If you want a relaxing environment, then neutral colors and rich textures are the key. Pick sage green, or tan as a base and go with that. If you like grays you can even use a palette of gray, although this color can be kind of cold. Pick a color that you can use on both the walls and floors as it is desirable to make them the same color. Take your cue from nature and use colors that you might find in a soothing setting outdoors.

You’ll want to accent the room with plants, soothing waterfall bowls and candles to complete the look and feel. Perhaps a meditation mat in front of a candle fireplace?

Choose plain furniture for your Zen bedroom - if your current furniture is old and distracting and you don‘t want to buy new, paint it a neutral color that goes with your color scheme. Think about adding some Japanese paper panels in front of any pieces that detract. If your old furniture just won’t suit the room but you are on a limited budget, shop around at your local consignment store for pieces that match. You may have to go every day but sooner or later that perfect set is bound to show up!

You want your Zen bedroom design to have a monochromatic look with different shades of the same color, but you an add some punch with a complimentary accent color which you can spread around in pillows, wall art and vases in a few places around the room (not too much).

The window treatments should be light and flowing - simple sheers in white that flow down to the floor would work. Lighting should be calming and not distracting - something with clean square lines and very simple.

Now if you are thinking your Zen bedroom is going to be looking pretty plain, you can use your bedding to add some interest. You want to keep with a monochromatic look to the bedding, but you can make it stick out by using layers of color that are a subtle shade off and rich quality fabrics. Try some sheets or a comforter that has a design embroidered or embossed in the same color as the fabric. Add interest by using materials with a nice texture - crisp cotton, soft velvet or dupioni silk can add interest and be soothing to the touch and comfy to relax in!

Accents are what make a room unique so your Zen bedroom deserves some relaxing accessories. Not too many though as you want to avoid clutter. How about a soothing tabletop waterfall or some aromatherapy candles? You can buy structures that hold candles in sort of a pyramid and create a faux fireplace with candles as the feature. Or maybe you want a mini Zen garden? Use a small coffee table and put a sand garden with mini rake on top. A shoji screen can work to divide the room or add a nice accent to a corner - you can make them yourself using rice paper and wood.

Lee Dobbins writes for several decorating sites including bedroom-designs-and-decorations.com bedroom-designs-and-decorations.com where you get get even more bedroom-designs-and-decorations.com/bedroom-design-ideas.html bedroom design ideas.

It is easy for a person to get caught up in choosing the adjustable bed base and neglect the mattress surface. The sleep surface is as important as the base. Go to the stores that offer adjustable beds and try out a few different mattresses on several different beds. Some of the types available to consider are airbeds, memory foam, coil, or a coil-foam combination. It is important to know that most adjustable bases fold in two places. This means that your mattress should be able to bend in three places. Not all mattresses are flexible enough to give the benefits of having an adjustable bed so be sure to try out different mattresses with the base.

The most popular and reliable bases are manufactured by Leggett and Platt. If you are considering other brands, there are a number of items of quality that you should look for. It is important to choose a base that is made from thick steel so that it won’t be prone to bending and distorting. The rollers should be made of nylon instead of wood or metal. Materials other than nylon have been known to produce a lot of friction, wear and noise.

Some bases come completely or partially assembled and some not assembled at all. Make sure to ask the dealer about the assembly of your adjustable bed base before you purchase it. If you don’t want to have to sift through unrecognizable pieces and tools, it is probably best that you find a base that involves minimal assembly.

It is important to select a bed that offers a good warranty. A comprehensive 20 year warranty is common and should include a full 1 year warranty. If the bed is going to have problems, they will likely occur within the first 3-6 months. Be sure to have the warranty in writing before you purchase the bed.

The last thing to consider in your search for the perfect adjustable bed is the visual appeal. You don’t have to buy a bed that looks like a hospital bed because they are now designed to look like conventional beds. You can find adjustable beds that have a decorative fabric covering that conceals the mechanisms.

It is not that hard to find a comfortable and attractive adjustable bed if you consider the mattress surface and the bed base. It is best that you invest in a reputable company that offers a strong warranty and the visual appeal that you desire. If you take all of this into consideration, you are certain to find an adjustable bed that is just right for you.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to adjustable-beds-guide.com/ Adjustable Beds

The profit or loss margin on a tangible item is much easier to calculate than on a service performed. We all know that if we go to a store and a bottle of soda costs us three dollars, we’re getting ripped off. However, if we get a bid from a contractor to replace a floor, for example, most of us have no idea what a fair price is.

Contractors rely on this ignorance and they constantly overcharge homeowners on labor performed. As a matter of fact, they are setting new standards for labor costs just by being dishonest. As consumers, we pay a certain amount for things, but if a product rises sharply in price, we notice and complain about it. If that product stays at a high price long enough, the consumers gradually accept it and stop complaining about it.

This is true not only in the housing industry, but in all industries as well. Think about how much we pay for insurance. An insurance agent has a profit margin that depends entirely on overcharging customers. As in all businesses, this is a very undefined area, so business people just charge according to how much people will pay. Many business owners believe that if a customer will willingly pay the price, then it’s a fair price.

In our modern world of easy finance, consumers are so quick to buy homes, that they aren’t paying any attention to rising labor costs that are ridiculous. They only see a monthly payment amount that they can or cannot comfortably pay.

So, in response to the question, “are contractors crooks?” The answer is absolutely. On average most contractors overcharge their clients. But this is true in almost every aspect of the business world.

The way we can make sure we aren’t getting overcharged from contractors is by doing all the work ourselves. It’s the best way to save well over half the cost of the home. I help people do this all the time.

There are many books and websites that make the claim that homeowners can save around forty percent on labor costs by being their own General Contractors and hiring sub-contractors to do the work. I have never seen this successfully work in all my years of building homes.

The problem is that if the homeowner isn’t well versed in contractor job costing, he or she will probably be taken advantage of by sub-contractors. The subs will steal the homeowner’s equity by over-bidding labor costs and usually materials as well.

Once the homes are finished, the homeowners that do the entire general contracting themselves are usually disappointed with the results in terms of money saved on labor costs. Best-case scenarios that I’ve seen, the homeowner has saved up to twenty percent, but that is rare. In the worst cases, I have seen the subs steal so much equity that the homeowner has to borrow more money to finish the home. That’s unfortunate because a great deal of time is involved in being a general contractor and if you have done a lot of work without a payoff, the whole event will be a big negative in your life.

I have recently seen several over budget projects from homeowners who have bought a book or certain house plans that have made ridiculous claims to save construction costs by doing all your own general contracting. The books raise false hopes. The authors of these books are usually one-time homebuilders that have a list of do’s and don’ts.

The problem is that if the authors of those books have made costly mistakes as general contractors, their own plan didn’t work for them either. They always say, “Avoid costly mistakes” but new homeowners that lack experience are going to make many costly mistakes no matter what.

The real damage done in these cases is not the wasted money on the book or plan, but the wasted time and money on the part of gullible homeowners.

That’s why I believe that do-it-yourself homebuilders need to literally do-it-themselves. If they are doing all their own labor, they won’t get ripped-off. The price of materials will be the only numbers they have to worry about.

Building a house by yourself is definitely not for everybody though. I truly believe that we as humans are self-defeating and self under-estimating. We can do just about anything we believe in, but therein lies the problem. Once we stop believing in ourselves, we find limits where they shouldn’t exist.

Building our own homes strengthens our self-esteem. Once we start tearing down boundaries and limitations in our lives, the momentum keeps going and helps us become successful in other aspects of life.

Larry Angell is the author of Sweat Equity, building a house at half cost. He runs an instructional website about how to build homes that are strong financial tools, not financial burdens. He counsels low-income families how to obtain affordable housing and reach goals of home ownership.

make-my-own-house.com www.make-my-own-house.com

Ready to Assemble cabinets have the same quality of material and hardware components as pre made, or custom cabinets and look identical to the kitchen cabinets you see on a showroom floor at your home improvement center.

These cabinets come in a wide selection of designs from contemporary to rustic and more in between with choice of color finish. You can even choose the type of drawer guides and pulls, or knobs you prefer to match your decor or taste.

Advantages of Ready To Assemble Kitchen Cabinets

A) Home owners can save money by eliminating the manufactures cost of assembling the kitchen cabinets and pass those savings directly to you the home owner.

B) Ready to assemble cabinets are less expensive to ship from the factory to you because the packages are smaller and compact allowing a better shipping rate from shipping companies.

Ready to assemble cabinets come with all the parts to assemble the cabinets with easy to follow directions and all you need are minimal tools like a hammer and screw driver for assembly.

Purchasing a set of ready to assemble kitchen cabinets online could not be any easier and there designers are there to help you every step of the way from laying out your kitchen, ordering the right cabinets and components to assure all the proper parts are delivered to your satisfaction and ready to assemble for a perfect installation.

A new set of ready to assemble kitchen cabinets can increase the value of your home and the usability of your kitchen while providing the do it yourselfer with sense of pride and satisfaction of a job well done.

More information on homeimprovementhandyman.com Ready To Assemble Kitchen Cabinets can be seen on our website in the Interior Home Improvement section.

Chet Holcomb of homeimprovementhandyman.com Home Improvement Handyman is a experienced carpenter and contractor with many years doing home repair and specializing in cabinetry and considered an expert in the field of home improvement.

Adding floor accents will not only transform a plain floor, but they may even screen or camouflage damaged areas of your floor. While carpeting and decorative rugs are always an option, the subsequent ideas here are specific to your actual floor. No matter what kind of floor you have from wood to cement, there are many design possibilities to give your floor an overhaul in appearance. From designs that incorporate the entire floor to small accents that border your floor, there are many possibilities to consider.

If you were not able to install the expensive parquet floor you had your heart set on at the time you opted for a plain wood floor—you have the creative option of stenciling a faux parquet floor that is not only inexpensive, but utterly realistic and charming. Using various shades of stain a simple design of diamonds and squares would work best on a newly sanded raw wood floor, but it may be beautifully employed on a stained wood floor. Rather than stenciling with paint, you stencil with waterbased stains and may finish however you choose. This design makes a great border for any room, but especially in a formal living or dining room.

This same type of stenciling also works well to create an interesting center point for your flooring or to enhance a special table. Variations on the design could include checkerboard, leaf or floral patterns. Paint may be employed to great effect but it will not provide the look of a parquet floor. Many crafters prefer stamps and these could be used in place of stencils for a similar look.

If you like the look of paint, there are many ways to use it on your floor from single colors that cover the entire floor to patterns that border the floor to designs that are randomly interspersed. Consider a garland motif that rings your living room floor like a wreath or a fun colorful floor of stripes for a children’s playroom. You may even opt for a painted floor to resemble a tiled floor—black and white squares throughout the kitchen perhaps. Of course, paint is also great for a staircase and designs that are very formal to country rustic abound.

Stencils also work great for outdoor flooring like patios and decks. A wood burning tool and some outdoor paint will work magic to spice up your wood flooring. Consider wood burned leaves strewn about your deck and painted with an iridescent green paint. Also, a lilac border is simple to create and will give your flooring a bit of lovely lavender color to perhaps match your deck furniture cushions.

If you are afraid to transform your floor permanently, consider buying flooring remnants or rolls of vinyl to decorate and lay on top of a section of your existing flooring where it can be appreciated as a focal point. Can’t afford an Oriental rug? Try painting or employing decoupage to a piece of vinyl for the look without the high price. Of course, the value is simply a bonus; these methods are lovely in and of themselves and consulting with a professional artist in your area may even prompt you to design an elaborate floor mural.

To find patterns that you like, scour art books as well as carpet and flooring centers. Often you may find something there you can easily reproduce on your own.

Copyright © 2006, Ian White

Author Ian White specializes in helping people who are interested in finding a live-in pet sitter (house sitter) in their town. House sitters provide free pet minding, gardening and home security in exchange for accomodation. To find out about these services, visit the link below. housecarers.com housecarers.com is a free service for homeowners.

housecarers.com Free registration for confidential matching with house sitters in your area.

The first thing you need to decide when remodeling your kitchen is to decide what it means to you. For instance, would you be happy with simply putting down new flooring, or maybe a couple of updated light fixtures would do the trick for you? But when you really get the bug, nothing will satisfy it short of redoing the whole room, floors, walls, counters, everything! The time and money spent on your kitchen remodel job is almost always worth it.

But, once the job is done, you may find there is something that isn’t quite right. Despite your best efforts, you have left something out. What could it be? You have new flooring, lighting, counter, sinks and counters. You’ve painted the walls and even put up new decorations. What have you overlooked?

The answer is appliances. If you change everything but the appliances, it’s like cleaning the bedroom but not making the bed. It just feels unfinished. After all, you can put hundreds if not thousands of dollars into your new kitchen, not to mention the hours of work, so, why would you not put in new appliances? It may be advisable to put it in your budget when doing your initial shopping, to give your kitchen a whole new look when you get it done.

A lot of home owners find that replacing the appliances is the update they are looking for. Instead of changing everything about the kitchen, try to envision what it would look like with a stove and refrigerator in another color or how about a stainless steel look to the kitchen? This could be a fun update to do as well, especially if your appliances are older. If you have the traditional top bottom freezer and fridge, how about a side by side model? How about fun features like ice and water in the door and pull out shelves. If it has been a while since you have looked at refrigerators, you are going to be amazed. The same goes with ovens and ranges. You can get ovens that you can program ahead of time so dinner is ready when you get home.

When it comes to replacing your appliances, be it the dishwasher, refrigerator, toaster, oven, microwave, or blender you will find that your choices are almost unlimited. Between the manufactures, models, features, colors and sizes, you will defiantly want to make sure you do your home work before you settle on one particular brand. The nice thing about having so many choices is that you will find something to match your décor.

As you can see, there are a number of ways to update your kitchen from a complete gut which would include all new flooring, paint and wall paper along with new counters and cabinets. Or your can make it a seemingly smaller job and replace your appliances. But do not let the idea that you are ‘just’ going to replace the appliances fool you. There is still plenty of home work to be done and decisions to be made.

Lee Dobbins writes for a-kitchen-decorating-idea.com/ Kitchen Decorating Ideas where you can get tips on kitchen remodeling for any budget as well as read more a-kitchen-decorating-idea.com/aarch1006/articles.html articles on kitchen decorating.

Legend goes back to a lonely sheep herder in Ethiopia who noticed his sheep acting strangely every time they ate certain red berries from a certain bush. One has to wonder why he himself decided to give the berries a try. Well that is of no consequence because since that life altering decision man has been enjoying coffee in many different cultures, different countries and different places. Do you know they even drink coffee on the Space Shuttle? I wonder what kind of coffee machine they have.

The one million dollar question is exactly what makes a good cup of coffee? Does buying one of the best coffee makers lead to a great cup of coffee? Not necessarily.. Start with great coffee beans. You can even roast your own coffee beans with the Home coffee roaster machines. Roasting machines allow coffee drinkers to buy premium coffee beans at discount prices and roast them at home. The coffee drinker is in charge of the roasting level; medium or dark roast. Coffee drinkers also advise against buying pre-ground coffee, pre-grinding diminishes the coffee flavor and aroma. Apparently the best part of the coffee bean is found deep within it therefore pre-ground, once the package is opened loses that rich coffee aroma. Grinding your beans before you start percolating your coffee ensures you get the most out of the bean. Talking about grinding the beans there are also two types of coffee grinders; burr and blade grinders, both serve the purpose equally well, so the type of grinder you have does not affect your cup of coffee.

Shopping for coffee makers

There are three different types of coffee makers. There are filter coffee makers that basically drip hot boiling water over the ground coffee beans then filter the coffee over a disposable paper filter. Then there are the espresso/cappuccino coffee makers and finally the combination coffee makers that make both cappuccino and filter coffee. Choose a coffee machine that suits your needs. Take into consideration how much and how often you drink coffee. How much you are willing to spend on seeking the perfect cup of coffee. Remember to look online, you can find many discount coffee makers.

Whether you enjoy your coffee with or without cream or whether you enjoy a robust and flavorful cup of black coffee remember to thank that lowly sheep herder who took a risk and ate the first coffee bean.

Eric Comforth is a consultant who writes on many consumer topics. Learn more about coffee makers at

The apartment-style hallway offers a first glimpse of a home where a busy urban lifestyle is reflected in its pared-down, stylish decoration. Planned with creative flair, the furniture is streamlined, the storage practical, and the color scheme distinctive. Utilizing space in a visually pleasing and innovative way is a priority. Hallways can be small and narrow, or airy and open plan, with boundaries between the hall and the living or work areas not traditionally defined.

Color, shape, and texture create an essentially upbeat mood. Space-enhancing neutrals are balanced with vibrant color accents and simple furniture and accessories. These have sleek organic or geometric lines, in pale wood, metal, glass, or plastic, perhaps counter-balanced with high-tech industrial-look pieces, or flattered by textured natural fibers. Simple accessories, such as a plain table lamp, are in keeping with the pared-down look.

Creating the Look

Visual streamlining creates a sense of space, and minimizes less than perfect features. Use pale color or white to create a sense of light and space, and consider how the color choice will affect adjoining rooms - aim for a good tonal balance, using either color harmonies or contrasts. Use stronger color or interesting texture such as roughcast plaster, and glossy finishes, to accentuate structural features such as pillars, posts, alcoves, prominent walls, or sloping ceilings. In a narrow hall you can use mirrors or mirror tiles to open up the space or front a built-in cupboard.

In a larger space such as an open-plan hall/living room, create a visual break with a screen wall of glass bricks, or use a freestanding shelving unit as a divider between the entrance and the living area.

Counteract the effect of too many doors - or any other unwelcome details -by painting them a color to blend with the walls. Woodwork should match the wall color, or be painted a slightly lighter or darker shade in a matte finish. To suit the style, doors should be plain and flush with a wood veneer finish, glass paneled (with wired glass for a high-tech look), or painted as a color accent feature. Door furniture and handles should have a contemporary twist - in matte metallics or quirky resin shapes.

Style Pointers

WALLS

Plain/color block: white, neutral, space/light-enhancing walls and ceilings: controlled contrast color areas, textural, rough-cast/mirrored/metallic/glass brick areas.

Wall coverings: graphic images, bold colorwash effects.

WINDOWS

Simple blinds/curtains: natural or colored wood slatted Venetians, white, neutral, color accent Roman, or roller blinds; rod pocket/tab, eyelet-headed/tension wire curtains, panels; metal curtain rods.

FABRICS

Neutrals/striking color: natural heavy cotton/linen weaves; bold checks; stripes; bold, stylized abstract florals/graphic prints.

FLOORING

Sleek/space-defining: blond woodstrip/colored floorboards; natural fiber matting; linoleum/rubber flooring; contrast color tiles; plain wall-to-wall carpet; bold abstract/designer rugs.

FURNITURE

Streamlined/space saving: clean lines, designer/architectural pieces, dual purpose, blond wood, steel/aluminum, console table/chest of drawers/desk, neutral/mirror fronted built-in cupboards; modular/free-standing shelf unit; color-accent occasional chair/seating.

LIGHTING

Atmospheric/high-tech: wire tracking/halogen spotlights; sculptural effect pendant/avant-garde/quirky, designer chandelier; versatile task/atmospheric lamps; wall-mounted or free-standing torcheres, natural finish, metallic, glass; table lamps in molded plastic, metallics, glass, parchment.

ACCESSORIES

Color accent/sculptural: designer style, avant-garde, bold, organic form/streamlined looks for: clothes/hat stand/hooks, umbrella stand in pale wood/brushed steel; sleek wood/metallic picture frames, graphic/modern art/photographic prints; plain/colored glass/plastic or brushed steel vases/containers, modern clock; specimen flowers/large plant/cacti; over-sized urns/twisted willow twigs.

©2007, Kathy Burns-Millyard. Want more great

It does not always take a wedding to cause a major crisis in the arena of home décor. Simply moving from one home to another may relegate furniture like the sofa, recliner, and even the end tables to the “outdated” bin. While technically possible, it is not a good idea to mix different design styles when creating what is supposed to be a “unified” interior design scheme. But which set of furniture should remain and which accessories and pieces will end up in storage—or worse??

One of the biggest factors that must be considered with any furniture purchase is the actual design style of the home itself. Is the home more of a Mission style with characteristics like simple lines, conventional materials such as wood, rustic fixtures, etc.? Or, is it more contemporary featuring open spaces, lack of color or very vibrant tones, and modern materials such as cement, glass, and composites? Quality glass coffee tables, for instance, will look very out of place in most Mission-styled homes—and vice versa.

Aside from the design of the home itself, the decision of whether or not to pitch the glass coffee table will also depend upon the other furnishings that will make up the home décor. If the groom has a really nice and ultra chic contemporary coffee table but precious few furnishings to complement the table, then it may be best suited for the storage shed. Accessories like coffee tables must complement the furnishings in the immediate area, such as the sofa; they must complement the interior design of the home itself; and they must complement the other furnishings in the home décor. Glass coffee tables will be at home in more contemporary settings but they can be tastefully displayed in more conventional settings as well.

Jennifer Akre, owner of numerous sites specializing in coffee tables, console tables, and home decor, makes it easy to find contemporary onlytables.com/modern-contemporary-coffee-tables.html Modern Coffee Tables and onlytables.com/end-tables.html” target=”_new End Tables. Learn how to decorate your home in style-ClicK Today: Onlytables.com/” target=”_new OnlyTables.com.

Car locksmiths guarantee you the best treatment to your car and the great freedom of worry of being locked out of it.
Car locksmiths are often also called auto locksmiths. Auto locksmiths, as the fable goes, are so precise in their work that they seem to be doing it almost mechanically, so to say, as a machine works. Hence the term ‘auto’ meaning mechanical is used for them. Auto locksmiths the world over are the best among all locksmiths and are masters at their task. Auto locksmiths often help you to get out of very sticky situations and also save your precious car from the unwanted danger of getting badly damaged. Would you ask for anything more than that? We guess you won’t. We here ask you, would you?

Many of us often lose our car keys. Lost car keys are often very difficult to find once lost. A lost car key often is the cause of worry of many a car owner as losing a car key means having to damage your very precious possession. Automotive locksmiths often come to the aid of car owners in such sticky situations. Automotive locksmiths provide very important emergency mr-locks.com/service_item.php?id=16 car locksmith services. Emergency car locksmith services are often required and are very essential. Emergency car locksmith services are required when we are locked out of cars. The situation in such matters tends to get a bit too scary. Being locked out of your own car is every car owner’s nightmare. Lock outs are more prone to happen at busy intersections. Locksmiths provide great assistance in such matters. Auto locksmiths rely on intuition rather than expertise. The job of an auto locksmith is such that he has to fish in the dark for getting his job done.

Auto locksmiths are more easily prone to getting a great deal of fatigue out of their daily job routines. Auto locksmiths offer a wide range of services apart from locksmith services. Auto locksmiths, many times provide car washing, car painting, car servicing, even car insurance facilities to car owners. Car locksmiths are certainly going to be the next big thing on the automotive scene. Car locksmiths can be touted to be the next big thing to happen to the auto scene worldwide. Or have they already happened? Well, you know the answer.

Rob Hargreaves - An American Locksmith, working for mr-locks.com/ www.mr-locks.com the famous NY Locksmith and security systems company. Now offering locksmith and security services in Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.