Dining Cabinets: Furniture Pieces that Can Work Wonders for Your Dinner Parties
No matter how much we love our homes, there’s always room for some improvement style-wise. Just as much as trends change, your style can change. I recently underwent such an experience when all of a sudden I grew tired of my dining room interior. Since I love entertaining guests at home, I love organising family gatherings and formal dinner parties every now and then, so the dining room is the part of my home that gets as many visits as the living room does which is why the décor is more than important. Though my guests come over for hearty delicious meals and entertaining conversations, I like giving them food for the eyes as well through the use of wall ornaments which I like to match in colour with tablecloths and create a certain contrast with the napkins.
Despite this colour play, I still felt like something was missing even though I also used the sideboard as a decorating spot for some candles and flower arrangements. As much as I had the mindset of a minimalist and preferred keeping a rather open space dining area, I felt that it was actually the sideboard that could get replaced. After looking through dining cabinets in shops and catalogues, I had a revealing moment followed by an idea: Why not use a cabinet instead of the sideboard?
Overcoming my minimalist urge to dispose of the sideboard altogether, I found its purpose in the hall (now it serves as the perfect spot for keys) and made way for a cabinet. Cabinets are supposed to be both functional and stylish, so I had to look beyond just storage space and think of the design as well. A design mismatch could result in making the cabinet seem out of place and even create visual clutter so always be careful when choosing.
Having seen a variety of dining cabinets, and spending hours of indecisiveness, I was able to make the purchase. Once I brought the charm of the cabinet in my home, it seems that my style and habits also shifted. I realised I was no longer the staunch minimalist. Though I didn’t go overboard with the decorating, I also didn’t go back to the usual “less is more” rule. Using my mother’s beautiful china as a base décor detail, I tried to steer away from the full china look and broke the pattern with an intricate candle stand, vintage cookbook and display teacups and platters.
I feared I’d get a crammed outcome, but luckily, I still had plenty of space left which I used during dinner parties for storing all the goods, such as cakes and drinks, and kept them at hand without also cramming the table. You can imagine the faces of my family and friends when they saw this drastic change, partly because of being amazed by my decorating skills and the other part because of not being the minimalist they thought I was. After getting all the positive feedback, I now try and create a different look whenever I get the chance to change the dynamic of every party by adding various colour papers inside the cabinet. I haven’t made up my mind yet for painting all of it in either black or white, but it’s a possibility. Cabinets are still very much a trend, all it takes is finding the right ways to decorate them.
Beyond Camera: Accessories Are Vital to Becoming a Pro Photographer
“The most powerful weapon in the world, as far as I’m concerned, is the camera.”
This quote can make you see some things from a certain perspective. Get it? Professional photographers create better photos not by having the most expensive cameras and accessories at their disposal, but because they know how to perfectly capture a moment.
However, this does not mean that you can produce a quality image with a cheap camera. And furthermore, you’d be able to put more life in your images by having the right accessories. You might have the eye to spot a unique moment, or set a great scene for imagery, but you’ll need to arm yourself with a decent DSLR camera, preferably with double digit megapixels and a decent sensor size. And with the internet at your disposal and the number of shops that sell cameras and camera accessories in Australia, you’ll have plenty of choices to pick from.
You probably wouldn’t want to over-do it on your initial purchase. If you don’t own a camera already, buying one along with few other pieces of the most essential equipment will be sufficient enough to create quality photos.
Remember, “You don’t take a photograph, you make it.” It is you who is in control. Hence, pay attention to things like lighting and composition. Also, positioning yourself at the right angle is key to making outstanding photos. Still, the power of the lens is what can make or break a photograph; it’s what it takes to leave a viewer in awe or unimpressed. Even though lenses are top-sold camera accessories in Australia, the lens’ spec sheet leaves many (particularly those new to photography) a bit confused. In short, here’s what those numbers represent:
- the focal length (defines the lens’ angle of view)
- the aperture (describes how much light it can gather)
- the format (sensor size it’s designed to work with)
- the mount (whether or not it can physically fit on your camera)
- the image stabilization (optical stabilization for minimizing or ignoring blurring effects of hand shaking)
The key is making sure the lens physically fits into your camera. And again, you don’t have to buy all the different kinds of lenses as you will most likely end up not using all of them. Buy a few, or just rent them. Renting camera accessories and gear is a smart way to try out the equipment without actually buying it, which is something a lot of photographers (newbies and pros as well) take advantage of.
Besides lens, there are other accessories designed to make ‘taking great photos’ much easier. An extra set of battery will ensure you don’t run out of power in a crucial moment, for example. An SSD card will increase your storage capacity, allowing you to experiment and take as much photos as you want without deleting most of them in concern for not having enough space.
Bottom line is, when shopping for camera equipment, you have to pay attention to many things – specifications, compatibility, price, etc. The right gear however, is your one way ticket to making incredible shots. Broaden your horizons to reach beyond the unreachable!
What Features to Look for in an Inspection Camera
An inspection cameras is basically a small camera and LED lights attached by a long flexible cable to a handle with an LCD screen that is usually detachable. This is a versatile tool that has many practical applications and one of them is not taking selfies. The usefulness of an inspection camera is pretty obvious. It allows you to look into hard to reach areas that you otherwise couldn’t. You can use them to look down a drain, into a wall cavity, under an appliance, basically any tight and dark spaces that the naked eye cant reach.
Thanks to the massive drop in cost of LCD screens and cameras, you can now find an inspection camera Australia shops at a fair price. Just a decade ago, an inspection camera Australia wide used to cost thousands of dollars and today they have become nearly a commodity since the price range is around $200-$300. Another great thing is that technology has greatly improved over the past few years and many of the new models include a number of premium features such as the ability to record video and audio, rechargeable batteries, and so on. Whether you are an electrician, a plumber, or a mechanic, you too can now afford this tool.
With all the various models of inspection cameras available on the market, when it comes to choosing one, it is good to know which features matter and which ones not as much. The two main things you should focus on are image quality and flexibility. If the cable is too short or too stiff, you simply will not be able to reach certain places. A camera with at least one meter long cable should be enough to do the job. As far as the stiffness of the cable is concerned, if you have a more bendable cable, it will be much easier to maneuver around tight corners or squeeze through obstacles. But, a stiffer and ticker cable means that you can go through blockages. This means that you should choose a cable that best suits your needs or find the right balance. Image quality is obviously another important feature. Higher resolution means that you will get a more accurate diagnosis. You also might want to get an inspection camera that has an SD card included so you can record videos and pictures and save them on a PC via a USB cable for later analysis. Another handy feature is a detachable LCD which enables you to maneuver the camera with one hand and keep an eye on the display with the other hand. This makes operating much easier.
So before purchasing an inspection camera, consider all the features and your budget and buy the one you think is most suitable for your needs.
A Splash of Green in a Tech Scene
Living alone in a small flat in Darwin at 29, having my share of a hard day’s night from the comfort of my home and spending most of my free time deeply engaged in playing all sorts of addictive strategy games might sound like living the dream for the tech savvy like myself. However, as of late, all of this has started to take its toll on my mental health. Nothing serious, just the mean reds that sometimes can really hang you up the most.
Two months ago, I felt as if every cell of my body was screaming for a change, something had to be rearranged, but what precious, what? Yes, the lack of company did not only result in lack of cheer but also in a Gollum-like atmosphere in my head. No, I’m not going crazy, I just spend too much time staring at a screen. So that’s when it dawned on me that I desperately need to bring about a more lively vibe to my robotic surroundings.
Cats, dogs and so many tech gadgets and cables don’t go together, so I decided I’m not down for that. The next obvious thing on the list were plants, but believe me, as much as I am able to keep a warrior priestess alive, no plant has ever thrived under my watch. I regularly forget to water them on time, then I try to make up for it all at once and I end up drowning dehydrated plants, end of story, happens every time. Read More
Why Should We All be in Favour of Rechargeable Batteries
How many devices do you have in your household that require batteries to perform their function? If you have children, chances are their number is quite big. From toys and baby monitors, to TV remotes, garage door remote, wall clocks, etc., there is barely a home that does not need these tiny miracles of technology.
Some of these batteries need to be replaced quite frequently (like those in toys), while others less often (such as the ones in wall clocks). The fact is, it will turn out you’ve spent a small fortune just on batteries. Think about it, why not invest in rechargeable battery packs and save yourself the trouble, time and money you’d spend on replacing batteries basically every other week?
While you may think it is cheaper to buy a standard pack of batteries, the truth is, investing in a rechargeable battery pack can help you save more money in the long run. Coming at about $60 (for a typical charger and a four rechargeable AAA battery pack), rechargeable batteries can be charged up to about 1,000 times which will save you a lot in just a year. Both the rechargeable AA battery pack and rechargeable AAA battery pack come in 3 types:
- Nickel Cadmium – these are known for their long lifespan, however, they have a lower voltage potential than the other two types.
- Nickel-Metal Hydride – have a higher voltage than the nickel cadmium but require more charging.
- Lithium-Ion – the most expensive of all three types, these batteries have the ability to store more energy and last longer between charges. They make the ideal choice for battery-operated tools and are also a better option for the environment as they don’t contain harmful toxins.
By choosing rechargeable batteries over standard alkaline ones, you will not only save money, you will also help the environment. Did you know that Australians throw away about 8000 tons of used batteries every year?And here’s the bad news- on the landfill, toxic metals and chemicals can leak from these batteries and contaminate the environment. One great thing about rechargeable batteries is that they are surprisingly easy to recycle. Furthermore, they can be recharged and reused numerous times, which in turn results in less waste on the landfills.
It is true that after recharging them for many, many times, even rechargeable batteries will eventually die. However, recycling them can prevent toxins from spreading in the environment. So, be a conscious citizen and don’t throw your rechargeable batteries (or alkaline ones) in the regular garbage. Click here to find a site to recycle the batteries you no longer need and do the right thing.