Archive of ‘House’ category

Meghan Tetravó Markle worked in the kitchen of Windsor Castle

Documents from the British royal family reveal that the Duchess of Sussex’s tetrazo, Meghan Markle, worked as a cook at Windsor Castle, where the American actress married Prince Harry in May of this year. The information is from the newspaper “The Mirror”.

Since the end of 2017, the local press has reported that Meghan’s parents on the part of her father had the information that matriarch Mary Bird had worked for the Crown, but as a cleaner. At the time, former US Air Force Colonel Ken Barbi, whose wife Susan is a second-degree cousin to Meghan’s father, Thomas, revealed the information.

The name “M.Bird”, however, appears in some archives of Royal House staff at Windsor Castle as an employee of the estate kitchen in 1856, the same time Mary was still in England.

Mary was married to Thomas Bird, who served the British Army in Ireland and India. The couple moved to Malta years later, and settled in the country for about 20 years. Meghan’s great-great-grandmother, who was also called Mary, was born in the country. Mary Bird migrated to Canada after her husband’s death, and soon after settled in New Hampshire, USA.

In 2015, Meghan made a trip to Malta and told the press on the occasion that the visit to the site “was mainly about trying to understand where I come from, my identity.”

Source: westmainkitchen.com

Keeping the house free from mold and dust

Who suffers from constant bouts of sneezing, itchy throat, nose and eyes, knows how uncomfortable it is to live in a dusty, musty house. If you think that the daily cleaning of the surroundings and the use of a few decoration elements will improve the allergic crises, you are on the right path. But you do not have to leave the house bare of objects and spend the day eliminating any dust from the house. The important thing is to maintain discipline in cleaning the correct way, without giving up comfort. Check out a list of tips given by the specialist of the Brazilian Association of Allergy and Immunopathology in Rio (Asbai-RJ), Flavia Janolio, to have a healthy home:

Thatched timbered house on the old main street 

Floors and walls

For cleaning the floor, enough bucket, water and a cloth. And no broom. That’s it. According to Flávia, when sweeping an environment, some of the dust is suspended in the environment for up to eight hours, which favors rather the sneezing, and prevents the place is properly cleaned. Therefore, dirt deposited on the floor should be removed only with a damp cloth. The same goes for the walls. No need to use cleaning agent.

The floor coverings may be cold or polyurethane and, as for the wall, there is no contraindication as long as they are dishwasher safe.

If possible, get rid of the rugs, because even the antiallergics, although they do not let loose, are great deposits of dust. Do not think that the vacuum cleaner can be salvation. It cleans the dust only superficially.

Cleaning products

In a house of allergy, cleaning materials should be avoided. In bathrooms and kitchen, choose the bleach. And if you have pets at home, which requires the use of cleaning products, choose those that have no odor. The use of antiallergic items is quite controversial. Although they kill some mites – many resist because of the bark that covers them – they do not eliminate their feces, which are the major cause of respiratory attacks.

Fabrics for curtains, sofas and cushions

Choose synthetic ones, which can be washed, or fine material hairs. The wash should be monthly. Blind curtains, vertical or horizontal, can be used as long as your blades are cleaned every week with a damp cloth

Bed linen

It should be changed every week. Always remove it as if it were to create a bundle, joining the ends of the sheets and blankets. From there, bed linen should be taken directly to the washing machine. In this way, the human dandruff, released when we lie down and considered the nectar of the mites, does not escape to other corners of the room.

The mattress and pillow should be covered. If you can not afford a special anti-mite cover, use two pillowcases and two sheets. And avoid the plastic, material that ends up generating heat.

Air conditioning, climate control or fan?

Many say split air conditioning is more suitable for allergy sufferers. This is legend. Contrary to what many people say, the window cooler can also be used. Provided the blades and filter are cleaned every fortnight. The same goes for the split. Worth to draw attention to its use. Since climate change can cause allergies, it is important that air is switched on only when the allergic person spends a lot of time in the environment without getting in and out. The air conditioner is out of context. It humidifies the environment by creating fungi on the wall.

If you choose the fan, be aware of the pallets that should always be cleaned. Floor fans should be suspended at least one meter off the floor. This in a clean room.

Decorative objects

It is important that the resident uses as few elements as possible. The walls, for example, should not be decorated with many pictures. The computer tower must be installed in a place that allows it to be cleaned every 15 days. Try not to accumulate books, magazines, and papers in the room, the environment in which you spend most of your time. If this is not possible, try to store them in some furniture with doors, such as glass, wood or whatever material you prefer. source: guide-house.com

How to design a modern house?

Designing a house is not a task that should be taken lightly and even more so if it is about creating a certain style. The modern word can lead to many confusions because it is possible to associate it with tendencies that do not necessarily describe what the modern style in decoration means.

However, we could mention many features that make up a modern style house, although the characteristics common to modern style homes are usually the use of the contrast between white and black, with the gray color as intermediate tone, as well as the use of materials such as concrete or iron, often without decoration, with the aim of achieving a decoration with a simple character. If you want to have a house that shows sobriety and elegance, the modern style is perfect for you. From the facade to the last room, with a little inspiration, it is possible to make your dream house come true.

What should be taken into account in the planning of a modern style house?

The planning of modern house designs, regardless of the desired style, is an arduous task that requires reflection and consideration. notify considers it essential to take certain elements into account when designing a house in a modern style, such as the contrast between black and white and linearity in furniture made of materials such as metal or glass. For example, when designing your dining room, consider the possibility of acquiring tables with glass or iron details inside a room with white light, which could fit perfectly with the style you are looking for your home or department of modern style since it would accentuate the contrast of colors and textures that characterize the modern style. source:goodhomeids.com

How to Prepare Mortar, Cement or Concrete

The mortar is a mixture of cement, water, and sand and is mainly used for laying bricks, run or joints or cover surfaces. Learn in this guide to prepare the mortar and know the right amounts for its preparation.

 The drain in the road in cracked 

We have already talked about the preparation of reinforced concrete (or reinforced concrete or reinforced concrete). This time we will explain how to prepare the mortar, or cement as it is more commonly known.

Types of cement:

There are several types of cement, Portland cement being the most used these days. There are also other types of cement for specific uses. Fast drying cement, refractory cement (for high temperatures), sulfate resistant cement (for sewers and water networks), among many others.

Mortars with hydraulic lime and sand are still used today, although they are falling into disuse. There is also another type of mortar, consisting of Portland cement, sand and hydraulic lime, called bastard mortar. Although it is less resistant it is more suitable for restorations of old houses, since it binds more effectively in walls of mud and partition.

Additives for mortar:

Other additives may be added to the mortar, that is, to the mixture of cement, sand, and water, to give it other characteristics than the original ones.

The most used additives in the mortar are:

  • Additives plasticizers: This type of additive makes the mortar softer, giving it a greater adhesion to the surfaces where it will be applied.
  • Anti-shrink additives: This type of additive makes it less likely to shrink (or shrink), thus reducing the likelihood of cracking.
  • Additives accelerators: With this type of additive, the drying of the mortar becomes faster.

Additional notes on mortar:

As we have already said, the mortar is made with the mixture of water, sand, and cement. Always use clean water to provide greater strength. As for sandfine sand is preferred for towing, while coarse sand (or gravel) is preferred over a surface.

The mortar is used to place bricks or concrete blocks, to coat interior or exterior walls or to repair cracks.

There are mixes for sale that are already prepared, simply adding water to prepare them.

Depending on the work to be done, so we should add more or less sand, as we will see later. With respect to the quantity of water, it is usual to use half the weight of water, relative to the weight of the cement. All these proportions may vary, depending on the type of cement used, the moisture of the sand, the temperature and the consistency of the mixture.

How to prepare mortar, cement or concrete:

Use the mortar until two or at most three hours after its preparation, remembering that you will not be able to save what is left over.

If it is necessary to prepare large quantities of mortar, it is preferable to do so in a concrete mixer.

Quantities of water and cement to be used, depending on the work to be done:

  • Brick placement or joints: 1 part cement and 2.5 to 3 parts sand;
  • Floor covering or interior walls: 1 part cement and 1.5 parts sand;
  • Coating of exterior walls or work done in humid places: 1 part of cement and 1 to 1,5 parts of sand;
  • Watertight coatings: 1 part cement and 1 part sand.

How to mix water, sand, and cement:

For small quantities:

  1. On a flat surface, on wooden boards, for example, put the amount of sand needed and lay the cement on top.
  2. Begin to wrap this mixture with the help of a shovel, starting from the bottom, until a dry mixture and a uniform color.
  3. Now drill a hole in the middle of this mixture and add water and mix everything together.
    (add a plasticizer additive, allow this mixture to stand for a few minutes)

The mortar mixture should be consistent and homogeneous, between dry and wet. To check if the mortar “is in place”, place a little on a trowel. If it does not fall, it means you are at the right place.

You can also check if it is at the point by placing the trowel in the mortar. This should not sink.

Another way to check is by making a small ball in the hand and check that it does not break or water comes out of it.

For large quantities:

  1. As already mentioned, it is advisable to use a cement mixer for large quantities of mortar. First, pour 70% of the water needed for the rotary tank.
  2. Then mix the cement and sand in the required amounts.
  3. Let the rotary bowl turn until the mortar is ready. Add more water if necessary.

I hope you’ve learned how to prepare mortar, cement, or concrete. If you like, you have another article on the preparation of reinforced concrete (or reinforced concrete or reinforced concrete).

More article: how to cut cement board

What’s In Hasbro Play-Doh?

Playdough is the flexible fun of mass-like substance that has been a long time favorite in most families – and still is today. But there can be consequences with the traditional “Play-doh” that most of us played with children. Although it seems harmless, many products, such as playdough, can be dangerous, especially if it stays in the mouth. Let’s talk about the health concerns of most shop bought playdough before we talk about how to make homemade playdough.

What’s In Hasbro Play-Doh?

According to a statement on Hasbro, maker of Play-Doh, website: “The exact ingredients of the Play-Doh compound are proprietary, so we can not share them with you. We can say that it is basically a mixture of water, salt and flour. It does NOT contain peanuts, peanut oil or milk byproducts. It DOES NOT contain wheat. ”

According to Hasbro, “Play-Doh is composed non-toxic, non-irritating and anti-allergic except as noted: Children who are allergic to wheat gluten may have an allergic reaction to this product. In addition, due to the high salt content in the compound Play-Doh, the product may be harmful to pets if ingested. ”

Related:  How to Get Playdough Out of Carpet

Wired Magazine goes into more detail with some of these facts about each ingredient:

Flour and Water
There was a patent in 1965 that drew him to the harsh winter of wheat, which contains a lot of “bindy, elastic gluten”; New Play-Doh formulations allow for wheat, rice, rye and even tapioca. So it is not gluten free, which means that if your child has a gluten or wheat, allergy and Play-Doh gets in the mouth (in some cases absorbed through the skin), it can cause him or her to develop an allergic reaction .

Salt
The salt is used to bind extra water so that it has the density it needs. If it contains too much water, it will be soapy.

Amylopectin
This principle keeps the dough malleable, helping it to avoid agglomeration. In fact, it is a starch-based plant.

Mineral or vegetable oil
Mineral or vegetable oil helps to keep the playdough moist while avoiding adhesion.

Fragrance
There is not a lot of information on the fragrance, as Hasbro maintains this hush hush, but there are potentially synthetic scents as well as allergic reactions (or worse) can occur due to these ingredients that make up the “Play-doh” smell.

Aluminum Sulfate
This ingredient helps harden wheat gluten molecules. It contains a bitter taste, which can help keep you out of the curious mouth.

Construction of Walls with Cement Slabs

Without the need for specialized labor, the construction of walls with cement panels is easy to carry out and reduces deadlines

With simple installation, the cement boards provide higher speed in the construction of walls. Although it does not require specialized labor, the most critical procedure is to ensure that the spacing between parts is respected. Check out!

Step by step construction with cement slabs

– The procedure of building walls with cementitious parents begins with the placement of steel structures.

– Next, markings must be made on the structures, indicating where the cement slabs will be fixed. It is important to make sure that the parts will be at least 1 cm away from the ground.

– It is also advisable to draw on the cement plates some points that show the regions that will be drilled to receive the screws. The indication is that the attachment starts at the tips of the plates the distance is 5 cm from the side of the horizontal edge and 10 cm from the side of the vertical edge, the other anchorages follow every 30 cm throughout the end and also to the center at each upright of the structure (figure below).

– Using a screwdriver, start fixing the cementitious panel following both the indications made on the structures and those drawn on the plate itself. Screws must be attached to all stud bolts.

– With the first plate fastened to the frame, mark a distance of 3 mm between the parts and perform the fastening of the next panel following the same steps as the previous one. It is important to be careful that the bolts of the two plates are not perfectly aligned, as this creates a tension with enough force to damage the part.

– The treatment of the joints begins with the cleaning of the region, and the removal of the larger materials is done using a spatula. With the absence of imperfections, a coating is applied primer recess of the plate, located approximately 15 cm from each side.

– With the first dry, prepare the cementitious mass that will be applied to the joints. This mortar must be totally homogeneous.

– The mortar is applied in the recess region of the piece, filling an area of about 8 cm.

– After the grout has dried, glue a joint treatment tape that is 5 cm wide. This tape, which needs to be completely stretched, serves to guide the execution of the new layer of mortar. It is necessary to completely cover the tape with the mortar.

– For the third coat, repeat the second coat procedure. The only difference is that the joint treatment tape should be 10 cm instead of the previous 5 cm. In this step, after covering the entire tape, the joint should be completely level. The healing of this stage takes 24 hours.

– In hot environments, cracks are likely to appear in treated joints. In this case, we recommend a new coat with the 10 cm tape and wait another 24 hours for the new cure.

– To finish the treatment of the joints, apply the finishing mass. After one day of execution, it is possible to sand the entire surface to prepare it to receive the final finish, which can be any type of coating available in the market.

Cement sheets can be used as room partitions or wall closures, even on facades.

Simple and Cheap Room Decoration – Renew Your Room

To decorate the house so that it gets its way there are two ways: An extremely expensive and another super cheap. Just choose. The best option for you is simple and inexpensive room decor that combines economy and beauty in the decor.

If you choose the most expensive, it will achieve an amazing decor, but it sure is much better to find a cheap decoration that is to your face and leave your room this r super cozy. It is possible to get one that you can do and without having to spend almost nothing.

You can use objects that you have at home or even buy without spending a lot, choosing pieces that together form a unique decoration for your room, it will not always be easy to get a simple and cheap living room decoration for your home, but this is the reason for writing this post, get ideas that fit your style.

Choose the best simple and cheap room decor for you

Nothing better than leaving our house with our face spending very little known to use cheap and beautiful decoration.

It’s easy, see the post and learn how to decorate a room simple and cheap.

Cheap decoration for the simple and small room

For small places, the best tip you can get is to know how to use vertical spaces, with shelves and furniture that do not take up unnecessary space.

Another tip for those who want a simple decoration for small a room is to use decorative pictures or posters on the wall, so you save space and manage to make your living room beautiful.

Related: Cheap Living Room Sets Under $500

A cheap decoration trend for small rooms, is lighting with rails of some 4 or 5 lamps, is super modern and easy to make, check out some photos below.

Interior Design Styles – Examples and Characteristics

Interior design styles are something to take under consideration when decorating your house because as it so often happens it can get frustrating choosing the right decorative elements. If you have a hard time deciding how to approach the interior design of your house or maybe your not sure of your tastes and are afraid you might screw it up, you can always choose from a selection of established interior design styles and go with the one you feel suits you best.

Here are a few examples of interior design styles and their characteristic elements.

Vianden - Castle - Dining room Robert GLOD via Compfight

English Country English Country is a relaxed, comfortable style, an interpretation of traditional English design. Living bright colors that evoke a garden and the powerful textures of wood, stone, and iron link the interior to the exterior. Textiles include embroidered rugs, fabric with floral prints and blankets with fringes. The furniture has tones that range from shiny black to the color of pine. Refreshing, floral colors. Rustic interiors have more faded colors, while the bright and vivid palette can be found traditionally in most interiors. Specific elements include china arranged on the walls, dried and framed plants and landscapes in wooden frames. Among the accessories are silver-framed photos, crystal candlesticks, vases with fresh flowers, floral embroidered pillows, wallpapers.

The Mediterranean Originally from the countries from northern Mediterranea, like Spain, Greece, Italy, is often called the modern Spanish style. The furniture ranges from simple and functional to formal and superficial. Small pieces with ornate legs and often antique hardware. The walls are predominantly textured. The colors are that of the Mediterranean sea and sky, terracotta and lavender. Mosaic often adorns the Mediterranean interiors, the floors, the walls or even table tops. Textures – layers of paint with a delicate look of manual work and intentional errors, textures similar to the sand, which adds visual depth.

Romantic A comfortable style that appeals to the senses with floral patterned soft materials, painted furniture, drapes and floral arrangements. Femininity is the key to a room decorated in a romantic style. The colors are stumped tones, pale – pale blue, antique pink, creamy white. The materials are soft and vapoury. Silk should be ranked first.

Tuscan style decorated interiors contain a rustic, sun-drenched look characterized by stone floors, simple furniture, and the elegant iron elements. The walls are painted with textured models and drawings in oil. The colors are reminiscent of the Tuscan hills. Brown, dark pink, navy, and burgundy. The floors are made of terracotta tiles, mosaic stone and boarded floors. Accessories consist of candles with a metal stand to recall the rustic theme. Painted Ceramics. (https://guide-house.com/)

Contemporary The contemporary style includes all the trends of the late twentieth century. Soft lines, rounded shapes. The interiors contain neutral elements, but also bright colors and focuses on the simplicity of line and shape. Interiors are limited to tone-over-tone combinations, with shades of brown, cream and pure white. Strong stains of color are often found on walls, carpets and art objects. The design of lighting objects turns them into works of art. Lamps have straight lines and metal finishes. Furniture – pieces with clean lines, fine outlines, surfaces without sculpture or ornaments. Light colored wood, maple or sycamore, with accessories from stained glass, steel, nickel or chrome. Natural fabrics such as silk, wool or cotton, are used for their texture and neutral shades. However, brightly colored patterns are found in carpets or pillows.

Obviously, there are many more interior design styles. These are just a few classic examples but we all know that if you go with a classic choice you can’t fail. Choosing the right style from the multitude of interior design styles out there doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. Have fun with it! Remember it’s all about imagination and daring.

Want to learn how to decorate your home without spending a lot of money? Check out my Interior Design site for more information on Do-It-Yourself training.

Easy And Fast Steps To Apply Best Exterior Home

Front design of a home is an essential a part of external that should be paid out having more attention. It is because the first impression of a house is often judged by the front view. If a house is decorated with poor and unorganized front design even though the other exterior design is well organized, the overall exterior balance will be off.

2018-06-25-Champagne-44 poncinléonard via Compfight

There are several things that can be modified to achieve eye pleasing home front design.

Front Door Front door is what people focus on when they enter a house. If the house’s front door is a single door, there may not be many things that can be modified as it is limited in size. Houses with double doors can enhance the aesthetical point with carefully designed door pattern and door handles.

Balcony Decorative balcony can enhance your house upfront look.Although railings are attached for safety purpose at first, it also serves aesthetic purpose if you can choose it right.

There are two types of railings you can choose.They are metal railing and baluster (or balustrade in multiple form). Straight vertical railings are oldest type of railings, used from even before the nineteenth century.

The second type is metal railings. You can have it custom made to meet your specification. The metals are shaped to winding shapes smoothly, welded by hand.

Front Garden Speaking about front design, we can never exclude front garden. Garden enhances the aesthetical quality of a house by providing artificial nature scenery. You can choose any type of garden you like. If you like the western style, you can style your garden into English landscape garden that consists of wide lawn, lake, trees, statues, and water fountain. However, garden with English style may not be suitable if you don’t have a big space. The signature of this garden is its size and the vast lawn, so a garden with small space is not recommended for this style. But still, you don’t have to worry if you don’t have garden with gigantic style because there are styles that can be applied to small spaced gardens. Eastern style garden can be a good alternative for smaller sized garden. Chinese and Japanese garden, both are known for its oriental beauty and exquisite design. They both consist of nature elements like plants, water, and rocks or stone. By constructing a beautiful garden, you will be able to achieve exquisite look for the front design.

By adding nice garden in your exterior home, there are many advantages that you can obtain. You will be able to make the look of your house becomes beautiful.

You can also install nice appearance of home decoration that can make you feel happy with it. Indeed, when you can install best appearance of exterior home, you can also improve its style in an instant. Many people like to have outer part of their house to be added with garden. You can try to select garden that has variety type of flower and plant in it.

On the off chance that you want to apply best appearance of exterior home, there are several things that you need to consider. You have to know that exterior part of your home is the first thing seen by people or your guest. When they see nice appearance of exterior design, they will praise the appearance of your home.

Don’t forget that you have to do several things below so that you can make your house appear beautiful in outside. You can also make the appearance of your house becomes beautiful with it.

First, you have to make sure that you choose the one that has good color in it. When you select nice appearance of exterior home with good color, you will be able to feel satisfy with it. Fresh color is useful to be applied for outer part of your house. Due to that reason, it is good idea for you to select this type of color from now on.

Second, you can also apply exterior home that has futuristic style in it. Indeed by using the best appearance of exterior design, you will be able to feel happy with it. You can try to add lamp to be installed in the front part of your house. You just need to make sure that you do your best with it. When you apply your home with nice appearance of lamp, it will appear beautiful at night. It is time for you to make your home looks beautiful with nice appearance. When you can do it well with the best appearance of exterior home, you will feel satisfy with it.

It is good idea for you to choose the one that has beautiful color in it. When you can apply your home with beautiful color for exterior and interior, there is nothing that you need to worry anymore. You can finally able to make your home feels amazing with it.

Third, you can also apply exterior home with satisfaction flooring appearance in it. When you want to select natural appearance of flooring, you can do it with install ceramic in your house.

When you can do it well, you will be able to get the best thing that you need from now on.

Source: goodhomeids.com