I am in a bit of a rut.. Taking down the Christmas stuff has left some empty spaces on my walls. I am quite particular about the art work we put up - I tend to like Classical Realism i.e Titian, Vermeer, Leighton and getting posters framed and matted coast a fortune. i do have some nice ink drawings and etching but I am bit board. Tons of black and white photos of kids and family in an “arty” way… I used to own and interior design store and HATE paying full price for stuff after knowing what things really cost.

I have been looking for some architectural type pieces and found some nice ones in metal and plaster at metal wall art site- they also have some unusual designs that I haven’t seen before- like some interesting resin wall shelves with decorative edging. Was a bit reluctant to order something heavy like that because of high shipping cost- but most places- including this one offer free shipping.

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Posted by Linda- Home and Garden Ideas as Home Improvements, Painting and Wall Coverings at 12:34 PM EST

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Use the following formula to estimate the amount of wall paint you need. Double the result if the walls require two coats.

1. Add together the length of each wall.

2. Multiply the sum by the wall height, to find the total wall area.

3. Subtract 20 square feet for each door and 15 square feet for each window to find the actual amount of wall area you’re painting.

4. Divide this figure by the paint coverage (350 square feet per gallon), and the result is the number of gallons to purchase.

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Posted by Linda- Home and Garden Ideas as Home Improvements, Painting and Wall Coverings at 3:23 PM EDT

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I have added a new section- Useful Tools, Calculators and Converters

First tool I have added is a handy temperature converter. I use this all the time . I grew up in Canada and right around the time I learned Imperial measurement our country switched over to metric. Consequently, I am confused when it comes to any kind of measurement. I have to use this when checking weather or taking my kids temperature- Hope you find it useful! Convert Celsius-Fahrenheit-Kelvin Tool

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Posted by Linda- Home and Garden Ideas as Home Improvements at 7:57 PM EDT

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Granite is a decorative natural stone that is truly eye-catching, delivering a unique, classy look to any interior or exterior. Granite is as durable as it is beautiful, being one of the hardest substances on earth. Also, to the question of usage and longevity, with proper care, your granite tile project can last a lifetime, transforming a foyer, a kitchen, or even in an outdoor installation (provided you’ve chosen a non-slip, unpolished finish) into a key feature of a property. Granite tile flooring is, in many cases, the obvious choice for those interested in any kind of natural stone tile flooring or countertops material.

The origins of granite

Granite tile is often a feature in a residence or a commercial building, not only because it is visually impressive, but because of the auspiciousness of having a flooring material which literally took ages to create! Formed deep in the earth, granite is the end result of tremendous heat and pressure applied over thousands of years. Granite is an igneous rock that is described as “intrusive”. That is, granite is formed when liquid magma is forced between other layers of rock, where it eventually cools and forms a layer of its own. Here, it is fused with elements such as quartz, feldspar and mica among other trace elements. The cooling process is slow, the new layer of rock being shielded by the layers above and below where the molten magma had been forced. The mineral elements which have become suspended in the cooling magma define the crystalline appearance of this unique natural stone. Due to its harsh origins and the lengthy process that suspends so many stabilizing elements within it, granite is an incredibly hard surface. This is material you can trust for durability!

Granite at the Quarry

Once the raw granite has been removed from its bed, first stage in processing granite for the purposes of flooring or countertop slabs is cutting the larger chunks of granite into manageable blocks. These blocks of granite are then further cut to size for use as both slabs and tiles by means of wire saws which are treated with various kinds of durable abrasives, such as sand, aluminum oxide, and diamond. These saws are most commonly used with water as a coolant. Sometimes, high-pressure water jets are used to cut the granite in tandem with the more traditional wire saws. Once the cutting process has been completed, the granite undergoes three processes that make them recognizable as tile flooring or countertop slabs. They are polished on one side, calibrated and gauged. These latter two terms refer to the process of making the back of each tile or slab as even as possible, and the edges as square as possible respectively. Once completed, the granite tile or slab is ready to be shipped to site, ready for your installation.

Popular uses for granite tile for flooring and countertops

Granite tile, being a very versatile material, can be installed in a great many locations in a residential or commercial project. Some of the more popular uses of granite are halls and foyers. Because of their decorative appearance, the popularity of granite tile in these areas is far from surprising. Granite tile helps to create an ambience of professionalism, strength, and permanence when placed in the foyers and halls of an office building. In the home, a granite tile floor can make all the difference in creating a space that is characterized by a singular, refined beauty that complements the surrounding décor. Read the rest of this entry »

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Posted by Linda- Home and Garden Ideas as Do-It-Yourself Repairs, Flooring -Carpeting-Tile, Home Improvements at 12:49 PM EDT

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Vinyl Tile is still one of the best floor coverings to choose for kitchens and bathrooms. Ceramic tile is great, but the cost to have a professional install it can be prohibitive. The answer, vinyl tiles installed by you. You will save a lot of money you can use toward other home improvements you want to do.

Vinyl tile is also a great choice for other reasons. There are some beautiful choices of both style and color. There are so many different patterns and colors to choose from that you will want to take your time in choosing something that will enhance the beauty of your kitchen or bathroom.

In addition to that, vinyl tile is much better than linoleum for practical reasons. With a linoleum floor, one accident and the whole floor is ruined basically, because it is all one piece. When you buy vinyl tile, you buy extra squares. If an accident ruins one or two tiles, you replace them.

In this article I will help you learn how to install your own vinyl tile floor with confidence. I’m going to teach you the old school way of laying this beautiful floor covering. I call it old school, because I learned from tile layers that had been doing it for years before I started. Read the rest of this entry »

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Posted by Linda- Home and Garden Ideas as Do-It-Yourself Repairs, Flooring -Carpeting-Tile, Home Improvements at 12:47 PM EDT

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