Decorative wall art

When it comes to decorating your home there is a likelihood that the colour, theme and style that you select will be one that you are happy to have in place for a number of years. However, with children’s rooms this doesn’t always seem to be the case.

In fact, decorating a child’s bedroom can cause one of the biggest headaches in interior design; not because of the initial choices but because they are incredibly likely to change. Whilst your little toddler loves nothing more than Peppa Pig, your 8 year old may take offence to having a room decked out in this precious little piggy.

So what is the answer? 

Rather than facing the prospect of starting all over again with their room you might find it easier to look into the wonder of wall vinyl and stickers.

Vinyl wall prints and stickers mean that all you need to transform your child’s room is to unpeel their current choice and re-stick the new flavour of the month instead  

But what makes wall stickers such a great idea?

They mean that you can have one simple base colour from which to extend the overall theme of the room; Green, blue, yellow even magnolia will all work with a variety of different wall sticker designs creating a really great looking space.

Wall stickers are also an entirely temporary solution which is ideal for those who live in rented properties, as they are made from vinyl they can be re-positioned and removed without any damage being left to the wall or any marks to show that they were there.

They also come in a range of really great designs, meaning that even those of us who lack in creative skills can you have a wall mural that Picasso would be proud of. They vary in their intricacy which means that you can go all out when it comes to picking one for your children’s room or of course keep it nice and simple.

This variety of choice is one of the best bits of using wall stickers over paint. They really do come in a whole host of different characters, colours, designs and themes. Plenty of today’s children’s fictional characters (TV especially) will have their very own set of wall stickers ready to go on your walls. They also can be mixed and matched as you need. Ideal for rooms where two children are sharing (you can divide their space using stickers they have chosen) or simply for your little one who cannot decide whether they want to be a football player or a super hero!

One other thing that really makes wall stickers a great idea is that they can be personalised, many different retailers will put particular words or perhaps even names within their sticker designs and some DIY sets will come with stickers that you can use to spell out names too. This really gives a special touch to the decoration of the room. 

Any glass/windows in your home can also be utilised. Window Film Graphics which are available from www.arcwindowfilms.com are an ideal way to improve the appearance of your glass.

So what are you waiting for, you can create a whole new world in just one small room with a fantastic range of wall stickers. Why not let your imagination run wild and chuck out that paintbrush and stencil kit!

Energy Alternatives: Solar power

In the modern world most of us are aware of the importance of investigating different types of energy in order to cut down on the use of fossil fuels. But what do we know about these alternative energy sources?

At Arc Window Films we make it our mission to learn more about alternative sources of energy, especially since our window films are a method to not only protect your household items from light rays that beam through the window; but they also keep heat trapped inside your home and cut down on your use of central heating.

This week we are going to take a look at how we can take power from something that cannot be used up; the power that comes from the sun.

Solar energy; the basics

It seems that over recent years solar energy has grown in popularity and can be seen used on houses up and down the country. Simply put, solar energy uses the sun in order to create power, something that is readily available throughout the year (although during the winter it may seem that the sun is scarce).

How does it work?

The black solar panels that you see on the roofs of houses convert the sunlight into a usable energy source; solar thermal panels are able to heat water using sunlight whilst the solar photovoltaic panels cover sunlight that they capture into electricity.

Are there any disadvantages?

The one downside that we have in the UK when it comes to solar energy is something that we noted down earlier on in the blog; there isn’t much sunshine for us to take advantage of. That doesn’t mean however that we cannot have small scale solar panels; as you will see on plenty of houses and businesses, however the UK's climate is not an appropriate base for larger scale solar energy placement. 

But what about the good points?

Whilst we have already seen that the UK is never going to become an entirely solar powered country; there are some really great plus points that relate to the use of solar energy.

As the use of solar energy becomes more popular the affordability of it as a long term option is becoming more of a plus point. Also the carbon footprint that solar energy leaves is lowering as the production of the panels advances and improves.

So why are we not all using it?

Solar power is a great option in the search for clean energy and something that we feel would make an impact if used more in the UK. However the fact remains that not everyone can afford the initial costs and they may not appeal to everyone’s tastes.

At Arc Windows we are embracing these new, clean, green methods of fuelling the world and think that everyone else should take a step towards alternative energy too! For more information about the Arc Window Films please visit www.arcwindowfilms.com.

Good news for draughty rented homes

Today we saw an article in the Guardian that interested us at Arc Window Films, especially as our services and vision are dedicated to providing a warmer and more ecologically friendly way to insulate your home or commercial property.

The article in question is around the issue of a draughty home and more specifically the world of rented properties. Surprisingly we learn that those who live within a rented property may be paying around £1,000 per year more than those who own their home in energy bills due to the house itself being poorly insulated.

This is a rather shocking statistic, especially in the day and age when insulating your home is not always an expensive or difficult thing to put in place.

However this article is showing that for those who are currently living in the breeze there is a warming light at the end of their tunnel. It comes in the form of a new regulation that will mean landlords of properties that fall within the lower energy efficiency bandings of F and G will be responsible for improving these bandings to E by April 2018.

This may not seem that big a deal, but when you look at the statistics it is though that around 10% of properties that are currently being privately rented are falling below the E rating and will need to improve their own efficiency.

On some of our previous blogs we have explored different ways that you can insulate your home and trap some of the warmth within it and it is likely that landlords who are affected by this particular ruling will be looking for the best (and of course most cost effective way) or making these changes to their properties.

This will more than likely be a welcome improvement to those who are struggling with the decisions between living in a colder home and paying out a higher energy bill during those winter months.

With this in mind, whether you are a landlord who is looking to make these changes before 2018 or a tenant who knows that a change could be on the horizon then perhaps it is a good idea to take the time and understand the options open to you.

Perhaps one avenue that you could discover more about is window films. This simple yet incredibly effective tools, just like the films we offer here at Arc Window Films are not only known to improve your energy efficiency but can also protect your belongings against sun damage and limit the amount of harmful UV rays that penetrate through your windows.

Why not get in touch with us at sales@arcwf.com or by visiting www.arcwindowfilms.com and learn more about what we can offer you to help warm your home and also save you some money in the long run! 

Keeping warm the eco way!

It’s the month of January and that can of course only mean one thing when it comes to the weather. Taking a look outside your window you will see that the sky has a certain grey and dull quality about it and of course if you do decide to brave the outside world then you will also see that it is a bit on the cold side.

In fact, who are we kidding, the past few weeks have been absolutely freezing!

When the weather is cold outside you may find that you are tempted to crank up the thermostat and wait it out in the warm confines of your home and whilst this is a fantastic way to keep warm, you might find that ecologically you are not having much benefit on your pocket and of course the planet too.

At Arc Window Films we are dedicated to providing you with cost effective options when it comes to insulating your home; our films are designed to keep heat within the home meaning that you won’t have to face a gigantic energy bill come the end of the winter.

As well as this great idea we also have a few other tricks up our sleeves that give you ideas for eco warming tips that are not only easy to put in place but also ensure that you are toasty warm throughout the big freeze!

Buy a draught excluder

Seems like a simple idea? You would be surprised by the amount of difference these basic home accessories can make to the temperature in your home just by simply blocking that bracing breeze.

Dress for the occasion

By adding an extra layer to your clothes you will certainly feel a bit warmer. You could even take this one step further and opt for those ultimate in fashion wear, the onesie or even go the whole hog and purchase a slanket for when you are cuddled up on the sofa.

Embrace the winter sun

By opening up the curtains and blinds on those rare sunny days you will allow for the natural heat from the sun to beam into your home and really warm it up!

Winter warmers

By having a nice warming drink your body temperature will be raised and therefore make you feel much warmer. Tea, coffee, hot chocolate or even mulled wine; whatever is your preference make sure that you click on the kettle.

Rugged insulation 

Whilst wooden floors look amazing they can sometimes be a little on the cold side. By adding a rug to the floor you are not only creating a bit of texture and colour but you will also feel the warming benefits of this small addition! 

So there you have it, some top tips to help you beat the cold during those winter weeks and if all else fails you could always grab the fleece blanket, a hot water bottle and a cup of hot chocolate before you snuggle up, hidden away from the weather outside. Let’s just hope that you don’t forget the milk and marshmallows otherwise you might be heading outside!