An outdoor copper shower can make a great addition for the summer months

As the weather gets warmer, it’s time to start prepping your house for the pool parties and BBQs that accompany the welcomed summer months. While you may think you have every backyard addition that makes your home the ultimate summer destination, there is one renovation that is quick, easy, inexpensive and will separate your house from the others on the block — an outdoor shower.

Whether you get your hands dirty from gardening, want to rinse off the chlorine from floating in the pool all day, or need to spray down the dog after a day of rolling around in the grass, an outdoor shower is practical and can make a unique home addition.

While it may seem like a complicated project, if you have the time and are handy around the house, follow these quick and simple steps to install a copper shower on your next free Saturday afternoon:

Step 1: Get the proper tools and material for the project.

Copper tubing is a good choice for an outdoor shower. It’s a durable option that is easy to work with, with an incomparable look and style. When using copper, you’ll need tubing cutters and a propane or other handheld torch, flux and solder for soldering the joints for the shower.

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The two rooms in every home that are the most popular targets for

Copper Double Vanity (courtesy of Frigo Design)

makeovers are the kitchen and bathroom. These are also the rooms in which copper and copper alloys, like brass and bronze, can make a big difference in both the décor and cleanliness.  Copper brass and bronze can not only add a warm aesthetic to a room, but they are also antimicrobial and have been found to effectively kill bacteria*.

Alfredo Cortes, president of Fine Crafts & Imports, says that in the eight years the company has been in business, he has noticed an increase in both the demand for copper products and in the number of companies that supply copper products to customers.

“Copper is a very beautiful metal,” Cortes said. “It adds a lot of style to kitchens, especially those in Spanish-mission style houses.”

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Copper and its alloys have long played an important role in the design and architecture of residential and commercial buildings. Today, more than 10,000 years after the discovery of the “red metal,” new and innovative ways to utilize copper, brass and bronze are being employed, especially in interiors.

A key aspect of interior design is that it can evoke certain emotions in occupants. Copper’s warm, organic, natural appearance is said to promote an atmosphere of tranquility, peace and calm. Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, recently stated, “Copper and the varied-color copper alloys invite a nurturing feeling, and in the stressful times we are living in, the need to embody warmth resonates with a lot of people.”

Many interior fixtures and decor items like door handles, doorknobs, faucets and furniture embellishments are made from copper and brass. Copper countertops, range and fireplace hoods, sinks and other accessories are commonplace in many homes. In addition, copper laminates are often found on many types of furniture and even used as wall coverings. It is not uncommon to find beautiful ornamental copper in commercial buildings along with accents on elevators, doorways, window frames and lighting. Recent technological developments have enabled the use of these materials in innovative ways. For example, copper and brass metal is now woven into textiles used in draperies and other furnishings.

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Home Decorating Tips and Tricks From the Pros

Do-it-yourself decorating and remodeling projects aren’t complete without those final, finishing touches that will make your friends think you hired a professional to do the work.

The pros use a variety of tools, tricks and techniques to make their work look good. One of the simplest, most effective “shortcuts” is to use caulk to bond, seal, fill and otherwise finish off just about any material you work with.

Here are a few suggestions on how to use caulk to make your next DIY job look great:

Caulk the Curl
Wallpaper that curls up at the edges is like wispy hairs that stick out after a haircut. When you try to paste them back down, they just pop right up again. A better way is to apply a bead of caulk where wallpaper edges meet door frames, moldings and other installed materials.

A neutral color caulk was once the only option, but now you can mix your own custom colors directly into the caulk, using the Create-A-Color Caulk Coloring System from Red Devil. With this unique new product, you can blend in the same latex paint used on the molding, or mix in a different latex paint color to match your wallpaper. The Create-A-Color system includes a plastic syringe for measuring and injecting paint directly into the caulk cartridge, and a sturdy, reusable hand pump that makes quick work of mixing in the color.

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This metal shines when it comes to cooking, cleanliness and class.

While studying at Le Cordon Bleu, the world’s premiere culinary school, and later working at some of the finest restaurants in France, Eric Eisenberg learned to appreciate the copper cookware top chefs use to prepare exquisite gourmet dishes.

“I used a lot of copper during my training in France,” said Eisenberg, now executive chef at the Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, WA. “And we used a lot of copper cookware at the different restaurants I worked at, including Michel Rostang in Paris and Chateau D’Artigny in the Loire Valley. I later bought a huge set of copper cookware for my own restaurant.” That establishment, Relais, was a French restaurant with a Northwest flair in Bothell, WA.

While many American cooks and kitchens have copper cookware, it is often hung on the wall and used for display rather than for cooking. Eisenberg’s training taught him a valuable lesson about this cookware’s unique attributes beyond its elegance and durability. The copper cookware he used played an important role in how meals were prepared.

“Those pots were pretty old but they held up very well,” Eisenberg recalled. “They didn’t warp or bend and they kept a nice, flat even bottom. What’s more, the copper conducted heat well and distributed it evenly throughout the pot.”

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Baby-Proofing Your Home

Preparing the home for a new baby’s arrival is a highly anticipated and exciting time for new parents.  At the same time, however, parents must be aware of potential safety hazards in their home and evaluate baby-proofing tips which must be completed.  More than 4.5 million children are wounded in the home every year—most of these injuries can be prevented if parents take appropriate precautions to ensure their children’s safety.  By following these simple steps, parents can be sure they are bringing home baby to a loving and safe home.

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Hip parents embrace child-friendly design

When it comes to interior decorating, style and children don’t always mesh well. But that doesn’t mean parents should toss out the trendy design magazines. It is possible to maintain a modern, stylish home while raising small children. By selecting colors, fabrics and furniture that will withstand the attention and activities of toddlers, you can ensure that your home is chic yet child-friendly.

Here are some helpful tips to creating a swanky and safe house ideal for the entire family.

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