Wire A Harbor Breeze Remote Ceiling Fan

Wiring a remote ceiling fan varies slightly from traditional fans.

A Harbor Breeze remote ceiling fan gives homeowners the convenience of remote fan operation along with the cost-reducing heating and cooling benefits that ceiling fans provide. Harbor Breeze is sold exclusively by Lowes, who also offers installation services. Those homeowners who wish to wire the Harbor Breeze remote ceiling fan themselves will find that it is a moderately simple project. Each model is different, so check your Hampton Bay remote ceiling fan installation guide for full details on your specific fan.

Instructions

1. Access the main house breaker box to turn off the power to the location where you will be wiring the fan. Use a circuit tester to ensure no lines are still hot. If a light is installed there, remove it by unscrewing the canopy or cover with your drill or screwdriver and by disconnecting the wires. Unscrew and remove the electrical box if it is plastic or if it will not support the weight of a ceiling fan. Replace it with a metal box or an expandable bracket.

2. Position the assembled Harbor Breeze ceiling fan in the bracket, using a ladder and possibly an assistant.

3. Locate the neutral electrical box wire, usually white. If colored tape has been applied to the wire, stop and contact an electrician, since the wire's use may have been altered and it is no longer neutral. Locate the white wire on the fan. Connect the wires by first stripping 1/2 inch of coating off both wires with the wire stripper. Then insert both wires into a wire connector and twist the connector. Finally, wrap electrical tape around the connections.

4. Connect the green fan wire to the green or bare copper grounding wire in the electrical box. Tape the connection so no wire is exposed. Contact a professional if your house is old and does not have a green or copper ground wire.

5. Connect the remaining wire in the remote fan to a hot wire from the house's electrical box. The hot wire is usually black, but may be red. If there are additional hot wires, cap them off for later use by twisting a wire nut over each end and securing them with electrical tape.

6. Tuck all the wire connections into the electrical box and secure the fan cover or canopy over the electrical box using the screws included with your Harbor Breeze remote fan installation kit.

7. Turn the power on and test your Harbor Breeze remote ceiling fan.

Tags: Harbor Breeze, remote ceiling, Harbor Breeze remote, both wires, Breeze remote

Decorating Ideas For The Interior Of A Modern Kitchen

A contemporary kitchen needs a few human touches to keep it from appearing sterile.

A modern kitchen with style is not an isolated high tech laboratory of white Corian and brushed steel. It should reveal something of the personality of the chef who works there. Spare is a good modifier but so is functional. And a few eclectic touches can shift a kitchen from showroom impersonal to welcoming home.

The Update

When the kitchen is less than au courant and a renovation isn't in the budget, there are a few tricks to make an old space look modern and new. Don't go ultra-modern and risk clashing with what's there. Instead, clear out all the clutter, paint cabinets white and replace the upper cabinet doors with open shelves and glass doors. Make sure everything on display is color-coordinated and has room to breathe. Fill open shelves with a collection of turquoise Fiestaware mixing bowls or rows of identical mineral water bottles with their labels aligned. Replace cabinet and drawer hardware with matching pewter hardware and fill the wall over the sink with a white subway tile backsplash. An oversized butcher block or marble cutting slab can hide an outdated countertop.

The Fusion Kitchen

Simple white-framed glass cabinets, a professional stove and oversized hood and large white floor tiles say modern. A crystal chandelier, mismatched white-painted chairs and antique dining table with turned wood legs and a white marble top say "look again." A modern kitchen merged with a vintage dining room into a big fusion space can work with a lot of white on the walls, floors and ceiling. White crockery, dishes, old-time scales and classic tea kettle link old and new. The only color in the room comes from cooking ingredients and a bunch of hydrangeas in a milk glass vase on the table.

Industrial Chic

Nothing says modern like polished concrete, and a kitchen with a polished concrete floor and island top looks contemporary without even trying. Floor-to-ceiling cabinets in white laminate hide almost everything so the lines stay clean. But hot pink molded chairs and a matching painted glass backsplash provide a jolt of color to keep the space far from boring. A chrome cappuccino machine and chrome teakettle attest to the kitchen's use, at least as a coffee bar. This kitchen needs plenty of light, so LED lighting under the cabinets would prevent it from appearing stark and gloomy when the natural light fades.

Cool and Classic

A modern upgrade replaces old cabinets and appliances with white laminate, black-tinted glass and brushed aluminum. It's colorless and neutral, even with the original hardwood floor, stripped down to bare wood and refinished. A cool look risks coming off as chilly until one discordant note sounds in the middle of the room. A rustic butcher block stand sits like an island center stage. The wood is worn to soft hills and valleys with use. It can be a work station, a serving stand or a pastry table. It will never be a modern kitchen island. The butcher block anchors the room like a sculpture in a gallery and makes the whole space more interesting.

Tags: butcher block, modern kitchen, with white, cabinets white, from appearing, kitchen needs, kitchen with

Removing Acoustic From Ceilings

Acoustic ceilings, also called popcorn ceilings, were popular decades ago in homes as a way of dressing up the ceiling with texture. When remodeling, you may want to get rid of that somewhat dated look. If the acoustic contains asbestos, it will need to be removed by a certified professional. If the ceiling is painted, you'll have to use a chemical paint stripper to break down the layer of paint.

Instructions

Testing Acoustic

1. Spray a small area of the ceiling with a mixture of warm water and a few drops of liquid dish soap. If the solution soaks in, the ceiling has not been painted, and you won't need to use a chemical stripper to remove the acoustic.

2. Use a putty knife to scrape off a small amount of the acoustic and place it in a bag.

3. Send the sample to be tested for asbestos. The Environmental Testing Agency can direct you to testing companies in your area.

Removing Acoustic

4. Clear out the room, turn off your heating or air conditioning system and remove any window treatments in the room.

5. Cover the floor, window openings and outlet and switch covers with plastic. Secure the plastic to wall areas with tape. Cover any baseboard trim by extending the plastic from the floor up and over the trim and taping it in place.

6. Tape plastic sheets from the walls where they meet the ceiling to protect the walls from falling acoustic.

7. Put on your dust mask and safety goggles.

8. Fill the pump sprayer with water and add a few drops of liquid dish soap if the ceiling is unpainted. If the ceiling is painted, pour the paint stripper into the sprayer. Put the lid back on the sprayer and pump the handle to build pressure inside the sprayer.

9. Start in a corner of the ceiling and spray a 6-foot-square section with the water or paint stripper. Evenly coat the acoustic but don't oversaturate it with water to avoid bleeding through to the drywall. Allow the water or stripper to soak in for 15 minutes.

10. Raise the floor scraper to the ceiling and scrape away the area. Apply minimal pressure to prevent gouging the drywall. If the acoustic doesn't scrape off easily, spray the area again and wait 20 minutes before attempting to scrape it off again.

11. Work your way from one end of the ceiling to the other until all of the acoustic has been scraped off.

Tags: paint stripper, with water, ceiling painted, ceiling with, dish soap, drops liquid, drops liquid dish

Paint Over A Sprayed On Ceiling

Don't use plastic drop cloths in place of fabric ones.

Sprayed-on ceilings are coated with a special type of acoustic texture which can be difficult for amateur do-it-yourselfers to paint. Because this texture is relatively loosely attached, it can shed heavily if the improper painting tools are used. In addition, sprayed-on ceilings should be coated with a particular type of paint. The wrong paint could mask water stains, allowing for extensive water damage that could cost the homeowner thousands of dollars to repair.

Instructions

1. Remove items from the room that could interfere with your ability to paint.

2. Cover all flooring directly beneath the ceiling with fabric drop cloths.

3. Wear goggles to protect your eyes from paint drips.

4. Pour two gallons of flat latex paint into a five-gallon bucket.

5. Apply paint to the sprayed-on ceiling, using a roller that is affixed to an extension pole and equipped with a three-quarter-inch nap roller cover.

6. Coat the portions of the ceiling that are inaccessible to the roller, using a three-inch latex paintbrush. Use a stepladder to access the ceiling. Wait two hours for the painted ceiling to dry.

7. Apply another coat of paint if the ceiling looks streaky.

Tags: coated with, drop cloths, that could

Cut Corner Angles On Crown Molding

Crown molding can be used with great effect to dress up the appearance of a room. Inevitably, however, you'll need to navigate a corner with your crown molding, which means that you need to know cut corner angles on crown molding. With the right tools and a little planning, you'll be able to handle this task with ease.

Instructions

1. Decide what angles need to be cut. The vast majority of all corner angles cut on crown molding are 45 degree angles. The reason is simple. A typical corner is 90 degrees, so two complementary angles of crown molding must be cut at 45 degrees to make the resultant angle.

2. Examine the diagram to see what kind of joint you need. Most crown molding angles are cut to achieve inside corners, outside corners and straight joints. Decide what you have to cut, then make an approximate pencil line on your crown molding to remind you which way to cut.

3. Place your first piece of wood into the mitre box, with the back side of the molding against the outside wall of the mitre box. Hold the crown molding securely in place with a carpenter's clamp, then cut down into the wood with the mitre saw, using the mitre box's 45-degree angle guide to keep the saw straight and even.

4. Place your second piece of wood into the mitre box, with the back side of the molding against the outside wall of the mitre box. Hold the crown molding securely in place with a carpenter's clamp, then cut down into the wood with the mitre saw, using the mitre box's 45-degree angle guide to keep the saw straight and even. Remember that in most joints, this cut will be a mirror image of the first cut.

5. Place the two pieces of crown molding together to check the joint. It should be flush and tight.

Tags: crown molding, crown molding, 45-degree angle, 45-degree angle guide, against outside

Sloped Ceiling Lighting Ideas

The angle of a sloped ceiling affects the type of lighting fixture you choose. With flat ceilings all illumination is directed downward. Sloped ceilings allow you to design illumination as a separate decorative attraction. Use combinations of dimmer switches to highlight certain areas of the room and mute tones and colors in other areas.

Switches

To maximize the lighting effects with a sloped ceiling. use more switches. Whether you use single pole or three-way switches for multiple switching locations, include dimming switches in your design. You may need a specific type of dimmer switch, depending on the type of bulbs you use.

Canister Lights

Canister lights are mounted flush against the ceiling with a trim or finish ring affixed to the surface. Regular incandescent or PAR (parabolic aluminum reflector) bulbs can be used in canister fixtures. You can choose to install the newer compact fluorescent lights (CFL's), but be aware that a specific type of CFL is used in overhead lighting. One option with canister lights is to use an "eyeball" trim ring. The trims can be rotated to illuminate a particular area. Experiment with colored light. For example, use a red bulb over a fireplace area or a green bulb over a planter.

Swag or Pendant Lighting

Use the electrical junction box as the mounting base for swag or pendant lights. A chain or rod extends directly from the box, with the light mounted on the end of the dangling attachment. A trim plate on the ceiling hides the wires. Leave enough room under the light for walking and to ensure any seating area directly under the light does not get uncomfortably hot.

Track and Bounce Lighting

Track lights are plastic or metal strips with embedded electrical contacts inside them. You can mount specially-designed light bulbs anywhere along the "track." Track lights provide directionality. Consider alternating the lights, with some pointing at the ceiling and others down the walls. Controlled switching lets you create a very different atmosphere or ambiance in a room.

Color

Use colored bulbs to dramatically change the mood in a room. Lighting can contribute to a sense of well-being. Experiment with different effects, including directing some colored light onto mirrors and other light onto absorbing surfaces, like cloth.

Tags: bulb over, colored light, Experiment with, light onto, specific type, Track lights, under light

Decorating Ideas For Kitchens With White Appliances

White appliances don't have to look sterile and boring.

White appliances have a tendency to look cheap and inferior to stainless steel and other types of appliances. When combined with the right decorations and colors around the kitchen, however, those appliances suddenly look more upscale and high class. The key is to mix and match colors that work with the appliances instead of trying to cover the appliances up and hide the pieces away. Decorating ideas for a kitchen with white appliances give the kitchen a brand new look.

Go All White

An all-white room doesn't have to look bland or sterile. The trick is to mix and match different shades of white. Avoid using the same shade of white on your walls as found on the appliances. Instead opt for a white that's slightly darker than the appliances. White paint now comes in shades of green, yellow and even red. The brighter shades are simply a tone found in the paint that makes the color look warmer and more inviting. Bring in a bookshelf ,and fill it with pieces of pottery, vases and figurines that are all in different shades of white. Add white light fixtures and a neutral colored kitchen table, which won't detract from the clean look of the all-white room.

Add Some Color

The white appliances in your kitchen become a neutral shade when paired with brighter colors. The colors work as an accent and won't overpower the room. One idea is to paint the walls white, but use a brighter shade on the ceiling, such as lime green or royal blue. The eye is immediately drawn up to the bright color, which makes the kitchen appear bigger and detracts from the appliances. Use the same color in smaller pieces around the room, including cushions on the kitchen chairs, paintings on the wall and even pots or plates used as decorations on the counters. Or paint the cabinets and walls white, but add brightly colored decorations around the room.

Go Retro

A vintage or retro inspired kitchen makes use of your white appliances, but the materials and colors used give the kitchen a more appealing look. Mix in different types of metal, including chrome and stainless steel. The silver color of the metal blends in with the white appliances and keeps them from looking too harsh. Add a chrome and Formica topped table, complete with chrome legged chairs. Aluminum canisters and an aluminum cookie jar placed on the counter work with your retro look.

Tags: all-white room, appliances have, around room, different shades, different shades white

Install Sunken Spotlights On A Suspended Ceiling

Install Sunken Spotlights on a Suspended Ceiling

Suspended ceilings were at one time dull, boring and offered few options. As suspended ceilings have evolved, so have your choices in texture and design. To keep pace with these new elements, lighting options also have increased and now offer a variety of surface fixtures as well as inset lights and sunken spot lights. These lights are attractive, functional and relatively easy to install.

Instructions

1. Select the locations for the spotlights. Mark each ceiling panel with the exact location of the spotlight. In most cases you want to center the light to keep the pattern uniform and the ceiling tile from looking disproportionate. Once you have decided which tiles the lights will be mounted in, remove the tiles, and bring them down to a more comfortable working level. Use the light fixture as a guide to carefully mark the area of the tile that needs to be removed. Double-check your measurements and your markings for accuracy to help eliminate mistakes and incorrect cuts.

2. Use the razor-blade cutter to cut along the lines. Work very slowly to get an accurate and smooth cut. Keep your fingers well back from the blade to prevent accidental cuts. Depending on the thickness of the tile, you might have to cut several times in order to fully penetrate the tile. Once the cut is completed, replace the tile in its appropriate spot in the ceiling grid. Remove the lights from their packages, and inventory the parts. They should come with a bracket made to neatly fit the ceiling grid. Place this bracket atop the ceiling tile, and carefully align the holes. Depending on the model you have purchased, the bracket should clip onto the T-rails of the ceiling grid.

3. Measure the distance from the ceiling grid to the overhead anchors where the current hanger wires are attached. Prepare new hanger wires to accommodate this length; 12 inches longer than the measurement usually is fine. Secure the hanger wires to the anchor points, then insert the other end into the T-rail. Twist the hanger wire securely in place, being certain not to raise the ceiling tile or grid when doing so. Secure two hanger wires at the end of each ceiling tile where a spotlight is to be installed.

4. Being careful not to put any of your weight on the ceiling grid, place the light fixture into the bracket, and secure it in place. Depending on the model and brand you are installing, some fixtures will snap into place, and others will be secured using screws. Once the light is in place, you are ready to complete your electrical wiring. Code requires the wiring to be supported off of the ceiling tiles, but you are not allowed to use the ceiling hanger wires to support the wires. The wires must have their own support system.

Tags: ceiling grid, hanger wires, ceiling tile, Depending model, each ceiling, Install Sunken

Decorate A Room With Wood Paneling

Wood paneling needs to be softened to be comfortable.

Wood paneling can render a home dark and cold if precautions aren't taken. Ensure that your home doesn't become too uninviting by decorating around the paneling. Assuming that painting or wallpapering over the paneling isn't an option, there are still a myriad of options to soften a room with wood paneling.

Instructions

1. Maintain a fairly neutral palette throughout the room to keep it crisp. Focus on whites, grays and creams.

2. Hang fabric made of a soft material over a wall. Use clear thumbtacks to attach the fabric to the wall along the top. Another alternative is to install several curtain rods along the top of the wall and hang the fabric. Drill two holes in the wall at each end of the curtain rod to secure the metal curtain rod hanger to the wall. If you are using more than one curtain rod, remember to leave enough room between the curtain rod hangers for the finials.

3. Place a large couch with soft, comfortable cushions in the room. Pull the couch away from the wall about 6 inches to make the room appear larger. Toss on plenty of throw pillows in different colors and textures.

4. Place a large piece of bright or light-colored art over the fireplace or in a central area of the room. Light and bright colors contradict the darkness of the paneling and help warm up a room with wood paneling.

5. Soften the room with a large area rug placed in the center of the room. Choose a rug in neutral colors, such as beige, gray or off white. The color and the fabric of the rug counteract the coldness of the wood paneling.

6. Set up several bookcases of varying heights along one wall for storage and to break up the monotony of the paneling.

7. Place plants such as dracaena, orchids, begonias and hostas in decorative pots in strategic places such as near a fireplace, near doorways and in corners.

Tags: room with, along wall, Place large, room with wood, wood paneling, Wood paneling

Kitchen Painting & Decorating Ideas

The kitchen is a canvas for your personal style.

Many new homeowners find their new kitchens to be generic, with white and beige walls and boring cabinets. But creating a new look for the kitchen does not require hiring a professional decorator, or breaking the bank. Choose a theme, and build upon it by adding color and a few well-selected accents. Some of the best themes come from the cultures of the world that offer their own culinary masterpieces.

Dinner for La Familia

For small kitchens, an Italian-themed kitchen brings the light, charm and grace of Tuscany and Capri together. Paint walls a light cream, and then use shades of tan, brown, and mauve and colorwash the walls to give the appearance of old, Venetian buildings. Or find a border with grapevines or wine bottles. Wooden cabinets can keep their wood tones, or be painted dark olive or brown. Add accessories like bottles of olive oil, old Italian signs or posters and traditional Italian wall-hangings of roosters. Save money by buying old glass jars and filling them with different kinds of pasta noodles.

Scheherazade's Haram

For large kitchens that can afford to shrink a little from dark colors, choose the exoticism of the Middle East and India. Paint walls a deep purple or teal, and add colorful accents in corners like ornate ceramics and metalwork. Replace the faucet or cabinet fixtures with ones of a golden hue. Buy or sew cushions for chairs or stools out of luxurious fabrics, tying together the gold metal of fixtures with golden threads in the fabric, and bring the whole room together with curtains that match.

Geisha's Delight

Travel to the far east for your Asian-themed kitchen. Paint the walls a maroon or deep red, and paint cabinets black for contrast. Place small bamboo plants in corners, and use bamboo mats on tables or as curtains. Find framed calligraphy for the walls, or even traditional Chinese or Japanese prints, online or in antique stores, or even create your own from online images. Focus on using simple, clean lines when choosing accessories. A bonsai tree is the ultimate final touch.

Tags: Paint walls, fixtures with

Types Of False Ceiling For Office Use

False ceilings are an effective way to conceal unsightly materials, conserve energy and reduce ambiant sound in the workplace.

False, or suspended, ceilings systems consist of prefabricated removable tiles placed in, or attached to, a grid of metal strips called tees. These tees rest in "L" shaped wall molding and are suspended by metal wires attached to steel beams, concrete supports and other preexisting structural materials. One benefit of false ceilings over other systems is that they conceal electrical wiring, duct work, pipes and other unsightly components that are left exposed during building construction, providing an attractive veneer and easy above-ceiling access in case repairs or modifications are necessary. A study done by CISCA (Ceilings & Interior Systems Construction Association) stated that additional benefits of suspended ceiling spaces include the use of less energy and a greater reduction of ambient noise than other ceiling systems.

Exposed Grid False Ceilings

Exposed grid false ceilings are suspended ceiling systems that use three types of metal grid (11 foot long main tees, shorter 4 foot long tees and smaller 2 foot long tees) in a grid pattern that is visible from below. These sections of exposed grid come in 15/16-inch grid width and a thinner 9/16-inch grid width. The choice between the two types comes down to the consumer's personal preference. Tees are available in hundreds of matte or gloss finish colors to help them coordinate with office decor styles.

Concealed Grid False Ceilings

Concealed grid false ceilings are suspended ceiling systems that use three types of metal grid (11 foot long main tees, shorter 4 foot long tees and smaller 2 foot long tees) in a grid pattern, which the ceiling surface is attached to. Because the grid doesn't break up the ceiling surface, wood, plaster and other continuous-coverage designer ceiling surfaces that are not an option with visible grid systems can be used. This system doesn't allow easy above-ceiling access.

Drywall and Short-Spanning Drywall False Ceilings

Drywall false ceilings are metal grid systems specifically designed to support the considerable weight of drywall panels, which other grid systems are not designed to carry. This grid system is generally preferred over traditional hat and channel stud systems because it is engineered to clip together, eliminating the need for screws, pop rivets, crimpers (used to attach tees to wall molding), and other tools generally used to install ceiling systems.

A short-spanning drywall false ceiling is the same type of system as above, except it uses smaller sections of metal grid that that are designed for narrower office spaces. Since this system also uses fewer materials than traditional metal stud systems, it is easier to install, saving more overall time, labor and money.

False Ceiling Tiles and Panels

Ceiling tiles and surface materials include metal, plaster, wood, aluminum, PVC, mineral fiberboard, Gypsum Board and a selection of custom-colored designer tiles are available for exposed and concealed grid styles. Many of these tiles are fire and termite resistant and heat and sound insulating, making their use preferable over other ceiling systems.

Tags: foot long, ceiling systems, foot long tees, long tees, metal grid, false ceilings, grid systems

Roll Textured Drywall Compound On A Ceiling

Roll Textured Drywall Compound on a Ceiling

Drywall compound is used to texture ceilings because it is easy to work with and sets up in a short amount of time. No matter what implement will be used to apply the pattern for the texture, a paint roller is generally used to apply the joint compound to the ceiling. The process of rolling the drywall compound onto the ceiling can be messy, so drop cloths or plastic should be used to cover flooring.

Instructions

1. Lay drop cloths or plastic on the floor to protect it from drips of joint compound. Ensure that the entire surface of the floor is protected.

2. Mix some joint compound with water in an empty bucket. Use an electric drill with a stirring bit to mix the joint compound. Add water a little at a time until the joint compound is the consistency of thick wallpaper paste.

3. Dip the paint roller in the bucket of mixed joint compound until it is completely submerged. Pull the roller out of the mixture and tap the paint roller applicator on the rim of the bucket to knock off the excess compound.

4. Raise the paint roller to the ceiling and start rolling on the joint compound as quickly as possible to avoid too many drips.

5. Begin at one corner of the room and work your way to the opposing corner. Then work toward the other end of the room. Ensure that you cover every area of the ceiling with the joint compound. Dip the roller in the bucket of compound often to keep the roller loaded with the mixture.

Tags: joint compound, paint roller, cloths plastic, drop cloths, drop cloths plastic, Drywall Compound

Alternative To Wood Moulding

Alternative to Wood Moulding

Wood mouldings, especially on the exterior of a home, are subject to wood rot, weather damage, termites and other insects. Many people look for other materials to use for their trim work instead of wood. The most widely available alternative to wood mouldings are PVC, foam and composite mouldings.

PVC Mouldings

Rigid polyvinyl chloride mouldings are perfect for the exterior of a home because they do not rot and can really take a beating from the weather. This moulding does not expand or contract with changing outdoor temperatures (which leads to splitting of wood mouldings), and caring for them is as easy as spraying them off with a garden hose when they get a bit dirty.

Rigid PVC installs just like wood mouldings, and there is no need for special tools. Even though these mouldings are plastic you can paint them just as you can with wood. Rigid PVC mouldings aren't just for outdoor use; there is no reason you couldn't use them inside your home as well.

Polystyrene and Polyurethane

Polystyrene and polyurethane manufacturers make these great alternatives to wood moulding to look exactly like intricate wood crown moulding. Both types of mouldings come pre-primed from the manufacturer and can take any type of paint or stain. Polystyrene and polyurethane mouldings are so lightweight, the only thing you need to use to install them is a bit of construction adhesive.

Rigid Foam

Rigid foam mouldings come in a number of intricate designs and are available in a variety of different crown moulding styles and as ceiling medallions. Because the foam is rigid, designers can mimic some of the most intricate (and expensive) wood crown mouldings and ceiling medallions. As with other alternatives to wood moulding, rigid foam is easily painted or stained to match the décor of your home.

Tags: wood mouldings, Alternative Wood Moulding, alternatives wood, alternatives wood moulding, ceiling medallions, crown moulding

Connect A Ceiling Light To A Wall Switch

Connect your ceiling light to a wall switch.

A ceiling light, like all electrical fixtures and lighting devices, is connected to the home's power source through a switch junction box. A single pole switch allows current to flow to a single fixture or light (or series of lights, like track lighting) by opening and closing the electric current flow. A ceiling light is connected to a wall switch with electrical wires that run from a service panel to the switch junction to the fixture. Before wiring, the ceiling light fixture should be installed and the wiring run between the service panel, the switch junction box and the fixture.

Instructions

1. Turn off the circuit breaker that controls the switch junction where the ceiling light will be connected.

2. Study a diagram of electrical lighting to understand the wiring (see Resources). Basic electrical wiring consists of a "hot" wire and ground wire from the service panel to the switch junction box, a neutral and ground wire from the service panel to the light fixture and switch leg wire from the switch to the light fixture. Know the colors of each type of wire.

3. Strip 3/4 inch of insulation (plastic covering) off of each of the three wires in the switch junction box.

4. Look at the single pole switch. You should be able to read "on" and "off" so they are not upside-down. This is the correct orientation to position the switch and mount it to the box after the electrical wires are connected.

5. At the switch junction box, twist the hot (colored) wire onto the single pole switch hot set screw at the bottom. Twist the ground (green) wire to the single pole switch ground set screw (green) on the back. Twist the fixture switch leg (colored) wire to the single pole switch set screw located at the top. Tighten all set screw attachments.

6. With the electric wire strippers, remove 3/4 inch of insulation from the ends of the three wires at the light fixture.

7. At the light fixture, use wire nuts and electric tape to connect the neutral (white) wire to the fixture's neutral (white) wire, the green ground wire to the fixture's green ground wire, and the switch leg colored wire from the switch to the hot colored wire at the fixture.

8. Screw the single pole switch to the junction box with the 6/32 screws. Screw on a cover plate.

9. Turn the circuit breaker back on and turn on the light switch. Electric current flows to the light fixture through the single pole switch.

Tags: switch junction, pole switch, single pole, single pole switch, light fixture

Paint A Straight Line Where The Wall & Ceiling Meet

Paint a Straight Line Where the Wall & Ceiling Meet

Painting a straight line with a brush without tape where the wall and ceiling meets requires a high-quality brush, a steady hand and a lot of practice. Using painter's tape to get a straight line works fine when both wall and ceiling are smooth. When one or both surfaces are textured, it's a little trickier. Professional painters employ a couple of tricks to get a straight, sharp line along the top of a wall.

Instructions

1. Run a bead of white caulking around the top of the wall where it meets the ceiling if the wall or ceiling, or both, are textured or rough. Smooth it with your finger or a damp rag and allow it to dry for at least four hours. This will smooth out some of the bumps and make it easier to paint a straight line.

2. Apply painter's tape to the ceiling where it meets the wall. Press it down firmly to prevent the paint bleeding through.

3. Score a line around the top of the wall with the edge of a sharp putty knife if the ceiling has popcorn or acoustic texture. This will remove stray lumps of texture from the top of the wall and makes it easier to paint a straight line.

4. Thin down the paint a little bit with water for the first coat. It's easier to paint a clean, straight line with slightly thinner paint. Apply the second coat of paint undiluted.

Tags: straight line, easier paint, wall ceiling, around wall, Ceiling Meet, easier paint straight

Installation Instructions For A Tile Ceiling

Though ceilings are often just painted, you don't have to finish a ceiling in this way. Like with floors and walls, a variety of materials can be used to cover the ceilings in your home. Ceiling tiles are similar to those used on floors and walls, but are generally made of lighter-weight materials. If you would like to install a tile ceiling, the installation instructions depend on whether your ceiling is flat or has exposed beams.

Instructions

1. Create furring strips for the ceiling if the room has exposed beams. Measure the width of the room in the direction that runs perpendicular to the beams and cut the furring strengths to that length. If the furring strips are shorter than the length of the room (they usually will be) use the number of furring strips necessary to make up the distance across the room.

2. Attach the first furring strips to the beams. Line the first strip up with the wall on one side of the room and nail it in place with a single nail on each joist. If you must use more than one strip to reach all the way across the room, cut the furring strips down so that the ends of the furring strips come together in the middle of a beam, and then place a single nail in each strips to secure it to the beam.

3. Install the rest of the furring strips across the room. Place the strips at a distance apart that accommodates your tiles. If you have 1-foot tiles, for instance, install the furring strips approximately 11 to 11 1/2 inches apart, depending on the width of the strip, so that when you hold the tiles up, the edges of two adjacent tiles touch the furring strip.

4. Attach the ceiling tiles to the furring strips. Spread adhesive down each side of the tile that will touch the furring strip. If recommended by the manufacturer, use staples at each corner of each tile as well to further secure the tile. At the end of each row of tiles, if a full tile won't fit, hold a tile up to the ceiling and mark the tile to fit in the space. Cut the tile down with a tile cutter before installation.

Tags: furring strips, across room, exposed beams, floors walls, furring strip, nail each, single nail

Tips To Make Crown Molding Installation Easy

Crown molding installation can be made easier with a few tips and tools.

Many homeowners wish that installing crown molding was easy. Several companies even manufacture "easy-to-install" foam crown moldings that require no miter cuts or nails. Many homeowners who love the look of wood crown molding want to know make the process easier. A few tips and tricks can help ease the way.

Positioning

The hardest part of installing crown molding is making the cuts. Most novice crown molding installers try to cut the crown molding as they would cut regular molding. This doesn't work. The crown molding will have gaps and incorrect cuts. To get the right cut on the molding, position the molding correctly on the miter saw. Place the top of the molding on the table of the miter saw. The bottom of the molding will then touch the fence of the miter saw. The molding should look like it has been installed upside down on the saw. Hold the molding in this position whenever you make a cut on the miter saw.

Recruit a Friend

Crown molding can be tricky to install by yourself. This is especially true when you are installing heavy, solid wood crown moldings. One side of the molding inevitably falls down or slips out of place and makes it difficult to properly install. Recruit a friend or partner to hold the molding in place on the wall while you nail it into place. This one tip can save you a lot of time because you will not have to take down and re-nail the molding if it slides out of place while you try to nail it.

Pneumatic Nail Gun

A pneumatic nail gun saves a lot of time when you are installing any type of molding. The nail gun sinks the finish nails directly into the wood so that you don't need to sink them into place with a nail set. A single push of the trigger is a lot easier than nailing in each nail by hand. The nail gun will also spare pressure on your arms because you won't have to continue holding the molding in place while you slowly nail it into place.

Caulk

Caulk has the ability to fix all kinds of mistakes in crown molding. Use the caulk to fill the gap between the wall and the crown molding or the crown molding and the ceiling. Paintable latex caulks are the easiest to use because they wash up with soap and water and are easily painted to match the wall or molding. Spread a line of caulk along the gap and smooth the gap with your finger. Let the caulk dry per the manufacturer's directions.

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Uses For The Light Bulb

Thomas Edison invented the first commercially used light bulb, but he wasn't the first to create a light source in a bulb. Though light bulbs are a common thing today, they were once a rarity confined to laboratories and the homes of the wealthy. Light bulbs are used in so many ways--at work, at home and for your entertainment--that you may have stopped noticing that they are there.

History

According to INVSEE, an organization devoted to advancing education, the first incandescent light bulb, which was constructed with a platinum filament by Warren De la Rue, was too expensive to reproduce commercially and met an untimely end. The first commercially viable light bulb was designed by Thomas Edison in 1879. Both types of bulbs were used in lamps to light the inventors' laboratories. However, Edison's model went on to be used in businesses and homes, mainly in lamps until socket wiring became popular.

Event Lighting

Early theater began with candles, then moved on to oil lamps. Theater lighting was revolutionized by the invention of the light bulb, a longer-lasting and less flammable option. Advances make use of theater specific and special effects lighting. Dance events use many types of bulbs, such as LED effects lights and strobe light systems, that are computer-programmed to flash and change color.

Advertising

Light bulbs are a cornerstone of outdoor advertisement, especially at night. Signs use light bulbs in many ways; as simple illumination, to backlight sign lettering, or as a flashing attention-getter. Signs use many types of bulbs, including LED, fluorescent and incandescent lights.

Las Vegas is a testament for the allure of light bulbs--some casinos have thousands constantly flashing to draw customers their way. The Luxor's famous light beam shoots straight up into the sky with the power of 39 Xenon light bulbs. The Neon Museum in Las Vegas houses a graveyard of old signs, which used neon bulbs to garner tourist attention.

Outdoor Lighting

Lights are used outside to make things visible and keep people safe. You can see light bulbs in street lamps, at bus stops, in parking lots and at the gas station, its hood aglow with bright fluorescent bulbs plastering the area above your head. Light bulbs are used to keep areas safe by making them visible and uninviting to potential criminals.

Vehicles

Light bulbs are used in the cars we drive, and should be used on your bicycle if you ride at night. They are used in car headlights, as well as in the dome light. Some cars have a light bulb in the glove compartment or storage console. There also may be one in the trunk.

Bicycle lights make a bicyclist visible to cars and pedestrians at night. A typical bike light setup will have a clear white headlight in front and a red LED light in back. Some bike lights flash the rear LED for additional safety.

Photography

Light bulbs are used in film and photography to give better definition to the subject and to control any shadows that might appear in the photograph. Professional photographers often have a setup with reflectors to direct the light produced by the bulbs.

Light bulbs are used in flash photography to light up an area so it can be more clearly photographed. It is frequently used in action photography to get a clear shot of a moving subject. Though the light bulbs in older cameras used to be single-use flash bulbs, modern cameras have flashes that can be used many times without being replaced.

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Decorating Ideas For An Italian Kitchen

What better room than the kitchen to decorate Italian style? An Italian kitchen with its warm colors, textured finishes and artisan touches, is an ideal place to entertain or to spend the afternoon cooking for loved ones. You can use accents like textiles and other accessories to create a tableaux reminiscent of a Tuscan villa or a Mediterranean beach house, or you can go for a complete room redesign.

Architectural Elements

Go grand with picture windows, columns or arches. Use skylights or the new alternative, solar tubes, to let natural light pour in. If you budget is tighter or your vision more modest, you can allude to architectural grandeur by using ornate sconces or scrolled pieces of wrought iron to support a floating shelf, or by adding bead board trim to walls or furniture. Use a lightweight plaster arch or medallion over a window frame or as wall decor.

Walls and Floors

The Italian palette is robust and bold. White walls are not at home in an Italian kitchen, so opt for golden yellow or a bold terracotta. Natural tones and finishes are also common. Stone walls, marble tiles or rustic wood surfaces can define the room's theme. Leave wooden floors unpainted and stained a medium tone. The same approach goes for exposed beams, which add a rustic note. For a more modern look, go for sleeker finishes in tile, glass and marble. To achieve a crafty look in an Italian kitchen, use sponge painting, an antique wash or another faux finish to create a Tuscan villa ambiance.

Furniture and Accessories

The style of an Italian kitchen makes the useful beautiful. A plain counter top gets a makeover with a stone-like finish. A breakfast table with a rustic wood finish and benches for seats adds a homespun element. A sideboard or cabinet may include open display areas for showing off a collection of Majolica ceramics or just a row of vintage blue glass bottles that recall the Mediterranean. Celebrate nature's bounty with accessories as well by displaying bottles of olive oil and wine on shelves. Use a painted ceramic plate to hold ripe fruit and small buckets and bottles to show off herbs and wildflowers. Some Italian wall art finishes the look. You can display a painting or plate featuring an image of rolling vineyards or a famous monument.

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Decorating For A Modern Relaxing Room

Creating a modern and relaxing room with nature-inspired visual appeal.

Homes are often retreats from the hectic activities of everyday life. Perhaps one of the most calming decorating styles is a modern design due to its use of simple, clean lines, which creates an inherently calm mood. Combining modern decor elements with nature-inspired items often gives an abode a calm, relaxing appearance. In addition, by incorporating a monochromatic color scheme, interior water features, ambient specialty lighting and decorative live plants, a contemporary home is made into a respite to enjoy every day of the year.

Color Scheme

Incorporate a monochromatic color palette into the modern, relaxing decor. A monochromatic color scheme features different values of one hue to achieve a calming and contemporary appearance. Colors, such as tan, gray, cream, blue, green or lavender are appropriate for a modern home. Choose primarily cool colors in water-inspired shades to create an interior with maximum calming features, and add visual interest by layering different types of textures into the entire design.

Water Feature

Add a water element into the relaxing interior design. The sound of water is inherently soothing, which makes it appropriate for a modern, calming decor. Many types of interior water fountains are available to include in a relaxing space, ranging from small tabletop units to expansive wall-mounted varieties. Select a water feature with sleek, simple lines to amplify the modern aesthetic of the space for a room that has a contemporary appearance and a calming mood at the same time.

Ambient Lighting

Use soft lighting in the modern, relaxing decor to highlight the entire atmosphere of the space and provide functional lighting as well. Light fixtures, such as wall sconces or hanging chandeliers on dimmer switches, add an element of style to the room. Choose lighting with simple lines with modern appeal to accent the modern decor of the space. Include candles in the design to provide lighting with a calm ambiance to create a room with maximum relaxation properties.

Live Plants

Display greenery in the relaxing interior design for a room with a nature-inspired decor. Adding plants to a room instantly enhances a space with texture and color. Live plants add a natural element to the space, which often creates a calming atmosphere. Choose plant containers with minimal embellishment to further the modern decor of the room. Grouping plant containers in odd numbers gives the area a cohesive, visually appealing look and feel and creates a room that is relaxing and modern to enjoy with family and friends.

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Pink Bathroom Decorating Ideas

Pink Bathroom Decorating Ideas

Think of the pink bathroom and your mind races back to days of beach party movies, poodle skirts and root beer floats. Often attributed to Mamie Eisenhower's love of pink, and mentioned in the National Park Service description of Eisenhower's Gettysburg home, the popular 1950's bathroom color scheme was pink. They're back and while many pink bathrooms have never left, many others are bringing elements of today's bathroom style and design with the color pink.

Restoring/Renovating

If you've bought or live in an older home with original bathroom pink tile and fixtures many designers implore you to think twice before replacing it. There are many updates and renovations you can do to preserve the historical integrity while giving it a fresh new look.

Re-grouting and choosing a fresh paint color-tones of grey, crisp white, or soft muted greens are complimentary-can update your look. Wallpaper can provide a great pick-me-up, as can updated faucets, granite counter tops in complimentary composites. Installing white bead board wainscoting below a pink tile trim along with pink tile back splash can add freshness.

Check second hand stores, yard sales and renovation resale web sites for original fixtures, tubs, toilets and sinks.

The Cottage Look

Create a cottage look with muted pink walls, crisp white accessories, (towels, shelving, white plantation shutters and white framed mirror). White-washed barn board wainscoting is an option as is bead board. Accessorize with a white wicker tissue box, wicker waste paper basket and white baskets for towels, wash clothes and flowers. A mason jar of seashells can add a coastal casual feel. White coat hooks for towels add a casual, cottage dimension.

Romantic Victorian

For a feminine look, paper a focal wall with large flowered paper. Install a white chandelier for ambiance. White candlesticks and pink candles, thick white towels with pink floral, lace or ribbon trim will add a bit of whimsy. Install a white or gold filigree framed mirror for accent, antique pump spray perfume bottles and gold vanity tray and brush. Miniature rose bush plants upon a window sill adds color and fragrance.

Contemporary

Pink tile with black tile trim and accents can create a male/female balance. Accent with window blinds, box or tailored valances in blacks and grays. Ceramic or porcelain vases in varying heights; solid color, clean line tissue boxes, soap dishes and waste baskets will create a contemporary feel. Black, gray towels in plain or geometric patterns capture a bold, contemporary feel.

Retro Look

If you're lucky enough to have the originals fixtures and hardware, all it takes is a bit of imagination and creativity to bring back the 50s. Stainless steel or pink ceramic toothbrush and soap holders are a start. Scour second hand shops for an old scale, magazine covers and ads to frame and hang. For fun, add a stainless steel magazine rack with old copies of Life and Look magazines. Old perfume bottles, glass cotton canisters and a vintage metal razor placed upon a stainless steel shelf can add flair.

As a final touch, fluffy pink rug sets (scatter rug, tank covers, toilet seat covers) work well in attaining the feel of days gone by.

Tags: Bathroom Decorating, Bathroom Decorating Ideas, bead board, board wainscoting, contemporary feel, crisp white, Decorating Ideas

Decorating A Dining Room With An Octagon Ceiling

Use small lights like these grouped together in the center of the octagon.

Octagon ceilings are unusual architectural features. Decorating these features shouldn’t present a chore, however. By working with the rest of the d cor in the dining room, your octagon-shaped ceiling can be a conversation starter.

Instructions

Formal D cor

1. Use a formal wooden dining table and chairs. Avoid too much ornate carving, as that will detract from the ceiling.

2. Paint the walls in a terra cotta or ocher color. Choose an eggshell or satin finish for the best results.

3. Hang a brown crystal chandelier in the center of the octagon. Opt for tinted crystals to emphasize the color scheme. Choose tinted light bulbs to avoid overly bright lights and deep shadows.

4. Install ornate crown molding around the perimeter of the octagon. Attach the crown molding to the existing ceiling with finishing nails or heavy duty construction adhesive. The crown molding will instantly draw visitors' eyes upward.

Informal D cor

5. Choose a glass table or funky mosaic tile top table. Opt for metal chairs with lively chair cushions.

6. Paint walls with a pale color, such as antique white, lilac or pale yellow in an eggshell or satin finish to help open the room up. Use a paint roller with a quarter-inch nap to paint.

7. Hide lighting by using lights that stay close to the ceiling. Many of these types of lights will have small bulbs. Keep the majority of the light grouped together in the center of the octagon.

8. Outline the interior of your octagon ceiling with a color that contrasts with the rest of your dining room color scheme. For example, a deep burgundy or bright yellow will accent the octagon perfectly.

Tags: center octagon, crown molding, ceiling with, color scheme, eggshell satin, eggshell satin finish, grouped together

Decorating A Beam Ceiling With A Fan

Close mount ceiling fans are appropriate for ceiling heights of nine feet or less.

Beam ceilings give a room a rustic or casual appeal. Beams are useful in large rooms with high ceilings because they visually bring the look of a high ceiling downward to create a more intimate space. Choosing a ceiling fan for this type ceiling is often necessary to help circulate warm or cool air depending on the season. Ceiling fans help save on your electric bill in any size room, whether it has a high ceiling or not.

Instructions

1. Choose a quality ceiling fan for your beam ceiling with a sturdy case or covering over the motor. Ceiling fans come in a wide range of prices, but if you purchase an inexpensive one, the case may be only thin metal and you will be able to hear the hum or vibrations from the motor. This can be annoying, particularly in a bedroom area.

2. Determine if you will attach the ceiling fan in the center of the room where an existing light fixture is located. This is usually the wisest choice since it will allow the fan to cool the entire room due to its convenient location. You may decide to place it on an existing central beam to draw attention to this detail if no wiring exists.

3. Match the color of the blades with the beam color or something comparable. For instance, if the beams are a dark cherry wood, it is more aesthetically pleasing to have the fan blades in the same tone, rather than a white oak shade.

4. Typically, beam ceilings are in rooms with rustic, southwestern or country decor. Do not choose a ceiling fan with a contemporary or Victorian look if this is the case. The room will not have an effective balance if you mix the styles.

5. Determine your lighting requirements in the room with the beam ceiling. If it is a bedroom, you probably do not need a ceiling fan light fixture with more than one or two bulbs. If the beam ceiling is in a kitchen or living room area, you may need at least three or four light bulb sockets to be able to see well while cooking or reading.

6. Coordinate the room size with the ceiling fan size. A small fan will tend to disappear in a large, cavernous room with beams, while a large fan will overwhelm the look of a tiny room. A good rule of thumb is that for any room larger than 12 by 12 feet you will need a fan blade span of at least 52 to 54 inches, according to the Electrical Online website. An average 10-by-12 room needs a fan blade span of 44 inches, and smaller rooms require less. Determine the size of your room by measuring the length and the width of a room with a tape measure.

7. Determine your beam ceiling height and choose a ceiling fan that has the proper mount. Rooms with a ceiling height of 9 feet or less require the installation of close mount ceiling fans. This will prevent a tall person walking through the room from being nicked in the hair or hat with a ceiling fan blade.

8. Use a special mount if you are hanging the ceiling fan from a beam in the room. Mounts for a horizontal or pitched surface on your beam are available at home supply, lighting and hardware stores. Either of the mounts may need an extension rod to ensure the fan is at an acceptable height to cool the room.

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Bathroom Cabinetry Ideas

Here, the bathroom cabinets match the warm red of the brick wall.

The types of cabinets that you have in your bathroom can affect the overall look and appearance of the room just as much as the mirror and vanity can. It's important to choose cabinets which match those focal elements such as the mirror, sink and tiles, but that also meet your needs in terms of storage and versatility.

Oak Cabinets

Oak cabinets can match nearly any color or decor scheme inside of a bathroom while anchoring the room with a sense of solidity. You can use oak in white, blue or green tiled or painted bathrooms as a warm contrast to such cool colors. Alternatively, you can use oak as a warm complement to peach, mauve, pink, red or gold bathrooms. You can feature oak cabinets with period carvings and knobs which give a clearly old-fashioned look. Alternatively, you can cut oak cabinets in sleek, minimalistic lines to match even the most modern bathrooms.

Old Dresser

You can convert an old dresser to act as the vanity or cabinet portion underneath your bathroom sink to give you an ultra modern or ultra classic appearance. This is the perfect solution for an antique or contemporary dresser that you simply don't have room for and would like to use as a free-standing cabinet. This look gives your bathroom a unique dimension that visitors are likely to notice immediately. This solution is also suitable for those who prefer to compartmentalize their things and require cabinets with more drawer space.

Open and Shut

In a modern or classic bathroom, experiment with cabinets that come with doors and ones that don't. This will force you into using the door-less cabinets as a means of decoration and display, showcasing items like seashells and beach glass, or framed pictures, lanterns or figurines. You could also just neatly fold piles of clean linens and towels for a fresh, spa-like presentation. This will hopefully also assist you in organizing your things, as you'll be forced to keep the products that you'd like out of sight in cabinets with doors, which should make them easy to find.

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Types Of Popcorn Ceiling Products

Popcorn ceilings built before 1976 are often dangerous to remove due to high asbestos levels.

Popcorn ceiling products come in a range of purposes from simple patchwork to popcorn ceiling removal or coating. Also known as acoustic ceilings for their ability to muffle sounds, popcorn ceilings are made with a thick layer of textured plaster. The process of scraping this plaster off is messy and can be dangerous, since popcorn ceilings made prior to 1976 often contain asbestos. For small ceiling repairs, popcorn ceiling patches and sprays offer a simple, low-cost solution. For large repairs, ceiling tiles create a smooth finish that covers the popcorn ceiling. For a modern finish, popcorn ceiling removal products help peel away the acoustic texture to convert the ceiling into a smooth surface.

Popcorn Ceiling Patch

Like drywall plaster, popcorn ceiling patch comes in a quart container and requires no mixing. For small drywall ceiling repairs, such as water damage, staining or peeling, use a painter's brush to dab on the ceiling patch. Made with aggregates that mimic the popcorn finish, the product adheres to the surrounding popcorn texture and blends in with the rest of the ceiling.

Popcorn Ceiling Spray

Easier to use than popcorn ceiling patch, acoustic ceiling sprays contain polymeric chips that mimic the texture of a popcorn ceiling. Select the appropriate setting on the nozzle to increase or decrease the size of the textured bumps. Spray the product directly onto the ceiling at a distance of 12 inches, overlapping the undamaged popcorn areas to blend the repair with the rest of the ceiling. Wear goggles and a protective mask and select low-odor versions of this popcorn ceiling product.

Popcorn Ceiling Tiles

Ceiling tiles adhere to the popcorn texture.

For large-scale repairs, popcorn ceiling tiles adhere to popcorn ceiling texture without the need to remove or repair it. Ideal for older ceilings that may contain asbestos, popcorn ceiling tiles come in a wide range of colors, sizes and textures, as well as a tongue and groove design to simplify installation. Using a chalk line, mark a horizontal and vertical line across the middle of the ceiling. Begin the installation of the ceiling tiles at the midpoint where the lines meet in an X. Smear a thick coat of adhesive to the back of each ceiling tile using a putty knife.

Popcorn Ceiling Removal

For easy popcorn ceiling removal, use paint instead of water to soak the acoustic texture.

To give the ceiling a smooth, modern finish, remove the popcorn ceiling layer by moistening its outer surface. In a spray bottle, mix water with liquid detergent and spray the popcorn ceiling, then scrape the moist texture with a putty knife. Alternatively, paint the popcorn ceiling with latex paint, then scrape the moist popcorn ceiling before the paint dries. Once the ceiling is bare, refinish it with drywall compound.

Painted Popcorn Ceiling Removal

To remove a popcorn ceiling that was previously painted, use a chemical paint stripper to penetrate through the dry latex and moisten the popcorn layer. Wear a mask, goggles and rubber gloves for protection as you scrape the popcorn ceiling off with a putty knife.

Tags: popcorn ceiling, popcorn ceiling, ceiling tiles, popcorn ceiling, popcorn ceiling, putty knife, 1976 often

Paint A Dark Ceiling

Pale colors reflect more light.

Crisp white paint is one option for bringing some light to a dark ceiling. If you don't want to sacrifice color, though, you can still give your room a more expansive look through painting the ceiling the same color or a slightly lighter shade of your wall color. Keep in mind that colors will look darker if your room does not get a lot of light. Using a palette of lighter colors will help counteract this.

Instructions

1. Clear the room of all unnecessary objects. Remove any furniture you can. Put canvas dropcloths on the floor. Aim portable lights at the ceiling, such as a torchiere lamp to illuminate the work area.

2. Open a can of ceiling paint. Use a stir stick to disperse the pigment.

3. Use a step stool to cut around the ceiling with your brush. Apply a strip of paint on the ceiling, where it meets the wall. Do not worry about getting paint on the wall if you are planning to paint the walls next.

4. Attach an extension pole to the handle of your paint roller. Start in one corner of the ceiling. Roll paint on in one direction, then roll across your strokes to fill in all areas with an even coat. Wait for the paint to dry.

5. Look at the ceiling to see if you need to add a second coat. If so, begin the second coat, again painting the ceiling edges. Fill in the rest of the ceiling with the roller.

Tags: ceiling with, colors will, painting ceiling, second coat, your room

Cutting Light Panels For A Drop Ceiling

A dropped ceiling can provide a room with a clean look and at the same time cover an original ceiling that is damaged. Another use for a dropped ceiling is that it can hide electrical wires and plumbing pipes. In some applications of a dropped ceiling, a type of light fixture may be used that necessitates the need for a light panel. You can cut a light panel for a dropped ceiling using the correct materials and with a small investment of time.

Instructions

1. Measure the width and the length of the opening in the dropped ceiling where the panel will be located. Use a tape measure and ensure that you include the lip of the dropped ceiling grid. Subtract a half inch from the length and the width so that you will have room to maneuver the panel into place. Record the measurements onto a piece of paper with a pencil.

2. Lay the plastic light panel on a piece of cardboard on a flat surface.

3. Mark the light panel where it must be cut to fit in the required space. Use the measurements you acquired in the first step and a straight edge to ensure that the lines you draw are straight.

4. Warm the plastic panel with a hair dryer for several minutes to make it less brittle and thereby less likely to splinter and crack as you cut it.

5. Apply painter's tape one each side of the lines you drew, which will help hold the plastic together where it is being cut.

6. Score the panel on the lines where the tape meets using a utility knife. Use the straight edge to ensure that the knife doesn't stray off the lines. Make several passes with the knife until the panel is cut completely through.

7. Fit the panel into the ceiling and make any minor adjustments to it using the utility knife.

Tags: dropped ceiling, light panel, ensure that, ceiling that, edge ensure, edge ensure that, panel into

Which Colors Make My Bathroom Look Bigger

The right colors can make a small room seem big.

Making a small bathroom look bigger is a simple trick of design. While remodeling a bathroom is a costly endeavor, painting a small bathroom can be as inexpensive as the cost of the paint. There are a number of colors and color groups that can make a small bathroom feel much bigger than it is.

Light Colors

Color is a defining feature of the bathroom. Dark colors tend to make the room feel small and cramped, while light colors, especially pastels, expand the room and make it seem bigger. Pastel colors allow the light to reach every corner of the room, and keep the room feeling bigger. Painting a bathroom with the pastel shade of any color can help the room seem much larger than it really is.

Bright Colors

Bright colors, such as yellow, can really make a bathroom pop, and seem more open. Brighter colors allow for a range of decorating schemes, and help draw the eye away from the size of the room, helping it feel bigger. Yellow is one of the best bright shades to paint a bathroom, because yellow helps the room feel lively and open. Other bright colors, such as lime green, can also work to make a bathroom feel bigger.

Cool Colors

Cool colors are the shades of blue, green and purple. Warm colors are reds, yellows and oranges. Certain warm colors can make a room feel too cramped, while cool colors allow a small room to expand. Light shades of blue, green or purple, such as lilac or sky blue, can make a small room feel big. Using a cool color can also be calming. Cool colors are a good choice for a bathroom.

Tags: room feel, colors allow, make small, small bathroom, small room, bathroom feel, blue green

Types Of Designs For Plaster Ceilings

This ornate medallion is one example of plaster ceiling designs.

Plaster is a useful material for creating a range of reliefs, patterns and designs along ceilings, providing a decorative element that draws the eye up. Decorative plaster ceilings range from understated to opulent. Drawing on a long tradition of plaster decoration spanning several centuries, modern plaster ceilings tend to give the room a historical look and play up antique furniture and old-fashioned designs. In contemporary homes, this "pre-war" flavor can provide pleasing contrast to sleek furnishings.

Plaster Medallions

Right in the center of a room's ceiling, where a chandelier would traditionally hang, a common practice is to install a plaster medallion. The medallion can range from a simple relief of a ring or a set of concentric rings to a florid, wreath-like sculpture. Among the traditional images used for the medallion, acanthus or anthemia leaves are highly traditional as are motifs using banners or ribbon-like designs. Generally, the plaster used for a medallion would be produced and designed off-site, within a plaster-worker's shop, and later installed in the home. In older homes, many plaster medallions can be carefully restored as part of a historically-sensitive renovation. When working on a plaster medallion, you'll have to take into consideration the specific type of plaster used, whether lime or gypsum. For more modern installations, you might even find plaster compounds with strands of fiberglass to lend support.

Plaster Cornices

One of the principal decorative uses of plaster on ceilings is to build up a frame around the perimeter of the ceiling. Not to be confused with crown molding, a cornice is generally more built up and ornate in design, extending further outward than crown molding, sometimes edging well up along the ceiling surface. By contrast, crown molding is usually affixed to the wall along its highest point. Usually, the plaster design of a cornice will match that of the room's medallion. In homes with extensive plaster ceiling designs, the front rooms or the rooms of the lower story, whichever are used for entertaining, usually have the most ornate cornices. By contrast, the private rooms may have a simple border.

Plaster Coffering

Coffering refers to the installation of a lattice structure across the whole of a room's ceiling. A coffered ceiling usually combines plaster with supports made from another material, potentially wood. Whatever the precise composition of the coffering structure, usually the entire latticework is completed in the plaster-worker's workshop, only to be installed afterwards using a system of wires to hoist and set it into place. Coffering is often used in large symphony halls, stations and other large gathering places due to its outstanding acoustical properties. For example, the U.S. Capitol building and Union Station in Washington, D.C. and Symphony Hall in Boston all use coffering on their ceilings.

Tags: crown molding, ceiling designs, plaster ceiling, plaster ceiling designs, plaster ceilings, plaster medallion

Install 2 X 4 Drop Ceiling Tiles

Easily create a drop ceiling with ceiling panels.

Installing a drop ceiling in a room is a viable alternative to installing a drywall ceiling. Drywall ceilings involve a lot more work to finish due to the mudding, sanding and painting processes. Also if you have piping, ductwork or other wiring that you may need to access in the ceiling at a later date is nearly impossible with a drywall ceiling. It will likely be destroyed in the process. Drop ceiling tiles can be popped out as necessary to access items above the ceiling. They also require very few tools for installation. Larger 2 foot by 4 foot panels install quickly.

Instructions

1. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water and prepare a surface that is clean and free of dirt and debris to stage you tiles. Ceiling tiles are bright white and they can become dirty very easily.

2. Pick up your 2-by-4 drop ceiling tile and carry it up the ladder. Position it below the ceiling grid with the finished side facing down.

3. Tilt one corner of the ceiling tile up toward the ceiling grid to allow the ceiling tile to slide past the grid.

4. Position the ceiling tile so that it is horizontal. Slowly lower the ceiling tile down into the ceiling grid. It should rest perfectly flat on the bottom of the grid.

Tags: ceiling tile, ceiling grid, drop ceiling, drywall ceiling

Determine If A Ceiling Should Run Vertical Or Horizontal

Before you install ceiling material, whether it is decorative paneling or drywall, it is important to consider which way the material will be installed -- horizontally or vertically. With drywall, the direction you choose will affect the installation process. For wood paneling or ceiling tiles that are not squared, the direction they run will have an effect on the visual dimension of the room, making it appear either wider or longer.

Instructions

1. Measure the length and width of the room. If you have a very narrow room, installing decorative paneling horizontally will make the room appear wider than it actually is. Likewise, if the room is wider than it is long, vertical paneling will make the room appear longer than it is.

2. Consider the shape of the ceiling. If your room is not a square or a rectangle, but is an "L" shape, hang the drywall horizontally to reduce the amount of seams and the amount of trimming you will have to do.

3. Check the ceiling joists for levelness. In newer homes, this is typically not a problem. In older homes however, joists are rarely perfectly level. If you hang drywall over unlevel joists vertically, this can create what is known as a "wave" pattern. Hanging the drywall horizontally will reduce this effect.

4. Consider the area of the ceiling. Drywall panels are typically sold in 4-by-8 foot sheets. Although you can special-order them in 10- or 12-foot lengths, most stores are going to stock the standard 8-foot length. If you have a ceiling that is less than 8 feet wide, hang the drywall horizontally. This will reduce the amount of seams that you will have to tape. If the ceiling is wider than 8 feet, install the drywall vertically.

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Southwest Design Ideas Kitchens

A kitchen needs to reflect the user's personality. In that respect, there are many designs to choose from. A southwestern kitchen design is very popular, but people interpret a southwestern kitchen in different ways. An Indian or Aztec theme is preferable to some while others will want more of a country style.

Chili Peppers

Southwestern style accents often include chili peppers. Chili peppers are used for decoration on things such as oven mitts, potholders, trivets, salt and pepper shakers, and place mats. Chair cushions can be in complementary colors of red or green. Curtains for a chili pepper theme will be in varying shades of red and/or green with small images of chili peppers spread throughout the curtain.

For countertops, install ceramic tiles in a solid color with a chili pepper tile placed randomly throughout the countertop. Display kitchen towels with a southwestern theme throughout the kitchen to complete the look.

Indian Theme

An Indian theme is an excellent choice for a southwestern style. Colorful braided rugs on the floor along with different-sized baskets and Indian figurines placed on shelving throughout the room are options. Pictures of Indians, campgrounds or desert landscapes hung from the walls are often found in a southwestern kitchen. The use of clay pots sitting on the countertop are an excellent touch to hold large utensils.

Continuing the Indian theme with leather-covered bar stools and towels with geometric Aztec designs are added options. Southwest-style curtains and a dream catcher in the window create a southwestern look as well.

Dinnerware

Dinnerware in contrasting colors used in the theme add another element to the southwestern design. Purchase countertop appliances in contrasting colors as well.

Glassware choices can be colored or clear. Small whiskey or highball glasses lend a more southwestern look to the kitchen.

Stemware is also available with a southwestern theme. A cactus or Aztec design on the silverware adds a nice touch.

Neutral Colors

Neutral tones of brown, beige, black, green and red are the most common in southwestern themes. As long as the accent pieces and overall design of a southwest kitchen is a design that the user considers southwestern, the possibilities are great. There is not a defined look for a southwestern style kitchen.

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Clean Crown Molding

Crown molding is usually painted with interior house paint and is cleaned in the same manner you would clean a painted wall. The challenge to clean crown molding is to reach it. For best results, use an appropriately sized stepladder along with your cleaning tools.

Instructions

1. Dust the crown molding with a duster on an extension pole or while standing on a stepladder. If you do not have a duster, use a dry rag. If you do not have a ladder or an extension pole for your duster, drape a dry rag over the head of a broom and use it to remove dust and cobwebs from the crown molding.

2. Pour 1/4 cup of ammonia into a gallon of warm water in a bucket.

3. Dip a clean rag into the bucket and wring it out until the rag is just damp, not sopping wet.

4. Wipe the crown molding with the damp rag while standing on a stepladder to remove any stubborn dirt or stains from the crown molding. If you do not have a stepladder, you can drape the damp rag over a broom as you did to dust but you may have difficulty removing stubborn stains.

5. Fill a bucket with clean water. Dip a clean rag into the bucket of clean water and wring it out.

6. Wipe the crown molding with the rag to rinse the ammonia from the surface.

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Bathroom Plumbing Designs

Keeping the plumbing along one wall is a cost-effective way to renovate a bathroom.

With proper planning, bathrooms can be the relaxing spa-like retreat you envision. Ceramic and glass tile, mosaic patterns, separated showers and tubs, double sinks and open showers can add to the luxurious feeling of the bath. Before buying material and starting the project, think about electrical outlets, energy and water conservation, maintenance and plumbing systems. And check with your local building department to ensure that your renovations conform to the building codes and specifications.

Planning the Plumbing Design

To plan your new bathroom, view remodeling handbooks, bathroom renovation magazines and tile showrooms, preferably with bathroom setups, to get ideas for your renovated bathroom. Use graph paper to draw a floor plan of your existing bathroom to scale, with each inch of the graph paper representing 1 foot of your bathroom. Include wall details, the location of windows and doors, and the location of electrical outlets, fixtures and switches. If your renovation simply replaces the tub, toilet and sinks and keeps them in the same place, you can save money. Draw the new layout with details such as electrical wiring and plumbing in mind.

Plumbing Design Considerations

When you design the bathroom, keep in mind that moving the existing plumbing lines can add to the cost of the project. Radical modifications to the existing layout can mean making structural changes that are not only expensive, but need to be designed to pass building inspection. On the other hand, your existing bathroom might need solutions to problems like privacy, additional counter space and allowances for more than one person to use the bath at the same time. A bathroom layout that uses the concept of a wet wall with all the plumbing, water supply and drain-waste-vent pipes along the same wall saves on materials and makes repairs easier.

One-Wall Plumbing Layout Designs

You have a couple of options for laying out the plumbing design of a bathroom with one wet wall. The one-wall bathroom situates the sink, tub, shower and toilet along the same wall. While this layout is common and is generally the most economical, it can have an ordinary look and lack interest. An interesting color palette, fixtures and tiling can spruce up an ordinary bathroom layout. If space allows, an L-shaped bathroom with the vanity, sink and toilet on one side wall and the bathtub along the back adds interest to the layout but keeps costs down because plumbing remains on the same wall as other fixtures.

Multiple-Wall Plumbing Layout Designs

The corridor bathroom layout features the vanity, sink and toilet along one wall, and the bathtub on the opposite wall. This bathroom layout requires plumbing on two walls. U-shaped bathroom layouts are the most spacious and open, but require a larger, square bathroom. Many bathrooms found in newer homes feature the tub and shower separated in a U-shaped layout. This layout can get costly, because plumbing fixtures are typically placed on three walls in the U-shaped bath.

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