Home Theaters Give You an Escape From Reality

By: Heather Peters

There's nothing quite so satisfying as being able to immerse yourself in total darkness before seeing a crystal clear studio logo pop onto the big screen while a blast of 5.1 digital surround sound overtakes your senses and rumbles beneath you. You are experiencing the rush of watching a movie in a theater. But not just any theater, it's your home theater.



That's right. No one kicking the seat behind you, throwing candy at your head or talking on the phone during the best scenes; if they do you can kick them out yourself!



In many ways the home theater experience far surpasses the big screens of movie theater chains. Not only the annoyances listed previously, but there's also the factors of cost and convenience.



With the price of a movie ticket running somewhere around $10, plus the cost of snacks, you could easily afford your own home theater just by skipping those evenings out for a year or two. Depending on how expensive your tastes are possibly even sooner than that. And there's no need to wait for the 7 o'clock showing or stand in line; you can start, stop and schedule your movie showings whenever it's convenient for you.



As true home theater enthusiasts we'd been designing our perfect escape since before we bought our house. We were just looking for the perfect house to fit our dreams. We found it a few years ago and proceeded to design our dream theater with gusto. We had most of our cinema equipment (just needing a few finishing touches like the 5.1 digital surround and more monster cables) so we dug into planning everything from seating arrangement and style, to carpet color and decor, to the large hinged wall with secret escape route (doesn't every kid want one?)



By doing most of it ourselves we saved thousands of dollars but it also took about a year to "finish." Well, it's finished enough for us to enjoy, we are always working on the little touches here and there. Many people hire professionals to design and build their theater's, which saves a lot of time (but not always money.)



After a long hard day at work, or an evening of frustrating parenting, the need to escape reality can become overwhelming. Being able to drop ourselves into complete darkness and seclusion and then immerse ourselves in a full senses banquet of sights and sounds from Hollywood we can quickly forget our own headaches and get wrapped up in the big screen. Those two hours are sanity savers without ever needing to leave the house (or get candy thrown at our heads).

Author Bio

Learn more about the world of home theaters at home-theaters.diyhomeremodeling.com You can have your own theater experience without the theater headaches.

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How to Buy a Loft Bed (Bunk Beds)

By: Doug Mahopac

Individuals of all ages choose to invest in a loft bed or bunk bed for their home. This classic childhood sleeper is quickly becoming a fun, inventive way for 'tweens, teens, college students, and young adult hipsters to maximize their space without having to roll out a sleeping bag every night. When it comes time to shop for furniture, look to stores that specialize in bunk beds or loft beds.



First things first, there is a major difference between bunk beds and loft beds. Bunk beds are the most common form of alternative bedding, with an upper bunk stacked above a lower bunk. Some bunk beds stack two same-sized mattresses horizontally, while others stack a twin bed above a full size bed or even a futon that can serve as a larger sleeping or living area. Finally, other bunk beds create a playhouse type environment, with a top bunk running horizontally overtop of a vertically running bottom bunk. Some of these alternative bunk beds include stair steps and even slides, allowing the beds perfect for younger individuals.



Loft beds feature elevated platforms for sleeping, leaving much needed floor space below to place a desk, couch, or entertainment center to provide extra space for living. Generally associated with cramped dorm rooms, loft beds are becoming increasingly popular with teenagers who feel cramped in smaller rooms and want to expand their livable space. Also, young adults are also elect to choose loft beds in first apartments that may have less than desirable sleeping quarters. Think of loft beds like the new, hipper version of the classic Murphy bed.



When shopping for a bunk bed or loft bed, first consider the person that will be sleeping in the bed. For children, consider safety above all other aspects of the bed. Teenagers or young adults may want to focus on the size or the style of the bed more so than safety worries. When dealing with children, be sure that the child is ready to upgrade to a "grown up" bed before making the move. Children should be at least 35 inches long or two years of age before he or she should be moved to a bunk bed. Also, ground rules should be made regarding the proper conduct involving the bunk bed, since most injuries occur due to roughhousing or horseplay.



Regardless of your age, you should ensure the bunk bed or loft bed you choose has two sets of guardrails and a sturdy ladder that can support your weight. The guard rails are critical, even though your bed may reside next to a wall. More so with children, but occasional with teens or adults, bunk beds or loft beds without a guardrail next to the wall can cause the sleeper to slip between the bed and the wall during their sleep. Also, a guardrail on the other side of the bed is critical, since anyone can fall out of a bed while asleep.



For children, the guard rail should be no more than three and a half inches above the mattress. If the guard rail is too far away from the mattress, the occupant can slip between the mattress and the rail, resulting in a fall. Also, the guard rail should run at least five inches above the mattress to prevent the occupant from rolling over top of the rail.



Keep in mind there are a variety of bunk beds and loft beds on the market. Younger kids may enjoy the activity themed bunk beds, while teens may desire a bed that incorporates a loft instead of a bottom bunk. Also, the size of the room is directly associated with size of the bunk bed or loft bed. Although having a double or queen size bed may be luxurious in comparison to a tiny twin, but carefully think of the available space before choosing.

Author Bio

Doug Mahopac specializes in Clocks www.i-cuckoo-clocks.com

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Unlocking Your Dungeon: How to Finish a Basement Without Finishing off Your Checkbook

By: Donald Lee

One thousand square feet, fifteen hundred square feet, three thousand square feet-however big your home is, you know it could always be a little bit bigger. Whether you're in the throes of parenthood and trying to find spaces to stash your kid's toys, or you're starting a home business, you could probably use an extra room or two. One way to get more space is to buy a whole new house. For those of us in the real world, though, a far more economical and practical solution is to finish the basement.



Yes, that creepy, crawly dungeon can be turned into a playroom for your children, a home office for your bustling new business, or an entertainment room for the weekend's big game. You'll just need to cover over the cold concrete floors and the gray foundation walls. Then there's the pipes hanging from the ceiling that you'll want to hide, and the washer, dryer, and storage boxes that you might want to section off.



OK, maybe this project isn't sounding so practical or economical anymore. But actually, despite the time and effort that goes into it, finishing your basement is basically easy and cheap-if you know how to go about it the right way. There are eight key considerations you ought to make if you're down with finishing your basement. They'll help you figure out how to go about it, as well as help you decide if you really want to go about it in the first place.



No. 1: Just how much value will the basement add to your home. Chances are, a finished basement will make a "cellar" want to offer more to buy your home. But by how much? To be worthwhile, make sure the increase in your home's value will over-compensate what you spent to finish your basement. Talk to neighbors who have finished their basement, or do research online or with your real-estate agent to see what houses are worth in your area, with and without finished basements.



No. 2: Have a good sense how long you will be in your home after you finish the basement. Sure, a finished basement will bump up the value of your house, but you also want to be sure you will get some value yourself out of all that new space.



No. 3: Be realistic about costs and work time. Depending on your basement, finishing it could be more intensive than you first imagine. Can you really spent (or borrow) $10,000 at this time? Do you want contractors in your home for two weeks?



No. 4. I don't need a contractor to do work I can do myself! (Oh, really?). Even handymen or women can get themselves in over their heads when it comes to major projects like finishing a basement. And don't get us wrong. You may be capable of doing all of the necessary work. But are you able-meaning, do you have the time and energy after your 9-to-5 job, your children's sports practices, and a few hours of sleep?



No. 5: Local laws may have something to say, too. Hiring a contractor or doing it yourself-whatever way you decide, you may have to comply with local or state codes for such construction. Again, a neighbor who's recently done a similar home renovation could be a wealth of information, as well as municipal or state Web sites. Following such regulations may seem like a pain, but they may help you prevent real pain that comes from injuries if you carry out your project without safety codes in mind.



No. 6: Sure, it's a good idea to finish the basement-but exactly how? Here's the fun part. Once you determine that it will be worth it to go through with the project, now you need to figure out what sort of room you want down there. Will the theme be a spare bedroom, a playroom, work-out gym, office, home theater, etc.?



No. 7: Are you being realistic about the basement's new theme? OK, it would be great to have a fitness room down there, but do you really have the room for the treadmill and the weights? Do you have the square footage for two couches and a 60-inch high-definition TV? Will you have the ceiling height to fit your 7-foot-tall bookshelves?



No. 8. Your basement can handle your vision of finished glory-great, now make it happen. Start shopping around for all your necessary appliances and furniture. Do your research on price and selection and get your best value. In many cases-such as with office furniture or fitness equipment-buying used is the way to go. Used stuff can be none the worse for wear, and at online classifieds or auction sites, you can more often than not--get great deals on it.



Steps 1 through 8-just like that, it's simple to make your house that much closer to being that figurative castle, or that is, to turn your castle's dungeon into the king's (or queen's) court!

Author Bio

Donald Lee is the public relations manager for Buysellcommunity.com. Buysellcommunity provides free classified listing services. Buy, Sell and trade: auto, computers, household items, real estate, pets and much more. For global and localized classifieds, please visit
http://www.buysellcommunity.com - Free Buy & Sell Classifieds

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Radiant Floor Heat: It Warms Your Soles But it Doesn't Empty Your Pockets

By: Harvey Juric

There is no doubt that radiant floor heating is a superior method of heating your home. Its popularity is steadily increasing as people discover that not only is it the most comfortable form of heating, but also the most cost efficient.



Though comfort and cost are the two biggest benefits of this heating system there are many others:

• Silent operation - no hum or whistle of a forced air system.



• Inconspicuousness of the system - you don't see vents or air blowing.



• A healthier home - forced air systems can spread dust, pollen, and germs.



• Even, quiet warmth: even with wood, tile, or uncovered concrete floors.



• Also, radiant heat is less likely to dry out your breathing passages and skin.

The warmth of the floor on a cold winter morning would probably be enough to convince a lot of people that radiant floor heating is the best thing since sliced bread. However, after discovering the cost savings, there is usually no going back.



Radiant floor heating concentrates the heat in the lower half of a room where the human body needs it most. Since heat is evenly distributed in the floor, the thermostat can be set 2 - 4° less than a forced air heating system. This can reduce energy cost by 10-30%. Homes and building with high ceiling will save even more in heating costs as heat generated by forced air systems quickly rises to the top of these structures, where it is of little use.



Whereas a forced air system delivers heat which quickly rises to the ceiling - a radiant floor heating system radiates heat from the floor and delivers the heat evenly throughout the rooms.



In a radiant floor heating system warm water circulates through tubing beneath the floor. This turns the flooring into an efficient, low temperature radiator.



Though Radiant Floor heating is not a complicated system, there are components which are required, and that the homeowner should be aware of - The Heating Source, The Boiler, The Pump and the Tubing.



The heating source can be electricity, solar, natural gas, propane, oil, wood, or any other heating source.



The boiler, with a certified efficiency rating houses the water to be heated. This same boiler can also be used to heat the pool, snow melting, heating a hot tub, or and domestic hot water needs.



A Pump is required to circulate the water though the tubing located under the floor.



The tubing for a radiant floor heating system is located either in the concrete, under wood subfloors, or on a subfloor of wood, precast concrete or concrete slab-on-grade, then covered with gypsum.



Once a homeowner makes the decision to install radiant floor heating system, contacting the right installer is imperative.



Some companies who design radiant floor heating systems may also install the system.



A qualified System Designer and a qualified System Installer will work together and know which components work well together, capacities of various systems, special considerations for installations in your area, and manufacturers' warranties and reliability.



The designer should do a room-by-room heat loss analysis of your home or building done as well as a step-by-step system sizing process.

Author Bio

Harvey Juric, ICF Consultant and CEO of ICFhome.ca is a custom home builder in southern Ontario. He has been in the home construction industry for the past 30 years performing a wide variety of tasks related to the building trades. As one of the pioneers of the Insulated Concrete Form industry, he formed ICFhome.ca to take advantage of, at that time, emerging new construction techniques that promised stronger and better and more energy efficient homes. For more information about the model home, Insulated Concrete Forms or Radiant Floor Heating contact ICFhome.ca by telephone 519 843-7612, e-mail info@icfhome.ca, or visit their web site at Ontario Home Builder

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Add More Storage To Your Bedroom Without Remodeling

By: Lee Dobbins

Everyone can use more storage and one of the best places to add storage to is the bedroom. What with all your clothes and personal items cluttering up the closet and bureau, the bedroom can sometimes seem like a messy catch all for all your household clutter. Here's some ways you can clean up the bedroom and get some extra storage space too boot!



Your Closet

One way to gain a ton of space is to install a closet organizer. It doesn't have to be a fancy expensive one (although feel free if you want one). You won't believe how much extra space you can get from when you use one of these systems.



The metal rails systems for closets are great. You can get acrylic shelves, chrome baskets and special slotted pieces for shoes and hats. The slotted systems are good as they provide ventilation which helps your clothes to breathe and are easy to maintin. These adjustable components come with a non-chip and non stick coating.



When choosing a closet organizer, make sure you pick a system that allows you to double up your rack space. This way you can hang shorter clothes like shirts and skirts on top of each other and literally double your closet space!



Hidden Storage In Your Bedroom

You might already have some storage space in your bedroom that you don't even realize you have! Do you have space under the bed? Are you using it to it's fullest? Clean out all the dust bunnies and throw away the socks and junk that has accumulated under there and use this for long term storage. You can put off season clothing, camping gear, toys or whatever under there when it is not in use. Store the items in Tupperware containers (you can buy the low ones on wheels for easy retrieval) or space bags to protect the items and create a neat storage space.



Another overlooked storage area is a room divider. If you have one sitting in the corner as a decorative item, you might want to look at the space behind it. This can be used to store items that you don't need to get at every day like craft supplies or maybe even cleaning supplies.



Storage Baskets

Storage baskets are a great place to store various objects and can also add decorative touches to your bedroom. You can use them for small stuff like keys, holding bills or correspondence, toiletries, towels, jewelry and just about anything else that will fit in the basket. You can buy large baskets for your laundry and smaller ones to use as catch alls.



When buying baskets to use as storage in the bedroom, make sure you pick ones that match your bedroom décor. There are many types of storage baskets available in the market in many different sizes and shapes and colors, and in different materials. Some are utility oriented, while some are meant as decorative items. You can choose from willow, woven ash, rope, wrought iron, woven sea grass, bamboo, woodchip and a variety of other types with all different kinds of embellishments so you should be able to find a basket that matches any bedroom décor.



Adding more storage to your bedroom can help you get better organized and even help you remove some of the clutter from other rooms in the house. Now you just need to remember to put that stuff away in the right place!

Author Bio

Lee Dobbins writes for Bedroom Designs And Decorations where you can find more tips on decorating your bedroom.

Design Tips For Your Master Bathroom

By: Lee Dobbins

When you redecorate your master bedroom, don't leave the master bath out in the cold! You can add some zing to your bathroom too and create a cohesive theme between the two rooms that will give you a real sweet master suite.



One thing you need to do when redecorating your master bath is to be sure to tie in some of the elements from your bedroom. You don't have to make it an identical match, but using a common color or theme will really unite the two rooms. If your bedroom has a cottage theme, carry this over into the bathroom by putting out some shells in dishes on the vanity. If your bedroom is more shabby chic with big floral wallpaper, then think about carrying the color of the flowers into the master bath.



One of the big design elements in the bathroom is the hardware. Faucets and spigots, in addition to tubs and toilets are made in a variety of shapes and materials which can be the centerpiece of your design. Open showers are currently popular with the younger upwardly-

mobile crowd, and claw-foot bathtubs are almost always considered to be classic and

attractive. When selecting hardware and figuring out a floor plan, think about privacy issues and don't put the toilet and tub too close together.



Another big element in the bathroom is the tiling. The more expensive tiles

should have durability, aesthetic value, and a non-porous surface. Make sure your tiles can be easily cleaned and sanitized, and that it is easy to install and does not require special adhesives which can become costly. When choosing tile, think out of the box. You don't have to use only porcelain tile, consider marble, clay and anything else you see in the store that catches your eye.



Once you have the design down and selected the major elements, focus on decoration accessories to bring out personality and individualism. The bathroom doesn't have to just be functional and putting interesting items on the walls or shelves is a great way to give the room some character. Don't be afraid to use your own ideas and put what you want into the room when redecorating your master bathroom.

Author Bio

Lee Dobbins writes for Bedroom Designs And Decorations where you can find more tips on decorating your bedroom.

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Create A Lounging Area In Your Bedroom With Floor Pillows

By: Lee Dobbins

If you want to add another dimension to your bedroom but it is too small for a separate sitting area, you can create a lounging area in less space by simply using floor pillows. Not only will this create interest in a boring corner, but the pillows can help add to the design elements already in the room.



A floor pillow is simply a large cushion that can be used for relaxing on. They are great for sitting on to chat with friends or reclining on when reading a book or watching TV. They are taller than regular pillows and make great foot rests as well as decorative accents.



The color combinations and the patterns used in floor pillows almost fit any decoration, any style. They come in a variety of fabrics as well. Wool, cotton, polyester and chenille are the primary material used to make floor pillows and floor pillow covers. These pillows are plump, soft, comfy and fun - a perfect look and use for any bedroom.



Floor pillows can also be custom made. You can get them to match your other fabrics and furniture which will help give a sense of completeness to the room by repeating fabrics throughout it. They lend a casual look to the room when used in a bedroom but you can get a more formal looking pillow if you prefer that type of look. These pillows are generally sturdier and firmer and do not flop. They are more rectangular or slightly squarer and used primarily for seating purposes only.



Floor pillows with removable covers are great for the bedroom. The covers can be taken off to change the look or to be washed. These floor cushions usually have zippers but may have other types of closures such as Velcro or snaps.



Since they need to be more durable than regular pillows, floor pillows are filled with tougher stuffing. This is to ensure that the shape of the pillow does not get distorted easily. One type of floor pillow that is seeing a resurge in interest are ban bags. These are great for sitting purposes, for playing, for lying and mould to ones posture easily. Bean bags are capable of being refilled and are washable.



Floor pillows are a great choice for the bedroom since they are soft and fluffy, like your bedding and bed pillows. They are decorative by nature and can add a little pizzaz to your room while not taking up too much space. They make excellent, inexpensive alternatives for extra seating as well as add an element of whimsy to your bedroom décor.

Author Bio

Lee Dobbins writes for Bedroom Designs And Decorations where you can find more tips on decorating your bedroom.

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