Light Design | Interior & Exterior Home Design

Sustainability 14 Ways to Save on Electricity

July 23, 2017Light Design

Saving on the use of electricity is not only a way to save money, but great for a sustainable lifestyle. Many people these days install solar systems for their power needs, but this is still quite expensive and it takes a while to recoup your investment. If you intend to stay in the house for 10 or more years, that will allow you to recoup, but if you are planning to move soon, don’t go to the expense; you are not likely to get it back in the sale price.

However, there are many other ways to save on the use and thus, the cost of electricity and in doing so, you help save the earth’s resources. Here are some tips to help you.

Don a jumper and fleece track-pants before switching on the heater of an evening.
Some evenings you can stay warm on the sofa until bedtime with rug.
Wear warm socks and slippers if your feet feel cold.

Renovations How to Get a Budget Verandah

February 23, 2017Light Design

If you don’t have a verandah you may think that adding one to your house would cost far too much, but this is not necessarily so. It is possible to get a verandah on a budget and it does not need to look ‘cheap’. Much depends on the materials used, but labour is a big part of the cost also. Another thing that might bump up the cost is the location of patios or the verandah – that is, if it is at ground level or raised high off the ground. The ground level one is the cheaper, since it will not need as much material to provide support and it need not have balustrades. Here are some tips to reduce the cost of the verandah.

Use timber flooring if the verandah is above ground level. You may be able to access enough boards from a recycling centre.
Use a polished concrete finish if the floor is at ground level. This is low maintenance, strong and durable. It is also ideal if you use steel support posts.
Use roofing materials that have good spanning abilities to reduce the need for supporting framework. Steel is a good choice.

Renovations Does Your Home Need a Front Fence?

November 23, 2016Light Design

Many suburban homes these days have steel panel fencing to give privacy and because it is very difficult for intruders to climb. In addition, it prevents dogs from trying to fight each other through the fence because they can’t see each other. Fencing contractors can put this type of fence up quickly and easily, but you may want a different type of fence for the front.

While steel fencing has many advantages, even providing some shelter from cold winds for children playing outside, it does nothing to add street appeal to the front of the home. Many homeowners like to have a different kind of fence for the front, while some don’t even have a fence there at all.

Having no front fence certainly allows the beauty of the garden to show up, but in fact it makes all the front area useless as far as children and pets go. With no fence at the front you don’t dare let kids out there to play because they would be sure to run onto the road, or be exposed to other dangers. Pets would certainly wander away.

Maintenance How Automatic Pool Cleaners can Enhance Your Lifestyle

May 11, 2016Light Design

Anyone with a swimming pool will know that they have to be kept clean so the pH of the water is maintained and it is safe to swim in. Automatic pool cleaners are one of the best ways to ensure debris is removed and your pool does not develop mould on the walls or floor. Having your cleaner chugging away will remove most of the debris from the bottom of the pool, making it much easier to keep clean.

It’s not that hard to scoop leaves and other floating rubbish from the top of the pool when you use a long handled scoop, but it tends to sink after a few hours in the water, so anything that blows in after dark will likely sink before morning. Getting it up off the bottom of the pool is very difficult with a scoop.

Exterior Design Tips for Installing a Fence on a Steep Slope

February 19, 2016Light Design

Many blocks of ground are situated on sloping and sometimes very steep ground. Such blocks still need to have fencing, but fencing contractors would agree that there are more challenges to overcome on such a block. First you must take care to implement sustainable practices to preserve the ground and any surrounding habitat, especially if the block is located in the mountains where diverse flora and fauna occur.

When the block is steep, it’s important not to dig a deep trench straight down as this can cause erosion during heavy rain if it storms before the fence is finished. It can not only wash away half your topsoil, but affect properties that are located below yours.

The two main methods of erecting a fence on a slope are raked – sometimes called racked – and stepped.

Sustainability 12 Tips on How to be Sustainable with Food

October 23, 2015Light Design

If you are looking for ways to incorporate sustainability into your lifestyle, a good place to start is with food. Since we don’t have a choice about buying food, it’s important to buy well and make other important food choices in order to become eco friendly. Here are some tips in how to implement environmentally friendly habits with food – and encourage your children to do the same.

Only buy what you need of perishable items.
If the fruit you purchase is getting riper by the hour and no one wants to eat it, cook it. Stewed apple, peaches and plums, baked bananas and orange juice in cakes or icing will all save that fruit going to waste. You can even stew and freeze it for later on.
Train your children to eat what is in the house, rather than refusing it and wanting something different.

Exterior Design Getting Ideas for Outdoor Furniture From Other Countries

February 23, 2015Light Design

These days with air travel so fast and easy, it’s no wonder our world is referred to as a global village. We can quickly visit places like Bali and enjoy a change of culture and scenery. We can get many great ideas from such countries and implement them in our own when we return home. Outdoor furniture is a prime example. Bali has many fine examples of furniture that they use out of doors for the comfort of their guests.

Enjoying rest and relaxation as well as the excitement of all that Bali has to offer is a great way to spend a week or two. You might wish you could bring some of that beautiful furniture home with you, but of course, it is too large and heavy to take to the airport, even if the plane would accept it. If you are truly dedicated to the idea you might use up a few days of holiday time in finding out how to import it to your own country.

However, there is a much easier way – one that does not use up your precious holidays. Many Australian furniture stores already import outdoor furniture from places such as Indonesia and Bali. It would be far easier to wait until you return home and purchase the furniture you like from one of these stores. They have already done the hard yards of importing furniture. They have the right contacts in those other countries that enable them to import what they want and get a whole container full of furniture – or several – all at once.

Interior Design Kitchen Design Advice

November 9, 2014Light Design

Dreaming Kitchens

When you’re flicking through the pages of some décor magazines, it is easy to imagine how your ideal kitchen would look in your home. The reality is that most kitchens these days are sold as prefabricated modular units. You can see them in the big hardware stores, all laid out in a specific way. The problem with these is that you don’t always have the option of where everything is stored. The decisions on the layouts are made by the manufacturer and you have to work around their kitchen design to make everything fit. If you want to be different, then you opt for an individually designed, bespoke kitchen. That will give you the freedom to choose specific design details that might be a little more exciting and will certainly be perfect for your individual needs.

Your Personal Kitchen Designer

By utilising an experienced kitchen designer, you get complete control over your kitchen layout and choice of materials. You are only limited by the physical space of your existing kitchen and your imagination. You can get lots of ideas from DIY stores, showrooms and magazines and then adopt these into your own kitchen.

Renovations How to Avoid the Disadvantages of Shade Sails

June 8, 2014Light Design

Shade sails have many advantages as they provide a cooler area to your property so you can enjoy the outdoors more. They also cut glare and keep the home cooler if installed in the right place. While there are also a few disadvantages, most of these can be avoided by installing the sail in the correct way and in the correct place for your situation.

Don’t install a sail under a tree, or even under a single branch. Why? The debris that falls off the tree will fall onto the sail and accumulate. This will discolour the sail and make it sag and droop. It can also cause mould or mildew to form, which will look ugly. Plus, having dried up leaves and twigs piled into the centre of the sail can be a fire hazard. It’s important to have the sail installed by an experienced professional to get the angle right. This will allow water and debris to run or blow off.

Maintenance Excellent Removalists Can Simplify Your Local, Interstate Or International Move

March 2, 2014Light Design

Regardless of the type of service you are searching for, reputable removalists know what to do. They do local, interstate and international relocations all the time. The important thing is to determine the service you want and how you want it rendered. After this, let your removalist take over. With their door to door removalist experience and decades of expertise, most companies are safe and easy to work with. They can guarantee a top quality, five-star service. This is regardless of whether you want to within Australia or beyond. Some movers have several branches across the nation and in other countries. Thus, you can hire them to transport your goods from Australia to another nation or from another country to Australia.

Interior Design 6 Ways to Save Money on Office Furniture

October 23, 2013Light Design

If you have a small business or even a home business you’ll need at least some furniture for the office to ensure it looks professional, especially if you have clients coming in and out. Furniture that is made especially for an office is best and can be purchased from most furniture stores. It is best because it has been designed to hold the things an office needs and to fit your legs into the space in front of the chair.

Without the right design, you will never be comfortable enough to do the kind of work you envisaged – and neither will your employees. Office furniture that is both comfortable, ergonomic and looks nice is more expensive than rubbish, so how can you save on the cost of nice office furniture? There are several ways.

Exterior Design Is It Worth Hiring a Landscape Architect?

February 22, 2013Light Design

People often ask themselves whether they need to employ a landscape designer for the garden renovation or improvement project they have in mind. Others may consider whether they are going to need a landscape designer for a particular construction project that they are working on.

With regard to hiring landscape specialist, it will certainly depend on the task at hand. Where one project might be specifically geared toward needing a landscape architect, another might need a couple of gardeners or labourers to do the grunt work so that your plan can be realised.

Perhaps by looking at some scenarios it might help to know which particular one could use some real professional help and which one might just need a landscape contractor to help you with the project.

Interior Design Qualities of a Good Kitchen Design

November 2, 2011Light Design

A beautiful and functional kitchen design is worth every investment. The kitchen is the heartbeat of all festivity, a core to every family gathering, and the beat of every party.

When the kitchen is well designed eating becomes an enjoyable experience. However, selecting the right kitchen design is never easy. It involves more significant purposes other than comfort and aesthetics.

The following are the qualities of an ideal kitchen design.

Ample space

Food preparation and cooking requires ample space for free movement. Therefore, a good kitchen design should provide enough space for at least 3 people to work in without crowding.

Maintenance Excellent Tips About Removalists and Relocation

May 18, 2011Light Design

Relocating does not have to be a real struggle. If you want to move to a new house or business office, don’t stress yourself about it. Instead, get assistance from a good removalists company such as Brilliance Removalists Brisbane. The service provider will keep you from losing time and money. As well, hiring gives you an opportunity to focus on other things while waiting for the day you plan to move. In fact, you can move to the new town and wait for the expert moving company to deliver your things. Hiring is more flexible and safer than doing it yourself. In addition to taking full control of your project, reputable movers can offer great advice. You can consult them before moving your things to a new office or house and they will be generous with tips and advice.

Exterior Design Getting the Right Attitude to Landscape Design

August 2, 2010Light Design

While traditional landscape design emphasizes setting out everything in advance in detail in a drawing that designates the place of every tree, flower bed, and other garden elements, nowadays designing can be done on the go. While basing your landscape design on a comprehensive plan is useful, landscaping can also be a spontaneous affair that designers can partake with relish.

Whether sticking to a plan or taking a more spur-of-the-moment road to landscape design, a right approach is necessary so that creating great landscapes will not entail undesirable costs associated with the absence of any blueprint. Problems may come in terms of poorly placed plants or even precious garden elements that may have to be destroyed to make way for future developments.

To avoid any future migraines and heartaches, here are 3 tips on getting the right attitude to landscape design.

Renovations Tips for Sending Fragile Goods

April 3, 2010Light Design

When renovating your home, chances are that you will be organising deliveries of goods to your property. When it comes to organising fragile goods across the city or the country whether by transport company such or by mail, it’s important to ensure they are packed in a way that will adequately protect them and prevent damage. Freight gets thrown around as carriers struggle to load and unload their trucks. Accidents can easily happen; goods can get dropped or sometimes they are kicked aside.

So here are some tips for sending fragile goods across the country

Make sure the goods are wrapped well and securely. A well wrapped parcel can come apart if it is not also secure. So the actual object must be wrapped in a way that protects all the edges and any sharp points from protruding through the outer packaging.

Maintenance How To Find A Trusted Removalist

November 25, 2009Light Design

Moving home or office is considered a least fun event. It’s time-consuming, extremely stressful, and expensive. For this reasons, it’s highly advisable to hire a professional removalist to make the process smoother and yield excellent results.

However, caution must be taken. Even though a moving company will simplify the process and make it’s less stressful, choosing the right one is not as easy as it sounds. Many factors must be taken into account before a final choice is selected. So how do you find a trusted removalist?

Do a rigorous research

In most cases, people accept recommendations from friends, but this might not work in your case just because it worked for them. Do due diligence and conduct a research, it will help you verify the standards and credibility of the mover.

Exterior Design What Landscaping Professional Services Do You Need?

February 22, 2009Light Design

When your lawn is a tangled mess of weeds and creeping vines but lack the time or patience to do all that weeding and mowing, you might want to get the help of landscaping professionals. But what sort of landscaping services do you actually need?

Landscape managers are there to take care of your landscape’s regular maintenance, if you don’t want to take care of it yourself.
Landscape contractors will help with the installation of landscape features in the form of hardscapes (stones, water elements, fences, and walkways) and softscapes (vegetation and soil).
Landscape architects, following your specifications and budgetary requirements, will plan and design the landscape of your dreams.
Landscape designers do the same things that landscape architects but without the academic degree that the latter usually possess.
Arborists are experts on everything practical about trees, from planting, pruning, removing, cabling, bracing and giving care to them.
Horticulturists are plant experts that can be trusted to know everything from controlling pests, stimulating plant growth, up to adapting your plant to harsh climate.

Exterior Design Creating a New Lawn with Turf

October 16, 2008Light Design

There’s nothing like having an instant lawn that you can use, all within four to six weeks of laying. Using a reputable supplier is as important as laying the lawn. Turf farms can supply a number of different types of grass, and you need to ensure that you will be getting properly cultivated turf that has been watered, fertilised and looked after. Be careful that you don’t buy a pasture turf that may contain weeds, or weed seeds and is of a lesser quality.

Preparation

Whether you are seeding grass or laying turf, the soil preparation is the same. The time you spend getting the soil and laying area ready is time well spent and will result in a great looking lawn. The turf has more than likely been grown on a soil different to the one you have in your yard. It makes no difference at all as you do not have to match the soil type.

Maintenance Get the Best Deal from Your Electrician

September 8, 2008Light Design

No home can escape from the need for electrical repairs every now and then. But because these patch-ups usually require expert attention, most people hire professional and licensed electricians who can ensure safety rather than risk fixing things themselves. Here are tips that you can use to get the best deals from electricians.

Check out an electrician’s travel charges to lessen your costs. Electricians spend a lot of time going to and fro through traffic to reach their clients. Some compensate for the expense this entails by letting clients pay travel charges while others incorporate this in their hourly rate. You should ask an electrician how they go about this. For instance, low hourly rates and a travel charge is a better arrangement on a longer job. But it would be better to get someone who absorbs all his travel expenses with a relatively higher hourly rate if you just need a shorter job done. That said, hiring the one that is based close to your location will also reduce travelling costs.

Interior Design A Carpet Cleaning Company Has Better Skills and Cleaning Equipment than You

February 2, 2008Light Design

Carpet cleaning services are widely offered in Australia. If you are a resident and you wish to have your office or home carpets cleaned, just call a reputable carpet cleaner in your area. They will be better than you in several ways, including the fact that they have ample experience and ultra modern cleaning machines. These days you have the option of picking carpet cleaning companies who use green detergents that are environmental-friendly. As well, their use of eco-friendly cleaning solutions is a guarantee that your cleaned mats and rugs will not pose a danger to the pets and kids.

Besides using biodegradable products, the top carpet company makes sure of a dual cylindrical brushing action, hot and dry steam vapor, manual water control and mechanical extraction. Their systematic way of cleaning plus superior machinery makes their services worth the try. There is no way that your home cleaning detergents and methods can outdo professional carpet cleaning services. An attempt to clean your carpets at home will only make you tired and you will leave a lot of dirt behind. This is why you want to use a skilled expert with powerful machines, biodegradable cleaning detergents, and matchless cleaning techniques.