The delight of bay windows to any home dcor is exciting and can be a great do it yourself project. However you must understand how to start the project and know where what you want the end result to be beforeyou get started. Learning to use different styles and designs for your bay window treatments can be a fun and exhilarating challenge. There are several do it yourself books, websites, and video available for bay window treatment jobs.

Below area few bay window treatments & Ideas that are fun and simple to do at home:

Create a Breakfast Nook- We all enjoy a cozy weekend breakfast with the family. Using your bay window area to highlight an area for you and your family can be very beneficial and cost effective. Making sure the area is big enough for the size of your family should be your starting point. Working up a design for the area before you get started will help you keep focused during the project. Labeling things like the siting area, seating, types of flooring, wall design, and bay window treatments will help you plan and budget for your project.

Note- *Bay window treatments in breakfast nook- Determine the feel of the area, curtains & drapes bring out a calm and private feel for your bay windows & breakfast nook. If you want a bit of light and warmth looking for some vertical blinds or shutters maybe the way you want to go.

Flower Garden – or Greenhouse Area- If you want to add a bit of life to your bay window area you may want to think about creating a calming greenhouse or flower garden. Doing this would require a lot of light into the room so thinking more about blinds/ and shutters orsheer curtain panels would be a wise choice to allow the sun to shine through. Additional ideas for the bay window area would be an enclosed gardening bed just below them or large tree plants along the sides for a more earthly design.

Private Study- Since the need for a personal work space is a requirement in most homes today, it maybe wise to utilize this area for your own personal study. The light from the bay windows will give you added warmth and your design can give you an added personal feeling. Choosing the bay window treatments for your personal study would depend on what type of feel you are looking to achieve. If you want the space to be secluded and private than using curtains or drapes would give you a closed off, and personal feeling. However if the overall goal is to open the room up and let the light show in use of blinds or shutters can definitely bring in the light and make the area feel more open.

When deciding what type of bay window treatments you would like to use remember it is key to understand the type of feeling you are trying to project in the room. Some treatments can make the room seem very large and spacious. However if you use other forms of bay window treatments it can close off the room and make it feel dark giving you the wrong feeling to your design. The choice is yours. Do it yourself and make this project your own!

Assigning static IP address for TCP/IP v4

How assign a static IP address on Windows Vista

This time I will give you a step by step guide on how you can assign a static IP address on your Windows vista computer. This will be one way on how you can manually assign an IP address to your computer running on windows vista. And as I have mentioned to my previous hub regarding static IP address, no matter what the reason why you want to set a static IP address this will help you do that.

The first step is to get in to the Network and Sharing Center screen. If you don’t know how to get there just follow any of the steps below;

Click the orb (the windows icon at the bottom left hand side of the screen), then click on Control Panel, and open Network and sharing center / Network and Internet.

Now once you are in the Network and Sharing Center window you need to click on View Status on the connection you want to set the static IP address. Again like what I have mentioned on my previous hub there are times where you have 2 connections available Local Area Connection (wired) and Wireless Network Connection (wireless), no need to get confused just make sure you know what connection is being used by your computer or which connection you want to have the static IP address. Or just think of it this way, if the computer is weird to the network the select the Local Area Connection or if it connects to the network via wireless then select the Wireless Network Connection. Let’s use the LAN as an example. After clicking View Status for Local Area Connection your Local Area Connection Status window will popup, on this widow click on the button at the bottom that says Properties, another window will popup it’s the Local Area Connection Properties on this screen you need to select/highlight Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click on Properties. Now the Internet Protocol Version 4 Properties window will come up. You just need to put the dot on Use the following IP address and now you will see that the IP address, Subnet Mask, and Default gateway field will now become enabled and you can now type in the said fields. You can now type in the IP address, Default gateway, DNS Servers that you want the computer to have. The subnet mask will be automatically assigned by the computer just click the field and it will be automatically filled in. And just click on OK button all the way out to save the changes that you changed on this screen. And that is it! You’re done!

Note: During the steps you might get a pop window (this is the user account control) saying Windows needs your permission to continue, just say continue to grant permission and for you to be able to access these locations like Network connections.

I hope that this has been informative and helpful to you.

Thank you for viewing and have a nice day!

Window tinting is an easy and quick home improvement job which anyone with a bit of patience, can accomplish in an hour or less per window. Most of us are familiar with the one-way or blackout tinting we see on inside of store windows and doors. In fact, for those of us in the southern states, where summer temperatures regularly climb into the triple digits, I would guess that more than one of us has been stopped by the local police for having a tint on our vehicles that was darker than allowed by local laws.

For today’s purpose we are going to learn the process that will allow us to tint what is commonly perceived as being a non-starter. In other words, tinting double pane windows. The problem with double pane windows is that in order to be energy efficient or low-e, they will contain a nearly transparent film that is laminated between the two panes of glass. This generally will allow light to penetrate, but will keep the heat out and cooling in or visa versa, depending on the season. Unfortunately, as good as that sounds, what the factory provides is not always good enough. As the seasons progress, we learn that, the low-e window is always warmer or cooler than the rest of the room.

The solution? Tint the windows!

Well maybe. With double pane windows, the problem is that the two panes of glass and the film between them will reflect the inside tint back and forth heating the glass causing it to expand. At first glance, this would not seem to be much of a problem, but with inside tinting, the expansion can be greater than the manufacturer allows in its design, thus cracking the glass. That is why most manufacturers will not warranty the windows if you apply tint.

The new solution? Tint the outside of the windows!

Lately manufacturers of window tinting have been providing newer products that are designed to be placed on the outside of the window. Yes, you will have some expansion of the glass, but it should not be more than normal and will not crack the glass. If, fact last summer we tinted the outside of two of our upstairs windows and not only did the air conditioning unit run much less, you could actually feel the temperature difference between the windows we tinted and those we had yet to tint.

Tools needed.

Credit card

Spray bottle

Window cleaner(no ammonia)

Exact-o knife/razor blade

The first step is to buy the film. You can find window film at any Lowe’s, Home Depot or any general hardware store. What you will need to find is the -peel and cling- window film that is designed for double pane windows. The best way to be sure you have the right material is to read the back of the box where is should say -for dual pane windows- or -outside mount-. If the film does not mount on the outside, it is not the material you want. Lastly, make sure the material you buy is large enough to fit the window in one piece. So make sure you write down the measurements of your window before you shop.

Next, you will need to clean the outside and inside of the window. Use a standard no ammonia window cleaner. This will allow you to see any imperfections when you apply the film. If you only clean one side, you will never be able to tell if you missed a bubble, and yes with -peel and cling- window film, you can fix the problem later, but why do it twice, when you can do it right the first time. Did you remember to clean the window? If so, great, but do it again. The window cannot be clean enough!

The third step is to cut your material to size, or rather to size plus two inches. This will give you enough room to easily apply the material without too much extra to complicate the process. You can use the razor blade for this step, in fact it gives you a cleaner cut line, but remember to put something under where you cut or you will ruin what you are cutting on top of.

Now for the fun part! Applying the film to the window. For this step, you will first need to use your spray bottle to moisten the outside of the windowpane with water. Yes, water! The products that are sold in the store are great, but 99% of their contents are water and in the case of -peel and cling- water is all you need to make it apply. In the case of adhesive film, it is 99% water and 1 % dish soap. The water provides lubrication between the windowpane and film while you apply and adjust the film.

Begin with peeling about four inches of the film backing away from the film and crease it so that it will not lay back onto the film. Line up the exposed edge of the film with the top of the windowpane using gravity to pull the rest of the film downwards. A word of caution, make sure that you do not line the edge of the film with the exact edge of the window. You will need to overlap the edge by 1-2 inches. Don’t worry you will trim this off later. Using one hand to hold the top edge in place, slowly peel off the rest of the backing. Ease the rest of the film onto the window using the credit card to brush the film flat and remove the excess water. Again, remember gravity is your friend, so with the exception of the top 1-2 inches, use the credit card to brush the bubbles and excess water downwards towards the floor.

After you have completed brushing all bubbles, wrinkles, and water out of the film, double check for any serious flaws in your application. If you find any, peel up the film and correct the flaw. This is the reason I like -peel and cling- film as I can never get the flaws out the first time and not having to worry about sticky adhesive just makes the job easier.

Lastly, using the razor blade and credit card, you will need to cut the excess film away. Start in the upper corner, either left or right, as it doesn’t matter as long as you start on the top, (remember gravity is your friend). Place the credit card up to the edge of the windowpane, and cut the film only where the card is. This will allow you to keep a straight edge as you progress. Move the card across the top of the pane as you trim. Once the top is complete, use the card to press out any additional excess water and then repeat the process as you move down the sides going from top to bottom. This will allow the film to fall out of your way as you cut.

Now you can enjoy your newly tinted windows!

The window is one of the primary considerations when you want to increase the security and protection of your home. One of the ways to increase your familys protection especially during stormy weather is through storm window.

Storm window is a good replacement for your ordinary window. Made of high quality materials, storm window can provide you and your family extra-ordinary level of protection even during the worst of weather. Imagine what extreme weather condition can do to you, to your family, and to your home if you are not protected? Your storm window is also your shield from the unpredictable nature of the weather. You can enjoy your peace of mind knowing that your properties and belongings and most especially your lives are secured during extreme weather.

Another advantage of installing storm window in your home is to conserve energy and save money in the process. You can prevent heat loss and therefore save on power consumption. This way you will also notice some reduction on your monthly electric bill. Your storm window can also prevent additional expense due to leaking windows. The leaks have the ability to cause structural damage and therefore may mean additional expense on your part. You can also benefit from the sound proof that the storm window provides to your home. You can eliminate unnecessary noises from outside and enjoy the peace and quiet of your home.

A great advantage of choosing storm window is the cost. Youll be amazed that with so many benefit you can get from this type of window, the cost is affordable, allowing you to enjoy great value for your money. You can choose from a number of varieties of storm window. They can be made from simple plastic sheets for temporary use that last until one (1) season to triple-track glass units that are more permanent with several years of usage.

The storm windows glaze can either be any of the following: (1) plastic panel; (2) plastic sheet; or (3) glass. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Glass storm windows for instance offer more visibility and are will generally have a longer lifespan, but it considered to be heavy and more fragile. Plastic panels are considered to be lighter, stronger, and cheaper but scratch more easily and turn yellow over time. Plastic sheets on the other hand are less expensive but are easily damaged.

There are also two kinds of storm window: (1) interior and (2) exterior. Generally speaking the interior storm window is more convenient than exterior window as they can be easily removed. Further, since this type of window is not exposes to outside elements as exterior window, they do not need to be as tough. But both windows have the capability of retaining heat energy so you wont need to spend so much for your heater.

Should you decide to avail of storm window, just remember the following considerations: (1) the storm window should give you the convenience of movement for ventilation and cleaning; (2) it should be easy to maintain, and (3) the appearance should complement the over-all look of your home.

Window shades play an important role in every home. These are not just necessary for blocking excessive sunlight. You can also have the privacy that you need when you got the right covering for the windows. Even if it is bright inside your home, especially during the night, people passing by your house do not have to see what is going on inside.

If you are thinking of having window shades installed in your home, better study the different types that you can choose from. Knowing more about each kind will make the decision process much easier.

1. Roller shades: This is a popular choice because it is easy to match it with the interior of any room. You can go for the plain and simple ones while there are some which come in impressive designs. The mesh material will allow you to peek what is happening outside. It is easy to completely cover the window or roll it back if you want some light to enter.

2. Roman shades: This type of shade is made out of fabric. Some of the roman shades have wooden panels and these are called flat shades. There are also soft shades which only use fabric. The pleats can be custom made according to your preferences too. You can choose among the front or back pleat roman shades.

3. Honeycomb shades: These window shades also allow proper air ventilation because wind can easily pass through it. It usually works with a pulley system which will allow you to adjust the opening. It is perfect for any kind of room because of its simplistic yet functional design.

4. Venetian blinds: It is one of the most popular types of shades. It uses a horizontal slat that is made of plastic. Also works with a pulley system. The angle of the slats can be adjusted too. That way, you can have full or partial covering, depending on your preferences. This is a durable choice since the plastic used can last for many years. Cleaning is not a problem too.

5. Wood shades: If you want a more natural and cozy appeal inside the room, the wood shades will work best. The wood is usually joined together by string. Some shades are woven and intertwined. For location with high humidity, this may not be an ideal choice since the climate may weaken the wood easily. Yet, this adds a lot of charm in any room.

Those are the common types of window shades. All you need to do is pick the one that will work best for the windows in your home.