A homeowner’s guide to cleaning the fireplace
There are few things guaranteed to warm the heart (and the limbs) faster than a beautiful open fireplace. As a design feature, it is delightfully sophisticated and wonderfully stylish. While many of the traditional Georgian and Victorian fireplaces have now made way for more contemporary shapes and forms, Australian homeowners still love the crackle and heat of real wood fires.
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Australia's Innovative Approach to Workspace Design & Strategy
Learn key innovations in flexibility, technology, and wellbeing shaping the future of work.
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Widely-used terminology in window industry
There is some widely used terminology in the window industry. Knowing what these terms mean is a great help when it comes to understanding the industry jargon associated with insulation, energy issues and climatic zones. Here’s a quick guide to some commonly used terms - and what they actually mean!
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Biggest tile trends of 2016
Welcome to the future! Tile trends this year have been heavily influenced by increased capabilities in manufacturing and technology, creating new types of tiles with amazing potential. Designers are being inspired to use tiles in new places, such as bedrooms and feature walls. The same material on both floors and walls is a huge trend which enlarges the look of rooms and creates a modern, streamline appearance. Below you’ll find a rundown on the most popular trends in tiles this year.
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Fencing to reduce traffic noise
If your home or business is located on or near a busy road, noise can be a real problem. There are ways noise can be reduced inside your home, from using glazing on the windows and insulation in the walls. There are also certain types of walls and fences that can be built around your property that can help significantly reduce the sound of passing traffic.
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Electricians can help you make the most of your renovation
If you’re planning on renovating you may know that you need to have a professional electrician check your home for safety and compliance, as well as undertake all of the necessary work. This is a great time to consider exactly what an electrician can bring to your renovation, and how to make the most of having a capable professional in your home.
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Guide to Bathroom Lighting and IP Rating
Starting with the technical details, safety is key when choosing your bathroom lighting. To identify whether a light is safe for your bathroom, all lights are given an IP Rating (Ingress Protection rating) which measures how resistant the light is to both water and dust particles. IP Ratings can be determined by reading the first and second digits following the initial ‘IP’.
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Roofing: concrete tiles or Colorbond steel?
Whether you’re building, renovating, or doing repairs, it’s worth reconsidering your roof. The best fit for your home and lifestyle isn’t always immediately apparent, and there are plenty of factors to consider. The most popular roofing materials in Australia are concrete tiles and Colorbond steel.
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Buying sustainably and how to do it effectively
Do you wish you knew how to shop for pieces that veer towards the sustainable side of things? Buying environmentally friendly items can be hard to spot without asking a million questions, and although these types of questions are always welcome it’s nice to have some knowledge before hitting the shops. Let’s look at some of the criteria to spot an eco-friendly choice.
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Choosing timber flooring
When it comes to flooring which is remarkable, long lasting, timelessly beautiful, and natural, you can’t go past timber. However, there are many different types of timber floors to choose from, and it can become confusing if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Solid, hardwood floors made from new or recycled timber are traditional and remain popular, however floating and engineered floorboards and parquetry are also great options.
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Beat the Melbourne climate install air conditioning
Australia is a country of climate extremes and while traditionally we embrace the summer months it can be exhausting and debilitating when the temperatures and the humidity rise. Our houses heat up during the day making it very uncomfortable to sleep at night. It can be just as uncomfortable trying to stay warm during the chilly winter months and if you live in Melbourne you could well experience all four seasons in one day. The perfect solution to this changing and sometimes unpredictable weather is air conditioning.
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Laminate Floor Cleaning – Quick 4-Step Guide to Save You From Disaster!
Understandably, people naturally use water when cleaning flooring surfaces, but the problem with laminate flooring is that water is its enemy! Moisture warps and weakens it. Often the lamella is only 5mm thin and it has MDF backing. This is like chipboard so the slightest gap between planks, or unsealed edges, will cause it to swell, lift and buckle.
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Rendering a fresh look
There would be few homes these days that do not have some interior or exterior rendered walls. Many contemporary homes are rendered entirely on the outside especially new builds, while a large number of existing or older style homes are rendered to give them a new lease of life and more kerb appeal. Rendering creates a modern elegant finish with clean simple lines while providing a protective layer to the walls making them longer lasting and lower in maintenance.
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Designing your dream kitchen
If you like to cook, having your dream kitchen can make a huge difference to your quality of life. Keep the following tips in mind when designing kitchen you always dreamed of.
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Building inspection - why do you need one?
What is a Building Inspection? A building inspection is an examination by qualified professionals which identifies faults and hazards in a property. These can include anything from maintenance and safety issues to serious structural faults or damage. Often the problems identified are not immediately visible or apparent to the untrained eye. Special equipment may be used to gather more information. After the inspection, a report is provided which details the issues. This allows home owners and potential buyers to make informed decisions.
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Continuous Hot Water or Solar Hot Water? The pros & cons
The choice of hot water heating will depend on many factors, including your property location, size and household needs
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Choosing The Right Carpet
What’s there not to love about carpet. Don’t we love the feeling of carpet under our bare feet. Isn’t it cosy for the kids to play on a carpeted floor. Don’t we love the noise reduction of carpeted floors and the nonslip safety aspect, not to mention the winter warmth.
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Getting kitchen cabinets right
Having lots of storage in the kitchen is essential. This means that the most prominent feature of your kitchen is often your cabinets. Changing the design or surface of your cabinets can instantly revitalise and update your kitchen and create a huge impact. If you love your current layout, you may only need to replace the doors for an instant makeover. However, if your old cabinets are looking worse for wear inside, it’s worth investing in some quality, custom made shelving.
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When to call in a handyman
Maintaining a home is important to ensure that small problems don’t become large problems when left unaddressed for long periods of time. Our home is probably our biggest investment and we should keep it in good shape. Let’s face it – not everyone is a home handyman. You may not be handy or you may be too busy to get those little jobs done around the home and that’s when you should call in a handyman.
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What do plumbers do?
Plumbers work is a very necessary and essential part of any building work whether it’s a new build, an extension, renovation or improvement to any home or commercial premises. It is vital to have a licensed professional plumber carry out any plumbing related work to ensure it is legal and guaranteed. When plumbing goes wrong it can be disastrous so never try to do it yourself.
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