Signs That Your Refrigerator Is in Fact Not Running

Dealing with a broken refrigerator is a major pain, especially during bad weather when you can't necessarily get out of the house to buy food or call for delivery service. Knowing both the subtle and the more obvious signs that your refrigerator is starting to fail can help you to take care of the damage before the appliance totally breaks and you lose a fridge-worth of food.

Unusual Noises

While refrigerators do make some level of noise, you need to know what's normal and what's not. Pay attention to any changes in the noise patterns of your refrigerator. Also, be aware of any unusual sounds. Of course, do check to ensure that the sound is not easily solvable. For example, some people don't realize that their refrigerators beep when left open for too much until the first time this situation occurs. When you buy a new refrigerator, ask about this feature so that you aren't startled.

Warm Food

Warm food inside of your refrigerator is a sure sign that the appliance is not cooling properly. For example, if you take the meat out of the freezer, that food should be frozen. If the food is simply a bit chilly or warm in any way, then either your fridge isn’t running or something is wrong with it. Once you become aware of how warm your food is, it’s probably best to throw it out as soon as you can. Since the food wasn’t being kept cold and depending on how long that was the case, it’s very easy for you to get sick should you try to eat it. After that, it’s important that you call for sub zero refrigerator repair right away.

Strange Smells

Of course, rotting food could lead to an unusual smell in the refrigerator, as could failing to clean it regularly. However, a device could also be malfunctioning. You might, for example, smell smoke or electrical burning coming from the fridge. These situations are serious and potentially deadly. You must call the emergency services and get yourself, your family, and your pets out of the house.

Tripped Breaker

A refrigerator is supposed to be on a dedicated line in the house. A variety of reasons exist as to why the breaker that the appliance is on could trip. However, you should have the issue checked out by both an electrician and an appliance repair person. By doing so, you can make sure that no issues exist with the breaker, the electricity in the house, or the refrigerator itself. If this issue keeps happening, however, you will need to hire professionals who can investigate further.

Your refrigerator is a critically important appliance in the house. Without this appliance, you won't be able to keep the food you need for the week cold or properly feed yourself or your family. Thus, you want to respond as soon as you notice a problem might exist, as the sooner you notice the less time your food has to go bad and the problem has to get worse.

How to Use Peel-and-Stick Wallpaper to Transform Your Home

We partnered with a design company for this post. The opinions in the post are honest. All reviews and opinions expressed in this post are based on our personal views. We are excited because we know you will love it.

Peel-and-stick wallpaper is a type of wallpaper that uses a thin layer of adhesive to stick to the wall. You can remove it without damaging the surface attached, making it an environmentally friendly option.

This type of wallpaper has been gaining popularity in recent years. It is a more eco-friendly alternative to traditional wallpaper because it can be easily removed and reused.

Another reason why it’s becoming more popular is because it also provides a way for people to decorate their homes without spending too much money.

Looking for more creative ways to apply this wallpaper in your home? This article can help you do just that.

Use on accent wall

One of the easiest ways you can use peel and stick wallpaper to transform your home is making it an accent wall.

An accent wall with peel-and-stick wallpaper is a great way to add color and style to any room. It’s also an easy way to change up your home’s decor, especially if you’re looking for something new and different.

The process of applying the wallpaper is straightforward, and it’s not very messy.

Choose a patterned wallpaper and then add it to a wall that you want to emphasize more. It’s great for an otherwise neutral room with equally neutral wall paint colors.

Wallpaper the ceiling

Wallpaper on the ceiling is a practical and affordable way to transform a room. It can also be used as a design element in the bedroom or living room.

Peel-and-stick wallpaper is perfect for adding color and style to your home without having to worry about it coming off. This type of wallpaper has an adhesive backing, so you can peel it off and stick it onto your desired surface.

It is a great way to add texture and color to the room without effort. Doing this will make your home feel unique and visually interesting, but don’t overdo it, or you’ll lose that effect.

Closet interior upgrade

Peel-and-stick wallpaper is a great way to make the inside of your closet look more polished. You can use it to add a splash of color and texture to the walls or even cover up some ugly paint.

You should start by finding out what kind of wall you want your paper to be on. You will need a primer before applying the peel-and-stick wallpaper if you are painting. There is no need for primer if you are using drywall because drywall does not absorb paint as other surfaces do.

When you add that wallpaper in your closet, you’ll feel like your closet interior was transformed drastically, even if it’s just the addition of wallpaper that’s new there.

Cover the stair risers

Stair risers are a common problem in homes. They can be unsightly, but they are also hard to cover. There are a few different options for covering stair risers, but the most popular one is peel-and-stick wallpaper.

Adding wallpaper to cover the stair risers is an easy way to make your home look better. You don’t even have to worry much about matching colors here and there because you’re adding wallpaper. You’ll be surprised just how prettier your stairs will look when you add wallpaper to the risers.

Highlight an arc

Arches are a vital part of any home design. They add depth and elegance to a room and create the illusion of more space. However, they can be tricky to decorate because they are often hard to reach.

Adding peel-and-stick wallpaper on the wall behind your arch will help highlight it and make it easier for you to decorate around it.

Through the help of the wallpaper, the arch’s details feel like they stand out more, even if you get a patterned wallpaper to highlight it. 

Use as a kitchen backsplash.

Wallpaper is an excellent alternative to paint, and it can be more fun and creative than painting. It is also cheaper.

It would be best to use wallpaper as a kitchen backsplash because it makes your kitchen look modern and chic. It also provides an easy way to change the look of your kitchen without having to do any DIY work.

Wallpaper is also a cheaper option than painting or other decorating methods. It’s important to note that the peel-and-stick wallpaper can be removed and replaced with something new if you decide that it doesn’t match your tastes anymore.

Also, unlike tiles, there isn’t much maintenance that you need to keep up to make your wallpaper backsplash neat.

Line the drawers and cabinets

There are many creative ways to use peel-and-stick wallpaper as home decor that isn’t only about sticking them on a wall.

Wallpaper is a great way to make your drawers and cabinets look more organized. It also has an exceptional quality of changing the color of your room without spending a lot of money.

Cabinet liners and drawer liners are a great way to add personalized style to your home. This is especially true if you have a lot of drawers or cabinets in your kitchen, bathroom, or office.

Cover up ugly tile

Peel-and-stick wallpaper is a great way to cover up ugly tile designs in your home. It’s easy to install and remove, and you can use it on any surface.

To make peel-and-stick wallpaper work for you, start by preparing the surface that you want to cover with the wallpaper. You’ll need to clean the surface, prep it with primer or paint, and let it dry completely before applying peel-and-stick paper.

It’s cheaper than having to replace tiles directly to make your home more visually appealing.

All of these tips and tricks can help you make the most out of any peel-and-stick wallpaper that you may have. Whether it’s to create new home decor or to hide bad ones in your home, wallpaper is versatile, so don’t hesitate to use it to elevate the appearance of your home.

Guest Post - Five Secrets Related to Luxurious Rugs No One Will Ever Tell You About

In design and décor, luxurious is not synonymous with expensive. There are plenty of expensive items that don’t rise to the level of being luxurious. Luxurious is also not synonymous with ornate, which can easily verge on gauche. Conversely, one can use simple design principles and relatively affordable décor items to create beautiful, elevated spaces. In the world of design, luxurious is that which is elegant, comfortable, and timeless, transcending not only what is “on trend” at the moment, but historical periods and entire epochs.

One of the few decor items that can achieve timeless beauty is the rug. Rugs originally designed and created by nomadic peoples of Central Asia are just at home, just as beautiful, and just as functional in an exquisite contemporary mansion as they were in tents occupied by ancient herders on the Great Steppe; exhibiting, as architect Christopher Alexander famously described, “a quality without name.”  

For professionals designing high-end residential interiors for their clients, one of the easiest ways to establish a living space as truly exceptional and memorable is to dress the home with luxurious rugs. Read on for 5 secrets that leading designers use when selecting and utilizing luxurious rugs for optimum effect.

1. Purpose

As beautiful as a luxurious rug is, it does no good to focus on aesthetics alone. Too many variables will affect a rug’s usefulness and longevity to buy it simply because it caught your eye and you can’t let it go. As with all elements of home design and organization, do not forsake planning. First, ask key questions:

• Am I using this rug to help define the function or functions of the space? If so, what are these functions? How large an area do I need for these purposes? These questions will influence the shape and size of the rugs you purchase.

• How much traffic do I expect this rug to withstand? Moreover, what type of traffic? Will this rug be in a common space near the main entryway? Will it be in a great room where people might want to lounge about on the floor? Will it be in a private study, bedroom, or bathroom? 

All of these questions should influence the rug materials that you select from. Some rug materials, such as wool and sisal, are extremely durable, but they differ in terms of softness.

2. Design With a Rug or Around a Rug?

It’s important to be intentional about the role that a particular rug will play in the design process. If you have rugs that are beautiful family heirlooms that you want to serve as a focal point for interior design, then simply keep that in mind as you plan around it. 

Otherwise, are you selecting a rug that will tie elements of decor together in a room?  In that case, you need to consider patterns, colors, and materials that will do the job. This aspect of planning can be trickier than one might assume at first blush. For instance, if a room includes an aquarium serving as a feature wall with exotic fish and aquatic plant life, the rug you select shouldn’t compete with, but rather promote the priority of that feature.  

3. Lifestyle

Are you a retiree who wants peace and quiet, the owner of a country farmhouse, or a suburban family with a home filled with active children and pets? Even luxurious rugs must accommodate the needs of your family.  Comfort, warmth, sound dampening, durability, cleaning, and maintenance are the most critical factors relative to the practical lifestyle demands of the homeowner. 

4. The Bedroom Rug Reimagined

No room has had more influence on the design of high-end contemporary homes than the requirement of a master bedroom worthy of the name. When decorating a bedroom, the selection of a luxury bedroom rug can help tie together design elements in the linens, blankets, comforters, and other textiles in the room. The selection of a bedroom rug should not be left as an afterthought during an errand run to a big-box store. Choosing a high-quality, luxury piece will elevate the entire aesthetic of your room.

5. Rug Pricing

Some rugs are worthwhile decorating expenses. Some rugs can also serve as investments. Either approach when purchasing a rug is perfectly fine; however, it may be helpful to recognize if a rug’s potential investment value might offset the expense to acquire it. With the exception of artwork and fine china, fine Persian and Oriental rugs represent some of the few home décor items that can legitimately be considered valuable collectibles. 

Whether purchased solely as a decorating expense or as an investment, the chief factors that determine the price of a rug include the material it’s made of, its method of manufacture or weaving, whether or not it’s imported, where it’s imported from, and size. Finally, there is also the question of what you are willing to pay versus what price the market will bear. The selling price of luxurious rugs is frequently negotiated. Only you know the degree to which you value a particular rug.

Keep it Simple

Now that you’re in on these secrets, there’s no need to overthink a luxury rug purchase. In fact, the factors presented above should help you make quicker work of deciding on whether or not a particular rug is just right for you and the space you’re looking to decorate.   

Author Bio:

Carolyn Mitchell is a freelance writer and content strategist with a passion for home décor. She can often be found re-painting and updating the furnishings in her home, and she is also a dedicated cat mom to two adorable kitties.

Flooring Options to Consider in Your Home and Garage

Whether you're building a new home or renovating a current one, you'll face many design choices as you go room by room. One of them is what kind of flooring option you are going to use for your home or garage. This usually will be the first and most important design choice to make in each room.

Polished Concrete Flooring

Concrete is a great choice for garage floors and might be viable as subflooring in your residential rooms. Hard structure and resilient construction withstand wear and tear, and concrete flooring usually fits even the tightest of budgets.

Rubber Tiles

Rubber can be a natural alternative to wood for those looking for something more eco-friendly than concrete. Tiles of rubber are easy to install and provide a cost-effective, durable option easy to customize to the size and shape of any room or garage.

Wood

Wood flooring is usually thought of as a high-end choice, but it's also quite durable and cost-effective if you choose the right kind of lumber. Something that's naturally resistant to rot is going probably to cost more, but it's also going to last a lot longer.

Epoxy Flooring

Epoxy floors are a smart move. It's durable and lasts a long time. Choose from lots of different eye-pleasing colors, and rest easy in knowing that cleaning it will never take much out of you. One word of warning would be making sure your subflooring is moisture-resistant in advance so there is no risk of dampness.

Carpet/Rug

They're warm and easy on bare feet. They're also much easier to clean and take care of with regular vacuuming and cleanings. Best of all is how cheap they are to install.

Vinyl Flooring

Vinyl flooring is great for low-traffic spaces. Vinyl tiles are comfortable and very flexible. You also get a lot of design choices in terms of composites, shades, and colors. There is also little need for maintenance.

Stone Flooring

Stone flooring options include flagstone, graphite, and sandstone. They can be expensive, but they're very attractive and durable options. Just remember that they get quite cold when it's winter.

You Don't Have to Be Consistent

While you should choose your flooring first when designing spaces in your home, you don't have to be consistent in your choices. You might decide on vinyl or wood for some rooms and carpet for the others. Also, your choice of garage flooring might not match the interior spaces of your occupied home.