A garden is a plot of land where flowers, herbs, vegetables and fruits are cultivated. Gardening is nothing but growing the plants on a piece of land. Gardening can be both a hobby as and commercial activity. A veranda gives us a way of enjoying the garden from the garden, yet still protected from the worst of the elements. We are actually in the garden because we can feel the breeze and climate, smell the flowers or freshly mown grass and, so, enjoy the results of our days work toiling in the earth. The veranda is the gardener’s conservatory.

You may not know this, but glass verandas are ingrained in British colonial history in Australia, America and India, as well as other parts of Asia. Here they are so much a part of popular culture that they have entered their literature as symbols of a way of life. Perhaps the veranda provided a way for the British settlers to enjoy the countryside around them, but still feel safe and protected in a very different climate. The veranda allowed them to hold onto some control, some sense of Britishness while enjoying the beauty of the new land around them, which is certainly the case in Australia, where they are still incredibly popular.

Gardening has something to do with controlling nature, bending its growth our way. We enjoy the work because it satisfies something within us, a kind of instinct to ‘tidy-up’ the wildness around us. Our gardens are our refuge from the speed and chaos of the modern world an unchanging place that continually changes, but only at the steady pace of the seasons.

Inside the conservatory, we are protected. The glass lets us enjoy the light, and visual beauty of the garden, while the wood and bricks and modern materials keep us in the modern world. For the enthusiastic gardener, though, it is perhaps one step too many backs inside. We don’t just enjoy watching the garden we enjoy being a part of it sensing it with all of our senses: feeling it in our hands, experiencing the fragrances, hearing the birds and buzzing, and tasting the herbs or home-grown food. The conservatory confines us to be a mere spectator, or we have to pull the garden inside with potted plants whereas the verandah frees us to stay outside enjoying what we have done and to plot what we have left to do. If we enjoy being in the garden then why go back inside?

The veranda still protects us from the worst elements, those that drive us inside even when we’re enjoying our gardening. The conservatory protects us from the weather even when there is nothing to be protected from who runs inside from a warm and lovely spring, summer or autumnal day?

If you are planning to extend your home, consider a veranda the gardener’s conservatory.

If you are remodeling your home or customizing your new home, you have the option of adding flat glass rooflight to your home, and it is actually one of the best ways to make your home look visually appealing, contemporary and energy efficient.

There are many benefits of adding flat glass rooflight to your home, as it is a versatile option that allows natural lights to flood into your room. It offers energy saving benefits as you can reduce your electricity bills, as you will get ample light into your rooms and living spaces, even in the evening when the natural light is dim. You can also take advantage of a great amount of vitamin D from the sunlight as it offers a large number of health benefits while increasing your happiness and productivity.

Another of the benefits of adding flat glass rooflight to your home is that it helps in increasing the overall value and resale cost of your home as it will be in high demand in the property market whilst you earn a good amount of money when you sell your property. The installation of rooflights will make your property appear larger as it will allow for natural ventilation, as you will get an airy and properly ventilated property. Rooflights also offer benefits like practical appeal and aesthetic properties to the homeowners, as it is a source of illumination for your room so that you can save money on your electric bills.

Adding one or a few rooflights in your home can enhance the beauty and elegance of your room so that it can look more beautiful and attractive while making the area appear larger and spacious too. It is also an energy efficient option as you can cut down your energy consumption so that you can save a considerable amount of money while you use a clean source of energy the sun! Moreover it also promotes good health and overall well being as you will enjoy a peaceful atmosphere at your home.

So these are just a few reasons why you may opt to install a rooflight in your home, but of course the biggest advantage is the amount of natural light you’re able to introduce. There are many different types to choose from in different sizes and before you can decide on the rooflight that’s right for you, you’ll need to loo at the many different options in more detail, or have someone survey your property and provide the best advice. For tricky spaces like landings, en-suites and small toilets, sun tubes can come in handy, and they’re a very clever tunnel king of rooflight which channel light into the room, no matter how deeply situated it is.

Make sure you weigh up the many options first, because a rooflight, also known as a skylight, is a big investment, and one that should be made wisely because it will play an important role on a daily basis for as long as you’re in the house.

Change is an unsaid rule in our life. When it comes to home, there are a very few people who get to spend their whole life in the same home, but then why does a new home take some getting used to? Because no matter how much you try to deny it being mature and sensible, the truth is that you do get emotionally connected and attached to your home. It is something very deep and intimate for the place holds so many memories of you. Good times or bad, it has always been there.

Your home is always your comfort zone where you feel secure thus when you move to a new abode, you miss your previous one. And till the time you don’t move on from the past, you can’t enjoy your present. But slowly and gradually you adapt to it because the brick walls alone do not qualify as home, family members do. Wherever you go and live, if your family is with you, with the same love and care, you won’t feel awkward for long because you still have your home with you- the same home.

When you’re planning on moving house, it’s always best that you box everything up and ensure everything is organised as soon as possible. Producing checklists for each box is a good idea and it also means when your items arrive at the new house you know exactly what’s in each box. So many people feel that it takes a lot of time to unpack, but they think it’s very easy to get everything packed in a few days before they move. That’s certainly not the case.

Packing will take longer than unpacking, especially if you do it properly, but don’t make it a rush job. Take your time and ensure you have collected all of the items from your house and have them labelled up in boxes ready to go weeks before your move date. If it means your house is a little cluttered, stay in a hotel or with friends and family members. You’ll thank yourself when it’s moving day!

Everyone loves to stare at a framed photograph and painting. For a split-second, they can take you back to the time the photo was taken or painting was done. They give you the chance to revisit the places you may never see again or places you may never visit again. Most people treat their photo collection with utmost care. Such individuals have the tendencies of storing their photos digitally in their smartphones, computers or cloud storage. Others store hard copy photographs in physical albums or hide them in a box for safekeeping. What these people probably do not know is that framing the photos and displaying them in their living room is a great interior design addition. The same can be done to paintings you consider to be special. The primary reason for having a framed picture or painting in your home is to get a constant glimpse of the work of art or person that means the world to you. (more…)

There is often quite a wait before you can move into your new home, and with most people selling their property and moving out before they buy, this can mean living with family or friends for 3 to 6 months, possibly even longer. Of course, this is not ideal, but the only other option is renting something on a short-term contract, but how many landlords want to give out short-term contracts these days? The wait before moving in can certainly drag, but it’s all the more wonderful when you do move in, and we recommend you just keep yourselves busy during this time.

If you’re staying with friends or relatives, really show your appreciation, and make sure they still get some alone time. It’s never a nice experience to have to go back to square one before you move into a new house, but it’s just for a short period, so try to get through it as best you can.

Your bedroom is a room that you can really personalise to suit your own style and preferences. That is why choosing the right bed for your bedroom is so important. There are so many options when it comes to beds, and the first thing to consider is it you want it to have a frame or not.

Choosing a bed with a frame can open you up to a wide variety of styles, such as country wood, metal or a four poster bed. If you want a bed that draws attention to the room, a four poster bed is the perfect option as you can add curtains and dressing around it, or even add lights around the frame too.

If you are looking for something more simple, then a divan bed may be a better option for you. Although the bed itself may be simple, this doesn’t stop you experimenting with bold sheet styles and adding cushions and throws to help it stand out.