Patio Landscaping – Ideas to Improve Your Outdoor Space

Similar to interior rooms, patios also completely change the vibe and life of the outdoors with seasonal spruce-ups, fresh furniture or even its re-arrangement and fresh crop of accessories. However, while looking vibrant and lively, it should also be functional. The below mentioned tips should go a long way in helping you.

Seal the patio

The foremost thing one can do is seal the patio with a semi-gloss or high-gloss finish. This increases the finished look.

Improve the patio landscape

Plants yield a very relaxing and soft vibe to the patio. It’s best to use hanging and portable plants here which lend a refreshing change. A sitting area of just garden cushions can easily be arranged near a pot of plant which looks very inviting and warm.

Patio flooring

Not many realize the importance of patio flooring but it can dramatically change the whole look of the patio. It should not only reflect your taste and individuality but also harmonize with the theme and the elements of both the garden and the patio. Number of patio floorings is available to choose from like bricks, wood, paver blocks, concrete, tiles or even grass. The right flooring adds to the artistic look of the patio.

Outdoor furniture

Outdoor furniture is a very important element of patio landscaping. Without it, the patio would look lifeless. An outdoor sofa or chair on which outdoor seat cushions are properly and decoratively placed make for a very comfortable and cozy corner in which one can sip a hot or a cold drink and enjoy a book. Cane furniture is an excellent option here. Well surrounded by foliage, they create a wonderful cozy nook. Adding garden seat pads cushions on the floor is also an excellent way to add seating in case you are entertaining people here.

Barbecues

Gas barbecues with their covers are an excellent addition to your garden patio especially if you are used to entertaining guests regularly. For a slight chilly nights, your friends and families would live a barbecue dinner outside.

Apart from it, one can easily add stuffs like parasols and gazebos, wind chimes, water fountain, open trellis roof to provide shading etc. The choice is endless and the cost surprisingly affordable.

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Top Three Ways to Pick Throw Pillows for your Home

If you look around, you will find many different varieties of throw pillows to choose from. Whether it is for your living room or your bedroom, you can pick from the many different size, design and pattern of throw pillows. By changing your throw pillows, you can easily change the look of your house without having to invest a lot. Buy, picking throw pillows needs skills. Here are three different options to help you make the process much easier –

Symmetrical – One of the best ways to pick pillows for your sofa is through the symmetrical way. You can pick 2 of the same large size, 2 of medium size and 1 small pillow for the middle. You need to make sure that there is a mixture of texture and solid, for example, you can pick the small one to be velvet throw pillow for the pop of texture. You can pick the larger ones with large prints while the mediums ones with small prints.

Asymmetrical – While going the asymmetrical way can be a lot of fun, you need to make sure that it fits well and do not looks odd. You can start by picking two large size throws that are similar size and print. The remaining medium ones and the small ones can be of different shape, color or print.  It is best to select a color scheme depending on the color of your sofa and then pick the throw pillows.

Same Size – Another interesting way to decorate your sofa is by picking throw pillows of the same size, but in different colors and patterns.  You can pick two of solid colors and the other ones with print. All you need to remember is to use your imagination and ensure that it matches with your decor completely.

Using one of the above, you can easily achieve a polished and designer look for your home without doing much. You can find a number of online store that offer a variety of throw pillows in different sizes, colors and patterns to match every theme and decor needs. Always check the size and the throw cover material before ordering.

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Tips on How to Clean Oven Mitts

Oven gloves are designed as a protective gear. In order to protect the hands, the manufacturers of the gloves, use durable as well as protective nylon or silicon along with gentle and soft fabrics, such as, cotton and terry cloth and so on. Keeping these gloves clean can be really problematic. There are times when the gloves can easily get stains while holding the bowl of food. Apart from the food items, vapour, grease, oil can also soil the gloves. If you do not want its colour to fade away, it’s better to be washed by bare hands with gentle fabric softener.

Things You Need For Cleaning Mitts

There are a couple of things which one needs for washing gloves, such as, measuring cups, a large size plastic bowl, fabric softener or some gentle detergent, pieces of white rags, pins for the clothes, other utensils.

Steps You Need To Follow

• First, you need to look out for some instructions. In general, the product has the label attached to its body, with the instruction printed on it. You need to follow these directions very closely. If the instruction demands it to be washed by hands, you have to do that very carefully.

• After pouring half cup of detergent into the bowl of hot water, mix it properly and soak a piece of white rag into it. After that, ring it properly. After this, try to clean the rigid parts of the oven mitt by dabbing the rag on the dirty parts. Use the other wash cloth to clean the detergent, applied earlier. After all these, keep the gloves away for 30 minutes at least, in order to check whether the colour is fading away or not.

• Mix warm water and detergent in another bowl and dip the dirty mitt along with the rag pieces and let those soak for another 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, wring the aga oven gloves gently.

It is important to rinse the gloves properly, under cold water, in order to get the soap away from it. It is better to hang the mitt in the laundry room with the help of a cloth pin. For the sake of good air circulation, use a plastic utensil and insert it on the inside. It is better to let it dry for one full day, in the broad sunlight.

Things You To Be Careful About

It is important to avoid clothes containing bleaching agents and it is always best to contact the customer care support of the company from where you get the fabric of your oven gloves.

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Decorating Tips for your Room with the Right Throw Pillow

Have you ever walked into a room and noticed the amazing way throw pillows pull together the whole design? Whether it’s your living room, garden room or even your bedroom, the right throw pillows are perfect accent pieces that lend a fresh and elegant vibe to any decor with great ease while simultaneously being very easy on your pocket. What is great about them is that they are not only perfect adornments but have a terrific purpose as well. They play a very important role in heightening up the comfort factor. Let’s look into few decorating tips to transform any living space:-

Shape and size

If appearance is your top priority, throw pillows provide you with endless possibilities. The size of the throw pillows you require would depend on the sofa or the area where you want to decorate it. The standard throw pillow size for a standard sofa is about 18 inches. However, if you wish to just toss them in a side basket for easy grabbing, going for 24 inches or higher can be heavenly. Creating an edged look with increasing or decreasing sizes of throw pillows can actually look quite edgy.

Shapes too have a very important role to play. The usual square and rectangular shapes look elegant and make for deep seating and that extra comfort factor. A clever mix of shapes and sizes can greatly alter the visual vibe and style of a room. You can easily use the same set to create various visuals and change decor almost on a weekly basis with the same set of throw pillows.

Fabrics and textures

They provide another scope of terrific experimentation. Playing with various fabrics and textures make for terrific accents. Pairing velvet throw pillows with satin ones can lend the extra glamour and oomph to any room. However, when you wish to sit on them, cotton fabrics are the most comfortable ones.

Designs

Designs and patterns are other terrific aspects to play with. Generally, it’s best to stick with solid colours for the large throw cushions and use patterns and prints in smaller ones to eliminate the too busy or distracting look.

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How to Decorate your Home with Throw Pillows

Sprucing up your room need not burn your pocket. Go the cheaper way with throw pillows to get that splendid look for your lazy lounge and this is something interior designers swear by.  Also a good looking sofa lends some positive energy to your living room and sets it aside from your neighbors’.

Mix and match, but with the right colors

Colorful throw pillows with playful prints can do a lot in moderating the intense look of your leather sofa or give a dash of solid color to the wingback chair. A good color selection like a navy blue or bold red velvet throw pillow lends a character to the design of the room. But make sure the color of your pillow goes with the accent of the room. Find out the color that is common in the room. 

The idea lies in how you align your throw pillows. Be careful with the number and always keep them in odd numbers. As for the color, don’t bother yourself too much. Only keep an eye on the combinations. Stay within the color family. A small pink one in front of a large red pillow gives a good color to the grey sofa. 

Also play with the shapes of the pillows. You can alternate the round ones with the squares. Such a change in the grouping draws eyes. Use single round pillows on living room chairs.
Three patterns can be clubbed together, like two geometric patterns with a bold floral one. Here you can have two opposite colors. 

Mind the Fabric

If you want to provide some richness to your lounge, just contrast those plush velvets and smooth silks with premium cowhides or faux furs. Mix floral prints with geometrical patterns. 

Pillow Art

Textiles can be a good form of art, adding that drama and color. It is that perfect statement piece, a striped one with two floral ones. And don’t feel guilty splurging on something as little as a throw pillow (mind you it’s never that little). You can even try sewing up those little pieces of cloth in your wardrobe and make a pattern. This can be stitched carefully to your pillow. If you love doing up your home with readily available items, this is a good way to start.

Some more Quick Tips

Try avoiding pillows that come along with your furniture. They don’t have a contrast with the color tone of your room. If you can use only two pillows, then check that they are of different color. Also change the pattern. Use a small intricate pattern with one with a large pattern or even a plain one.

Learn how to store them

If you want to use throw pillows only if you have guests over then don’t just stack them up in a corner of that wardrobe. They will get stained. Use a beautiful wicker basket for storing them. You can also keep the basket in a corner of your living room, maybe behind the sofa. Pillows stay fresh and clean, at least till the next party!

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Things to Consider when Purchasing the Best Oven Glove

The biggest challenge in our daily lives is keeping our cool in the kitchen. After all none of us wants to end up with a bruised forearm at the office and face those nasty and shocked looks from peers (as if they never burnt their fingers in the kitchen!). So, an oven glove is the best friend that comes to your rescue and in bright colours and types to choose from. Well, that only fusses up your job a little more. For, finding the perfect oven glove is a bigger challenge than getting that perfect evenly baked cake. 

Throw away that kitchen towel, it will burn you

And if you are a new entrant into the kitchen, never go for the kitchen towel (professional chefs find it more useful as it serves a larger variety of purposes). Mitts and five fingered oven gloves are the best option. The oven glove may not be a versatile alternative to the towel but will avoid those unsightly scars. Gloves are also well suited for outdoor grilling and frying which involves high heat.

Oven Mitts

Although they come in all sorts of shapes and colours, oven mitts do not offer that perfect grip that an aga oven glove gives you. These are generally made of silicone and withstand very high temperatures. But these are rather expensive.

Silicone Gloves

Silicone has always been the go-go material for bake ware and is also used in hand insulators. Silicone gloves are heat resistant up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit (260 degrees Celsius) and water-proof. These are dishwasher safe and are quite easy to clean. However, these are stiff and hinder movement of fingers.

Fiber Gloves

These are generally made from Nomex and Kevlar materials and withstand heat much like their silicone counterparts. Some also come with cotton padding adding to the comfort and have silicone stripes on the fingers to provide a better grip. It is easy to handle those hot pans and dishes. But the only reason they cannot replace your old silicone glove is the fabric itself. Fiber tends to wear out faster and it is difficult to clean. And if you love brewing that perfect cup of coffee or tea once a many time in the day, then a fiber glove is not for you. Fiber gloves do not protect against scalding injuries as hot liquid can soak through this material.

Steam Proof Gloves

These are longer than the conventional aga oven glove and also offer a five-layer protection along with the silicone grip. And their heat resistance is much greater (662 degrees Fahrenheit/350 degrees Celsius). Plus, they have designated left and right gloves giving the perfect fit to your hand.

The glove should be a perfect fit for your hand and also check the material, not too light or it will scald your fingers, nor too sturdy hampering movement of fingers. Several online tutorials boast of guiding you in making one all by yourself. Take care while sewing the two hands together.  However, buying a silicone oven glove, though sturdier, seems the safer choice.

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Tips on Styling your Home with Cushions

What is your idea of a lazy Sunday? Lying on the couch with a bestseller and your favorite music? Well, you missed out on something - the couch, it should be cozy enough. And for that it needs the best cushions. That’s not all, cushions can give a statement to any corner in your home. So, the next time you plan a party, remember you still have the right to splurge but not on your interior decor! Here are some tips on how your very own cushions set up in order can bring color to your drab living room.

Get the perfect match for your room

Make sure that the color or the combination you choose for your cushions should go with your room’s color tone. Pink walls and a silver or grey sofa can be given a colorful look with bold red cushions. A brown cushion near an orange lampshade will look great. An aqua cushion looks best at the swimming pool. Try avoiding discordance with colors in your room, but don’t let your guests cry out: Same Pinch!

Mind the color of the room

Keep the tone of your room neutral. The classic cream wall and black floor setup is a perfect canvas for experimenting with cushions. Red and blue cushions always give the classic look. A perfect combination could be blackvelvet cushions on a light grey sofa. A blue cushion with a peacock printed one can go well with light brown furniture. Brown or green colors give an earthier feel and would work well in men’s rooms. That having said, pink has outlasted itself as the girly color. Girls also love purple. A mix of orange and light brown with some stripes looks great on bright and sunny mornings.

Play with shapes

The square shaped pillow, the most common ever, is passé. If you really want to make over your room, forget the squares and try circle, triangle, flowers or teddies. And, if it doesn’t seem bizarre, you can even dare to use huge heart shaped ones! But try to contrast them with circled ones. A pink round cushion behind a red heart shaped one on a chocolate sofa will add fantasy to your evening. Kid’s rooms can have tree shaped cushions, they’ll love it.

Artistic prints are a good choice

Make something more than mix-and-match. You can actually contrast two different textures. Choose varying materials such as satin and fur or black velvet cushions with striped ones. Use two types of prints like floral with one with beautiful bird motifs. Floral and geometrical patterns go very well together. Light blue with an aqua cushion is again a great combination for the outdoor spaces.

It’s not just the lounge or the bedroom

Not just your living room or bedroom, you can have them even in your entrance hall. Windows can be used to get that extra space in your living room. Just put two large cushions and lo! It’s a window sofa. A blue mattress spread out on the living room looks wonderful with a mix of cyan and green cushions. You would not only increase sitting space but make your friends yearn to squat there.

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