The first step to completing this countertop upgrade is to measure your countertops to calculate the area you need to cover. It is important to make sure you buy enough material on the first trip because of variations among lots. You will be buying contact paper! If you these simple directions, most people won’t even be able to tell you used contact paper rather than completely replacing your countertops.

When purchasing the contact paper, it is important to compare the rolls before you buy them. Check for variations in color, pattern, etc. Try to get the rolls that match the closest. Often rolls can come from different dye lots and you may not notice until you are actually applying the contact paper that the color is varied in one of the rolls. It was only a slight variation and while no one else may ever notice, you will know it’s there.  One of the better places to purchase contact paper is your local discount retailer. They usually will have good selection and also carry a non-brand name products which cost less but look just as good.

Once you have purchased your contact paper, the next step is to prepare the surface. If you have some cuts or scratches on your existing countertop, you need to use some fine sand paper and gently smooth the area. This will allow the contact paper to hold better and also prevent it from creating dips in the new surface. Also, if you have any chips or gouges, you can fill them in with wood putty. Simply let it dry and sand it down to get a smooth surface. After you are confident the surface is smooth, make sure to clean it with any common household cleaner to allow for maximum hold.

Now you are ready to apply the contact paper and this can be tricky. It is best to recruit someone that can help you out. Start at one end of the counter and work your way towards the other end. Depending on the pattern you chose, you may need to match up patterns.

When you apply the contact paper, it is very important to get all of the bubbles out before moving on to the next section. You can use a large of cardboard or buy a tool made specifically for smoothing the area down.  If necessary, for those little bubbles that just won’t o away, use a thumb tack and “pop” a very small hole in them to allow the air to escape.

After the bubbles are gone and the piece is smooth, move on to the next section. Be sure not to overlap the contact paper any more than necessary as the more it overlaps, the more noticeable it will be. Follow this process until you have completely covered you countertops.

People have been able to improve their countertops for under 20 bucks which is a serious savings over the hundreds to thousands it would have cost to replace the countertops. When you are finished, you will be amazed with your results as well as the money you saved!

• Create a guest wing with private bedroom, bathroom, and entrance if at all possible. Some homes have a separate apartment-like dwelling such as a separate cabana or apartment over the garage. This is the ultimate guest room and will give you and your guest the ability to feel comfortable and private.
• Furnish a separate bedroom with a comfortable bed, attractive furnishings with nightstand and dresser and a closet. An attached bathroom allows for a guest suite.
• Choose a room with a bathroom nearby for convenience. Stock the bathroom with special amenities such as soft, fluffy bath towels, hand towels, specially-scented soaps, robe and slippers.
• Change the sheets and keep extra blankets and pillows nearby. You don’t want your guest to have to ask.
• Keep the room clutter-free, especially if it doubles as another room when guests are not there. Murphy beds are popular choices for turning an office into an instant guestroom, but you want to put the office clutter away before your guest arrives.
• Welcome your guest with a fruit basket or sparkling cider cooling in a champagne bucket. Small touches like candles, a pleasant scent, and a small note of welcome create and bed-and-breakfast atmosphere and says more about you than your guest.
• Add a comfortable chair and ottoman in the guest room to give your guest a quiet place to relax. You and your guest will appreciate that.
• Put an alarm clock with a CD player in the room and leave them a variety of CD’s. Listening to music before sleep is a good way to help your guest relax in an environment not their own.
• Make sure the room is well lit. Add a nightlight and/or table lamp within reach of the bed.

These amenities are important to allow your guest to feel like he/she is at home and in a separate area from you and your family. You also benefit from offering your guest a comfortable place to stay while you and your family go about your business, keeping your privacy as well.

Considering building a box or having a box built to put over the well. You can plant flowers around the box to dress it up a little or even place a wooden bench in front of the box. While this idea is definitely practical to meet any need, there are also other solutions to cover up a well no matter what the size.

Lighthouses or large pieces of yard art are very decorative to have in a yard. Some pieces stand about 4 feet tall and are almost always hollow in the bottom. The openings on the bottom are the perfect size or can be made into the perfect size to fit over a well cover.

Consider planting flowers around the edges of anything that you use to cover the well. This will add some color without drawing too much attention.  For an even lower maintenance option, you can go with a rock bed rather than a flower bed. The rocks make the lighthouse look like it is sitting on an ocean shore and don’t require much maintenance on your part. Edge the area around the rocks to make it easier for mowing.

You can also consider a container garden. Choose festive or decorative planters for large trees that can be placed around the well. This will effectively conceal the area but leave easy access as the containers can easily be moved.

Of course, you may not love lighthouses or yard but these ideas can get you started concealing an unsightly well. Find any lawn ornament that is hollow on the bottom and will easily fit over your well cover. This allows you to easily access the well whenever the need arises and also creates a beautiful area in your yard.

First of all, you really do need to dedicate a space for your home office, even if it means screening in the backyard patio or claiming a piece of the garage. This will do two things for you: (1) give you a private place to work, and (2) separate your work from your home. So now that you have your space, what next? Here are some things to consider:

1. Put your personal stamp on your office. Decorate according to your taste, favorite colors, and include some “fun” items such as playful figurines, toys, or stuffed animals. Don’t forget pictures of your favorite people and/or places.
2. Use a real desk and not an old kitchen table. The desk will be at the right height and if you include drawers for storage, it’ll be all that much easier to organize your space.
3. Get a good office chair and not an old dining room chair. You can go to a local office discount store and buy one for a reasonable price. Don’t forget the plastic mat underneath for ease of moving and to protect your floor.
4. Position a small table near your desk. This is where you can place items you need within reach.
5. Include a ceiling fan even if you have air-conditioning. This will help keep the air moving and you will be more comfortable working in the room.
6. Add a comfortable chair or couch for guests or to take a break from sitting at the computer. This is a good place to brainstorm.
7. Hang a white board on the wall for impromptu notes and reminders.
8. Install strong shelving and/or place bookcases near the desk.
9. File your papers in a filing cabinet.
10. Designate a place for the printer and phone.

You may also want to add a stereo or some form of music if it relaxes you while you are working. Some also add a mini-refrigerator or snack shelf to complete your office oasis for those times when you need to lock yourself inside your office and work without interruption.

1. In-Ground Pool
2. In-Ground Pool and Spa
3. Above-Ground Pool
4. Above-Ground Spa
5. In-Ground Spa
6. Above-Ground Swim Spa

Is your head spinning yet? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each one.

Choices #1 and #2: In-Ground Pool With or Without Spa

This is what most people imagine when they think about cooling off in the backyard. But it is also one of the most expensive choices, especially if you include an in-ground spa and other features such as a fountain. For the serious swimmer or if you have kids, this choice may be worth it to you. Building a pool is also the most time-consuming and what many people think of as frustrating process, dealing with the sub-contractors. But it probably has the biggest payoff. If you choose to build a pool, you must be prepared for the maintenance costs and effort on your part, unless you hire a pool man and that’s also a more expensive choice.

Choice #3: Above-Ground Pool

Not as popular as it once was due to many communities restricting its use. And you may agree that it really isn’t that attractive in your backyard.

Choice #4: Above-Ground Spa

An above-ground jetted spa is a great choice if you want to keep your purchase and maintenance expenses and effort on the lower end. It’s also a great choice if you have a smaller backyard or want or need the water therapy. Older people especially may want to consider this choice.

Choice #5: In-Ground Spa

If you like the look of an in-ground pool but don’t want to spend that amount of money and you’d like to have jets and hot water to soak in year-round, you may choose to build an in-ground spa. But it has some of the problems that building a pool does—dealing with subcontractors, digging, and building permit issues. And maintenance can be tricky with the jets built in the ground.

Choice #6: Above-Ground Swim Spa

But if you have your heart on swimming, don’t want to have a digger dig up your backyard, and you’d like warm water and year-round soaking, the swim spa may be for you. But it is about as expensive as building an in-ground pool and maybe even more so if you choose to have it installed partly underground for a more attractive look.

It can be a daunting decision so you may want to visit your local pool and spa dealer to talk it over with them and maybe even sample a few of the choices.

Small Spaces

Let’s consider the small space first. Often, living in a small space is one of the problems of an apartment or condo. But even homes can have small spaces, especially if the house is trying to serve the large family by breaking the rooms into several bedrooms, family rooms, and dining rooms, rather than just a few bedrooms and one main living/dining area.

Touring a model home will show you how skilled a professional decorate is in making the most of a small space. They decorate so cleverly by choosing small, attractive furnishings that you don’t even notice they’ve done that until you try to fit your large or even normal-sized furniture in the room. If you do have a small space, you will want to furnish for the small space and not try to squeeze in furniture that really doesn’t fit. So this may be the time to replace that old, big furniture with new, small furniture. Your space will be more comfortable and look more attractive and you’ll be less-frustrated by having a room that just doesn’t work with the old stuff.

Large Spaces

Decorating a large space has the opposite problem. This is when you want to visit the large warehouse-sized furniture stores and select new furnishings to fill the space. This is when you can get that large family-sized sectional and or chaise lounge for two.

But even large furniture may not completely fill the space. You may need to break the room into small rooms and decorate accordingly. Create separate seating areas; perhaps one by the fireplace and the other by the television. Depending on the room, you may be able to divide them into a TV viewing area and a game room with pool table or card table.

Don’t forget the walls in a large space and decorate in groups of odd amounts, such as three or five. Use room dividers and/or tall plants to fill in the empty spaces. Get more ideas from home decorating TV shows and magazines or tour model homes to get a feel for how a room feels.

Public at large these days look for new innovations. Where bringing office to home has been a concept of strife in families for a long time; settling down with office work in an exclusively set office zone in your shell aka home is a much sought after option now. In the world whetted by intense competition and hectic schedules, solace of working in house is a fantasy in itself.

And then, it’s not even that tough. You just have to specify or allot space in your home. It’s not necessary that you end up occupying a big deal of space, making your home a rather haphazard and hotchpotch-ed affair but dealing with a dead corner is a smart choice. Backyard space or some unused corner or room in your house can serve the purpose very well. What really matters is what you can do with this dead space? Creativity unlimited!!

A Cross-Check

Before you can go on with assembling your office, just check out for following things:

• Power and connectivity of phone, cables, Ethernet etc.
• Is the cost that incurs in renovation pocket-friendly?
• Does the makeover of this specific space match with the entire house?
• The legality factor

Create an Ambience

Fresh vibes and set-ups make your home-office a perfect workplace. It is not necessary to buy expensive furnishing, tables, flooring, decoration pieces etc., only a basic requirement that’s chosen smartly or renovating the existing stuff is sufficient to add a personal touch to your office desk.

To choose proper furnishing and lightening, measure your room and preferably make blueprints keeping windows, doors, electricity wiring etc. in mind.  Next, comes the table which as a matter of fact is perfect in an L or U-shape if space allows for it. Here measuring the height and width of table is quite necessary as the desk is something that matters the most. Measure the parameters in accordance with computer mounting, drawers, and other amenities you wish to have.

On the top of all is the visibility that you must have in your office. Power comes first here. Choose prominent light shades and not the ornamental types that end up dampening the effect. Light arrangements should be such that you are enlivened even in the worst bouts of work pressure. And while in office what else can you wish for besides a cheerful mood?

Office or Computer Nook

An office is the obvious choice for many, although it doesn’t offer as private of a space as a room with a door on it. But if you’re short of space for that home office or you’d rather not be in an enclosed room, a loft is an excellent choice for an office. If you don’t need a complete office, you may use the loft as a computer nook. Have a computer desk built specifically for the space and it will look like it was built this way.

Extra Bedroom

Some lofts are used as an extra bedroom, depending on the layout and space of the loft. For privacy, you can add a decorative room divider. You can even used it as a sleeping space and an office by installing one of those beds high enough to allow for a desk area underneath. Or you can use this space to store a dresser and other storage. You’re only limited by your imagination and budget. If your have a huge loft space at the top of the house offering privacy, you can turn it into a master bedroom suite or a guest suite.

Library or Study

Another good use of a loft area is as a library or study area. Create a built-in book shelf look by having shelves custom-made for the space. Add a comfy chair, table, and reading light and you’ll look forward to taking breaks in this area.

Media Room

With just the right amount of space and location of the room, some lofts have been turned into a media room, offering a quiet and dark space to watch the flat-screen television. Add a comfy couch and you’re good to go. Extra lighting and tables are optional.

Decorative Space

If your loft space is too small to be used for anything, you may want to add some decorations as a focal piece. A nice side table and lamp, a potted plant, and some pictures will add a welcoming feel to the space and give it a finished look. If you can include a small chair, all the better.

First of all, you may want to consider why you feel the need to remodel or buy a new home. Do you want the latest and great stainless steel kitchen with cherry cabinets that the neighbors just put in? Is your house in need of updating? Have the kids moved away and the house feels too big? Are the kids getting bigger and the house feels too small? Do you love the neighborhood and wouldn’t want to move to a new one?

If you choose to remodel, you need to consider how this will impact your day-to-day living with rooms torn up and construction workers coming and going. Do you have small kids or pets? How will this affect them? Is it cost-effective? Also, don’t forget to pad the budget because it always takes longer and costs more than you first expect.

What about moving to a new home? Doesn’t selling your home, moving, and buying a new home cost money too? The costs of selling your home, buying a new one and moving, can drain away 10% or more of the value of your home each time you move.

But a study printed in theWall Street Journal reported that the price of keeping a typical home up to current standards over a 30-year period is almost four times the home’s purchase price. In fact, if you’re not a committed do-it-yourselfer, you might be no better off than had you rented all those years. The cost of repair and renovation bills as you deal with failing household systems can easily overwhelm your profit.

Are there alternative to a fully remodeling your home or selling it and buying a new one? You may want to consider some of these solutions:

Declutter—It’s amazing how new a place can look if you get rid of the old and bring in the new or just get rid of the old.

Refurbish—You can update your kitchen and give it a fresh new look if you reface the cabinets, resurface the countertops and replace worn flooring. You’ll save a lot of money over ripping out the whole kitchen and you’ll still get the desired new, updated look.

Repurpose—Maybe the formal dining room you never use can be converted into a home office or maybe it’s time to put away the college kids’ things and use that room for a guest room, office, media or crafts/hobby room.

Sometimes a small change can make a big difference.

The first thing to consider is your cupboards. If they are completely outdated yet you absolutely can not afford to replace them, follow these steps. If they are painted, you first need to sand them down. It Is up to you whether you choose to go with a stained finish or repaint them.

Once you have the surfaces refinished, probably the best thing you can do to complete the look of your cabinets is to buy new knobs. New knobs are relatively inexpensive and come in a wide variety of styles, colors, and sizes. You may even decide the finish is fine as it is and just replace the knobs. You will be amazed at the attention your cupboards will get just from adding unique knobs.

How about that floor, is it looking pretty rough? If so and new laminate is out of the question, consider using self-adhesive tiles. Self-adhesive tiles can give the look of an expensive ceramic tile floor and can be bought for less than one dollar per square foot. They are extremely easy to install; just pick a starting point (the center of the room is the best place to start) and start sticking the tiles. You can use all one pattern or mix it up and create your own design.

Another thing to consider when customizing your kitchen is the ceiling. It might not be a bad idea to give it a coat of paint or you may decide you want to use some plaster to make fancy designs on the ceiling. You can stamp it or create a circular pattern.

The last major thing to consider is your countertops. Replacing the countertops can prove to be quite expensive. If you imply do not have that kind of money to invest, consider recovering your existing countertops. You can choose to replace the Formica or you may choose to go an even cheaper route and customize your counters with contact paper. It is really simple and if done properly, no one will ever know!

Of course, you could always just update your small appliances or paint/wallpaper the walls. This too can create a custom look without blowing your budget. They make appliance paint so you can match all of your appliances. The possibilities are endless. Pick the combination that works for you and go for it!