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Environmentally friendly houses are a factor an exceptional environment and save owners money. By reducing energy consumption, utility bills decrease and fewer harmful gasses are released into the local environment. This combination presents a actual “win-win” opportunity for property owners. The process of going “green” may mean buying an energy efficient house, altering an existing property or replacing appliances. There are also less expensive ways to begin. Commencing does not have to be a prolonged process or difficult. For example, there are now proficient energy experts who will calculate how energy is being used at your home, make helpful recommendations and seal up seepage and airflows that are consuming energy and causing unnecessary expense. These experts charge relatively small fees that are rapidly balanced by the result of their efforts. At all times, seek out individuals with proper credentials then check references to ensure a successful outcome.

Control Your Home’s Energy Usage and Decrease Bills

Not surprisingly, it is feasible to carry out your own energy evaluation. Begin by seeking leaks or drafts in foundations, rafters, entries and casements. Check baseboards and receptacle. Seal off drafts, gaps and openings with helpful solutions like caulk, spray foam or window tape. Ask your local hardware store which items will fix your energy leaks. Check with local utilities for information on peak energy hours. Decrease appliance consumption during those hours and do not over or under load your dishwasher, washer or dryer. Oversize loads cause motors to labor harder and generate unneeded expense. Switch off all lights when leaving a room or home.

Air conditioning bills can be reduced by closing curtains and blinds during the hottest times of the day and maintaining closed WINDOWS. It is also important to choose a temperature to set your thermostat at and to persist with it. Variable temperatures consume more electricity than maintaining the air conditioning on the same temperature. Programmable thermostats maintain a stable temperature going and saves up to 20 percent on electric bills.

Buy an Energy Efficient House that is Built Green

If you are thinking about buying a different home, why not make it a “green” house? Today’s pioneering home builders are erecting eco-friendly properties that come with excellent insulation, energy saving WINDOW TREATMENTS and windows, and appliances that are invented to save resources. You can obtain this type of house on the MLS or by getting in touch with a local realtor. Try to find an agent that specializes in eco-friendly houses. Possessing an energy efficient property is a smart decision in today’s real estate market. These homes are desired and are inclined to resell quickly. Buyers like inhabiting modern homes that are invented to look after their welfare and let them be socially conscientious.

If the present is not quite the best time to buy, think about making home improvements that will make your property modern with the latest developments in eco-friendly living. Special flooring, carpeting, cooling and blinds are available that are energy efficient. You can even write off certain kinds of pre-specified renovations on your taxes. Check with your accountant for details. Commence eco-friendly living today and make our world a better place!

Lee Bell
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/going-greenhow-to-upgrade-the-environment-723782.html

The world of WINDOW TREATMENTS goes beyond curtains and blinds. There are entire lines of accessories. If you thought the only additions to your rooms that window treatments made were some blinds for privacy and a flashy fabric to add visual appeal, then you’ll enjoy this article! There is an entire line of accessories for curtains that anyone trying to dress up a room with some inexpensive techniques should know about.

Curtain Tie Backs

Do you ever walk into a room and notice the beautiful swoop of curtains that are open and tied back? If you’re looking to create this elegant touch with your curtains, you have a few different options. Thick cording with tassel ends tends to be popular tie back. You can also buy various different hooks that mount on the wall. Some hooks are larger, intended to hold the entire curtain panel back on its own while others are smaller and meant to hold the curtain tie in place.

Pulls

You can also buy decorative knobs to attach to the end of your blind pulls. These add a touch of class to the functional style of blinds or any other curtains that are controlled with a pull. There are also wrought iron draw rods. Instead of a string, rope or chain, these pull rods are solid. They are the most unique of the pulls and can really catch the eye.

Trimmings

If you’re looking for curtains to dress up a room and don’t want something as plain as a solid fabric, or as flashy as a floral or pattern, trimmings might be the answer for you. You can have trimmings added to the edge of your curtains. Trimmings can be as simple as a braided or cord edge or as elaborate as tasseled or bobbled fringe. This is a simple decorating option that I believe is often overlooked.

Coordinating Options

Many places offer services that will make decorative throw pillows or head boards to match your curtain choice. This is a nice thoughtful touch to any room. If you’ve found that fabric that gives a room that special something that makes people stop and compliment your savvy decorating eye, than why not have that same fabric turned into some pillows or a table runner? This is a fantastic way tie a room together with consistent flow.

Ross M. Goldberg
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/window-accessories-dress-them-up-93562.html

Sometimes, regardless of the vast variety of curtains available in the market, we simply can’t find what we’re looking for, and often times when we do, we can’t afford it. But you don’t need anyone to do it for you; you are as capable as it takes, to do it yourself !

- Gather your supplies, fabric, scissors, screws, rings or ribbon, and use your imagination. In less than an hour you will manage to decorate that empty window effectively and inexpensively.

- Choose a fabric you like. Avoid quilted fabrics as they can stretch or shrink over time. Fibres like cotton and linen, especially with polyester and micro fibres, hold up better than others. Avoid silk or silk blends, because they tend to rot and fade very quickly. Make sure you buy enough fabric. Double height of the window and three times width, should be fine.

- For curtains with rings, stitch an approximately 3-inch hem at the edge of the curtain panels that are going to be hung. Sew each ring to each curtain panel leaving small distances between the rings so that the curtain is pulled easily. You can also use clip-on rings.

- For tied tab curtains you need to create the hangers. Simply stitch horizontal buttonholes at the top of the curtain panel. You can make the hangers using the same fabric as the curtains, or another but suitable fabric for a little diversity. Make threads and place through the buttonholes.

- No sew curtains are also a smart and easy way to make curtains. The fabric should be 3 inches more than double the height of the window and 2 inches more than the width of the window. Pull the fabric through the rod and fold evenly. Stitch the two ends of the fabric at the bottom and at the sides together. When the curtain is ready; place a single fabric band in the centre of the curtain or use two purchased tiebacks evenly spaced along the width of your window. Then adjust folds of fabric panel as desired.

Michael Douglas
http://www.articlesbase.com/accessories-articles/making-customized-curtains-and-drape-for-WINDOWS-inexpensively-professionally-at-home-92896.html

Curtains are a beautiful, elegant part of any home. They are one of those small, warm touches necessary to transform a House from someplace where you simply stay, to a place where you feel at home. When looking for a window curtain design for your home, you want to make sure you find the right one to give your place the proper atmosphere of warmth and comfort. Here are a few tips regarding the components of various curtain designs, and some ideas to help you decide on a Look for your curtains.

Curtain Rods – regarding curtain rods, some decorative ideas include using brass designs at the ends of the rod, or even exotic carvings. Also, curtain rods aren’t just a matter of picking something to hang your curtains from. You can actually buy matched sets of curtain rods that will allow you to layer multiple curtains in tiers, giving you more creative options when it comes to your design.

Curtain Ties – curtain ties hold back the curtains from the window, allowing sunlight in. More than this, however, the PLACEMENT of a tie can be itself a decorative touch. Some people for example split the curtain in the middle of the window and use ties to hold the curtains at the edges of the window, essentially framing it.

Others use a single tie and a single piece of fabric, tying the curtain to one side, giving the window a unique look that can be likened to a woman wearing a single-strap dress. The height of the ties also allows some control over the pattern of the curtain. While usually placed in the middle of the height of the window, ties can be placed higher up the curtain to allow the fabric to billow out, or can be placed lower down to give the curtain a more fluffy effect.

Curtain Fabric – The actual fabrics used in the curtain are important, obviously. The choices to explore are entirely to your taste. You can choose from a wide variety of cloths, from warm, down to earth choices like cotton, to the more elegant options of silk, satin, and lace. The color and design patterns on the fabric are likewise another area to let your creativity take free rein.

Some people for example prefer solid earth colors, while others prefer brighter ones on their curtains. Solid colors aside, floral print curtains enjoy a lot of popularity as well. Taking into account the additional layering options provided by using multiple curtain rods and ties, it’s also possible to mix and match different fabrics and different colors to further give your home’s window curtains a unique appeal.

The above three are the basic, simple components of any window curtain set. Aside from them, the cut of the cloth and the manner in which it falls are also factors to take into account when looking for a window design. Here are a few of the more popular window design types that you can choose from that will be readily available from most curtain manufacturers:

Valance – a valance is not a curtain per se, but rather is a short drapery lain across the top of the window. It accents the curtain across the supporting rod, and adds a nice, neat little layering effect.

Swag – swag curtains are designed with a reverse V-shaped cut across the bottom. This means that the window itself is displayed between the 2 sides of the V, which themselves frame the window beautifully.

Panel Curtain – this is the classic type of curtain composed of a flat, square piece of cloth that hangs down from the curtain rod.

Ruffle – ruffle curtains are designs that have a vertical rippling effect, making the window curtain look like it’s flowing instead of looking like just a piece of hanging cloth.

Sheer – Sheer curtains are made from semi-transparent material, and are popular because they let sunlight in easily and have an ethereal and relaxing quality about their appearance.

Scarf Curtains – this design is similar to a Valence in that it’s main feature is a piece of fabric supported across the rod to accentuate the main curtain near the top. But where a valence is generally a square piece of additional paneling, a scarf curtain’s accent is tied tightly upwards at the ends of the curtain rod, allowing only the central part of the scarf to cascade downwards.

The designs given above are not mutually exclusive to each other; rather, they themselves can be mix and matched by a creative mind to make even more elaborate designs. For example, you can go with a Ruffled Panel Curtain made of Sheer Fabric, or a Swag Curtain with a Scarf to accentuate it. These are just a few samples of the things you can do.

Lee Dobbins
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/different-styles-of-window-coverings-add-drama-to-your-home-54073.html

Before, they were used to simply serve their purpose – hang curtains. Today, curtain rods are more than just a tool. They have evolved into a more functional, more sophisticated devices that do not just hang curtains but also compliment and enhance the overall effect of the drapes.

Showing more skin, rods are no longer the typical metal or wooden sticks used to hang curtains. They have evolved into remarkable works of skill or talent, showing every design as an intricate sketch of masterpiece.

Wooden curtain rods are now made more sophisticated and classy. Most of them are handmade and crafted with the most top-rated materials to bring out the beauty of the wooden material.

Various designs were sculptured in the wood, with different glaze materials or varnish as the finishing touches. Hence, you can make either a Victorian or a Western-inspired window with rods that were made from high-quality wooden materials.

On the other hand, the solid and powerful effect of metal curtain rods is no longer confined to the usual plain metal stick. With the growing popularity of metal rods, consumers now have more choices. They can choose from a wide array of metal rods such as solid brass, chrome, graphite with brass, and brushed chrome.

With a wider range of choices, more and more manufacturers tried to develop newer, fresher, and more exquisite designs to compliment, contrast, or enhance the beauty of curtains. They can even modify plain curtains by transforming them into something more elegant.

Installing curtain rods has also evolved into an innovation, bringing ease and convenience in mounting rods on walls, woods, or other types of surfaces. Hence, whether you live in a castle, cabin, or the classic abode, there is certainly a good curtain rod that will suit your taste, your style, and of course, your curtains.

However, curtain rods do not just differ according to their designs or structures. They also differ in sizes and shapes. Hence, it is important to measure your WINDOWS first before you go out and buy your rods.

Here are some things you must consider when buying curtain rods:

1. Your windows

Your windows have different sizes, according to your plan when you were just building your house. And even if you have bought a ready-made house, window sizes are not standard for all types of houses. Hence, it is extremely important to measure your windows first before you start buying your rods.

All you have to do is to measure the outside part of your window. This is where you will mount your curtain rods. It is best to have the correct size than to waste time and money by going back to the store just because you have to wrong size.

Keep in mind that as a rule, your rods should always be longer than your window by as much as 5 inches. This ensures total coverage for your windows.

2. Your curtains

Of course, you should never start buying the rods without looking first at the curtains that you will use. The types of curtains you will use will determine the type of rod that you have to buy.

For example, if you will be using the typical designs of curtains that flow straight down the wall, you will have to buy a chrome curtain rod, for heavier drapes, you need to buy stronger metals such as graphite with brass or solid brass.

3. Strength of the curtain rod

You would not want your curtains sagged unattractively down your windows, right? Hence, to avoid such dilemma, it is best to choose rods according to their strength and capacity to hold a certain type of drapes or curtains.

For heavier curtains, it is best to choose stronger, more solid rods. Supporting devices should also be considered. These brackets provide end-to-end support for the rod, as well as support for the middle portion of the curtain rod.

4. Your budget

Curtain rods can be very expensive especially if they were made from high-quality materials. Hence, if you cannot afford to buy those expensive kinds, it is best to stick the ordinary.

Keep in mind that decorating your home with good sets of curtain rods can change the way people will look at it. However, it does not necessarily mean that you have to spend more than what you can afford just to decorate your house.

So the next time you buy your curtain rods, consider these factors and you will definitely make a big difference. Even if curtain rods are generally seen as something that holds up your curtains, they can also reflect the kind of personality that you have.

Lee Dobbins
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/curtain-rod-tips-or-how-to-hang-your-curtains-in-style-56027.html