Home remodeling estimates first

Doing home remodeling yourself can save some dollars. But making mistakes during your remodel can be costly and dangerous. The key is to make home remodeling estimates ahead, making sure which plan is better, by remodeling professionals or by yourself.

Well, if your choice is the latter, here are a few common mistakes shall be avoided.

Failing to locate water cutoffs

Before you start any work, especially in wet areas like bathrooms and kitchens, you need to locate the water cutoff in the house and at the street. This way, if a disaster occurs, you know where to head to cut off the flood.

Not preparing to localize and minimize dust and debris

Demolition is messy. Minimize the impact on your house by containing the mess. Create a work zone and keep tools and
supplies inside it. Buy large sheet plastic and heavy duty masking tape to completely screen off doorways and openings. At the end of every work session, use a shop vac to get rid of dust and debris. Then take 15 minutes to organize your tools and supplies. It’ll make it quicker to get started next time.

Getting in a hurry

Sure it’s appealing to rip that wall separating the kitchen and the family room right out, but safe demolition demands planning and forethought. First, turn off all the electricity and water to the demo area. Use a stud finder that is equipped to locate metal to determine where wire and pipes are running through the wall. Then, using a small dry wall saw, cut some investigative holes to see exactly what’s behind the wall. This way, you avoid ripping out most of a wall only to discover it contains a vent or pipe that will be costly to move.

Not protecting surfaces

Mask every finished surface and keep it masked as you work. This means cabinets, walls, baseboards, flooring, and moulding. Cover countertops with interlocking foam tiles to deflect the impact of dropped tools. There’s nothing more discouraging than having to replace, repaint or refinish because of damage, spills or splatters.

Not having a Plan B for plumbing

You may think you’ll get your plumbing done in a day, but jobs have a way of expanding. Supply yourself with end stop fittings to cap off open pipes so you can turn the water back on in mid-job. Home Depot’s end stops are called Sharks; Lowe’s offers a line named Gators. They come in ½”, ¾” and 1-inch sizes and it’s smart to have an assortment on hand. Follow the directions for use.

Not protecting floors when you move appliances

Even builders make this mistake. Put down carpet or masonite (sweep or vacuum thoroughly first to remove anything that could scratch the floor) to roll the appliances over as you are installing them. This will protect new tile or wood flooring from damage.

However, even if you have successfully escaped from all these mistakes above, chances of failure are still existing during some projects, say custom replacement windows, roof repair service, which require more professional skill or are somewhat dangerous. At these moment, going for a professional is my choice.

Baroque or Simplicity?

Is this not one of the coolest bookcases you’ve ever seen? Designed by Jaren Goh, it’s designed to blend the “flamboyance of the baroque style with the simplicity of the contemporary approach”. Well said and beautifully illustrated. I love blending two very different styles together, and often do this in my home, like my modern black leather sofa paired with two antique chairs. Seeing this in one product is even cooler I think and Goh definitely does a good job of it here.

Stylish entrance - choose your affordable iron doors

Wrought iron is a type of iron that is different from cast iron in that it is molten iron poured into a mold and allowed to cool. In this case, the wrought iron is very strong, which is why it is used in different types of applications throughout the world. Some of the common ways wrought iron is used for in home decorations are wrought iron railings, doors, furniture frames, railings, and wall decor.

Wrought iron has been used for home decoration for many centuries and is one of the favorite metals used in present day. It is used for doors, bed frames, benches, chairs, and many other forms of furniture and accessories. Any item made of wrought
iron provides strength while at the same time adds beauty because of its ageless relevance. You can buy a stock product or design a unique creation.

Because it lends beauty and strength to the entrance of your home wrought iron entry doors are people's favorable type . It can be fashioned into various shapes, sizes, and designs with full functionality. Among these functions are automated wrought iron doors, driveway
doors, and garden gates. They can also be obtained through physical businesses or online.

Wrought iron doors come with a large inventory of designs readily available for purchase, but some companies will also create a unique design just for you. Find one or create one that matches your home's architecture and then accessorize it with gates, railings, and fences.

If you want to install wrought iron doors to your home know that they are available in different designs and manufacturing processes. Be sure to find a company that makes their products to pass weather and energy efficiency tests. Your family and
friends should be the only things passing through your doors. Exterior weather and interior controlled climate should stay where they are. A quality door provides this service.

Another employment wrought iron doors endow with is security. Because of the integrity of its strength, wrought iron will stand as a formidable deterrent to any who consider entering without invitation. Only at your behest will invited guests be
allowed entry while unwelcome trespassers will be denied entrance.

Thanks to competition present in the industry the price of wrought iron doors will be closer to production costs, almost everybody can find his/her affordable iron doors. Hence, with the type of functionality and durability that wrought iron doors provide to your home and with the number of designs they come in, create a stylish look for your home, that's worth the investment and will last for many years to come.

Forget your cold and hard tub - soft rubber tub solution

Dutch designer Maren Hartveld presented a soft bathtub at the Design Academy Eindhoven graduate show in the Netherlands earlier this month. "Bringing a new meaning to sinking into one's tub," says Hartveld.

A free-standing soft bathtub made from polyurethene coated foam rubber; not cold and hard like the average bathtub, but soft and warm, and comfortable like a sofa.

Wanna have freshest mushrooms at home?

mushrooms ate my furniture' by designer shinwei rhoda yen is of garden furniture that is made with natural wood, embedded with mushrooms' spawn. after a time of exposure to the weather, mushrooms will grow our and live with the furniture for a few more years. as the nutritional material from the wood is eaten by the mushrooms, the furniture will start to break down, eventually dying while giving its life to the mushrooms."

"'mushrooms ate my furniture' by designer shinwei rhoda yen is of garden furniture that is made with natural wood, embedded with mushrooms' spawn. after a time of exposure to the weather,

mushrooms will grow our and live with the furniture for a few more years. as the nutritional material from the wood is eaten by the mushrooms, the furniture will start to break down, eventually dying while giving its life to the mushrooms.

Bath and closet

BadKast is a combination of a bath and a closet. Anna van der Lei was inspired by the Finish saunas who have 2 rooms, the sauna itself and a dressing room. You can open the doors on both sides and place this piece of furniture anywhere you want.

Blooming Furniture Set

The blooming flower dining table set is another concept design by Fatih Can Sar?öz. Six green chairs surrounding a simple green-and-white table gracefully open and close like the petals of a flower to unveil seating when needed and disguise it otherwise.

Furniture That Grows With Your Child

Ilo is a collection of furniture made to fit a child’s needs from infancy to the teenage years simply by rearranging its parts. Designed by Carmela Niederhauser & Nadine Grau, this bedroom set features a crib/bed as well as parts that can be transformed into desks, armoires, bookcases and more. The pieces easily snap together, making it easy to change the setup according to your child’s development.

Illuminated LED Furniture

The ‘Stardust’ series by Italian furniture company Meritalia uses the glow of built-in low-voltage LED lights to illuminate these sofas, pillows, armchairs and footstools. It’s extremely lightweight thanks to the packing materials-inspired design. While the set may not be most people’s cup of tea for the living room, it could be very cool for nighttime pool parties.

Poufman Living Room Set

The Poufman living room set by Italian company Qayot uses the retro imagery of Pac-Man video games to create seats and ottomans that fit together in various configurations. Designed as a tribute to pop culture, the Poufman set will be a favorite of nostalgic geeks.

Wave Chaise Teenage Bedroom Set

In the words of designer Roberta Rammê of Brazil, the Wave Chaise is meant to “unify beauty, comfort, and functionality” through innovative ergonomic design, intense colors and the appeal of modern technology. The chaise has built-in media storage for books and CDs, and a place to hang a flat-screen television as well as a built-in desk. Rammê says, “This concept is inspired by the values and personality of a today’s teenager and the standards generated by a global hi-tech culture of facilities, where the access to technology is cheap and easy.”

Kure Pod Dining Table & Chairs

For those who lean toward extreme minimalism, the Kure table and chair set may be your ultimate dining furniture. When not in use, the Kure dining set is a giant white sphere, but when you’re ready to eat, it opens to reveal four seats, a tabletop, a lit central pillar and an umbrella-like roof with built-in lights. This design, by Fatih Can Sar?öz, is still in concept phase – but it’s an interesting one.

Stanislav Katz’ Brilliantly Bright Furniture Designs

These wild and colorful furniture designs by Stanislav Katz look like they could easily have come from a movie set with their unusual shapes and proportions. The curvy bookshelf with a built-in spot for lounging and reading is pure brilliance.

M-cube Mobile, Modular, Multi-Functional Seating

The M-cube is a multi-functional seating unit designed for people living in high-density housing. It adapts to irregular, narrow and small floor spaces to reduce clutter, increase spatial efficiency and furniture function. It’s super lightweight and has removable upholstery so it can be used in all different ways.

Stackable Furniture for Small Spaces

With large homes getting less popular in favor of smaller, energy-efficient living spaces, stackable furniture is becoming more common – and it doesn’t have to be cheap, dorm-room quality stuff. These two sets of stacking furniture – Capsule Stacking and Golf Stacking – each transform into a set of chairs and a small table. When not in use, just stack them up again and they hardly take up any space at all.

Livable Patio Set Livens Up Stone

How do you make a cold, stark stone patio feel cozy? With soft, welcoming textiles that warm up the space and make it feel inviting. This patio furniture by Paola Lenti comes in buff and beige to blend in with its surroundings, or in deep eggplant to provide a striking contrast.

Kraft Paper SoftSeating

This kraft paper ‘softseating’ furniture set by Molo uses a flexible honeycomb structure made entirely of 50% recycled kraft paper to fan into stools, benches and loungers. And, when you’re not using it, it can easily be compressed flat and stored on a shelf. This unusual set of eco-friendly, fold-up furniture was recently acquired by the Museum of Modern Art in New York for their permanent collection.

KEWB Multi-Functional Living Room Set

KEWB furniture is the perfect solution for rooms that you occasionally need to transform into bedrooms for guests. This compact little set turns from a side table and chair into a shelf unit, a bed or a dining table and floor cushions. It’s simple, multifunctional and inexpensive at about £319– ideal for dorms, as well.

Stay at My Home’ Sleep Set for Guests

With the ‘Stay at My Home’ sleep set, what looks like an ordinary side table with a blanket rolled up beneath it transforms into a full set of furniture for guests. The mattress, made of soft foam, unrolls into a comfortable bed and stored within the drawer of the table are bed linens, a pillow and a bedside lamp. The light weight of the objects gives the user freedom to move them around as desired.

Space-Saving Teak Bathroom Furniture

Anyone who has lived in tight quarters knows that space can sometimes come at a premium, making innovative space-saving solutions all the more important. This minimalist teak bathroom furniture set from Bristol and Bath may not look like it offers much in the way of storage upon first glance, but hidden within the wooden supports are pull-out drawers roomy enough to hold all of your toiletries.

CaféFurniture with Compartments for Your Stuff

Don’t you hate it when you get to a café and have no place to put your handbag, umbrella, coat or other personal belongings? Kaman Tung designed this smart set of café furniture with compartments that hold your stuff, so you’ll never have to put it on the floor again. One chair has a compartment behind the seat, another has space for a laptop or briefcase in the arm and the third has a hook for coats. The table even has a shelf below the glass surface for items like keys and gloves.

Wonderful Computer Furniture (5)

Ejection Seat Office Chair

The genius modders at Motoart made this $5,300 rolling chair from a genuine B-52 bomber ejection seat. It isn't exactly ergonomic, but we can think of more than a few programmers who could have used one at times. And it's the perfect gift for the Yahoo employee on your list.

This Vietnam-era carpet bomber (nicknamed BUFF) has upper and lower decks for the pilots and navigator/observer. So do you pick the downward-eject version, or the upward? Guess it depends on where your boss's office is.

BUFF chairs are custom-upholstered in the color you specify. And since the Defense Department doesn't sell old plane parts anymore, once these babies are gone, BUFFs will be history. Poke around the Motoart site for glimpses of other goodies, such as Rocket and Piston desk lamps -- the perfect companions for your bomber chair (not to mention the dream rec-room decor for watching a Houston vs. Detroit NBA final).

Wonderful Computer Furniture (4)

SmartBeds Computer Beds

Italian designer Colombo 907's SmartBeds are the cleverest Murphy beds we've seen yet, and good-looking to boot. The Tale model ($3,650) is a single-size bed that folds up to become a computer desk. Astonishingly, you don't have to move anything off the desk to open the bed. In fact, you can leave everything plugged in, and your desktop remains fully accessible when the bed is open, so you can grab your laptop or a book to read.

The Tale comes in six finishes. It includes a 6-inch-thick foam mattress and has a fingertip lift mechanism.

Meanwhile, the Tama model ($5,386), a full or queen-size double-bed version of the SmartBed, is perfect for a home office that doubles as a guest room. The Tama is the full-size double-bed version of this item.

Wonderful Computer Furniture (3)

Steelcase Walkstation

The Steelcase Walkstation ($6,500) is no gimmick. Straight from the august maker of Frank Lloyd Wright office furniture, in association with the respected Mayo Clinic, comes the Walkstation -- a combination computer desk and treadmill.

Don't expect to work and run, however. This treadmill is capable of a maximum speed (or should we say "terminal velocity"?) of just 2 miles per hour, in 0.1-mile increments, so you're in no danger of working up a sweat. But merely by standing and walking at a leisurely pace, you'll burn as many as 100 extra calories per hour, elevate your base metabolic rate and increase your focus and productivity, according to Mayo research. A privacy screen and near-silent operation make the Walkstation usable in open-cubicle settings, and you can order it in any of Steelcase's usual wide array of colors and finishes.

The logistics of the Walkstation seem a tad cumbersome, however. Presumably, most users will opt to work on the treadmill for only part of the day, which would necessitate moving their computer back and forth between treadmill and desk, and employing two sets of keyboards, mice and monitors. To avoid the resulting hardware overload, consider the Sit-to-Walkstation model, which simplifies the transition between the two positions.

Wonderful Computer Furniture (2)

2. X-Rocker Pro Gaming Chair

Serious gamers will covet Ace Bayou's new X-Rocker Pro-Series chair (expected to sell for $199), which is scheduled to ship next fall. Like earlier X-Rockers, this one keeps you low to the action, envelops you with sound, and has adjustable armrests so you can wave your Wiimote as freely as you like.

The X-Rocker Pro comes with four internal speakers and a subwoofer for twice the power of the previous X-Rocker. It also has wireless audio capabilities, so you won't be tripping over cords on your way to the fridge for some Red Bull.

A side panel with an array of ports and controls accommodates all your gear. You can even use the chair as a iPod listening station when you aren't playing games. The chair's hollow core resonates with the bass in music and sound effects, providing vibrations to accompany the audio, greatly enhancing the gaming experience. A headphone jack holds out the possibility of keeping parents or roommates happy.

A final bonus: Socially oriented gamers can daisy-chain multiple X-Rocker Pros, so all participants in a group game can experience the full intensity of every blast.

Wonderful Computer Furniture (1)

A B-52 ejection chair, a computer bed and a walking station: These and other far-out creations will make your work space look anything but average.

Looking for a computer desk and chair as hip and eye-catching as your new Alienware Area-51 or Macbook Air? These five wacky computer furniture pieces will put you in the pilot's seat -- literally -- or make you feel like an astronaut, a race-car driver or a marathon runner.

With prices ranging from $200 to $6,500, they're not cheap. But if you spend 40 hours a week in your work space, isn't it worth splurging for a cool setup?

1. Vision One Computer Workstation

Want a workstation as comfortable and ergonomically healthful as the cockpit of your car (or the car you wish you had)? Look no further than the Vision One line, which comes equipped with your choice of genuine car seats in various colors, finishes and configurations. The 12-way-powered Porsche leather bucket seat (pictured) is the most popular upgrade; Corvette and Viper seats are available as well. Prices start at $1,700.

The Flagship model shown ($2,600 and up) supports three flat-screen displays , brackets for a 5.1-speaker surround-sound system, padded and pivoting elbow supports, and an adjustable metal footrest. Together with the optional matching side rack, it supports multiple PCs and game consoles, as well as a plethora of peripherals -- all made to order in the United States in the finest hot-rod tradition. But where's the rear-view mirror?

Seating Office Chair Conforms To Your Spine

At first glance this office chair might appear to be ridiculously over-engineered but rest assured all that hardware on the back of the seat has a real purpose. Each of those 11 sections are actually torsion spring-loaded bearing joints that are capable of taking an exact impression of your spine. To make said impression all you need to do is ‘unlock’ the joints with a specific lever and then lean back into the chair with enough pressure to move the springs. Once you have the back of the chair shaped into your ideal posture simply sit in it and over time ‘muscle memory’ will naturally improve your posture while you surf YouTube and Digg all day.

The Vert? can be ordered from the Anthro Corporation for $1,500 and comes with everything you’d expect from a high-end office chair including a gel-filled leather seat and back, three levers for adjusting the chair’s height and tilt and a padded two-way adjustable head rest.

Did I assemble my new bookshelves correctly?

Does this look right to you? Did I assemble my new bookshelves correctly? I kid, I kid. These crazy creations are products of the twisted minds at Studio Proxy.

The Prince of Siam is crafted from plywood, oil, and semi-transparent white varnish. As much as it looks like one, it is not an Ikea hack.

This one, however, is.

Low Waist — the brainchild of Roman LindeBaum and Rüdiger Otte — speaks to “functional and aesthetic stereotypes of modern mass production.” Or so I’m told.

I do believe that as fun as these pieces would be to have around the house, they would begin to drive me seriously crazy once I got sick of the wasted bits of space.

Small Spaces Solution: Concealed Hideaway Bed

This is a great concealed bed that is step beyond the technology of the Murphy bed. This hideaway bed folds up into a wall unit that looks like a normal entertainment center. The mechanized system extends out from a drawer which contains the mattress. The product is called a "Zoom-Room" fittingly, because of its function. For people living in small spaces like lofts or tiny apartments, this type of product has a lot of appeal. Approximate price: $7,000.

Chair, ready to move

For a mere $3770, you can own a chair that looks like an airplane beverage cart circa 1970!

I wonder if the chair will let me have the soda can sans ice if I’m very charming when it comes down the aisle to offer me a drink.

Stupid chair! Whaddya mean you’re all out of vegetarian meals?! For $3770, I better damn well get my vegetarian meal.

Open the Door Friendly

How about a warm (or a cold?) handshake every time you open the door? That's the great idea behind Amsterdam-based freelance product designer Naomi Thellier de Poncheville's doorknob called Hand-le.

Bed or Bookcase?

Bed Bookcase: While not everyone may find the results attractive the concept behind this convertible bed-and-bookcase design is an admiral start anyway. As a space-saving device this would be a great way to keep an extra bed around and then let it blend into the background, wrapped around bookshelves, when not in use.

Furniture Links

Leather Furniture Manufacturer
A custom leather furniture manufacturer specializing in leather chairs and custom tables.

Raisa House of Excellence - French Antique Furniture and English American Indoor Furniture
Indoor Wooden Furniture company, especialy in Fine French, Antique/Classic Furniture & English-American Furniture