With a wide variety of colours, styles and patterns available, conservatory blinds can match any home’s décor.  Chic, stylish conservatory blinds bring the room together.  Liners and thicker material can add practical temperature control as well, helping to keep your conservatory warmer in winter and cooler in summer.

Vertical conservatory blinds are a good choice for tall windows.  Roman blinds are another attractive choice for the conservatory.  With a good selection of materials and designs, there are conservatory blinds to match any lifestyle and any décor.  Depending on your style, budget and family’s preferences, conservatory blinds come in a wide variety of styles and colours, with options to suit your every need.

First, mark out the outline of the path with the help of string, sand or an aerosol. Then dig out the length of the path to a depth of around 10-15cm. Hammer in some edging on both sides of the path – this can be timber, brick or a flexible product for curved paths – and tread down the bottom of the trench to make a solid base.

You can then fill in the base layer of the path, usually with hardcore and coarse gravel, to about half the depth of the trench. For extra protection against weeds, you may want to spread weedkiller or lay plastic sheeting down under the base layer.

Cover this with sand and make sure that you have an even base on which to lay your topcoat of gravel. This can be anything from granite chippings to pea gravel to beach pebbles, and there are many sizes and colours to choose from. Fill the path up to just below the level of the edging so that the gravel doesn’t overflow. You should now have a lovely new gravel path that will last for many years.

For anyone looking to find a new home in Leeds there are many houses and city centre flats as well as an abundance of properties in rural areas on the outskirts of the city.  According to a recent report commissioned by the BBC, the average price for a detached property is £312,788 but for those on a more modest budget the prices for semi-detached and terraced houses range can be much cheaper.  City centre flats can be bought for a reasonable price.

Leeds has a cosmopolitan reputation, many major firms have relocated to the city in recent years and the shopping and commercial centres have expanded.  The busy university attracts a large student population and parents often buy their offspring one of the city centre terraced houses to ensure their housing needs during their academic sojourn.  There are currently many houses for sale in Leeds that would be suitable for any purchaser looking to invest in a buy-to-let property.

With its vibrant night life and busy commercial centres many people move to Leeds in order to take advantage of employment opportunities as well as to enjoy the social aspects of the city.  The Yorkshire moors are close by and those planning to buy a house in the city will enjoy the many walks and the rugged landscape of the local scenery.  Leeds is proud of its industrial heritage and the new Granary Wharf development in the centre of the city will satisfy any urbanite who wants to buy a house right in the heart of the older part of Leeds.

Causes of Grout Discolouration

Unless your shower is a brand new installation, you may well have noticed that the spaces between the tiles are not quite as pristine as the tiles. This is due to dirt getting into the grout, the cement like material that fills the joints between them.

Bathrooms and kitchens are subjected to a wide range of temperatures and particularly in the case of bathrooms, damp. Both will eventually cause the grout to become discoloured.

Removing Grout Build-up

To remove grout it is essential to protect the surrounding tiles with masking tape. You can then use a tool called a grout rake, which can be found in most DIY stores. This is a little like a heavy-duty toothbrush, which enables you to gently scrape the dirt encrusted layer of grout away. Once this has been accomplished, you are ready to apply a fresh layer of grout between the tiles.

Use exactly the same process to tackle grubby tiles in the kitchen. These are liable to suffer from greasy coating as much as the effects of damp, so also wash their surfaces with detergent.

I’m going to re-tile the walls with some mosaic tiles, add a new bathroom cabinet and some matching bathroom accessories to finish off the look.

The bathroom cabinet I quite like is the HIB Alta 3 Door Mirror Cabinet which comes complete with two halogen lights and a shaver socket. The cabinet is around £300 and will finish off the look I’m going for.

A set of chrome bathroom accessories will also tie in with the showerhead and bathroom mixers.

I’m also toying with the idea of fitting some down lighters in the bathroom instead of the art deco style light that is in there at the moment, but I think that might need a bit more planning.

Colour

Vertical blinds are available in a huge selection of colours ranging from neutral and basic colours to brighter, more vibrant colours.  It is important to consider the overall decor of the room when choosing the colour of your vertical blinds, as windows tend to be one of the focal points of any room.

Louvre Widths

The louvres (which are the pieces that hang vertically to create the blind) are available in two standard widths; 89 mm (3.5 inches) and 127 mm (five inches).  The most suitable width will depend both on the size of the window or door, and personal taste. 

Vertical Blind Control

You can choose to draw your vertical blinds to either the left or the right or, alternatively, you can split them down the middle and draw them to both sides. 

Specialist Fabrics

Vertical blinds can be made using a variety of special fabrics including fire resistant, blackout and washable fabrics.

Remember to retain your light switch’s original fixing screws. You may be required to reuse the screws and this is particularly true if you are fitting a modern light switch to imperial threads.

To begin to replace your one-way light switch, you will need to isolate the electric circuit and check that the power has been switched off. Switch off the main supply switch at the consumer unit.  Then check that the power is off by switching on one or two lights to confirm that there is no electricity in the circuit.

Next, unscrew the switch’s faceplate. Pull it towards you so that you can take a good look at all the connections located behind it. Before you completely disconnect your old light switch, you will need to make a note of the way in which your old switch was connected. You will notice that the terminals are marked. If you have never replaced a light switch in your home before, you should make a diagram noting the colour and the amount of wires connected up to each terminal. Once you have done this, you can release the terminal’s screws.

Pull the cores from each of the terminals. If you find the earth core to be adequately insulated and connected to the fuse’s mounting box, it is perfectly acceptable to leave this core attached.

Your next job is to connect the cores to the new switch’s terminals. You should use your diagram to help you with this. Tighten up all the screws and inspect the way in which the screws are clamping down the cable cores by tugging slightly on the wires. You should find the wires to be held securely.

If your cores are not already sleeved, fit the appropriately coloured sleeving. Finally, check that the connections are fully secure, push all the cable into the mounting box and install the faceplate.

A good first step is to boil a kettle of water and pour it down the sink.  Before this, you should bale the water out of the sink into a bucket, and then mop up any remaining water with a towel.  Washing up liquid or Borax poured down the sink and left for a few moments before the boiling water is poured in may also help to dislodge the blockage. 

If this fails, you can use a plunger after blocking the overflow or draining the sink, whichever you prefer.  You can block the overflow by holding a cloth over it and plunge with your other hand; duct tape may also work to block the overflow.

As a last mechanical resort, you can try a drain auger, also known as a plumber’s snake.  This can work its way through the piping and dislodge the blockage.  You can hire one if you prefer not to buy one.  You may need to remove some parts of the sink, such as the trap and pipe section underneath, in order to give you better access.

Alternatively, there are a number of chemical solutions on the market, but these are not recommended lightly.  These are available to purchase from your local DIY store or supermarket, and should always be used with extreme care.  Always read the label carefully before using these products.

I have a big garden and most of it doesn’t get used and is overgrown, so I have been looking at getting a garden room fitted. These garden structures come complete with heating and electricity and can be used all year round as garden offices, studios or just a quiet room away from the hustle and bustle of the main house.

Double glazed windows and doors add security when the garden room isn’t being used and also keeps in the heat when you’re in there in the winter. The exterior of the garden room is clad in western red cedar which can be stained to match your garden furniture and the interior comes fully plaster boarded and electrical sockets fitted.

I’m definitely warming to the idea of having a garden room fitted and with prices starting from around £10,500 it is cheaper than getting my loft converted. Best thing is that a garden room doesn’t need any planning permission.

I’ll have to convince my wife first, but it could also add a lot of value onto our house if we ever decide to sell.

Picture from Oecogardenrooms.co.uk