Home design and renovation

The winter months are slowly coming to an end, and after months of neglect, it’s soon going to be the time to get back in the garden and start injecting some life back into your garden - especially as you’ll be spending most of your time in it once the warmer months arrive . When it comes to getting our garden together, we usually focus on making sure that the grass is cut properly and all the flower beds are laid out correctly. However, we also need to makes sure that the furniture we have in our garden is usually one of the most important aspects of ensuring your garden is completely finished off. Now that the winter months are over, you will probably have a task on your hands to ensure that your furniture is kept in the best state. This infographic is a wonderful way to make sure that you are completely in the know about what to do with your outdoor furniture. If you are in the position where you are yet to purchase an outdoor furniture set, you will firstly want to make sure that y...

Okay, so your humble abode isn’t likely to feature in “Home and Garden” anytime soon but that’s no reason that it still can’t stand out from the crowd. A well-laid out and attractive driveway is not only pleasing to the eye but also practical and will add considerably to your house’s market value and increase its saleability. Most people pay slight attention to a driveway but it is certainly noticed when it is in disrepair and overrun with weeds. Everybody has heard the horror stories of “cowboy” and rogue traders who have ripped off customers by building driveways at ridiculously low prices only for the finished surface to literally fall apart only months later. That is why you should only deal with fully qualified and certified tradesmen and this applies across the board and not just for driveways. Choices, Choices There is a range of materials and styles available to choose from when it comes to having a driveway installed or upgraded. Asphalt, gravel, aggregates and tarmac are all...

We all dream of having the perfect garden with gorgeous flowers and stunning green healthy grass to walk and play on, but it can all be a hassle. Everyone has that one neighbour that has the perfect garden. Not a single thing out of space and it looks immaculate all year round – the perfect venue for summer BBQ season, or for drinks out in the sun. How do they do it? A lot of hard work can go into maintaining a garden to such high standards - weekends of mowing the grass, weeding the garden and applying plant food. However, all of that can be ruined in an instant by and rogue children or pets that dare run around – grass stains galore. Mud trampled all through the house leaving both the carpet and lawn in need of much needed TLC. It’s all worth it for that majestic lawn, though, right? There are other options available that are much friendlier and easier to keep. Many are opting for artificial grass over the real thing because they do not have to waste anywhere near as much time maint...

Your garden is one of the most common areas of your home that frequently attracts attention. Because of this, it’s only important that you spend enough time to keep it in top shape. You don’t necessarily have to spend a good amount of cash making extensive renovations all the time. In fact, these 8 DIY projects can be enough to add appeal to your garden. 1. Create a pallet garden tool holder Leaving your garden tools on your lawn can make it look messy. Apart from that, they can also cause accidents and injuries. One good way to make sure they don’t hurt anyone is to keep them tucked in an upcycled pallet. It’s technically cheap as you can find a lot of stores willing to dispose pallets for free. 2. Be crafty with jar storage Keep your nails and screws secured by creating special jar storage for them. Using empty peanut butter jars is a good idea since you can easily see through them. Just screw their lids under your cabinet or working table to get them out of the way. 3. Get a new swi...

Landscaping and interior design are two critical elements of increasing the value and eye appeal of your residential property. Yet, homeowners today are tasked with difficult decisions due to the recent water restrictions placed in many communities brought on by drought conditions. Fortunately, you do not have to feel limited because artificial grass is an alternative to natural grass and other floor coverings that can be used virtually everywhere on your property. As you create your home design plan, use these ideas for filling in those spaces that need some green without the hassle of regular care and maintenance. Surround Your Swimming Area When it comes to swimming pool surrounds, most people think of brick or tile. While these are effective for reducing mud, they both add up when it comes to your budget. Choosing artificial grass for your pool surround is not only inexpensive, but it also provides the following benefits. • Eliminate tracking dirt, natural grass and mud into you...

You may find a lot of good things in your home garden . What do you wish to accomplish? Do you wish to tackle a small landscaping project? Perhaps it is something less involved like adding some plants to your garden. You might wish to make an area to store your lawnmower. Perhaps you need a way to support and protect your tomato plants. Any one of these projects will be worthwhile. Tomato Support You may plan to have tomatoes this year. If so, you will need to support them. Tomato stakes are one method. However, you can make your own support cages. It may not cost much money, either. Look in your shed. Do you see any fencing material? This will make excellent cages. If you do not have some, you can buy some inexpensive fencing. Your local home improvement center should have all kinds. You will not need a lot, to make several cages. When you have your fencing, cut it in small sections. You probably want them to measure a foot or so in diameter. Wrap it around itself into cylinders. Sli...

One of the greatest things about being a proud home or enterprise owner is that you now have the possibility of making the place truly yours. Whether you’ve just moved into your new company premises or you’ve spent the last few months refurbishing it, no house is complete without a nice backyard hidden away from the prying eyes with a nice fence. And if your home and backyard look beautiful, then you’d want the fence to reflect that beauty. Here are 5 useful tips on how to make that plain wooden fence look exactly the way you want it.  1.       Play around with patterns If you really want your fence to pop-out, then choosing a pattern over a solid color is the right course of action. You can either try painting the fence in alternating colors, use a zigzag design or even order custom stencils to completely personalize it. They come in different shapes and sizes and applying them is a pretty straight-forward process. Just apply a neutral coat of paint, let i...

When focusing on outdoor home improvement, people tend to pay attention to landscaping, window dressings, and house paint color. If you want to give your home an extra boost of curb appeal and safety with one effort, get a professional to install outdoor lighting in your yard. Outdoor lighting adds functionality to your yard, looks beautiful, and gives you a safer atmosphere outside your home at night. Delve into four benefits that professional outdoor lighting can have on your yard. Increased Curb Appeal Image via  Flickr  by cloudchaser32000 Two major ingredients for a home's curb appeal are landscaping and lighting , but these elements do not need to be complex. A simple lighted path made of stone pavers and recessed lights will make the front of your home elegant and attractive. A garden will come alive at night with professional outdoor lighting. An outdoor lighting professional knows what kind of fixtures to use and where to install them to highlight the best parts of yo...

It’s really annoying to plant a vegetable garden, only to have pests wreak havoc in your garden. Nobody wishes to let their labor and time go to waste. That’s why most of us often resort to any possible preventive measures to keep the pests out of our gardens. Well, the approach you take doesn’t have to break the bank, and the only sure way to keep the animals out of your prized garden is by fencing it. A proper garden fence can be, without doubt, your strongest ally; providing your vegetables with a consistent and reliable barrier. Read on to learn more about the best vegetable garden fence ideas! 1. Pest Identification The first step to successfully prevent pests from your garden is, of course, to figure out the type of animals that are bothering your vegetables. Identifying the threat is very important! Basically, this will help you determine the type of fence that is completely unique to that animal’s nature. But what if you’re new to gardening in your area and don’t know the type ...