Decorating a log cabin or even a cottage, usually takes in the country theme. Keeping with the various aspects of nature and its simplicity and freshness, a log cabin ought to provide peace and tranquility. Most log cabins are in the forest or country areas. Using a country style would mean bringing the beauty of the outside, inside. Decorating a log cabin or a cottage shouldn’t be too difficult using the country theme since the ideas and color schemes sitting right outside the window.
Using nature as an example when decorating a log cabin, using natural wood for flooring and furniture would definitely fit. Birch, pine or cedar would certainly compliment any space especially a log cabin or cottage. To keep the natural look of the wood, you could choose to leave it in its original form or using stain would give the wood a rustic look. Whether you are choosing authenticity or a newer look, wood is surely the best choice when decorating a log cabin.
You may decide to bring old furniture from home to your log cabin or cottage. Using slip covers for the couch or chairs can help make the furniture look new. If decorating a log cabin, you may choose to paint the furniture. This too will give it a fresh new appearance. When choosing colors for slip covers or paint, you might consider warm colors in light to medium shades. Yellows, browns or terracotta add warmth to a space. When you’re decorating a log cabin, the emphasis is generally focused on warmth and cosiness. A log cabin doesn’t require paint for the walls, however if you’re decorating a cottage, you might pick similar colors for your walls.
Fabrics to use when decorating a log cabin should probably include bold colors and nature themes. Floral patterns are also nice in a cottage or log cabin setting. You could use these fabrics in window coverings, bedspreads or throws and slip covers. To keep with the theme of nature, you could choose accessories taken from the outdoors such as dried flowers or pieces of old wood made into candle holders. People tend to gather things from the outdoors while on a hike or stroll along the river. These items can be used as accessories as well as mementos.
When decorating a log cabin or cottage, one factor which isn’t really important is your budget. This type of decorating can incorporate items from home or even those picked up at a flea market or garage sale. Handmade trinkets and decorations are also nice when decorating a log cabin. As long as the accessories help to achieve the overall goal of warmth and an atmosphere that is welcoming, any items chosen are fine. A log cabin or cottage is a place designed for relaxation. When decorating a log cabin or cottage, this should be kept in mind. Whatever makes you happy and helps create a space you enjoy and feel comfortable in, go with it. Just remember to have fun.
An important aspect of home decorating is choosing home decorating fabric. When picking a theme such as Victorian, Modern or Oriental, the choice of fabric makes a difference to the overall theme. There are many kinds of home decorating fabric. If you are looking for fabric that compliments a particular theme, perhaps doing a little research regarding the theme would be helpful. This sort of information can be found in home decorating magazines, books and also the Internet on home decorating websites.
If you decide to use a Victorian theme for your decorating project, whether you do one room or the entire house, it is essential to remember that Victorian decorating is quite elaborate and tend to be very feminine. Choosing home decorating fabric for a Victorian theme, you should strive to pick those which resemble those used during the Victorian period. Home decorating fabric for bedding and curtains should be made from heavy materials. Choices such as velvet and brocade are popular for Victorian home decorating fabric. To accessorize the fabric, ribbons and bows, face and beads can be used as trim.
Choosing a modern theme would suggest the use home decorating fabric which is bold and vibrant. Modern home decorating is usually based on an open concept with big spacious rooms. The large space is intended to draw your attention to the various details in the room which would include home decorating fabric. These bold and vibrant fabrics, used in curtains, slip covers or throw pillows, will certainly stand out in a modern, spacious room with light to cool colors used on the walls. In this situation, the home decorating fabric would definitely be noticed and appreciated.
Oriental home decorating seems to be popular nowadays. Its unique design with accessories such as Chinese dragons, elephants, fans and screens, make a room interesting and a great topic of conversation. Home decorating fabric or an oriental theme usually includes coral, red, ivory and jade colors. The most popular fabric used in oriental home decorating is silk. Using silk in colors like coral or red would definitely stand out and compliment the rich dark wood furniture recommended for oriental decorating.
Home decorating fabric is sort of like icing on the cake. You add great pieces of furniture to a space with walls painted in beautiful colors. Then to accent the furniture or a window, you choose home decorating fabric. A window, because it provides access to the outside, is always a focal point in any room. Using fabrics made from materials suited to the theme, your window treatments would definitely draw attention to the window.
If you are wondering where to find home decorating fabric, there are several places to shop. You may want to buy slip covers, cushions or curtains that are already made. Department stores have a great selection. There are also stores that specialize in home décor. These would certainly provide a selection of home decorating fabric. If you are a crafty individual, you may choose to make your own decorative items for your home. Again, department stores usually stock a big variety of fabric. There are fabric stores in most areas as well. If undecided regarding what you should use or would like to use in home decorating fabric, the Internet will surely be able to provide links taking you to all the right places.
The electronic deadbolt keyless entry door lock offers every homeowner the chance to secure any door in the home very conveniently. They still have the regular key feature but the also have a lighted keypad that you can customize a combination into and use instead for unlocking the door. This is great especially for darker areas of the exterior of the home and for people who frequently lock the door handle as well as the deadbolt.
Just like traditional deadbolts, the electronic deadbolt can be of high quality, and it can be of very low quality. There is a big range. To ensure a high quality product, we reccommend buying one from a well respected manufacturer. The two we suggest are Kwikset and Presto-Matic. Their products are well reviewed and rated by industry experts and consumers.
Installing a keyless deadbolt can be a little tricky. It is suggested that unless you are a pretty handy do it yourselfer, that you hire a locksmith to install the lock for you. Poor installation can cause malfunction and complete failure. If you are to attempt installation yourself, make sure that the company you buy from offers technical support. Most of the quality manufacturers will provide toll free numbers specifically for installation support.
The durability, strength, rust resistance, and lock length of electronic deadbolts will vary from brand to brand and model to model, just as tradtitional deadbolts do. The advice here is to not go cheap. With these locks, you get what you pay for and there is no good value in cheap models.
For help in finding a quality model in your price range, visit the Keyless Door Lock Buyer's Guide.
Keyless door locks are a fantastic and convenient way of entering/exiting your property without having to carry keys. There are two main types of keyless entry locks, electronic and mechanical.
The mechanical type provides a push button keypad to allow the user to gain entry. The main advantage of the mechanical type is that it needs no power supply (either AC power or battery) in order to operate it so you don't need to worry about power failure. This also makes it an ideal choice for exterior applications such as yard gates. These are simple, reliable devices that are easy to install as no wiring is needed. Being both hacksaw-proof and pick-proof and often fitted with a deadbolt mechanism, they provide an ideal, secure alternative to the traditional key lock. Of course you have the convenience of not having to search around for your keys for both entry and exit from your property.
But if you want a solution that provides sophistication and convenience there are several types of electronic keyless system to suit your requirements and budget.
The basic type of electronic keyless lock is a simple touch pad system that allows entry of a predefined code in order to gain entry. A more advanced type uses a keycard or tag to enter the property. Many hotels use this principle of door lock as the keycard can be programmed to only open certain doors. When used at home, the homeowner can decide who will have access when they are not at home. This is useful if you have a babysitter, housecleaner or even a handyman that need to gain access to your property while you are not in. This kind of system usually logs the time of entry and exit and can even switch on your lights when you enter your door.
Keyless entry systems are great for people with disabilities. People who are blind can easily operate a door lock system using a badge or tag and people who are wheelchair bound that may have limited use of their limbs will find it easier to enter their property.
It is not difficult to install a keyless entry system for the average DIY'er. Usually most keyless locks directly replace the existing door lock that is already in place so it's just a matter of doing a straight swap. However a more sophisticated electronic type may need a professional installation.
For a keypad type entry system be sure to change the code every so often. The reason being is that thieves will get to know your code by observing the keypad for wear and dirt and this will show the digits used to allow access. If you only have a 4 key code then this narrows the combination down to 32 combinations of the 4 digit
Keyless door locks cost between $50 and a few hundred dollars. Popular lockset (complete lock kit, including strike plate) brands include Schlage, Samsung (EZON), Kwikset, DigiLock, Trilogy and Simplex.
A keyless door lock means:
- Protection against "key bumping" lock pick attacks.
- No fumbling for keys.
- Not getting accidentally locked out of the house.
- No lost keys, and having to change the locks when keys are lost.
- Allowing guests and service people access, without fear of them making unauthorized duplicate keys.
However keyless locks are possibly less reliable, due to their increased complexity.
Door Lock Basics
Whether traditional keyed or digital keyless, the mechanical workings of door locks are similar. Locks are either deadbolts or spring bolts (latch key).
- Auto-locking. A spring automatically pushes the bolt to lock the door when the door is closed. This means no forgetting to lock the door, but can result in accidental lock-outs if the keys are forgotten.
- Easier to force open. The trick seen on TV shows, where a credit card is used to force open a lock, works on spring bolts.
Deadbolts are:
- Not auto-locking. However, some keyless deadbolts have electric motors that can auto-lock the bolt.
- Harder to force open. The key needs to be turned to close the bolt. This makes the door resistant to the credit card trick.
There are three ANSI door lock security grades. Grade 1 locks are the most secure.
Mechanical Keyless Entry Combination Door Locks
Not all keyless or digital locks are electronic. Mechanical keypad locks are "digital" (use numbers) too.
Advantages
- Simple and reliable.
- Batteries not required. No flat battery or cold weather issues.
- Usually water resistant.
Disadvantages
- Usually only one password for the whole lock.
- Limited password length, usually 4 or 6 digits maximum.
- Password can be less secure as the number sequence doesn't matter in many designs. If the password is "6789", "9876" will also open the lock.
- No timed lockout if the wrong password has been entered.
Features to look out for
- More than 10 digits keypad. Additional A, B, C, D keys allows more secure passwords such as "372C".
- Key access for password change. The password is changed by opening the lock (on the inside-home side of the door) and changing the settings. For many locks, the lock is opened by simply unscrewing the lock.
- Wrong password indication. For some locks, turning the knob before entering the password can indicate if there have been any failed attempts to guess the password. If there are, the knob will click.
Electronic Keypad Keyless Entry Door Locks
There are two main types of deadbolt electronic keyless locks:
- Motorized locks combine the security of a deadbolt with the auto-lock safety of a spring lock. However the batteries don't last as long and the additional moving parts can mean lower reliability.
- In an unmotorized lock, an electromagnet locks and unlocks the bolt, but a knob or lever needs to be manually turned to move the bolt.
Electronic door locks usually run on batteries. This makes them easier to install, and immune to mains power failure. The batteries can be AA, AAA or 9 volt.
Advantages
- Stronger passwords. Passwords can be longer, and the digit sequence matters.
- Multiple passwords supported. Temporary passwords can be created for service people or guests, and then deleted.
Disadvantages
- Batteries can be unreliable.
- Can be less resistant to rain and cold weather.
Useful security features
- Timed lockout. Lock will jam up for about a minute, if the wrong password has been entered a few times. This reduces the number of attempts that can be made to guess the password.
- Long password length. Some locks support a fixed 4 digit password length. Others can be set from between 3 to 20 digits.
- Multiple passwords. Some electronic locks allow only one password.
- Master password to protect password programming. A fixed (set in the factory) master password controls the creation of new passwords. On less secure locks, new passwords can be created simply by unscrewing the inner (safe) side of the lock.
Useful keypad features
- Lighted keypad for use in the dark.
- Keypad that clicks or beeps, so that it is clear that the key has been pressed.
- Waterproofing, to protect against rain damage.
Useful battery features
- Low-battery warning.
- Alternative mechanical key access, in case the batteries fail. The mechanical lock should be a "bump proof" design.
- Backup battery, in case the batteries fail. This can be a separate internal battery or exposed 9 volt battery terminals on the front of the lock (a fresh 9 volt battery is connected from the outside of the lock, to gain access).
- Cold weather operation. Some manufacturers specify operational temperatures as low as -35 degrees Fahrenheit. Using disposable lithium batteries can help.
The Best Home Keyless Door Lock
A good electronic keyless lock can provide better home security and more flexibility, than a conventional mechanical lock. If high security is not required, and battery reliability is a concern, a mechanical keyless lock can be used instead.