House Renovation Tips

Treatments for discolored glass
To clean severely discolored glass or crystal, soak the item in a solution of ammonia and water for several hours, then wash and rinse.
Another way to clean badly discolored glass is to soak it in vinegar with the contents of a tea bag, then wash and rinse.
Sometimes badly discolored glass can be [...]

Paddle fans like this require much more support than a light fixture. Most fans are far heavier than the average light fixture, and the motion of the fan weakens standard lighting supports. In this installation, 2-by-4 blocking nailed between ceiling joists supports a ceiling box approved for fan support. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully.
Electrical connections [...]

If you’re trying to date your house, you may be able to find a clue in its plastering job. Although it’s difficult to determine the age of plaster itself, you can come up with an approximate date by examining the lath behind the plaster.
The earliest lath was hand-split with a hatchet, resulting in an irregular [...]

An easy way to color a room without painting it is to have the plasterer add a little lime-fast colored cement powder (available from hardware stores) to the plaster. This is faster and easier than painting, and the effect will last a long time on low-use areas such as ceilings. The technique is good for [...]

Red vibrates with intensity, physiologically speaking, by increasing blood pressure, heartbeat and energy in most people. It instills feelings of intimacy and passion. Red can also stimulate the appetite, which explains why it is so often used in restaurants and is a good choice for a dining room.
Orange, like red, tends to warm a room, [...]

Is privacy a primary concern?
For example, you may wish to cover first floor windows facing the street so the entire neighborhood doesn’t watch your family eat dinner. A second floor window overlooking a wooded backyard, on the other hand, probably has little need for privacy.
Is light control a high priority?
Large windows can let in a [...]