KitchenAid Artisan Mixer

If its possible to have an ongoing family relationship with ones KitchenAid Artisan Mixer, then mine is very close, and personal. I had first seen it while traveling in the US on a free spirited gap year, and even then was a domestic dreamer ; severely considering shipping one home to the UK on a student budget! Irrational I know, but kitchen love is a strange and often unwieldy thing. We finally started our relationship proper about 11 years ago and it has been an suffering love ever since.

I buy KitchenAid Artisan Mixer about 11 years ago. Mine is white, crisp, clean and well suited for any environment, but I often hanker for a color thats a trifle more, dare I say it, ground breaking. Maybe Apple Green, Cobalt Blue, Candy Apple, Imperial Red or even ultra cool Metallic Grey would add a trifle of style to my kitchen, but whatever the color, it would still be the same improbable mixer underneath. 

So apart from seeming great, and being featured in every TV chefs kitchen, what exactly is so fantastic about a KitchenAid Artisan Mixer? The bowl for a start. At 4.8 litres capacity the brushed Stainless Steel bowl is large enough to make dough for two loaves using 1.2 kg of flour, but can also whisk one ovalbumin without a problem. Its high sides stop ingredients splashing out, and the twisting mechanics that holds it in situ is firm and wholly secure.  

The 300W motor has 10 speeds and is very strong, heavy and uses an unique planetary action. It copes equally well with large amount mixtures that need slow mixing for a prolonged time, as well as beating a cake mixture quickly and lightly to produce the most amazingly well risen Victoria Sponge. It has a really robust all metal design, which although heavy to carry at 12.7 kg, means that it is dependably rooted to the spot when you need it to be. 

The Artisan Mixer comes with three mixing in attachments (flat beater, wire whisk and a dough hook). You also get a clear plastic pouring shield which is really helpful in holding your worktop free from mess. With KitchenAid's range of more 12 optional attachments, you can turn your mixer into all rather appliances, from a pasta roller cutter to a citrus juicer, slicer shredder and my neighbor even uses his to make homemade sausages with a exclusively designed gadget from the clever clever American people at KitchenAid

If aesthetics are your thing, then you couldnt want for more this Henry Moore of the mixer world. If functionality drives you, you can be certain that cake, after amazingly well light cake, will never cease to thrill you. You may decide not to have quite the same relationship with your KitchenAid mixer as I do, but I can assure you it will be long lasting, fulfilled and very productive. 

Build a Sound Proof Room

Often the noise is just overmuch, and you are desperate for peace and quiet. The response may be to build a soundproof room to escape to, but it is neither a simple nor cheap task. For those who shift work and need to sleep, this may be a project to consider. A fortress of solitude can be a great way to survive a noisy neighborhood. 

1. Ascertain how large and in what location your room will be located. If you are reconstructing an existing building, you may have to give some space, and there will be a limit to how much you can do to soundproof with soundproofing walls. If you are designing a new construction, then again, the only limit is the expense.

2. Look at the floor plan you are working with, if it is existing or in the planning stages. You will want to introduce decoupling. This might be clips & channel on a single stud wall, or a more extreme measure may be wall framing that is two studs wide, with a space (1") between them. The latter wall frame example with 2X4 studs is 4 1/2 inches thick, so your finished soundproof wall will be about 9 1/2 inches.

3. Consider the noise seeds which will enter the room through your ceiling. If it is critical to extinguish sounds from this direction, you can add standard insulation in the attic space above the room, and use additional 5 8" inch drywall on the existing ceiling. You should not introduce a second air cavity, as this is a well documented Triple Leaf assembly, which will importantly limit your performance.

4. Insulate the floors if you are built above (off) grade, and install baffle walls in the crawlspace surrounding the soundproofed area to further deaden the noise. If your structure is on a concrete slab, the floors will not be an issue.

5. Fasten the bottom plate to the floor with bolts, powder actuated fasteners, or nails dependant on what is suitable for the type floor construction you are building on. Foams and pads under the bottom plates are opportunities for sound to sneak (flank) under your new wall, so avoid them. Place another plate 1 inch from the first, fastening the same way.

6. Lay out studs on 16 or 24" inch centers, constructing corners and tees where needed.

7. Install typical insulation in both framed walls (R13 fiberglass) and so install 5 8" inch gypsum wall board (drywall) to the finished surface. Do not create more one air cavity as mentioned previously.

8. Tape and mud the joints in the wallboard, but you do not need to finish it smooth.

9. Finish this wallboard to receive paint, wall paper, or other wall treatment of choice.

10. Set up to hang the door. At the door opening, you will have a dissimilar situation than usual, and a split jamb is not recommended for a sound proof space. You can either purchase a special STC jamb, or use an insulated exterior unit, dependent upon how critical the sound proofing is. A laboratory certified STC door is both very not cheap and very heavy, and special installing techniques are required to get the best results. Even the hardware has special features so that the metal components do not transmit sound, but for ordinary application, a good quality fiberglass or vinyl exterior insulated door with a foam weather seal will give good results. Be sure to caulk under the threshold, and fill any voids between the jamb and framing members with expanding foam sealant.

11. Install any windows you elect to incorporate in the project. Use thermic insulated windows, and remember, the thicker the airspace between the glass panes, the better the sound abatement. For maximum sound-proofing, windows should be avoided, but there are life safety issues if there is only one route of exit in case of fire.

12. Install acoustic sound panels on the walls and roof if the background level in the room is not satisfactory. These panels come in various sizes, and are formed from the same material commercial acoustic ceilings are made from, with a variety of prefinished surfaces.

13. Build baffle chambers in everyone's thoughts conditioning ductwork if the noise from the air handling equipment is a problem. This is simply a large box built into the duct line with the same material the ductwork is formed from, with a series of partial baffles to block acoustic wave from traveling down the ductwork.

Solutions for Noisy Neighbours

Having a neighbor who makes lots of noise is no laughing matter. At best, noisy neighbours (or noisey neighbors as the Americans usually call them!) can distract you from delighting simple activities in your own home watching TV, listening to music or taking a book can become a horrible experience.

At the worst, excessive noise from neighbors can affect your sleep, preventing you getting a decent 8 hours, which successively can be detrimental on all areas of your life.
Psychologically, experiencing excessive unwanted noise from neighbors can be damaging it can make it difficult to relax and unwind, and it can make you irritable, nervous and stressed.

Being put through this kinda treatment in your own home is unacceptable.

Nuisance noise comes in many forms heated arguments, bass-heavy stereo, loud TVs and music centres, DIY noise, furniture being moved around, fire alarm, ballgame, pet noises like dogs barking, door slamming and even just stamping around.

It can be hard to know what types of noise establish a nuisance, and we often have a very high tolerance for noise before we do anything about it but the truth is, if the noise troubles you, and is loud and sustained, then it is a nuisance, and you should not have to put up with it. 

You can also reduce noisy neighbours with soundproofing wall material .

Build Redwood Planter Boxes

Adding a Workof Art to Your Backyard

A couple of weeks ago, we hashed out how a novice do-it-yourselfer could easily build a redwood deck. With simple redwood deck plans, materials and a few tools, you can transform an ordinary outdoor lebensraum into a relaxing retreat. And for the homeowner inspired by the easy-to-work-with characteristics of redwood lumber, redwood planter are a fantastic complement to a deck, fence, or outdoor garden furniture. In fact, for those with special space for outside landscaping, planters can be an easy first project to begin transforming your yard.

With a trifle planning and inspiration, redwood planters can be a great addition to your backyard. The popular Petaluma Planter design has been a favorite of homeowners and do-it-yourselfers for years. More complicated designs, such as octagon or triangular-shapes, are always an option too. Because of its superior workability, a variety of designs are a snap to complete with genuine redwood lumber. Add your favorite trees, plants, flowers, herbs or vegetables to complete the personal touch to your redwood planter.

You can also make multi-functional redwood planters quickly and easily. For example, adding wheels or casters means a redwood planter can be displaced to sunnier areas of the yard or deck, or moved to covered areas to protect plants from inclemency. And you can easily make room for the barbecue, or find places for the new redwood lawn furniture you plan on building with your newfound designing skills.  

For additional space to rest and relax, a combination redwood planter and bench are perfect for outdoor social affair, offering the benefits of the planter box and a cozy place to sit and enjoy the world outside. The typical bench design includes the planter on one or both sides of a bench, but you can also incorporate a circular bench around a tree also. 

Whether you decide to design your own redwood deck and planters, hire a contractor or just want more ideas and stirring for your backyard works-of-art, Humboldt Redwood Company can help get you started creating redwood structures that are both arresting and multi-functional. Visit our The place where to Buy Humboldt Redwood page to find our top-of-the-line products in your area.