Posted by Debora Brent on Jun 30, 2021 in News | 0 comments

Renovating your home can be your long-time dream and you are so excited to start the process. You’ve already hired the best architect and interior designer to make sure your home will be the best. You’ve already chosen the tiles, wall colors, materials to be used, and all other necessary things. Now the first day of the project is coming up; how will you efficiently prepare your house? Here are some points that may help you systematically prepare your family and your house for the upcoming renovation:

1. Where will you stay?

This largely depends on how big the renovation is. If you’re going to renovate the kitchen or bathroom only, then you can stay in your normal bedroom or anywhere in the house you prefer. Just make sure that this part of the house can serve as retreat from the noise and chaos of the ongoing construction.  

But if you’re planning a whole house renovation, you may want to consider other living arrangements like staying in a hotel, a family or a friend, or in an apartment. Just make sure that you’re living close enough to your house so you can check in and monitor the progress every day.

2. Where will you put your stuff?

Again, for small renovations, it may not be necessary to pack up your stuff. But for larger renovations, you need to pack and store things like important documents, gadgets, appliances, favorite antiques, etc. You can look for companies like this one that offer storage container rental services so that you won’t have to buy your own storage boxes. These companies also offer a convenient storing place. For the cheapest storage containers, you can check out Equipment Base here. It is wise to be organized in storing. For example, you can store all appliances, books, furniture, and documents in separate boxes and label them accordingly.

3. Do you need to cover up?

Will the contractors do any prep on the site? They usually do, but if not, then you have to do all you can to minimize the accumulated dust and debris around your house. You should cover furniture, shelves, cabinets, and other stuff that cannot be moved easily. Also put protective tarp or plastic on the floor. Remove curtains, tablecloths and other rugs around the house. You can also put plastic sheeting to ward off dust from entering certain parts of the house.

4. Do you have pets?

Pet lovers should watch out for the potential dangers of construction to their pets. Some pets like dogs and cats hate noise and can actually be traumatized by it. They may also get in trouble by wandering around the house too much. If you will stay at the house during the renovation, get them a safe and comfy place to stay in most of the time.

5. How much will you need?

While you’ve crunched the numbers for months now and you think you know exactly how much it’s going to take, you still need a backup fund. Prepare a budget around 10 percent more than your estimate so you won’t be caught off-guard when the contractors find some “little things” that need to be repaired. Most of the time, there are mold growths, old house parts, or leaky pipes that need to be addressed before the renovation proceed. 

Posted by Debora Brent on Jun 5, 2021 in News | 0 comments

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States, with more than two million people diagnosed with the condition annually. It’s so common that it is projected that 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of their lifetime. This is somehow expected, though, given that Americans really love their tanning machines and chemicals.

Despite its wide spread, preventing skin cancer is incredibly easy and can be done just by following these rules:

1. Do not tan. Tanning in any form, whether at a tanning booth or at the beach, is dangerous for the skin. People who use tanning beds have 2.5 times higher chances to develop squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Occasional sunbed use increases your risk of getting melanoma three times. Even if tanning booths say that their bulbs are safe, these bulbs emit UV rays 12 times stronger than that of the sun.
2. Don’t expose yourself to the sun from 10AM to 4PM. This is the time of the day when the sun’s rays are strongest. Don’t head out unprotected during these times: wear a hat or hoodie and use an umbrella. Jog early morning or late afternoon, never at midday.
3. Apply sunscreen protection with SPF15 or higher every day. The SPF, or the Sun Protection Factor, determines how long you can be exposed to sunlight without getting sunburned. A sunscreen with SPF 15 allows you to be exposed to sunlight 15 times longer without getting sunburn. Wear it every day regardless of the weather. Even in winter, you have to cover your face and body thoroughly with sunscreen. Why? Sunlight reflects of ice, water, snow, and sad, so UVR effects intensify by up to 80 percent. You have to apply it thirty minutes before going out and reapply it every two hours. Use waterproof sunscreen if you’re going to swim.
4. Undergo annual skin cancer examination. This is especially important for kids, teens, those with fair skin, and has a family history of skin cancer. A professional skin cancer exam will determine if you or your child is at risk or is currently developing any types of skin cancer. If ever you’re diagnosed with skin cancer, one of the best options is to undergo Mohs Surgery in Calgary. For more details: http://www.totalskincarecentre.com/treatments/mohs-surgery/.  

Posted by Debora Brent on Jun 3, 2021 in News | 0 comments

Doors have long since ceased to be merely functional parts of the house that kept out bad weather and livestock. Along with their security functions, entry doors now welcome guests and give them a hint of the beautiful and well cared for homes behind them. Here are some types of classic entry door:

The Dutch Double Door
In Old Forest Hill Toronto, where I am from, Dutch Double Doors are popular. And it is no wonder, a local entry door manufacturer supplies everyone with them. These doors, found in Dutch colonial homes from the 17th to the early 19th centuries, were famous because the top and bottom halves could be opened and closed separately. Historians believe this was to keep livestock out of the house while allowing in light and fresh air. Now, Dutch doors are most often to be found in the back of a home, but there are still examples of Dutch colonial houses which still have Dutch double doors at the front entrance. Indeed, other types of house styles have adopted the Dutch door. Some can be found in Georgian houses or even in Federal style houses where the door has an elaborate surround.

The Georgian Door
These stately doors often have panels in rows of two or three, and some have lights in the transom. But many are known for their elaborate door surrounds. Some of the doors are bordered by columns or pilasters, and many have pediments. The most common pediments are triangular or arched. More uncommon pediments are ogee type, and doors with broken pediments with finals are quite infrequent. Other plain doors have panels but no lights, lights in the door above pairs of panels, a double line of lights above the door or a fanlight. Fanlights, however, are considered more of the style of Federal architecture.

The Federal Door
Many Federal style doors are very elaborate. They can be set in beautiful porticos with balustrades, pediments or entablatures held up by columns. Many have sidelights with filled in fanlights above the doors while others have sidelights with elliptical or semi-circular fanlights. Others have closed pediments or decorated entablatures.

The Tudor Door
The entry door in a Tudor house is often set inside of a deep porch with a Tudor arch and may itself be arched. It’s often made of wide planks or board and batten with a single small window. Architectural details around the door or its porch are often little stone tabs that give a quoin-like effect. The spacing of these tabs can be regular or random.

The Spanish Revival Door
These doors can be very ornate and give a guest a feeling of heaviness and grandeur. The door is often surrounded by spiral columns, tiles with vivid patterns and bas relief ornamentation. The door itself can be made of solid wood and can be arched, covered with beautifully wrought metal grills or decorated with intricate hardware.

The Ranch House Door
Much of the focus of a ranch house’s exterior seems to be its entry door. Many ranch houses have sheltered entries tucked beneath the roof overhangs. These entries hold many types of doors, including double doors, unglazed doors with panels, paneled doors with sidelights, transom lights or unpaneled doors with small, artfully placed lights in them.

Posted by Debora Brent on Jun 2, 2021 in News | 0 comments

Most people automatically associate tummy tucks with vanity. After all, who wants to live with a pouch of fat hanging over their skirt or trouser waistbands?  There is more than one reason to have a tummy tuck, medically known as an abdominoplasty.  I have the top five here so have a look and see if you think you might be suitable for one:

• To get rid of loose flabby skin

Diet and exercise is really the best way to do this but if you are on a healthy diet and you do undertake regular exercise and it isn’t working you might want to consider a tummy tuck. This kind of surgery concentrates on tightening up the inner girdle and reshapes the walls of the abdomen, giving you a much tighter, flatter and smoother surface.

• To get rid of post-partum stretch marks

This is one of the more common reasons and many post-partum women look to surgery to remove ugly stretch marks.  During pregnancy, the skin and the muscle stretches leaving behind silvery stretch marks that are not attractive. This is also the case with people who lost large amounts of weight.  A tummy tuck can get rid of these completely. Can I just say here that you should always seek proper medical advice about this kind of surgery. Searching the internet for information on a tummy tuck in Minneapolis, I found a useful site for a great clinic, full of tips and information.

• To remove scarring left by surgery

Women who have had a caesarian and men or women who have scarring from previous surgery might benefit from a tummy tuck, as it will get rid of most the scars and leave the skin refreshed, flat and free of blemishes.

• To look good

Some people feel very self-conscious about wearing skimpy underclothes or swim wear because of the shape or size of their stomachs.  Although the procedure will leave two scars at the most, they are only small ones and they are much more preferable than a belly that sticks out!

It’s also good for self-esteem and a better self-image, boosting confidence and the feeling that we can finally ditch out oversized clothes and wear something a little more shapely and sexy.

• To take care of ourselves, now and in the future

Having a tummy tuck can make you sit up and take notice of how you look after yourself. This is not just physical either. Seeing yourself with a flat sexy stomach after surgery can have a psychological effect on you to the extent that you want to stay looking like that and will do what’s necessary.

At the end of the day, you can’t beat a healthy diet and good exercise. A tummy tuck is not a permanent solution and is not a means of weight loss. If the flat toned stomach the surgeon gave you is to stay, it’s going to take work from you.

Please let me reiterate something I said earlier. If you do decide a tummy tuck is the way to go make sure you seek full medical advice from a qualified doctor or surgeon first. For those of you looking for a tummy tuck in San Diego, this clinic is one of the best to go to.