Business, economic development - the unofficial Chamber of Commerce

There’s little better than the comfort of a wood stove. Wood stoves have been around for centuries and they are proving to be just as popular today as they were a hundred years ago. One reason for this is the advances in technology. Wood stoves of today produce less smoke than wood stoves of old, and they produce less mess as well. Another reason why they continue to be popular today is that they come in such a wide variety of styles that finding one to fit into the décor of your home is easier than ever.

Before you buy a wood stove, however, there are a few things to keep king mind. The first one is where you plan to put the stove. Remember that they can produce quite a lot of heat, and so you will want to install it where you need it most. Many people opt to put their stoves in a centralized location in the house so that the heat radiates equally to all parts.

Another thing to keep in mind is that you can actually cook on your stove. Of course they did that in the past, but there’s no reason why you couldn’t do that today as well. If you spend a lot of time in your kitchen anyway, why not kill two birds with one stone and use it for both heating and cooking purposes? If you love a lively kitchen, the stove will also be a natural magnet for anyone in the house looking for comfort and warmth.

The variety of styles available these days is astonishing. Of course some will want the old-fashioned look, and you will have no problem finding stoves with that type of design. Perhaps you would like to recreate the times you remembered from you own home as a kid, or maybe even your grandparents’ house.

But in addition to the old wood stoves that nearly all of us remember and love, wood stoves also come in more modern designs. Although just as practical as the traditional design, these newer designs are meant to fit right in with more modern décor. You will find these sleek and modern pieces can even add a lot of style to your home.

The last major aspect to consider when buying a stove is the size. As with designs, there are a number of different choices to choose from. One thing you will want to be sure of is that you find a stove that will allow ample space around it for walking. The heat that a stove can generate isn’t something that you want to constantly be avoiding. If you have children, you might also want to purchase a guard to go around the stove.

No matter what you’re looking for in a stove, these days there’s surely something out on the market that meets your needs perfectly - large or small, old-fashioned or modern, you will be happy to cozy up to your stove on a cold winter night, possibly just like your ancestors did even centuries ago.

This article on wood stoves and fireplaces was brought to you by FireplaceBasics.com. Fireplace Basics covers every fireplace-related topic under the sun. Come visit us and see for yourself!

A house or office may be very minimalist but what can make it an eye pleaser are the accessories and furnishings, properly used and coordinated with the other furniture in the room. One such furnishing that can be used to achieve an over-all effect is the use of area rugs.

Area rugs are available in all shapes and sizes and definitely in all colors. Area rugs need not be expensive to serve their purpose. It all depends on the creativity of the decorator.

The art of using rugs has been in existence thousands of years ago when the weavers incorporate religious or tribal symbolisms in the rug designs. In fact, rug styles and designs have been named after cities like Kashan and tribes like Bakhtiari due to the strong influence of these tribes and places to the rug designers.

The Persian rugs became famous among royal courts, thanks to the European traders who bartered the rugs to Europe’s rich and powerful families. From then on, the Europeans learned from the Persian rug techniques and later on created their own designs and rug motifs. The evolution of rigs is really a good example of cross cultural influences.

Modern day rug makers may have all the high technology equipment but ancient rug makers had to contend with their creative hands to create hand-woven rugs that characterized great artistry. The invention of chemical and commercial dyes made the rug making industry better and more colorful since rig makers can now experiment on a variety of colors.

When buying rugs, always consider its purpose and where it will be placed. One can opt for antique rugs which comes in traditional designs and styles or modern rugs which are available in all shapes, sizes, colors and designs. Aside from the design consideration, your choice of rug should also be based on where the rug is to be placed. If you need a rug for your private rooms then an antique rug would be fine. However, an antique rug may be frail and easily damaged so it should not be placed in areas with maximum exposure. Antique rugs will definitely cost more than modern rugs so you must also make sure that you have researched on the authenticity as well as the proper price of antique rugs.

Rugs that are to be placed in areas with high people traffic should be in colors that are more dirt resistant. The material should also be taken into consideration since a soft and fragile rug may be out of place in a room often visited by people. Unless of course, you want to gamble on the rug’s toughness.

Modern day rugs are not only machine-made but they can also be hand-knotted or hooked, or the rugs can be a product of needlepoint. Rugs made of machines are available in all designs and quality.

While the type, design and color of the rug is of paramount consideration when buying rugs, the price of the rug should also be a primary concern. A more expensive rug made of sturdier and quality materials would be more cost effective than a cheap rug that can easily be damaged.

The author is a regular contributor to A1 Area Rugs where more area rug and carpet tips are available.

Home theater is the term used to describe the recent evolution of audio and video systems that offer exceptional quality and superior performance - in essence, it is like having a movie theater in your own living room.

The recreation obtained by the combination of audio and visual components creates the experience of a professional movie theater. The set-up may be as simple as a DVD player fed through a stereo system and a larger television set, or as elaborate as an entire room professionally wired with multiple speakers and a projection screen. A home theater system may even include theater-style chairs and an elevated floor for optimal viewing.

The knowledge of how a professional movie theater is designed is helpful to learn more about the working of a Home theater system. Amplifier units are located to the left, right and center of an expansive movie screen, there are also several satellite speakers embedded through the auditorium, including the back. Movie sound editors separate the audio track into as many as six different channels — the audience may hear dialogue in the front left, center and right channels for instance. Other sounds may start from a rear channel and move towards the front. This creates a very realistic audio environment.

Professional movie theaters also project a high-definition film onto an oversized screen which is wider than it is tall. This allows for a more natural visual experience than a typical square television screen provides. The increased definition of a 35mm or 70mm film also gives the movie added realism. All of these aspects of movie-going are recreated in a good home theater system. The DVD player in a home theater system can separate the audio track into two, three or even five channels.

Everyone has different needs and desires about what their media center should be, and may be constrained by different environmental or budgetary limitations. Careful navigation through a detailed methodology ensures that the right choices about design, equipment selection, features, and style are made up front. A few of the questions listed below would be advisable to ponder before setting up a Home theater.

• Where is theater going to be located?

• How large is the area?

• How many people would normally be using the room at a time?

• How much ambient noise is there?

• How much ambient light is there?

• What will the room be used for primarily?

• What will the secondary uses be?

• What kind of budget do you have?

Since new movies are always being released, the thrill of your theater is renewed each time you sit down in the comfort of your own home with your loved ones. Why not make the most of it?

Mitchell Medford is an author and product consultant for several consumer electronics manufacturers. Visit his website for more information on home theater, LCD TVs, and plasma televisions.

Before, Americans used fireplaces in order to provide heat inside the home. With modern heating appliances and central or under floor heating, fireplaces have become more of a pursuit in architecture and made a decoration rather than the primary method of heating your home. Fireplaces can become the focal points of living rooms with the help of beautiful yet functional fireplace accessories such as screens, irons, log racks, and more. From among these hearth accessories, be it an off-the-shelf or custom designer solution, a fireplace can become more attractive and have more character with the installation of fireplace screens.

1. Fireplace Screen Design

Traditional Fireplace Screen

These are fireplace screens that are simple and classic in design. These are usually clean to look at and can work with any interior theme decoration. Traditional fireplace screens are made from brass or copper. These could have a single panel to several ones. They come in various sizes, styles and finishes and you can never go wrong with them.

Antique Design

Fireplace screens categorized as antique are usually associated to rooms that are Victorian themed, rich in tapestries and are characterized as elegant. These types of fireplace screens are designed with rounded designs such as those that represent elegance such as swirls, flowers and scrolls. These screens designed for formal houses with fireplaces should be matched with other coordinating fireplace tools and log rack to make them more attractive.

Designer Fireplace Screens

These functional types of screens are typically stylish and are designed to set a balance and harmonize with a room’s décor. These screens are recommended to be displayed and used with their accompanying fireplace tools and log rack.

Outdoor Fireplace Screens

These screens are versatile and give tribute from their design the different outdoor activities such as fishing, golfing, hunting, hiking, etc. These usually have a black finish and can blend into any theme or decorations. Just like the other fireplace screen designs, makes sure that its coordinating accessories go with it.

2. Fireplace Screen Color

Be it a designer, traditional or antique fireplace screen, choose those that complement the dominant color of the room where you are going to place this. For rooms whose dominant colors are considered cool such as green, green-blue, blue, violet, blue-violet, violet and violet-red, the best fireplace screens would be the ones finished in black, white, aluminum, pewter, stainless steel and brass. For rooms whose dominant color is warm such as red, orange, red-orange, yellow, yellow-orange and yellow-green, the ideal fireplace screens will be those that are finished with black, gold, rust, bronze, copper and any shade of brown finish.

3. Fireplace Screen Size

There are so many sizes and shapes of fireplaces. They can either be single paneled or have more to create a curved effect. The simplest fireplace screen would be the single panel because this can simply be placed in a straight line across the fireplace while a multi-paneled one seems a bit more complicated especially when you want to get this as your fireplace’s screen.

4. How Do You Know What Size Is Right?

- Measure the width of your fireplace

- Add 10 to 12 inches to the width taken above. This is the ideal width of the fireplace screen you should get.

- Measure the height of your fireplace.

- Add 3 to 5 inches to the height measurement you took above. This is the ideal height of the fireplace screen you should get.

Both extra inches added to both measurements ensure some allowance for the screen to fold and to avoid it from tipping over. Always make sure that you compare the dimensions that you were able to derive from the measurements to the dimensions of the fireplace screen products you are interested in purchasing.

For more great fireplace screen related articles and resources check out fireplacescreens.livinghq.com

The sectional overhead door glides up under the roof when opened, allowing free space around the door opening and leaving the door opening completely free. Sectional Overhead Doors offer a versatile, high security insulated door, perfect for any external industrial application. Different options for track arrangements, operating systems, colours, materials, vision panels and colours offer a huge choice for the specifier.

Ideally suited to industrial applications, the door panels are formed from galvanised steel sheets bonded together with high density C.F.C free polyurethane foam to provide a ‘U’ value of 0.43 W/m2K with thermal break between panels. Vertical and horizontal tracks, hinges, brackets, cappings and hardware are galvanised, with the assembled door running on adjustable galvanised roller carriers, bolted to each individual panel. Each door is counterbalanced by means of tempered helical springs at high level, mounted on bright steel plates with self aligning roller bearings for smooth quiet operation. Cable tensioning devices are fitted as standard to all doors. Rubber seals are fitted to the top and bottom of each door with PVC seals to each side of the opening for protection against weather.

Manual operation is by means of continuous galvanised hand chain, or in smaller cases, ‘push up’ with pull down cord. All manually operated doors are fitted with a recessed lifting handle and spring loaded shootbolt as standard. Electric operation is by means of 415 volts 3Ph. supply drive motor with emergency disconnection and hand chain or push up operation in the event of power failure.

Our Technical Team are always available to advise the most suitable track arrangement and opening activation.

Chris Rimell is a well known author who write for www.rollershutterdoors.com

1. Know your sinks
How durable are these sinks? These sinks are tempered. Tempered glass is regular glass that has been heated to a very high temperature, and then quickly cooled. This procedure strengthens the glass, making it 5-7 times stronger than regular glass.

Sink glass is fairly thick. Typical thicknesses range from ½ inch to ¾ inch. You can go about your normal grooming habits such as brushing your teeth, combing your hair, shaving, applying make-up, etc without worrying about breakage.

Like the look of these above the counter glass sinks, but don’t want glass? Consider a porcelain vessel sink. You’ll get the look without the worry.

2. Know your space
The most popular bowl sinks are 15-20 inches in diameter, about the width of your keyboard. They’re about 5-8 inches deep, about the length from the base of your wrist to your ring or middle finger.

Make sure that you have the appropriate amount of space to accommodate the sink and accessories, plus maintain ample space away from the edge of the counter and the wall so that the “fear of leaning on it” factor is no longer a factor. 12-15 inches around the entire sink will do.

Don’t have much space? Then try a pedestal sink. Pedestal sinks are sinks that are pre-mounted on a space saving pedestal. Don’t want to sacrifice floor space? Try a wall mounted glass sink countertop. Both options will give you an ultra modern sink while conserving space.

Have a large bathroom to fill? A glass vessel sink vanity can help consume some space. You’ll get a glass sink and a roomy counter that comes together.

3. Know your traffic
Since children have the uncanny ability to break things, you may want to rethink putting a glass vessel sink in a young child’s bathroom. Children over age 10 tend to be more conscientious of their surroundings, and your glass sink stands a greater chance of survival around children of that age or older. In general, less foot traffic around it, the better.

A guest bathroom or power room is well-suited for these sinks. You’ll be able express your style while impressing your neighbors, friends and family. And who doesn’t like to be respected for their exquisite taste? Most importantly, there will be less traffic and less worry.

If you have a large family, a family with young children or one bathroom and want the look of these glass sinks but realize that glass might not be the best option, then consider a porcelain or copper vessel sink.

4. Know your budget
Prices can start as low as $50 to as high as $10,000. There could be many reasons for the difference in pricing. Glass sinks can be factory made or custom made, blown glass or fused glass, single layer or double layered glass.

Custom made and/or blown glass sinks are more expensive due to the time and expertise involved in creating them. With custom made sinks, you’ll communicate one-on-one with the artist of your sink and you’ll receive expert knowledge about its creation and special maintenance requirements. The best part: no one else will ever have a sink exactly like yours. This comes with an upscale price of $1,000 or more.

Consider the sink’s quality. Whether quality, customer service or knowledge, sometimes you get what you pay for. Be careful of sinks that start at rock bottom prices. They sometimes come without warranties, the sellers are not knowledgeable about the sinks and they’re simply quantity discounters and have nothing more to offer than just a low price.

Buying a glass sink is simple when you plan properly and know your limitations. With these 4 Rules, you’ll be 4 steps closer to establishing the bath of your dreams and needs.

Valerie Mason excitedly shares her knowledge and passion about glass sinks at her website http://glassvesselsink.com. To find out the #1 reason for glass sink breakage and how to prevent your vanity sink from making you sick, go to http://glassvesselsink.com.

Mirrors provide a special touch in home decor by adding light
and creating the illusion of space. A mirror is defined as a
reflecting surface that forms an image of an object when light
rays coming from that object fall on the surface.

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the typical mirror is
a sheet of glass that is coated on its back with aluminum or
silver that produces images by reflection. This type of mirror
came into widespread production in Venice during the 16th
century.

Here are ten tips for using mirrors in your home decor:

1. Place a mirror on an adjacent wall to an interesting picture
or piece of artwork and the mirror will reflect the image and
add a sense of space.

2. Hang a decorative mirror near a window in a dark room. This
will allow the light to reflect off the mirror creating more
natural light in the room.

3. To create the illusion of depth in a room, paint one wall in
a dark, contrasting color to the other walls. Then hang a
decorative mirror on the dark wall to create a sense of depth in
the room.

4. Create a charming entryway by hanging up a framed mirror
topped with a floral swag. This will help to create light in the
entryway as well as providing a last minute check before heading
out the door.

5. Expand a small dining room by placing an ornate mirror on a
wall. This will make the room appear larger and brighter.

6. Place a decorative mirror opposite an attractive fireplace
and mantel to reflect something interesting in the room.

7. Group and hang several mirrors of assorted sizes and shapes
for an attractive wall display.

8. Add mirrors (such as mirror tiles) to the backs of bookcases
to add a sense of depth.

9. In the kitchen, add mirror to the countertop’s backsplash.
This will reflect light while preparing food and it is easy to
maintain.

10. Place a custom sized mirror on the top of a piece of
furniture that is damaged or not very attractive. This can be
done on dressers, tabletops, coffee tables, and end tables just
to name a few.

Always be sure to analyze the placement of mirrors before
hanging them up. For example, placing a mirror above a fireplace
mantel may reflect the unattractive tops of furniture or blank
wall space. You can angle the mirror down so that it reflects
something more attractive in the room.

In addition, place mirrors so they will not cause unnecessary
glare in a room. Mirrors can be unappealing if they are placed
across from a window with a southern or western exposure.

As you can see, there are numerous ways to use mirrors to
brighten and enrich your home decor. Decorative mirrors can be
found in flea markets, retail stores, home improvement stores,
and on the internet in price ranges to fit all budgets.

Beds come in a broad range of shapes, types and sizes. Beds used hundreds of years ago were created from piles of straw, ferns, animal skins or other natural materials. Today, in the modern world beds have evolved in many different ways. Now we have a fully sprung bed frame or a divan ( box springs ) which supports a mattress, On top of the mattress we have a pillow to lay our heads and a duvet or blanket to cover us and keep us warm.

A bed is a article of furniture or physical object mainly used or intended for sleeping upon, but is also used for relaxing, sitting, and reading.

Being as we spend around a third of our lives sleeping, the most important decision is going be deciding what kind of bed you require.

There are a wide variety of beds being offered to make your selection from.:

Adjustable beds: Helps you find an ideal position while sleeping or sitting, This is one where your body muscles are not under tension resulting in complete relaxation.

Divan beds: This bed consists of a box base for storage and a mattress for comfort. The divan is a great space saver and also very confortable

Bunk beds: These beds can be converted into two beds whenever required because they are stackable. Bunk beds are mostly used for childrens rooms, however these beds can be used where there is a requirement to save space

Loft Beds: A loft bed is a bed come storage space where the actual bed is raised up at some height so that get efficient storage space.

Platform beds: A Platform bed is a bed where the bed consists of a mattress placed on a solid platform raised off the floor by legs or framing.

Futon beds: What arrangements can we do for emergency? Well there is only one answer – a futon bed. Futon beds are the perfect spare bed. They also serve as a sofa as well as a bed.

Iron beds: They are very durable and strong and an excellent choice of any bedroom. The frames are designed in such away that it is vital for the support of the bed.

Malcolm Moorhouse www.finda-bed.com info@finda-bed.com Copyright Malcolm Moorhouse 2006

When you think about it, toilets are pretty gross. Public toilets can be used up to 100 times a day, that means 100 people are using them. It is said that whenever a toilet is flushed it releases over 5000 bacteria into the air. So, when you walk into a public restroom that is well frequented, there can be up to half a million bacteria or virus particles in the air. Those bacteria can land on handles, sinks, faucets and even the paper towels that you use to wipe your hands after you have washed them. You can use all the antimicrobial soap in the world but it won’t do you any good if your smearing those dirty germs, bacteria and viruses onto your hands after you have used the soap. If you walk into a public restroom and it doesn’t look clean my advice is to walk straight out. If it looks dirty to your eyes imagine how it would look under a microscope. One of the dirtiest places in a bathroom is the toilet but a toilet can be kept clean very easily with regular maintenance. If you want to try an experiment don’t clean your toilet for 4 weeks and see what happens. Slowly right above the waterline a black or brownish ring will form. If you let your toilet go a little longer before cleaning, that black ring will slowly start to climb in vertical lines toward the toilet rim (by the way, that ring is about 6 inches from your behind whenever you sit down on your toilet). What is that black ring? The nasty black ring is bacteria and micro fecal buildup. A pretty nasty combination when you consider every time you flush your toilet your breathing them in.

There are many things you can do to avoid the nasty black ring on your toilet. The first is to use a low acid toilet bowl cleaner to kill the bacteria. The second is to get your self a really good toilet bowl brush or toilet bowl mop to scrub that acid around in the toilet and remove those ugly stains.

Toilet bowl brushes come in many styles but most are made from a material called polypropylene. Polypropylene won’t mold and can stand up to heat and chemicals. Polypropylene strands are abrasive and can do a great job at removing the nasty toilet ring. The two main styles of toilet bowl cleaning utensils are the toilet bowl mops and toilet bowl brushes. A toilet bowl brush resembles a brush and has a wide stiff polypropylene bristle. Brushes tend to last a lot longer that toilet bowl mops because the bristle is larger and does not break away from the toilet bowl brush handle. Toilet bowl mops are meant to be discarded after repeated use and are considered by most to be a disposable toilet cleaning product. Toilet bowl mops have a ball of polypropylene strands massed at one end to form a light duty scouring surface. Over time the strands tend to break off and the mop should be discarded. Toilet bowl mops are usually a quarter of the price of toilet bowl brushes and most are have a plastic handle.

Great cleaning tips and cleaning information by Lee Harris can be found at http://www.monsterjanitorial.com. Lee Harris is an expert in the cleaning industry and can answer all your questions about toilet bowl mops and toilet bowl brushes.

As an alternative to traditional hardwoods, bamboo wood flooring is a fast growing and trendy idea. It is quickly becoming the flooring choice for many contemporary homeowners. Bamboo flooring is naturally dent resistant and so wears extremely well.

What is interesting about bamboo is that it is not actually a wood, it is a fast-growing grass that has been used for centuries in building. Bamboo reaches maturity in 3 to 5 years and cutting the stalks after 3 does not harm the rest of the plant which makes bamboo a great renewable resource. Most other hardwoods take 50 to 100 years, bamboo never more than 5. Bamboo flooring is similar to oak in dent resistance with much more dimensional stability than other wood flooring types.

Bamboo flooring comes with both horizontal and vertical grain, it has a slightly different appearance than typical hardwood. Usually it is either a light golden color or a darker amber shade depending on the finish. The first is the bamboos natural color, the second is natural looking but achieved using a process called carbonization. Both are very attractive.

The installation of bamboo wood flooring is similar to traditional wood flooring. It can be nailed using a nail gun, glued to sub flooring, or floated, installed over plywood, OSB, particleboard, or over a properly installed radiant floor heating system. Bamboo flooring is manufactured at 6 to 9 percent moisture content so moisture equilibration is typically not required. Some installers report problems using regular floor nailers and instead use pneumatic nail guns.

If you’re looking for something different from your hardwood flooring, give bamboo a shot. The wood is rich and smooth and looks great in every type of home. Let your home start a new tradition with bamboo instead of oak or pine, go for something less common and stand out.

New bamboo wood flooring guides. Plus advice from other DIYers.