The Glidehouse is a contemporary prefabricated home designed by Michelle Kaufmann, a leader in the green home design community. The design of the Glidehouse centers on simple, green living. Built in a factory using eco-friendly materials, the Glidehouse takes about a year to be built and costs the same or less than traditional homes which are build on site. Renewable and recyclable materials are used in the Glidehouse, and the design includes sustainable features like windows which are positioned to maximize ventilation and a roof which will support solar panels. Find out more about the Glidehouse at the Michelle Kaufmann Designs website.

The concept of home staging is receiving a lot of attention these days on home decorating TV shows and websites. Home staging is the art of dressing a home for sale. It’s the opposite of adding a personal touch to a home and usually involves removing many personal items and giving a house a more general look which will appeal to a wide variety of buyers.

Professional home stagers are often brought in to work with homeowners who want to sell their home. A stager will come in after the home has been cleaned, decluttered and painted. The goal of home staging is to make the home look more inviting. A good stager will make prospective buyers picture themselves living in the home, which is one step away from making an offer on it.

What are some of the secrets of professional home stagers? They know how to pick out interesting pieces of furniture and group them attractively in a room. They use soft luxurious fabrics to create a comfortable and warm look. Fussy or outdated window coverings are removed and replaced with simple elegant draperies. Interesting accessories are place throughout the house.

Some of the items which a professional home stager will bring into a home include mirrors, plants, pillows, throws, and area rugs. If a larger bed is needed in a bedroom, they may bring in an inflatable bed (it will look just like a regular bed covered with a bedspread). For many homes, the expense of hiring a professional stager is more than covered by a quick sale and high selling price.

If your kitchen is looking tired and dated, you may be wishing for a makeover but are worried about the high price tag. Many home improvement shows and magazine articles feature high end kitchen makeovers that cost a small fortune. This type of makeover may not be within your budget, but you can still make some improvements that will bring your kitchen up to date and give it a fresh style.

Focus on cosmetic details. Paint is one of the least expensive ways to really change the look of a room. If your kitchen has wallpaper which dates it, consider replacing it with a fresh coat of paint.

Replace the faucet and sink. Fixtures like faucets are not expensive and will go a long way towards updating the look of a kitchen. Sinks are a little more expensive. Before deciding to replace your sink, see if a really good cleaning will improve its look.

Update cabinets. Kitchen cabinets can be updated with paint or refinishing and new hardware. There’s no need to consider an expensive replacement if your cabinets are still serviceable.

Replace old-fashioned light fixtures. Canned lighting or a small chandelier will give your kitchen a more modern look. Hint: unless you’re an expert on electricity, it’s worth paying a professional electrician to install new fixtures.

If you have young children, a backyard playground can provide hours and hours of outdoor fun. Playgrounds can be found which include swings, slides, forts, monkey bars and much more. You can buy playgrounds made of either metal or wood. For appearance and longevity, a wooden playground is the best option.

Kits are available which include all the parts of a wooden playground except lumber, which can then be ordered locally. Putting together one of these kits is a great project for the entire family. From the planning to the assembly, try to involve your children. They’ll love their playground all the more if they help out with the design and assembly. With a do-it-yourself background playground, you’ll save money and have a better chance of creating the perfect playground for your family’s needs.

There are many online stores which sell wooden backyard playground kits. Detailed Play Systems has been in business for more than ten years and offers a wide a wide variety of designs and equipment. Before you know it, your playground will be put together and your family can start creating some happy memories.

Fountains have become a popular addition for all types of gardens and patios. There are elegant fountain designs to match any size space. You can chose from a wide variety of fountain material, including stone, metal and fiberglass. There’s no denying the appeal of the sound of running water. It can block out ambient noise and provide a sense of peace and tranquility. If want to add a special feature to your yard or patio, consider a fountain.

Adding a wood deck will increase your home’s value and provide you with countless hours of enjoyment.  Wood decks are great for entertaining, enjoying outdoor meals and just plain relaxing.  When planning your wood deck, there are a few things you should consider.

Before beginning construction of a wood deck, find out about building codes in your area.  Knowing the regulations for wood decks can save you lots of headaches down the road.

Many professional deck builders advertise the use of pressure-treated wood.  The wood is treated to repel insects and resist rot.  Due to the presence of toxic pesticides, pressure-treated wood should be avoided for the surface of your deck.  Stick with durable woods such as cedar and redwood for the deck surface and limit the use of pressure-treated wood to the deck supports.

Sealing a wood deck will help protect it from the damaging effects of sun and rain.  Without sealing, the deck will begin to warp and turn gray.  A new wood deck should be sealed shortly after completion.

Waterproofing basements should be a priority for all homeowners with below-ground basements. Since basements are often used for storage and bonus rooms, water leakage can mean the loss of furniture and valued possessions. Waterproofing basements prevents water from collecting and limits water damage and the formation of mold and mildew. Taking preventative steps to waterproof your basement is more cost effective than dealing with damage from mold or leakage after the fact.

Steps for waterproofing basements

The first step in waterproofing basements is preventing the common causes of leakage. Blocked or misplaced outside gutters and rainspouts can cause foundation leakage into the basement. Broken sprinklers can also cause water build up and leaking. Check all around the foundation of the house for possible sources of foundation leakage.

Gaps and cracks in the concrete walls and floor of the basement are another common cause for leakage. Repair of foundation cracks and the application of a sealer to the basement walls are important steps to be taken in waterproofing basements. This work can be done by a professional or as a do-it-yourself project by the homeowner.

Homes which are built in areas with high water tables may experience significant seepage of ground water into the basement. Waterproofing basements in this situation requires the installation of a sump pump.

Bamboo flooring has seen a real increase in popularity over the past few years. Bamboo has been used extensively for flooring in Asian countries for quite some time, and now the rest of the world is catching on to this inexpensive, easy maintenance material.

For those interested in green alternatives, bamboo is an environmentally friendly renewable resource. Reforesting bamboo is not a problem, as it grows very quickly. Once cured and installed as flooring, bamboo is strong and resilient. It stands up well in high traffic areas.

Bamboo flooring is available in many different grades and prices. Installation is not difficult, making bamboo an economical choice for flooring. With many choices in grains and colors, there is a bamboo for every décor.

If you’re in the market for flooring, you won’t go wrong by looking into bamboo. You’ll find many reasons why it’s one of the leading choices for flooring today.

Using new colors for the walls of your home is one of the quickest makeover ideas.  Interesting colors on the walls can bring out the best in your home.  Your choice of colors can also change the feel of many elements of a room, including how large it seems and the mood of the room.

Cool colors which contain blue overtones make rooms seem large and create a sense of calm.  Warm colors which contain red or yellow make a room seem inviting.  You may think that white walls are safe, but its color that will really make your rooms exciting.

In many homes, the garage has become a storage room filled with clutter.  The car can no longer be parked in the garage due a lack of organization.  If this is your situation and you’ve finally had enough, here are some garage organization tips.

1. Clean out the clutter
The first step to getting organized is to cut down on the clutter.  Sort through the items in your garage and get rid of things you no longer need.  Sort the items that remain and decide how to store them.

2. Get some Storage Cabinets
You can buy inexpensive storage cabinets made of wood, metal or heavy-duty plastic.  Decide if you want cabinets with doors or without.  Measure the area in your garage where you want cabinets, then buy the style that works for your requirements.

3. Hang some Hooks
Once your cabinets are in place, hang some hooks on the wall for large tools like rakes, shovels and brooms.

With your cabinets and hooks are in place, you can now store all your stuff.  Remember to put items that you use most often in places where you can easily find them.  When you’re done, you may even want to park the car in the garage.