Are You Tired Of Your Kitchen?

If you want to change the way your kitchen looks but cannot afford to spend a lot of money, read this article and use these tips to renovate your kitchen. Buy second hand appliances or furniture if you need to replace yours. You can easily give a new look to second hand appliances and furniture by simply painting them or applying a coat of polish. Inspect the items before buying them and measure them to make sure they will fit in your kitchen. Look for items that will go well with the appliances and furniture you intend to keep. You can find these items in thrift stores, yard sales and on the Internet. Compare prices and take the time to look for the best deals. Sell your old appliances or furniture to get your money back, or trade them if possible.

Painting your kitchen is the most cost-efficient way to give it a new look. Choose a soft color for the walls and create contrasts by painting the door and the windows with a different color. You should also paint your cupboards and furniture. To create a harmonious look, do not use more than two or three different colors. Select colors that go well together. Avoid mixing hot and cold colors, and use different shades of the same color for a calming effect. If your kitchen is a small room and you do not want the color pattern to make it look too busy, compliment your main color with white.

Replace your fixtures with new ones. Old fixtures can really make a kitchen look unwelcoming, and they are not very expensive to replace. Go to your local home improvement store and select fixtures that go well with the color you have chosen for your kitchen. Select original fixtures or an antique-look if you want your kitchen to reflect your personality or the style you have created in other rooms. You should also replace the cupboard knobs; look for knobs that will fit with the color pattern you created. Some home improvement stores create collections of items; select fixtures and knobs from the same collection.

Think of the decor as a finishing touch for your new kitchen. Go through your belongings; you might find old items of decor you can use in your kitchen. Look for items in thrift stores or on the internet. Trust your judgement and personal taste to find items that will look great in your kitchen and make you feel at home. Remember that meaningful items are more important than valuable ones. Display pictures of your family, crafts and drawings created by your children and souvenirs from your travels. Change the decor of your kitchen regularly to experience with different styles and keep things interesting.

Use these tips to turn your old kitchen into a room where you will feel at home. You should establish a budget for your new kitchen and make sure you stick to it when shopping for new appliances or fixtures.

A Bathroom Makeover Without Spending A Fortune

If you want to change the way your bathroom looks but cannot afford to spend a lot of money, read this article and use these tips to renovate your bathroom for little money:

• Replacing toilets is easy, and there are some nice new toilets out these days. Pick out the one you want, and see how a nice new toilet will look in your bathroom.
• Do you want to replace your vanity? You can get a nice new vanity, and install it rather simply and for an affordable price. Go browse the different available vanities, and see which one would go well with the scheme of your bathroom. 
• How about some new lighting for your bathroom? New lighting really improves that atmosphere of any room. There are a plethora of options to choose from, so browse the different selections, and see which lighting you would like to purchase. There are so many nice options that don't break your wallet.
• Refinishing your bathtub can make your bathtub look brand new. Of course, you can buy a brand new bathtub if that is something you want to do as far as your remodel. However, you can also refinish your bathtub to make it look brand new. You can also replace your shower head with a new one that just really does the trick. They have some really great shower heads on the market. 
• New curtains are a another great way to liven up a bathroom. Perhaps it is one little curtain or two larger ones. Whatever the case may be, new curtains are a great addition to any bathroom.
• You can update your shower doors or buy a new shower curtain. Either one of these is sure to liven up your bathroom. As you update everything else, watch what this does to your new space. 
• Purchasing new towels and rugs are a wonderful idea. These are simple and affordable purchases, but they make a huge impression on a remodeled bathroom. These are the showcase of the bathroom, where the scheme jumps out at you.

Make sure you remember these tips as you think about and devise your plan for your bathroom remodel. You are sure to enjoy giving your bathroom a makeover, and you're also sure to learn much in the process. Think about anything else you see in your bathroom that you'd like to change. Make sure you concentrate on turning your bathroom into a comfortable and relaxing space.

DIY Plumbing Repair - How To Fix A Leaking Faucet

Plumbing is something every home owner must deal with sooner or later, whether you are working on a remodeling project, or you need to fix any plumbing problems.

One of the most common plumbing problems is a leaking faucet. Here is how to fix it:

1. The first thing you need to do is turn off the water supply to the sink, most of the time the valve is located right underneath, if not you need to follow the plumbing line to the nearest shut off valve. If the valve resists being turned, put a drop or two of oil right where the stem disappears into the large nut. Then use a wrench to loosen the nut one complete turn, and tighten it back up by hand. Wait for a couple of minutes and then you should be able to turn the valve off.
2. The second thing to do is remove the stem from the top of the fixture, then there will be nut that needs to be turned counterclockwise to be taken off. Grasp the handle and turn it counterclockwise, as if you were turning on the water. The whole thing will lift out in your hand. If you have a ball-type fixture, there will be a setscrew on the lower surface of the handle itself, remove the screw. There will be a plastic ring or cap just unscrew and remove then pull out the ball assembly.
3. Your almost finished with the repair. Now replace the washer, which should still be attached the ball assembly you just pulled out There is a screw holding it on, so remove that and replace it with the new washer, tighten the screw back on, be sure not to go to tight where the washer starts to become damaged. 
4. Reinsert the stem assembly, and twist it firmly clockwise (don’t over tighten it). Tighten the large nut back into place. 
5. Turn the water valve back on and that’s it! If it still leaks it may mean you have to replace the valve seat or replace the entire fixture. You will need to purchase a repair kit that you can find at your local plumbing supply or hardware store.

Use the following steps to replace the ball type fixture:

1. Using the end of the screwdriver, lift out the rubber seats and springs. 
2. Replace them with the new ones in the kit. Tug the spout off the base by turning it from side to side and lifting up. Then use the screwdriver to leverage the old O-rings off the base. If they need to be cut off, make sure that you clean off any remaining pieces. 
3. Roll the new O-rings over the base to replace them. 
4. Re-seat the faucet by turning it from side to side while pushing down. 
5. Place the ball assembly back in there, and screw the rounded, knurled cap back on. 
6. Before retightening the adjusting ring with the special tool, turn the water back on. Then tighten the ring until no water leaks, but don’t over tighten it. 
7. Replace the handle, and tighten the setscrew. 

You should now be all set! It’s a good idea before starting this job to go to your local plumbing supply with the make of your faucet just to make sure that all the necessary parts are available.