Let's face it; not everyone can afford the mansion that they have been
dreaming about since they were a kid. For those of us with smaller sized
rooms in our homes though, rest assured, as there are really simple
ways to making a small room look larger than at really is. Like makeup
for our faces, an illusion is really all it is, however illusions work
wonders.
To make a small room look larger you first want to paint the walls a
light color. Darker colors can actually make a smaller room look even
tinier than what it really is. White is your best option, or an off
white. If you want to use colors, go with very, very subtle tints in
color. Blue colors will make the room appear larger and more airy and
inviting, so if you are going to go with color, try to go with a blue
hue that you like.
Hanging a ton of things on a wall in a small room makes the room look
cluttered, and even smaller. If you are going to hang anything on a
wall, make it a large mirror. The mirror will give off the illusion of
more room as well. You can hang picture frames, but do not over do it.
Furniture arrangement also plays a vital role in how large or small a
room looks. First and foremost, you do not want to arrange any furniture
in the middle of the room, as it will cut the room in half and make it
look even smaller. Beds and larger pieces should go against a wall in
the room, to clear the middle.
The middle of the room should be clear of all messes, so keep the room
clean. The more stuff you have lying around, the smaller and more
cluttered the room will look, so try to keep things neat looking at all
times.
Lastly is lighting.
If the room has a window, do not cover the window up in long drab
curtains, if you want curtains though make them light in color, and
always open. Let natural light sources beam in through the windows at
all possible times to give off the illusion of a larger room.
Applying hidden small lights into the ceiling will also make a small
room look larger, and it will save you space for if you had to use lamps
instead.
Friday, July 18, 2014
Where to Find Oddly Unique Lighting Fixtures for Your Home
You walk into someones home, with their cookie cutter neutral colored
walls, and cookie cutter cream colored curtains, and their pearl white
bathrooms, and you think to yourself, "yes, this is nice, but so
overdone, so un-original, and bland".
You are unique, and you like weird little extras that the 'not so normal type' of people would ever display in their homes. You fit this description, otherwise you wouldn't be here. I fit this description, therefore I figured there had to be other oddballs out there like myself, who seek out these special hidden home goods.
Today we are focusing on unique lighting fixtures.
First and foremost, you will want to head over to Tabby inc. for a beer bottle chandelier. Now not everyone would want to spend $600.00 on a Beer Bottle Chandelier, but for those of you weirdos who have a bar room, and have the cash to flow, like you do your tap, then this one is worth checking out. Click here to be taken to the beer bottle chandelier.
Personally I have fallen in love with the Octopus Chandelier, found here. This would look awesome in our sea theme bathroom; if we only had the room for it that is. You should also check out Etsy.com for unique one of a kind octopus light fixtures as well.
Next we have the weird and wild grape light fixture. This is a unique twist for those of you who already have a cute wine grape theme going on in your kitchen. Scatter a few of these around the walls, and wallah, you have a unique theme, with unique lighting to go with it.
One of my favorite unique finds is Moon, by in-es.collections. This light fixture gives a near replica of the moon right in your home at night when hung in a dark room. You have got to check them out. Imagine no longer having to go outside on cold winter nights to gaze at this magnificent wonder, instead you can gaze at it in the comfort of your bed. Truly a work of lighting art.
Last but surely not least is the Crystal Comb Lamps created by Yar Rassadin. This unique wonders are perfect for adding a unique summer twist to your home. In our home we change up our kitchens theme seasonally, and these would have been perfect for this bee-utiful summer season.
Oh well, there is always next season for these wonderful lamps.
You are unique, and you like weird little extras that the 'not so normal type' of people would ever display in their homes. You fit this description, otherwise you wouldn't be here. I fit this description, therefore I figured there had to be other oddballs out there like myself, who seek out these special hidden home goods.
Today we are focusing on unique lighting fixtures.
First and foremost, you will want to head over to Tabby inc. for a beer bottle chandelier. Now not everyone would want to spend $600.00 on a Beer Bottle Chandelier, but for those of you weirdos who have a bar room, and have the cash to flow, like you do your tap, then this one is worth checking out. Click here to be taken to the beer bottle chandelier.
Personally I have fallen in love with the Octopus Chandelier, found here. This would look awesome in our sea theme bathroom; if we only had the room for it that is. You should also check out Etsy.com for unique one of a kind octopus light fixtures as well.
Next we have the weird and wild grape light fixture. This is a unique twist for those of you who already have a cute wine grape theme going on in your kitchen. Scatter a few of these around the walls, and wallah, you have a unique theme, with unique lighting to go with it.
One of my favorite unique finds is Moon, by in-es.collections. This light fixture gives a near replica of the moon right in your home at night when hung in a dark room. You have got to check them out. Imagine no longer having to go outside on cold winter nights to gaze at this magnificent wonder, instead you can gaze at it in the comfort of your bed. Truly a work of lighting art.
Last but surely not least is the Crystal Comb Lamps created by Yar Rassadin. This unique wonders are perfect for adding a unique summer twist to your home. In our home we change up our kitchens theme seasonally, and these would have been perfect for this bee-utiful summer season.
Oh well, there is always next season for these wonderful lamps.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
How to Give Foam Polyurethane Crown Molding a Gorgeous Antique Bronzed Finish
My family is full of snobs, literally. If you are adding crown molding
to your home they say, than you absolutely must use wood.
Yeah in a perfect world where I hit the lottery and could afford to crown out every room in wood maybe I would. But after looking at pricing of wood molding, and polyurethane molding, I figured heck with them, I can not only save a ton of money, but I can also pick molding with truly beautiful and unique designs. Designs that I simply could not find carved into wood, let alone with prices I could afford.
After extensive research on exactly how to install this type of molding, I went ahead and took the plunge. I ordered 63 linear feet of poly crown molding, and hoped for the best. Heck for just $155.00, how could I go wrong?
The poly molding came shipped in a few days, and I had it cut and up in about an hour in my 33 linear foot bathroom. I also ordered corner blocks to virtually eliminate the need to do 45 degree miter cuts on the ends. Yes, I saved myself a ton of time!
Next was to paint them. According to the site where I ordered my poly molding, they were ready to be painted, so all I had to do was pick my colors.
Seeing that my walls were freshly painted brown, I figured a beautiful bronze antique paint job on my crown molding would really snap it to life.
Surprisingly the finish came out 100 times better than I had ever imagined it would, and here is how I did it.
You want to paint the molding after you install it, because any small cuts in the molding where one end meets the other will need Spackle in order to hide the seam. So, before painting, just install the molding. After it is up, allow it to dry and then add your Spackle to hide seams.
Next you can paint!
Here is how to get a beautiful metallic looking antique bronze finish on polyurethane crown molding
I used black high gloss interior paint. I brushed it onto the molding in one quick swoop. This part of the paint job does not have to be perfect, but be sure to cover all white that may show through for a deeper coloring for when you apply your metallic top coat.
Anyhow, after painting the crown molding black, it will likely look awful. You will want to cry and wonder why you ever did it in the first place. Fear not, this is just part of the process, and it will give your molding depth, especially if you have any dips/grooves for a design in the molding.
You will want to allow this paint to dry. It does not take long for it to dry, but let it sit for at least 2 hours or so that way any areas that have paint pooled can dry better.
Next you need your metallic bronze overcoat. I used a beautiful and unique color called Penny Copper, which is sold in small containers by Martha Stewart.
I shook the container and began swiping this penny copper paint on top of the black. I was astonished when I finished at just how stunning the crown molding looked using this technique to paint it.
Basically in order to get this sort of deep rich shade of copper you will need to use a black base coat. The high gloss black paint allowed the color of the bronze to come out darker and more rich, hence only needing a small amount of metallic paint to bring it to life. Without using the black base color, the metallic paint would not have shown so brightly and vividly, and would have required tons of coats. When you use a black base you literally only need one thin coat of the metallic paint, saving you time and money!
Tip-
You do not need to use a copper color, you can get a rich metallic silver, or any color you choose that is metallic to finish your molding. Just always remember to use a black undercoat to bring out the shine!
Have fun, and enjoy your new room!
Yeah in a perfect world where I hit the lottery and could afford to crown out every room in wood maybe I would. But after looking at pricing of wood molding, and polyurethane molding, I figured heck with them, I can not only save a ton of money, but I can also pick molding with truly beautiful and unique designs. Designs that I simply could not find carved into wood, let alone with prices I could afford.
After extensive research on exactly how to install this type of molding, I went ahead and took the plunge. I ordered 63 linear feet of poly crown molding, and hoped for the best. Heck for just $155.00, how could I go wrong?
The poly molding came shipped in a few days, and I had it cut and up in about an hour in my 33 linear foot bathroom. I also ordered corner blocks to virtually eliminate the need to do 45 degree miter cuts on the ends. Yes, I saved myself a ton of time!
Next was to paint them. According to the site where I ordered my poly molding, they were ready to be painted, so all I had to do was pick my colors.
Seeing that my walls were freshly painted brown, I figured a beautiful bronze antique paint job on my crown molding would really snap it to life.
Surprisingly the finish came out 100 times better than I had ever imagined it would, and here is how I did it.
You want to paint the molding after you install it, because any small cuts in the molding where one end meets the other will need Spackle in order to hide the seam. So, before painting, just install the molding. After it is up, allow it to dry and then add your Spackle to hide seams.
Next you can paint!
Here is how to get a beautiful metallic looking antique bronze finish on polyurethane crown molding
I used black high gloss interior paint. I brushed it onto the molding in one quick swoop. This part of the paint job does not have to be perfect, but be sure to cover all white that may show through for a deeper coloring for when you apply your metallic top coat.
Anyhow, after painting the crown molding black, it will likely look awful. You will want to cry and wonder why you ever did it in the first place. Fear not, this is just part of the process, and it will give your molding depth, especially if you have any dips/grooves for a design in the molding.
You will want to allow this paint to dry. It does not take long for it to dry, but let it sit for at least 2 hours or so that way any areas that have paint pooled can dry better.
Next you need your metallic bronze overcoat. I used a beautiful and unique color called Penny Copper, which is sold in small containers by Martha Stewart.
I shook the container and began swiping this penny copper paint on top of the black. I was astonished when I finished at just how stunning the crown molding looked using this technique to paint it.
Basically in order to get this sort of deep rich shade of copper you will need to use a black base coat. The high gloss black paint allowed the color of the bronze to come out darker and more rich, hence only needing a small amount of metallic paint to bring it to life. Without using the black base color, the metallic paint would not have shown so brightly and vividly, and would have required tons of coats. When you use a black base you literally only need one thin coat of the metallic paint, saving you time and money!
Tip-
You do not need to use a copper color, you can get a rich metallic silver, or any color you choose that is metallic to finish your molding. Just always remember to use a black undercoat to bring out the shine!
Have fun, and enjoy your new room!
DIY- How to Install Polyurethane Crown Moulding
Wood crown molding is expensive, and not everyone can afford to blow
such a significant amount of money on wood crown molding for their
homes.
Honestly, that is why I ended up going with a polyurethane crown molding to finish my bathroom with. Not only was it cheaper, but I had such a large selection of molding designs that there was no way I was turning back and going with a more bland cut section of wood. Not when I could save a ton of money, and get a detailed look that seemed far more classy than wood had to offer.
Working with poly crown molding is also a heck of a lot easier, and there is no nailing required at all. If you buy yourself corner blocks for the room as well, you can eliminate any difficult 45 degree angle miter cuts. This is exactly what I did, and putting the molding up too less than an hour.
So you are likely thinking of doing the same thing, otherwise why would you be here?
Here is what you will need in order to install your polyurethane crown molding:
You will need a tape measure
You will need Spackle
You will need Caulk
You will need a Spackle knife
You will need Loctite Power Grab Adhesive
You will need a caulking gun (to be used for your power grab adhesive tube)
You will need corner blocks to eliminate miter cuts and save yourself the need to have to cut the molding in a 45 degree angle.
You will need some painters tape
You will need a hacksaw with a thin blade
How to Install:
First and foremost you will want to install your wall corner blocks. You can purchase low priced polyurethane corner blocks online. Make sure you buy enough to add to each corner. Count your interior corners, and exterior corners in order to ensure you have enough blocks.
Install the corner blocks using the Loctite Adhesive, and the caulking gun. Apply the adhesive lightly.
Press the corner blocks firmly against the wall and hold it there for a few seconds until a good solid bond has been made. It will not take long at all. You can then tape them to the wall with the painters tape to ensure they do not move as you continue to work.
Allow these corner blocks to fully dry for at least 24 hours.
The following day take your tape measure to measure out how many feet of the polyurethane molding you will need on each wall.
Once you have your measurements, if you need cuts use a thin blade hacksaw for straight lined cuts. The poly material is very easy to cut, and it takes little to no effort to get a good straight cut. You can also use a saw if you prefer, but the hacksaw is cheaper and does the trick.
Once you have your cuts you can now take your molding back into your room and apply the Loctite adhesive to the back areas where the material will meet the wall and ceiling. Firmly and carefully press the molding into place and hold it there for a few moments. You can use the painters tape again to ensure that the molding does not slip out of place.
Work your way around the room until it is all up.
After everything has dried you can now seal the seams using the caulk gun and caulking. Work your way around the bottom seam of the molding and the top seam. Use your finger to slide across it for a neat bond.
After that is finished drying you can now Spackle any seam cuts or gaps on the molding using the Spackle gun and caulking gun to apply it. Use your finger to smooth out the Spackle.
Allow it to dry for 24 hours and then you can begin your painting!
It is very easy, very cheap, and looks so beautiful when you actually paint it to your preference.
The thing I found that I liked better about poly molding in place of wood molding is that it will never crack, expand, shrink, or sag. It is not porous like wood, and it will last a heck of a lot longer, for a heck of a lot less money!
After all was said and done, my cost was about $250.00 for a full bathroom, 33 linear feet total. The poly molding was $150.00, and the cost of tools added on about another $100.00 or less.
Honestly, that is why I ended up going with a polyurethane crown molding to finish my bathroom with. Not only was it cheaper, but I had such a large selection of molding designs that there was no way I was turning back and going with a more bland cut section of wood. Not when I could save a ton of money, and get a detailed look that seemed far more classy than wood had to offer.
Working with poly crown molding is also a heck of a lot easier, and there is no nailing required at all. If you buy yourself corner blocks for the room as well, you can eliminate any difficult 45 degree angle miter cuts. This is exactly what I did, and putting the molding up too less than an hour.
So you are likely thinking of doing the same thing, otherwise why would you be here?
Here is what you will need in order to install your polyurethane crown molding:
You will need a tape measure
You will need Spackle
You will need Caulk
You will need a Spackle knife
You will need Loctite Power Grab Adhesive
You will need a caulking gun (to be used for your power grab adhesive tube)
You will need corner blocks to eliminate miter cuts and save yourself the need to have to cut the molding in a 45 degree angle.
You will need some painters tape
You will need a hacksaw with a thin blade
How to Install:
First and foremost you will want to install your wall corner blocks. You can purchase low priced polyurethane corner blocks online. Make sure you buy enough to add to each corner. Count your interior corners, and exterior corners in order to ensure you have enough blocks.
Install the corner blocks using the Loctite Adhesive, and the caulking gun. Apply the adhesive lightly.
Press the corner blocks firmly against the wall and hold it there for a few seconds until a good solid bond has been made. It will not take long at all. You can then tape them to the wall with the painters tape to ensure they do not move as you continue to work.
Allow these corner blocks to fully dry for at least 24 hours.
The following day take your tape measure to measure out how many feet of the polyurethane molding you will need on each wall.
Once you have your measurements, if you need cuts use a thin blade hacksaw for straight lined cuts. The poly material is very easy to cut, and it takes little to no effort to get a good straight cut. You can also use a saw if you prefer, but the hacksaw is cheaper and does the trick.
Once you have your cuts you can now take your molding back into your room and apply the Loctite adhesive to the back areas where the material will meet the wall and ceiling. Firmly and carefully press the molding into place and hold it there for a few moments. You can use the painters tape again to ensure that the molding does not slip out of place.
Work your way around the room until it is all up.
After everything has dried you can now seal the seams using the caulk gun and caulking. Work your way around the bottom seam of the molding and the top seam. Use your finger to slide across it for a neat bond.
After that is finished drying you can now Spackle any seam cuts or gaps on the molding using the Spackle gun and caulking gun to apply it. Use your finger to smooth out the Spackle.
Allow it to dry for 24 hours and then you can begin your painting!
It is very easy, very cheap, and looks so beautiful when you actually paint it to your preference.
The thing I found that I liked better about poly molding in place of wood molding is that it will never crack, expand, shrink, or sag. It is not porous like wood, and it will last a heck of a lot longer, for a heck of a lot less money!
After all was said and done, my cost was about $250.00 for a full bathroom, 33 linear feet total. The poly molding was $150.00, and the cost of tools added on about another $100.00 or less.
How to Install Interior and External Polyurethane Corner Blocks for Crown Molding
I knew point blank that when I remodeled my bathroom in my new house
that I wanted crown molding. However I wanted to be able to install the
crown molding as fast as possible without having to go out and buy
myself an expensive miter saw to make 45 degree angle miter cuts.
I began researching and discovered that I could literally eliminate the need to cut angle cuts on the crown molding simply by adding corner blocks to each corner of the wall.
Unfortunately as I began my quest for find low priced corner blocks I learned that I had to be careful with how I went about this, as you have interior/inside corners, and external/outside corners that must be covered.
Your interior corners are the corners that dip in to make up the wall. Your external corners, or outside corners are the corners in the room that may jet out. Not ever room has outside corners but for those of you with outside corners, like my bathroom had, I had to ensure that when I ordered my polyurethan corner blocks, that I ordered just enough of them to make one large block for the one outside corner in the room.
My room consisted of 5 interior corners, and 1 external corner.
I needed a total of 8 corner blocks. I ordered mine on ebay in a medium size right online, and paid a really decent price for them.
Other sites sell corner blocks, but be sure to read the description to ensure you purchase enough of them to finish the job.
Here is how they work:
1 corner block is capable of covering one interior corner. However you need 3 of these individual corner blocks in order to make your outside corner block.
You may need more depending on where you purchase them.
At any rate, to create the outside corner block I had to glue together 3 corner blocks to make 1 large block to cover all angles of my outside wall corner. You will want to use Loctite adhesive and a caulking gun to seal them together. Allow them to dry.
After the blocks are all dry and they are sealed together, you will want to use some Spackle on the seams to blend it to make the seam disappear. After Spackle, you will then sand it to give it a smooth and even look.
While this large outside corner block dries feel free to install each of the other corner interior blocks into place. You will need to use a caulking gun and a tube of Loctite Adhesive. Apply the adhesive to the blocks and simply stick them up in each interior corner.
To ensure they do not slip down you can use painters tape to hold them in place, although it is not really necessary because the adhesive works very fast.
Once the corner blocks are all installed to the corners, in and out walls, you can now begin to install your crown molding.
Why Use Corner Blocks?
You will save yourself quite a bit of time using them. You will not need to buy or rent an expensive miter saw to make angle cuts, and they also add a nice touch of class to the room.
Instead of wasting a few hours making perfect cuts, you can take those hours and literally finish the job in the same amount of time.
Where To Buy:
A quick search online will take you to what you need. They are much cheaper online than say a hardware store. Hardware stores carry them, but they are usually wood blocks, not as decorative looking and cost a heck of a lot more money. The polyurethane corner blocks are much cheaper, they are easier to install to the wall, and they can be painted over just like wood corner blocks. Your preference is however your preference; wood or poly; but personally for a cheaper, lighter, and easier install go with the polyurethane.
I began researching and discovered that I could literally eliminate the need to cut angle cuts on the crown molding simply by adding corner blocks to each corner of the wall.
Unfortunately as I began my quest for find low priced corner blocks I learned that I had to be careful with how I went about this, as you have interior/inside corners, and external/outside corners that must be covered.
Your interior corners are the corners that dip in to make up the wall. Your external corners, or outside corners are the corners in the room that may jet out. Not ever room has outside corners but for those of you with outside corners, like my bathroom had, I had to ensure that when I ordered my polyurethan corner blocks, that I ordered just enough of them to make one large block for the one outside corner in the room.
My room consisted of 5 interior corners, and 1 external corner.
I needed a total of 8 corner blocks. I ordered mine on ebay in a medium size right online, and paid a really decent price for them.
Other sites sell corner blocks, but be sure to read the description to ensure you purchase enough of them to finish the job.
Here is how they work:
1 corner block is capable of covering one interior corner. However you need 3 of these individual corner blocks in order to make your outside corner block.
You may need more depending on where you purchase them.
At any rate, to create the outside corner block I had to glue together 3 corner blocks to make 1 large block to cover all angles of my outside wall corner. You will want to use Loctite adhesive and a caulking gun to seal them together. Allow them to dry.
After the blocks are all dry and they are sealed together, you will want to use some Spackle on the seams to blend it to make the seam disappear. After Spackle, you will then sand it to give it a smooth and even look.
While this large outside corner block dries feel free to install each of the other corner interior blocks into place. You will need to use a caulking gun and a tube of Loctite Adhesive. Apply the adhesive to the blocks and simply stick them up in each interior corner.
To ensure they do not slip down you can use painters tape to hold them in place, although it is not really necessary because the adhesive works very fast.
Once the corner blocks are all installed to the corners, in and out walls, you can now begin to install your crown molding.
Why Use Corner Blocks?
You will save yourself quite a bit of time using them. You will not need to buy or rent an expensive miter saw to make angle cuts, and they also add a nice touch of class to the room.
Instead of wasting a few hours making perfect cuts, you can take those hours and literally finish the job in the same amount of time.
Where To Buy:
A quick search online will take you to what you need. They are much cheaper online than say a hardware store. Hardware stores carry them, but they are usually wood blocks, not as decorative looking and cost a heck of a lot more money. The polyurethane corner blocks are much cheaper, they are easier to install to the wall, and they can be painted over just like wood corner blocks. Your preference is however your preference; wood or poly; but personally for a cheaper, lighter, and easier install go with the polyurethane.
Review of Enviro: The New M55 Cast Multi-Fuel Pellet Stove M55 Pellet Stove
I just moved into my new home, and with winter quickly approaching
and the way our large 2,000 square foot home eats up oil, I came to the
quick conclusion that I wanted to have a wood stove installed in the
home to save on the cost of fuel.
Unfortunately due to the awkward layout in my parlor, I could not add a
wood stove unless I placed it in the center of the room, and ran it up
through the entirety of the home. That was not in my budget, nor did I
want a pipe going through the floor.
After some research and speaking with our local fireplace store/friend, we decided to take the plunge and go with the Enviro: The New M55 Cast Multi-Fuel Stove. Aside from pellets, you can burn corn and cherry pits in this beast. Seeing that we do not live in areas that sell cherry pits or corn by the pallets, we were going to be using pellets in our stove.
My parents had the Enviro: Mini Pellet Stove in their smaller 3 bedroom ranch, and I knew the power that the smaller model carried. Although skeptical about the M55, I figured it would pump out some serious heat, even if it did not manage to heat the entire house.
Why we decided on the The New M55 Cast Multi-Fuel Stove
Our home is big, 2 stories with a lot of space. I was of course skeptical that the The New M55 Cast Multi-Fuel Stove would actually heat the entire home, but the sales woman insisted that the one in her home does the trick in her 2,200 square foot home. I raised an eyebrow but decided at this point there were no other larger options when it came to pellet stoves.
The advertising in their store also stated that this particular pellet stove had the capability of heating up to 2,500 square feet. This was more than what we had, so I lowered my eyebrow and signed on the dotted line.
Enviro The New M55 Cast Multi-Fuel Stove took a week to come in, and our appointment was set up to be installed. The installation took them about 2.5 hours, and once that was done we were in business.
There are 2 ways to heat the home, a thermostat is included so you can set the temperature, but we did not need this installed because we wanted it to run continuously. There is a small panel inside under the lid that allows you to adjust your settings. There are a total of 5 heat settings, 1 being the lowest, and 5 being the highest.
The hearth we decided on was called Night Owl, and it is such a perfect and pretty touch to the parlor.
On level 5 the pellet stove really comes to life. It offers a large and romantic flame which reminded me a lot of a regular old wood stove, so this was a really pleasant touch.
If you leave it on setting 5 all throughout the night you will go through one entire bag of pellets during a 15 hour time interval, which is not too bad. However on a lower setting the stove requires less pellets. We wanted to put the stove to the test though and really let it cook to see just how hot the entire house would get with it on.
At setting 5 in about 1 hour our home which initially began with a 67 degree temperature rose to 75 degrees on the lower level, and 73 on the upper level.
After around 3 hours of running on setting 5, we had the house cranked up to a sweat inducing 85 degrees on the lower level, and a warm and toasty 80 on the upper level.
At this point we were 100% satisfied that the sales rep did not lie to us, and that the advertising on this particular pellet stove rang true to the words written on paper! You can seriously get some powerful heat from this stove, and yes it will heat up your entire home, lower and upper levels without a hiccup.
Yes the price may of cost us the same amount of money as a 2 week trip to Bora Bora, but in the end we now have tropical weather inside of out entire home for years and years to come. The amount of oil we will now save is going to be the most impressive, and of course the best investment we could have ever made for our home.
Overall:
If you are considering the Enviro: The New M55 Cast Multi-Fuel Stove do not even hesitate. It is worth its weight in gold, and it is such a beautiful touch to any room you decide to add it to.
We got ours for a very decent price of just $4,400 with installation. The price will be higher depending on where you purchase it. We got ours from a reputable seller, and friend, so we were not charged labor.
Tip:
You get a $300 credit on your taxes for purchasing this stove and other pellet stoves as well.
After some research and speaking with our local fireplace store/friend, we decided to take the plunge and go with the Enviro: The New M55 Cast Multi-Fuel Stove. Aside from pellets, you can burn corn and cherry pits in this beast. Seeing that we do not live in areas that sell cherry pits or corn by the pallets, we were going to be using pellets in our stove.
My parents had the Enviro: Mini Pellet Stove in their smaller 3 bedroom ranch, and I knew the power that the smaller model carried. Although skeptical about the M55, I figured it would pump out some serious heat, even if it did not manage to heat the entire house.
Why we decided on the The New M55 Cast Multi-Fuel Stove
Our home is big, 2 stories with a lot of space. I was of course skeptical that the The New M55 Cast Multi-Fuel Stove would actually heat the entire home, but the sales woman insisted that the one in her home does the trick in her 2,200 square foot home. I raised an eyebrow but decided at this point there were no other larger options when it came to pellet stoves.
The advertising in their store also stated that this particular pellet stove had the capability of heating up to 2,500 square feet. This was more than what we had, so I lowered my eyebrow and signed on the dotted line.
Enviro The New M55 Cast Multi-Fuel Stove took a week to come in, and our appointment was set up to be installed. The installation took them about 2.5 hours, and once that was done we were in business.
There are 2 ways to heat the home, a thermostat is included so you can set the temperature, but we did not need this installed because we wanted it to run continuously. There is a small panel inside under the lid that allows you to adjust your settings. There are a total of 5 heat settings, 1 being the lowest, and 5 being the highest.
The hearth we decided on was called Night Owl, and it is such a perfect and pretty touch to the parlor.
On level 5 the pellet stove really comes to life. It offers a large and romantic flame which reminded me a lot of a regular old wood stove, so this was a really pleasant touch.
If you leave it on setting 5 all throughout the night you will go through one entire bag of pellets during a 15 hour time interval, which is not too bad. However on a lower setting the stove requires less pellets. We wanted to put the stove to the test though and really let it cook to see just how hot the entire house would get with it on.
At setting 5 in about 1 hour our home which initially began with a 67 degree temperature rose to 75 degrees on the lower level, and 73 on the upper level.
After around 3 hours of running on setting 5, we had the house cranked up to a sweat inducing 85 degrees on the lower level, and a warm and toasty 80 on the upper level.
At this point we were 100% satisfied that the sales rep did not lie to us, and that the advertising on this particular pellet stove rang true to the words written on paper! You can seriously get some powerful heat from this stove, and yes it will heat up your entire home, lower and upper levels without a hiccup.
Yes the price may of cost us the same amount of money as a 2 week trip to Bora Bora, but in the end we now have tropical weather inside of out entire home for years and years to come. The amount of oil we will now save is going to be the most impressive, and of course the best investment we could have ever made for our home.
Overall:
If you are considering the Enviro: The New M55 Cast Multi-Fuel Stove do not even hesitate. It is worth its weight in gold, and it is such a beautiful touch to any room you decide to add it to.
We got ours for a very decent price of just $4,400 with installation. The price will be higher depending on where you purchase it. We got ours from a reputable seller, and friend, so we were not charged labor.
Tip:
You get a $300 credit on your taxes for purchasing this stove and other pellet stoves as well.
The Best Door Knocker Around! Review of Vecchio Greenman Authentic Iron Door Knocker
Since I was a child I had always wanted a pair of door knockers like
the ones we seen in the movie Labyrinth, with David Bowie. I was
infatuated with how neat they were, and as I grew older I knew that one
day, when I got my own house, I would seek out a door knocker from that
movie, or one that resembled one of them anyway.
Sadly, the Labyrinth door knockers that are sold online do not come with the actual knocking ring in their mouths, so what point do they serve? None as far as I was concerned.
Disappointment left my thoughts rather fast though, and that was because I had discovered the Vecchio Greenman Authentic Iron Door Knocker.
I scoped it out on an auction site for $70.00 plus shipping, which at the time was just too expensive. However after some real digging through search engines, I was able to locate this very door knocker online at Design Toscano for a fraction of the price. With some more research, I located a $15.00 off coupon on my first order, and this $70.00 door knocker became mine for $46.00. Now that is a deal, especially considering the quality.
The Vecchio Greenman Authentic Iron Door Knocker is made of iron, and this door knocker is not your average run of the mill low quality knocker. It is heavy, it is very detailed, and yes, it may even be considered a little bit scary.
I was hoping to have it before Halloween, because I figured the neighbors would get a kick out of it, but no such luck. That did not matter to me though, as my Vecchio Greenman Authentic Iron Door Knocker will be hanging on my door year round.
There is one con when it comes to this door knocker. It is the fact that it did not come with included screws for hanging, so you will have to dig in your tool box for some screws before you can mount it.
There are 2 mounting spots, each hole is located inside of the Greenman's ears. The door protector plate is attached right under the doors knocking ring to keep your door from being damaged. This will screw right through the entire door, with a decorative piece to screw in to hide the hole.
Overall:
The Vecchio Greenman Authentic Iron Door Knocker is an awesome addition to your front door. It is large, impressive, and truly gives your house that castle feel.
If you have been looking for that one particular door knocker that screams 'look at me', than this is the one for you.
Sadly, the Labyrinth door knockers that are sold online do not come with the actual knocking ring in their mouths, so what point do they serve? None as far as I was concerned.
Disappointment left my thoughts rather fast though, and that was because I had discovered the Vecchio Greenman Authentic Iron Door Knocker.
I scoped it out on an auction site for $70.00 plus shipping, which at the time was just too expensive. However after some real digging through search engines, I was able to locate this very door knocker online at Design Toscano for a fraction of the price. With some more research, I located a $15.00 off coupon on my first order, and this $70.00 door knocker became mine for $46.00. Now that is a deal, especially considering the quality.
The Vecchio Greenman Authentic Iron Door Knocker is made of iron, and this door knocker is not your average run of the mill low quality knocker. It is heavy, it is very detailed, and yes, it may even be considered a little bit scary.
I was hoping to have it before Halloween, because I figured the neighbors would get a kick out of it, but no such luck. That did not matter to me though, as my Vecchio Greenman Authentic Iron Door Knocker will be hanging on my door year round.
There is one con when it comes to this door knocker. It is the fact that it did not come with included screws for hanging, so you will have to dig in your tool box for some screws before you can mount it.
There are 2 mounting spots, each hole is located inside of the Greenman's ears. The door protector plate is attached right under the doors knocking ring to keep your door from being damaged. This will screw right through the entire door, with a decorative piece to screw in to hide the hole.
Overall:
The Vecchio Greenman Authentic Iron Door Knocker is an awesome addition to your front door. It is large, impressive, and truly gives your house that castle feel.
If you have been looking for that one particular door knocker that screams 'look at me', than this is the one for you.
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