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• Bright Ideas
ABC Distributions Ltd offers the biggest savings on reputable brands ABC Distributions Ltd. is the Leading Distributor for Appliances, Electronics, Gym Equipment, Home & Office Furniture, Lights, Mouldings, Laminate Flooring and many more items. At ABC Distributions you can find the Biggest Savings on all items in store from only the most reputable brands. Over 20,000 sq. ft. of showroom and warehouse style shopping awaits you. Call us today for our latest prices at 868 638 7283 and like us on Facebook to get the inside scoop on in store specials: facebook.com/abcdistributions
Featured Product Line
Seville Classics is focused on bringing innovative house ware and hardware products to homes and businesses, while providing the best design, quality and pricing. Working with the highest level of integrity and bringing the best value to their customers is still the heart and soul of their mission at Seville Classics. As a valuable supplier and retail partner, this line offers ABC’s customers innovative, high quality, latest trends, from home and office organisation to the use of the hottest and most popular colours, to the
incorporation of durable and eco-friendly materials, right here in Trinidad & Tobago.
Stainless Steel Top Worktable
Average Consumer Rating: Looking for a safe, durable and heavyduty work surface? Then this NSF Certified Stainless Steel (304) Top Worktable is just for you! Chrome-plated steel legs are included with a heavy-duty adjustable shelf. Great for kitchens, restaurants, laboratories, warehouses, mail rooms, work centres, etc.
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• Design & Decor
CURING CLUTTER Many of us enjoy apartment living and globally, it is rapidly growing as a preferred lifestyle due to the desire for a more simple way of life. When living in some apartments you need to maintain the floor space that falls within your space and there is no worry about garden or exterior property maintenance. However, limit-
I N S I D E BRIGHT IDEAS
HOW IMPORTANT IS THE DOWN PAYMENT IN THE MORTGAGE PROCESS? PG 5
BACKYARD BASICS
CURB APPEAL PG 6
SELECTION BUILD YOUR BAR PGS 7&8
Special Publications Unit SPU Producer: Tracey Alonzo tracey.alonzo@guardian.co.tt Head of Design: Marketing/SPU Denise Baptiste Associate Editor: Lisa Jessamy Design/Layout: Sean Simon • Nicolas Spencer • Aadel Chin-Albert Karen Orosco-Huggins • Nicolas Spencer Writers: Akiela Hope Contributor- Interior Designer:Darrel Dookoo • Randall Waddell Special Publications enquiries: spu1 @guardian.co.tt
ed floor space is usually a challenge and many apartments end up looking “full” as storage and placement of personal and decorative articles tend to overwhelm a space. The cure is to remove the clutter. People tend to not see their “clutter” and live in denial – “Who me? I don’t live in a mess – I need to have what I have!”. Many of us are trapped in the vortex that is “Mass Consumerism” and forget to see that the space we live in is finite, at some point nothing else will be able to fit! Ending clutter can be the key to a happier soul and a healthier bank account. To be cured, try to see your space and your possessions from an unbiased point of view – when you walk into this home,
does the space feel inviting or visually distracting? If you can’t see it for yourself, ask a discerning friend to bring a fresh view and let them know that you now want to present your apartment with a clean sense of style, warmth and order, yet not lose your personal stamp on the space. The best way to begin is to pretend you are about to move to a new home and then follows these simple guidelines: Step 1: Take EVERYTHING out of the room! Do this one room at a time or it may be too overwhelming!
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Sales Manager: George Elias george.elias@guardian.co.tt Account Executive: Bryan Saunders Tel: 623-8870 Ext: 2702 M: 356-4331 bryan.saunders@guardian.co.tt
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• Design & Decor
Step 2: Bring back the most important things for the room, for example: in a living room - the sofa, chairs, TV, stereo, side tables, etc. Step 3: Consider where all the important things sit in the space. Move them around so the space flows and you can now move freely around the room. The original placement may not have been the best, and moving the pieces around in different configurations can create a fresh perspective of the space. Then sit down, have a look around, breathe in - how do you feel? Not having competing multiple colors and textures around the room should give a feeling of liberation and freeness. Stop and think, what are you now really missing from this room? Step 4: Start layering. Select a few things at a time to bring back into the room to help decorate it. Paintings, pictures, a vase, a rug, lamps. Do it slowly and feel how the space is changing. Pick out the best items that you want to show, but don't use all you had before. Edit for yourself, select the best things and enjoy them. It is important that the room expresses the personality of the owner, but you don't need your whole life story in one room! Step 5: Stop! Don’t go any further. You know the saying “Less is more”; well it is true, less is better in a room. Who hasn’t seen an episode of TLC’s “Hoarding: Buried Alive”? Put all the remaining items in storage until you are happy with the new space. Then after a few weeks, sort through it all, keep what is reusable and donate the rest to a good charity. Clutter can quickly creep up on you; make sure if you are going to add new things, that you do it slowly and really consider their impact on the space. You may have to take something out to make room for it! Be happy, live clutter free. Address: #413 Southern Main Road, Montrose, Chaguanas, Trinidad W.I. Tel/Fax: (868) 61-5603, 683-8909 Email: vinod@divinedecorltd.com Website: www.divinedecorltd.com
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• Bright Ideas
Petrina Copeland-James Marketing Administrator
How Important is the Down Payment in the Mortgage Process?
The monthly mortgage (loan) installment is determined by the loan rate; the duration of the loan; the loan amount to be repaid; income of the mortgagor/s, and the The decision to purchase a home is perhaps the single most down payment made. The down payment is important important investment that an individual makes in his or her life- since it can affect all of the above factors. A higher down time. It should not be taken lightly and as such, it must be careful- payment can shorten the term of the mortgage, which ly planned. also affects the total interest paid on the life of the loan. The actual mortgage application process requires a full assessment The down payment plays a key role in the entire and examination of an individual’s present financial situation as it relates to the repayment of the mortgage loan. There are a number of components that must be considered when conducting a mortgage assessment. Some of these components would include the examination of income sustainability; good credit history; updated financial statements; evidence that the property’s rates and taxes are paid up to date; debt service ratio of the potential mortgagor and evidence of a down payment for the purchase of a property. The down payment represents the initial payment made by the buyer to the seller towards the purchase of a property. It indicates the buyer’s intent and interest to purchase. It is advised that this transaction is facilitated through a Purchase or Sales Agreement. The Purchase or Sales Agreement is a binding legal document that states the conditions required by both parties to close the deal. The down payment (up-front cash) required for a mortgage transaction can range from 10% to 30%, depending on the policies of the mortgage lending institution. For instance, a property costing $800,000.00 would require a startup cash injection of $80,000.00 to $240,000.00. The down payment can affect the entire mortgage process in the following areas: How the Sales or Purchase Agreement is written Since the Sales or Purchase Agreement includes the down payment made by the potential buyer, the mortgage officer uses this information along with its receipt, as proof that a payment was made; it also guides the institution on the mortgage loan requirement needed to complete the purchase transaction. The mortgage qualification process A higher down payment translates into a lower mortgage loan requirement. This places the potential buyer in a beneficial position during the mortgage application process since there is reduced risk to the mortgage lending institution. This in turn can strengthen the buyer’s mortgage application. Negotiation for attractive rates and conditions The ability to better negotiate for attractive interest rates or conditions in the mortgage facility can be taken into consideration by the mortgage institution. The mortgage (loan) installment
mortgage process. It is advisable that a separate savings plan be set up to assist potential homeowners in their determination for home ownership. Start talking to a mortgage officer about your desire to own your home and they can assist you in turning your dream into a reality. The Trinidad Building and Loan Association (TBLA) has been in existence since 1891, and is the longest
standing financial institution in the country. The Association is a Building Society that provides affordable mortgage and credit financing for people to own, renovate or improve on their property. It continues to be guided by an esteemed Board of Directors. In addition, TBLA also offers a range of investment products and services to its shareholders, organisations and members of the public.
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So many times you spend time enhancing the inside of your yard, you neglect the curb. But reality is, the curb is the first thing that hits your visitor's eyes when approaching your home. It says a lot about what kind of person you are and sets the pace for the rest of the yard. Here are some curb appeal tips. Clean...Clean...Clean...Pressure washing front walls, gates, driveway and pedestrian entrance, pavement and drains makes a big difference. Weeding, removal of any debris, repainting walls and gates. If your front drain is a main drain and it is too much for you to handle I suggest calling your local Ministry of Works drainage department. Allowing a free flow of water muffles indecent smells and also discourages mosquito breeding. Pay attention to your mail box. I am positive most of you have never thought of wiping the inside of your mailbox with a dust cloth or giving it a new look with some paint. Most mailboxes that I see crave attention. Go look at your mailbox. Is your mailbox leaking? Are the doors in working order? Is it easily accessible by both you and the mail man? These are things that we
should pay attention to. If your mailbox is not in good order, properly labelled or easily spotted and accessible, you can end up with wet or no mails at all. One of the biggest problems in curb appeal is garbage disposal. The constant interference by strays leaves the area untidy and unhealthy. Be sure to have a designated area for your garbage. Make sure that you have a properly built garbage dispenser that is stray proof. When putting out garbage freeze all left over food and kitchen scraps that can cause alluring odours. If frozen, strays cannot smell them. Puts drops of bleach on the garbage bags. These simple acts makes garbage less interesting for strays. If there is enough space between your pavement and front wall, is an excellent idea to landscape this area adding some plants, rocks, decor accents can enhance your property. Be sure to pay attention to using stuff that is manageable. You do not want to install anything that can cause poor visibility to drivers or affect pedestrians. Your curb is the door to your home and your life. Spend some time to make this inviting.
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Build your Bar
Akiela Hope
These days, most people are opting for at home recreations. Whether it’s entertaining the children, parents, having friends over for an occasional chit chat, or an intimate get together, it’s best to create a space that is both functional and comfortable. One way you can do this, is to create your own bar space. Mark Sealy, Joiner for the last 12 years tells us how: Here’s how to begin: Mark recommends that using part of the kitchen counter is always more cost-effective than building an attachment in the kitchen. To define and differentiate the bar from the kitchen, you can use a mirror; the mirror pieces may vary according to the home owner. • Stick the mirror(s) against the wall, just in the area you desire, using double sided tape or some other form of strong adhesive tape. A normal serving
tray can be utilised and placed just in front of the class. • Then you can take a few of your glasses and turn them upside-down on the tray, where you will see their reflection, giving it an appearance of many glasses. • Then place some of your coaster inside the tray our outside in whatever pattern you deem essential for the decorations. If you have an astray this is where you would want to place it as well. • Next , you can add your drinks, strategically placing it around the tray of glasses and coasters. Big festive pictures to place around and on different parts of the mirrors would be your next step. The pictures are normally pictures of different alcohol, but since this is your choice you can source pictures for your taste. One of the key factors of the bar is lighting, a down lighter or
an ordinary light bulb of a different colour such as blue or red that shined directly on the bar area. You can add trophies or little memorabilia for that additional bar look and keep in mind that too much of one thing may give the impression of being overcrowded. For the smokers, you can recycle your cigarette pack and also stick it to the wall in a patter. You can collect different types of cigarettes packs to prevent monotony. If your kitchen is big enough, stools can also be added around the area to complete the look. If there is no space for stools, you should not worry because your bar will be good as is. If you have a small radio put on your radio and try one of the drinks that Trinidad Triple National Bartender Raymond Edwards has supplied. Continued on page 8
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Raymond is the In-House Mixologist at the House of Angostura and has been mixing drinks for over 12 years... Here are some drinks he suggest you try at home...
Continued from page 7...
Brown Cow Garnish: Cherry Glasswear: Martini glass INGREDIENTS: 2 oz Mokatika Coffee Liqueur 1 oz Evaporated Milk 2 dashes Angostura速 aromatic bitters Method: Pour all ingredients into shaker add ice then shake well. Strain over into chilled Martini glass. Garnish with Cherry
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Sunset Medley Garnish: Orange wheel and Cherry Glasswear: Martini glass
INGREDIENTS:
3 oz Dailys Mango Cocktail Mix 2 oz Orange juice 2 oz Passion fruit Juice 1 oz Grenadine syrup 2 dashes Angostura速 orange bitters
Method: In your cocktail shaker pour in Dailys mango mix, orange juice, passion fruit juice and Angostura orange bitters. Shake ingredients with ice then pour over into tall glass filled with ice. Slowly drizzle Grenadine syrup on top. Garnish with orange wheel and cherry.