House of Turquoise: Incredible Dream Home

Feb 5th, 2010 Posted in Home Management, home | no comment »

You guys aren’t going to believe this, but this home actually belongs to one of my readers! Desireé Ashworth owns and designed this breathtaking home in Provo, UT filled with blues and greens. Desireé is passionate about these colors, …

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House of Turquoise: Incredible Dream Home

House of Turquoise: Coastal Home

Oct 5th, 2009 Posted in Home Management, home | no comment »

I’ve posted this Key West kitchen featured in Coastal Living before, but I found some more photos of the rest of the home so I had to share! The many beautiful shades of blue look so great next to all the white. …

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House of Turquoise: Coastal Home

Coral Red and White Top Model Home « theLennoxx

Sep 19th, 2009 Posted in Home Management, home | no comment »

I was really impressed by what the Top Model Home contestants had accomplished on a $5000 budget, remember we looked at Jill Shevlin’s design entry here. Lets check out some of the other entries, starting with this all-red open solution …

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Coral Red and White Top Model Home « theLennoxx

Home Practice Advice

Sep 16th, 2009 Posted in Home Management, home | no comment »

Many folks start doing yoga with the intention of one day being able to practice at home , but then aren’t sure how to make that leap from attending led classes to downward facing dog in the living room. Here’s a place where you can …

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Home Practice Advice

How to Lead a Frugal Life

May 8th, 2009 Posted in home | no comment »

Living a frugal life not only reduces your spending, but also improves the environment by curbing waste. Giving furniture and other items in your home a second life controls the trash in our landfills and makes our resources run more efficiently.

When economic times are tough, people see the need to live a more frugal life. There is a tendency for folks to stay at home more, and to really think before they throw something away that they could otherwise have sold in a yard sale or at a consignment shop. Maybe that item can be repaired? It is true, that in a challenging economy, we all tend to be more efficient.

You do not have to be cheap to live a frugal life. We need to differentiate between the two words. The word cheap refers to inferior, no frills, a bare minimum or without style. The word frugal refers to buying what you want, but economically. Be smart with your choices without having to sacrifice style, design, convenience.

A frugal life starts at home. There are hundreds of tips that can save you money and time at home. Minor fixes, like removing stains from rugs, removing a key that breaks in a lock, or fixing a stuck zipper, are all things you can learn to do yourself.

Conduct some quick research and find plenty of information on ways to live a frugal life without compromising. Give your room a make over economically, by adding simple accessories, candles or artwork. Look on the web for home design sites which, in addition to giving you thrifty design ideas, can also send you free regular e-mail newsletters with great advice.

Take some time to improve the function, or enhance the visual appeal of items that you might otherwise have thrown away. As a consequence of leading a frugal life, you will find that clutter is automatically reduced. Those items that have been gathering dust, tend to be reused.

Run your household in a smarter and wiser way and accomplish the design goals you have always been dreaming about. Your new frugal life will have saved you additional money which you can put towards that one item that you have been craving. Just make sure that you run your household in a smarter and wiser fashion and see the results.

Even though you choose to lead a frugal life, you can still give your home a design update every few years. Rely on online resources for discovering inexpensive, yet attractive home design approaches. Take a cue from design professionals and spend most of your design budget on one or two items and research ways to save on furniture, accessories and other design installments.

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Interior Design Research Offers Helpful Hints

May 6th, 2009 Posted in home | no comment »

Interior design research resources are everywhere. Before you begin a home decorating project, you should take time to look for ideas on DVDs, by reading design and decorating books, or by looking at home decorating websites. Due to the technology available today, help in this area is easy to find and inexpensive.

By conducting interior design research, you will find that you can create a room that is of professional designer quality, as long as you have the time and are willing to do the work yourself. Look for home design websites that offer online professional consultations. These sites provide the best of both worlds. You receive professional design advice and save on your budget by carrying out the ideas yourself.

Almost all of the interior design research tips recommend removing clutter from the room of your home before beginning your design transformation. Thats because no matter what improvements you make to a room, its still going to look cluttered if its got a lot of junk in it. Getting rid of items you no longer use and properly storing things that build up on tables, counters and corners of rooms can do a lot to a rooms look.

Interior design research will help you learn valuable home decorating tips, choose a design style and help you access important tools to plan out your redesign project. Reading up on style tips and looking at photos of redesigned rooms will stimulate your creativity and help you decide on the best look for the rooms in your house.

By utilizing interior design research, you are certain to discover your own personal design style. You will find that you can totally change the look of a room inexpensively by changing its color, rearranging the furniture, updating window treatments, creating a new focal point, or adding new accents and accessories.

As interior design research shows, homeowners like to change the look of the bedroom, living room, kitchen and bathroom at least every three years. By doing so, it not only refreshes a room that is heavily used, but makes the home feel new again. Once you redesign the common areas of the house, you can make minor changes to less often used rooms, like the dining room, basement, or garage.

Whilst interior design research is most useful in its ability to save you money, the research can also give you ideas as to how to reuse items, choose accessories wisely, use the room’s architectural features correctly, and be creative without going too far.

There are so many different options available, such as different colors, wallpaper, tiles, textures and flooring, that it only makes sense to conduct your interior design research carefully. You will have access to all the professional design techniques available, in addition to the basic elements necessary for successful interior design and decorating.

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Room Redesign Ideas for Every Budget

Apr 30th, 2009 Posted in home | no comment »

If your living room appearance looks tired, it is probably time for room redesign. Don’t stop there, as your kitchen, bedroom or other rooms may also need a redesign. This does not have to be a major undertaking, as you can just make a couple of changes, but make sure that you keep your rooms function in place, so that your family can continue to enjoy.

Before beginning a room redesign, critique the space and write down what you like and dislike about it. Evaluate how the room is used and whether this will change. Develop an image in your mind on how you want the room to look and plan towards that goal. From there, you can determine what you will be removing from the room and how you will give it a new look.

When it comes to a room redesign, there are three steps to follow. The first is to organize any clutter in the room. Get creative with the second step by deciding on a style for the room. Tap into your personal interests or look at room style ideas online or in magazines. Finally, use common redesign tools, like room accents, accessories, artwork and plants to finish the new look.

A room redesign project doesnt have to cost a lot of money. Sometimes, you can simply replace accessories, perhaps with some family heirlooms that have been stored away or some knickknacks that you bought years ago and put aside because they didnt fit into a rooms dcor. Adding accessories is an easy and inexpensive way to give a room a new look.

Begin with a focal point in your room and consider rearranging your furniture from there. This is often a great place to commence a room redesign project, but bear in mind the room’s traffic pattern before starting.

You may want to consider repainting your walls or adding wallpaper, a common room redesign technique. Be sure to choose a color that matches your existing furniture, or you will have to go out and buy new stuff!

If youre limited to what you can do in a room, artwork is a workable room redesign solution. Changing what currently exists on your walls can renew the look of a room. Artwork doesnt have to be expensive. Rather than original pieces, look for prints or posters. You can even display your childrens artwork or add photographs from a vacation, family events, or landscapes you might have taken years ago. You can also add sculptures or ceramics to coffee tables, mantels, or shelves to give your room a refreshed look.

If planning a major room redesign, you can rely on 3D software to help you plan out your design based on the rooms configuration. Software design tools allow you to select choices and see what the room will look like when done. Its a great way to organize your thoughts and see the finished project before you even get started.

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How Living Rooms Changed Over Time

Apr 26th, 2009 Posted in home | no comment »

The living rooms of modern times have changed so much from those in the early Victorian days. The purpose of mainly receiving visitors to the decoration of dark furnishings have evolved to so much more at present. Living rooms now are both a place for guests and family. Conversations are not restricted to formalities and grave subjects but also include fun, candid talks among family members and visitors. Living rooms now are as much frequented as the kitchen as opposed to minimal use in the past. Many homes now combine the den and receiving areas into one big comfortable space.

This change in mood and purpose is due to the value of comfort at home. People want to go home to a relaxing abode rather than a stiff one. Who wants to wear gowns with air-constricting petticoats heavier than you? Unless it’s a costume for Halloween, wearing one on a daily basis is insane! Even queens and princesses prefer modern suits to old-fashioned gowns. Comfort is the key and so is with the living room. However, this is still a place for welcoming guests, so it must not in any way look like a slob’s headquarters. The living room still needs to be cared for and decorated in an appealing manner.

Seating is important in this era when furniture is more for use than just for show as it has been in the past. You want ample seating arranged to facilitate conversation and interaction. You want the sofas and chairs to be comfortable, not just attractive. They should be arranged so that the occupants are naturally facing one another and everyone can see everyone else. Warm, vibrant colors tend to make the room more hospitable. Current family pictures, scrapbooks, contemporary magazines on the coffee table proclaim a lived-in, vital area.

Lighting has an impact on how the living room looks. A bright light creates a cheerful ambiance and makes reading and playing games easier. A lamp with adjustable lighting is a good investment as you can change the level of lighting from dim, glowing to blinding according to your purpose.

Adding decorations like family portraits on the wall, paintings, souvenirs, bookshelf and magazines among others is a great way to personalize. This will also make the living room more accommodating to the guests. Photos and artworks are effective conversation starters. One question can lead to stories after stories. Reminiscing with family about the photos will make family time a lot more fun. Talking about an unforgettable vacation or a great party is also a stress-buster for family members having quite a tough schedule.

Area rugs are a must! With a rug sprawled in the center of the room, an instant eye-catching piece in a beautiful color or design won’t fail to beautify the living space. Additionally, an area rug placed with the sofa set will enhance the furniture pieces all the more. It will also make hanging out more comfortable. If there’s a television, children will feel at ease lazing on the rug while watching their favorite TV programs.

Shifting a living room from just a seldom-used formal sitting room into an area where guests and family members alike feel comfortable will take some planning but it can be done without too much trouble or cost. Guests and strangers will find a warm and inviting atmosphere and the family will have another area in which to talk and socialize.

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Ideas For You To Redesign Kitchen Decor

Apr 26th, 2009 Posted in home | no comment »

If you want to redesign kitchen decor, this can create a fresh look for your entire home. This room is a popular gathering place and a place where a lot of time is spent, so it says a lot about you. Update your kitchen every few years.

When considering the purpose of your redesign kitchen project, think beyond aesthetics to things that would make the area more in line with how it is currently being used. Perhaps you can gain more space by replacing an infrequently used kitchen table with a counter and stools. Or you might need to add an island to give you more counter space or an area for meal preparations. You might also find that rearranging major appliances improves work and traffic flow.

if your plan is to redesign kitchen composition to take into account the environment, you will want to choose your lighting and your appliances according to the US Energy Star ratings. Countertop options include environmentally friendly construction these days, and even your floors, if you choose hardwood, are appropriate

You can use a three-dimensional software planner when it comes to redesign kitchen plans, as this will allow you to see the finished room before you even start. Plan changes in traffic flow, repositioned appliances, upgraded cabinets, new lighting fixtures or even a change in the color scheme.

Many redesign kitchen ideas can be achieved on a budget. For example, you can simply repaint cabinets and drawers. A great idea is to replace decorative handles — a quick and easy improvement. Likewise, change the look of the faucet and knobs on your sink.

It is not that difficult to achieve a successful redesign kitchen project when you do it all yourself. If storage is an issue, you can hang a rack just for pots and pans, or you might want to put up special shelves just for all those spices and other additives. If you simply change the window treatments, you would be surprised at the different look achieved.

You must remove all of the clutter as the first part of your redesign kitchen project, or you will not be able to get a handle on the problem. You can use a decorative basket for often used items such as mail, keys and other things that find a permanent home on kitchen shelves and countertops otherwise.

The majority of redesign kitchen projects involve a change in cabinetry, an update to the appliances, modern fixtures or an additional center island. Accents can be applied to complement the decor. Other accents include a wine rack or a window box and these can add style to a basic kitchen.

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Footstools are luxury front room furniture. You will be able to find plenty of footstools on today’s market.

Apr 25th, 2009 Posted in home | no comment »

Sofas and footstools are probably the key part of any living room. If you want a stylish and relaxing living room then you should look at some Sofas and footstools. You should be able to find Sofas and footstools that suit your taste with ease because they’re available in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Sofas and footstools such as chairs, suites, cabinets and storage make an living room stylish and very relaxing so you can enjoy it. There are plenty of options available, even for small living rooms. Sofas and footstools are suitable for almost any living room size and shape.

If you get yourself some Sofas and footstools you’ll be able to relax while you are at home and you certainly won’t be disappointed. Sofas and footstools can really improve your home environment and will ensure your living room is a comfortable as well as practical environment.

Chairs and suites are an important part of your Sofas and footstools set because they are the centre of what you do in your living room. Sofas and footstools that is sleek and stylish is very popular these days. suites and chairs can be hard to choose but stick to simplistic designs.

There are many styles of suites available such as corner suites, leather suites, fabric suites, or a mixture of both and various other materials. Once you have decided on a suite shape and design then you’ll need to buy chairs. Usually you can buy chairs that match.

Storage footstools should be your next purchase if you have a relatively good sized living room. Storage footstools are ideal for magazines. Storage footstools are great for tidying and come in many shapes and sizes. Sofas and footstools such as storage footstools are great.

If you want stylish Sofas and footstools then you should definitely look at storage footstools. Try and choose a set that are sleek and stylish.Storage footstool designs vary a lot so you should do some research into what designs you like before you decide to purchase.

It’s easy to find storage footstools because you can find them in almost any home store whether you look online or offline. The final thing that you’ll need to think about is how much you are able to spend. Sort out a budget and stick to it.

Make sure you choose a store that has a good selection of Sofas and footstools. There are tons of places you could go. DFS, Argos and Ikea, among others, are probably the most popular places to buy Sofas and footstools in the UK.

Once you have decided on a budget for your Sofas and footstools and a place to buy then you can do your research into the ranges available. Choosing Sofas and footstools for your home should be an easy and exciting task. Make sure you do your research thoroughly before you begin.

Overall, Sofas and footstools makes a living room worth spending time in and it’s ideal for keeping your home relaxing and practical. You should easily be able to find Sofas and footstools for your living room even if you have a tiny room that isn’t really as big as you’d like.

It doesn’t matter how big or small your living room is, if you can sit in your living room and relax while you’re at home then you’ll be happy. Even if you don’t have a huge budget, you can still buy Sofas and footstools that’ll help you enjoy your living room space.

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