Renovation Ideas Blog

Setting-Up a Home Library

  

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If you are able to have the space set aside for a home library, you are going to love how it will benefit your family for years to come.  While providing a quiet place to read is one of the most valuable tools that you can give to your family, having a place of solitude where you can enjoy a good book or just get away from commotion of the rest of the family is equally as valuable. There are a couple of things that you need to consider when setting up your home library to ensure that you are going to get the most out of it.

Create a Peaceful Environment for Your Library

You need to determine the optimal placement for your home library that will allow you to be able to work effectively and with an intense amount of focus.  Make sure that you have comfortable seating and that you have the right amount of lighting.  Having the proper amount of lighting will help prevent you from straining your eyes.  You also need seating and counter space that will allow you to spread out your items.  For decorating this room, you could go more formal or more casual; it just depends on your taste.  A room painted in light colors, along with either comfy chair-and-a-half or chaise lounge keep it feeling homey and relaxed.  Leather chairs and sofas, adorned with classic nailhead detailing, along with a large cherry desk, harken back to the styling of a library in an old English manor.

Consider the Amount of Storage You Are Going to Need

Your home library is not just about the amount of lighting and seating that you have available.  You also need to make sure that you have enough space to store items that you want to access in this room.  You can implement recessed shelving or decorative bookshelves to help keep your area organized.  If you take the time to plan everything out ahead of time, you are sure to have one of the best libraries around, and you will want to do all your reading there.

Energy Efficient Furnaces and Air Conditioners

  

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The biggest consumers of energy in the home are your furnace and your air conditioner.  For this reason, homeowners tend to look for ways to help cut back on their energy bills. One key way to begin the process is by searching for energy-efficient products; these products will help to save you money on your monthly bill, on a consistent basis. 

If you have a furnace or air conditioner in your home that is not energy-efficient, you are at risk of squandering your money on utility bills.  One of the best ways to be able to withstand the bitter cold during the winter months, as well as the brutal heat during the summer months is to install an energy-efficient heating and cooling system.  An energy-efficient appliance conserves energy while capably performing the task you require of it.  All the while, it saves you money.

Should you decide to purchase one, you should look for one that has a multi-speed motor.  This will give you the most opportunity to control your energy costs.  When compared with the older, less efficient systems, the newer systems have the ability to potentially save you around 40% on your yearly energy bills.  And who doesn’t want to save that money for themselves, on a regular basis?  

If you choose one of the multi-speed motor systems, with the right programing to start, it should monitor your home accurately.  These energy efficient products are able to sense when there is an adjustment that needs to be made, thus making sure that the atmosphere in the home is comfortable at all times.  You should begin noticing the differences in your energy bills almost immediately, as well as how comfortable your home is going to become.

Why the home improvment business stinks...

  

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I was just thinking that I have been in the home improvement business for almost twenty years. In that time I have had some great experience's with clients. Experience's that have not only led to a satisfying career but also great friendships.

When I think about why I got into this business to begin with it was because I love working with people. Of course I love the craft as well but there is something special about building projects that enhance peoples lives. If you have ever crafted something with your hands you can understand the great feeling when you step back and admire your work. 

To some old timers, 20 years may seem like a drop in the bucket but during that time the remodeling industry has seen the most dramatic changes due to the advances in technology, product development and the internet. However due to the economic fall out: consumer credit is tightened and some are choosing contractors purely on price instead of quality, experience and professionalism. 

So as a result many great craftsman are going out of business. The sad thing is many of them probably went into the business for the same reason I did. And its almost a guarantee that the contractors who low bid the jobs will be out of business too. So what happens next?

• Does the home improvement industry reinvent itself?
• Does some sort of standardization happen so all professional contractors can compete on a level playing field?
• Do we out source all the construction to India :)

Who knows but I look forward to meeting new people, more projects, new friends and the ride...