November 24, 2020

10 Bathroom Tile Ideas You’ll Want To Steal

Many people spend a lot of time, effort, and fortune to decorate their bathrooms. Gone are the days when bathrooms were relegated to the back of the house and comprised nothing more than the most essential fixtures.  Hotel and resort bathrooms are always great sources of inspiration. Some ooze with

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How You Can Pass the Civil PE Exam

Passing the Civil iteration of the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam is a vital step for any professional who wants to take their career forward and unlock the most promising opportunities. Thousands of individuals go through this process every year, and it is something which you will likely

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How has lockdown affected gyms in the UK?

Gyms have been growing in popularity in recent years with an increasing number opening. No one could have imagined how terrible 2020 would be for them. As the ongoing pandemic continues to affect our lives, gyms in the UK have had a stop-start year with several closures forced on them.

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How to invest £1 million in the housing market in 2020

Winning a lottery prize of £1 million is a thrilling experience. But have you thought about what to do if you win the lottery? If not, then you have come to the right place. Here, we will tell you an investment strategy that can give you remarkable returns in 2020.

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Latest Issue
Issue 323 : Dec 2024

November 24, 2020

10 Bathroom Tile Ideas You’ll Want To Steal

Many people spend a lot of time, effort, and fortune to decorate their bathrooms. Gone are the days when bathrooms were relegated to the back of the house and comprised nothing more than the most essential fixtures.  Hotel and resort bathrooms are always great sources of inspiration. Some ooze with minimal sophistication, while others go crazy with colours and themes while still accomplishing the jaw dropping effect. Tiles and fixtures combine wonderfully to achieve a bathroom ambiance like no other. Regardless of what you’re going after, here are some bathroom tile ideas to elevate your bathing space and turn it into a work of art. Stolen Bathroom Tile Idea #1: Stone Cladding Considered as a decorative covering, wall cladding comprises the application of one material over the other. If natural stones are used, it is referred to as stone cladding, and it follows the same principle of putting a thin layer of stone or, in this case, tiles that simulate stone on another layer. Tiles from Limestone UK can provide you with designs that can make your rustic or vintage style bathroom a reality. Complement it with some rustic bathroom lighting from Furniture Fuse to complete the vibe. Stolen Bathroom Tile Idea #2: Mosaic Tiles Mosaic tiles are also called glass tiles and are known for their intense colours that makes your design scheme vibrant. You can create your own eye-catching designs using the same colour palette or contrasting hues. Mosaic tiles can complement your bathtub, walls, and other bathroom fixtures. It can also become the centerpiece of your entire restroom. Mosaic tiles pique the visual interest of the observers. If you want to go extreme, cover your whole wall with tiles and even the small space between your basin and lavatory. Should you want to use mosaic tiles on your floor, use the anti-skip kind to avoid accidents. Head on to Mosaic Village for some tile designs and inspiration. Stolen Bathroom Tile Idea #3: Faux Wooden Tiles Wooden floorings provide an overall luxurious feeling; bathroom included, but hardwood is costly and is not a practical material for a bathroom. You can still achieve wood-like flooring by using some wooden tiles. ToppsTiles has a huge variety of tiles made of ceramic or porcelain. It is quite similar to the usual hardwood floors but won’t cause too much dent in the budget. Note that wooden tiles are elongated in shape, similar to wood planks for that realistic look and feel. Stolen Bathroom Tile Idea #4: Over The Shower Tiles Convert your bathroom into your very own spa and literally extend it over the edge. Extend your tile pattern up to your bathroom ceiling. The overhead design has two purposes – an artistic masterpiece for you while at the same time providing a layer from humidity. Stolen Bathroom Tile Idea #5: Patchwork Tiles A patchwork of shapes, textures, patterns, and vibrant colours on just a single wall of your restroom can give extra character and personality to your comfort space. With patchwork tiles, there is no restriction on which tiles you can use. Combine mosaic tiles and limestone tiles with marble and granite for a sheer finish. These Mediterranean-influenced designs can create an interesting story. Stolen Bathroom Tile Idea #6: Wall Mural in the Shower Have a theatrical and unique experience while having your shower by creating a mural in your shower using tiles. It can just be a simple floral mural, or you can take things further and go for an all-aqua theme. Kids will nag you for bath time when you incorporate some cartoon character inspired tiles like the ones in Zazzle. Stolen Bathroom Tile Idea #7: Contrasting Tiles Make the most of the colour wheel and use contrasting colours to make a pattern. Try the classic with black and white tiles or work on a deep grey colour scheme – coordinated colours, when done right and with the correct colour choices, make an interesting design. You can base your colour scheme on the current palette of your furniture. Stolen Bathroom Tile Idea #8: Floral Fantasy Turn your boring bathroom into a floral restroom by using floral tile accents. Pair them with subtle pastel or dark-coloured tiles so their design can really pop. Go for floral tiles that have texture on it. You can further create a floral centerpiece either on your floor or on one side of your wall. Florals are for both genders anyway, so it is a top choice for bathroom design ideas. Stolen Bathroom Tile Idea #9: 3D Shower Tiles Texture accompanied by movement results in playful 3D bathroom tiles. Let your imagination take over and incorporate tiles of all sizes, styles, and shapes. Make your illusion a reality and get those 3D tiles from 3D Tiles UK and make every bathroom experience an interesting one. Stolen Bathroom Tile Idea #10: Pastel and Candy Tiles Suitable for the young female who spends half her time inside the bathroom, these tiles ooze freshness and youthfulness. Convert your traditional white tiled bathroom into a pastel, bubble gum sweetness haven. Pastel and girly looking tiles with little hearts and butterfly accents is just a pretty place to be.

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How You Can Pass the Civil PE Exam

Passing the Civil iteration of the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam is a vital step for any professional who wants to take their career forward and unlock the most promising opportunities. Thousands of individuals go through this process every year, and it is something which you will likely be looking towards shortly after passing the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam early in your career. Of course pass rates can be perilously low, so there is no guarantee that you will make it through this process unscathed on your first attempt. Thankfully there are a few things you can do to increase your chances and hopefully come out on top when the big day arrives. Here is a look at a handful of strategies that are worth pursuing as you approach your Civil PE exam. Image Source: Pixabay Establish your eligibility Before you can even think about passing this test, you will need to make sure that you meet the criteria that the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) sets out for prospective applicants. As well as having already attained a passing grade in the aforementioned FE exam, it is also necessary for you to have worked for at least four years in the engineering discipline of your choosing; in this case, working in civil engineering will clearly be the best option. It is also worth noting that each state has its own engineering licensing board, with these bodies controlling their own registration procedures, which can differ from place to place. Being aware of these ahead of time will give you a greater chance of making a successful application. Take a prep course There are lots of PE prep courses available, as this guide explains. A good course can provide you not only with the information and resources you need to study for successful performance in the exam itself, but also with the structure you need to manage your preparations effectively and make sure that you have done as much as you can in the time you have available before the exam date rolls around. It is also necessary to factor in the points at which the Civil PE exams are held; in general they are twice a year, although certain PE disciplines are tested either more frequently or less often, so it is always sensible to work this out well in advance so you can plan your studies accordingly. A modern prep course will be a multifaceted experience that includes everything from live instruction from expert tutors to the provision of practice questions and even entire mock exams that you can take to gear yourself up for the real thing. Since the exam will last for eight hours and cover a total of 80 questions, it definitely pays to prepare thoroughly and put yourself through this process in realistic conditions, so that you do not find it as daunting or crumple under the pressure. Take a break One of the most important tips for exam success in any context, whether you are aiming to pass the Civil PE test or are facing any other educational hurdle, is to minimize the chances of burnout during the rigors of preparation. There is no doubt that hard work and expert guidance will set you on a course to exam success, but you also need to give yourself breathing room in between, especially if you are still working full time in addition to studying. This is where the merits of early preparation really come into play, as rushing to cram everything into the final days and weeks will rarely work in your favor.

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How has lockdown affected gyms in the UK?

Gyms have been growing in popularity in recent years with an increasing number opening. No one could have imagined how terrible 2020 would be for them. As the ongoing pandemic continues to affect our lives, gyms in the UK have had a stop-start year with several closures forced on them. Lockdown was the last thing that anyone wanted this year. We could see that the pandemic was getting out of hand, but such a drastic course of action has hit us all hard. The days of going to a local gym have been seriously disrupted. Why aren’t gyms allowed to open during a lockdown? Surely keeping fit is an essential part of life. Or is still being able to buy kebabs and fried chicken more essential? Most gyms are large enough for social distancing to easily take place and most gym owners already do all they can to make their venues spotlessly clean. The latter is important as touching gym equipment and then your face could see the virus being transmitted. As in many other areas of life, not everyone is following the rules. Some gym users are still not doing all they can to keep gym equipment clean. Yes, you might come into contact who is infected with the virus but not showing symptoms. But the same can happen when going to the supermarket or on buses where some people aren’t wearing masks. One reason given for the need for gyms to close has come from virologist Professor Jonathan Bell. He believes that vigorous exercise can cause people to “breathe rapidly and quite deeply.” This can lead to droplets being formed that can transmit the virus. Scientific advisory group Sage have stated that closing gyms and leisure centres could cut the R number by 0.1. However, they stressed that this estimation was “very difficult.” With scientific evidence like that, gyms have had no choice to abide by the strict government rules. It’s not good for those who wish to use the gyms, both physically and mentally. They can get some home equipment but would rather be in the gym, that’s what they are used to. People also see their routines changed and that can affect mental health. As for the gyms themselves, there are financial problems to deal with. That steady stream of new members isn’t happening during the pandemic. The Anytime Fitness group are probably regretting that name at present. They don’t agree with the decision to again close gyms. The closures have led to them calling for “comprehensive financial support” to help keep them afloat. With more lockdowns possible, gyms continue to worry about their futures. With the gyms being closed, more focus is now being turned towards home fitness. The amount of home gym equipment being purchased is on the rise. This has seen people seeking out the Best Home Treadmill as they strive to carry on exercising. With so many online sites offering such items, it seems there are still some in the fitness industry that are doing well.

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How to invest £1 million in the housing market in 2020

Winning a lottery prize of £1 million is a thrilling experience. But have you thought about what to do if you win the lottery? If not, then you have come to the right place. Here, we will tell you an investment strategy that can give you remarkable returns in 2020. The housing sector is one of the safest and profitable areas to invest your money. This sector has immense potential that has always paid good returns to people. In addition to buying a real estate property, there are several other ways in which you can park your money in the housing market. Let us explore these options. What to do if you win the Lottery Here are some of the ways you can do after you win a hefty amount in the Lottery. 1. Invest In A Property Whether you invest for the first time or an experienced investor who wishes to grow its investment portfolio, real estate investment is lucrative to enhance your potential.You will benefit from the increase in property prices every year and monthly rental income. Looking at the current rental prices, an investment of one million dollars in a rental property can earn you a rental income between 60,000 and 100,000 dollars annually. Along with that, your rental property price will also increase. Thus, it will give you dual benefits. To invest in the housing market, you need to perform a detailed neighborhood analysis to locate a good place to invest in a rental property. You can find several options to rent a property, such as Single-family commercial spaces, and multi-family. Analyze available investment real estate properties for sale to find the best offer. You can even take the help of real estate investment tools to help you find the best property in accordance with your preferred location, growth potential, and budget. 2. Investment In A Land Now the next option can be to buy a terrestrial area. Hold the land for some years and then sell it for massive profits. In a place, you can even buy a home and sell it later when the housing market is at its boom. If you want incredible returns and are in no hurry to make profits, we suggest purchasing land a little far from the major city.Hold it for the long term, i.e., around twenty years or so, and sell it later. Choosing far areas is beneficial because cities have become very populated, and the property price is high there. The place outside the city is growing at a constant rate. Developers and builders will soon be exploring their areas. Many corporations also choose distant locations to set up their units, such as business parks, IT centers, etc. So, if you are thinking about what to do if you win the lottery of £1 million, then buy land of that much worth and keep it for twenty years.The sale of that land would solidify your affluent status. Go for agricultural land that is far from commercial hubs. You can get such places at ten or twenty times lesser than the price. Soon, that place will develop with common amenities and utilities as available in the commercial sector. With a lesser investment, you are going to make a large sum of money in the future. 3. Property Investment Trusts Real estate investment trusts, also called REITs, are indirect ways to invest in residential areas. These specialized firms collect money from interested investors to build, purchase, or manage property assets.They trade in various trusted publicly-traded REITs funds that are into investing in real estate properties. There are a few advantages that this method provides real estate investors: • As you are not directly investing in real estate, it needs less time commitment than what you incur when owning properties. • This method spread your risk across hundreds and thousands of properties. So, a sudden hefty maintenance cost would not break you. • These are highly liquid investments that can easily be purchased or sold in a few minutes. • They invest your money in the housing market via a tax-advantaged retirement account and pays above-average dividend yields than what you would get by investing in house stocks. 4. Crowdfunded Real Estate Crowdfunding is another method to invest in the housing market.There are times when an experienced real estate investor finds a lucrative opportunity but do not have adequate finances to either purchase or renovate it. So, they list the financing opportunity on a crowdfunding portal intending to raise capital from individual investors. In return, they will offer an equity interest in this project. This method involves high risks but can give you high returns. Go for this method only when you have a high-risk tolerance ability, and don’t think much about what to do if you win the lottery. Only those investors should invest in this scheme who do not need money in the near future. 5. Homebuilder Stocks Homebuilders companies engage in buying and selling of housing properties. A few of them also publicly trade on key stock exchanges.You need to note that homebuilders are more economically sensitive than rental properties. So, if any world economic crisis hits, your tenant will keep on paying rent (rental properties) but can lead to a decline in home sales dramatically. It is a highly profitable long-term housing investment strategy but not for short-term yields. Conclusion Investment in the housing market is indeed a smart investment decision in 2020. These are some of the best ways to invest in homebuilders and the real estate sector. Based on your needs and preferences, you can find a perfect investment strategy. You can even choose a combination of strategies to accomplish your investment objective.

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