Houston House

Archive for October, 2009

A vital part of securing your home is the installation of a home security system. Home security systems come in many different forms and levels of protection. Whether you like to do it yourself, or are hiring a professional security installation company, there are critical elements that must be considered that are covered here.

To begin with you need to decide what your budget is for your system. Most alarm monitoring companies offer a free or reduced installation of their basic package which usually includes 3 door contacts, 1 keypad, 1 passive infrared motion detector, 1 back-up battery, 1 siren, and yard sign if you agree to their monitoring agreement. For many homeowners, this is a very cost effective way to have a basic system installed. However, if you are willing to spend a little additional money, you can add devices and contact points that really beef up your home security system.

The most important areas of the house to cover is the back and the sides. Burglars do not want to be caught, so they will look for the point of entry that gives them the most cover. When a burglar approaches a home, they will usually ring the doorbell to see if anyone answers or stirs in the home. If they do not hear any activity inside, they will kick in the door and close it behind them. It is hard to tell that anything is going on from the street. But your neighbors can easily tell that something is not quite right if they were to see a broken window on the front of your home.

Most burglaries occur through the doors. The doors most often targeted are the back and side doors. Windows can also be an easy entry point. If you are concerned about protecting your home and providing a warning of possible intrusion while you are at home, then you should consider contacting the windows. If however, you are primarily interested in protecting your property while you are away, then it may be more cost effective to consider using passive infrared motion detectors and glass break detectors. The reason is that even if the windows are contacted, it is possible on most windows to simply break the glass and climb in. If the window is never opened, the contact never goes off.

When it comes to home décor, where do you get your inspiration? At one “inspired home” in Atlanta, the interior design comes from the pages of top magazines, with furniture and accessories demonstrating today’s best thinking in home design trends.

One of America’s top interior designers, Patricia Crowl, decorated each room of the home with products exclusively available at Wal-Mart nationwide.
“We wanted to take the design expertise of each magazine and show consumers how to apply it to their own homes,” she says. “The house illustrates how to get the look of luxury at an affordable price.”

The show house also offers the latest new trends in home décor this season:
• How to use everyday items in unusual ways: For example, placing mirrors on a dining room table for ambiance and flair, and using outdoor products such as a garden urn and patio cushions as décor for the living room.
• Using a unified color scheme: The use of a single color palette with accent colors sets the tone for a calm room without being boring. This also makes a seamless transition from one room to the next.
• The technique of layering makes a warm and cozy atmosphere without spending a fortune: This can be achieved with rich and colorful throws, pillows, cushions and accessories.
Committed to bringing its customers affordable quality and stylish, contemporary casual merchandise, Wal-Mart has the products to help many homeowners achieve luxury style at a reasonable price. By teaming up with the nation’s top consumer magazines to showcase how consumers can create new design ideas in their own home, the company has created a show house that is beautiful yet practical, stylish yet affordable.
The magazines that inspired the show house and the rooms featured include:
• Better Homes and Gardens, great room and kitchen;
• Country Home, living room and dining room;
• Traditional Home, outdoor entertaining area;
• Child, girl’s and boy’s bedrooms;
• Parents, playroom;
• Decorating magazine, a special interest publication from Better Homes and Gardens, master suite