Captain of the Ship

Creating a pirate themed bedroom for your child starts with the focal point of every pirate’s eye – his ship. And in the case of a pirate themed bedroom, this ship would be the bed. A great way to make your child feel like captain of his own ship is to have built a custom pirate ship themed bed.

The Jolly Roger will pale in comparison to the awesome ship you can design as your child’s bed. You can give it an upper and lower deck, put in portholes, even a ladder leading up to the crow’s nest. For extra detail, you can include a wooden gangplank for prisoners to walk. You can also place a giant fluttering sail overhead and transform the piece into a whole new kind of canopy bed. And don’t forget a flag bedecked with a skull and crossbones, reminding all, far and wide, whose ship this is and what the penalty is for insolence and treachery.

To the Horizon

Decorate the walls of your child’s pirate themed bedroom with rich ocean blue and light sky blue, dotted with white clouds. Where sky and ocean meet, you can paint the horizon looping around the entire circumference of the room. And don’t forget a distant island with seagulls hovering around it, so that your little pirate captain has opportunity to occasional shout “Land ho!”

Map to Buried Treasure

Another wall covering idea is a giant map to buried treasure, be it in the form of a mural painted on the wall of the room or custom theme bed or a giant framed picture or the design of the curtains covering the windows.

Accessories for a Pirate Themed Room

A treasure chest makes a perfect clothing or toy chest, and can even be built into the custom theme pirate ship bed for space-saving convenience. A large compass or giant wooden steering wheel would make an excellent clock for the room.

The design creations of Joann Means are fantasy custom theme beds that ignite a child’s imagination and penchant for adventure. By focusing your efforts to design and decorate your child’s bedroom around a custom theme bed designed and created by Sweet Dream Children’s Interiors (http://www.sweetdreambed.com), you give them a dreamy space all their own while covering your needs as a parent for strength and durability, versatility of use, and convenient, space-saving functionality.

All of the custom theme beds you’ll find at Sweet Dream Children’s Interiors (http://www.sweetdreambed.com) are personally designed by Joann and hand-built by her husband, master carpenter Johnny Means. Each one invites and inspires endless hours of imaginative play while also providing a safe and comfortable place to bed down each night.

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The kitchen, one of the most common home renovation projects, is generally one of the most used rooms in the house. Part of the reason is that there is nothing quite as satisfying as gutting that old space and restarting from scratch. Homeowners just aren’t as sentimental about the things in rooms like the kitchen or bathroom, so tossing items out in favor of new ones is a quick and painless process. Before taking a crowbar to the cabinets try to step back and look at the kitchen from a conservation point of view. The majority of the time, replacing one of four things and repairing and/or replacing the other three will leave the room looking like new: the cabinets, the flooring, the appliances or the countertops. If the countertop is scratched, chipped, or otherwise blemished, it may be the thing to go- or, it may be an opportunity to talk to a specialist about refinishing and restoring. If the cabinets can be saved, it can also be a real budget saver. Try adding or subtracting cupboards instead of a complete overhaul. A fresh coat of paint, some new knobs, or a sleek open-cabinet design can also breathe new life into old standbys. Try to imagine the old floors with a little bit of TLC and complimented by the rest of the kitchen’s new look before tearing them up. If it’s time to replace the appliances in the kitchen, it’s time. Think about going with black or chrome for a modern kitchen, or have a bit of fun with a refurbished vintage fridge!

Another quick and easy fix that will make any of the above kitchen renovation solutions really pop is a fresh coat of paint. If kitchens are tiled, wall replacement may not be such an easy task so try to work with it. Remember that a little attention to detail now, can make a big difference on the price tag of a home’s resale value. Make sure kitchens have lots of lighting, whether natural or electric. Be careful when choosing window treatments that the material is able to withstand drastic changes in temperature and humidity when exposed to cooking heat or steam from various appliances. If you’re still set on gutting the kitchen, think about changing the actual layout of the kitchen countertop space. Think about what you don’t like in the room now. Maybe there’s no counter space, maybe there’s nowhere to sit and eat, or maybe it’s too cut off from the rest of the house. Don’t be afraid to go big, knock down some walls, and above all, love your kitchen.

Don’t get intimidated, get started on a home renovation project with a sears home design consultation. Whether you’ve decided on a kitchen countertop replacement, cabinet overhaul, or a brand new set of appliances it’s the right place to start to get a new look, not just new things.

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The shipping containers are stacked, painted and customized to form the outer structure of the houses. Glass ceilings, walls and windows add light and give the structures a very bright and airy look.

The Shelburne Museum, located in Vermont, features a Collectors House designed by interior designer Albert Hadley and architect Adam Kalkin. It was created by using 3 overseas shipping crates that make a very striking house. The building features glass garage doors, a large patio area, living space, bedrooms and a full sized kitchen.

Adam Kalkin has designed houses out of shipping containers before, but his last one is actually a luxury dwelling for the rich. He unveiled his creation at the Art Basel Miami Beach art show in December 2005 and the attendants were surprised to see lavish furnishings and a beautifully designed interior inside a shipping container. The project has the interesting title of “Push-Button House” because it can be loaded in the back of a truck to be moved and it opens up like a Murphy bed to expose the interior.

Jennifer Seigal is another architect that uses shipping containers to create beautiful living spaces. One example is the Seatrain house she built for real estate developer Richard Carlson, equipped with all utilities and featuring an indoor fountain. She indicates that these houses are much less costly to build than the traditional ones, and that they are very modern looking and can be customized to the individual needs of the buyer.

While the use of shipping containers for shelter is not new, the thought of making architectural statements and unique creations is. Architects strive to create a feeling of openness, light and beauty using the prefab shipping containers as the foundation.

Although his Push-Button house is only an experimental project, Mr. Kalkin has built houses that he intends to make available to the public, like his Quik House. He currently has orders for ten. These modern prefab houses are made from five shipping containers and are then loaded on a truck and delivered to the buyer. It takes less than a week to reassemble them on location. The Quik House sells for between 150 to 175 thousand dollars, depending on the distance to deliver the house and the options that the client chooses. There are many different options, including mahogany sliding doors and a full stainless steel kitchen.

In addition to this deluxe version of a prefab home Mr. Kalkin is also planning on selling a single shipping container living space called an A-Pod. This will be equivalent to a studio apartment, and will sell for under $100,000.00.

Humanitarian issues

Most architects have noted that the prefab shipping container habitat is ideal for setting up in emergency situations and for humanitarian needs. These very structurally sound and durable homes can be moved easily on the back of trucks and can be loaded and unloaded numerous times with no damage or need for repairs. They can be moved virtually anywhere there is a road and it is easy to hook up plumbing and electrical connections to the outside of the shipping container.

They are very dry, leak resistant and easy to care for. They can be insulated to keep out the cold and, despite being metal, are reported to be easy to cool even in hot climates. The shipping container homes are virtually fire resistant and can be easily cleaned or painted if necessary.

While a shipping container home may not have been an option you had previously considered, it might be something to ponder in the future. The sky is the limit to using your imagination in designing your very own low cost prefab home.

Cornelia Myers believes that shipping containers can make viable and comfortable houses. Visit http://www.Shipping-Container-Housing.com to find out how to build a house from shipping containers and how much it costs and to learn more about the companies that provide design services for shipping container housing.

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Today, we find some natural materials being used for marine paint formulations to produce environmentally friendly marine paints. Scientists use tube worms in dead powder form, green algae, and garlic as natural anti fouling components and it gives your vessel an all round protection from chemical, insects and worm damage.

To prepare your ship for painting, it is wise to roughen it all out with 220 grit dry sand paper, while making sure there are no shiny spots which would prevent paint from sticking on the surface. Follow it up with an 800 grit sandpaper, then clean with warm soapy water. If you cannot accomplish this on your own, take it to a fabrication shop or yard and have them Vacuum or high pressure it with soapy water and a degrease to make cleaning it easier. Finally apply either a bottom paint for protecting the bottoms, a topside paint for the surfaces above the water line, including the deck or a commercial marine paint depending on what part of your boat you are painting.

Peter Gitundu Creates Interesting And Thought Provoking Content on Painting. For More Information, Read More Of His Articles Here PAINTING TIPS If You Enjoyed Reading This Article, Make Sure You SUBSCRIBE TO MY RSS FEED!

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Lighthouses are a very recognizable symbol, and represent many things for many people. For anyone who loves to travel, each lighthouse can represent a place they’ve visited or hope to someday. More metaphorically, lighthouses symbolize a warning of danger ahead, as well as a beacon over the horizon guiding you home. Nautical lamps in the shapes and colors of familiar lighthouses will make you smile every time you turn them on. They don’t necessarily have to be an exact replica. Even having some of the same colors and an overall style can accent a nautical theme.

Antique ship pieces can be made into spectacular nautical lamps to go along with your theme. Lanterns traditionally used on old fashioned fishing boats can be reconditioned and used as lighting in your home or office. It may take a little legwork, as they are not often easy to come by, but scouring antique dealers is the best way to track down these pieces. If you live on or around the east coast, or you are planning a visit sometime soon, keep an eye on antique shops and other stores that may have nautical themed lamps and other lighting.

Nautical themes don’t necessarily have to be representative of ships and lighthouses. There is other life in the ocean that can be incorporated into your design. For a child’s room, brightly colored fish on the walls on top of blue paint can be a whimsical trip to the ocean floor. Nautical lamps can be decorated with the same brightly colored fish or other sea life. You can even use real coral and seashells to make your own decorative and creative lamps. This is something that kids can help you with and they will appreciate being a part of decorating their own living space. Whether you make your own lamps, buy them brand new or refurbish real ones, you can feel like you are on the ocean or even in it any time you like.

Where to find Lamps R Us coupons quickly and easily by visiting http://www.modernlampsguide.com a popular lamp decorating website that offers tips, advice and resources including tips for decorating ideas using Phillips lamps.

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