Choosing the right wall panel for your home

Walls make up most of your home, and if you have started noticing that your home has started taking on a weathered look, chances are high that your walls are dull. Sure, you can put up some art, but there is only so much that a wall art can do. Perhaps your walls need something extra, like tastefully chosen wall paneling, to change them from drab to fab.

Before you go shopping for options, take a look around. What are the key features of your home? What would you like to keep, and what needs to go? What about your furniture? Do your research and decide the overall look that you would like to accomplish.

In terms of choice, the sky is the limit for today’s wall panels. Gone are the days when wood was your only choice. Modern materials allow us to mimic almost any look that you would like wood grains, stone or textured tile to create beautiful 3D designs. If you want to create an old-fashioned log cabin look for your sunroom, you no longer need to worry about the panels fading and losing color over time. Modern wall panels are made of highly fade resistant material that will keep looking fresh and retain vibrancy for years to come.

Bedrooms and your little reading corner will do well with a plush and cozy look. Consider tufted paneling for these rooms to create an atmosphere of comfort and relaxation. If you have a fireplace in the living room, consider a stone-finish for the accent wall. Kids’ bedrooms and playrooms do well with playful patterns and textures – how about a big, colorful polka bubbles, or a jigsaw puzzle theme? Younger children will enjoy a flat, washable lower wall surface. That way, the next time they draw or paint on the walls, you can join the fun instead of freaking out.

If you like to entertain, and live in a small studio or loft, think of a bold metallic accent wall you need almost nothing else, because the wall will make for a terrific centerpiece, and will look stunning on party nights. You can even go all out and recreate retro-chic looks with kitschy, whimsical patterns and bright, flamboyant colors.

Apart from good looks, wall paneling is also relatively cheap, fast and easy to install, and goes up quickly on almost any surface. They hide away cables and wires that you’d rather not see, and provide excellent insulation and soundproofing. So, break out the notebook and pencil, get cracking on the choices and enjoy fabulous new walls in no time!

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  • Storage ideas for the kitchen

    If yours is a home with regular home-cooked meals, then the kitchen is perhaps one of those high-traffic zones, with lots of storage requirements, and easily prone to clutter. Not surprisingly, therefore, kitchen often pose the biggest challenge to decor and design.

    Today’s modular kitchens do provide you with wall-to-wall, ceiling-high cabinets with tons of storage, but this might still not suit everyone’s taste. For example, you might want more light and movement in your kitchen. You might find the cabinets too opaque or boxy, making your kitchen look boring and bland.

    The stiff challenge is when you want all the storage space, but without the boring look of most modular kitchens. Consider some of these ideas, and see what might work in your kitchen.

    Open shelves We are not suggesting that you do away with cabinets altogether, but you would do well to consider a nice balance between covered cabinets and open shelves. Perhaps just a few, to display some pretty cookware, or to place frequently used ones for easy reach. Open shelves also make the kitchen look more open and bright.

    Glass panes for cabinets Replace opaque doors with glass doors on your cabinets. The interior could be painted a bright, contrasting color to make it interesting. A few cabinets could even have pot lights installed inside, making them both practical and pretty. Very small kitchens will also do well to have mirror-finish doors on the cabinets for a roomier appearance.

    Sideboards If space allows it, sideboards are great addition to your dining area, even if this is only a corner in your kitchen. Get a classic, retro sideboard for your crockery, add a touch of class to your kitchen while finding more storage space. Sideboards change the entire look of your kitchen and can change the boring kitchen into a

    While planning the cabinets below the counter-top, ensure corners don’t go waste corner cabinets are a must if you want to do justice to the space afforded by your kitchen. Also, some of your pots and pans don’t really need to be hidden in shelves. Consider creating a hanging-display over the island or the counter-top. Especially if you have old-style copper cookware, this arrangement can lend a charming look to your kitchen, while opening up tons of shelf space for other items.

    Whatever you do, remember that the countertop is not storage space. However constrained you are for space in the kitchen, you will do well to remember that classy, well-kept kitchen have clean, bare countertops. Nothing screams clutter like appliances lined up on the countertop.

  • 4 common sexual conditions and their symptoms

    Sexual conditions or sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) generally affect a person through sexual contact. STDs are caused by bacteria, parasites, or viruses, which mainly enter the body through semen, blood, or other bodily fluids. They can enter the body non-sexually too; for instance, an affected person’s blood is used during a transfusion or if they share a needle with a person who has any form of STD. Herein, we discuss the various symptoms of a few sexual conditions.

    Symptoms
    STDs may have a range of symptoms or no signs at all. It mainly depends on the type of STD one may have. Here is a list of some common forms of sexual conditions and their symptoms.

    • Chlamydia
      It is a bacterial infection that affects the genital tract. The symptoms may start to show a few weeks after the exposure. The most common symptoms include painful urination, abdominal pain, discharge from the penis, pain during intercourse for women, and testicular pain.
    • Gonorrhea
      This is another bacterial infection that affects the genital tract, mouth, eyes, throat, and anus. Sometimes, the symptoms may take 10 days to show, or even months. The common symptoms of gonorrhea are thick or bloody discharge from the vagina or penis, burning sensation or pain during urination, heavy menstrual bleeding, swollen testicles that pains, painful bowel movements, and anal itching.
    • Trichomoniasis
      Also referred to as Trichomonas vaginalis, this condition is caused due to a one-celled parasite. It occurs if one has intercourse with an infected person. It often does not cause any kind of symptom, and even if it does then that may take up to a month. The symptoms include clear, yellowish, white, or greenish vaginal discharge, discharge from the penis, strong vaginal odor, vaginal irritation or itching, itching inside the penis, pain during intercourse, and painful urination.
    • HIV
      It is one of the most serious sexual conditions and it is caused by a virus that makes the immune system weaker. HIV can lead to AIDS, which is a life-threatening disease. The beginning stage of HIV does not have any clear symptoms. The main symptoms a patient may experience are fever, headache, sore throat, swollen lymph glands, rash, and fatigue. As these are common symptoms of many other medical conditions, they may get ignored. The best way of detecting this disease early is by getting tested. During the later stages of the disease, one may experience other more serious symptoms including diarrhea, weight loss, fever, cough, and breathing difficulties.

    Causes

    Sexual conditions have different causes. They can be a result of certain viruses like human papillomavirus, HIV, and genital herpes. Sexual diseases may also be caused by parasites like trichomoniasis and bacteria like gonorrhea, chlamydia, or syphilis. These spread during sexual activities. There are a few STDs that may occur without any sexual contact, including hepatitis A, B, and C; viruses; Giardia intestinalis; and shigella.

    Risk factors

    The risk factors for STDs include unprotected sex, having multiple partners, a history of STI, sharing needles, and blood transfusion.

    The best way to avoid sexual conditions is to go for regular STD/STI screenings. As many of these diseases do not show any early signs, only the screening can diagnose them early.

  • Here’s what you need to know about Symbicort inhalers 

    In many patients, chronic asthma reaches a stage when the normal medicines used, cease to have any perceptive effect. It has become obstinate or refractory. Symbicort Inhalers are recommended for use in such patients. It is a combination of two drugs, a corticosteroid – Budesonide and long acting beta2 adrenergic agonist – Formoterol.

    Symbicort is basically a controller medication and it cannot be discontinued just because the symptoms are somewhat diminishing. This medication has to be continued as long as the doctor determines that the asthma is under control and the medicine can be withdrawn. Symbicort Inhalers are neither rescue medication that can be used in an exacerbation. The patient should clearly understand the role the medicine plays in the asthma treatment regime.

    The recommended dose is two puffs in the morning and two in the night as directed by the physician. It is imperative that neither the medication is missed nor over done. The corticosteroid- budesonide reduces the inflammation while the beta2 adrenergic agonist – Formoterol relaxes the smooth muscles of the bronchi. Long acting beta agonist, LABA as a group has a side kick that can set up sudden flare ups and if not attended to properly in time can be fatal. It is not known if budesonide can counter the highly unwanted side reaction of Formoterol at all.

    Astra Zeneca, the manufacturer of symbicort has supplied a detailed medication guide that comes with the prescription. Users should understand the guide and clarify all their doubts before starting to use the inhaler. This inhaler can set up a sudden flare up of symptoms. One should get emergency medical help if the breathing problem suddenly worsens and the rescue inhalers do not give relief. Medication guide gives the details about how to use the inhaler, its cleaning, and storage method and other such useful information. What is worthy of note is the actuation counter which gives the count of the number of application remaining. It has a colored area which intimates the user that it is time to order new canister.

    Symbicort inhalers Spiriva are two different products having different medication. Their usage is also somewhat different.Tag: Symbicort Inhalers, Symbicort Inhalers Spiriva