Top 8 Spectacular Outdoor Living Spaces

Top 8 Spectacular Outdoor Living Space

When Summer rolls around, most of us like to spend it outside. You will want to have an outdoor area that is perfect for entertaining, or the perfect space for you to spend outdoors with your family. The last decade people have started to put a lot of effort in their backyards, or what we would rather call it, outdoor living space. When you live in or around Chicago, you’re use to having bipolar weather year round. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t spend your time and money on your outdoor living area. The perfect outdoor area would be usable Spring, Summer and Fall. Let me show you some great ideas, that will make you want to run out and start working on your perfect outdoor living space.

Outdoor fire pit with sitting area in between the pool

Outdoor kitchen with swim up bar

Outdoor kitchen with breakfast bar

Outdoor grill station

Outdoor bar and grill station

Outdoor fireplace and sitting area

Outdoor kitchen and dinning area

What did you learn? Your outdoor area should have good seating, fire pit, bar, kitchen, grill station, and cover. Start utilizing your backyard. Make it a living space. Not only will you enjoy it, it will bring up the value of your home.

Planning out your bathroom remodel? Here are some plumbing mistakes you’ll want to avoid

Planning out your bathroom remodel? Here are some plumbing mistakes you’ll want to avoid

Next to a kitchen makeover, a master bathroom remodel is one of the best things you can do for your home’s value. Plus, a reimagining of your bathroom can make it a much more enjoyable and usable space. Yet, many homeowners put off this project for years. After all, just where do you start, and how much should you budget? In this article, we’ll review how you can get your bathroom remodel moving forward again, and some of the common pitfalls you’ll want to avoid when planning your project out.

Trying to do everything yourself

When working within a tight budget, it’s tempting to simply remove the cost of labor and take on the entire remodel by yourself. After all, how hard could it be? While there’s a fair amount of a bathroom remodel that homeowners can complete themselves, there are certain aspects that need to be handled by a professional. For example, bring in a licensed plumber to help with anything involving plumbing.

If you’re feeling like you’re in over your head, you may want to consider hiring a remodeling contractor near the start of your project. There are several advantages that come with working with the right person:

• Experience: A trusted local remodeler has remodeled dozens, if not hundreds, of bathrooms. They can put together an accurate budget and scope while also helping you avoid common pitfalls.

• Timeline: A contractor will set a deadline and strive to meet it. If you’re only able to work on your remodel over the weekends, set to your own deadline, who knows when your bathroom will be usable again?

• Results: There’s always a risk with DIY work that the end result might look shoddy or be low-quality. For obvious reasons, working with a good contractor eliminates this risk.

Putting too much into the project

One of the biggest challenges of a bathroom remodel—and perhaps a significant reason why many homeowners put off the start of their remodel year-after-year—is not knowing where to start. After all, everyone has a basic concept of what a remodeled master bathroom looks like. But, translating that general idea into a detailed roadmap that outlines all the tools and materials needed is another thing altogether. 

To add to that challenge, there are so many choices and decisions to make. Quartz, granite, or marble on top of the vanity? What kind of lights should you buy? Does this shower tile and this shower glass go together? Cumulatively, this can lead to something called choice paralysis, where the overwhelming number of options and variables leads to homeowners endlessly talking about their project, but never actually getting going.

Start with the budget. On average, people spend around $19,000 on a mid-range bathroom remodel and later net a 70.1% return on investment. If you work backwards, you can start to make choices informed by your budget: if you’re looking to keep costs down, keep the current layout in place, choose granite over marble, and prioritize the shower over the bathtub. This is setting the scope for your project. You want your punch list of things that need to be completed to realistically fit within both your budget and timeline.

Hiring the wrong contractors

If you’ve made the decision to hire a remodeler, plumber, or electrician for your project, make sure you find the right one. This is another place where things often go very wrong, very fast: in an effort to fit a professional into their budget, homeowners will accept the lowest bid out there. Often, instead of getting a great deal, you get someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing, makes mistakes, shows up late, causes the project to go over its original deadline, or is not honest.

Instead, submit multiple bids with professionals in your area who can be trusted. Read online reviews and talk to your friends and neighbors: there is bound to be a few people in your community who are willing to attest to the bathroom remodeling work of good contractors. Once you’ve narrowed down your list, be sure to ask these professionals about their experience remodeling bathrooms like yours, as well as what kind of insurance and certifications they have.

A little bit of homeowner homework ahead of hiring someone can save you a ton of money and headache down the road. Trust us: the right plumber, remodeler, or electrician makes all the difference.

It’s time to move forward

If you’ve been dreaming of a bathroom remodel for years, but have put it off time-and-time again, there’s no time like the present to get started. Follow the tips above to ensure your remodel starts right and goes smoothly. For even more helpful advice about plumbing mistakes to avoid, check out this infographic:

Guest Contributor: Amanda L

Tools Used by Diy Experts When They Have Less Gardening Experience?

Tools Used by Diy Experts When They Have Less Gardening Experience?

Everyday gardening could be a challenge if you have to call for a handyman to fix or maintain your garden. Thanks to the DIY experts who know how to save money and yet keeping the yard look beautiful always. These DIY handyman gardening tools can save you ample money that you can use on other activities. Perhaps, getting more plants would be an amazing idea for a healthier life.

Take a quick read of this article as we have listed some of the best gardening tools recommended by the precioushandyman.com or DIY experts. These tools come handy when you have lesser experience in gardening and do not wish to experiment on anything with little knowledge.

Tools Used by DIY Experts

1. Gardening gloves:

No task is possible without proper gardening gloves especially with less experience. You cannot afford to face any injury by sharp gardening tools or objects thus, buying a pair of gardening tools will cost you less and save more than on injuries.

2. Shovel:

Shovel is made with some amazing creative ideas too online. You may wish to check some videos by the DIY experts. Shovels could be of different types such as post hole diggers, drain spades, digging shovels, scoop shovels, etc.… Based on your requirement you may buy a shovel within your budget. These come handy as you cannot afford to dig every pot of plant or portion of your grass with a knife.

3. Hose:

No DIY activity works without a watering hose. Watering is more comfortable with the help of a good basic hose. Depending on the garden size, you may buy the tool to water plants. You can cover a larger area than otherwise by bringing a watering hose in your garden. Getting the right nozzle will further help you to reach extra and difficult areas too.

4. Rake:

Rake could be built of metal, plastic, or bamboo. Metal rakes are most preferred by DIY experts for longer durability and quality. You can also choose an adjustable rake to make life easier with gardening. Rakes are one of the most essential tools for gardening especially for beginners. The purpose of buying these is to collect piles of leaves with ease and comfort. The different types of rakes are, lawn rakes, shrub rakes, hand rake, and thatch rake. 

5. Wheel barrow:

Wheel barrows are essential if you have unwanted soil that needs to be moved around from your garden. These come handy to settle compost in the garden bed areas. There are some maintenance tips that need to be followed if you go for a traditional wheel barrow. You may find the basic tips along with the product or you can check these online. Choose a wheelbarrow that you can easily move especially after loading it.

Few other tools that come handy for gardening beginners as suggested by DIY experts are watering can, watering wand, Hoe, garden fork, Loppers, and some small tools. Hope you are all set to settle the beauty of your garden with these cost saving tools. 

 Guest Contributor, Maninder Singh

How to Reduce Hazardous Waste at Home

How to Reduce Hazardous Waste at Home

Products that we use daily in our homes can be harmful to both our health and the environment. Direct contact with some of these chemicals can cause irritation of the eyes, skin, throat, or nasal channels. Some of them may even cause headaches and nausea. On the other hand, some household chemicals can impact the natural environment unless properly disposed of as hazardous waste. Dumped into kitchen or bathroom drains, they can pollute water supplies and harm marine ecosystems. Here are some ways of dealing with hazardous waste in your home.

Reduce the use of cleaners

Many drain cleaner formulas contain sulphuric acid, while oven cleaners are known to contain potassium hydroxide. Both chemicals are highly corrosive and cause irritation of eyes and mucoid membranes. Cleaners that contain grease-removing chemicals such as petroleum distillates can damage lungs if inhaled. To reduce your exposure to these chemicals, use products made of natural ingredients whenever possible. For example, a mixture of baking soda can be used for cleaning drains, while lemon and vinegar are great from removing limescale.

Avoid pesticides

Pesticides are formulated to be deadly to insects, rodents, weed, and fungus, but some of them are potent enough to be harmful to other living organisms, such as pets and their owners. Instead of spraying pesticides, try to find alternative ways of pest control, such as using natural grade diatomaceousearth for getting rid of bugs, pulling weeds by hand, or using mulch, and using covers to keep flying insects at bay. Recently, the use of beneficial nematodes, microscopic parasites, has been reported highly successful in garden bug control.

Remove contaminants professionally

Building sites, repurposed lots, and heavily cultivated soil sometimes contain contaminants that seem impossible to remove by their owners. Derelict homes are especially challenging as contaminants, such as asbestos, are often difficult to isolate from demolition debris and recyclable waste. Before you give up on the location, give these experienced demolition contractors a call. With more than 20 years of experience in providing remedial services, they can make your site clean and legally compliant again.

Check the laundry detergents

Many household laundry detergents contain ingredients that have nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) as by-products.These organic compounds are identified as one of the major threats to marine life. NPEs have been discovered to mimic hormone strings and disrupt the endocrine system in sea organism. They don’t decompose naturally, and in reaction with sewage bacteria, become even more toxic. Fortunately, companies such as Cintas and P&G offer many NPE-free detergent brands.

Be careful with motor oil

Almost all car fluids, from antifreeze and AC coolant fluid to motor oil and petrol, can be extremely dangerous if disposed of irresponsibly. Motor oil and antifreeze contain heavy metals such as lead and cadmium that can be potentially very hazardous, contaminating water supplies and poisoning aquatic organisms. Instead of contributing to the pollution, contact your local environmental agency or sanitation department and inquire about available disposal and recycling procedures for automotive liquids.

Recycle power-saving bulbs

Although LED bulbs have become a standard for energy-efficient lighting, there are still many compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) being sold and installed. Although the amounts of mercury used in those bulbs have been reduced due to more stringent laws, more than 670 million mercury-vapour light bulbs are thrown out only in the US every year. Most of them end up in a landfill or being incinerated, despite environmental expert’s warnings that recycling is the only sustainable way of disposing of mercury products.

Our homes often contain corrosive, flammable, chemically unstable, or toxic chemicals. Found in cleaning products, automotive fluids, and even the light bulbs, these materials shouldn't be disposed of with regular waste. Apart from recycling and using local safe disposal programmes, the only way to limit exposure and adverse environmental impact of those chemicals is to reduce their use to a minimum.

Guest Contributors, Lillian Connors

How to Get Bali Bathroom Furniture Shipped To Your Door

How to Get Bali Bathroom Furniture Shipped to Your Door

No one purposely lets their home fall out of style, but it is bound to happen to even the best of us. Life takes over, and more important things occupy the mind. As much as you may love design, chances are at least a few rooms of your home could use some attention.

If you think this is where you are at, maybe it is time to consider a remodel. If you keep up on current trends and place an emphasis on aesthetics, you have no doubt noticed the rise in popularity of Bali bathroom furniture.  

Just take a look at any design blog and you will see Bali influences everywhere. There is no question for those with objectively good taste—the elements present in Bali furniture design are like a breath of fresh air.

Whether it is because everyone is pining for a little piece of island life, or simply because this decor is highly modern, it is clear that this trend is sticking around for a while. In a time inundated with a great deal of maximalism, these fixtures offer a kind of reprieve from clashing patterns and color.

Picture vanities without fixtures, softly rounded bathtubs and sinks, light colored wood—these elements are all common in the Bali furniture trend.

These sleek designs prominently feature clean lines and smooth curves, sometimes accented by wood or stone, without anything extra or ornamental. Metal is not often featured in this style.

Bali furniture in the bathroom inspires a sense of calm and relaxation, so it’s no wonder why anyone planning a bathroom remodel right now is likely on the hunt for this kind of fixture—but how?

Bali is not exactly centrally located, but there are still ways to get authentic forms of this furniture shipped directly to your door, and it is not as difficult (or expensive) as you might imagine.

Here are a few simple steps you can take in order to achieve the goal of decorating your bathroom with Bali furniture.

●       Plan a design

Obviously, the first step in achieving your new, Bali inspired bathroom is to create a design plan, but this first step is actually three-pronged: you will need to choose a design, set a comfortable budget, and speak with a remodeler.

Take a look at some inspiration boards, and get an idea of how your bathroom would look in a perfect world post-remodel.

Sites like Houzz are aimed at helping homeowners find design ideas that resonate with them, and many reputable businesses will have accounts you can browse on the site.

Next, figure out a price point at which you are comfortable for this remodel. It is important to have a figure in mind, and to stay realistic about what that amount will buy you.

Finally, speak with a pro about how much of your vision is physically possible. You might love a waterfall shower, double sinks atop an expansive counter top, perfect soft lighting, but it may not all be achievable.

Bear in mind that no one is a miracle worker, and sometimes considerations like space and budget will get in the way of your ideal design, but a good remodeler will do their best to offer comparable alternatives if something is not possible.

Once you have a better grasp on what can be achieved, you will be able to confidently pick out what types of furniture and fixtures will be appropriate for your new, updated space.

●       Pick out your furniture

If you have already done the design leg work, sift through your inspiration pictures for ones that align with the plan you have discussed with your remodeler.

Make sure you have considered aspects like color palette and placement within your bathroom (including measuring the space) otherwise you may miss something that will impact the overall aesthetic.

Whether you are on the hunt for a new counter top, a pedestal sink, or just some shelving, you are sure to find plenty of beautiful options available for purchase, but which pieces you go with will depend on several factors.

These factors include things like cost and material, but perhaps the most important of these is authenticity. Is it important to you that your Bali bathroom furniture is actually made in Bali, and not just in that style?

If so, you will have a few more steps to complete before your furniture arrives.

●       Work with the creator

Assuming you choose to go with a Balinese creator, they may or may not have a preferred shipping provider available for you to use.

Even if the creator does have a preferred shipping provider, it may be in your best interest to explore your options, as there may be a more cost effective or convenient one for your location.

Talk with the creator of the furniture you have chosen about their flexibility on this point and how much they are willing to assist your efforts, then work on researching options.

●       Find a shipping company

This piece of the process will entail finding a reputable company who offers freight shipping. Make sure that they have the necessary capabilities to perform this kind of long-distance shipping.

Once you have found a company, request a quote so you know how much shipping your furniture will cost you. Legitimate companies should offer you a quote without requiring anything from you in return.

From here, you can set up coordination between the creator and the shipper, or facilitate the coordination yourself.

Whichever direction you decide to go, the most important factor of this step is choosing a shipper you can trust so that you do not experience undue anxiety waiting for the furniture to arrive.

After you have completed all of these steps, the only thing left for you to do is sit back and leave the rest to the professionals. Before you know it, your Bali bathroom furniture will arrive and your remodeler will bring your vision to life.

In just a few simple steps you can have high quality furniture shipped from across the world to your doorstep, and enjoy a wholly transformed bathroom.

If a more calming, tranquil room is what you are after, do not wait to start this process. Take your time researching designs and remodelers so that you can rest assured you will be pleased with the outcome.

Guest Contributor, Tom Masters

Design Tips Perfect for Older Adults

Design Tips Perfect for Older Adults

While not everyone can completely remodel their home to fit their aging needs, there are a few design tips that can ensure every older adult has a more pleasant and safer life. The best way to start your renovation is to look at senior homes and seek some inspiration for safe and stylish senior life. Let’s see what older adults need and prefer when it comes to interior design.

Practical entryways

Every house starts with a good entryway, so make sure to make it practical and safe. For instance, fumbling for keys while you hold grocery bags can cause you to get distracted and lose your balance. So, it can be smart to place a small table or bench next to your entrance. This addition will not only boost the practicality of your entryway but also increase its aesthetic appeal.

Safe bathrooms

Many falls at home happen right in the bathroom due to slippery showers, baths and floors. So, consider investing in practical grab bars you can find in many places in senior care facilities. These ensure a more practical and safer entrance and exit out of the bath. But, their stainless steel look can also boost elegance in your space. You can also place them next to your toilet for when you need extra support getting up. Additionally, consider ditching baths and investing in a practical step-in shower and hand-held showerhead. This combination will ensure the most practicality and style.

Good lighting

Any dark corner, poorly-lit room and shady stairway can result in a potential fall or a bump. This is especially important for stairs, hallways and entryways that usually hide the biggest number of obstacles, so it’s no wonder every modern aged care facility is well lit from the entrance to the last room. For instance, if you look at retirement living at Mark Moran Vaucluse you can see that the facility is filled with layered light, both natural and artificial. Their design experts chose to shower the rooms with light to prevent injuries and promote wellbeing. So, make sure to take inspiration from these respectable facilities and light up your space, especially those nooks that can hide sharp corners and other hazards.

Smart doors

In order to boost mobility between rooms, try to invest in pocket doors. They always stay out of the way when opened and they prevent them from getting caught on clothing or walking aids. Additionally, you can also replace all your doorknobs with more practical levers. These are easier to grip and handle, especially for seniors with arthritis and similar afflictions.

Easy-to-climb stairs

For older people, stairs are often a true nightmare. They are exhausting and dangerous, so make sure to equip any stairs in your home with handrails, preferably on both sides. Clearly visible and separate steps can also make your ascend and descend safer, even if your vision is impaired. There are cheap stickers you can get that will allow you to mark your steps and prevent trips and falls.

Anti-slip floors

Oftentimes, danger lurks under your feet. With age, you start to lose your balance and speed, so slips can end up with a serious injury. The easiest way to prevent slips yet keep your home stylish is to invest in nonskid mats under your rugs. If you use a walker or wheelchair to get around, it’s best to opt for a low-pile carpet that won’t get caught in your wheels and walkers. You can also ditch your area rugs and embrace the popular minimalist style that’s also very easy to keep clean.

If you follow these senior design tips, you’ll have a home that will allow you to age with grace, safety and style. You’ll get to enjoy your home for many, many years to come, but whenever you notice you can’t take care of your safety, make sure to find a good senior care facility.

Guest Contributor, Diana Smith

Most Popular Landscaping Trends for 2019

Most Popular Landscaping Trends for 2019

Whether you have a front yard or a back yard – or even both! – you surely understand why taking care of your outdoor space is so vital. This is where you can spend time with your friends and family, organizing parties and enjoying fresh air, and if you put your mind to it and aren’t afraid to invest some money, you’ll be able to keep doing that all year long. However, you first need to come up with an effective landscaping schedule that will keep your exterior cool and appealing. In order to do that, you need to learn a few of the newest trends, so here are some of the hottest landscaping ideas out there.

Pavers and greenery

Getting from point A to point B in your backyard might not always be the easiest thing in the world, especially if you’re trying to protect your grass and keep it fresh for as long as possible. That’s why people all around the world, from Australia to South America, use an easy yet highly effective trick and equip their backyard with pavers and stepping stones. But, if you really want to be trendy, you need to arrange some grass around your pavers or opt for those helpful grass block pavers that really go a long way. This solution is simple, affordable, practical, easy to install, and even easier to maintain, so get as many of these block pavers as you need right away!

Add a water feature

Every outdoor space needs a focal point, and water features are among the most effective and visually appealing focal points in the world. It doesn’t really matter if you opt for a fountain, a waterfall, or a pond – as long as it looks nice and attracts attention, you’re good to go! Keep in mind that all of these ideas need some proper maintenance, so don’t forget to do that regularly, and you’ll be able to enjoy your water feature in the decades to come as well.

Build a pool

Now, if you’re a big fan of water features, none of the ideas mentioned above is going to work for you, but you can always build yourself a proper pool in your backyard. This is one of the best ways to give your exterior area even more purpose and show it the love it deserves, but also do something good for yourself, especially if you’re living in a hot region with lots of sunny days. This is an idea people in Australia use quite a lot, which is why they aren’t afraid to talk to those experienced pool builders from Sydney and let them work their magic. You’re going to end up with a brand new pool before you know it, and your backyard will start looking better than ever straight away!

A corner for gardening

You don’t have to be the biggest fan of cooking in the world to understand why having a tiny garden in a corner of your backyard is so vital. Here, you can grow all those delicious herbs and vegetables you can use in your cooking, but you’ll also give your outdoor space an exciting new feature. Starting a herb garden isn’t as hard as it sounds, and you just need to invest some time and patience – and the results you’re going to get in just a few months are amazing and will surely make your backyard quite special.

Taking care of your garden and showing it some love doesn’t have to be too hard or time-consuming, but you need to stay consistent – come up with a schedule and stick to it week after week, and there’s nothing to worry about!

Guest Contributor, Diana Smith

9 TIPS TO BUYING A COUCH

9 TIPS TO BUYING A COUCH

The furniture is featured in the room. When it comes to choosing yours, pay attention to the details. So you avoid unpleasant surprises in the future. If you want to know more tips based on buying a couch, then Sishawa will help you at their best.

1. Do not get carried away by the appearance of the fabric. Good sofa needs to have firm structure and quality foam . The problem is that in the store, we can not see these internal elements.

2. Speaking of foam: The densities of the seat, backrest arms and cushions should be different , as the fatigue is not the same. The seller does not know how to report this? Be suspicious.

3. When the sofa is new, everything looks perfect. But how will it be after a year of use? Before you get a headache, look for companies that offer warranty and, if possible, technical assistance .

4. The difference between a couch to play and a sofa to the living room is the depth of the seat . Want to relax, sleep, watch movies? Sofa deep. Need something more formal like, for example, a waiting room? Lean seat.

5. There is a trick to knowing if the sofa is comfortable specifically for you. Sit on it with your legs crossed one over the other, like "Indian leg" . If you fit in the seat without your knees being out, the piece passed the test.

6. Are there children and pets in your home? Choose models with washable covers. The cotton, linen and twill are the most suitable. Just remember that they should be pre-shrunk. Dark coats disguise dirt better, but fade more. Light-colored coats resist better washing.

7. In the doubt between reforming the old sofa and buying a new one? What it commands is the quality of the structure . Ask the opinion of good upholsterers before disposing of an antique furniture.

8. Sofas of distinct models in the same environment work superbem. If they are from very different times - one more modern, another vintage, for example - better still. Do not be afraid to mix .

9. If you are buying a pouf to support your feet, choose a model of the same height as the sofa seat . The piece will support a tray and also as an extra seat when you need it

Guest Contributor, Sherry K

4 Effective Tips On Turning Your Basement Into A Chic Home Office

4 Effective Tips on Turning Your Basement into a Chic Home Office

The basement has the potential to become the favorite room in your household, instead of forever being that odd damp place you visit occasionally to check the water heater and if the mold is under control. Particularly, your basement has the potential to become the home office you always dreamed of, and skyrocket your at-home career in the process.

The possibilities here are endless, as you will be working with a blank canvas of sorts, a space where you are yet to bring a unique, personal setting to life. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the four key tips that will help you transform your basement into an elegant home office you won’t want to leave.

Inspect the space and make a detailed plan

First things first, you need to establish a foundation for your project based on meticulous research. You will need to conduct a thorough inspection of the available space, and most importantly, determine if there are any hazardous materials or air particles residing here. Typically, this will be mold, but you could also encounter asbestos from cracked walls if your house is old, so be sure to bring in a professional inspector.

Next, you will need to brainstorm the layout of your office. Keep in mind that this is not simply a space where you will work – this is a space where you will spend the majority of your day, so it needs to be functional, inspirational, and fully optimized for top productivity.

Make it functional first

When it comes to layouts, there are three key areas you need to consider: the main work and lounge area, the bathroom, and the kitchen. Consider this office space as you would any other, and remember that these auxiliary spaces will prove vital for your productivity throughout the day.

Particularly, you shouldn’t have to go upstairs every time you need to go to the bathroom, so focus on allocating enough space for a small restroom, making sure to introduce the necessary plumbing features. Additionally, consider adding a small kitchen area or even just a mini-fridge to avoid lengthy trips upstairs in the middle of your work.

Pay special attention to lighting

The basement is an inherently dark place, so one of your priorities should be to illuminate the entire area for top productivity and day-long zeal. The basement-office trend has grown widely popular with Australian homeowners, so take note.

In the Land Down Under, homeowners will plan their lighting scheme with the help of an experienced level 2 electrician in Sydney and other remote-work hubs around the country, in order to light the room for minimal eye and mental strain. In the absence of adequate natural lighting, nailing your artificial lighting scheme should be your no.1 priority as well, so be sure to let your electrician in on the project early on.

Introduce your personal flair and brand

Designing a home office is a wonderful opportunity to make the space an extension of your personality, and a setting where your brand’s colors and stories can come to life. To that end, you want to choose a color scheme that will influence your mindset in a positive way, and introduce various decor elements on your desk, the shelves, and the walls that will speak to your heart and mind.

However, refrain from cluttering the space too much, as physical clutter can quickly become emotional stress. Stick with a couple of personal belongings on your desk, add vibrant artwork on the walls to give the room a sense of class, and allocate the rest of the space to storage – you are going to need it.

Transforming a basement into a home office is a unique project that requires careful planning, as there is plenty that can go wrong along the way. With these tips in mind, though, you will have no problem designing a basement office that is clutter free, functional, elegant, and a natural extension of your true self.

Guest Contributor, Chloe Taylor

The Most Reliable Water Heater Brands on the Market

The Most Reliable Water Heater Brands on the Market

The water heater is an essential part of every modern household. We depend on it night and day, all year long. Typically, the water heater is responsible for almost 20% of your energy bill. Those are the two prevailing reasons why everyone is interested in the most reliable water heater brands on the market. These reliable water heaters have fewer problems, recover quickly, and also require low maintenance.

The following list consists of some of the most reputable brands currently. They have been recognized as the leaders in their industry not just by the buyers, but by independent market researchers as well.

Rheem Water Heaters

Rheem is an American manufacturer that has been in business since 1925. They manufacture both commercial and residential water heaters. For almost a decade they have been considered as the largest manufacturer of water heating products in North America. They are present not just in Canada and the US, but in another 14 countries as well.

Their water heaters are available in various sizes and come with multiple warranties. Their tankless water heaters are their most popular product in the US. They are known to recover quickly and that they require minimum maintenance, like the RTEX-18. When it comes to on-demand water heaters, they are at the very top. Their energy efficiency is another of their trademarks. All in all, it is a brand that is well-known to the American consumer and one that will remain on top in the foreseeable future.

A.O Smith

A.O. Smith is a brand known not just in the US, but worldwide as well. The company is in business since 1874. They started operating in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and kept headquarter there till present day. Their water heaters are sold only by authorized dealers and contractors. Their main trait is their energy efficiency. As a result, many of their water heaters qualify for utility rebate and state tax credits.

Bradford White Water Heater

This is an American product, designed and produced on American soil. They are at the very top of most wanted water heater brands in the US. They are known for their outstanding quality and durability. They give a 10-year warranty for each of their water heaters installed by some of their authorized representatives. They are one of the most expensive brands on the market, but that’s the price of exceptional quality.

Ecosmart

Price, quality, and efficiency. That’s what Ecosmart water heaters are all about. Their patented technology can generate 60% savings. That’s 60% saving on the water heating bill. On top of that, they come with a limited lifetime warranty. All that for an unbeatable price. As a result, there is a constant flow of positive reviews on Amazon.   

Rinnai

Rinnai is a Japanese brand that has been around since 1920. They first started producing water heaters in 1964 and has been going strong since then. Today, by some industry experts, they are considered as the top-selling tankless water-heating brand in both the US and Canada. The fact that their water heaters come with a 12 years warranty speaks tons about the quality of their products. Also, there are thousands of five-star reviews on Amazon that play in their favor. According to their data, so far they have installed over 20 million water heaters worldwide.

Guest Contributor, Verner Ellen