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Many people love the thought of having carpet put in on their hardwood stairs in order to impart this section of the house a comfortable look. Furthermore, steps that are carpeted are safer and less given to cause a slip and fall where someone could become hurt.

If you have ever thought about carpeting your steps on your own, you may be amazed to know that installing carpeting on steps is a very simple process that most people can do. And although installing carpet on the stairs may not be as energizing as shopping for tropical wall hangings or wall decor art, doing so can save you a ton of money over hiring a professional carpet installer.

The key to appropriately putting in carpeting on the stairs is to take the precise measurements. In fact, this is the first step. Starting with the right measurements will allow you to start your carpeting installation on the right foot. The following is a simple step by step set of instructions for the “waterfall” method of installation. This method of installation is better suited for steps that are uniformly designed in both height and width. Let's look at how to take correct measurements when using this technique of carpeting installation.

Measure the width of the whole staircase

Your initial measurement will be of the width of the entire staircase. If your stairway is a ordinary one with uniformly sized stairs, all you need to do is to measure the breadth at the widest part of the stairs. Set one tip of a general measuring tape at one end, and then measure across the width of the step to the other end. Write down the width and consider that you may add two to four inches of extra breadth as a margin.

Measuring the breadth of each riser

The area of the stairs that you step on when ascending or going down a stairwell is referred to the riser. In the waterfall technique, you will basically need a single long piece of carpet that will encompass the total stairway.  Thus it is important to measure how wide every riser is. Measure from the peak of the riser up to the joint (or where the riser stops and the fall begins). Jot down this measurement.

Take measurements of the "fall" of every step

The fall pertains to the height or length between one riser and the next one. To measure this, start from the end of one riser and then extend the tape measure up to the beginning of the following riser. If your steps have nosing, the fall ends under this jutted out portion of each step. Take note of this measurement.

Combine the dimensions for the fall and the riser

This is  a simple operation; just tally the two measurements together and throw in a few inches for a margin. This will allow you to neatly disguise the edges and the corners with enough carpet during the installation. Once you have discovered the length of each step, including the allowance, you will simply want to multiply this number by the amount of steps that you plan to cover. This will give you the total length of carpeting you need for the stairs.

Take the measurements of the entire length and width to the carpeting store, and have a sales associate aid you in choosing the right amount of carpeting for your project.

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Sometimes an aging kitchen just needs to emphasize its built-in charm. The great news is that if you have an older kitchen that demands a blast of charm and color, you don't need to go through intricate and endless stripping and refinishing; you can regenerate the appearance of your kitchen more simply. Here are some suggestions on how to love what you have, and have what you love.

Vintage Cabinetry Makeover

Many older kitchen feature the retro charm of all white cabinets and black and white checkered counter tile. Cheerful yellow paint can brighten up this color scheme. For kitchens with curved corner shelves, outlining the edge of them in a perky blue shade is another great way to add color. You can add an open shelf trimmed in the same blue above the kitchen sink to display collectibles, coffee tins, vintage vases, and the addition of blue and white checkered curtains on kitchen windows adds retro polish. Keep the color going with brightly patterned ceramic canisters on the counter. A bare wall can be dressed up with a spice rack or a wooden shelf that is either painted blue or trimmed in blue. This color scheme is ideal for a number of themes, from Tuscan accents and sunflowers to roosters and cherries.

Simple Fixes

- When cabinets must have a facelift, it's much easier to paint than to strip and refinish. To paint cabinets, you just need to lightly sand the existing surface. It's easiest if you remove doors and drawers, remove all hardware and work on a flat surface. Use a paint roller to make things go more quickly.

- Replace old cabinet fronts with glass for a quick facelift. Simply paint the interior of the cabinets with a deep shade that will allow you to showcase the contents of the cabinets.

- Perhaps the fastest and easiest update for kitchen cabinets is a quick and thoughtful change out of the cabinet hardware. This one small and simple change can work to provide inspiration for an entirely fresh and different color scheme and style that you can reinforce with the use of wall art, chair cushions, curtains and other accents. Glass knobs are ideal for hardware changes when you want to add some sparkle to a kitchen that is lifeless.

- Try a new backsplash to brighten things up. Green and white tiles add cheer to a dark kitchen. Make a backsplash out of mirrors to open up the space and reflect light. A glass store can cut mirrors for a perfect fit.

- Get rid of your upper cabinets and opt for open shelving instead. It is much more affordable to hang shelving than to buy new cabinets, and you can choose to paint new shelves or adorn them with scrolled wrought iron brackets to fit the retro theme. Open storage and plate racks allow you to add color wherever you like while also giving the illusion of more space. Hang cups or cooking utensils below the shelving for convenience and decorative appeal.

- Be daring and go with an unexpected theme in an old kitchen: Try bold colors like yellow and mango as a backdrop for a tropical theme kitchen complete with palm tree wall art and tropical wall hangings.

As you can see, there are other options that most homeowners can easily undertake to bring color and brightness to the kitchen rather than refinishing or even replacing the existing cabinetry. Stylish wall art, wall paint, collectibles situated in different areas on the top of upper kitchen cabinets, and improved lighting can really make a huge difference in the overall aesthetic enjoyment of your kitchen.

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The initial thing your guests discover when visiting is probably the front porch; the best way to produce a warm welcome during the spring is with a playful presentation of spring decor. Lending some much necessary color to this area of the house after a long, ostensibly eternal wintertime will make everyone who goes in feel blissful.

Begin with a Wreath

Dress up your front door with a cheerful spring wreath. You will discover numerous springtime themes on wreaths in your local craft or home store, including those featuring whimsical bunny rabbits, springtime blooms, and brilliantly colored eggs.
Or construct a wreath that's unambiguously "you" by creating one yourself. All you will need is a common grape vine wreath and a few embellishments like vines, flowers, floral picks, and a bow.

Hospitable Old-fashioned Touches

You can make items like antique ash bins, water cans, and old buckets or other metallic containers into one-of-a-kind springtime planters. Give galvanized pails a little color by painting the outside in light-hearted hues of yellow. Any container that will be stuffed with live plants must have drainage holes, so begin by boring drain holes in the bottom of your metallic container of choice, and then supply potting soil and granular fertilizer according to package directions. Add a few packs cold-hardy pansies; their upbeat little "faces" will lighten up even the grimmest rainy day in spring. When the conditions starts to warm up for summer and the pansies begin to fade, substitute them with summer blossoming annuals like geraniums, impatiens, petunias or lobelia.

Completing Touches

There truly is no end to the options available in ornamental accents for the porch. From the home improvement store and garden center to a mass of online retail stores, there are truckloads of decorative accents and wall decor art that may discover a
home on your springtime porch.

    - Use an old antiquated chair to hold baskets of flowing spring blooms and vines, creating a special plant stand.
    - Boxwood topiary make the idyllic element for filling a footed urn. Try a fleur-de-lis planter with a mildly distressed finish for a feeling of Old World style.
    - Opt for several concrete, metal, or ceramic ornamental figurines and statues to add a fun element to the porch. You'll find a grand selection of toad frogs, rabbits, bunnies, birds, cats, dogs, and more ready to call your porch home. The number goes on perpetually.
    - Impart a decorative flag to your porch that invites spring with robins and tulips or chicks and Easter eggs. A quick online search will divulge a good number of retailers selling flags for all times of year.
         - A tricycle or bicycle planter makes old-fashioned style fresh again with handbaskets that will hold potfuls of fresh blossoms. Mini lawn carts are another charming choice.
    - Flower boxes below the windows or upon a railing bestow country charm that you can change with the seasons.
          - Ladders and plant stands let you exhibit pots of flowers in bloom, small statues or a collection of watering cans.
    - Supply spring conversation and seating for all who stop by your home with rocking chairs, a basic workbench and a porch swing.
    - Nothing says spring like a welcome mat that boasts the blooms and colors of spring.
    - Bring the sounds of springtime to your porch with rollicking wind chimes.
    - Decorate the walls of your porch with a capricious sun wall art that welcomes the hot days ahead.

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One of the most favorite types of carpeting on the market is integral pad carpeting, which is carpeting that has its own soft padding that is adhered to the back side of the carpeting and that eliminates the need to lay down additional carpet padding.  Also called cushion-backed carpet, integral pad carpeting is perfect for applying directly over concrete floors as traditional padding must be fixed to the floor with tacks and nails; integral pad carpet simply sticks to the concrete floor. Integral pad carpeting is also ideal for smaller areas such as bathrooms and closets as they can be located and fitted on the floor without the requirement for carpet tape. To prevent the edges from curling, however, larger sections can be easily anchored with double-sided tape. You can find integral pad carpet in a variety of styles, including cut pile and Berber, and in a rainbow of different colors.

Preparation

As you would when installing any other carpet type, checking the area to be carpeted is key; the flooring beneath should be dry, clean, and smooth.  Make sure that there is no dust, dirt, sticky residue or debris on the flooring. If the floor is not properly prepared, the double-sided tape will not bond properly. Besides the integral pad carpet, you will require double-sided carpet tape that is two inches wide, a carpeting cutter, a measuring tape or ruler, and a chalk for marking the carpet. If the installation requires seams, buy a seam adhesive that is recommended for your type of carpeting material, as well as five-inch carpeting tape to use beneath the seam.

Measuring and cutting

Take correct measurements of the perimeter of the space where the carpet will be put in, including the length and width of the area; add an inch to each side of the dimensions that you write down.  This means that if the width is 60 inches, you must cut the carpet 62 inches, which provides for an extra inch on both sides. Follow the same process for the length. Use the chalk line to mark the line where you will cut the carpeting.  Lay the carpeting on the floor so that it encompasses the whole space.   

Finishing the edges

Once the carpet is smoothly in place, start with a corner section and be careful not to slide the carpet out of position.  Lift up one segment of carpet and apply a border of rug tape beneath it, applying it to the floor beneath. Smooth out the tape in its position, taking away any air bubbles, and then peel off the backing of the tape. Drop the carpet onto the tape and apply force on the carpeting so that it will stick, smoothing it with your hands. A rolling pin might be used at this point to help smooth the carpet out nicely. This process should be replicated around the perimeter for all leftover carpet sides. Once you have attached all sides to the floor, you will need to trim any excess carpet from around the edges. To finish, push the edges of the carpeting below the baseboard. You can also position a shoe molding on top of the carpeting edges and secure it by nailing it on the baseboard, not on the flooring.

For carpets that need to be seamed, use five-inch carpet tape beneath the two sections and press the carpeting into the tape; follow the directions printed on the product label exactly.
The best benefit of installing carpet over a hard, concrete floor is that a once functional area can be turned into a cozy, inviting place suitable for living. After your carpet has been installed and the area looks more cozy, you might look at hanging informal accents like palm tree wall art and metal or ceramic sun wall art. No matter what you pick out, be sure to add your own personal expressive style to the space.

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The purpose of a wine rack is to properly store your favored vintage so that the cork stays in sustained contact with the wine inside the bottle instead of becoming mildewed or drying up. But far from the functional wood racks used by wine merchants and owners of grand wine cellars, wine racks in splendid wrought iron or wood can bestow panache to the décor of a kitchen, dining room or entertainment room. And whether your preferences run to the up-to-date  style, or to the romantic Tuscan or Old World French style, you will find a wine rack that will bring some pizazz to your interior.

A great bonus for the wall mounted wine rack alternatives on the market is that they do not take up precious counter space but they are extremely ornamental for the wall. And keep in mind that they can be mounted on any upright area, like the end of an upper cabinet or a narrow wall between the kitchen and dining area, taking full advantage of of ‘dead’ space.

You can enhance your wall and produce a solid focal point with these two ideas for mounting your wine rack.

Focal Point in a Home Bar.

In place of old-fashioned race car posters and beer signs used for wall decor art, why not bring some worldliness and style to the area? Produce a focal point on a large wall with a three wall mounted wine racks. Place them in a triangular formation, displaying the middle rack higher than the other two. Then position some other piece of wall art beneath the center wine rack. For a Tuscan feel, pick out a beautiful painting or framed print of a trattoria surrounded in a stunning piazza or wrought iron Tuscan sun wall art. Or make a decoupage using labels from your favorite wines, mounted on foam board and then stylishly bordered. Wineries often stock larger posters of unique or annually issued vintages. These posters are desirable for framing and tie in intimately with your wall mounted wine rack.  Top it all off by adding a few hanging pendant lights to light the grouping.

Dining Room in French Rustic Style.

Classic French toile patterns and an exquisite wrought iron wall mounted wine rack work in harmony to channel your dining room to the magnificent French countryside. Walls that are finished or papered in modern shades of warm yellow or sky blue and trimmed in buttery cream provide a perfect backdrop. Create a focal point above a server with a black wrought iron wall mounted wine rack. Beside it, position a grouping of plates and platters positioned on the wall with various plate hangers in French rustic motifs like sunflowers or roosters. A black wrought iron chandelier that is equipped with individual bulb shades in a black and white checkered pattern delivers the theme upward. Supply black and white toile chair cushions to make this room elegantly extraordinary. Finish off the presentation by adding white clayware on a black hutch and positioning a bowl of grapes and other fruits on a sideboard.

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