Home and Garden Articles
posted on 3 May 2012
The recent surge in popularity in steampunk is open for debate, but one argument is that it is a reaction against the homogenised technology and throwaway culture of today.
Steampunk designs and objects hark back to an era where items were not only designed to fulfil a specific function but were also manufactured to last lifetimes. Not only were they designed to be durable and robust, but also 'fixable' by anyone with a basic mechanical understanding. Machines and contraptions could be adjusted and repaired and then go on to enjoy many more year's of use, as opposed to be disposed of as soon as an item breaks, or becomes obsolete.
Steampunk is not only a reaction against our disposable society but also reflects a desire in many people to adapt, repair and understand how their household appliances, engines and daily objects work.
Steampunk fulfils for many, a natural desire not only to understand how the objects in their life work, but also offer long lasting quality. |
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posted on 2 April 2012
Even though I am constantly watching DIY reality shows on television and dreaming about what I would do to my own house, it is hard to actually follow through. If I were to choose one project around my house that I would actually complete, it would definitely be the flooring. Currently I have a mixture of what used to be white carpet and thin laminate flooring meant to look like tile. They are original to the house, which was built in the late 1980's. Ideally, I would remove all of the flooring and switch to either a neutral colored tile or hardwood flooring to match the oak stair parts we have. Even though it has some benefits, seeing the staining and just general discoloration that our carpet has gone through over time makes me hesitant to put new carpet down. Whatever the specific type of flooring I end up switching to, I know it will be a dramatic improvement on what I have now. And I really hope that changing the flooring can be the motivation I need to start other projects around the house. |
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posted on 21 March 2012
We've slowly been working on our house - a recent purchase of a chest of drawers was the final touch to our bedroom. However, ever since we bought our house 6 years ago, I have wanted to screen in our upstairs, preexisting porch. I want to build this myself. In order to do so, I have to find a reasonable price for screen that is "pet safe". I say this because I have ten cats and I know they will all want to be on the porch as much as possible. I will need to reinforce all of the cross beams on the rails in order to allow the cats to have a place to perch and sleep while they watch what is going on around them. I will need to paint all of the existing wood and or replace the ones that need to be replaced. Extra wood will be needed to make the large screens that will cover all of the walls from floor to ceiling. Screen in the porch will also give me a place that I can go, be outside yet away from any bugs that may be biting! |
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