New Demands For 2012

New for design trends this year is the emergence of minimalistic industrial-looking garden furniture. As we are nearing summer, people want their gardens to look as stylish as their houses and what better way to do that than in the designer way. More experimental than ever, this year’s designers are going all out to ensure the demand is met with an efficiency and creativity unlike ever before.

Designer outdoor lighting styles have usually been quite romantic and luxurious, but now the style has changed a bit. The example below is one of many that are both extremely practical and desirable for outside patios and/or roof top gardens. The Luna Garden Lights come with an extended arm which the lights hang from. It is highly manoeuvrable, meaning that it would not be too difficult to change its position from one place to another.

Source by: Iris Design Studio

In keeping with this modern trendy look, black outdoor furniture is popular with designers at the moment. The rattan chair set has great shape, the metal frame is rust-proof and it is suitable and durable for all types of weather conditions. It would be perfect with a glass coffee table and some comfortable cushions on your patio or lawn.

Also this year, not new, but revitalised, is the demand for leather sofas with a classic, antique aesthetic. Suitable for many spaces, whether your lounge is large or small, and decorated elaborately or subtly, a leather sofa like the one below could add that extra layer of suave to your home. For larger spaces, more than one with either matching or mismatching cushions could be an idea, although for a smaller space, it is best to keep the clutter to a minimum, providing the comfort of the area is up to scratch.

Sam Milby's House

It's been a long while since the last time I featured a celebrity house in this blog. I think the last one that I featured here was the condo unit of Jake Cuenca. Now, I want to feature another celebrity house, it's no no less than the house of famous heart throb Sam Milby. I actually able to watch this episode on Boy Abunda's show and it really fascinates me how grand and unique Sam Milby's house is.

Without further ado, let's take a peek on Sam's lovely abode.

Screen shots from ABS-CBN's Kris TV.

Improvised Table

This is the improvised table that I've made for my room. Would you believe that this is just made from empty boxes? We just had our office set up weeks ago and there were lots of empty boxes that have to be thrown. I suddenly thought that I need a desk for my room and instead of buying a real one, I just made use of those empty boxes. I just bought some wall pictures and made use of these glossy posters to cover my desk and voila! I have an instant desk that's really neat and cute. The excess wall picture was used to complement my desk.

Isn't it cool? My expenses for my table? THB160 or $5. :)

Dealing With Plumbing Problems In Your Kitchen

One of the biggest challenge that I've personally encountered at home is when our kitchen sink clogged up. We all know that one of the most used part of the kitchen is the sink and we can't afford to have this not in proper order for a long period of time. However, the problem is that in our place, it's not quite easy to look for a reliable plumbing service. I've had a bad experience with some plumbers a couple of times when I had my clogged sink done but in less than a week, my house helper reported to me a leak on the drain pipe which had driven me nuts. The plumber asked me to purchase some new pipes but wasn't able to fix it well which made me feel dissatisfied with the job. I hate dirty jobs being done inside the house especially on the kitchen as this is the busiest part of my house. Having the job repeated had caused me a lot of inconveniences. Since then, I asked my house helper and members of the family to avoid causing things to clog up in the drain. More so, I've done a research on how to prevent this thing from recurring.

First we have to identify what causes the drain to clog. Getting rid of fibrous waste before using the sink can help. Another cause of clogging the drain is the accumulated grease when washing pots and pans. Left over oil from those pots and pans should be thrown elsewhere and not straight down to the sink. If of little amount only, it would be best to use some paper towels to get rid of the grease. Those extra grains of rice that are being washed out from the plates is another cause of clogging as well as the build up of those food debris.

Well, there are some practical ways to clear the drain and one of which is the use of baking soda and vinegar. Some also pour hot water down the drain to get rid of the grease. It would be nice to know the basics and address the problem right then and there and just call a plumber to work on major problems.

However, it would be best to have a reliable plumber whom we can trust and is readily available for such plumbing emergencies. That way, even if you're not at home when the problem arises, anyone in your house could attend to the problem by just contacting your trusted plumber.

Sometimes, simple problems at home can be so disastrous but having yourself equipped with the basic know how and a reliable service provider can put you on the right perspective.

Exotic Outdoors

Since it's summer time, you probably would love to convert your outdoor space into something that would give you peace and comfort. These exotic outdoor designs will definitely rock your place!

This outdoor design by Jamie Durie caught my attention. I love anything that's vibrant and colorful. Incorporating wall planters added to the freshness of the entire courtyard.

How do you love the design of this South-Africa-inspired backyard makeover? The private bath surrounded by lanterns and masks along the fence line adds drama to the whole place.

A Bali inspired design with a water feature that's definitely cool and refreshing to the sight.