Something About Feng Shui

Feng shui is a particular discipline in Chinese architecture, which pronounced “fung shway”. Feng shui literally means wind and water. It is a traditional discipline which studies the way in which human beings co-exist in harmony with nature, and a form of geomancy which consider how buildings have to be positioned so as not to be perturbed the spiritual features of the adjacent landscape.

There are three principles of feng shui, which is the unity of human beings with nature, the balance of Yin and Yang, and the attraction and repulsion of five elements metal, wood, water, fire and earth. It seeks to promote prosperity, good health, and general well being by examining how energy, qi (pronounced “chee”), flows through a particular room, house building, or garden.

The history of feng shui can track back to 5,000 years. And people apply this discipline to decide the location, construction, and architectural features of buildings, the placement and style of furniture, colors and decorating schemes, and the location of plantings, paths, and other outside features. To some people, they also believe that feng shui can improve family communication, restore employee cooperation, and even increase a stores sales.

The other feature in Chinese architecture is emphasis on bilateral symmetry, which signifies balance. Bilateral symmetry and the articulation of buildings are found everywhere in Chinese architecture, from palace complexes to humble farmhouses. When possible, plans for renovation and extension of a house will often try to maintain this symmetry provided that there is enough capital to do so.

Office buildings, residences, temples, palaces, entire cities and underground tombs follow the principle of feng shui that the main structure is the axis. The secondary structures are positioned as two wings on either side to form the main room and yard.

Feng shui has strict requirements on the proper positioning of the central axis in building cities. The central axis should run from north to south, which it north end is pointing directly to a mountain running from east to west. The mountain is regarded as the guardian of the city. A winding river around the city is believed to be an auspicious feature. The Forbidden City was built strictly abiding by these rules.

It also has special rules for living room and kitchen. For example, the living room is not only a place of hospitality, but also family gatherings, chat sites, should be lively, pleasant place. Linked to the book in the living room, furnished to some extent is a symbol of personal taste. The orientation of the living room is particularly important in the traditional “feng shui” was referred to as “financial position”, between the family’s wealth, career, fame, etc. rise and fall, so the living room layout and furnishings can not be ignored. The decoration of kitchen and dining room should be simple and clean t. Do not display too much clutter or accessories. After all, you will have a good appetite in a stress-free environment, not to distraction, pleasure to eat. Construction of kitchen and restaurant will affect human health, so residents should not only pay attention to the pattern and decoration inside the restaurant layout, in particular, should pay attention to the kitchen to keep the air flowing and sanitary.

Cutting Tools

What are cutting tools? They are tools used to cut through all kinds of hard materials, be it metal or glass. Time was when cutting tools were made of iron with carborundum or loose emery as the abrasive. Today, tools are usually made with the working edge embedded with small diamond particles. From cutting speeds of maybe five times more than ordinary machining, todays advanced tools and holders mean faster rpms and specific materials that go for specific applications. The latest in cutting tool holders is made of a new alloy called Ninitol, made from nickel and titanium.

From aluminum to hardened steels, its been a rapid move for cutting tools. High speed machines ensure increased production where deep die-casting dies are concerned. It also ensures better hardness in shallow forging dyes in tool steels. These tools cut down on expensive grinding time and electrical discharge machining. Though tooling constitutes just 3% of total productivity in manufacturing units, keeping abreast with the latest technology and using the latest cutting tools can mean accelerated production. This requires a thorough understanding of the properties of the tools and the surfaces that need to be cut.

Most cutting tool manufacturers encourage manufacturers to use the latest technology and offer training and familiarization through training programs, manuals and training through Web sites. They realize that technology in this area can only be driven from the users end. Honing in on a machining process requires a lot of planning and taking into account a whole host of variables. These include the speed of cutting, the feed rate, the depth required and the tool path. The choice of a sequence of machining operations could have a dramatic effect on the output.

And what are the methods adopted to make cutting tools? Since they are made of super hard materials, conventional materials mean slow work. The latest process is the water jet-guided laser that takes cutting speeds up to 15 mm/minute!

What are the benefits in a wider context? Since machining is so essential to manufacturing, it would, from an overall view, give the whole country a cutting edge in manufacturing.

Facts About Ready-To-Assemble Kitchen Cabinets

The home improvement world is filled with innovative ideas. Almost monthly it seems that new ideas and innovations are coming into the industry. The home improvement industry thrives on new technology that will make work easier, but it also relies on tradition that has built it from a small cottage industry to a leading part of the economy. Some products are fads that do not last and others revolutionize the industry; either way the business of building and renovating houses will continue.

What makes the home improvement industry so unique is that most people can “get into” the business and do some level of work; and ironically from this, make money or build equity. It is one of the few national industries that can provide this type of opportunity and some of that is due to the products that are related to this business.

Looking at RTA kitchen cabinets and RTA bathroom vanities made me realize that this is just another great product that was produced to improve the home renovation and house building industry. RTA stands for ready to assemble and the cabinets (well most RTA brands) are just that easy and ready to assemble. I have sampled RTA kitchen cabinet brands from several different companies and have found varying results. All have some level of good innovation, some are easier to assemble than others, and finally some have better quality.

I found the best RTA kitchen cabinets online. I shopped many stores ranging from IKEA where the cabinets looked great, but lacked in quality and ease of assembly. (Be aware, the IKEA cabinets are made of cheap particle board, again this product looked very modern and sleek, but particle board will absorb water and it will break down. Even the most careful person cannot avoid this, water in the air gets trapped in these cabinets and because of the particle board it will make the cabinets fall apart; especially at the hinges, where the most use/wear is located.) I looked in Home Depot and Lowes eventually found about the same quality. Also the price at both of these places was about forty percent higher than buying RTA kitchen cabinets through the internet.

The home improvement industry has produced a great product with RTA kitchen cabinets and RTA bathroom vanities. Yes, it requires assembly of the cabinets, but the product saves you money and it looks as good as a regular assembled cabinet most times even better. Things like RTA products help this growing industry. They provide an inexpensive alternative, but do not sacrifice on quality. Just remember that when buying RTA kitchen cabinets or RTA bathroom vanities look online, shop around and compare prices and quality. There are many brands and types of RTA products some better than others. The online stores offer better pricing, because they specialize in this product, buying these cabinets at a big retail store, will lead to higher prices and less quality. In the end, RTA kitchen cabinets and the other RTA products are just one continuing part of the home improvement industry. But because of this small part, the business will keep going and expanding in new directions.

Brampton Kitchens – 10 Steps To A Successful Kitchen Renovation

We specialize in renovating Brampton Kitchens. To make your kitchen renovation project flow smoothly, we’ve prepared a 10 Step Plan that provides guidelines for a successful project.

Renovating your kitchen can be an intensely satisfying project; with an enviable result providing you follow some basic rules and guidelines.

As with any renovation project there are things to do before you start. Preparation is the key to a successful kitchen renovation as it is with any job either inside or outside your home. Yes, preparation and planning do take time but both are an essential ingredient for a trouble free and satisfying project. Mistakes are costly as well as time consuming so getting it right before you start is mandatory!

Simplify the process by creating a basic ten-step plan, which you can than break down into more detailed sections. Breaking down your kitchen renovation into manageable smaller bites makes it easier to coordinate your project as well as spot omissions that might otherwise occur.

Remember Mistakes Are Costly And Time Consuming

(1) Prepare a budget. You must set a budget (with a contingency for cost overruns). If you let your ideas run away from your are almost guaranteed to have additional expenses you didnt plan for. The cost of fixtures, countertops and cabinets vary widely, so know beforehand what your budget will allow.

(2) Plan on how you will use the kitchen. Is your kitchen a purely functional food prep area or is it an extension of the family room. If its a place where family and friends congregate then your decisions on how to design the space will be quite different than if you cook alone.

(3) Kitchen cabinets often take up to half your budget. Decide on what you want to spend and build everything around this. Choose the best you can afford since it will make the end result much more pleasing.

(4) Flooring. Heres a chance for your creativity to shine. Flooring choices are numerous and include: ceramic, hardwood, vinyl tile, linoleum, laminate, carpet and stone. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Explore the options including color and texture and choose a floor that complements your new kitchen cabinets, countertop and paint color.

(5) Choose a theme and stick with it. Working with a kitchen designer will give you a coordinated look. You want to avoid selecting components that look great alone, but clash when placed side by side.

(6) Choose a design that will stand the test of time, one that you will be happy with for the long haul since most kitchen redesigns only take place every 20 years or even longer.

(7) Lighting plays a big role in todays modern kitchen and should be given the same attention that all other aspects of your design plan gets. The number of lighting styles available are diverse and vary in price, so do your homework and choose within your budget.

(8) Kitchen design software is readily available so take time to select one that fits your requirements. With a bewildering choice at every stage of planning your project we cant say this often enough, take your time and choose carefully.

Give Your Northern Virginia Home a Facelift

Part of being a Northern Virginia homeowner is maintaining the property and making improvements from time to time. Putting a small investment into repairs will pay off in the long run by protecting the home from the elements and making it more comfortable for those living in it. The savvy homeowner will take the time to survey the home from time to time and look at items like windows, doorways, ceilings, floors and cabinets. Check for signs that the house is settling or is structurally unbalanced. When multiple projects need to be addressed, the homeowner should consult a group of Northern Virginia companies that work well together and can accomplish all projects in harmony.

Basic Repair Some projects are not difficult to do, but they require some spare time and know-how. Tasks like replacing rotted trim and other exterior wood, or interior trim and hardwood floors are much less expensive to have a Northern Virginia handyman service do the repair work than wait until it is completely destroyed and affecting other parts of the house. Replacement of kitchen cabinets, countertops, vinyl or ceramic tile and plumbing fixtures can be done rather than requiring a complete home remodel. At the change of seasons, a handyman repair service can also change out storm doors, clean out gutters and stormwater drainage areas around the homes exterior. Minor electrical or plumbing repairs can be accomplished at the same time.

Foundation One way a homeowner will know when there are foundation problems that need to be are by taking a home survey. Look inside at ceiling and wall joints for cracks, sagging and slopes. Look for cracks or buckling on the homes exterior. This is especially noticeable in the masonry of Northern Virginia brick homes. When a home settles and the foundation is out of alignment, this may create a stair-step cracked appearance on the corners or sides. Large buckles where the home enters the ground, cracking in driveway or front walk, tree roots in the basement and uneven garage door entryways that prevent closure are other possible signs of trouble. Consult a contractor that specializes in foundation repair in Northern Virginia to do an inspection and fix any problems before they become too serious. A problem that is left undiagnosed and unrepaired may lead to other issues down the road.

Windows Windows are an important indicator to the outside world of how well a home is being taken care of by the owner. Dirty or broken windows are an indication that it may be easy to break in without being noticed. Cracked or missing windowpanes can be easily fixed to prevent break-ins and to lower energy bills. All home windows eventually need to be replaced. Some signs that its time to replace rather than repair include cracked or broken glazing, warped wood and panes and widows that are stuck open or shut. Contractors that specialize in window repair in Northern Virginia can improve the look, feel and property value of a home with minimal investment.

The Basics Of Installing Kitchen Cabinets

By understanding the basics of your kitchen installation process, you will feel confident that you will be able to get the job done without making any costly mistakes.

To start off, I suggest that you become very familiar with your new kitchen layout as this will help you to visualize what the end product will look like. By drawing the layout directly on the walls, you will get a better understanding where each cabinet is going to be. This will definitely help you to understand how to install upper kitchen cabinets as well as the base cabinets. Having access to the professionally drawn up layout is very important because it will give you the visual confirmation as to how the kitchen will look like after you have it installed.

By drawing the layout on the walls, you will visualize where each and every cabinet is to be placed. Go through each cabinet to make sure that you have all of the cabinets that should have been ordered for your new kitchen. Check to see that there are not any electrical outlets or switches that might have to be moved in your new design, and make sure that the wiring for all of the appliances are positioned in their proper locations. Relocation of any outlets or switches should be taken care of now. Your qualified electrician will be able to move any wiring for you without much trouble. It is just important that you make sure everything is where it should be before you start with the installation.

So, now that you have made sure that the wiring and plumbing is located properly, you will need to find the high point of the floor. And just to make a point here, it is always best to have any new flooring installed before you start placing cabinets in the new kitchen. Do this beforehand so that the rest of the kitchen installation goes smoothly. Just be sure to protect the floor during the installation process. But so you know, there are two types of flooring that will have to be laid later, a floating floor and a perimeter glued vinyl. By placing the cabinets directly on these type of floors will not allow them to move freely as they are supposed to do.

Once your floor is down, measure up from any spot of the floor against a wall and place a mark at thirty inches. Carefully draw a level line around the walls where the cabinets are going to be placed. Measure up every two feet and find the smallest measurement, and mark where that location is. This is the high point of your floor. Measure up from the floor at this location thirty four and a half inches and redraw a level line where the cabinets are going to be installed. This will serve as a reference point for the rest of the installation of the kitchen cabinets. There is a lot more to learn about how to install kitchen cabinets than just drawing lines on the walls and fastening the cabinets in place. I have put together a comprehensive resource that covers all of the details that you might encounter in your kitchen remodel.

Modern Kitchen Appliances and Latest Home Appliances.

The development in knowledge has been felt in all areas of our lives, from the way we go, to our house needs like the kitchen area. The typical kitchen area of today includes refrigerator, a cook top or cooking array having a hood overhead, a counter best or over the array microwave and a dishwasher. Although the key role of a kitchen is made-up for cooking or preparing food, the kitchen is the main area in a home, where relations and guests likely to assemble for lunch or dinner. This makes quite a few folks pick fancy, costly kitchen area devices and there are many alternatives to select from. The cooking ranges can be replaced by more modern appliances; this can save a great deal of space to be used for a lot more counters or a roomier kitchen area.

Picking the correct devices for kitchens is much more important for your well being than picking them for your living room. A bit of thought into what your needs is can make a large difference for your quality of life, specifically if you’re buying devices for small kitchens. Cookers and Cookware are the two most critical things. This could be effortlessly cleaned instantly after cooking. Stainless steel has turn out to be the fastest growing sector of household appliances. There seems to become no end to the use for the steel items. Steel can supply the consumer having a feeling of strength and durability, all at the same time. Many people like the proposal that stainless steel home appliances usually appear clean, when correctly maintained.

Laundry appliances, which consist of washing machines and dryers, are one of the most popular consumer products. Refrigerators have turn out to be a necessity throughout the world in the past century, which puts them at the top of most bought appliances. In modern kitchens, quite a few buyers are deciding on alternate choices more than the cooking array. Microwaves have revolutionized the way plenty of people heat up their food, even though controversial it is a great time saver. With so quite a few devices to select from, it can be confusing and frustrating work of finding the perfect appliance.

FAQs You Should Know About Xenon Lighting

Over the past few years the use of xenon light sources has become increasingly popular especially in the home. Xenon light bulbs are being used in under cabinet fixtures, cove lighting, cabinet lighting, desk lamps, backlighting, step lights, showcase lighting, book case lighting, and picture lights. Here are eleven frequently asked questions about xenon lighting – and their answers.

Q) What makes certain light fixtures xenon fixtures? A) Xenon gas has been introduced into the glass envelopes of the light bulbs in these fixtures.

Q) Why add xenon gas to the other gases inside the glass envelope of a light bulb? A) The primary reason is that the addition of xenon gas into the glass envelope increases the rated life of the lamp.

Q) What is the rated life of xenon light bulbs? A) Depending on the lamp the rated life of a xenon lamp is somewhere between 8,000 and 20,000 hours.

Q) What does the term, “rated life”, of a light bulb mean? A) The “rated life” of a lamp signifies the time at which 50% of a large quantity of these lamps will have burned out. This means that 50% of these lamps will burn out before the “rated life” and 50% will burn out after the “rated life. The “rated life” does not mean that every one of the lamps will last at least that long.

Q) Is this definition of “rated life” true for all types of light bulbs or just xenon light bulbs? A) Yes, this is the standard definition for the rated life for all lamps.

Q) Do xenon light bulbs operate cooler than halogen light bulbs? A) Yes, they do. Line voltage (120 volts) xenon lamps operate especially cooler than line voltage halogen lamps, which can become extremely hot.

Q) Are xenon light bulbs dimmable? A) Definitely, and dimming a xenon lamp will, of course, increase its average life even more than the rated life.

Q) What kind of dimmer should be used with xenon light bulbs? A) If the low voltage xenon lamp (12 volts or 24 volts) is powered by an electronic transformer, then the dimmer should be one that is designed to control an electronic low voltage transformer. If the low voltage xenon lamp (12 volts or 24 volts) is powered by a magnetic transformer, then the dimmer should be one that is designed to control a magnetic low voltage transformer. If, however, the xenon lamp is line voltage (120 volts), then the dimmer should simply be a line voltage dimmer.

Q) What “kind of light” is given off by xenon light bulbs? A) Xenon lamps have a color temperature that is between ordinary incandescent and halogen. That is, the light from a xenon lamp is cooler in appearance than an incandescent lamp but warmer in appearance than a halogen lamp.

Q) Do I have to be concerned about touching a xenon light bulb with my bare hands? A) Unlike JC halogen lamps, xenon lamps may be handled with bare hands without experiencing premature lamp failure. (Caution: always wait for the xenon lamp to cool down before touching it.)

Q) Can I replace my halogen light bulbs with comparable xenon light bulbs? A) Yes, as long as the xenon lamp has the same wattage rating, the same voltage rating, the same type of base (bipin, wedge, festoon, etc.), and the same shape and size glass envelope as the halogen lamp.

Best Cabinet Knobs For You

Normally people use cabinets in kitchens and bathrooms. They use it in other places also like bedrooms to keep the things that they normally do not require. But these cabinets are not used numerous times a day. So we will just talk about bathrooms and kitchen cabinets. Cabinet knobs are attached to the cabinet’s doors which we usually open and close. And if you notice about the bathroom and kitchen cabinets you open and close it at least ten times a day. Due to this, the knobs of the cabinet will start to look dirty and discolored.

Now think about it. You are preparing some food in the kitchen and there are many things that stick to your hands. You want something from the cabinet so you open the cabinet using cabinet knob. The residue in the hand sticks to the knob of the cabinet making to look dirty. Same is the case with bathroom cabinets. You open the cabinets with soap in hand or shave in hand. The natural oil from the skin also sets as a residue on cabinet knob.

You cannot prevent this. You have to wash your hands before opening the cabinet or wear gloves. But practically if you look at it this thing is not possible. So the only alternative left is changing the cabinet knobs. But it is important that you choose the knobs that spice up your room and matches the decor of the room.

You will find a large number of options in market which can totally change the looks of your room. You can choose from numerous options which will match the decor of the room. You will find knobs for country and antique looking cabinet, to modern or novelty cabinet.

The best place to search for the cabinet knobs is the internet. Internet is your best friend and you can get anything from it. Just search the sites that work in this field and you will find that you can choose from many options. Even some options are not available in the local stores. Also the price is better than the local price and you will also get good discounts. Just one click of the mouse button and the product will be available at your door steps in just seven days. But it is recommended that you choose the best and trusted site. For this you have to do a little research.

Here are some tips for buying knobs for cabinets. The most important is that choose the cabinet knobs that are of the same size of the previous one. This is because if you choose a knob like this then you will get exact replacement and easy to fit.

The second thing you can do is buy the knob that you like the most and fit it in the cabinet. After this, change the finish of the cabinet according to the knobs. This will not only give a change to the knobs but will also give it a total new look. This will also makes the room look fresh.

Cabinet knobs are available in many different looks like in different shapes, sizes and colors. More and more innovations are being made in the knobs of the cabinets.

Using Professional Mold Removal Services To Protect Your Health

Black mold is one of the harmful pests that need to be removed carefully, so that diseases can be avoided. There are several warnings that show you the symptoms of molds, so that you can treat it properly. Molds can affect you in a variety of ways; they cause asthma, nausea, breathing problem, ear and eye infection, digestive problem, skin rashes and memory loss. If you feel any of these problems, you must understand that there is black mold somewhere in your house and you need to locate and remove it. You can begin with checking your bathrooms and kitchens, as these are the dampest places.

If you are facing any of the symptoms, you need to cure them immediately. You need to visit your physician and get proper medical treatment for toxicity of molds. If diseases are not treated on time, they can become worse. Long term effects of black mold can cause harm to brain and other organs. As far as molds are concerned, the foremost thing is to find the damp places in your house. Normally, molds grow in bathrooms because of the humid and moist environment. You must keep on checking the edges of shower and bath so that mold does not grow.

If you have located the places of black mold, there are further steps that need to be accomplished for complete removal. You can hire the services of professionals who know how to remove molds. If you try to remove them, you can cause them to spread on other places. The process of removing mold requires a lot of care to prevent their further growth.

The experts know the procedure of mold removal, remediation and other techniques. Black mold removal requires specific equipment and standard guidelines. Experts start the procedure by identifying the contaminated areas by collecting samples. They make use of infrared cameras to find the actual location of moisture. It is a crucial step because it helps to determine the right location of moisture to decide proper treatment. After that, samples are tested and a report is prepared with findings of the sample. The client is told about the remedy according to the report.

One of the most effective ways to remove mold is to reduce moisture by making arrangements of ventilation. The air pressure of house must be kept at high level as compared to the outside. It is necessary because increase in the air pressure pushes the moisture out. It can be achieved by adjusting ventilation by installing exhaust fans.