Home Improvement Ideas

Decorative Ceiling Fan Pulls

It seems that all the ceiling fans I've ever had were turned on and off via a switch on the wall, but if you're lucky enough to have the old-fashioned kind, then you've got an excuse to shop for decorative ceiling fan pulls (although I suppose you could put one on your fan even if there's a wall switch).

You can find fan pulls in all sorts of styles and themes. Got a kid (or spouse) in the house who loves baseball? Be whimsical with this baseball bat pull from Shades of Light.

Essential Accessories has decorative beaded fan pulls.

For lovers of dogs, cats, and other animals, check out the decorative animal fan pulls from the Critter Shop.

You can even change your pulls out for different times of the year. Keepers Fan Pulls has seasonal ones such as Halloween pumpkins, gingerbread men and women, and Christmas trees and snowmen.

As you can see, there's no end to what you can find out there to adorn your ceiling fan. Most of these pulls only cost a few dollars, so it's a simple and inexpensive way to add a little whimsy and charm to a room.

Wall-mounted "Waterfall" Bathroom Sink Doesn't Disappoint

Usually when you walk into people's bathrooms, you don't gawk at the sink. Let's face it: most sinks are pretty normal and expected. But I think I'd gawk if I walked in and saw this one.

The wall-mounted glass Waterfall sink from CBD Glass is definitely unique.

Check out that texturing. Not only does it make the sink look like flowing water, but I bet it does a good job of hiding the toothpaste stains and fingerprints. Who says a luxury sink can't be practical?

The Waterfall is available in 60" or 30" versions, and the company has some other spiffy bathroom sinks as well, so browse their gallery if you're looking for remodeling ideas.

Electronic Owl with Rotating Head is Non-Toxic Pest Control Option

If you've got pest birds attacking your lawn or garden, there are plenty of ways to keep them away without resorting to potentially toxic chemical pest control methods. Just make them believe one of their natural predators is hanging out in your yard. An owl, for example.

Fortunately, there's no need to go out and capture yourself a real owl for your yard. Just get a scarecrow version.

This electronic garden defense owl comes with three AAA batteries that power the rotating head and prompt hoots for good measure. It should fool those pest birds into staying away from your yard or garden.

$44 at Amazon:

Electronic Owl

Cork Flooring Comes in Custom Patterns

We've talked about cork flooring as an eco-friendly and often practical option in several articles and blog posts (i.e. snap-together cork floor tiles, cork flooring in the kitchen, and pros and cons of cork flooring), and as you can see from the pictures, it's usually pretty similar in appearance. The floors look like, well, cork.

But you can also get different colors, stains, and tile shapes to create interesting patterns. Checkerboards aren't too uncommon, and companies will often work with you to create custom patterns to your tastes. An example is this floor with its multi-hued six-sided tiles.

Installed in a homeowner's kitchen, these cork floors were done by Tampa's Through the Woods flooring company.

Light Your Bathroom Sink from Below

If you look at your bathroom sink and think, "Man, that is just way too dark," then you may be a candidate for some lighting under there.

Of course, under-sink lighting wouldn't work with every material, but it sure stands out with this amber semi-precious gemstone sink from Rachiele Kitchen and Bath Products. Another reason for that lighting is to highlight the occasional fossilized insect that might be trapped in your amber sink. No, really. Remember Jurassic Park? Here's a blurb from the site on amber:

"The amber provided an airtight shell that protected both the bee and bacteria. Amber is a fossilized plant resin, not tree sap. Sap is the fluid that circulates through a plant's vascular system, while resin is the semi-solid amorphous organic substance secreted in pockets and canals through epithelial cells of the plant. This resin can drip from and ooze down trees, as well as fill internal fissures, trapping debris such as seeds, leaves, feathers and insects. The resin becomes buried and fossilized through a natural polymerization of the original organic compounds."

Rachiele

Tree Frog Bathroom Faucet, Ribbit!

I know lots of nature fans, including myself, but I've yet to see anyone with a tree frog faucet adorning their bathroom sink. Surely this is a testament to our lack of creativity (or maybe we're just more concerned about being able to sell the house someday).

Still, I knew as soon as I spotted this little froggy faucet I had to write about it. I'm a sucker for the household items you just don't see every day, and this could be a blast in a kids' bathroom (not that I'm saying you adults out there aren't allowed to enjoy froggy decor anywhere you like).

The faucet is the work of Enviro Bath, a company that specializes in bathroom and plumbing fixtures from 100% recycled materials. That's right, you can get down with your inner frog and know it's good for the environment too.

http://www.envirobath.com

Wall Tiles Need Not Be Confined to Kitchens and Bathrooms

When you think of wall tiles, your mind may go to bathrooms or perhaps kitchen backsplashes, but tiles can look great in other rooms of the house as well. You may not want to line all of your living room walls with floor-to-ceiling field tiles, but they can be used to add an interesting decorative element.

In the living area shown here, a combination of tiles from Meredith Art Tile acts as an alternative to wainscoting. The company features everything from Victorian and Arts and Craft to Harvest and Woodland scenes.

This "Clipped Rhombus & Tack" design was done with 3" crown tiles, 2" x 8" "Hammered Hardware" and "Plain Pencil Liner."

Your Dog as a Bush (Dog Breed Topiaries)

Do you love your dog? Are you fanatical about a certain breed? Do you have enough gardening skills to grow a bush?

If all that sounds like you, these dog breed topiary frames from the Gardeners' Supply Store might be a fun project. You're supposed to fill them with sphagnum moss and cover the frame with ivy or other vining plants.

Of course, they've only got a few breeds in there now (my vizsla was quite affronted that they didn't have him), but let's hope they'll get some more in the future. Then (for good or ill) you'll see bushy dogs cropping up on lawns all across America...

Starting at $60:

Dog Breed Topiary Frames

Garden Bucket Caddy Makes Handy Tool for Gardeners

If there's a gardener in your family, this garden bucket tool caddy might make a handy gift (or if you just want to get it for yourself, we won't rat you out).

It's kind of like a tool belt for a 5-gallon bucket. It has deep, large pockets that can fit hand tools, gardening gloves, and other items you might need while digging in the dirt. There's also a special space for seed storage that keeps seeds dry and protected. And don't forget the cell-phone holder and beverage holder (hey you won't want to miss any calls or get dehydrated while you're working in your garden).

The tool holder is less than $12 from Amazon, though the tools and bucket aren't included (I assume the same goes for cell phones and beverages):

Fiskars Garden Bucket Caddy

Wine Cellar Beneath the Stairs Makes Dead Space Usable

Doesn't this wine cellar look nice? Would you believe it was installed beneath one family's staircase in space that was once a storage closet?

It just goes to show that you don't need a whole room in the basement (hey, some of us don't even have basements!) to get the wine cellar of your dreams.

The work of Grotto Custom Wine Cellars and Cabinets, this wine storage spot certainly makes great use of space. Made using beautiful mahogany, the under-stair wine room stores 345 bottles. A hand-painted mural, fancy Tuscan door, and rope lighting really add the wow factor.

So just because you don't have a basement or a lot of extra space around the house doesn't mean you have to give up the dream of having a wine cellar.

A Stone Bathroom Sink with Unsual Curves

Vessel sinks are popular options, especially in high-end bathroom remodels, and stone can be a striking choice, whether it be marble, granite, onyx, or another. This curvy bathroom sink (available in any of those natural stone materials) will definitely stand out.

The Niao from D'Vontz is a vessel sink that certainly has a distinct design. It's 8" tall at its highest point and runs 16.25" in diameter, so it should fit in most spaces. You can get matching vanity tops from the company, though the real challenge is probably finding faucets and knobs cool enough to go with the sink.

Parquet-style Bamboo Countertops

If you haven't seen bamboo countertops before, then you might imagine it all consists of straight lines that follow the grain, much like most bamboo floors. But just as wood can be formed into different parquet and butcher block patterns, so can bamboo.

This kitchen countertop is from Totally Bamboo, and while they do offer several "vertical grain" solutions, they also feature this fun "Parquet End" counter in dark or neutral styles. All their countertops use formaldehyde-free adhesives, so you know you're getting an eco-friendly product.

Different lengths and widths are available, and $475 gets you a 96" x 30" x 1½" cut of the dark parquet bamboo.

Glass Kitchen Sinks Stand out

When you think of kitchen sinks, you probably imagine stainless steel or porcelain, or maybe even a copper farmhouse sink. But what about glass?

Glass sinks aren't unusual in bathrooms, but you can also get them in kitchens. Their uniqueness makes them a standout piece, and with today's technology, a glass sink can withstand the stresses of dish-washing, hot pans, food disposal, and the like.

The double undermount glass sinks shown here are from JSG Oceana Decorative Glass.

"Available in 17 lustrous colors, JSG Oceana’s undermount kitchen sinks mount beneath a cutout in the counter. They are easy to clean and resistant to stains, scratches, and thermal shocks."

The company also does drop-in kitchen sinks.

Doorbell Ringers Shaped Like Oak Leaves, Seashells, Golf Balls, and More

How's your doorbell ringer button? A little boring? A little bland?

Maybe you need a ringer that reflects your personality and interests. An oak leaf button for a nature lover, perhaps. Or maybe a pineapple, the symbol of hospitality (so say the Hawaiians anyway). A shell for a beach cottage? Grapes for the wine lover? A dog paw for a pet person?

Well, all these doorbell ringers can be had from Michael Healy who specializes in artistic decorative hardware. Available finishes include brass and bronze, nickel silver, and oiled bronze for starters.

Now go find a doorbell ringer that matches you.

Personalized Grilling Surfaces for Your Barbecue Grill

If you're starting to scrounge for gift ideas for Father's Day and coming up with blanks, perhaps Pop would dig a brand new barbecue grill complete with personalized grilling surface.

Custom grill cooking surfaces are an option for the grills from Kalamazoo. Different styles and sizes of holes are supposed to be specifically suited for cooking different things.

For example, the meat pattern "features wide open spaces to allow maximum exposure to your gas, wood or charcoal fire" while the vegetable pattern "features an open pattern with narrower spaces specifically designed to prevent asparagus, green beans and other vegetables from falling through." There's also one for fish, and don't forget the solid/Hibachi surface for griddle-work and Japanese teppan-style cooking.

The cool part is that you can have different surfaces on the same grill. Oh, and as for the personalization aspect, you can get initials, logos, or other artwork designed into the grilling surface. Dad would probably think he'd gone to grill-master heaven.

Kalamazoo