Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

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$8,500,000 Dorval mansion with RE/MAX 3000 Inc.

When the citys under a blanket of snow, nothing brings more joy to Montrealers than to imagine the jungle-like heat of the summer months.

Anyone whos flown over Montreal during the summer months can attest to the number of bright blue pools dotting the urban landscape.

Heres a quick peek at properties currently available on the market that include access to an inground swimming pool.

$82,000: This one-bedroom basement apartment in an 80s built apartment complex in Chomedey, Laval is one of the cheapest properties with access to an inground pool in the Montreal area.

$82,000 condo in Laval with Remax/Immo Contact.

$168,950: This 362-square-foot studio in the heart of downtown Montreal with access to a shared outdoor terrace pool is yet to be built, but bids are welcome.

$168,950 downtown studio with Century 21.

$295,000: A sumptuous two-bedroom ground-floor apartment in an iconic building on the Ile-des-Soeurs includes access to a shared inground pool.

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For sale in Montreal: Poolside properties

Young Kuwaiti interior designer Farah Al-Humaidhi is known for her beautiful creations of home accessories that have caught at the heart-strings of many Saudi women. Her brand name, Pieces by Farah, is 100 percent Kuwaiti and sold all over the GCC. The designer holds an MBA degree and a BA in interior design from the American University in Sharjah. She now offers different interior design courses in Kuwait and Jeddah. I started my career working as an interior designer working in several projects. Gradually, I created my own home accessories line a year ago. Now I am giving courses to people in Kuwait and recently in Jeddah on how to design their homes, said Al-Humaidhi. We met with the designer in her last visit to Jeddah and talked with her about her brand, her passion and the interior design market in the GCC countries. Tell us more about your brand, Pieces by Farah. When did you establish it? It was always in the back of my mind. Ever since I graduated I wanted to create a home accessories and furniture line which is different. The idea came after I noticed that whenever I design a house, I always look for pieces that I cannot find in the market. I didnt find anything that suited my idea, so that pushed me to custom make it. Now I have a lot of pieces that are custom made which both I and my clients love. The popularity of my designs triggered me to start my own brand. My furniture designs are absolutely unique and not found in the market. The initial idea was to design pieces which are multi- functional. I first created the piece then worked on making it look attractive so it complemented the interior of the home instead of being conspicuous. I designed the furniture line in 2012 and gradually added the home accessories to it when I discovered that there was a bigger clientele for it than for the furniture pieces. My lace home accessories creations are really popular among women. So I decided to try something different and began using fiber and more durable materials to make solid lace products which would appeal to men. What attracted you to interior design in the first place? I loved colors. I love to draw and I come from a family who is interested in the same field with different majors. I felt it was the thing to do because I wanted my hobby to be my career and interior design gathers all my passion in one area. You said your famous line is the lace home accessory. How did you come up with the idea of solid lace products? It all happened when I was working in a spare room we have in my house where I was testing a lot of materials. The idea did not start out as accessories; it started as a concept furniture: a floating coffee table. A piece of wood would float on top of a beautiful artistic piece of hard lace. I hardened the lace to look like it is carrying the piece of wood even though when you see it you will think it is impossible for a piece of fabric to carry wood. I experimented with the lace where I embedded metal into the lace and you can never tell because it is made under and between the lines and with that we created something that is absolutely unique. When I saw the finished product I realized that there were no limits to what I could do with it. I later worked very hard on this material. Keeping in mind that it needs to be washable, durable and comfortable, we added different elements to it and created different shapes. Where do you produce your pieces? I used to have a workshop for woodwork when I first started my business. When my brand started to grow, I started hiring people and the demand started to get bigger. Thats when I established a factory. I have my own factory in Kuwait where production takes place. How did you introduce your products to the market? At first it was all by word of mouth. I hosted a small launch and invited my friends and family. The sales were phenomenal but I couldnt tell whether they like my products because they wanted to support my brand or really liked my work. So I decided to participate in a bigger exhibition with other designers and retailers in Kuwait who would judge my work objectively and give me a better idea of the standard of my work. I was very happy when I discovered that all my pieces were sold out! About 90 percent of the customers were people I had never met before or known personally. This was proof that my work was really worth it. What is the role of social media in your business? Social media plays a huge role when it comes to free marketing. Instagram is a blessing for my business because I was able to reach people all over the world and I gained clients all the way in Asia and Europe and of course the GCC. Do you think the interior design market is a competitive market in the GCC countries? Yes, now its starting to be. I can only speak about Kuwait where there werent a lot of Kuwaiti designers and most of the interior designers were from abroad. I dont think there are a lot of professional home accessories designers but there are some people who work from home. However, they are not in the competition because they dont do mass production. What are the challenges and obstacles you faced during the creation of your brand? Always being up to date and to be able to meet the demand. Clients want everything done one day before the deadline and this business needs time especially when you have high demand for custom-made items. There are also financial obstacles in Kuwait and even in Saudi Arabia, everything is so expensive. So if I wanted to expand my business I would need to pay more rent and hire more people to work and pay their salaries. When you design products professionally and you rent space and pay salaries you will need to make it up from the income of your sales not like the lady who is designing a few pieces from the comfort of her home and selling them for much less. What brings you to the Kingdom? I am here to teach a 101 interior design course at Elegant Homes in Rawdah. I have already given it in Kuwait six times now but many Saudis have e-mailed me asking me to come and give it here. The course is about teaching basic interior design and it is tailored for people who have no background in interior design. My course does not aim for the attendees to go into the market because they arent ready yet but I aim to give them the tools, skills, the metaphors and terminologies to help them communicate with their interior designer. What are you working on right now? In addition to pieces by Farah, I am giving courses and developing more specialized courses. I am working on giving a course on how to design your kitchen and bathroom because most people make an effort to design their bedrooms, living rooms and dining rooms and neglect the bathroom and kitchen even though they are equally important. In designs, I am always working on different projects so I am working on beauty centers, restaurants, offices and of course homes. Where do you sell Pieces by Farah and where do you want to sell? Currently we sell in all GCC countries and in Saudi Arabia we have an exclusive distributer at Elegant Homes. Some vases are sold in Abdulaziz Al-Noman flower boutique. I want to expand to Europe, the United States and globally.

Email: [emailprotected]

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Farah Al-Humaidhi produces beautiful multifunctional pieces

home section Interior Design Housekeeping Entertaining Home Improvement Gardening & Plants Landscaping eHow Home & Garden Building & Remodeling Walls About House Wiring

Jonita Davis

Jonita Davis is freelance writer and marketing consultant. Her work has appeared in various print and online publications, including "The LaPorte County Herald Argus" and Work.com. Davis also authored the book, "Michigan City Marinas," which covers the history of the Michigan City Port Authority. Davis holds a bachelor's degree in English from Purdue University.

Behind the walls of your home lies an intricate network of wires and piping. This network is the life of the home, the way in which electricity is carried to every part of the structure. Before tapping into it, you must have an understanding of just how vital the house wiring is to a home's electrical system. You must also consider the safety implications if the house is wired improperly.

Aside from the cost, a proper wiring job can enhance use of the home. For example, misplaced light switches and fixtures without the proper voltage affect the aesthetic of the room. Similarly, flickering lights and uneven sound can hurt the home's comfort. Then, there is the fire hazard. Special attention must be paid to house wiring to ensure that the proper wires are connected. Missed connections can spark a fire, as can overload circuits. Thus, house wiring is important to the budget, comfort and safety of a home.

In house wiring, all of the outlets, fixtures and circuits are placed in the home. All are connected behind the walls, ceiling and floors to a primary system of wires that snake their way through the home to the primary circuit. This is the circuit breaker. Here, you can control the electricity throughout the entire house, turning it on and off as needed.

Homes are wired after the plumbing goes in, but before the walls and ceilings. Certain projects require wiring after the home is finished. Intercom systems, ceiling fans and lighting systems must be connected to the home's main electrical system. In these cases, the house needs rewiring. It could be modified to incorporate the new items. Homes are also rewired when they previous system is outdated or malfunctioning. Essentially, house wiring involves anything that must be connected to that main circuit breaker.

There are several key components to wiring a house. Switch boxes are used to mount light sockets and switches into a wall. Each switch and fixture is connected to the main electric system through three wires. The hot wire is often black. It carries the current through the house to the appliance or switch being used. The ground wire is often a bare copper wire used to carry the current into the ground if the hot wire fails to carry that same current to its designated outlet. A neutral wire, brown, carries the current back to where it came from where it originated. All of these wires are enclosed in a metal pipe, on which the fixtures are often mounted. Wires are capped on the ends by either terminals or wire nuts that splice two separate wires together. A series of clamps are used to secure the piping or any wires outside of the piping to studs.

Don't attempt house wiring when the power is on. Before working with any type of electricity, you must be sure that the main circuit breaker is shut off. Read the house blueprints carefully to avoid any hazardous situations and to properly wire the house.

House wiring is a complex beast for the uninitiated, and a sense of mystery for those who have never even seen a...

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(StatePoint) Running a home can be a full-time job. Unfortunately, many of us dont have that kind of time. This new year, resolve to check off all the items on your to-do list without working harder. You can accomplish this by finding smarter solutions to maintain your home efficiently.

Pest Control

When it comes to pest control, a false sense of security during the cooler months can get you in trouble, as all homes are susceptible to pest invasion year-round.

The experts at Terminix say the best way to prevent rodents from entering your home is by sealing holes and cracks outside your home. Install a good, thick weatherstrip on the bottom of all doors. Be sure the door from the garage is sealed extra tight.

If youre using firewood indoors, never bring more inside than you need at one time. Firewood can harbor insects like beetles, spiders, ladybugs, ants, cockroaches and centipedes.

Its important to have a professional periodically inspect for signs of pests and take preventative control measures.

System Maintenance

Creating monthly and annual maintenance schedules for your homes major systems and appliances can save you time and money later, according to the experts at American Home Shield.

Start by adding these tasks to your monthly calendar: clean the dishwasher drains to prevent clogs and breakdowns, flush the garbage disposal with water and baking soda to prevent odor and grime, and change the filters for your air conditioner and heating system to improve air quality.

Annual maintenance should include checking your washers hoses for leaks, cleaning the lint from your dryer ductwork, caulking leaks around windows and doors, and having your heating and cooling systems professionally serviced.

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New Year’s Resolutions for Your Home

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Posted: Tuesday, December 17, 2013 8:00 pm

Time saving tips to prep your home for holidays

(StatePoint) During the holiday season, youll likely be spending more time indoors. While getting your home ready for the fun is important, making the process smooth and easy can help you focus on family, friends and the spirit of the season.

Here are some holiday prep tips that will save you time and energy:

Organized House

When youre expecting company, youll want the house to be clean and in tip top order.

De-clutter closets by giving away unneeded items its the perfect time of year to be charitable. While all the items are out, vacuum the floor and clean the baseboards.

Clean appliances, counters, cabinets, tables and chairs. Scrub and sanitize sinks, countertops and backsplashes. Clean your range top and refrigerator top and exterior, as well as inside and outside your microwave. And wash those floors!

Or for a thorough, customized deep clean of your home, and to cross a major chore off your to-do list, consider using a professional service.

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Time saving tips to prep your home for holidays

Seattle, WA (PRWEB) December 17, 2013

In a day and age where a home intrusion occurs every 13 seconds, it is no longer safe to assume that locking the door is an adequate deterrent for a skilled or experienced thief. Home Security NW recently released an article exposing the myths of traditional home security tactics. To view the full article, click here.

Not only do most homeowners and renters assume that the lock on their front door will keep intruders at bay, but the Home Security NW article sheds light on another common misunderstanding. It is a typical misconception that home security systems do not actually deter thieves.

Nine out of ten burglars, however, will steer clear of a home with an installed security system. Statistics consistently indicate that homes without a security system are 300% more likely to attract burglars.

The article also provides a list of deterrent options that homeowners and renters are strongly encouraged to implement. Adequately lock every potential entry to your home. Landscape smartly to avoid an easy, concealed approach to your home. Dont show off your luxury items, and keep your blinds closed, especially during the day.

Home Security NW recommends that you to use these tips and more to ensure that your home, family, and possessions are securely left untouched.

About Home Security NW:

Home Security NW is a local Seattle home security company dedicated to keep you and your family safe. Their state-of-the-art equipment and affordable options make it easy to find solutions that fit a variety of home security needs. Visit their website for more information: http://www.homesecuritynw.com/.

1208 10th St #101 Snohomish, WA

(360) 339-8719

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Home Burglary Myths Debunked with New Tips and Infographic from Local Seattle Home Security Provider

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