Wednesday, 10 September 2008

Bathroom Accessories - Aesthetic And Grand, Light Up The Room

If we were to travel, and are staying in a plush hotel, the first thing that we check is how clean and well done up the bathrooms are. This is because a beautifully designed bathroom is a haven that we love to relax and indulge ourselves in. This holds true for the rest of the house as well, but more so in this room as this is where we spend plenty of time pamper ourselves and use to dress up before work or a party. The right kind of bathroom accessories can do wonders to a bathroom; change it from being just a room to shower transforming it in to luxurious spa. There are some people who live in small apartments but have a beautiful bathroom, and this is because they have paid attention while choosing the accessories and other fittings for the room.


A personal retreat is what the bathroom is, and so everything from the bath mats to towel stand needs to be elegant. With pleasant looking floral paintings, you can make the room more comfortable and soothing. If the lady of the house enjoys a hot soak in the tub, they can install a crafted bathtub in the bathroom, or maybe a shower enclosure can be put in place. Apart from this, one fitting that every bathroom must have is the exhaust fans and the disinfectants that will help keep the germs away from the room.


The bathroom mirror, tooth brush stand need to be simple yet classy and must be placed in the right height else will become cumbersome to use. There could be small shelves put in place to hold your lotions, and perfume bottles. These could be hidden away behind mirror doors or with glass doors, depending on your preferences. In the shower, the bathroom accessories required are shampoo, soap trays, and towel racks. The shower curtain needs to blend in with the rest of the room.


One important point to keep in mind is that the bathroom accessories used should not be cluttered around the room. The room must be spacious and have plenty of space to move around else the person using it will feel suffocated. The tissue holder is another fitting that must be simple and neat looking, and placed in the right position. The right kind of accessories can give the room a lovely relaxing spa like feel to it.

By: JD Theis..

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Tuesday, 9 September 2008

Bathroom Remodel Easy Face Lift

If you are looking into bathroom remodeling, it isn't as tricky as you might imagine. The key is to determine which fixtures are worn and need replacing. With a steady hand and a well thought out game plan, even total home renovation can be accomplished rapidly and without blowing your budget.


Color usually sets the frame of mind. Color is the first thing that someone observes while entering a room. If possible, try to make use of warm colors on the bathroom walls and also try to use accent tiles and matching accessories to include dazzling accents. Floors and tiling should be warm colored. Try to buy a sober color tile backsplash which will help to offset the nice appearance of fixtures.


Another factor that can make a big impact on your bathroom remodel is a vivid flooring model or a deep wall color. When choosing tile, look beyond just color and include texture and dimension in your decision. If you want to highlight your unique tile, experiment with display lighting. Soft lighting on the ceiling will produce a very relaxed, tranquil atmosphere for the whole room.


When remodeling your bathroom, change your sink. It is a fast and economical way to provide the bathroom in your room a decent face lift. A striking sink along with classic faucets will go a long way in making your bathroom beautiful. This will be come out to be both decorative as well as practical.
Even though many house come with an ordinary white or off white porcelain sink, there are many elegant and stylish sinks available which are made of materials like glass, ceramic or granite. If you want to produce more area in the room, you should consider buying a pedestal sink.


When browsing in stores you may check out the combination sink and countertop models that are quite affordable. They are a clever way to save money with a /"bathroom remodel"/. To supply a handsome final touch to your bathroom, select cabinets that make optimal use of the available room, as well as accoutrements which provide decoratve accents to the styles you've chosen.

By: Terry Lamb

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Monday, 8 September 2008

Shower Head Water Filters Compared

I wanted to give you some advice about shower head water filters. I compared the five best-selling shower head filters on the market and here's what I found.


Two of the water filters for shower heads, Shower-wise and Paragon, only reduce chlorine by 50%. Yet, the cost of use is higher than that of one brand that does more. But, the biggest problem is that shower head water filters need to remove more than just chlorine.


You see, anytime that water is chlorinated, dangerous toxins called THMs are released. These toxins become airborne in the bathroom. We inhale them and absorb them through our skin. In addition, there are other dangerous contaminants that also become airborne. They are referred to as volatile organic compounds or VOCs.


Only three of the five shower head filters remove VOCs and THMs. So, I narrowed my comparison to include only those three. I started with the most expensive one.


Wellness Enterprises makes water filters for shower heads, as well as for drinking water and the whole house. Their shower head water filters currently cost $249.00. They make only one model and no wand is included, so you cannot easily use it for filling the tub.


Wellness shower head filters are more expensive than the others primarily because of the health claims that they make about their products. Their water filters for shower heads are supposed to support the body's ability to resist bacteria and fungus. In addition, the waters from their shower head filters are supposed to have antioxidant activity, which would be great, if not impossible.


There is no scientific evidence to support any of their claims. I have searched and searched.


While there is reliable research and data indicating that inhalation of THMs and VOCs is hazardous to our health and may even cause cancer, there is nothing that I can find supporting the claims made by Wellness.


The next water filters for shower heads that I want to mention are Jonathan Beauty. I have a lot of respect for the hairdresser whose name is behind these shower head water filters. Before he found another answer, he would recommend that clients shampoo with bottled water, especially before a photo shoot or other important assignment.


My only problem with Jonathan's water filters for shower heads is that we don't have to pay quite that much. $95 is reasonable enough, but we can get shower head filters that do the same thing for $67.99.


The estimated cost per month is $9.25. That's not bad, but we can get water filters for shower heads that, again, do the same thing and pay only $7 per month. My question is why pay more when you don't have to.


This is a situation similar to many others. Jonathan does not himself make his products. Someone else does.


Whenever you can buy anything direct from the manufacturer, you save money. The same is true for shower head water filters. Hopefully, that will help you make the best choice.


Julie Perry graduated with a Diploma in Applied Science and is a fully qualified Naturopath. On her web site http://www.healthysafewater.com - you will find out a practical and simple way to always have fresh, healthy water throughout your home. Learn what to look for in choosing shower head water filters.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Julie_Perry

Sunday, 7 September 2008

How Chlorine Shower Filters Combat Deadly Chemicals

One of the things that you may want to do in the near future is to take a look at chlorine shower filters. Even people who already own countertop units sometimes don't think about the chemical content of their bathroom water.


Chlorine filters for shower heads are a good idea, and I'll tell you why.


You always hear people say that they are concerned about the quality of the drinking water, that's what started the countertop filter and bottled water craze.


Chlorine shower filters are necessary for the same reasons that scared people into making the drinking water switch, which is fear of consuming deadly chemicals.


Make no mistake; you are consuming those chemicals in the shower, but just in a different way. With every breath that you draw when not using chlorine filters for shower heads, you are taking the product into your body.


Your also taking it in much larger doses than you would imagine.


You absorb both chlorine and its derivative chloroform gas into your system at a rate that is 600% higher than you could get it in other forms. Chlorine is filling your lungs, and absorbing through your pores by way of the steam that is present.


Chlorine shower filters could prevent you from having to take in this deadly chemical. The reason that I stress how dangerous that the chemical and it's by product THMs are is because they have already proven to be a major contributor to the growing cancer rate.


THMs are the derivative that takes their natural form as chloroform, and THMs have been found present in breast tumor biopsies. I cannot stress enough how important chlorine filters for shower heads are.


Your family needs to be protected from these deadly toxins, and chlorine shower filters are the way to do it. They are not all the same though, as only a handful on the market are designed to block out THMs. So you need to be absolutely sure that the product that you choose was engineered to give you full protection.


The top model chlorine filters for shower heads will also block lead and copper. These heavy metals erode over time, and traces of the elements are garnered from the very pipes that carry the water to and into our homes.


They then end up in our drinking and shower water.


You will gain something more than just security from the threat of harmful contaminants. You will also begin to look better. If you're not Brad or Angelina now, chlorine shower filters are not going to change that. They will however make an amazing difference in the way that your hair and skin look and feel.


After just a couple of weeks using chlorine filters for shower heads you will begin to notice that your skin is much smoother and less flaky.


You will also notice that you have developed softer, more lustrous hair. The benefits of owning and using chlorine shower filters will change every aspect of your life.


Julie Perry graduated with a Diploma in Applied Science and is a fully qualified Naturopath. On her web site http://www.healthysafewater.com - you will find out a practical and simple way to always have fresh, healthy water throughout your home. Learn what to look for when choosing chlorine shower filters.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Julie_Perry

Saturday, 6 September 2008

Bathroom Tile Design - Material Types For Bathroom Tile Designs

Good bathroom tile design should create a floor surface that is attractive, water resistant and safe to walk on. Bathroom tile designs using ceramic tile, rubber flooring or vinyl and linoleum floors are all examples of bathroom tile design material choices that should be available nearly anywhere.


These types of tiles are easy to clean, water resistant and safe to walk on. If you are going to use natural stone or terra-cotta ceramic tiles on your floors to create a more sophisticated effect, make sure you buy the kind with a non-slip finish.


As you consider which bathroom tile designs to select, each type of tile will have unique properties that may or may not provide characteristics that are good for your bathroom. Here are different material types for bathroom tile design along with advantages or disadvantages of each:


1. Laminate and Vinyl Bathroom Tile Design - these types of tile in bathroom tile designs can be found in a variety of colors, patterns and textures. Some tiles even imitate wood, stone and ceramic. It is not very expensive, is water resistant, easy to install and clean and it is durable.


2. Ceramic Bathroom Tile Design - ceramic tile can range from fairly cheap to expensive and it is the classic choice. Tile is made of clay, shale or porcelain and is formed and fired at very high temperatures until it hardens. The higher the temperature and the more times the tile is fired, the harder and less porous the tile. If you are using a white or cream ceramic tile for your bathroom, using a different color grout like "blue" will give your bathroom a dramatic look. Grout is the material used to fill the spaces between the tiles. Make sure you apply sealers to grout lines in areas of heavy wear like countertops. Sealers will also preserve grout colors.


3. Stone Bathroom Tile Designs (marble, granite, brick, slate, onyx, travertine and limestone) - this tile can be beautiful, very strong, durable in high-traffic areas, it will last a long time, is low maintainance and easy to clean. However, it is expensive, it's a cold material, can be slippery and absorbs stains easily.


4. Linoleum Bathroom Tile Design - this tile is made of renewable and natural materials like linseed oil, ground cork, limestone, jute and wood flour. This type of bathroom floor is making a comeback with new marbled and graphic designs, and it is more durable and easier to clean than vinyl tile.


5. Mosaic Bathroom Tile - this wonderful tile was an ancient craft that today can be made of tile, stone, porcelain and colored glass, creating stunning floor patterns. These tiles are small (1 or 2 inches square) and often expensive. What you can do is to add a small section of this type of tile for visual interest to your floor or countertop.


6. Concrete Bathroom Tile Designs - durable, low maintenance, perfect for wet areas and stunning. You can find this type of tile in beautiful textures such as shiny, rough, slick and sandpaper and in various colors and sizes.


7. Hardwood - you can build your bathroom floor using solid wood, parquet flooring or engineered woods (several layers of wood laminated and high-tech materials that are similar to plywood). Hardwoods are wear-resistant, attractive, comfortable to walk on, easy to clean and refinish, not very cold in winter, but they are more vulnerable to moisture when used in a bathroom.


If you want to use a bathroom tile design that includes rugs in your bathroom, make sure you buy the kind that has rubber backing, or add rubber backing strips to the rugs. Be careful with rugs that can slip and slide on a tiled floor or natural stone floor which creates a safety hazard. Rugs can also harbor dust mites and allergens which is a problem for people with allergies.


Whether you'll be remodeling an old bathroom or creating a brand new one, being active in the design stage helps ensure that your bathroom turns out just like you want. The bathroom tile designs and styles, colors, patterns and sizes you choose can help you have a bathroom that is comfortable, attractive and functional and a room that you will enjoy every day.


Copyright 2006 InfoSearch Publishing

Published At: www.Isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=34285&ca=Home+Management

Thursday, 4 September 2008

Supercharge Your Tankless Water Heater - Get Fast Hot Water and Be Green!

While it's true that tankless water heaters save energy and can provide an endless supply of hot water, it's also true that tankless units take longer to get the hot water to the fixtures. Since a tankless heater needs to heat the water before it can deliver hot water to you, you have to wait longer. The only way to get the hot water of course is to run the faucet. So while you run the faucet and wait, you are dumping gallon after gallon of pure clean water down the drain. Water that required energy for pumping and treating it. Pumping and treating the water uses energy which in turn means green house gasses being released into the atmosphere.


The heater can be pictured as a long piece of pipe coiled up and placed over a fire. As the water flows through the pipe it gets hotter. In order to reach full temperature it has to stay in the fire for a certain period of time. It will take longer if the water starts out colder. If you speed up the flow of water it will get cooler, unless you add more fire. With the old storage heaters the tank full of hot water is ready to go the moment the faucet is opened so you get your hot water faster.


With tank type heaters what has been done in the past to both speed up the delivery of hot water and eliminate running the water down the drain while you wait is to create a loop in the hot side of the plumbing so you can pump the hot water around the loop, keeping the pipe full of hot water. That way when you turn on the faucet you get instant hot water every time whenever you want it. It works great with a tank type heater except for the fact that it uses a whole lot of energy keeping the piping warm.


But you can't do that with the tankless unit because tankless heaters turn on when they detect water flowing through them. Usually it takes ½ gallon per minute of flow or more to activate most tankless heaters. Most circulating systems don't produce that much flow. If they did, then the water heater would be on all of the time. Using a standard circulating system with a tankless heater will void the warranty in almost every case anyway.


There is another type of hot water delivery system called a demand system that will work just fine with tankless water heaters. The way it works is a small pump is installed under the sink furthest from the water heater. When you want hot water you press a button and the demand system pumps the water at high speed from the water heater to the fixture. The system has a temperature sensor monitoring the temperature of the water, and when it senses an increase in temperature it shuts off the pump. This prevents hot water from entering the cold water lines.


Since the pump only runs for a few seconds at a time it uses very little energy. Typically it uses less than $1.00 per year in electricity. It doesn't use any more heat energy than a standard plumbing system. It saves 100% of the water normally run down the drain waiting for the hot to arrive.


Demand systems are suitable for use with tankless water heaters since the pump only runs for a short time, and will not void the warranty of the water heater. Not all demand systems have strong enough pumps to run tankless water heaters though, so you should check with the manufacturer before you make the purchase.


Metlund makes a demand system they call a D'mand system. They have several models, and I think the largest model has a strong enough pump to use with a tankless heater. Metlund's d'mand pumps range from 1/40 horsepower for the smallest to 1/8 horsepower for the biggest. Chilipepper makes a demand system, and they only make one model, the CP6000. The CP6000 has the most powerful pump of any system on the market, (approximately 1/3 horsepower) and will work with any tankless water heater.


Another reason for using a more powerful pump is that the more power the pump has the faster the hot water will arrive at the fixture.


By combining your energy efficient tankless water heater with a hot water demand system you get the best of both worlds...you are energy efficient and you conserve water. It's a great feeling to know that you are doing your part to protect the environment and conserve our natural resources every time you use hot water.


For more information about instantaneous hot water, water heaters, demand systems, and tankless water heaters visit: Instant Hot Water


Mr. Lund has been an inventor for over 35 years and has over a dozen patents. For information about patents, inventing, prototyping, online marketing, and new product stories visit Free Invention Help.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=William_Lund

Tuesday, 2 September 2008

Painting Bathroom Tiles With Country Themes

From painting bathroom tiles to doing other changes, a country bathroom remodeling project can dredge up a number of different thoughts and plans. To some, it may mean adding more flowers, frills and gingham patters to the mix. For others, it may mean something completely different such as a cowboy theme. There are many ways that you can pull this unique theme together to give you the sense of improving the look.


Tips For Hiring A Contractor

If your plan is to hire an interior designer, or a contractor of another type, to help with the bathroom redo, then be sure to get what you want out clearly. A good tip is to insure that everything is put in writing. Getting your goals down on paper, including everything from painting bathroom tiles to installing fixtures, then the job will be done correctly. If you are allowing them to provide a design for you, communicate what you like and be sure you know what they are suggesting.


Get Creative And Look For Opportunities

Sometimes, when planning for a large scale project like a country bathroom remodeling project, some of your ideas or the things you would like to see accomplished are not cost effective or they may not work in your home. For example, the weight of materials may be too much for the structure below. While this may seem to stop the entire project, keep an open mind and look for other ways to accomplish the same design theme.


Getting Ideas

Finding ideas is often one of the most challenging things. You can learn more by using magazines to help you or by watching television programs. Get some ideas and then work out the details with your contractor. Many times, even midway through the project, new ideas can be incorporated into the overall plan. The key is to find the best choice available.


One way to get more ideas is to ask the professionals if they have any experience in the theme from the start. They may have provided these types of projects to other clients. Find out what they think will work, because they have some experience in the project's success in the past, which may translate into success now. While most will listen and take in your needs, they may be able to spot potential problems beforehand.


When it comes to hiring a professional interior designer or contractor, find a way to work with them based on their skills and experience. No matter if you want to be painting bathroom tiles or doing minor changes, they can help.


Adam Peters is the author of many articles on subjects like bathroom remodeling and published at http://www.home-decorating-reviews.com Read additional info on bathroom tiles or painting bathroom tiles


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adam_Peters

Monday, 1 September 2008

Bathroom Tile Ideas For Bathroom Floor Tile

Bathroom tile ideas for bathroom floor tile can help you know what options to consider for your bathroom. Bathroom tile comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, patterns and textures and they are the basis for any bathroom design. Bathroom tile ideas can help you have the very best bathroom possible.


Ceramic bathroom floor tile is often used because of its durability, resistance to dampness, its safety to walk on when wet and its ease of cleaning. If you select ceramic tiles for your bathroom, consider using a tile that has a slip-resistant surface for bathroom safety, which is one of the best bathroom tile ideas.


If you buy and install unglazed tiles, they will need to be washed frequently because they absorb stains quite easily. Bathroom floor tile shapes can be squares, rectangles, hexagons and octagons while accent tiles can be narrow and small diamond-shaped pieces.


Here are bathroom tile ideas for bathroom floor tile:

1 - If you use solid color ceramic bathroom floor tile in your bathroom, you can add tile borders of a different color to the tile floor, or you can create a border by alternating different colors. This kind of visual treatment can create a more interesting bathroom floor.

2 - When using the same color ceramic tile for the floors and walls, choose a different tile size for the walls or lay the wall tiles diagonally to create a more interesting visual effect.

3 - Another of the bathroom tile ideas is to choose a grout color that contrasts with the ceramic tile color. For example, if you are using white tiles, you could use blue, red or yellow grout for contrast. Be sure and apply sealers to grout lines in areas of heavy wear since sealers will protect and preserve grout colors.

4 - If your favorite color for a bathroom is pink, for example, add a few pink decorative tiles for the walls or use shapes, textures and borders to give it some visual interest. Select some rows of the walls where you can also use some of the pink tiles placed diagonally.

5 - To give your bathroom a contemporary style and look, consider using bright and bold colors with shapes or graphics against plain backgrounds. Contemporary style accessories and fixtures will further provide a modern-looking bathroom appearance.

6 - If you are trying to have a romantic or Victorian look in your bathroom, use floral tiles in soft colors like pink, light green or light blue plus handpainted ceramic sinks and perhaps a wooden floor. For a Mediterranean bathroom look, mix terra-cotta tiles with Mexican or other hand-painted tiles for the floors. For the countertop, perhaps mix the hand-painted tiles with another plain color tile.

7 - Bathroom tile ideas and tile color are important since color can greatly affect your mood, making you feel calm or energizing you. Warm colors like peach and yellow are fun, they make the bathroom feel cozier and they go well with a more country looking bathroom decor. If you use neutral colors like beiges and whites, they will make the room look larger, they will reflect light and they are always in style.


Colors like blue, green and violet are viewed as serene or cool colors. Brighter colors like black or red add drama to the decor, absorb light and will make the room appear smaller. In rooms with plenty of windows and natural lighting, consider using darker tiles to offset the ambient lighting. You can also work in colors you want through the use of accent tiles and accessories.


Have fun as you select the styles, colors, patterns and sizes of bathroom floor tile and related accessories for your bathroom. You'll want your bathroom to be a fun, cozy room to spend time in and the bathroom floor tile used can help create that kind of atmosphere. Use bathroom tile ideas to help you have that special bathroom that you can enjoy every day.


Copyright 2006 InfoSearch Publishing

Published At: www.Isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=34280&ca=Home+Management