Cleaning the garbage disposal and getting rid off smell

How to clean a garbage disposal? You will need a muffin or brownie pan. If you don’t have either of those, just use an ice cube tray. Slice up some lemons and limes and place a few in each of the cups; some distilled white vinegar. Fill each cup up almost to the top. Are you having fun yet? I sure am. These tablets are so easy to make, and I love the smell of lemons and limes. You could even use orange peels if you’d prefer. Take your tin and carefully place it into the freezer. Leave it in the freezer for at least 24 hours to ensure the vinegar freezes completely.Disclaimer. As good as these look, don’t try licking them. When you take them out of the tins you’ll be able to smell the vinegar. From afar, however, they look good enough to pop into your drink. My hubby actually licked his finger after touching one the day I made them and regretted it immediately.
They definitely are beautiful, but they’re not for consumption, so take care to store them in a bag in the freezer labeled DO NOT EAT.
When you go to use one, you’ll need one more ingredient – baking soda. Start running some really hot water into the sink for about a minute. Turn the water off and pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda into the disposal, followed by one of the tablets. You’ll hear a little fizzing when you drop it in. Turn the water back on as a trickle and turn on the disposal. Push the rest of the tablet down into the disposal. Please watch your fingers! You should see some bubbling up from the disposal and you’ll be able to smell the vinegar and citrus. The ice actually helps sharpen your disposal blades. Using a tablet once a day should keep your disposal smelling fresh and clean.
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renovating, building new kitchen..

Currently again, I am working on few kitchen projects and many questions come while working with clients and spaces… It doesn’t matter if you are moving into an existing kitchen, remodelling the one you have or building a new one, understanding a few key measurements and organizational guidelines can help your culinary life run more smoothly. 

Kitchens provide storage for your food and cookware, provide a place where you can cook and bake. When it’s thoughtfully arranged, these functions operate logically, making work in your kitchen a better experience. Here’s few tips for an ideal setup.

Ideally:

1.refrigeration and dry-goods storage should be located nearest to the kitchen’s entry point.

2.the cooking area should be located toward the dining spaces, and the sink is best positioned between those two functions. This creates what’s called a work triangle.

The best work triangle is less than 21 linear feet (6.4 meters). Work triangles that exceed 26 feet (7.9 meters) make moving from one function to another inefficient in most cases.

Preparation. Ideally, prep and cleaning space is best located around the sink. Within these areas will be everyday glasses and dishes, along with trash receptacles and the dishwasher. Allow 18 to 36 inches (45 to 92 cm) of countertop space on one or both sides of your sink.
Preparation areas are best kept clear of other items, since you will always be taking out bowls, plates and utensils there. Allow at least 36 inches (92 centimetres) of uncluttered countertop space for preparation in a small kitchen. Larger kitchens will have much more. This is one reason that islands are so popular. They provide broad and well-lit surfaces on which to perform the majority of kitchen tasks.

Cooking. The cooking centres should be arranged around the range, cooktop and wall ovens. Place pots, frying pans and baking sheets in the vicinity around your burners and ovens. It is a good idea to place small appliances such as toasters and coffeemakers in this area also, as it will leave your preparation areas unobstructed.

Allow 21 to 36 inches (53 to 92 centimetres) of countertop on either side of your cooktop. If possible, place wall ovens with a free countertop immediately next to them so that you can set down hot food immediately. Place seasonings, breadboards and potholders in nearby drawers and cupboards.

Recommended Dimensions of Kitchen Elements

The dimensions of all the pieces in your kitchen are important to get right to make the best use of your space. A common refrigerator width is slightly less than 36 inches (92 centimetres). The problem is often the depth. In recent years some manufacturers have designed them to be much deeper than a 24-inch (61-centimeter) base cabinet. You can still buy shallower freestanding refrigerators, but you have to pay close attention to the dimensions listed in its specifications to be certain. The other option is built-in configurations, but they are significantly more expensive. 

Look for a depth of 30 inches (76 centimetres) or less, excluding handles, unless you can design your kitchen space to accept a deeper unit. Another thing to consider is the swing of the refrigerator door. Always examine the swing direction to see if it will meet an obstruction.

Here you can see how the height of the cabinets plays an important part in the configuration. Upper cabinets are normally positioned at 18 inches (46 cm) above the countertop and are 30 to 42 inches (76 to 107 cm) in height. Consider that your average maximum reach over and into an upper cabinet is 70 to 80 inches (178 to 203 cm) above the floor. Cabinets set at above 7 feet will likely need to be accessed with a step ladder. Cabinets above 8 feet are not practical for the majority of people; however, they may serve as storage for seasonal or decorative items, to be reached with step stools and ladders. 

The standard dimensions for base cabinets are 24 inches (61 centimetres) deep and 36 inches (92 cm) high. In general people are getting taller, so some homeowners are bumping up the counter height to 38 inches (97 cm).

Another important dimension to consider is the distance between cabinets. Entry points can be as little as 36 inches (92 cm) when there is a cabinet on only one side. Stay at least 42 inches (107 cm) from the face of a cabinet to the one on the other side; 48 inches (122 cm) is even better, but going beyond 60 inches (152 cm) is too wide in most cases. However, if it is a U-shaped kitchen, you could get away with up to 96 inches (244 cm).

And the most important thing – after the selections are made, the contract is signed, and you’re ready to start your construction project. 

Not so fast! Before work begins, make sure you and your contractor and designer are on the same page about how things will go. This often takes the form of a pre-construction meeting, which may be most useful when held at your home and at least one week ahead of construction — particularly if you have furniture or other belongings to move. 

For more home tips and advice visit www.reDecor.me

Interior decor/design - where to start designing your house

We, interior decorators/designers are creative types by nature and love to imagine, dream and explore, following our intuition. Here will put great principles that will guide you to great results. These are just tried and true things that work. And these aren’t tricks or skills that take years to master. Anyone can do them from day one. Consider this a foundation for developing your own quirky, creative, rule-breaking intuition.

 I get calls all the time from homeowners who want to pick a paint color before they move in or start decorating house. I get the logic. Why not arrive to walls with a fresh coat of paint and avoid the chaos while painting? Of course you can do it this way, but in my opinion it’s not ideal. Rule no1. Pick the paint color last. 
There are thousands of paint colors with various tints, tones and shades. And each one looks different from home to home, because light sources vary, meaning what looks good in your current home might not in your new one -  I tell this every my client million times!. You want the color that best complements your upholstery, artwork, rug and whatever else. You can pick that color only if your stuff is actually inside your home.

2. Give your furniture some breathing room. Resist overcrowding a room. Gracious living means space to maneuver with ease. This is really great news if you are working with a tight budget. You don’t need to fill up a space with lots of furniture! Spend more of your budget on fewer but better-quality pieces, and your room will look better than if it’s stuffed to the 'cheap' market finds that your friends 'like'.

3. Artwork at the right height. Galleries and museums hang artwork so that the midline (center) of each piece is 57 inches to 60 inches from the floor. (The average human eye level is 57 inches.) And you should do the same! I find many houses that artwork hanged 90inches from the floor and almost reaches the ceiling..what is this about???? 
In a room like this, where the ceilings soar, there might be a tendency to hang the art higher. But remember: It needs to relate to human scale, not the structure’s scale.
If you’re not sure, take a picture. It’s remarkable how much a photo can reveal. Print it out or use Photoshop or an app to draw on the photo. This can give you a sense of whether a larger or smaller piece of art is needed or a tall plant might be best to fill a vacant spot. Simple, isn't?

4. Know how to arrange furniture on a rug. There are basically three ways you can arrange furniture on your rug. 

All on: The rug is large enough to place all of the furniture legs on top of it. This creates a more luxurious feel. For this, bigger is better. Just be sure to leave at least 12 to 18 inches of floor surface on all four sides of the rug’s borders. 

All off: If you have a small room, keeping all legs off the rug is a great cost-effective choice. You don’t want to pick too small a rug, though, or it may look insignificant, like an afterthought. The rug should appear as though it could touch the front legs of each of the seating pieces. This approach is best suited when you’re layering a pattern over a larger solid or textured rug.

Front on: Put just the front feet of all your seating pieces on the rug to tie the arrangement together visually and create a well-defined space while lending a feeling of openness.

5. Create a focal point. There are leading roles and supporting cast members in any production. The same holds true in design. Choose your star and make it the focal point to anchor a room. Allow other items to take a secondary role. Don’t ask everything to have a leading role; it will just result in visual noise. 

Your focal point might be a dramatic hood in the kitchen, a mantel and art piece in the living room or a headboard in the bedroom. Whatever it is, choose something that will draw attention. In this room the fireplace and the lighting work together as a collective focal point, bringing your eye right to the center of the composition and anchoring it there.

6. Edit your collectibles. Don’t hang on to a piece that just doesn’t fit. I don’t care if your great-aunt gave it to you. If it’s not working for you, then find a new home for it (maybe in a different room).
The unifying theme here is the use of black in the utilitarian pieces. The balance is almost perfect. It reminds me of something Coco Chanel said about accessorising: “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.” In design, know when to stop.

7. Vary the scale. This point drives me insane! No matter how I deal with every client, most still do not listen! - What looks good in the store may look like an elephant in the room when you bring it home. Or it’s too tiny to be of any significance. So always vary scale and proportion. 

The oversize sunburst mirror frame fills up the wall space nicely here, while the sand dollars make an interesting grouping below. They would be much too insignificant individually. Threes and fives make for more pleasing arrangements than even numbers.

8. Be bold. Personality is what makes a space great. Make your own statement and have fun. The more you try, the more you will begin to see what works and what doesn’t. 

Incorporate unexpected elements for drama. The unconventional ottoman seats, library-style bookshelves and oversize chandelier here are all unexpected in a conventional living room, but the result has charisma. Eschew expected pieces and interpretations if you want a room that will really wow.

9. Ignore all principles in favor of creativity. Having some guidelines gives people a good starting point for furnishing and decorating their home, even if some of them aren’t practical for a particular space.
Go with something personal that makes you smile and, above all, is comfortable. Overly designed rooms don’t really translate in modern life. A pillow collection and an art arrangement that are seemingly haphazard, as shown here, create a dressed-down look with plenty of style.

in collaboration with Judith Taylor and my own experience. 

More about home tips you can view on: www.reDecor.me