3 Reasons You Should Add A Porcelain Patio to Your Garden

Modern Architecture Concept

Choosing the right material for your patio can be difficult, especially with so many different and appealing options on the market. One patio material that’s gained popularity over the past few years is porcelain paving!

Unlike natural stone paving, which can be quite a challenge to maintain, porcelain paving boasts a number of qualities that make it ideal for use in family homes with a high foot-fall. Today we’re going to look at four reasons why you should add a porcelain patio to your garden.

1. Porcelain paving is strong and durable

Some people perceive porcelain to be a dainty, delicate material – which in some cases is true. Delicate vases, pottery and dinnerware can be made of porcelain, but its uses don’t end there. Unlike these fine homewares, porcelain paving is designed to be incredibly strong and durable, more so than natural stones. The secret behind its strength is vitrification! A process of intense heat and pressure that causes substrates to occur within the tiles. The resulting porcelain tiles are strong and perfect for use in busy family gardens.

2. Porcelain paving is slip-resistant

If you’re going to install a patio in a British garden, you need to know that your paving can cope when it’s exposed to water and rain. There are some paving materials on the market that are naturally quite porous, sedimentary stones for example. These tiles have a tendency to take on water and if the water absorbed by the tiles freezes, they can quickly become very slippery – not ideal if you’ve got elderly people, young children or pets running around. In order to prevent natural stones from taking on water and becoming slippery, you need to treat them with a suitable top-coat annually. This is a job that’s both time consuming and expensive! In comparison, porcelain paving is naturally non-permeable, meaning it’s perfect for British gardens where conditions can become slippery in a split second. Porcelain paving won’t take on water & won’t freeze, so you can rest assured that there’ll be no accidental slips on your patio. Better still, you won’t need to spend hours applying top-coats, so you’ll have more time to enjoy your new patio.

3. Porcelain paving comes in a range of styles

Creating your dream garden is easy when you choose porcelain paving. It comes in such a wide variety of styles, colours and textures that you’ll be spoilt for choice. If you want to create a natural stone look, you can achieve this without having to worry about the upkeep that’s usually associated with natural stone! We’ve seen high-quality porcelain paving that emulates real slate, limestone and quartz as well as range of other natural stones.

Alternatively, if you want to create a trendy, unique patio with a wood-effect, porcelain paving will allow you to create this look too. Porcelain paving really is a versatile paving option that will allow you to create a patio that fits your garden design perfectly. 

5 Home Maintenance Tasks You Don’t Want to Forget

Michelle from Modern Architecture Concept

Our homes are our safe reprieves away from the world.  In these walls, we get to decide how our world should look, who matters most to us, and what helps us relax!

Photos By: Unsplash

Unfortunately, as fun as it is to look at real estate for sale in Whistler or consider buying a home in Toronto, the reality of taking care of a property can be harsh.  If you want to stay on top of everything and avoid the pain of getting caught off guard with a huge expense or issue: here are the five home maintenance tasks you should remember.

Test Your Sump Pump

The last thing you want is for your basement to flood the moment you’re out of town.  Every four to six months, check to ensure that your sump pump is draining correctly.  It takes just a couple of minutes to confirm, and then you can go back to ignoring that it exists.  A neglected sump pump can cause a couple of inches of water to build up.  That couple of inches of water can ruin carpets, will force mold and damage into drywall, and could cost you tens of thousands to repair: think ahead and check it.

Clear Your Gutters

Gutters have to be cleaned for more than just aesthetic purposes.  If you allow leaves to build up, not only does it put you at higher risk of flooding because of low water release, it can cause larger problems.  Clogged gutters may force a berg of ice to form on your roof, which may cause leaking, sagging, and possibly even a caved-in roof.  Please pay attention to your gutters and either clean them or install gutter covers to block out any debris that would clog them.

Check Your Water Heater

A water heater is the star of any home.  Not only does it allow us to take long hot baths, we need it several times a day to wash our hands thoroughly.  Check your water heater to ensure it doesn’t need anything changed out or filtered.  If you notice new leaks, or anything unsettling, ask a professional to look at it.

Check Your Chimney

Nothing brings cozy and familiar family memories to mind like a warm roasting fireplace.  Unfortunately, if you don’t have your fireplace checked out often enough, you could be putting your entire household’s health at risk.  Have a professional come in once a year to ensure your opening and closing hatch still work and that nothing is blocking it that could cause the smoke to gather inside your home.

Have Your HVAC System Checked

Although you may think that your air conditioner and heater will work correctly forever, the moment you need them most is usually the moment they give out.  To avoid this issue, and give yourself the chance to take care of problems before they happen, have a professional come out to check your systems at least once a year.  This task is routine maintenance and will ensure that everything stays in a constant good state.  If any problems may happen down the line, a professional will be able to warm you and help you avoid them.

The Biggest and Most Interesting Man-Made Underground Structures

Michelle from Modern Architecture Concept

Take a tour around the world by checking out some of the biggest and most fascinating man-made underground structures!

Underground structures can sometimes be even more incredible than above-ground structures. After all, while appropriately building both structures can be difficult, underground structures often have to deal with even more serious problems, including hydrostatic pressure and the sheer weight of any earth that may lie on top of the structure. Here are six incredible underground structures that have gone against that difficulty.

Deepest Subway Station: Arsenala Station, Kyiv, Ukraine | 346 Feet Deep

Photos By: Unsplash

Going down into the earth to visit a subway station definitely isn’t an inherently strange concept; the deepest station in the NYC subway system is over 150 feet underground. However, this is only about half of the depth of the Arsenala Station, which reaches a staggering 346 feet deep. This is because Arsenala is on a tall hill, but the next station is at ground level. To avoid the mechanical problems that could arise from traversing this hill regularly, the designers just decided to go through the hill.

Deepest Basement: Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia | 120 Feet Deep

Underneath the Sydney Opera House is a parking garage that doubles as the world’s deepest basement. However, it’s not just your ordinary parking garage. Though its initial design was just an underground square, as if the designers had transported a typical garage underground, they ran into troubles with regulations around fire escapes. Eventually, the final design became an underground double helix, making it as interestingly designed as the building it lies underneath.

Longest Underground Tunnel: Gotthard Base Tunnel, Erstfeld and Bodio, Switzerland | 35 Miles Long

 

The Swiss Alps are some of the most beautiful natural formations in Europe, but because of their massive rise in elevation, people have typically had to either go around or over them to get from one side to the other. This changed with the Gotthard Base Tunnel, which goes 35 miles from Erstfeld to Bodio, two municipalities in Switzerland. It cuts directly through the Swiss Alps, making it the first to create a flat route through the Alps. It was approved in 1992 but didn’t open to the public until 2016.

Deepest Building Foundation: Salesforce Tower, San Francisco, China | 310 Feet Below Grade


San Francisco is well-known for its tendencies toward earthquakes, which means that any tall buildings in San Francisco need to have equally stable foundations. Salesforce Tower is a 1,070-foot-tall building that has a foundation nearly a third of that size. It had to set new seismic safety benchmarks, with a unique foundation that ensures the tower won’t tip over. The base includes a
14-foot-thick concrete slab about an acre wide.

Biggest Underground City: Derinkuyu, Cappadocia, Turkey | 18 Stories Deep


Underground architectural feats didn’t get their start in the modern world. All you have to do to prove that is look at the Derinkuyu underground city, which is underneath Cappadocia. This huge network of tunnels was likely completed over a millenia ago, but it was mostly abandoned in the early 1900s. That means it stayed relatively untouched until 1963, when a man accidentally discovered an entrance in his basement. Nowadays, it’s a tourist attraction and a reminder that architectural wonders aren’t limited to the modern era.

Deepest Underground Research Center: Jinping Underground Laboratory, Jinping, China | 7,900 Feet Deep


Doing research underground can be hugely useful for extremely sensitive physics experiments. On the surface, cosmic radiation can influence the results; a mile underground, that influence is reduced by a factor of 10 million. This is exactly why the Jinping Underground Laboratory, which is inside a former gold mine, was created. Here, scientists research unique concepts, including dark matter and neutrino physics, assured that cosmic radiation plays as miniscule a part as possible in their research.

Conclusion

Underground structures have always been interesting to look at. Whether you’re researching the most incredible skyscraper foundations or you’re just looking at your own basement, it’s a constant reminder that humans love to create things, regardless of what those things are.

Things Architects Should Keep in Mind When Designing A Hotel

Michelle from Modern Architecture Concept

The hotel is an area where people can stay and enjoy their experience at a place. It will also allow its guests to learn about the culture of the site he is visiting while relaxing!


Photos By: Unsplash

That is why it is essential to think deeply about a hotel’s design to ensure that your visitors will enjoy their stay. Aside from aesthetics and functionality, there are other aspects that you should consider for your overall plan. This article will talk about the things that every architect should consider when designing a hotel.

You should have a dynamic hotel concept

The art of architecture is continuously changing and developing s time passes to answer its guests’ new trends and needs. When designing, you should be able to come up with a concept that can perfectly convey a story you want to tell. It will become the cornerstone of the building as it will shape and analyze every detail of the hotel. The forms, functionality, and materials to their overall combination will act as the hotel’s plot.

Connect the hotel’s design with its location

You don’t have to think far about the design of your hotel. The best way to complete your guests’ experience is to let them experience the area’s ambiance and culture with your hotel. Think about the climate conditions of the palace to determine the hotel’s outdoor environment. You should be able to connect them with your interior correctly. Moreover, the building’s orientation and the sun’s motion around it can be your inspiration when designing the hotel. It can affect the functions, zones, textures, materials, and colors that you will use for the building.

Give your hotel an excellent first impression

The first impression of your guests to your hotel is essential. When designing the entrance of the hotel should be inviting and enjoyable to hook your guests. It will serve as a cover for a book of the story you want to convey. The first seven seconds of the guest’s contact with something new and exciting will shape their impression of a place.

The entrance should connect with the design concept of the whole hotel and activate the guests’ senses. It should also be functional enough and serve as a smooth passage for everyone. With the right design, you can find more guests noticing and taking an interest in your hotel just because of your entrance’s exciting concept.

Prioritize every detail of the hotel’s rooms

The hotel room is where your guests will spend most of their time for their entire stay. If your overall concept and entrance are doing great, the rooms should also not disappoint your guests. It should be able to capture all the elements with proper divisions that will not stress the travelers. Everything should come in place, starting from comfortable beds and enough storage space for luggage and clothes to relaxing bathrooms. It is also best to keep things simple and ensure that room is flawless and neat throughout. If you need convenient access for building components without affecting the interior, you can buy access doors to blend with its surroundings.

Conclusion

The hotel’s concept and design are essential for the welfare of the business. You should be able to keep your guests’ interests and satisfaction to let them consider staying at your hotel in the future. Moreover, the design should also be functional, and the building systems should be easy to access. Ensure that you will only get materials from reliable companies with excellent access doors and panel reviews like Access Doors and Panels.

Contact us at 1-800-609-2917, and we will be happy to answer your inquiries about our products!

Why Wide Plank Flooring Is A Growing Trend!

Michelle from Modern Architecture Concept

Wide plank flooring is one of the most luxurious flooring trends happening now. Keep reading to see why you should consider it for your home!

Hickory flooring – Carlisle Wide Plank Floors

When it comes to flooring, wide plank floors are one trend we don’t see fading away any time soon. In fact, these stunning floors continue to grow in popularity. Wide plank floors not only look glamorous, they also are a smart update to traditional wood flooring, carpet and tile. They make your space look larger and more refined, while giving off a modern-day vibe that’s hard not to fall in love with! Here are some ways you can use wide plank flooring to make your home look updated and gorgeous for 2021:

Pair Wide Plank Floors With Minimalist Design

If you are a fan of minimalist decor, wide plank floors are the perfect choice to pair with this design style. We recommend choosing a color palette of white, off whites, and creamy hues for walls and furniture. You can find beautiful white comfy sofas like Restoration Hardware’s famous “cloud couch” that look great in just about any home.

Rift and Quartersawn White Oak flooring – Carlisle Wide Plank Floors

If you are worried that your white space will look too sterile, combine creamy hues in your design like a plush rug and bench. Choose warm-hued wide plank flooring to match your new palette. Then, mix in the same hues but with different textures. Fur throws and pillows are bound to make your space look welcoming, clean, and modern.

White Oak flooring with a Whitewash finish – Carlisle Wide Plank Floors

If you would like to add some fun and color into your design, there is no better way to do it than with boldly hued pillows, accessories, and modern artwork in bright, vibrant hues. The bigger the artwork the better, so make sure to find large, statement-making pieces for your walls that will command attention when people enter the room.

White Oak flooring – Carlisle Wide Plank Floors

Add Warmth to Your Home

Wide plank flooring is one of the best ways to bring a sense of warmth and coziness to a space. A room that would otherwise appear cold and sterile quickly can be transformed into a space that looks inviting and beautiful with wide plank flooring.

If you are thinking about maintaining a streamlined design aesthetic, wide plank flooring is your best bet. It comes in a multitude of wood species, shades, and finishes, which makes it super easy to find the perfect match for your home. There is something about this flooring that harmonizes everything in a space and makes it look put together and on-trend.

Ash flooring in a matte finish – Carlisle Wide Plank Floors

Wide Plank Flooring Brings the Outdoors In

When designing a space, I always try to find ways to bring the outdoors inside. Wide plank flooring does just that, as it imparts an element of nature and an organic feel to your decorating. If you need to find a way to soften the look of your decor, this flooring option is at the top of my list to do just that. Rather than use tiles or cold flooring options such as concrete, instead go with wide plank flooring. Trust us – you won’t look back!

Now that you have read some of our top reasons as to why you should install wide plank flooring in your home, it’s time to start preparing for your home renovations. Let us know if you already have wide plank flooring in your home or if you are thinking about installing it. We’d love to hear your thoughts and comments!