The Modern Day Butler’s Pantry
The traditional Butler’s Pantry has evolved over many years from what were a series of rooms such as the scullery, pantry and larder where each stage of food preparation and clean up was conducted. These rooms were eventually condensed into one room being what we would now call a kitchen.
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7 ways homeowners can benefit from professional landscaping
For many homeowners, notions of professional landscaping are a bit farfetched. They don’t feel relevant to life because, well, not everybody needs a lawn fit for the Chelsea Flower Show. What they don’t realise is that the term ‘landscaping’ covers all kinds of different features, designs, and arrangements; not just high maintenance e blooms and lavish water fountains.
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Tips for preparing your house for sale
So often first impressions are lasting ones so the presentation of your home for sale is extremely important. Both inside and out should be clean, neat and tidy. Your home should have street appeal and a cared for appearance so that prospective buyers are instantly attracted to your property and not overwhelmed by too many things that need fixing.
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Making the most of your water
Water is the world’s most precious commodity, therefore it just makes a whole lot of sense to harvest rainwater and recycle our grey (used) water as much as possible. Whether we live in a rural area or a house in the city we can all do our bit for the environment and reduce our water usage and costs.
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6 interior decorating tricks to transform your house into a home
Small details and personal touches really make the difference between a house and a home. With a little bit of imagination, creativity and clever use of key items, you can really make your mark on your living space, making it feel more homely. After consulting with a team of interior stylists, we’ve put together 6 tips that are essential for giving your space some personal style.
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How to choose a cabinet makers
Are you thinking of updating your kitchen, bathroom, living rooms or home office but don’t want to use the services of an architect, builder or interior designer? Then you may want to consider a cabinet maker.
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Driveways make a statement
Everyone wants the front of their home to look fantastic. The driveway of the average Australian suburban house block takes up a big chunk of real estate. Your driveway needs to compliment the style of your home and landscaping. A driveway needs not only look great but has to be able to stand up to the rigors of having the ton or so of family car traversing it constantly. Other than the kids bedrooms it will take more abuse than any other part of 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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Professional painters - the pluses
Building, renovating, updating, time for a change or selling are the more common reasons to paint your home. Inside, outside, one room or many, it is important to get the colour and the finish just right and to achieve that it is advisable to enlist the services of a professional licensed painter.
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How much does a second storey addition cost?
Have you ever wondered: ‘How much does a Second Storey Addition Cost?’ and ‘Should I extend out or build up? Which will cost more?’ Adding a second storey does not always cost more than a home extension. Sometimes it actually makes more sense to add another level, but homeowners can be put off by thinking that this costs more than a ground floor home extension. This is not necessarily the case! This article reveals the inside scoop on whether building a ground floor extension or adding a second story on your house would be best for you.
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Get your home winter-ready
Winter is just around the corner and while many areas of Australia have been enjoying a very mild Autumn it is easy to get caught out when the cold snap arrives. So now is the time to prepare the house for those winter chills.
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What to look for when considering tiles and tilers
When it comes to tiles we tend to think of the wet areas of the house - kitchen, bathroom and laundries. But there are so many styles, shapes, sizes and materials of tiles available for many more uses than just our wet areas including floors and walls for living rooms, entry halls, fireplaces and stairs, not to mention outdoor areas such as verandahs, terraces, pathways, entertaining areas and pools.
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How to clean soap scum from your glass shower screens
Glass shower screens add style and beauty to any bathroom; but if you don’t maintain and clean them regularly, eventually they can build up a film of unsightly soap scum. This article explores the maintenance of your glass shower screen doors.
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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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Seven simple DIY ways to clear a blocked drain
Most residents give little, if any, thought to the things they flush down the toilet and wash down their sinks. Water companies spend millions each year clearing out foreign matter that has ended up in our increasingly overloaded sewer systems. But the water companies aren’t the only ones responsible for drains. Find out more and what you can do about it here.
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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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Garage door safety: tips on keeping you and your family safe
When you think about it, the garage door is probably the heaviest moving object on your property, as well as the largest. So it makes sense to treat this item with special caution, particularly if you have young children in the family. It is worth coming up with a set of safety rules that both adults and children are aware of, and make sure that you remind everyone from time to time about them. After all, as the saying goes, prevention is better than cure.
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Renovations for the older folk
Downsizing or moving into a Retirement Village can be a daunting prospect for the elderly. Many older folk would prefer to stay in their existing home if possible so that they can still be surrounded by their memories, chat to the neighbours they have know for decades and remain independent for as long as possible.
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Early Signs of Tree Trouble: What to Look For
Tree bark is an outer covering that safeguards the tree from any harmful cause. An abnormal appearance can be taken as a caution sign.
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Will Real Estate Crash In Australia?
The market has continued to rise in Australia and it has been a steady increase for the last few years. It's unlikely that a crash will happen, but if the market slows down, it would be prudent to take precautions. The Australian real estate market has been rising since 2008, but there are many factors that could trigger a crash. If the Australian economy experiences a recession, or if international factors such as escalation in wars come into play, then the market could crash
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