Browse Category: Eclectic Homes

How to Choose a Hearth Rug

Rugs keep your toes warm and prevent you from slipping on slick tiles, and some serve a more special purpose — such as stopping grass and leaves in the door or protecting flooring beneath them, especially in high traffic areas or around fireplaces. Hearthrugs are specially designed rugs that help prevent fires and other damage by protecting the wood flooring or carpeting beneath them from prying fireplace embers.

Safety First

Before you purchase a hearthrug, look for a guarantee that the carpet is fire-resistant. Although there are health concerns connected with fire retardants, a natural fiber hearthrug is 1 item that makes them vital. Wood-burning fireplaces frequently pop and crackle, throwing little bits of burning embers a few feet out on the floor. While stone and ceramic floors won’t burn, hardwood and carpet floors can catch fire. Hearthrugs can be found in conventional wool Oriental carpet patterns and colors, and you may occasionally see them in solid colors. If you’ve got a traditional decor and cost is not a consideration, then look for wool fiber rugs.

Fiberglass

A modern alternative to a conventional cloth hearthrug is just manufactured with fiberglass. Flying embers that territory on a fiberglass rug will burn out harmlessly. Also, you do not need to worry about toxic fire retardants because fiberglass rugs aren’t treated with chemicals. Because they are vinyl backed, fiberglass hearth rugs wo not slip or slip on a hardwood floor. These rugs are currently only available in solid neutral colors, which would match a modern decor.

Nylon and Olefin

If you’re looking for more interesting patterns to spice up your decor while guarding your flooring, then consider nylon. Nylon hearthrugs will not burn, but the fibers are going to melt when struck by a hot ember. Hearthrugs produced of olefin, another artificial fiber, will char whether a burning log rolls them, but they wo not burnoff. Both nylon and olefin rugs are more affordable than the more expensive wool or fiberglass hearthrugs. You can see them in a range of patterns and colors for every decor design, from animal prints to sports-team themes.

Shape

Hearth rugs come in three basic shapes — rectangular, half round and oval. Rectangular fireplace rugs sit flat against the right edge of your hearth and therefore are usually 22 inches deep. Half-round fireplace rugs, which appear like half of a circle, also sit flat against the hearth and therefore are normally 26 inches deep in the center. Oval fireplace rugs are frequently braided and could suit a country-style decor. You can occasionally find nylon rugs cut to appear like an animal pelt.

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The way to Ground a Chandelier

Despite their outwardly verdant outside, a chandelier is little more than a typical light fixture in an elegant package. A chandelier requires a hot lead, a neutral and a ground wire connected to the light switch to be able to operate. The bottom on a chandelier is linked to a copper cable within the junction box that connects back into the grounded bus pub within a breaker panel. You can ground a chandelier to the bottom wire in the junction box in a couple of minutes using some hand tools.

Turn off the main circuit breaker into the home. Remove the switch cover at the wall switch with a screwdriver, and also hold a non-contact electrical tester to the wires around the side of the chandelier’s wall switch. If the light on the tester illuminates, the circuit still has power.

Remove the cover to the electric breaker panel and locate the circuit for the chandelier. Follow the black wire from the breaker into the perimeter of the breaker panel to discover the electrical cable from which this black cable is separated. Follow the bare copper cable of this cable into the bus bar, and verify the grounding wire is securely attached to one of the screw terminals in the bus bar. Alter the breaker panel cover.

Loosen the mounting screws and pull the switch into the chandelier. Check to see that the bare wire from the breaker panel and the bare wire from the chandelier are linked, so the green grounding screw to the body of this switch is also tied into this link. Alter the switch and switch cover.

Place a stepladder beneath the chandelier. Loosen the canopy nut and slide the canopy down the chandelier’s chain. Locate the green grounding screw to the chandelier’s mounting flange (attached to the junction box). Verify that the green wire from the chandelier and the bare copper cable from the switch are linked to this green grounding screw. Tighten the screw with a screwdriver if needed, then slide the canopy into position and tighten the canopy nut.

Turn on the main circuit breaker and test the chandelier.

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The way to Fix a Pedestal Fan

Usually, the more reliable components of a pedestal fan would be the base, fan and motor. Conversely, the more unreliable components are the height and angle-adjustment mechanics on the tube of a pedestal fan. A busted fan-blade assembly is easily replaced with a new one. If the motor is noisy or does not work, you ought to choose the lover to a repair store. Fixing a wobbly tube or worn adjustment mechanisms which don’t stay tight isn’t difficult. In a brief while, your lover will be circulating the air for your liking.

Unplug the power cord for the fan from the electrical outlet.

Tighten the screws which fasten the circular flange in the lower end of the tube to the top of the base, using a screwdriver. If the lower end of the tube fits into the base, tighten the massive locknut at the bottom of the tube with adjustable pliers.

Loosen the height-adjustment knob in the tube and allow the fan to lower to the lowest setting. Completely loosen the knob and pull the knob and then attached threaded stem out of the bracket in the tube.

Slide a lock washer on the end of the threaded stem and also contrary to the base of the knob. Insert the stem into the bracket and then cease if the end of the stem is in the gap between the inner edges of the bracket. Fit a lock washer on the end of the stem in the gap. Screw the stem fully into the bracket using the knob. Raise the fan to the desired height and tighten the knob.

Ask an assistant to hold the fan stable to repair the angle-adjustment for the fan. Loosen the adjustment knob and pull the knob and then attached threaded stem out of the adjustment bracket. Repeat the previous step to set up two lock washers around the stem, and then tighten the knob.

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What Happens Fits a Stihl 290?

Stihl’s MS 290 Farm Boss chainsaw model has a 20-inch guide bar and chain. Chain specifications are published showing which chains match the bar. The most important measurements are pitch, and that’s how far connections are on assess, and the series, which describes the width of drive links that fit into the guide bar. Another dimension is that the number of drive links on this series.

Selecting a Chain

The pitch dimension for an MS 290 chainsaw is either 0.325 inch or 3/8 inch if Stihl’s reduced kickback guide bar is used. From the chainsaw’s owner’s guide, Stihl recommends utilizing Stihl’s low kickback chain with a 0.325-inch pitch and also the Rapid-Super C3 or Rapid-Micro C3 chain with a 3/8-inch pitch. Measure dimension must match the bar groove thickness. The most common indicator is 0.050 inch. The number of drive links generally is not listed in the operator’s manual or on the chainsaw needs to be relied upon a string of the chainsaw.

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Flood Insurance: The Criteria for Getting It

A typical homeowners policy doesn’t account for a few natural disasters, such as flooding, that can damage or destroy a home. For homeowners who need protection from flooding, their only solution is to buy flood insurance sponsored by the federal authorities. A number of criteria exist which determine whether homeowners should have flood insurance.

Where You Live

You are required to buy flood insurance if you reside in an area designated as a Special Flood Hazard Area from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and you have a mortgage on your home. If you don’t have a lien against your home, you are not required to purchase a policy, even if you reside in an SFHA. According to FEMA, the SFHA is also referred to as a 100-year flood plain. This usually means the area has a one-percent prospect of being flooded each year.

Your House’s History

Regions that suffer significant flooding might be designated as federal disaster areas, which allows the authorities to provide financial relief if your home suffered harm as a result of the flood. If you take this fiscal aid, you must then carry a federal flood insurance coverage on your home as long as you live there. If you sell the home, the government requires you to tell the new owners about the property’s history along with the flood insurance requirement.

Your Loan

Since the government requires flood insurance on homes that reside in an SFHA and also have a mortgage, the two creditors backed by the federal authorities and non-government lenders require a flood policy. Non-government lenders require the coverage so their loans adhere to the standards set by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, which are backed by the authorities. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac buy mortgages on the secondary financial market, and will not purchase mortgage loans which don’t adhere to those standards.

Determining Your Flood Zone

FEMA generates Flood Insurance Rate Maps, or FIRMs, which show the designated SFHA areas around the US. Homeowners, insurance suppliers, state catastrophe planning organizations and the federal government all utilize the maps, which are updated frequently by FEMA. The government uses a naming convention to signify levels of flood danger, which will be able to help you determine your house’s SFHA status. FEMA designates SFHA areas with codes which begin with the letter A or V.”V” suggests homes in the SFHA which are also subject to damage from waves made by storms. “A” stands for homes in the SFHA which are not subject to wave damage from storms. Moderate-flood zones are mentioned by the letter B, and low-flood zones are mentioned by the letter C or X.

Moving into an SFHA

FEMA’s FIRM upgrades can sometimes affect whether you have to purchase flood insurance. If you lived in an area which previously was not in the SFHA and the latest FEMA-updated FIRM places your property in an SFHA, your creditor should document that fact and ask you to buy flood insurance. There’s no waiting period for flood insurance if your SFHA status changes. In case you have not bought a flood insurance coverage by 45 days after being notified of the condition, your creditor has the right to buy a flood insurance coverage of its choice and bill you for it.

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What Does the Mortgage Bank Report to the IRS?

Several expenses are deductible on your income taxation. But the government isn’t going to take your word for it when it comes to reporting those deductions. It will compare the numbers you maintain with the numbers recorded by your mortgage lender.

Deductions

Your mortgage lender will report to the IRS. If you paid some”points” if you closed your loan, the lending company will report those, too. If your lender requires you to cover mortgage insurance a common practice when a debtor lacks a large down payment — the amount you paid in premiums will be reported to the IRS. Any property taxes the creditor will be reported. All of these are expenses.

Mortgage Interest Record

To report this information, a creditor puts it all in an IRS record, Form 1098. Every creditor must file this form, which can be tagged”Mortgage Interest Statement,” with the IRS for every one of its borrowers every year. The creditor should also provide the borrower with a copy of the form.

Reimbursements

If your creditor reimburses you for interest you overpaid in a preceding year, it is going to report that to the IRS on Form 1098, as well. If you claimed a deduction in that year to the interest, you’ll need to reduce the current year’s interest deduction from the quantity of the overpayment. Some creditors pay interest on overpaid monies that they hold inside their own accounts for a while. If your creditor pays more than $10 in interest on the money that you overpaid, it must report the amount to the IRS, too, and you’ll be expected to report it as income in your own taxes.

Claiming Deductions

You must itemize your income tax deductions, to claim deductions to the mortgage-related expenses reported on the IRS by your creditor. Use Schedule A to itemize.

Caution

Like most financial institutions, mortgage lenders are required by law to report large cash transactions. Should you use over $10,000 in money — actual U.S. currency — for any payment, such as for escrow, closing costs or loan payments, the notification requirement applies. Such transactions are reported by the creditor . When you are the subject of a Form 8300 filing, by law, you must be notified.

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The Way to Mortgage Tables & Use Excel

A mortgage table, also called an amortization table or schedule, is a very simple chart that shows the way the mortgage equilibrium varies with time following a collection of payments that are consistent. The table also calculates the monthly payment amount based on the entire mortgage value, the interest rate and the length of the loan. Mortgage tables can be created by you in Excel easily. The program provides financial purposes to figure payments, and the columnar grid allow for effortless arrangement of a payment collection. At the same time that you could plan Excel to create a mortgage table from scratch, many free tables are available on the internet.

Download the”Amortization Schedule for Excel” from Vertex 42 and distributed by CNET. This Excel recorder that is free provides a table arrangement that is formatted and pre-programmed formulas to finish any table. You do not want Excel programming knowledge to turn your table. Since the program includes all of the financial functions to figure your mortgage situation, you don’t need to fully understand the details of the mathematics, either, because they’re all taken care of for you. To use the”Amortization Schedule for Excel,” you simply type in the entire value of the mortgage, the interest rate and the duration or length of the loan. The program takes care of the rest by demonstrating due dates, payment amounts and the effect your interest and payments have on the rest of the mortgage balance with time.

Install official Microsoft templates for Excel that pay charts and mortgage and loan amortization schedules. Microsoft supplies templates of many kinds, at no charge, to Office users. The”Loan Consolidation program template” supplies all the fundamental components of a mortgage table: the amount of each payment, the portion of each payment that reflects interest paid, and the amount of each payment that contributes to paying down the mortgage balance. The template takes advantage of built-in financial functions in Excel to finish all of the calculations for you. Microsoft also supplies the”Loan analysis worksheet,” which displays a table for comparing different mortgage terms. You can observe how monthly payments vary based on small differences in rates of interest.

Download the”Mortgage and Loan Calculator Template for Excel” from Spreadsheets 123. This Excel spreadsheet contains several columns of information so you can control even the most elastic of payment programs on your mortgage. The mortgage includes choices for occasional extra payments. It keeps track of your total payments so far, and also calculates the interest you save by paying over the required amount each month. In addition to these features, it calculates all of the standard mortgage formulas, and shows how each payment contributes to the balance due.

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Guest Groups: Gorgeous Glassware to Get a Wine Bar

Only getting into wine and confused about which wineglass to purchase? Already a wino and want to expand your collection? Here are my favorite eyeglasses for all types and occasions, and as a sommelier and wine author, I’ve a lot of practice. They are good looking and practical, and there’s something for everybody (and every wine). Bear in mind that having the ability to observe the color of this wine increases the overall enjoyment of it, so almost everything I’ve chosen is in transparent glass. — Whitney from Brunellos Have More Fun

govino

Govino Wine Glasses, Set of 12 – $38.85

With summer quickly approaching, picnics, beach time and outside arenas are in your future. All these Govino reusable plastic wineglasses would be the perfect thing for drinking on the go.

Hint: Save your very best wine for one more day and use these for cheap and enjoyable vino.

Wine Monger

Zalto Universal Glass Set – $354

Zalto wineglasses, produced in Austria, are a few super sexy stemware. They are delicate and tasteful, mouth-blown, and many wine geeks’ favorite stem. I favor the multipurpose glass because it is fantastic for white, red or even bubbly.

Amazon

Bormioli Rocco Bodega Tumbler Mini Glasses, Set of 12 – $23

I really like a straightforward low tumbler for a weeknight red wine. You’ll discover these eyeglasses at wine bars all over Paris. No need for stalks or pretension.

BHLDN

Frosted Dot Coupes – $68

There’s just something special about drinking champagne from a delicate, conservative coupe. All these gold-rimmed, polka dot–etched coupes are beautiful and permit for all those fizzy bubbles and vibrant aromatics to reach your nose.

CB2

Rona Wineglass – $5.95

I consider this the cheaper option to the Zalto eyeglasses I love so much. It has a similar alluring shape and stem for a fraction of the cost.

IKEA

Pokal Glass – $2.99

There’s something Italian trattoria about those glasses. I enjoy using them to get an easy red wine with spaghetti and meatballs during a laid-back Sunday dinner.

Casa de Perrin

Classic Light Purple Apéritifs – $58

How fun are these? A good deal of folks don’t think to completely like a pre-dinner drinking moment. Imagine this aperitif glass into your hand full of sparkling wine, an Aperol spritz, dry sherry or even Lillet on ice.

Crate&Barrel

Bryn Grappa-Cordial Glass – $4.95

Grappa along with other digestifs are a wonderful postprandial soif that more folks should enter. This diminutive fashion of glass is made for the strong stuff, as a little goes a very long way.

IKEA

Ikea 365+ Ivrig Wineglass – $2.99

Ikea actually has some fantastic wineglasses. They are cheap and (somewhat) durable. I really like the tulip shape and flexibility of this style.

Goal

Riedel Vivant Decanter – $32.99

You don’t require a large, fancy, pricey decanter to get the task finished. This may work just fine for some atmosphere to some closed-off wine, and it’ll look good on the table too.

Goal

Riedel Vivant Red Wine Glasses Set – $39.99

Riedel makes a cheap line of wineglasses for Goal. Their fundamental red wine glass is one I personally possess. It is fantastic for white, bubbly or red and is sturdy enough to withstand several dings and spills.

CB2

Cylinder Flute – $1.95

I am not a huge fan of classic champagne flutes. All fuss and not any pleasure, the rim is simply too narrow to actually dig to some wine. This tall stemless tumbler keeps the bubbles concentrated, but it isn’t as difficult to drink out of.

ZARA HOME

Lina Cava Flute – $14.90

Take this plus also a bottle of cava, and you’re set! It has the coupe shape I love to get sparkling wine and pretty scalloped etching.

ZARA HOME

Joao Tumbler – $4.90

If Gaudí made a stemless wineglass, it might look something like this. It spices up the stemless look and has a handy groove for your hand.

ZARA HOME

Magno Tumbler – $9.90

The depth and etching on this tumbler are ideal. You get a little flair without forfeiting the visibility of this wine. It is perfect for a warm spring afternoon and a glass of cold rosé.

ZARA HOME

Engraved Glass Rim Wineglass – $16.90

Zara’s home line is really great. This is the glass that you use when you need feel a tiny baroque and fancy.

Williams-Sonoma Home

Riedel Vinum Burgundy Glasses, Set of 2 | Williams Sonoma – $43.96

The classic burgundy bowl shape is great for if you truly wish to get your swirl on.

Williams-Sonoma Home

Classic Wine Decanter | Williams Sonoma – $69.95

This may not be the cheapest decanter, but it is not the most expensive. It has the wide space at the bottom to actually allow the wine breathe.

Wine Monger

Zalto Champagne Glass – $59.50

The Zalto champagne flute is beyond fabulous. It is perfectly constructed to maintain a fine bead of bubbles flowing from the base of the glass to the top. The tulip shape keeps the opening from being too narrow, which is a major pet peeve of mine. It is a splurge, but worthwhile!

Amazon

Riedel O Cabernet/Merlot Wine Tumblers – $24.95

Riedel’s O show is the standard in stemless. This was one of the first wineglasses I ever possessed.

Next: 11 Space-Savvy Alternatives to Wine Cellars

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Guest Groups: Winter Lights to Ward Off Nights

The months leading up to and away from the winter solstice are the darkest in the year. It’s no wonder that through this year we all string lights combined banisters and lampposts and turn our attention to merrymaking. Here’s an assortment of wintry lights that will brighten up your house when it needs it most. Whether it’s with a crackling flame or a series of cheery lights, may you find ways to remain bright this year and always. — Erin from Reading My Tea Leaves

Greige

Star Pendant Chandelier – $176

I have always enjoyed these star pendants as welcoming lights on front porches and in entryways. During the time of year, they are especially cheery.

MCMC Fragrances

Maine Candle – $48

Inspired from the island of North Haven off the coast of Maine, this candle would be only right for long winter nights.

Terrain

Bonfire Log – $28

This bonfire log could help kick off an outside bonfire or keep building a fire easy in an indoor fireplace.

Etsy

Vintage Brass Candleholder by Pinch of Paprika – $15.32

As a teen, I had a candlestick like this one alongside my bed. I loved the romance of reading by candlelight.

Etsy

Rustic Wall Sconce from Worley’s Lighting – $48.50

My couch gets a lot more business in the wintertime than in other seasons. With wooden sconces to read by, I would bring a book and snuggle up for the length.

West Elm

Metallic Cord Set, Copper – $39

I don’t incorporate much metallic into my customary decorating, but a little pop of something shiny might be just right for winter.

Etsy

Tree Branch Candleholders by Worley’s Lighting – $32.50

This woodsy candle set would be perfect to cozy up a non-working fireplace.

Etsy

3-D Light Study 2 by A Vibrant Black – $900

Made especially to reflect the light, this piece belongs on a sunny wall to help brighten a small space.

OLSSON & JENSEN

Antique Brass/Gold Pendant

These brass lampshades remind me of Christmas bells. They’d be amazing in December and year long.

Anthropologie

Glass-Shade Lamp – $1,280

This lamp is elegant without being fussy. Tucked into a corner, this would make the perfect reading light.

Etsy

White Birch Forest Lamp, Natural White Birch Wood by Urban+ Forest – $60

A luminous birch log appears to be the perfect antidote to some gloomy day spent inside.

Restoration Hardware

Starry String Lights, Diamond Lights on Silver Wire – $15

These might be the cutest little series lights I have ever noticed. I would be tempted to leave them up all year.

Terrain

Swedish Snowball Lantern – $68

A snowball lantern is delightful whether or not it is shining. I think it would be especially well suited on top of a fir tree.

Etsy

Moderate Simple Arrow Tail by Halona Glass – $60

The bead bevels in this light hearted will, as the manufacturer herself says, “make any opinion magnificent.” I think it.

Etsy

Otis Light, White With Swiveling Walnut Socket by Onefortythree – $185

This swinging wall lamp with a walnut socket is beautiful any time of year, but its bright white and warm wood are especially evocative of wintry snowscapes.

Etsy

Pleated String Lights by Pigeon Toe Ceramics – $224

The delicate ceramic covers on these very small globe lights are easy and beautiful. I really like them used here: strung up across a broad room.

Etsy

No. 5 Spruce Soy Wax Candle by Pommes Frites – $15

I had light this candle each evening of December for a soft glow and a wintry odor.

Etsy

Giant Silver Bowl Clip Clamp Light With Zigzag Cord from Earth Sea Warrior – $115

The little white clamp on this light means it can hang out in whatever corner requires it most.

Etsy

Vintage Tin Candleholder Clips, Silver by Lazy Days Relics

String lights on Christmas trees and mantels are more practical than candles for lots of reasons, but this pair of classic tin candleholder clips would be beautiful in a carefully attended place.

Etsy

Himmeli Miniature Light Strand by AMradio

If there’s one thing chilly is good for, it is casting long shadows. This himmeli light strand throws a geometric pattern when it is lit.

Next: Smart Bulbs for Better Lighting

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How to Change an Old Shower Faucet

Walk through the plumbing section of your regional home center, and you’ll see a wide variety of shower faucets. These faucets come in three basic styles: single-handled units which control the water flow and temperature using one control, two-handled units which have separate controls to the cold and hot water, and three-handled units with handles to control warm, cold and divert the water in the bathtub faucet to the showerhead. If you want to change a vintage shower faucet, the simplest method is to opt for a new tap of exactly the same style as the present unit.

Switch off the water supply to the home in the water meter or principal shut-off valve.

Slip a small flathead screwdriver between one of the old faucet handles and the trim cap at the end of the handle, and pop off the trim cap. Repeat with another faucet handle(s).

Insert a Phillips screwdriver to the screw inside the faucet handle. Hold the handle securely with one hand, and rotate the screw counterclockwise to remove the screw and tighten the handle. Pull the handle off of the faucet mount. Eliminate another faucet handles in precisely the same fashion.

Slip the flathead screwdriver behind the edge of one of the escutcheons, which protect the hole in the wall behind the handle mounts, and gently pry the escutcheon away in the wall. Eliminate another escutcheons in an identical manner.

Locate the retaining nut on one of the faucet posts located just inside the hole that was covered by the escutcheon. Loosen and remove the nut using an adjustable wrench. Then grasp the tip of the faucet handle mount using a pair of slip-jaw pliers and pull on the faucet post straight out from the pipes in the wall.

Insert a new faucet post in the new faucet kit in precisely the same location from the wall. Secure the post by threading a brand new retaining nut on the post and tightening it with the adjustable wrench. Then remove and replace the remaining articles in comparable manner.

Mount the new escutcheons above the faucet posts, followed by the new handles. Tighten the handles using the manage mounting screws with a Phillips screwdriver, then put the new trim caps above the handles.

Turn on the water shutoff valve, and then analyze the operation of the new bathtub faucet.

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