• Make a display: Some home owners pick tiles that are pretty enough to use as a display. Buy a plate rack, then select a tile that has few or no flaws. Display it in front of a set of baskets in your kitchen or as a topper for a cedar chest.
• Use them as a decoration: Lay your tile flat on a coffee table and use it as the bottom for a flower pot, figurine or candle. You can use several tiles for this purpose if you are placing several of the same kind of item (i.e. candles, flowers, etc.) in the same room. If the room also bears the tiles in other places, like the floor, walls or fireplace, this ties the whole theme together and makes it a great use for spare kitchen or bathroom tiles.
• Make a broken tile arrangement: You can buy tile grouting kits at your local craft store and pour wet grout or cement into a tile mold. Then, crush up a bunch of tile pieces and arrange them in a design within the grout. You might make words, the year you were married, names of your family, a shape or animal – the possibilities are endless. You’re only limited by your creativity and the size of the mold.
• Use them as coasters: Those three-inch bisque tiles that you used behind your stove work great as coasters for cups, coffee mugs and cans of soda pop. Plus, they’ll wipe off easily and won’t show the rings of spilled liquid as much as foam coasters do.
• Make a sample board: Even after your tiles are laid, the decorating is generally not finished. You’ll undoubtedly have to go find countertops, curtains or some other interior décor to complete your room, and you’ll likely want to match your tile. Glue or grout the tile to a stiff board that you can take with you to decorating shops so you don’t have a bunch of loose tiles banging around in a bag.

Discount Tile Centre offers a range of kitchen and bathroom tiles for all types of decor. See the original post and learn more about how you can improve your kitchen and bathroom!

Price: Under $50

These speakers are mini in size, but not so mini in sound! Along with being small and portable the iHM79 mini speakers produce a beautiful, clear sound which rivals much larger speaker systems (which cost substantially more also). They click nicely together for easy storage – ideal for when travelling or if you only use them in the garden during summer. They can actually still be used when collapsed but the sound is slightly better when expanded.

At under $50, these speakers make a great addition to your laptop, netbook or iPod without breaking the bank, and because they’re so small and rechargeable you can happily use them wherever you go. They also take up very little desk space, so ideal for use in the home office or at work.

Pros:

• High quality sound – good treble and bass
• Rechargeable
• Portable – ideal for iPods and netbooks
• Available in silver, black and white

Cons:

• No volume control on actual speaker

Verdict

For such a small little device, and equally modest price tag, you may be fooled into thinking these speakers are low quality – this could not be further from the truth. Over 50 Amazon customers report high quality, clear sound production from these handy little speakers, so we would suggest that $50 is a worthwhile investment!

Price: Around $60

Hamilton Beach is one of the leading brands where slow cookers are concerned, having positioned themselves at numerous customer rated top spots in Amazon and other shopping websites. This has been achieved by offering a devilishly simple and affordable product which does the job incredibly well. The Hamilton Beach 33967 slow cooker is no exception.

The thinking behind Hamilton Beach is clearly communicated in it’s strap line; “good thinking”. To me, this says innovative and yet simple.

The 33967 slow cooker is fully programmable, meaning you can literally “set and forget”, and cook your food over a number of hours. Personally, I set my slow cooker off in the morning and then enjoy the aroma it produces when I get home from work in the evening – and I don’t have to worry about cooking either!

Pros:

• Great price – very affordable
• Three cooking options, including “keep warm” feature
• Dishwasher safe
• Ideal for hearty and convenient food

Cons:

• Some customers report product occasionally switches itself off

Verdict

As far as slow cookers go, the Hamilton Beach 33967 is a compact and robust little model. It packs a surprising number of features for its low price tag, and does a great job of tenderly cooking meat and vegetables. The only issue we see is some users reporting power failing. Nevertheless, this slow cooker has been given over 300 five-star reviews on Amazon, and who are we to argue with popularity?

Price: Around $60

A comfortable bed is an absolute must-have for a great night’s sleep, and for this reason many people are quite particular about their mattresses, duvets and pillows. This Divatex satin sheet set by Royal Opulence is available in four sizes – full, queen, king and California king.

Woven from 100% polyester satin, these bed sheets provide an incredibly smooth and silky feel, helping you drift off for a very comfortable and relaxing night’s sleep. Not only are these bed sheets very soft, they boast a lovely sheen finish for extra style. This makes them perfect for those who have spent time and care in decorating their bedroom.

Pros:

• Incredibly soft and silky material
• Good for both hot and cold nights
• Available in various sizes and colors

Cons:

• Need fitting with care due to the silk being a little slippery

Verdict

In white or brown these sheets look great but they are available in other more questionable colors! However, if you are looking for a sumptuous and relaxing night’s sleep, then these satin bed sheets will probably be just what you are looking for. They are sensibly priced toward the middle of the range but the silk material is not for everybody. Ideal for those who appreciate comfort and style.

Price: Under $15

This kettle takes a modern twist on a traditional design. Created especially to be used on the stove, this glass kettle whistles when the water has boiled, making it classic in function and yet stylishly modern in design, which in our book is always a refreshing idea.

Suited very well to the modern and contemporary decor, the glass whistling kettle by Medelco holds up to 12 cups-worth of water making it ideal for when friends visit, or for large family gatherings! It is safe to be used in dishwashers and it’s construction is tough and durable; designed to last for many years.

Pros:

• Very affordable at under $15
• Stylish and elegant design – suits the modern decor
• Dishwasher safe
• Produces clear and clean water – doesn’t collect limescale

Cons:

• Some customers report that the handle gets very hot after boiling – handle with care

Verdict

Despite the fact that the handle becomes rather hot when the water is boiled, this kettle is still a great offering for it’s price. Medelco would really struggle to find a way around this issue, whilst maintaining the products lightweight feel.

All in all, this is a stunning little clear glass kettle that will fit beautifully in just about any modern or minimalist home. It’s practical, well-made and cheap to buy. A recommended purchase for those looking to get hold of a classic whistling kettle.