The popularity of slate flooring in residential and commercial interiors as well as exteriors can be primarily attributed to its versatility and aesthetic appeal. An extremely sturdy stone product, slate forms a worthy alternative to wood as flooring material. Minute silt and clay particles bind under high temperature and pressure to form slate, giving the stone its monolithic texture. Slate is as smooth as plastic laminate and its ultra-fine texture gives this natural stone product its impervious nature.
Slate Flooring: Advantages
Due to its fine molecular structure, slate flooring is reputed to have several advantages over other kinds of flooring. It is generally preferred for maximum traffic areas, such as kitchens, bathrooms, hallways and porches. These are areas that are also exposed to water spillages. Some of the features of slate that makes it a practical flooring option include:
* Slate ise moistur-, stain- and slip-resistant, guaranteeing a firm footing.
* This material is also bacteria and allergen resistant, and therefore reduces the risk of diseases at home.
* Slate is very affordable when compared to marble or granite, and with a distinctive surface, it is as beautiful as its alternatives.
* Not only is it resistant to dirt, but this type of flooring is also very easy to clean and maintain. Regular mopping with mild detergent is all it requires.
Apart from this, slate is easy to install and is available in an array of beautiful and subtle color variations that can enhance the appearance of any decor.
Slate Flooring: Caution
On exposure to water, slate flooring absorbs it quite easily. This causes the flooring sheen to fade quickly. To avoid this, ensure that the flooring is sealed with waterproof resin which prevents water absorption and fading. This will help maintain and preserve the appearance of the flooring material for a longer time period.
Slate Flooring: Considerations
There are certain factors you must consider when you install slate flooring:
* Make sure that the type of slate tile you want to install in a particular area is suitable with regard to the climate, traffic and other pertinent factors.
* Ensure that the substrate over which the flooring will be installed is perfectly suited for your choice.
* Choose a kind of sealant that is appropriate for your slate tile flooring. Some sealant varieties include high-gloss, low sheen or natural finish.
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The Flying Stars are hitting some pretty serious areas in my home this year. You could say they are zipping through and pinging off all over the place. What are the Flying Stars you ask? Well…I’m glad you asked. Flying Stars is one of the schools of thought in Feng Shui (the study of placements). The idea is that the stars move around. There is a 20-year cycle, a yearly cycle, monthly cycle, day cycle, and even an hour cycle. Right now we are in the 20-year #8 cycle of making money. That means that wherever the eight falls in the grid on the other cycles, we want to activate that area.
For now though, let’s take a look at the 5-element pagoda cure. In 2010, the #5 yellow star of Misfortune and the #2 black star of Illness are of particular concern to people born in the Tiger years (of the Chinese zodiac). If you are a female Tiger person/matriarch/elderly and living in a bedroom in the southwest corner of the house, you need to get yourself a 5-element pagoda or 5-element bell immediately, if not sooner.
Because the #5 star resides in the southwest and the #2 star is in the northeast (the Tiger direction), they both carry a double whammy for Tigers. They are on the same axis, which increases the effect of each. The #2 black star of Illness being in the Tiger direction is bad enough, but the #5 yellow star of Misfortune brings “illness, injury, and/or death”. Ok Tigers, all together now: “Eeeeeek!”
The 5-element pagoda is a nifty little device made of brass. It has 5 sections corresponding to the five elements (water, wood, fire, earth, metal) and usually contains some kind of protective mantra or symbol on the outside. The interior is hollow, with a slot-base cover. The idea is to place soil from around your house, protective mantras, and crystals inside to effectively ‘lock up the chi’ and transmute any harmful energies before they can reach you.
If you are laughing as you read this, stop it right now and continue reading-this is strange stuff. I knew absolutely nothing about Flying Star Feng Shui a few years ago. When I read about it I was curious, and compared the previous two years charts to circumstances in my life. To my shock, I found that the afflictive stars had hit me in every area that was not protected…and I didn’t even know about such things!
Having practiced the more general Black Hat sect and LoPan Compass school feng shui for years, I had often wondered why bad things still happened, even when my home had been feng shuied by the experts. Since studying Flying Star sect, the wondering has ceased; it makes perfect sense. If I had any doubt, what happened in the last couple of weeks got rid of that. The experts say the stars are constantly moving and you can start to feel the effects a month or so before they actually take up the yearly position.
When I saw the Metal Tiger would be in a not-so-great position in 2010, I started placing cures around my house in December 2009. The energy changed as soon as I finished the bedroom (southwest of course). Placing my 5-element pagoda in the southwest corner of my southwest bedroom, on top of a plastic bin full of clothes, I went to sleep peacefully that night. Upon awakening the next morning, as I attempted to coax my body out of bed, there was a loud ‘ting-ting’ that came from that corner.
I didn’t even bother to turn over to look; I knew nothing was over there that could make that noise. A day or two later, as I was showing the 5-element pagoda to a friend, I shook it slightly, producing the exact same ‘ting’ sound. Realization of what that meant hit me like the proverbial ton of bricks: it had protected me from a (probably) very serious hit. The ‘ting’ sound came from the protective crystal I had placed inside the pagoda. Whatever energy hit it, hit it hard enough to make that crystal jump twice within the pagoda, creating that sound. The incident happened again, a day after that.
While I am grateful that I have been spared whatever chaos that energy was trying to visit upon me, I have to also try to help others-especially Tiger people. When I visited with another Metal Tiger friend, the litany of disasters that have befallen her – just since January 5th – is enough to curl your hair. She told me she doesn’t believe in feng shui, since a friend of hers had a top expert do her house and then lost it, her business, all her money, and was now homeless.
Combining comfort and elegance in your contemporary home decor is easy and affordable. For starters, find time to research and choose from the myriad of closet door ideas that will help transform your traditional home into a modern one and provide the perfect oasis where you can retire and rejuvenate after a long and stressful day.
Gone are the days when closet doors were designed solely to be used as covers for your closets. Often they are bulky and plain and not much thought were given on their purchase. Nowadays, they have become versatile in their functions and designs that many are great replacement doors.
Closet Door Styles and How They Can Make a Difference to Your Home:
Small rooms will benefit from bifold or sliding doors. Both these styles do not require that you clear some space in front of your closet to allow you to open the door. These designs eliminate the possibility that you will bang the door on the foot of your bed or on the wall. These styles are also great for large or walk-in closets as they provide complete access to the interior.
Louvered doors are great for shoe closets or linen closets or in areas where enhance air flow is needed. The slats of these doors are very functional and can also bring a decorative touch by using plexiglass, glass or mirrors. You can also buy an unfinished door to allow you to paint or stain them with a color or combination of colors that you want.
Exchange that wood closet door with mirrors to expand your room and bring in more light to the area. A floor to ceiling mirrored door can double as full-length mirror and thus, you can make the front of your closet as your dressing area. This door style is truly functional and at the same time brings elegance and class to any room in your house. Just make sure that you choose a high quality mirror for that continuous and non-distorting reflection.
Another remarkable space-saving idea is to have a door and bookcase in one. This style is not only for covering your closets but also for hiding gun cabinets, wine cellars, wall vault or other areas that you do not want your visitors to see.
For a charming and functional style, make curtains as your alternative closet doors for linen, utility and pantry rooms. You can choose many designs and materials such as beads, sheer drapes or colorful sheets.
Buying Tips:
Smart buyers want to enjoy the best deals in the market. You can do so without tiring yourself and spending so much time going from one store to another looking for quality but cheap closet doors to buy. Just take a seat and make your fingers do the job via the Internet. Many manufacturers accept made-to-order doors at reasonable prices.
Also, online retailers such as Home Depot and Lowes are offering numerous choices and options that there is always one that will fit your budget and decor requirement. Just keep in mind to have the accurate measurements of the door you want before placing your online order
If you’re getting ready to tackle a bathroom remodeling job, it’s a good idea to consider how to plan your bathroom so that it saves you money in the long term. There are plenty of articles and sites to give you ideas about how to get good deals on materials and labor — but have you considered the benefits that come from incorporating eco-friendly design in your project? Planning to conserve energy in your bathroom remodel doesn’t just save the green in your pocket — it’s also a great way to make a contribution to the environment as you reduce your carbon footprint.
These days it pays to be energy efficient, not just to reduce your own fuel bills but also as part of the obligation we all have to be responsible in our use of limited natural resources. There are government initiatives to help homeowners limit their environmental impact, such as recycling programs and home insulation initiatives, as people understand how each of us can make a difference.
What would a bathroom be without water? And yet, in many parts of the world, it is one of the most valuable resources. There are many ways in which we can limit our use of water — for example, by reducing the amount of time we spend under the shower. But modern plumbing fixtures also help to minimize water usage. So how can you plan a bathroom makeover that will reduce your energy costs and protect the environment at the same time? Here are some ideas to consider:
Low Flush Toilets: According to the American Water Works Association, flushing the toilet uses on average 20.1 gallons of water per person per day. Installing a low flush or dual flush toilet can help halve the amount of water used.
Low Flow Shower Head: It’s estimated that showering uses 13.1 gallons per person per day. There’s an easy way to test whether you already have a low flow shower head or not — just run your shower on full for two minutes, catching the water in a 5 gallon bucket. If the bucket overflows before the two minutes are up, then your shower head does not meet low flow specifications.
Water Heating: you probably don’t need to run your water heater all day long. If you turn it off at night and during the weekend, you may be able to make a significant saving over the year, depending on how much hot water you use. And an automatic timer makes it simple to regulate.
Having an ice maker can be really helpful when you need some additional ice making capacity. This can be when you are hosting a party or when you have some guests at home during the warm summer month. If you do not have one then you might consider getting one as the prices have really gone down recently. For those that do not know how to choose an ice maker I have written this short article and hope that it will be useful for you.
The first thing that you should take into account is your budget. Ice maker come in different models and it will all depend on your budget. Obviously the more you will be prepared to pay the more powerful the appliance will be. In fact you should think well on your requirement before actually choosing your maker. For instance you can have a maker for around $200 but this model will have a hard time producing more than 30 pounds of ice per day. It will all depend on your requirements and the amount of ice you need.
You should also take into account the size of the machine and its weight. The size of the maker will be really important if you live in a flat where space is at a premium. In this case choosing an ice maker that is too bulky is a no-no and should be avoided at all cost. Similarly you will also want a maker that is portable and that you will be able to move around easily. You might even think about lending your maker to a friend that needs a maker. Only a portable one will allow you to fulfill all these requirements.
If you are thinking of saving some money on your ice maker I will advise you to buy your appliance from the internet. Most of the time goods sold on the internet are sold at a lower price than the one in traditional shops. This will allow you to make some savings on your purchase. Be however wary of scams on the internet. Do not buy your items from obscure site hosted on free hosting servers. Make sure that you purchase your maker from reputed site and that the product is covered by a comprehensive warranty. Be sure that you make your homework before actually buying your ice maker.