Ever look around the walls of your home and think, "Blah!" Do you have Martha-Stewart envy? Do you buy decorating magazines by the dozen and just end up throwing up hands at the impossibility of the task of re-doing your home? Fret no more. The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Decorating Your Home, Second Edition, gives clear, easy–to–understand instruction to turn the most humble abode into a work of art. This brand new, updated second edition has even more photos than before to help you get a picture-perfect vision of your decorating dreams. An all-new chapter on decorating resources on the Web, as well as how to use such hot tickets as e-Bay to get that perfect item for your home at a perfectly low price.

It's show time! Home staging transforms rooms from that everyday lived-in look to ready-to-be sold for top dollar. This step-by-step guide offers the tactics used by home stagers - from de-cluttering and cleaning up to arranging and remodeling - that will often yield a quicker sale and higher selling price. --Decorating tips to make a house appeal to the widest range of buyers --Cost-effective techniques to highlight the home's selling points, whether it's the floor plan, the high ceilings, or a newly renovated bathroom --Suggestions on how to downplay or eliminate features that might be considered negatives. such as smaller rooms, minimal storage space, or ghastly wall colors

An essential how-to on powering your home with sun, wind, water, and more. For readers wanting to save money-and the planet-by using alternative energy, this book provides everything they need to know. The five basic sources are fully covered: sun, wind, water, earth, and bio. The benefits, what is needed, and whether it will work for a particular home are all carefully laid out in this comprehensive overview: ? Solar energy for home heating, water heating, and electricity ? Wind power, hydrogen, and micro hydro power ? Heat pumps-air, geothermal, and water source ? Heating with wood and going bio

All the power you need is already there This third edition helps readers understand the basics of solar (photovoltaic) power and explore whether it makes sense for them, what their options are, and what's involved with installing various on– and off–grid systems. • Solar power is a $3 billion industry, and it's poised to grow to $39 billion by 2014 • By 2011, the United States will surpass Germany as the largest market for solar power products

If you can dream it, you can design it Whether your goal is to design your own marketing materials, launch a visually compelling blog, or just have some fun creating your own CD covers, The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Graphic Design is your one-stop reference. Presented in an intuitive, accessible format, here are the fundamental elements of design and design principles, as well as instruction on how to apply those elements and principles to a variety of projects. • Covers art supplies, software, concept development, reproduction needs, and much more • Sample projects include business cards, print and web ads, and graphic T-shirts • Follows the success of other titles aimed at the aspiring artist, including the Complete Idiot’s Guide® titles on digital photography, drawing, and manga

Do it yourself . . . and keep the commission! Now anyone who wants to sell their home on their own can learn how. Whether readers are willing to pay a small commission for online help or a flat fee for an MLS listing, or they want to handle every step on their own, this guide will walk them through the process, providing tips on everything from signs and open houses to appraisals and inspections. 9781440696664

How many readers does it take to change a light bulb? Only one . . . if he or she is armed with this book! Rather than focus on the big projects that most homeowners would wisely leave to professionals, it concentrates on the common repairs that everyone encounters and anyone can do—with the right instruction—including repairing holes and dents in drywall; fixing popped nails in walls; checking and replacing fuses; unclogging drains; replacing light fixtures; fixing squeaky floors; repairing cracked tile and damaged carpet; replacing screens; screening gutters; and much more. • Contains 250 to 300 step–by–step illustrations

You're no idiot, of course. You've had the pleasure of staying at a few bed and breakfasts, and you'd love to open a charming inn of your own. But when you think about what it takes to get a business up and running, you want to hang the Do Not Disturb sighn. This is your wake-up call! 'The Complete Idiot's Guide to Running a Bed and Breakfast' will show you it can be easy and fun - and a great way to meet new people and make money. In this 'Complete Idiot's Guide', you get: -Useful insights into the booming B & B industry. -A simple test to help you decide if you have what it takes to succeed in the B & B business. -Idiot-proof guidelines for converting a house into a B & B. -Expert advice on accounting and business issues. -An insider's look at the new trends in guest services.