add the pellets to the hopper, and the mechanical auger moves pellets to the fire as needed.
Wood-pellet stoves have average efficiency ratings of 80- to 85-percent. They heat more efficiently than bigger and more expensive gas heaters. These stoves have negative pressure systems that propel the hot air they produced outward, making the heat go farther than it would naturally. The pellets are burned so completely that they hardly give off any smoke, meaning that it is not necessary to build a large chimney to channel smoke out of the home. Wood-pellet stoves only need a small pipe leading outside to dispose of excess smoke.
An Introduction to Wood Stoves
September 26, 2008
Wood stoves are like small fireplaces. They are inexpensive and can be built into a home or added later. Wood-burning stoves are great for either decoration or for home heating. These small cast-iron stoves have been used around the world for hundreds of years, providing aesthetic beauty and practical warmth wherever they are used. There are a number of advantages to wood stoves. They look great, are safe, can effectively heat an entire house, and are ecologically responsible.
There are countless designs for wood furnaces. Many of them are small, free standing structures with long, iron legs and elaborately designed bodies, featuring engravings and ornamentation. The wood stoves have a pipe that can either go through the ceiling or through a wall to expel any unwanted smoke. Wood stoves can be a great addition to a living room or den.
Wood stoves are much safer than many fireplaces, cooking stoves, or heaters that use gas. There is no danger of leaving the gas on and breathing deadly fumes or of starting a fire by lighting a match and igniting gas in the air. Wood stoves are easy to extinguish when they are not in use, and the smoke goes through a pipe outside the house so that people inside do not have to breathe it. Wood stoves are sturdy enough so that they will not tip over and set the house on fire.
Wine Rack Kits and Plans
September 24, 2008
Properly storing wine keeps flavor and lets wine age so that you can taste its evolving, complex flavor. Buying a wine rack, however, can be pricey, especially for someone who is more interested in developing a robust wine collection, not decorating.
Before you begin construction, plan where you will put the wine rack. Storing the wine in the right environment is crucial to its flavor. Always store wine in a cool, dark, and slightly humid area. Never store wine in the sun or in the heat. It will cook the wine and ruin its flavor. Keep the temperature between 50 and 59 degrees Fahrenheit. Store the wine on its side so it keeps the cork moist.
Wine rack kits let you grow your wine collection piece by piece. Wall-mounted wine racks let you store nine to 36 bottles on one shelf. Wall-mounted metal wine racks make it easy to see the label of each bottle. Expect to pay between $50 and $100 for each shelf. Don’t be afraid to ask the retailer for a discount if you buy many shelves at once. You can also buy matching wine islands so that you can store wine and have a tabletop in your wine cellar. Look online for the best selection.
