Home Style Tips

5 Tips for a Restful Home

Holly — Tue, 08 May 2012 11:33:11 +0000

The following is a guest post

With most of us leading hectic work schedules and active social lives, the home is becoming more and more of a sanctuary from the outside rigors of daily living. When you come home from a busy day, do your surroundings encourage you to relax and let go of stress? If not, then these valuable tips could help.

Clutter is chaos.

Any space where there is a lot of mess can cause stress. If you would rather not spend hours dusting and cleaning your home, then it’s time to get organized. Get rid of unnecessary knickknacks and other items which don’t serve any important purpose. Use shelving and cabinets to store items instead of just leaving them out in plain sight. You can also organize your personal space and closets with baskets and clear plastic bins, so that finding something you need is much easier and convenient.

Let in fresh air and natural lighting.

Exposing your home to natural light and fresh air can instantly lift your mood. During the cooler hours of the day, lift up your shades and allow sunlight and air to come inside your house. At the very least, this will allow stagnant air to get out, so that your home will not have a musty, closed-in smell.

Play it light.

Browse through any interior design magazine and you will see that zen interiors typically use light colors and neutrals, such as white, grey, taupe, and beige. That’s because these colors help open up a space, so that it seems bigger than it actually is. No matter how big your home is, designing in dark and gloomy colors can dwarf it so that it appears more confined. Aside from using light colors, using other elements like streamlined furniture and minimalist décor can increase the zen appeal.

Create a personal haven.

Every now and then, enjoying some privacy and quiet can significantly keep you grounded, no matter how busy you get. For most people, the bedroom serves this purpose. Aside from being a place where you sleep, your bedroom should allow you to let go of worries and other concerns—if only for a few hours at night. Strive to design your bedroom so that it looks as appealing as the best rooms in the house. A beautiful space is more conducive to rest and relaxation.

Invest in quality.

Some people who would willingly spend thousands of dollars on a designer couch but hesitate to make the same investment in a bed. This is actually a foolish economy, considering the fact that we spend roughly 1/3 of our day in our beds. When it comes to sleeping needs such a beds and mattresses, it is always wise to buy the best that you can afford. A quality bed will not only last you for years; it can also directly affect the quality of your rest, which in turn, affects your mood and performance. Mattresses should be ideally replaced every five years or so, so that they can provide optimal support and comfort in various sleeping positions.

Author Bio- Patric Seeley is a Global Brand Manager at MattressNextDay.co.uk -The UK’s no 1 best supplier of beds and mattress. Mattressnextday stocks a LARGE assortment of beds and mattresses, probably the largest collection on-line today!

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Protect What Makes Your Yard Beautiful with Flood Wood Care

Holly — Sat, 05 May 2012 01:42:47 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Flood Wood Care for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I love spending time outside in the summer. It's a great time to spend with family enjoying the outdoors and relaxing in the sun. The problem is that though the sun is nice, it can have some damaging effects on your outdoor furniture, decking and other wooden products. The sun is not the only problem your wood products face, wind water and other types of weather can damage them too.

The good news is that Flood® Wood Care can help you to keep your wood products looking amazing! It's the best solution for your wood care projects and it's a brand you can trust. They have been around since 1841 and was founded by a family of painters, so they knew what they were doing when they created the product. The Flood® brand has earned its reputation as "The Wood Care Specialist" because their products are reliable and exceptional in their quility. You don't have to worry about your wood products when you use Flood® Wood Care.

Think about the items in your yard. Do you have a deck, chair swing or benches that are wood. How do they look. Are they dried out and in need of some tender lovin' care? Don't just think about your back yard either, what about the front yard, what wood products do you have there. Remember curb appeal is everything when it comes to a first impression of your home. The inside can be amazing, but if the outside is not that great then you ruined your chance!

For my home, or in my case my mothers home, I would use Flood® Wood Care on our decking both front and back, her chair swing and on a wooden well we have that covers our actual well. Yes, I live in the country and drink well water!

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Protect your Home with Detectors

Holly — Wed, 02 May 2012 18:29:15 +0000

Recently I moved from my apartment back to my mothers home. When I lived in my apartment I had to remove the smoke alarms from the living area because my oven would set off the alarm every time I used it. When I started unpacking the other day I found the smoke alarm covers in one of my boxes! Luckily I will be heading back the the area in a couple of weeks and will be returning the covers.

This made me start thinking more and more about how homes are designed and how the detectors in our homes have evolved. Think about your home, do you have smoke alarms and at least one carbon monoxide alarm? My apartment had these and my mom’s home has both too, but when I was growing up we didn’t have a carbon monoxide alarm. This made me wonder if there are more homes that don’t have alarms

Every year in the United States, about 3,500 people die in home fires. Even though about 97 out of 100 homes have alarms
Only 37 percent of US homeowners have a carbon monoxide alarm

This was surprising for me, but at the same time not unexpected. People just don’t think about these things, but if you are here reading this blog then you care about how your home looks, but it doesn’t matter if you have a great looking home if it burns down or you become very sick because you don’t have the correct alarms and detectors.

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Improve the Look of Your Bathroom with TrueShopping Accessories

Holly — Wed, 02 May 2012 14:58:24 +0000

If you want a more enjoyable bathroom experience, purchasing accessories to improve the visual appearance and functionality would be recommended. Trueshopping currently offers a plethora of bathroom accessories, including but not limited to towel rails, brush holders and rings, as well as soap baskets, shelves, apparel hooks, toilet paper roll holders, showerheads, shower seats, pedal bins, soap dispensers, and much more. If you want to add some entertainment to your shower, consider the relatively affordable waterproof televisions, which are available in several colors and styles.

Trueshopping showers are some the finest in the industry, offering the best of both modern and traditional styles. With a comprehensive catalog and a simplified shopping experience, true shopping makes it easy for you to find all of the components needed to create a fully custom bathroom or shower environment.

Trueshopping also offers a variety of shower enclosures, including quadrant showers, walk-in showers, wet rooms, and shower cabins, as well as a vast selection of shower accessories such as doors, screens, shower trays, showerheads, soap trays, and much more. In addition to their extensive selection of showers and shower accessories, they also have plenty of bath styles to choose from, including acrylic, steel, corner, freestanding, and old-fashioned baths.

TrueShopping.co.uk offers a user-friendly interface in which you can browse for products based on collection, type, or name. If you’re planning on completing a full-scale bathroom renovation project, this site has all of the products needed to accommodate your needs and preferences. If you want to add a bit of comfort and functionality to your bathroom, consider the wide range of bathroom furniture available, including vanity mirrors, vanity sinks, cloak units, back-to-wall toilets, sink fixtures, and cabinets sets. Trueshopping also offers a full range of bath taps, including showers, basins, toilets and furniture for bathrooms."

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Bathroom Accessory Collections

Holly — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:33:00 +0000

Unless you have ever undergone a DIY bathroom remodeling project, you may not be aware of the fact that there are actually a that come as a full collection. In fact, bathroom accessories can complement literally any era in décor from Victorian to ultramodern times. Usually these full collections contain the toilet roll holder, a hand towel holder, a tumbler holder and a soap dish. However, it is also possible to order each of the components separately if the need arises. Although these attractive accessories are well-built and durable accidents do happen and pieces may need to be replaced from time to time.

When it comes to period pieces for the bathroom there is no finer source than Best Bathrooms. It is possible to find Edwardian accessories, Victorian accessories and modern accessories as well. Also, mirrors are available in a wide array of styles some of which are backlit while others are representative of different eras in UK design. The Art Deco mirror is a great example of this as it is styled after the lines of that period. You may also want to consider adding any towel rack, heated or non-heated, to add to your full collection of accessories in order to have a place to have a bath towel on the ready.

Since it is possible to get free delivery to all orders on the mainland UK if they are over £65, it is wise to order the entire collection at the same time. Whether you are remodeling your bathroom or simply find that your accessories have lost their luster, it is best to order them as a collection and install them all at once. You can literally have the best bathroom imaginable with a few small changes, and it needn’t cost next year’s salary.

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Buying a First Home

Holly — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:44:06 +0000

I know that many people who are looking at buying a home are first time homebuyers. I myself have yet to buy a home, but I do have a huge interest in real estate and a few friends who have bought homes as well. There are many reasons to buy a home right now. One is that prices are very low, so it’s easier to afford a home. Two there are first time buyer mortgages made just for new homebuyers. Three since real estate prices are low, you know that in ten or twenty years your home will be worth more.

There of course are some downsides to buying a home now. One is that you need to have good or great credit. Banks are not lending like they use to. They are lending smart and though this is bad for people looking to buy a home. It is something they have needed to do for a while. How can you get around this? Well, first check your credit and fix it. Then shop around for good rates about 6 months after you have fixed it. Don’t take out other loans, get new credit cards or anything else if your looking to buy a new home.

Also start looking before you intend to buy, just keep in mind that your not buying, but getting an idea of what you like or don’t like. You can also use this time to meet different real estate agents that could help you in your house hunt later on.

Have you recently bought a new home? What tips do you have for first time buyers?

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5 surprising ways solar will be different in 20 years

Holly — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:55:45 +0000

Solar power is a technology that is always changing and even though solar is a great way to power your home now, it’s going to get even better! If you don’t know much about solar now, there is a lot of information out there. Really solar is made easy online, but do you know how fast this technology is changing and how it will effect your home design?

5. Solar will go Thermal: Solar thermal systems are based on the physical principle of energy conversion from short-wave solar radiation into heat, this is also described as photo-thermal conversion.

4. Solar panels will get smaller: Solar shingles are already in production and these will start to become more and more popular.

3. Solar will grow on your home: New Solar Ivy will allow solar panels to be placed on the side of your home and business walls to not only power your building, but to create signs, decoration and more. The image shown above is just one way this Solar Ivy can be used.

2. Spray on Solar: You can already do this, though it’s not widely used yet. Spray on Solar will allow solar panels to be put anywhere! Currently they are used on rooftops for businesses, but the applications are endless.

1. Solar will go organic: Stanford researchers found that adding a single layer of organic molecules to a solar cell increases its efficiency. This could lead to cheaper, more efficient solar panels!

Do you have solar in your home or business? If so how do you like it. If not would you consider adding solar power?

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Inviting Friends to Share your Garden

Holly — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:31:08 +0000

Inviting Friends to Share your garden You have spent countless hours tending to your plants. You’ve shed tears, sweat and blood getting it just right. Do you want to keep it to yourself? No way. You need to show off and put your hard work on display.

Throw a party

The easiest way to show off your garden is to get people to come over. Casually mention that you have a little project out back and I guarantee you will hook someone into taking a walk. If you really want to lock it in then throw a garden party. Start up the grill and serve some drinks. Make sure that people have a place to throw their trash so you don’t wind up with plastic utensils and paper plates strewn among your beds.

Get some furniture

People need a place to sit and some classy patio furniture will encourage people to spend more time outside and new your source of pride. I like to have a space in my garden that is just for entertaining guests. A few chairs, some small tables for drinks and a fire pit make for a nice arrangement. Remember that patio beds are not regulated to patio use. Put it directly in your garden and enjoy the night.

Light it up

Add some path lighting at the least for some late night strolls. Solar powered path lights are a good idea because they don’t require much extra work and you don’t have to worry about whether you turned them off after the party. If you plan on having a lot of nighttime parties then I suggest actually using lights to show off your garden. What’s the point of having people over to see our work if they can’t see a single leaf. All in all these are just some simple suggestions to highlight and help you show off your garden. After everyone leaves and the cleanup is done you can wipe the spilled soda off your patio table, take a seat and bask in the knowledge that your guests are jealous of your “little project”. Then it’s back to work in the garden.

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5 Tips for House Hunting in Todays Market

Holly — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 13:50:10 +0000

I know so many people who are house hunting right now. They have had both good and bad experiences and I decided to talk to a few of them and see what they suggested to do when you are house hunting in todays market.

1. Make sure that you have a great research skills, finding the right mortgage is the best way to start your house hunt on the right foot. A bad mortgage or dealing with a company that gives you problems can really cause a lot of problems when house hunting.

2. Don’t expect perfection, unless you have the budget for it. Even with home prices falling, perfect homes don’t actually exist. You will change something in your new home. You may have to paint, change the flooring or update a few things. Keep your standards up, but not higher then your budget allows.

3. Research home prices in the area you want to move before you start house hunting. You may not be able to afford the area you love and knowing that before you start your hunt can save you time, money and stress.

4. Look at more then one home, look at both fixers and “move in ready” homes. You may find paying someone to come in and create your perfect home will be cheaper then paying for the “move in ready” home.

5. Your budget need to reflect what you actually make. Don’t get into a home you can’t afford. Try to keep your monthly home payment to 20% of your income or less. This allows for savings to fix things, taxes and more unexpected things.

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Make Your Address Stand Out

Holly — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 12:30:54 +0000

I know you can’t change your address, but you can make the numbers stand out so that people can find your home easily and you can of course keep up that curb appeal you work so hard on. How can you do this? Well, with house address plaques! You of course want to pick one that is going to work with your house and style, but there are a few other things you want to consider also.

Your address plaque needs to be big enough to be seen from the other side of the road you are on. You want people to know how to find your house. If your really friendly with your neighbors you may want to see if you can read it from their yard or door. This makes sure that people with minor vision problems can still see the plaque.

Keep it simple address signs are a decorative piece, but if you make it too complicated people won’t be able to read it. Remember you know where your house is, others do not. Match the style, but don’t go overboard.

If you can find a plaque or sign that lights up, that is a great way to allow people to see the sign at night. If you can’t try to put the sign near a light so it can be seen. I myself have had a problem finding homes because you couldn’t read the sign.

No matter what you choose for your address plaques remember these tips and to pick one that goes with the style of your home. That way your curb appeal is amazing and your house guest love that they can actually find you.

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