Monday, 6 July 2015
Wednesday, 26 November 2014
CANOFIX UK, Arched type canopies
If you have large size balcony or garden in your house, our arched type canopies are suitable for you.
Also our arched type canopies have clever design and can be used for diverse purposes.
We do offer high-quality, advanced design Canopies in a budget price to maximise our value proposition.
Christmas decorating with Annie Sloan
The queen of paint talks about how she’ll be decorating her home and shop for the festive season and Christmas traditions she enjoys.
Q: Do you have any Xmas traditions?
A: This year is the first when my husband David and I will spend with our first grandchild, Willow, so we will be having a quiet family Christmas at home in Oxford. We do try and get all of our three sons together, but this year, my eldest son Henry will be away, as he is a teacher in Kazakhstan. David and I usually go to our house in Normandy, France too where we’ll enjoy plenty of festive food and wine!
Q: How will you decorate this Christmas?
A: I like to be more imaginative and creative when it comes to decorating the Annie Sloan shop in Oxford, as I tend to keep it quite traditional at home. For the shop, I am currently painting a large branch in either green or blue which will be my version of the Christmas tree with flat wooden painted shapes hanging from it – I see it looking very modern, but beautiful too. I want it to be a bit different from the traditional Christmas tree I will have at home.
Q: How can you use ChalkPaint at Christmas?
A great idea, which I might even try myself, is to paint a fabric table runner. ChalkPaint can be used on fabric and you could either use one or two colour for a simple design or be really creative with stencils or free-hand pattern design. Last year, I made lights using paint bottles, which I also painted in various colours. I bought some small lights and candles to put in them and hung them around the house – they looked fantastic.
Q: How will you decorate your home?
A: I spend so much time thinking about what to do in the run up to Christmas for the shop and for events to promote the latest products, that by the time December comes around, I have lost some excitement about it. However, I do get excited on Christmas Eve. To decorate, I will have a real fir tree and I will bring out the decorations the family has collected over the years. I tend to reuse the same ones each year and like to admire them all over again.
Q: What’s in your diary in 2015?
A: There are lots of exciting things happening at Annie Sloan HQ, but all will be revealed very soon – it’s top secret at the moment. One thing I can say is we are launching a new stencil range soon, which I can’t wait to use.
Friday, 21 November 2014
Canofix canopy series are ideal for a door entrance.
CANOFIX provides the bespoke canopy service, so all you have to do is just let us know the size of your door.
CANOFIX has 7 types of bracket in its product category; PC 650, 1000, 1270 and 1500. PC 650 which means the bracket size is 650mm.
Our canopy series are ideal for a door entrance.
If you want to look more CANOFIX products just click the link below.
Thursday, 13 November 2014
Extending a country house
Paul and Fiona Abadjian added an oak-frame extension, almost doubling the size of their house, and renovated the property to an award-winning standard.
Fact file The owners: Paul Abadjian, who buys and sells classic Jaguar cars as a hobby business, lives here with his wife Fiona, a corporate travel specialistThe property: A three-bedroom detached house, part of which dates from around 250 years ago and was developed from a barn belonging to neighbouring stately home Frampton Court. It has been modernised and extended The location: Near Frampton, West Dorset What they spent: The couple bought the house in 2009 for around £730,000. The extension cost in the region of £200,000, while the refurbishment of the existing house cost around £400,000. The property has recently been valued at around £1.4million |
Fiona and Paul Abadjian had been walking the beautiful coastal paths of Dorset for more than 20 years before they decided to move there permanently. They were looking to relocate from their thatched cottage in nearby Dorchester and buy a larger property with outbuildings. ‘I have collected Jaguars since the 1970s as a hobby, and we have used them on tours across the world, so they were an important part of deciding the kind of house we were looking for,’ says Paul. In addition, Fiona wanted to keep alpacas, so the house would need to have suitable land for a herd. It took less than a month for the couple to find the property, and less than a minute to be sold on the ‘outstanding’ parkland views. ‘We really loved the location. It’s breathtaking, very peaceful, and in one of the most beautiful areas of Dorset. But the house was dated and compromised in its layout, and we knew as soon as we saw it that it would need to be refurbished,’ says Paul. ‘We also wanted to increase the size of the house – which was about 2,500 square feet – with an oak-framed extension.’
As the fireplace from Ebay was very wide and low, Paul and Fiona had it raised with Hamstone sections matched and cut by a local quarry. The sofas are from Barker & Stonehouse and the Ziegler design Pakistani rug is from Irugs. Made bespoke, the false bookcase to the left of the fireplace conceals a TV, which rises from the top electronically
Reconfiguring the layout
Straight away, the couple applied for planning permission, taking great pains to ensure that their plans for the new 1,000-square-feet, double-height section would be sympathetic with the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in which it sits. It took eight months and four revised designs to reach a solution with which all interested parties agreed.
When permission had eventually been granted, the Abadjians decided to continue living in their Dorchester cottage while they renovated the new property, spending every weekend on site and making hour-long round trips daily to keep the work on track. They started the project in the old part of the house, where the layout was uninspiring and not always practical, with limited headroom in some areas downstairs, and corridors taking up valuable space upstairs.
Linking the existing house and new living room, this oak-framed space has a statement exposed brick wall and large windows supplied by Border Oak. The limestone floor tiles are from Boniti and the black furniture was handmade by a French designer
Paul and Fiona wanted to redesign the old house quite radically to make the living areas flow more coherently and to introduce as much light and space as possible. This involved digging out some of the floors to create more height, then changing the emphasis of the building by turning the kitchen and utility into an en suite bedroom. The old living room became a kitchen and the original dining room a spacious hall. The apex of the original roof had created a series of small, awkwardly shaped bedrooms off a central corridor so Paul took the advice of no less than three architects before settling on the idea of knocking out some of the walls to create two large bedrooms instead.
‘Fortunately the house wasn’t listed, so we could change the interior layout as we wanted,’ he says. ‘Only two of the original internal walls remain and, as a result, the rooms now flow easily and the space is more practical to live in.’
Large reclaimed oak beams support the mid-section of the spacious kitchen, with the upright timbers potentially pre-dating the original house
Restoring period features
Initially, Fiona and Paul planned to repair the roof where tiles had become brittle with age, but they soon realised that the extent of deterioration was so great that it was better to replace the roof altogether. In the process, additional dormer windows were formed upstairs to extend the headroom and admit more light.
Some of the original barn doors had been blocked up with bricks, which had been fired in the grounds of the old hall, leaving visible lines where they should have been blended into the original walls. Paul employed three specialist bricklayers to remove some of the bricks and re-lay them in a traditional pattern to integrate them visually, and the whole house was then repointed with lime mortar.
‘We wanted everything to be done to the highest standard possible and in keeping with the age and style of the original barn,’ he explains. The couple were also keen to embrace certain modern eco-elements within the project, however, particularly a ground-source heat pump.
The 1970s hand-carved Hallidays fire surround came from Paul’s parents’ home. Made locally, the staircase was supplied by the builder
Installing ground source heat pumps
‘Originally, we considered having one big ground-source heat pump, but it would have required a three-phase electricity system, which we didn’t have, and it would have cost a further £6,000 to bring in a suitable supply, so we decided to have two smaller pumps set up to be phased so there is no surge,’ says Paul. This turned out to be a rather expensive option. Not only was the ground-source heat pump supplier based in a different area, but its approved ‘local’ contractors were in Cornwall, which was not much closer. The cost of them attending the site was astronomical, and it became clear early on that the arrangement was not satisfactory or viable. The work involved digging six 50-metre trenches in the field opposite the house, and laying coiled pipe runs in each. These pipes then connected into two larger pipes, which transfer the ‘warm coolant’ into the house via two 50-metre pipe runs. Unfortunately this part of the project did not go to plan, and Paul eventually hired a local specialist, Power Naturally, to complete the job.
‘Had we done more research and talked to more people who had ground-source heat pumps, we could have saved a lot of time, money and stress,’ admits Paul. However, the hassle over the pump was more than balanced by the efficiency of Border Oak, the company tasked with building the second phase of the property.
To create a sense of height and space, the beautiful original oak beams in this room have been limewashed. The bed is from Peter Jones and the Marchmont feature wallpaper is from Laura Ashley
Extending the property
While work continued on the original house, Border Oak began the extension, synchronising with the local builders to work around each other. The oak frame was cut and trial-assembled at the company’s headquarters before being transported to site and reassembled on concrete foundations.
‘We didn’t want a design that was too sharp and modern,’ says Paul. ‘We wanted it to be mellow and to blend in easily with the original house. It’s still ageing.’ The extension was completed with handmade roof tiles and handmade softwood windows – although, in retrospect, Fiona and Paul wish that they had chosen more durable oak. The exterior of the extension is finished in larchwood waney-edged cladding, and Halstock Farmhouse bricks that complement the original structure.
Opaque glass partitions that follow the apex of the roof create an unusual feature wall. In the shower, which has Grohe fittings, the travertine wall and floor tiles are from Boniti. The bath and taps are from Victorian Bathrooms
Combining the traditional and modern
Integrating the two halves of the building – the existing property along with the oak-framed extension – has resulted in a house that is both historic and modern, and this combination of old and new has inspired the interior décor and furnishings. Some of the furniture came from a flat that the couple owned in London, and other pieces came from their families, while they bought the rest at auction. It is the design of the house and its extraordinary setting, however – rather than the furnishings – that takes centre stage.
‘We always wanted to create a home that worked sympathetically, both visually and practically, in this very special location,’ says Paul. Not only does it achieve that, but there is also plenty of space for Paul and Fiona’s classic car collection – which is stored in a refurbished outbuilding with 16 solar panels in the roof. ‘In spite of the odd setback and one or two things that, with hindsight, we might have done differently – such as choosing softwood window frames – we are delighted with our new home,’ Paul continues. ‘The extension came in on budget and on time, which is quite unusual these days. To cap it all, our house won an award from the Federation of Master Builders in the Medium Renovation class within the 2013 South West regional heat, so it has more than lived up to our expectations.’
Local company Grant & Webster made the bespoke units, painted in Farrow & Ball’s Borrowed Light, and fitted them around the windows
The costs | |
| Building work to exisiting structure | £200,000 |
| Extension | £200,000 |
| Ground-source heat pumps | £50,000 |
| Bespoke kitchen | £40,000 |
| Three new bathrooms | £40,000 |
| New oak beams | £25,000 |
| Rewiring and replumbing | £25,000 |
| Tiling and decoration | £20,000 |
| TOTAL | £600,000 |
Thursday, 6 November 2014
Canofix's canopies are enough to cover long walkway from rain.
Canofix would be helpful to make your walkway more comfortable on rainy day.
Canofix PC 1270 and 1500 models have long depth, so there are enough to cover long walkway from rain or snow.
Check out our products which are suitable for your walkway:
Eco-Friendly Remodels
Three home makeovers that exemplify how going green can benefit the environment and add value to your home
By Taylor Arnold
These days more and more homeowners are turning to green remodeling as a way to kill two birds with one stone: add value to their homes and reduce their carbon footprints. To start, simply remodeling an existing home rather than building a new one is already a step in the right direction—it conserves resources, avoids waste and ultimately helps to raise other property values in the neighborhood. Then, once you’ve decided to remodel, there are plenty of easy and affordable ways to go green with the makeover. To boot, green homes are increasingly sought-after by homebuyers, when you’re ready to sell.
Are you in? Here are three Triangle-area green remodels to inform and inspire you.
A Kitchen in Time for the Holidays
Contractor Dan Brady is no stranger to a kitchen remodel, so when a couple wanted to fast-track the renovation of their kitchen in time for the holidays, Brady and his team at A&D Construction Services were up for the challenge. The clients wanted all-new cabinets, countertops and energy-efficient appliances.
“The clients told us they had talked to a few other businesses and their quotes all came back with 4- to 6-week timelines to receive the cabinets,” Brady explains. “We were able to sit down with them and explain our timeline of 18-20 days max.”
The new cabinets arrived ready to install 4 days later. Upon completing the cabinet install, Brady turned his attention to the granite countertops. “Within 15 days our clients were cooking in a brand new kitchen,” Brady says. “So from the time we first spoke to them, 16 days later we were completely finished with the job. We even stuck around on the final day to help them install their new appliances.”
The benefits of renovating in a shorter timeframe are two-fold: the homeowners enjoy reduced operating costs, while the contractors have less exposure to the airborne volatile compounds that can come with a longer home renovation. And remodeling is ultimately green by design in that it uses existing space to achieve the desired result.
Key Green Elements
• Refrigerator by LG, www.lg.com/us/kitchen/refrigerators
• Dishwasher by LG, www.lg.com/us/dishwashers
• Gas stove by Viking, www.vikingrange.com
• Oven and microwave combo by LG, www.lg.com/us/microwave-ovens
• Refrigerator by LG, www.lg.com/us/kitchen/refrigerators
• Dishwasher by LG, www.lg.com/us/dishwashers
• Gas stove by Viking, www.vikingrange.com
• Oven and microwave combo by LG, www.lg.com/us/microwave-ovens
Ranch Revival
When Jeff Wiblitzhouser and his team at Paradise Found Construction were hired to transform a 1960s ranch into an updated and energy-efficient home last year, the homeowner’s goal was to sell the property as quickly as possible in its very desirable Raleigh neighborhood. “Rather than demolish these older homes to make way for larger homes with larger carbon footprints, renovating them to provide updated design trends while increasing their energy and water efficiency and indoor-air quality provides an opportunity to bring younger families into these older neighborhoods, giving them new life and raising property values,” Wiblitzhouser says. “The cost savings in energy and water usage lowers the cost of ownership of these older homes, making them even more affordable and attractive.”
Because the home’s kitchen and baths dated back to its original construction, the original electrical and plumbing fixtures were still in place, along with the cabinets and door hardware—and lack of insulation. But after 8 weeks of renovation, Wiblitzhouser equipped the home with energy- and water-efficient features including updated EPA Energy Star-rated electrical fixtures and appliances, EPA WaterSense toilets and plumbing fixtures, CFL lighting, upgraded insulation and air-sealing measures and rainwater harvesting. The home also boasts natural hardwoods with a zero-VOC clear-coat finish, next-generation porcelain tile and zero-VOC carpeting and paints.
This whole-house remodel was the first-ever green certified remodel to be entered into the Wake County HBA’s Remodelers Tour in the Spring of 2012, and it was the first-ever green certified remodel entered into the Wake HBA’s Remodelers Star Awards in the summer of 2012. It earned a Star Award for the Best Green Certified Remodel, and it sold within days of being listed.
Key Green Elements
• Sherwin-Williams’ zero-VOC paint, www.sherwin-williams.com
• Norwood Masterpiece zero-VOC carpet, www.norwoodco.net
• Moen EPA WaterSense-rated plumbing fixtures, www.moen.com
• Bona Naturale zero-VOC clear water-based hardwood floor finish, www.bona.com
• Sherwin-Williams’ zero-VOC paint, www.sherwin-williams.com
• Norwood Masterpiece zero-VOC carpet, www.norwoodco.net
• Moen EPA WaterSense-rated plumbing fixtures, www.moen.com
• Bona Naturale zero-VOC clear water-based hardwood floor finish, www.bona.com
A Healthy Kitchen
Prompted by water damage due to a leaky dishwasher, the owners of a North Raleigh home called on Paul Toma and Dawn Hintgen at Common Ground Green Building to give them a full kitchen makeover. “They have a young daughter and were especially interested in putting healthy, eco-friendly materials back into their home, as well as supporting local businesses when purchasing those materials,” explains Hintgen, a green-kitchen designer and co-owner of Common Ground Green Building.
The original kitchen had a peninsula with low-hanging wall cabinets above it, dividing up the kitchen and eating area and blocking light from the kitchen. “Our main design goal was to open that area up and transform the awkward eating area that they didn’t use into a family hangout space for homework and crafts that felt like part of the kitchen rather than blocked off from it,” Hintgen says. “We also brightened the space by using a fresh and light paint color.”This green remodel included the installation of a number of eco-friendly upgrades, including flooring made from recycled poplar wood, backsplash tile made from more than 40-percent recycled content and zero-VOC paint. “Not once did we have to leave our home due to fumes, like our friends recently had to when they had their floors done,” homeowner Jenny Kroboth says. “We go to bed happy knowing we have a beautiful kitchen, and it’s healthy for us and the environment.”
Key Green Elements
• Cabinets by Executive Cabinetry, built with formaldehyde-free plywood and finished with water-borne paint, www.executivecabinetry.com
• GREENGUARD-certified Cambria quartz countertops, www.cambriausa.com • Backsplash tile by Florida Tile, www.floridatile.com
• Mythic zero-VOC, nontoxic paint, www.mythicpaint.com
• LOOX LED under-cabinet lighting by Hafele, www.hafele.com
• Cabinets by Executive Cabinetry, built with formaldehyde-free plywood and finished with water-borne paint, www.executivecabinetry.com
• GREENGUARD-certified Cambria quartz countertops, www.cambriausa.com • Backsplash tile by Florida Tile, www.floridatile.com
• Mythic zero-VOC, nontoxic paint, www.mythicpaint.com
• LOOX LED under-cabinet lighting by Hafele, www.hafele.com
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