Old-fashioned and modern fireplace for a wonderful warm home

Fireplace or heated room is usually owned by each house in the country suffering from the winter. The form is different from the kitchen fireplace along with the development of the era. Most fireplaces are placed in the wall, but its modern form is a fireplace that is in the glass.

fireplaces, modern fireplace, old fireplace

fireplaces, modern fireplace, old fireplace

Over time the design of fireplaces has changed from one of necessity to one of visual interest. Early ones were more fire pits than modern fireplaces. They were used for warmth on cold days and nights, as well as for cooking. They also served as a gathering place within the home. These fire pits were usually centered within a room, allowing more people to gather around it.

Many flaws were found in early fireplace designs. Along with the industrial revolution came large scale housing developments, obviating a standardization of fireplaces. The most renowned fireplace designers of this time were the Adam Brothers. They perfected a style of fireplace design that was used for generations. It was smaller, more brightly lit, with an emphasis on the quality of the materials used in their construction, instead of their size.

By the 1800’s most new fireplaces were made up of two parts, the surround and the insert. The surround consisted of the mantlepiece and sides supports, usually in wood, marble or granite. The insert was where the fire burned, and was constructed of cast iron often backed with decorative tiles. As well as providing heat, the fireplaces of the Victorian era were thought to add a cozy ambiance to homes.

fireplaces, modern fireplace, old fireplace

fireplaces, modern fireplace, old fireplace

fireplaces, modern fireplace, old fireplace

fireplaces, modern fireplace, old fireplace

fireplaces, modern fireplace, old fireplace

Ashley Judd, personal and her houses

Ashley Judd's philanthropic contributions have centered around becoming a global ambassador for YouthAIDS, a prevention program under the Population Services International. She has been a member of their Board of Directors since 2004, also. Judd has travelled with YouthAIDS to places affected by illness and poverty such as Cambodia, Kenya, Rwanda, and many others.



Inspired by her travels, which allowed her to witness the life of the poor and uneducated, she has since become an advocate for preventing poverty and promoting awareness internationally. She has donated her time and met with political and religious leaders, heads of states, diplomats, and leaders on behalf of the deprived to convey the message to those who have the power to bring about political and social change.




Judd has also donated her time and resources towards filming three award-winning documentaries for YouthAIDS which aired internationally on the Discovery Channel, in National Geographic, and on VH1. She personally advocates for a balanced and integrated approach to empower human rights and global health, and to prevent social atrocities.

In 2011, Judd joined the Leadership Council of the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW).

Other organizations Judd has been involved with include the Women for Women International, and Equality Now, along with other non-governmental organizations which center around bringing attention to social, educational, health, economic, cultural, and financial funding of the unfortunate.


source: celebrityhousepictures.com & en.wikipedia.org

Houston Real Estate Listings

Recently, the demand for housing in Houston has sharply risen and it is being predicted that this rise would be sustained in the coming years. However, this does not mean that anyone who wants to sell his or her home in Houston can expect to do so in a matter of days after putting up a for sale sign on the yard. This is because just like other places, selling homes in Houston can also become very challenging. In addition, the large number of people who want to cash in on their real estate investments that they have made in Houston has resulted to competition among sellers. As a result, people in Houston who want to sell their homes should take the necessary steps that can help them make their homes more attractive to buyers. One example of which is to maximize the benefits that people can get out of real estate listings.

Getting the most out of real estate listings

Statistics show that more than 50% of homes that are put on real estate listings do not sell during their initial listing period. However, this does not mean that people should abandon using real estate listings to help them sell their property because there are certain things that sellers get out of real estate listings they can not get if they list their own properties. One of these includes using other forms of real estate listings, which include the large number of real estate listings that are posted on the Internet, which can provide sellers access to a wider market. As often as possible, sellers should pick the listings that encourage them to upload the photos of their property and the more pictures they can upload, the better. Moreover, sellers should also try to pick Internet listings that provide them with a separate web address for their property. As for more traditional forms of real estate listings, sellers should also employ the same strategies they would when using Internet listings, which includes providing pictures of their property to give buyers a better idea about the property.

Selling property in Houston also involves using the same strategies that are sued in other areas. One of these includes using both online and offline real estate listings, which can give sellers access to a wider market. However, in suing these listings, there are a number of steps they need to take, which includes using listings that encourage sellers to put the pictures of the property they are selling, that can help them make their property more attractive to buyers.

Why Flat Fee MLS Real Estate Listings Are the Way to Go

Have you ever searched the Internet to find homes for sale? Of course you have…And, it is amazing how many homes you can find from just one website. The reason that you are able to see all of these listings in one place is because that website has access to MLS real estate listings. The MLS real estate listings are a compilation of homes for sale that are either localized by county or are regional and include several counties within one MLS.

Not only are the MLS real estate listings going to allow you to see homes for sale, but obviously, if you want to sell your home you are going to want be listed in MLS as well. The fact is, if you are positioned properly within the MLS, or multiple listing service, your home will be available to view through a variety of popular websites as well as through any real estate brokers that may be working in your area.

In order to get one of these MLS real estate listings though, you are going to need to go through a licensed real estate agent or broker. They are the only ones legally allowed to list your home in any MLS. When using a real estate agent to list your home in MLS there are two routes you can choose. You can hire a full service real estate agent and pay them 6% of the selling price of your home. Or, you can hire a flat fee real estate listing service that will list your home for a one-time flat fee which may cost as little as $300. Using a flat fee listing service can literally save you thousands of dollars.

Traditionally, flat fee listing services did nothing more than list your home on MLS and it was up to the homeowner to do everything else, including marketing, open houses etc. These days though, with the real estate market so tough, some flat fee services are starting to offer more…some include lockboxes, “for sale” signs, contract forms, virtual tours, listing syndication to countless other websites, and even open houses. In fact, some flat fee agencies now offer better service than a traditional full service real estate agent. In the end, it is best to shop around and do what you feel most comfortable with, but remember, using a flat service will always save you money. And, if you can find one that does more, then it is a win-win situation for the seller.

Interior Design Ideas

Interior Design Ideas
Interior Design Ideas
Interior Design Ideas
Interior Design Ideas
Interior Design Ideas
Interior Design Ideas

Kitchen Decorating Ideas





Some kitchens are advised as abstracted areas absolutely exposed. Others are anxiously busy to bout the adjoining spaces. In both cases, the kitchen bank are the capital treatments for decorating the allowance occupied. The painting charcoal a accepted choice, but the ambit of "cooking" colors has skyrocketed. Cornflower blue, adulate yellow, bright, active red and blooming are acclimated as the base for the country French or Tuscan kitchen adornment themes. Wallpaper options alignment from abreast American designs. In addition, Slate, Saltillo and ceramics already acclimated alone in the plants actuality acclimated in the walls to add beheld absorption and texture.

Living Room Decorating Ideas





Express your personality, your personal taste and decorating flair in the way you decorate your living room. Remodeling or decorating your living room doesn't just mean to throw away items and add furniture pieces to the living room but how you arrange what you already have in the room. Arrangement mistakes can ruin the look of your room. Do not go wild with imagination. Some of the rules and traditional ways of keeping things and proper design must be followed to keep things sane. Creative and unusual living room decorating ideas should be limited by the comfort and usability of the room to make the living room more inviting.