How to Care For a Copper Sink

Think about how many sinks you have in your house. They’re all over the place! Adding a copper sink to your kitchen, bathroom, or another part of your house is a great way to add style and class to your decorations. Now we’ll look at how to effectively care for a copper sink so that it will maintain its good look and last longer.

Copper sinks can add an attractive accent to any room, in a place where people often expect dull porcelain or brushed metal. Copper evolves with time as it reacts with its surroundings. You will notice that with time, your copper sink will look even more beautiful (or worse) depending on how you treat it. Ensuring that your sink improves its attractiveness with age requires proper cleaning techniques.

Copper sinks come into a variety of finishes, the most common finish colors are clear, dark brown, or a custom natural-red. The colors are created as a result of accelerating the aging process of the sink. To maintain that beautiful look of your copper sink, follow these instructions:

  • Cleaners You do not need to have any specific cleaners. In fact, if you use hard cleaners on a copper sink with a patina (weathered finish), chances are that you will hurt the surface of your sink. Use a soft cotton cloth to clean your sink. Avoid using hard chemicals too as they will damage your sink’s finish.
  • Hard water If you happen to have hard water running through your tap, do your best to keep your copper clean. Dry it with a soft cloth after washing. Hard water gives copper sinks a spotty, unattractive appearance, especially on hammered copper sinks. To prevent this further, apply wax on your sink periodically. This will allow your sink maintain its luster.
  • Acid foods Avoid leaving acidic foods on your sink surface for a prolonged period of time. Foods like tomatoes, oranges, lemons contain acids that leave a shiny spot on the finish of your copper sink. If this happens accidentally, just wash the sink with soap and water and wait for the finish to recover its patina. The copper will age with time and the spot will gradually blend in with the rest of the sink.

For custom copper sinks with natural reddish color, the maintenance process remains the same as it is for dark and clear brown finished sinks. However, you are advised to apply lacquer regularly to help protect it and slow the aging process.

To maintain shiny and washed finishes on your custom sink, you will need to consistently care for your sink. An acid wash also helps in obtaining a beautiful bright look. Remember to rebuff and clean your sink with a copper cleaner regularly. If your sink is in a kitchen or another place where you don’t want to use copper cleaner, you can also make an organic copper cleaning product with equal parts lemon juice and salt. After cleaning your sink, protect it’s surface with wax coating. If you adhere to these instructions, your copper sink will continue looking beautiful and new.

Maintaining Copper Tiles

Copper tile is an elegant addition to any room whether you want a few tiles for decoration or to cover a large surface area. Finecraftsimports.com offers a number of decorativeCopper Tile In A Bathroom Backsplash
Weathered copper tile in a va
tiles.

It is important to know the proper way to take care of your copper tile to maintain its attractiveness and the value of your investment. Copper needs particular attention because the metal will definitely change with age and it is up to you to decide whether it becomes more or less attractive.

Seal Your Tiles

One of the best ways to ensure that your tiles retain their luster is to properly seal them. A suitable sealant and instructions on how to apply it can be found at your local hardware store.

Some choose to leave their copper tiles unfinished because they like the appearance of the aging copper. If left unfinished your copper tiles will darken and likely develop a pantina. You may be able to buy pre-aged copper tiles that are already finished. Buying this kind of tile is a good way to attain the aged-copper look without placing your investment in a dangerous position.

Cleaning Sealed Tiles

Cleaning sealed copper tile is very similar to cleaning other types of tile. A wet washrag is adequate to remove everyday dust and dirt. Soap and water may be used to treat a tough stain but it is important to avoid chemical cleaners because they may interact negatively with the sealant that you applied. A well-applied coat of sealant will prevent any dirt or stains from negatively interacting with the actual copper.

Cleaning Unsealed Tiles

Styles of copper tiles
Different styles of hammered copper tiles
Unsealed tiles will age at a much quicker rate. You can clean unsealed copper tiles with soap and water, which will allow them to age naturally. Another option is to apply a copper-cleaning product to the tiles. Be careful about using such a product in the kitchen, as they are often abrasive. Using a copper cleaner will significantly slow down the tile’s aging process, maintaining the original luster for a longer period of time.

Copper tile is an attractive accent in your kitchen or bathroom (or any other room!). With proper knowledge of how to care for the tile you can ensure that your tile will become more appealing as it ages!

Coat the Stairs with Vibrant Talavera Tiles

Do you have any idea to uplift the status of your home? Well, you can do many things for that. Changing the colors of walls, furnishing the interiors with decorative items, arranging beautiful flower arts etc. are some of the ways that give a new improved appearance to the entire home.  Usually, the staircase is a feature that enhances the majestic look of a house especially when it’s studded with finely-finished, vibrant, stylish tiles. The color element of the tiles you select to install the staircase matters a lot in making your home a pleasant place to live in. And even the rails of the staircase must be built using quality materials. Tiles arranged in magnificent designs create an eye-catching picture that pleases everybody.

A beautiful staircase coated with Talavera tiles

The most visible part of the staircase is its raisers. The colors, designs and the quality of the tiles used to create the raisers play a major part in home décor. You have to take great care in grouting too. When you select the tiles for the raisers, you’ve to do a careful selection since the tiles must be extremely beautiful and perfect to give a fresh look to the finished work. Mexican Talavera tiles would be fine to make your raisers glitter. You may wonder why I recommend Talavera tiles to be used in installing the raisers with. They are colorful, fine and durable. And they’re worth buying for the price offered due to their fine finish, excellent quality and the long-lasting property. Also, the rustic look and elegance they add the entire place could never be expected from most other varieties available in the market. They serve the decorative purpose in 100% and the lush new look given by them is something exceptional. That rustic, traditional feeling you get from Talavera tiles is really a unique, specific feature you find only in them. Here are a few reasons why you should make this wise option of selecting Talavera tiles for raisers.

Hand-made and hand-painted perfect quality

Mexican Talavera tiles are the end result of a prolonged, hard, manual labor which is quite rare in the modern industrialized world all done with machinery. Each and every tile is hand-painted and has the touch of skilled artists that often take pains to send a perfect product to the market.

They produce tiles of various geometric shapes

Usually, tiles are square-shaped. But Mexican Talavera tiles are made in a few other shapes too. Rectangular ones are preferred by clients to be installed in patios and open areas. And hexagonal tiles are a fine match for shrine rooms and such religious places. They create a different picture other than just the common square tiles which are available everywhere. And the prevailing rustic look of Talavera tiles is further improved by that unique shape. Square-shaped tiles are suitable to tile the floor in sitting rooms and bedrooms. Their simplicity makes a calm and serene environment throughout the place.

Talavera tiles establish a timeless comely appearance to the entire area adding a traditional touch too. Therefore, when you buy tiles for the raisers it’s advisable for you to go for Mexican Talavera tile products since they’re a perfect match for any home of any style. Especially, Finecraftsimports.com is a company that sells super quality Talavera tiles. They have decorative tiles specially meant for raisers. Their designs are varied, specialized and with lots of vibrant colors. As you prefer, you can use either a single design or a few outstanding colorful patterns to make your raisers cut a figure among hundreds of other patterns you’ve seen in your friends’ houses.

Do you like to do the tiling process on your own? If you do, you’ll have to be a clever DIYer. But everybody cannot do it successfully. And after all, tiling vertical surfaces is a bit harder. If you fail in that, the whole project will be a loss and a waste of money and time. So, I advise you to get a skilled worker to do it nicely. Tile workers are seasoned to carry it on very well and they have the knowledge and experience of how to make the proper layout cutting and setting the tiles in the correct way. In fact, those things are the key factors of the whole process that paves way for a long-lasting installation. On your part, you’ve only got to spend a few hundreds of bucks from your pocket to pay for the workman. But it’s nothing when you think of the excellent finish and the great change it makes to the entire home.

Using a separate design for each raiser

It’s fresh and outstanding to see different styles of tiles in each raiser. Usually, people tend to install tiles of the same design to the entire house. That’s a bit outdated. Variety is something preferred by all the human beings. So, using tiles of different styles to coat the same stairway will grab everybody’s heart. Such revolutionary thinking is in high demand in home decorating.  Day by day, great changes happen in this field. So, trying out novel ways means something creditable. Most preferably, all these patterns and ideas are just a perfect match specially for Spanish style homes. But it doesn’t mean that these are not suitable for others. Neatness and elegance are common features in this kind of home décor. So, the designs done with tiles go with any home or any apartment all over the world.

Whatever the materials you use for coating the raisers, the end product must be of sturdy built. And when it comes to talk about the colors, it’s more practical and advisable to use dark color tiles. Light colors may look calm, serene and neat at the beginning. But they tend to get dirty easily with the time. Therefore, better to select darker colors since they withstand the climatic changes and natural phenomena. So long as they remain attractive, and unchanged, there will be lesser problems in your household.

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Copper Switch Plates Function Better

When it comes to speak about copper, you may feel that there’s a vast domain to cover. It’s a versatile metal used to make all kinds of household equipment from cups and plates to building materials. Copper is successfully used to produce switch plates even. Some may think that using copper for switches is not an advisable thing. Even ceramic switch plates are liable to electric shocks when once they get wet. But, no need to fear. Copper switch plates are produced in such a way to prevent dangers. They have now invented safe ways of making them to withstand wear and tear for years. Let’s see why they especially use copper to make switch plates.

Anti-microbial property

Copper has a power to kill germs. Copper switch plates are used in places such as hospitals and other crowded institutions where germ protective measures must be taken to maintain the hygiene. Switch plates in these places are exposed to the contact of thousands of people daily. Copper kills microbes. So, copper switches and switch plates prevent the transmission of germs from one person to the other. It seems to be the most suitable material to serve that purpose.

Skillfully made using pure copper

Antique copper switch plates are exceptional due to the way they’re constructed. Mexican artists use ancient techniques inherited to them from their ancestors. We can assure the strength and durability of these copper products since they’re made hand hammering single sheets of pure copper. They use the finest, one inch long brown screws to insert each and every item.

When once you buy a copper switch plate, you’ll definitely love its dark brown patina. The finished product is in antique copper which has won a huge market worldwide. They are hammered all by hand and finally cut using a mold to get a good finish. Fine Crafts and Imports take all the pains to bring all these hammered copper switch plates and other electrical appliance to a superb finish. So, trust them all the time and buy your copper switch plates only from a reliable Mexican manufacturer such as Fine Crafts and Imports..

Talavera Ceramic Accessories

Small accessories and other details in a room can make a house feel like a home. If you’ve installed Talavera tiles, a copper sink, or copper bathtub, some matching towels and a few ceramic accessories can add a needed hint of personality to any room.

To contribute to an American Southwest aesthetic you could add a colorful ceramic lizard or a brightly painted toothbrush holder to match a bathroom composed of Talavera tiles and a copper sink. A lizard or a ceramic sun with a face can also make a bathroom more kid-friendly.

Another decoration that will add personality to any room in your house is an oil painting of a pastoral landscape or a different traditional subject. For renters and younger home owners who don’t have an extensive collection of objects that add a sense of age and class to your home, an oil painting creates a sense of permanence.

The difference between the accessories mentioned previously and the decorations you have laying around your house is that a ceramic toothbrush holder will match a copper sink and a wall of Talavera tiles.

Copper and ceramic are both very old Mexican art forms that have been passed down through generations of artisans. Buying a ceramic painted lizard may seem no different from a decoration you could pick up at any retail store but the craftsmanship and tradition of ceramics made in Mexico will bring more personality to your home.

Other accessory options include ceramic pull knobs, which can be a great way to help a cabinet or cupboard to match surrounding tile. The knobs are often colorfully painted and even if you don’t have a copper tile wall for them to match, ceramic pull knobs are a colorful accent for any room.

An easy way to help the room you are renovating have an appealing aesthetic is to purchase a package of matching ceramic accessories. Buying a group of accessories like this is also a great way to save money by buying in bulk.

Handmade High Temperature Wood-Fired Terracotta Clay Floor Tile Finishing

Design Decisions


12×12 and 4×4 clay floor tile in a patio
Considerations on selecting a particular finish for your handmade high temperature wood-fired terracotta clay floor tile consist of the following:

  • Is the floor an interior or exterior surface?
  • What level of gloss is desired?
  • What color hues are desired?
  • What traffic will the floor be subjected to?
  • What level of maintenance will be required?

Interior Floors

If the floor is an interior surface, the choice of finish is less critical than for an exterior surface that might be subject to rain, overspray from sprinklers, abrasive dust, sun, or other environmental factors that are more abusive than that encountered with an interior setting.

Exterior Floors and Decks

Because of the more abusive environmental factors listed above, and because of the hazards imposed by a wet, slippery walking surface that might be encountered on an exterior floor or deck, exterior finishes should have a frictional resistance, when wet, that minimizes the possibility of slipping. An exterior finish should also be resistant to deterioration due to ultra violet light from the sun, failure due to the action of chemicals found in pool water or agricultural treatments such as water-born fertilizer chemicals, and other caustic chemicals found in an exterior environment.

Floor Gloss Level, Foot Traffic Patterns


12×12 finished clay floor tile

12×12 unfinished clay floor tile
The finished floor gloss level ranges from high gloss to completely flat. Between these two extremes is the satin wax finish which is most often specified. Gloss level is controlled by both the finishing product used and the number of coats of that product that are applied. With a handmade clay tile, the unfinished surface can range from smooth to very rough, with rougher surfaced tile being reserved for those areas needing exceptional frictional resistance such as in driveways. Sources such as BarroNica Building Products, Inc. (www.barronica.com) are able to provide this wide range of textures in response to usage specifications.

The use of a final application of paste wax, on top of a multi-coat polymer finish, is a process by which the rich luster of a wax finish can be accomplished. This final coating of wax also yields a floor that is easier to maintain, as foot traffic develops walking patterns in the finished floor. A quick machine buffing and, where necessary, an application of a small amount of paste wax, eradicates the appearance of a traffic pattern on the floor surface.

Color Hue


Tinted clay floor tile
While the natural colors obtained from high temperature wood firing of handmade clay tile offer a rich range of hues, there are times when the installation calls for a tightening of that range. This can be accomplished by the use of a tinting compound either applied directly to the unfinished tile prior to finishing with a clear finish or mixing the tint directly into the first finish coat. Testing on sample tiles is essential since, once the tint has soaked into the tile’s surface, it is very difficult to remove. It is recommended that the services of a professional tile finisher be employed. Whether these services are used or you attempt to do the finishing yourself, experimentation with different types of tints, as well as mixtures of different tint colors, is highly recommended.

Style Trends in Home Decor

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/233/514312555_a72e83d5bb.jpg?v=0Browse through home decorating books, magazines and online apps for the latest style trends in home decor. Take note of decorative styles that appeal to your personal taste. Select modern design ideas that improve or change the look in your home.Decorate your home for beauty and style that excites and delights you. Try new accent colors in the bedroom and bathroom. Update the living room with fresh and modern accent furnishings. Let style trends inspire your interior decorating to maximize a home decor that shines.Spiff up your home areas with great new or used furniture. Stir up a mix of home decorating ideas that enhance your home with personality and creative style:Antiques – An unexpected influence in home design. Add antiques to your decor as a money savings or a personal investment.

Antiques are worthwhile home accents for their classic style.Vintage – Buy vintage furniture to add to a personal collection. Include modern vintage furniture pieces in your decor for a unique style opportunity to love every day.Eclectic – Tell your decorating story with a mix of classic and modern furnishings. Make eclectic style your design scheme in rooms that pop with a twist of all styles.Creating style is a passionate and daring undertaking. Express passion in your home decorating that makes it special, energetic and elegant. Get decorating ideas from style trends for your home that promote a new and refreshed tone in interior design.

Travel the look of luxury route with artistic layers of style. Use elegant table lamps, area rugs and drapery treatments as style upgrades. Activate a big operation of change with style trends to makeover your home. Follow the style trends in interior design for direction, choice and valuable design ammunition for your home.Enjoy a design theme for your home that makes your heart smile. The most comfortable chair, a modern wood and glass cocktail table or a new classic style sofa are home furnishings that enchant your world.  Transform and blend in style trends for your living spaces that make decorating fun in the name of style.

Home Decorating Ideas for Living Room Decoration

http://www.home-designing.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/ozhan_light-living-room.jpgAre you in need of a good interior for your house? Then implement your ideas and desires for decorations. Are you searching for a dream home? If you want a beautifully designed house of your dreams, then decorate your house with something innovative. You will find abundance of resources to help you in decorating your house, may it be for the holidays, a party, or a business eventor just good interiors for your house.   Different types, styles and look for your house can be designed and arranged as per your needs.  You can decorate your house traditionally or in modern ways, what matters is your choice and taste for your dream home. When looking for home decorating ideas, it’s good to start with a foundation of look and then add your own personal ideas to it.  

You can appoint home decorators to help you in your home interiors. People always take for granted that interior decorating is complicated task but it doesn’t comprise to be. If you’re eager to squander just a modest amount of time knowing the fundamentals of design, you can do your own complete interior decorating with effortlessness. Interior decorating actually is just knowing the basic principles of design and applying them to your living spaceAnybody who is home pompous feels affection for to beautify home. Home decorating can be in fact pleasurable without having to pay out riches.

A small number of intelligent home decorating ideas can make your house look designer.Use of some decorating tips, your ideas and some artistic professional work by interior decorators can make your house look attractive and stunning. Interior decorations for kitchens are a frequently abandoned area. If your kitchen is completed in boring colored wood, and you want to attach a dash of color, all you need is brighten it up with some interesting stuffs from your antique collections or bring a change by using attractive colors in the Kitchen premises, to bring an elegant look. Fill flower pots with a horde of flowers like gerberas or carnations and keep it on your window shelf.