Tag: UK

Choosing A Kitchen Worktop

The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in the home, being a functional space where culinary masterpieces are created and having another use as a social space for entertaining or interaction.

Choosing the right kitchen to reflect your cooking requirements and the style of your property is vital, as the kitchen is a room where you are likely to spend a lot of time in and can add considerable value to your property.

As well as choosing paint colours, units, sinks and accessories, perhaps the most pressing ingredient to consider when designing your new kitchen is worktops. Depending on your cooking and entertaining balance, it is better to choose a worktop that can fulfil your requirements, whilst looking stylish in your kitchen.

Stone kitchen worktops are perhaps the hardest wearing of all work surfaces and as such are favoured by avid cooking fans. Popular stone includes granite, marble, slate and quartz. Such materials can give a high shine, expensive look to any well-designed kitchen. In addition to an opulent feel, stone worktops are durable, hard wearing and water resistant – the most well known of these being granite worktops. Hampshire residents to Leicestershire inhabitants can easily obtain stone worktops as they are widely available across the UK from bespoke suppliers to DIY stores.

For an industrial look, in a modern apartment or architect designed property, stainless steel work surfaces can provide a professional and bright theme – think stark white combined with a metallic and glass finish. Water resistant and incredibly durable, stainless steel worktops are favoured by professional chefs – do be sure to use a chopping board however, as they can be easily scratched.

Those who enjoy a more rustic country kitsch theme, will perhaps appreciate the natural beauty of wood worktops. With its anti bacterial properties and large range of colours and types of wood, such worktops are popular in large family kitchens. To prevent drying out, it is prudent to proof work surfaces annually – protecting against damage from spills.

Categories: Kitchen Improvement

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Investing In Derelict Property

The property development market in the UK provides numerous alternatives for property investors. One of the most popular is buying a derelict property with the objective of renovating it and then selling it for profit. As long as you buy at the right price and effectively manage your development expenses, fixing up old and rundown properties will almost always make an excellent investment.

Why choose a derelict property?

A derelict property refers to one that has been abandoned for a long time and is in such a bad condition that it needs to be demolished. Derelict properties are usually in an uninhabited state and need to go through extensive repairs or have to be restored to a liveable (and therefore mortgage able) state. As of 2008, there are more than a million derelict properties in the UK.

Derelict properties are seen as good investments because they can be acquired cheaply, although they need to be renovated and developed first before they can be occupied. Regardless of their dilapidated conditions, most of these properties have walls and foundations that are still intact thus entailing the use of less cement and cheaper building expenses.

How to find a derelict property

While searching for a rundown property is generally considered difficult unless you spot one in passing, there are many creative ways of locating them. One is at auction where many properties put up for sale are often in need of restoration. Major auction houses typically offer a catalogue listing the properties scheduled for sale.

You can also find derelict properties through the registers made by different conservation groups such as the English Heritage, the governments legal advisory body on the historic environment. The association produces a register of different buildings at risk. Also, you can also look up websites that offer to help find such properties. Most of them provide details of empty homes in different locations. Estate agents as always are worth talking to as well.

The value of a derelict property

To determine the value of a rundown property, you should have a complete building survey conducted by an experienced surveyor. Before you make the purchase, be sure to check planning possibilities carefully. If the property has a planning permission for change of use, it can command a higher price.

Financing a derelict property

Obtaining a mortgage to finance the renovation of a derelict property can be complicated but there are financial institutions that will lend on such properties. The Ecology Building Society and Norwich & Peterborough will lend on derelict properties through their green, self-build or renovation mortgages. Most of these lenders will release the funds in drip-feed method in stages so that if you default on your repayments and the property has to be sold, the lender can recover its money.

It is sometime possible to get a grant from your local council to help with renovation expenses but these are usually only available to landlords who plan to make the refurbished property available for housing association tenants. There are also councils that provide small grants to those with renovation plans or energy efficiency work.

Renovating old and rundown properties still remains a sound investment for many property investors. However experts advise that developers put a high priority on repairs done to an excellent standard using appropriate materials. This way the value of the property increases considerably.

Categories: Energy Efficiency

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Hotpoint Tvm562 Vented Tumble Dryer

Hotpoint have recently been voted the Most Trusted Domestic Appliance Brand in the UK for the 9th consecutive year through the Readers Digest Survey. What is it which makes Hotpoint such a popular brand? It is down to several factors included in their range of appliances, such as price, style, reliability, features and functionality. The Hotpoint TVM562 vented tumble dryer is a brilliant example of an appliance which is popular and contains brilliant features to help you when doing the laundry.

The Hotpoint Aquarius TVM562 tumble dryer is a really practical machine, if you are looking for an appliance which offers excellent cleaning quality teamed with everyday features and functions then this could be the tumble dryer for you. The Hotpoint TVM562 tumble dryer is C energy rated and has been recognised as being Energy Saving Recommended by the Energy Saving Trust. Everyone should be doing their bit to be greener starting in the kitchen with energy saving appliances can be a great way of starting to help to protect the environment.

The Hotpoint TVM562 vented tumble dryer has some brilliant features and functions, such as the reverse tumble action. This feature prevents clothing from tangling when drying which results in less creasing this also means less ironing for you which is a great bonus!

The Hotpoint TVM562 vented tumble dryer has an end of cycle alarm which alerts you when the dry load is ready to be emptied. It is all too easy to forget about a laundry load when its tucked away in the machine having a gentle reminder to empty the load is great for those who forget! Empting close to the end of a cycle will help to prevent additional creases.

Other features of the Hotpoint TVM562 vented tumble dryer include high and low heat settings, set and forget sensor drying, final cool tumble, easy iron, delay timer and safety start button. All of which contribute to a hassle free life when it comes to doing the laundry!

The Hotpoint TVM562 vented tumble dryer comes in a choice of either polar white or graphite, both of which are great colours to fit in with any kitchens design.

Vented tumble dryers will carry any moisture which is created when drying your clothing through an external venting hose which means that this type of appliance must be placed next to an outside wall so that the moisture can be vented successfully.

When buying a tumble dryer it is important to decide which features you will find useful, the Hotpoint TVM562 vented tumble dryer has everything you need to feel confident when drying every laundry load easy iron programmes are a favourite around the UK because lets face it, no one like spending time doing the ironing!

Categories: Energy Efficiency

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Are You Cut Out For Interior Design

Interior design is needed in all areas of life. Interior designers help to create interior spaces in all kinds of buildings, from museums to private homes and colleges to shops. It is no surprise then that this career is much sought after by many different people.

If you want to forge a career in interior design you should first of all find out what it takes to study interior design. You can study this area in many different ways. Many people go to college and study a recognised course in the topic. Others find home study courses that will allow them to reach the same destination in a different way, instead of going to one of the many interior design colleges that are situated all over the UK. If you go down this route you should always make sure you look for an accredited course. This will ensure that you will get a recognised qualification at the end of the study periods.

When you study interior design you will learn all the skills you will need to know in order to become a successful interior designer. Contrary to what some people believe, there is far more to this kind of designing than you might think. For example it is not enough to find the most attractive solution for a particular interior space. Your solution also has to be safe and able to cope with the various demands that will be placed on it. No two interior design projects are ever the same. Clearly the needs of a restaurant will be very different to the needs of someone who wants their home to be completely redesigned inside.

Studying the appropriate courses at interior design colleges will give you a good head start in the industry. Once you have completed your college course you can strike out into the industry to begin your career in earnest. The good thing about interior design is that you do not have to find a position working for anyone else if you do not wish to go down this route. Instead you can set up your own business working for clients directly. Many people like to do this because they can control every aspect of the business and decide which area they would most enjoy working in. For instance some people prefer to work for big clients in business, whereas others like to help individuals get the best from their homes.

As you can see the world of interior design offers many benefits to those who are willing to take advantage of them. The more you know and learn about what this career involves, the easier it will be for you to work out whether you would enjoy it or not. Who knows, you could flourish!

Categories: Interior Design

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Royalty And History Colour-focused Residential Interior Design

Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Many top London interior designers have played active roles in what has been called the “true-to-history” colour movement in recent years. In this article I will explain what this means through examples from a few different colour categories that are often used in interior designs.

Greens are linked with organic vegetables, good health, and foliage. The ancient UK May Day celebration has historically focused on a May King, who is dressed in late spring garlands of finely-wreathed sprouting green vegetables. The May Queen wears a dress of beautiful white, symbolising vitality, virtue and clarity. In Ancient Egypt, green was used to request fertile soils and good harvests from the gods. Green has strong links with nature, and for interior designers this can be a wonderful colour to use in London flats; green-themed interior designs can take the mind away from the bustle of London’s grey city streets and evoke images of rain-swept countryside landscapes.

The word “yellow” comes from the Old English geolu or geolo, which in turn relates to the Dutch geel, meaning gold. Historically yellow has been associated with joyful sunshine and gleeful celebration. Interior design consultancies and colour professionals will often rely on yellow in interior designs for London residences to banish the dreary gloom of winter rain and autumnal fog.

Blue is historically linked with images of Mary, the mother of Jesus. In origin, the word is Middle English, but also has links with the Old French “bleu” and is ultimately of Germanic origin. London Interior Designers will rely on sky blue to evoke feelings of serenity, peace and relaxation.

Finally, royal purple has obvious associations with aristocracy, monarchy and rich celebrations. Because it has such profound associations, it is only really appropriate in London interior designs for opulent mansions or extravagantly luxurious penthouse residences.

In summary, colour is not just about the visual and the immediate, but also focuses on symbolic associations that cross space and time. Many of London’s top interior designers and colour consultants will take these subtle meanings into account when creating the perfect design for a client’s dream home.
Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.

Categories: Interior Design

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Insights Into Interior Design Designing In Style. Part Iii Traditional – Georgian

Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.
Interior design has always been impacted by fashion trends – both historically and in the modern day. In this article series, “Designing in Style,” I explore the meaning of style for interior designers. I draw on my experience working alongside many of London’s best-known interior design teams.

This third article in my series continues my discussion of traditional/period design, with a focus on the Georgian style.

In terms of dates, the Georgian period is generally considered to have extended from 1714 until 1830. It has since inspired one of the most popular traditional interior design schemes.

London design was considered world-class in Georgian times – UK craftspeople were highly skilled and uniquely specialised. The wealthiest classes insisted on the highest quality, with exacting standards in terms of dimensions and proportions.

A few designers were particularly famous during the Georgian era. Their names, ideas and concepts live on today in the many homes and residences that feature Georgian-inspired interior designs.

William Kent lived from 1684 until 1748 and was an architect/interior designer who is best known for his tables and chairs which featured extravagant gilt decorations and strong connections to Greek and Roman insignia. Today these traditional designs continue to be used by many London Interior Design Consultancies that specialise in the Georgian style.

Thomas Chippendale is a name famous to many discerning Londoners. This cabinet-maker lived from 1718 until 1779 and designed furniture that was less ostentatious than that of William Kent, consistent with British (and London) tastes at the time, and yet exceedingly graceful and refined. Interior designers today will adopt either Chippendale’s original designs or re-envisionments/replicas of his originals.

Finally, Robert Adam was an architect and interior designer who dominated the 1770s with his vivacious use of Roman and Greek motifs, including urns, tripods, and mythological iconography.

Today, London interior design consultancies tend to be cautious with Georgian designs, recognising that this style can look pretentious if too pronounced. Larger, more spacious London mansions with tall ceilings are best suited to the Georgian style of interior design.

The next article in my series “Designing in Style” moves away from historic traditions and focuses in on a timeless interior design classic – the rural countryside.
Global Interior Design Consultancy Company in London, UK for interior design services.

Categories: Interior Design

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Furnishing your First Home

Many young adults are happy about moving out of their parent’s home for the first time and establishing a place of their own. Once they finally arrive at their new residence, chances are they won’t have enough furniture to fill their newly acquired apartment or home. Having furniture within a living space helps to make it a permanent place of residence and comfortable for guests. There are many different options available for first time renters or homeowners for furnishing their quarters and choosing the right type is dependent upon income, function and preference. Income will be the greatest factor for determining what type of furniture a home will have. Regardless of function or preference, if an individual doesn’t have enough cash to purchase the kind of furniture they desire, chances are they won’t have it set-up in their dwelling. First time renters and homeowners should make sure that they are buying furniture that is within their means or they should consider settling for fittings that are less expensive. Function is another important quality that should be considered when purchasing furniture. Deciding how the furniture will be used within a home will be extremely helpful with figuring out which type to buy. People who have children might consider acquiring less expensive furnishings for their environment. Entertainers and people who like to throw parties should think about buying solid furniture that is designed to withstand constant wear and is stylish enough to make visitors feel right at home. Individuals who live alone without many visitors probably would fare well with living room pieces that are practical but not stylish. There are many different types of furniture styles and they include traditional, country, modern and electric. Each individual person has their own unique taste and the furniture that they choose will more than likely reflect their personality. When a young adult gets their first place they are going to decorate in a style of their own. Some people will place great emphasis on the furnishings in their houses because it gives them a sense of importance. Other people couldn’t care less about the price tag or style of an item because they’re content with having enough places to sit. There isn’t a right or wrong way to furnish a home and first time renters or homeowners have unlimited choice as far as home design is concerned. Buying furniture isn’t the only way to acquire fixings; many young adults obtain furniture from family, relatives, friends and neighbors. There are businesses that give away furniture for people who are in need. Established people set old furniture out to the curb when they can’t get rid of it and sometimes they get rid of pieces that are worth picking up from off of the street.

Louisa Coan is writing on behalf of Fleur De Lys Furniture, who are a fine designer furniture outlet in Bristol and offer Business office furniture and Bedroom furniture UK a>

Categories: Home Furnishing

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Latest Trends And Fashionable Interior Design Provide Loft Conversion Company London

A Loft Conversion Company London build a home like bedroom, storage, entertainment room attractive. A housed is not just a restoration of your preferences, but also of your character. Every person desires a home that they can be magnificent to show off, and one that is inviting. Loft Conversion Company provides an option for home renovation. Create your aspiration home a reality is not just about expense lots of money on decor, but also about the decision the wonderful kinds to suit your home. Contemporaneous interior design today has evolved to a level where homes have transformed to being fashionable, affordable and realistic all at once. Houses today come is various dimensions. Doing them up require an eye for factor, the capability to fit space and also find the wonderful fit out that enhance the visual charm of your home. Being competent to do this take some skill, and also a tremendous amount of longanimity. While some may have the wonderful thoughts for their living spaces, they are lost about how they should acquire around the bedrooms. It may not be simple to come up with a solution for each room in your house, which is why proficient solutions are the finest bet.

A many possibilities for roof space renovation in the UK are accessible to homeowners, depending on the size of the loft. There are four special types of renovation that are complete; Velux, the general loft conversion in London and the most cost valuable; Dormer, which require an additional room to the accessible roof; Mansard, which maximizes the room in the roof space and stylish to gable, which is the attic conversion used when interior space in the loft is not adequate. The biggest advantage of furniture packs is that they intermix in all rooms to integrate your house seamlessly.

The services of an illustrious roof space alteration company are very useful in selecting you to identify what the choice or in the case of your particular attic renovation in London. They will come to your home and settle on all of the choices. After selecting any process within 30-40 days They can rotate that unused attic space into practically. After renovate house the value of your home increase 20-30%.

Many of the Loft Conversion London will need orchestration authorization, but if you contract with a company that specializes in roof space renovation, a reputable company then they will be capable to guidance on all the things needed for a renovation to go ahead. One type of renovation that you may not require any scheduling authorization for being a Velux conversion. Loft conversion Company London is most incresable firm in all UK.

Categories: Interior Design

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How To Make Kitchen Remodeling Easy

Most homeowners understand the importance of their kitchens. The kitchen not only serves as a focal point for making meals but also adds greatly to the overall value of the property. When a kitchen design stands out, it makes a difference, not only in the room’s appearance but also in its functionality. But what makes a great fitted kitchen and how does one go about getting the best kitchen design at the most reasonable cost?

Some homeowners may opt to do their own fitted kitchens. This type of Kitchens Design job, however, requires a great deal of skill as well as time and money. Mistakes are common and can be very costly. Simple jobs can turn into complex jobs easily, requiring that kitchens to be shut down completely for days, weeks, or even longer. For these reasons, most homeowners are better served if they work with professional companies who are experienced and knowledgeable of all the issues associated with fitted kitchens.

One such company is Tesco. This company has been in the kitchens design business for a very long time and has the expertise to bring about stunning results at affordable prices for UK homeowners. The company offers its clients a step-by-step approach that ensures that homeowners get exactly what they are looking for in their new kitchens. This systematic approach is somewhat unique in the industry and here is why.

It all begins with an in-home consultation. One of their professional consultants will visit the property and discuss, in detail, the owner’s wishes, needs, and budget. The next step Tesco takes is to create a 3-D layout of the new kitchen design. This allows owners to actually see what they are getting. By seeing what their new kitchens will look like, owners can make changes, if needed, before any actual work begins. This saves both time and money. Tesco will even produce a variety of 3-D kitchen design layouts so homeowners can compare. All of these renderings are done before the homeowner makes any type of commitment.

The next step in the process is the one that most homeowners enjoy the most. It is called Finishing Touches. At this point, owners begin to truly customize their new kitchens by selecting the types of lighting, work surfaces, taps and faucets, hardware, etc that they want. The kitchen designer from Tesco will assist as much or as little as desired.

Whenever a homeowner purchases fitted kitchens, they want to know that quality is assured. All Tesco kitchens have been designed and built to last a lifetime. The company offers its clients a 25-year guarantee on all designer kitchen cabinets and doors and a 15 year guarantee on all value kitchen cabinets and doors.

For any UK homeowner who is looking to remodel their kitchens, working with Tesco may be the very best first step to take. As mentioned above, they offer an in-home consultation, followed by 3-D kitchen design layouts that owners can use to view and compare layouts. Financing is also available for UK residents who qualify.

Categories: Kitchen Cabinet

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Cyprus Luxury Furniture First To Offer Furniture Finance For Uk Buyers In Cyprus

Mark Sykes and Simon Gawthorpe, founding directors of Cyprus Luxury Furniture Packs are always looking for ways to make furnishing properties in Cyprus easier for their customers. Their latest offering is low rate finance (subject to status) on all furniture and related packages. This includes everything youll need to make your Cyprus property ready to live in or rent out such as; Furniture, electricals, cutlery, crockery, linen, dcor and outdoor furniture.

Simon commented Buying furniture for an apartment or villa in Cyprus can be expensive and time consuming so anything that makes the cost easier to bear has to be good, particularly in the current financial climate.

The business was started as a result of the directors being property investors. Wed been buying property in Cyprus for the last 9 years and over that time we had tried every way possible to get our properties furnished how wed like them. This meant sourcing stylish furniture, durable enough to withstand year round use from people renting their properties but at a reasonable price.

Mark went on to explain The obvious choice was to deal with the local furniture suppliers, however most of their stock is aimed at the domestic market and is quite old fashioned pine furniture, which doesnt really look right in a modern apartment or villa. In particular it doesnt really hold much appeal for people looking to rent your property out. Also its very expensive, I guess due to the lack of competition on the island. Next up we decided to bring our own furniture from the UK, this was costly on a small scale and the paper work and customs procedures were quite daunting, in all this did give us the furniture we wanted, but it was such hard work and took most of my holiday allocation for that year.

After furnishing our own properties we started to get enquiries from developers and other investors asking where we got our furniture from. They were in the same position, they didnt want to spend a lot of money on the wrong furniture, but they didnt fancy the hassle of doing the job themselves either. We did some rough calculations and realised if we could get enough interest to fill a 40ft container the shipping cost and effort might be viable

Weve been fortunate enough to secure the same suppliers as used by many of the mid to top end furniture retailers in the UK. Except because we buy in bulk and sell to our customers at somewhere between trade and retail we can also absorb the shipping and installation costs making us exceptional value for money. With the addition of finance we are hoping to be able to help UK investors spread the cost of furnishing their properties while still benefiting from our low prices and fully inclusive service.

Categories: Home Furnishing

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