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Unconventional Tips for a Greener 2020

by Jennifer Landis January 20, 2020

At the start of this new year and decade, you’ve decided to make sustainability your goal in 2020. It’s an admirable aim to pursue, considering the average American produces nearly 5 pounds of waste per day. With your efforts and those of other green-minded adults, we can cut down on that number.

Of course, it’s not all about recycling and waste production. You can live a greener life by using less, but also by making smarter choices. You don’t have to stick to the tried-and-true methods for doing so, either. Once you have them mastered, you’ll have to add a few more unconventional methods to your rota to keep things as sustainable as possible.

We’re here to help with the latter. You already know how to recycle, compost and take shorter showers. These are the eight unconventional methods that’ll make your household even greener in 2020 and beyond:

1. Turn Off the Dryer

Wash, dry, repeat — that’s how laundry day goes in your house. However, the second step in the process uses so much energy, and some argue that it’s unnecessary. Instead, try line-drying your clothes or hanging them on an indoor drying rack. Sure, it takes longer, but it saves a ton of energy — and cash. By some estimates, you can save upwards of $200 each year by using your dryer much more sparingly. That’s not a small number, which makes this green step a win-win.

2. Flaunt Your Green Thumb

Unused green space in your backyard has some serious sustainable potential. There, you can cultivate a vegetable garden and start growing the food that you and your family eat. When you buy produce from the grocery store, you have to remember that it takes fuel to drive it from the farm to the shop to your table. Backyard veggies, on the other hand, have a minuscule carbon footprint — you can still eat fresh without harming the earth.

3. Stop Buying Books

This tip will probably give bookworms pause. However, buying book after book means that you’re filling your shelves with paper. It’s especially wasteful if you read each title once before tucking it away forever.

Instead, start checking out books from your local library. The same applies to magazine and newspaper subscriptions — try finding digital copies or reading them for free at your local library, too.

4. Start a New School Routine

You spend a good amount of time each day driving your kids to school. This task takes time and requires fuel, too — and the latter expands your carbon footprint. If your children feel open to it, you might consider trying out a new educational opportunity. Rather than going to school, your kids might want to try cyber school, which works much like traditional classes do. Of course, the only difference is that your brood will log online to study, rather than going into the classroom each day. This style of learning saves fuel and thus makes your family more sustainable.

5. Try Local Restaurants

Foodies, listen up — you can make your regular restaurant visits more sustainable by trying local eateries. For one thing, it’s easier to travel. Walk or ride your bike if you can to get there sans fuel. On top of that, many local eateries source their ingredients from nearby farms and food suppliers. That way, you know your food has required much less fuel to get on your plate. — and that makes your meal even more sustainable.

6. Swap Out Cleaning Products

Modern cleaning products work well, but they often require chemical-laden formulas to do so. As such, you might be inadvertently releasing toxins into your home’s air supply and into the water, too. There’s good news, though — you can swap out these solutions for simpler, eco-friendly versions. And they work just as well as the chemically infused products on your shelf. For instance, lemon works as a natural bleaching agent. You can use the juice to remove stains from cutting boards or add a half-cup to your laundry for even brighter whites.

7. Water With Rainwater

The environment provides you with all the water you need to hydrate your plants. Whether you cultivate decorative indoor greens or a backyard garden, place buckets and bins outside to collect H2O when it rains. Then, use the water as necessary to keep your plants quenched and growing.

8. Recycle Storage Jars

Finally, you can cut down on your household’s plastic usage by purchasing items in bulk. Make this an even more eco-friendly lifestyle choice by saving and cleaning out glass food jars. Then, once they’re dry, you can re-label and use them to store anything in your pantry.

Take this one step further by finding zero-waste grocery stores. You can bring your recycled storage jars with you and fill them with pasta, beans, salt… any other dry good you might need.

Go Green in Your Home

Sustainability isn’t always the easiest choice, but it’s the best one for all of our futures. These unconventional methods can make your household even greener into the new decade — so, get started today.

Home Kids

How to Choose the Right Rug for Your Child’s Room

by LifeAsMama December 26, 2019

written by LifeAsMama

Once you have a kid, they become your priority. In addition to making your home safe for them, you will also invest a lot in their room to make it as interesting and cozy as possible. Besides a comfy bed, plenty of toys and enough storage space, you will also have to think about the carpet that you will put in their room. This might seem like a minor detail but this is something you should put a lot of thought into it. While finding the right rug for your child’s room can be difficult, the guide below should help you find the perfect one.

Carpet or rug?

While it might be tempting to install a wall-to-wall carpet in your kids’ room, that might not be the best idea. Sure, this seems warm, soft and safe but it actually traps a lot of dust and dirt, which can be quite hard to clean. A much better option would be getting a rug for a certain area of the room and leaving the rest of the hardwood floors exposed. This will make the space much easier to maintain and the kids will still have a warm place where they can crawl or play on the floor.

Where to place it?

Where you will place the rug depends on many factors. First of all, what will be its purpose? Will it be used to divide the room into several areas? Will it define the play area of the room? Is it supposed to be a focal piece and add an accent to the room? Answering these questions will help when deciding where to place the rug. For defining a play area, you can put it in a corner where all the toys are – that way, your child will recognize this zone as the activity area. Then, you can put it in the center to highlight the furniture around it. Also, for safety, it’s best for some sturdier pieces of furniture to overlap with the rug’s edges.

What material and texture to look for?

When it comes to the type of materials, the selection of quality rugs online is huge. First of all, you need to look for something safe, durable and easy to maintain. Start by getting a rug pad that you can put under the rug as that will keep it in place as well as protect the floor. Now, you can look through a variety of materials and textures until you find something that suits your needs. For example, an affordable option is cotton dhurries. They are a bit thinner than other alternatives but very easy to clean. Then, soft wool rugs are great insulators and they can repel stains and water. They do shed a bit in the beginning but it decreases over time. One durable option to consider is jute rugs although they can be a bit harsh on the skin. Finally, synthetic rugs can take a lot of abuse and are easy to clean.

How big should it be?

Now that you know where you will place it and what type of material you need, you can measure the area in question and decide how big it should be and think about the shape you want. For instance, for an elegant touch, you can get a small circular rug for your child’s room. On the other hand, if you want to cover a big part of the room, a large rectangular one will work wonders. Finally, you can also look for some interestingly shaped ones that your kids will love, maybe something in the shape of a flower or car or whatever their interests are.

What color to choose?

Choosing the color and pattern of the rug can be a challenge. On the one hand, you don’t want it to simply blend into the background but, on the other, you don’t want it to not fit in and stick out. Therefore, if the room is full of patterns and very colorful, you should go for something a bit subdued, in a solid color. Alternatively, if the room is made up of neutral colors, you can add a pop of color by finding a dynamic, patterned rug. You can also opt for some educational models with playful shapes. Finally, to hide any stains and dirty spots, you can get a marbled, medium-toned rug that will make these imperfections a bit less noticeable.

Sure, buying a rug for your child’s room doesn’t seem hard but you have to keep in mind that there are many aspects you have to consider before you make a purchase. Keep its purpose, placing, material, size and color in mind when doing so and you should find the perfect rug for the room.

About the Author

Ron Wolf is a freelance writer, hobby designer and DIY enthusiast.

Home

Family House Hunting: 5 Essential Things to Consider

by LifeAsMama December 20, 2019

written by LifeAsMama

When you and your partner are still a couple with no kids, the place you live in may seem enough for the two of you. However, once you decide to expand your family, everything changes. Apartment living doesn’t seem that exciting anymore, and you start to feel the need for more space. You may start thinking about buying a family home that will accommodate everyone. However, finding one can be a bit tricky. It’s one of the biggest purchases many of us will make, so it pays to take things slow. Aside from a number of factors you need to keep in mind, you also need to think in advance because this might be the house you’ll want to grow old in. To help you out, we’ve gathered a list of five essential things you need to consider when you’re hunting for that perfect family house – let’s take a look.

The features you’re looking for

Before you start searching for your dream home, you want to put together a list of features you and your spouse are looking for in a house. After you’re done, compare your wish lists and try to determine which features are must-haves and which ones are nice-to-haves. For example, you may have had a dream of owning a large house with a spacious backyard, but your partner may prefer something smaller with just enough space where they can fit in a garden or an outdoor kitchen. Nevertheless, you want to find something that pleases both sides, so agree on the features you’re looking for prior to showing up at open houses.

The house’s style

While the aesthetics of the house are important, the way a house looks shouldn’t be your top priority. Even if there are some smaller cosmetic issues, they’re usually easy and inexpensive to fix. What you can’t change as easily, however, is the style of the house. Be it a single-family home, a condo, or a townhouse, decide on the style first. Select something that fits your lifestyle as well as your personality. Finding a good house plan is priceless in these situations. Besides, that bold red wall in the living room can easily be painted over in a matter of hours.

Your new home’s location

The location of the house also plays a major role in the decision-making process. For example, if you’re planning to move to Australia or already live there and simply want to get away from the noise of city life, you should check out real estate house and land packages in Austral. Located just a couple of minutes from the city center, Austral is a suburb of Sydney that is on the rise thanks to its proximity to schools, hospitals, aged care homes, and shopping centers, which makes it especially attractive to families with both school-age children and older members of the family. Before making the decision, think about the needs of your family and consider contacting an agent who can help you narrow down your choices.

Your future plans

What many home buyers do is they make this big financial decision based solely on where they are in life at the moment. The thing is, buying a house is a huge commitment, one that requires thinking long-term and considering changes we might go through in the future. Maybe you and your spouse feel content with just one child right now, but what if you decide to have another child? Or, what if you need to change jobs? You need to find a home that will suit your needs and your lifestyle now and also be in line with your plans for the future, so keep that in mind as well.

Your budget

After seeing a couple of houses, you and your spouse may be blown away by the features, size, or location of shown houses that you might start to feel like you should spend more. However, budgets are there for a reason, and the sole purpose of one is to come up with a solution that will please everybody while buying a home you can afford. This is especially important if you are a first-time home buyer who has other debts waiting to be paid off, such as student loan debts.

Given how buying real estate is a long-term investment, it’s no wonder that making a purchase as big as this may seem daunting to many of us.

Whether you’re on the lookout for a house in the suburbs or a big modern loft in the urban area, we’re all hoping to find a house that looks and feels like it was made specifically for us and our family. Therefore, don’t be afraid of being labeled as picky or ‘hard to please’. After all, this is where you’ll be spending a big chunk of your life with your family, and probably even welcome your golden years, so you might as well hold out until you find a house that really feels like a home to you.

About the Author

Chloe is a journalist from Adelaide and a regular contributor to Smooth Decorator. She loves everything related to decor, aesthetic and lifestyle topics. She is also passionate about photography. Her biggest dream is to travel the whole world and take some stunning photographs of beautiful places. Beside all this, she enjoys drinking coffee and reading a beautiful book from time to time.

Home

7 Biggest Home Renovation Mistakes to Avoid

by LifeAsMama December 9, 2019

written by LifeAsMama

Home renovation is no easy task. There are a lot of things to think about even before you nail the first nail, and that means there are a lot of things that can go wrong during the whole process, from completely banal things, like choosing the wrong paint shade, to big things like forgetting construction permits. Luckily for you, we’ve assembled a few of the most common home renovation mistakes newbie home renovators make so you can pay attention and, hopefully, avoid them altogether. Let’s have a look.

Going in Without a Game Plan

Starting renovations without a sound game plan is a big no-no. Moving around furniture in your living room to see how it looks might only frustrate your husband and/or son, but doing a complete makeover on your house willy-nilly will land you in a lot of trouble. Without a plan, the construction workers won’t know what they’re doing or why, and it might incur ever-rising costs that will, ultimately, break your bank. And, at the end of it all, after all the frustration and tens of thousands of dollars spent, you just might end up not being at all happy with the end result. With that said, plan your home renovation to the last detail, as this way, there will be the least number of surprises.

Buying Materials Ahead of Time

This ties in with the point about going in without a plan. Buying materials before you’ve finalised your game plan (or right after you’ve finalised) can hurt your budged greatly, as you may buy too much or not enough materials, or completely wrong materials to begin with. To avoid such a mistake, it’s best to contact and discuss your plans with professionals, as they’ll be the most suited to advise you on what materials you need, and its quantity.

Underestimating the Costs

Some home improvement projects can be done on a budget, but, trust us when we say, complete renovation requires quite a bit of cash. Do your research, and do it well, as knowing exactly how much home renovation costs will save you trouble in the future.

With that, you should also plan for unforeseen contingencies. Most construction firms advise their clients to have at least a 10-20% buffer to their budget for emergencies. Opening up a wall can lead to many things, especially in older houses, and you might find that the entire construction is infested with termites. Construction rarely goes entirely as planned, and having that extra percentage will make the operation go along more smoothly.

Going in Without a Team

Another one of the big home renovation mistakes is starting construction without a team. Many newbies tend to talk to different professionals at different times. They might contact a designer, an architect and a contracting firm separately, which leads to a conflict of opinion, which leads to plans being scrapped, and you’re back at the beginning.

To avoid this, all the relevant people together and have them lay out a plan together with you, and you’ll surely save on both time and money once the construction really starts.

Settling for the Lowest Bidder

Like we said, home renovation is an expensive business, and it’s never a good idea to try to cut corners when it comes to such an expensive endeavour. It is tempting to skimp on the workforce and hire the lowest bidder, but the lowest bidder is the lowest of a reason. Instead, it’s much more prudent to invest into a solid, verified home renovating firm, like Konnekt Building, then to settle for a second rate brand that might undercut you when the construction starts.

Pretending to Understand

Look, unless you’re a professional architect, or work in a construction firm yourself, chances are, you’ve no idea how to read a blueprint. Don’t just nod your head and pretend to understand; rather, ask questions. It’s your money on the line and it’s your home they’re renovating, so ask the whats, the wheres and the whys – they will help you not only understand what’s going on and why you’re paying for certain things, but it’ll also help you visualise the idea and stick to it.

Don’t Forget the Permits

Almost all construction involving contractors requires building permits. Your contractors might have the permits ready once you hire them, but be sure to ask your local government representatives what kind of permits you need. It’s always a good idea to know this beforehand, just to make sure your contractor is up to date with the latest laws and regulations.

Conclusion

And that’s about it for the most common home renovation mistakes people make when starting a project. Naturally, these aren’t all the mistakes people make, so make sure to research more about this topic, to gain a full understanding on what to do and what to avoid when starting a project of your own.

About the Author

Stella Ryne is an art historian, traveller, conscious consumer and a proud mother. When she is not trying to improve the things around her (and herself, for that matter), she likes to lose herself in a good book. Stay in touch with Stella via Twitter and Facebook.

Air fresher and house plants in pots on the stone black tale closeup

Design Home Tips & Ideas

Bring Nature Into Your Home: Tips & Tricks

by LifeAsMama November 18, 2019

written by LifeAsMama

Your home should be your personal sanctuary, and there’s no better way to make your sanctuary truly beautiful than to bring nature into your home. This can be especially therapeutic for those who prefer to spend time in nature, but due to other commitments, they can’t do it that often. So, whether you’re a nature lover or simply want to add a touch of nature into your home, here are some tips and tricks that will help you get there:

Use the right colors and patterns

Opting for the right colors can make or break the space. If you prefer natural vibe, then it’s only logical to use colors inspired by nature such as various shades of green, blue and brown. Other great choices are grey, black and white, but it’s important to keep in mind that choosing a color palette requires a lot of planning, so you won’t end up overdecorating your place. That can often have the opposite effect from the one you’ve originally intended to achieve. If you prefer wall art, then getting wallpapers with floral or palm motifs can contribute a lot to the overall design of your nature-inspired home.

Don’t forget the importance of the right elements

Bringing nature into your home means having to play with different elements. The best way to add a dash of a luscious forest or a romantic stone castle vibe is to use nature-inspired elements such as wood, stone, seagrass, and leather. Having a stone-wall in your living room can surely make your home look more elegant and better-planned, or adding wood logs as decor pieces can surely make your home look more visceral and beautiful, but always keep in mind to use only those elements you personally connect with. That way your home will have elements of nature, while also being naturally inviting to you and your guests.

Make it comfortable and snuggly

Obviously, not many things in the forest or a field is truly snuggly, but there are ways to incorporate some comfort into your nature-inspired home. For example, incorporating some wabi-sabi decor can make your living space seem more in sync with nature and its realities.

Also, adding a braided wool rug will surely make your space look unique and more sophisticated. Nature by itself doesn’t necessarily have to be comfortable, but adding certain nature details will surely have a positive effect on your home and the way it feels to you.

Plants are also a great idea

Having a lot of greens in your home is the ultimate way to bring nature into your home while still making it look balanced. For those who prefer minimalism, the best way to add plants is to have only a few plants strategically placed wherever it’s suitable. On the other hand, those who love maximalism can play with plants of different types and sizes to create a perfect indoor jungle or a forest. In case you’re inexperienced with caring for the plants, you can always get those that are low-maintenance so you won’t have to worry about watering them every day.

Have a lot of natural light

Living in a home with a lot of sources of natural light will definitely make you feel like you’re standing on a sun-kissed field. Therefore, installing large windows and having light and breezy curtains is a great place to start. If you don’t have a lot of access to natural light (living in a surrounded place), then there are still ways to maximize the amount of light you have during the day. Painting your walls light color and having lightly-colored furniture will surely make your home look more lit.

Making your home more in sync with nature can also have a lot of benefits to your mental health since a lot of natural elements can make you feel more peaceful and balanced. Just make sure to not go overboard with certain decor elements, as that can make you feel a bit redundant. Therefore, consulting a decor specialist can be of great help, since an expert can give you the right advice, while also taking your preferences into consideration.

About the Author

Lana is a stay-at-home mom, writer, and interior design enthusiast. She loves writing about interiors, but her specialty is landscape design. She enjoys playing in the kitchen and cooking for her friends and family, spending time in nature and learning about other cultures by traveling.

DIY Home

7 Home Repairs Everyone Should Know

by LifeAsMama November 13, 2019

written by LifeAsMama

Owning a house is something that we all dream about, but with being an owner comes more than just relaxing on your deck and having fun times with your family around the fireplace. It needs someone who will be dedicated to keeping your home safe and running smoothly. Occasionally repairing things around your house is the part that comes with it, even if you are not a big DIY person, there are a couple of things that you need to know how to fix by yourself.

1. Learn How to Unclog a Toilet

Most times clogged toilets are difficult to deal with because most of us start making bad decisions at that moment. When we start realizing that the toilet is clogged it is filling up with water and overflowing. Therefore, you need to know how to fix it in advance so you know what to do when the crisis strikes.

It’s fairly simple. The only crucial thing you need to have is a plunger. If you think you need something more heavy-duty is a plumbing snake, and both of those are under 10 dollars. In most cases, the snake isn’t necessary, but if you have a child that can throw things like toys or jewelry in the toilet bowl, then only the snake will do the trick.

This is the best tip someone can give you. If you don’t have a tool close to you and you need to fix the clog quickly, mix dish soap with four cups of boiling water and put it into the toilet bowl. That should clean it out if the clog is made out of biological things.

2. Learn How to Fix a Leaky Faucet

There are many ways of fixing leaky faucets. In most cases it only depends on the type of sauces you have. There are two types of faucets, two-handle washerless faucets and single-handle washerless faucets. But in most cases, you don’t need to worry about what type your faucet is. Most leaks can be fixed with a wrench and in some bad cases, it can require a trip to your local hardware store to buy the replacement part.

3. Learn How to Replace a Faucet

You might hear some people bragging about how they can replace the faucet on their own, but that is not that impressive because replacing a faucet it is simple. All you need to do is find a new fixture that has the holes as your old one because it needs to fit properly on the sink. Before you start, take pictures of everything before you start working so you know how to put it back together. After that shut the water odd, drain your faucet and them follow the instructions that came with the faucet.

4. Learn How to Unclog a Garbage Disposal

There are many ways you can fix clogged garbage disposal, sometimes it can even be fun like doing a mini science experiment. All you need to do is pour half of the box of baking soda into the drain on the side that the disposal is on, and then pour the other half into the disposal. Chase the baking soda with white vinegar and let it do its magic for an hour. After the one hour has past pour hot water over it and your disposal should be unplugged.

5. Learn How to Fix the Washing Machine

If your washing machine breaks don’t immediately start searching for a handyman, thinking about how you can do it on your own. It may sound complicated but in most cases, it’s nothing that you can’t fix by yourself. You just need a few tools and light. Most times the filter is clogged or you just need to buy a spare part. Most washing machines like LG or Bosch ones have the same problems. Therefore, there are a lot of places that sell LG washing machine parts.

6. Learn How to Clean Grout

It is important that you clean your grout from time to time. Even though this may not sound like a repair, by cleaning it you are repairing it. All you need to do is mix some baking soda and bleach. Apply it to the grout and scrub the grout with a small brush or a toothbrush. After you scrubbed it to clean it with some water and you will have a new looking grout.

7. Learn How to Replace Outlets

If you need to change outlets, the first step is to cut the power and with a voltage, tester confirms that there is no electricity in them. Take off the faceplate, unscrew the outlet and memorize which wires connect to which outlet. Connect the new outlet, screw it back on and turn the electricity back on and test your work.

Be confident in yourself, you don’t always need a handyman. You can surprise yourself with your independence. But make sure you evaluate the risk that comes with repairing things before you start doing it.

About the Author

Home

Mom’s Home Office: Decor Tricks for Boosting Creativity

by LifeAsMama November 6, 2019

written by LifeAsMama

If you’re a full-time stay-at-home mom who also happens to work from home, chances are that you are already familiar with all the struggles such a lifestyle can throw your way. Add to that the struggle of not having a designated work area and things can easily become even more hectic.

Not only will you find yourself feeling unwilling and unmotivated most of the time, but high chances are that your work will begin to suffer, sooner rather than later. That’s why creating a home office should be your top priority. No matter the size of the space you choose for this purpose, the most important thing is to try and create a space that will make you feel motivated and get your creative juices flowing. Here’s how you can achieve that.

Decide on the area

First of all, you’ll need to decide where you want to set up your home office. Since you probably can’t afford to entirely isolate yourself from the rest of the household, you should consider an area that’s close to either the living room or your kids’ bedrooms. This way, you can easily reach them – and vice versa – if necessary, but you’ll also be able to enjoy some peace and quiet. Keep in mind that a home office doesn’t need to have four walls, meaning that it doesn’t necessarily have to be a separate room. Any area that will enable you to equip it as necessary and get some work done will be just fine. That being said, if you absolutely can’t devote an entire room for this purpose, you might want to consider investing in noise-cancelling earphones that will help you reduce distractions.

Make the design kid-friendly

Next, while you certainly need to design the space to feel more thought-provoking and motivation, you also need to keep your kids’ safety in mind. What this means is that you need to ensure that all of the structures, such as bookshelves or file cabinets, are well secured to prevent tipping and that no sharp objects can be easily reached by those curious little hands. For instance, you can install floating shelves in your office just beyond your kids’ reach and keep utensils, such as scissors and pens on higher shelves. Keep in mind that, just because you’re designing your home office that doesn’t mean that you’ll be the only one spending time there.

Spruce it up

Furthermore, to quote a famous movie character “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”. This means that, while it is certainly important to have your own workspace, that doesn’t mean that it should only be used for working. No matter the type of job you do, you will still need to take regular breaks if you want to ensure that your motivation stays on an optimal level. That’s why you should also create a small chill-out area in your home office you can use for relaxing and even brainstorming. For this, you will need a comfortable armchair – or a sofa if you have enough room, a coffee table and a cozy rug. As far as the chair is concerned, always go with something comfortable and supportive that will allow you to relax properly. A modern coffee table will instantly bring more pizzazz to the space, making it look and feel more luxurious. Finally, a cozy shag rug will not only provide you with a soft underfoot, but it will also tie all the other elements together.

Add color and pizzazz

Finally, to make the space feel truly motivational to you, you should consider implementing colors that have such an effect on your mind. Since all of us are vastly different, the colors that might be working for someone else might have the opposite effect on you. That’s why you need to choose the color according to your own preferences, but make sure you don’t overdo it. When introducing color to any space, it is best to do so with details and other elements you can easily replace once you grow tired of them or if you happen to notice that the color you’ve chosen doesn’t have the desired effect.

So, if you ever feel like you are struggling to find the motivation that will enable you to excel at your job, consider doing something about your workspace. Even once you are happy with the way your home office turned out, you can keep on adding design and décor elements that will elevate the look even further. The key takeaway is that you need to design a space you will feel comfortable in that will enable you to do and give your best.

About the Author

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How to Make Your House Look Modern on a Budget

by LifeAsMama November 4, 2019

written by LifeAsMama

When renovating your home’s exterior, you might want to set a theme in order to facilitate your decision-making process, as well as be able to customize the impression that your home makes on first-time visitors. The best thing about designing your home’s exterior is the fact that it also leads to a boost in the place’s resale value, which benefits you as the owner even if you don’t intend to sell. Still, is it possible for you to achieve all of these benefits on a budget? Let’s find out!

1. Focus on the first impression

When aiming to leave an impression on people, what you need to focus on is to ensure that you properly set the expectations. This is why you need to focus on the first impression that your household makes. Sure, cladding and rendering, doing a new façade or replacing windows are popular and effective but also incredibly expensive. On a budget, you can replace your house number with a custom one, repaint your front door and hang a new wreath (no, these are not just for the holiday season). One more amazing idea that you could invest in is the light fixtures that you will use for your front entrance.

2. Add a porch

The next thing you need to consider doing is expanding your living space by adding a porch. This way, you get another area of your home where you can meet and greet guests, as well as a chance to make your home unique-looking in a completely new way. Why? Well, because modern spaces try to blur out the line between the exterior and interior decoration. Making a porch is not a particularly expensive investment, especially if you take a more frugal approach and do some of the works yourself. All you need is a wooden deck and some outdoor furniture. Moreover, this is not a project that you have to complete all at once.

3. Improve your roof

The project of replacing your roof is incredibly effective, seeing as how this is the element of your home that will be seen while people are approaching your home from far away. Depending on the material that you chose for this project, the cost will vary. Fortunately, one of the most common roofing materials, asphalt shingles, are quite inexpensive, which gives you a chance to redo your roof on a budget. Adding a new guttering and downspout system is another great addition. In order to add something extra, as well as further protect the place, you can consider flashing the roof. Flashing and guttering go great hand in hand, which is why agencies like Flash Roof Plumbing provide you with both guttering and flashing services.

4. Garden and a patio

One more cunning way to invest in your home’s exterior is to work on your garden and your patio area. This is one of the best ways to transform your home’s backyard and turn it into a proper oasis. One more thing that’s relevant here is the fact that you can definitely do it on the budget. Sure, concrete or stone pavers give you the most modern look, however, a strong argument could be made for pea pebbles, as well. What’s best of it all is the fact that these pea pebbles cost you about $6 per square foot, as opposed to stone pavers whose cost can go as high as $25.

In conclusion

As you can see, the above-listed four methods are there to provide maximum value for minimal investment and effort. Keep in mind, nonetheless, that simple as they are to implement, once you’re done with them, you won’t have to repeat these tasks for years and years to come.

About the Author

Miriyan Muller is a passionate blog writer who is fond of writing about renovation, design. She usually spends her time reading the related articles which are inspiring in order to learn a lot of things in the world.

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Autumn Home Décor Ideas: Keep it Orange, Keep it Warm

by LifeAsMama October 24, 2019

written by LifeAsMama

Autumn has arrived, and even the slightest sign of chilly weather makes you want to cozy up indoors and create a warm, magical atmosphere at home.

The time is right to consider adding some autumnal tints and touches to your home to create that special ambience. Here are a few wonderful ideas for decorating your home for harvest time.

Decorate Your Porch

To create that mellow autumn mood in your home, begin with the first thing you and your family will see when approaching it – your porch.

The classic pumpkin-lined porch will always be everyone’s favourite, but you can make it even more charming if you personalize the pumpkins your own way, along with traditional jack-o’-lanterns kids simply adore.

You can add an extra touch of seasonal warmth by placing a welcome doormat in the colours of autumn foliage. Hanging a wreath on the front door (made out of natural materials, like wreath grass or dried leaves) would also make a neat touch.

If you want to take it a step further, consider painting your chairs bright red and your front door in a jolly orange hue. This will help make your house feel homey and inviting even when the cold and rainy days take over.

If you don’t have enough room on the porch, relocate some of your decorations to your front yard. Add some bales of hay and tin pots with dried flowers to jazz things up.

Spice Up Your Kitchen

With a little bit of seasonal decorating, your kitchen may easily be the most comfortable and pleasant room in your home. It can be the place you will use not only for cooking and dining, but also sharing precious moments with your loved ones.

For starters, make a centrepiece that you will put on your kitchen table or island. You can use an old cutting board, a wooden tray, or a wooden basket as the foundation for your decoration. Add elements such as mini pumpkins, pinecones, berries, twigs, and bright leaves.

Next, find an unused corner for a unique vignette: place a glass jar filled with green apples or some fresh veggies of your choice, and pep it up with an Autumn Acres Wood Print sign. Arrange pumpkin spice-scented candles alongside decorations to accentuate the cozy vibe. Scents of warm cider, cinnamon, apple, vanilla, and berries all work great and bring out the best in cloudy days.

Get your youngest ones engaged with decorating as well. Display their projects, such as paper scarecrows or owls as decorations on your fridge and walls.

Bring Comfort to Your Living Room

One of the best ways to introduce the warm autumn feeling into your living room is by bringing in some new textures.

Replace all the linen materials you’ve used through the summer with velvet, mohair, and wool. Start with the pillows and blankets, and move on to curtains and table runners, with fall foliage as an inspiration for your choice of palettes. Add a few new throw pillows with an autumn motive for a budget-friendly upgrade and extra comfort.

If you’re lucky enough to have a fireplace in your home, autumn is the time to clean it up and make it a part of your seasonal decor. You can even transform the fireplace into a living room centrepiece – just decorate the shelf according to your taste and the rest of the interior. You can choose a colourful design, with bold red and bright orange dominating the fireplace, or opt for soothing colours for a more calming atmosphere.

Tuck Up Your Bedroom

Crispy autumn days can make you want to spend your afternoons in bed, underneath cozy blankets.

So, if you want to start your days feeling warm and cozy but invigorated enough to get up and be active, make sure that your bedroom is filled with brilliant colours of the season.

When it comes to decorations, you might want to opt for a leafy wall decal to add some autumn flavour. Place a jug or tainted glassware with a few branches of red leaves at your nightstand, add a few smaller pumpkins as accents, and scented candles to soften the lighting.

Also, change the textures you use in your bedroom.

Layer your bed with a knit or faux fur throw. Alternatively, you can go for autumn-coloured blankets made out of wool, suede, or velvet. Change your summer pillows for the ones in felt or textural wool cases, and place them on your bed, armchair, or all around the floor.

With a few simple interior decoration tricks, you can transform your home into a cozy setting for some fun times with your family and friends, a perfect place for you to cuddle up next to your significant other, or an intimate space to enjoy your time alone with a book and a glass of wine.

About the Author

Hannah Thomas is a gardening and home décor enthusiast. Garden is the place where she feels most comfortable, that’s why there are always a lot of books and empty coffee cups on the back porch. Always learning, exploring and smiling.

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5 Beautiful Lighting Living Room Ideas

by Guest Contributor October 13, 2019

written by Guest Contributor

You have probably worked long and hard on designing your living room. The colour of the couch perfectly positioned vases and an ornamented fireplace are just some of the detail that took you hours to arrange. However, there is one element of the living room’s décor that can cast a shadow over the entire space, quite literally.

The lighting levels need to be adjustable in order to accommodate different activities that take place inside the living room. After all, this is the social hotspot of the entire house/apartment so it is essential that several lighting levels are at your disposal, like ambient light.

Softening the edges

If your living room faces the north side of the house, then creating a glow around the edges of the room should be a top interior design priority. The glow should meet two general guidelines: it should be warm and it should be even in intensity, running the entire length of the wall. That’s why lights should be mounted onto the wall, rather than on the ceiling.

From here, they will be able to send the light back into the room, basically “cooperating” with the fading natural light or moonlight coming from the outside. As the end result, the room will not only appear to be brighter (and bigger, which is ideal for small apartments) but you’ll get a level of depth that overhead lights could never provide.

A touch of the Orient

If you’ve dreamed of living in a Bedouin tent fit for a chieftain, you can turn this dream a reality just by playing with the lights. The first thing you’ll need to get are lanterns that differ both in size and the patterns printed on them.

Once you place an ottoman next to the coffee table and spread out a couple of silk cushions on the floor, you’ll get the atmosphere of the Orient you have been aspiring to. Modern lanterns come with LED lights inside that are elongated and made to look like candles. Of course, you can always go with the real wax or paraffin candles but be aware that they pose a fire risk.

Controlling the lighting levels during the day

All the lighting forms we have been discussing so far relate to the period after dark. However, it is equally important to regulate lighting levels during days with plenty of sunlight, as too much sunlight can prove to be a nuisance.

What you need are plantation shutters like the ones Suncoast Shade Sails make. The slates of the shutters can regulate the amount of light that enters the living room. In this aspect, plantation shutters are far more efficient than blinds and curtain that let light in near the frame of the window.

Facilitating a home office

If you have ever noticed a difference in the quality of light at your office and back home, that’s because there does exist a disparity. While you are arranging your note or just doing the taxes, you need a stronger source of light in the form of a desktop lamp.

Such functional lighting is an integral part of any home office so you should place a lamp inside the part of your house reserved for the office. The best solution is a wall-mounted lamp that you can extend using just one hand. Once you are done reading or writing, just return the lamp to the initial position to save on space.

A well-lit gallery wall

We have been mentioning lamps so much that one might forget that they are art pieces of their own, not just a source of lighting. In fact, lamps can be couple with the art hanging from the walls to form the ultimate luminescent gallery wall. You can line the frames of pictures with inexpensive LED strips or turn the lights themselves into art pieces by covering them with multicoloured glass. Modern LED light bulbs that change colours are nothing compared to these wacky, one-of-a-kind gallery wall pieces.

In the end, any of the 5 ideas listed here can be used to illuminate the amount and the type of lighting inside your living room. Remember that light is not merely a switch and light bulb but an integral part of interior décor of the most important room in the house/apartment. By toying with lighting just a little bit, you can create wonders in terms of interior décor solutions.

Photo by Vecislavas Popa from Pexels

About the Author

Patrick Adams is a freelance writer and rock-blues fan. When he is not writing about home improvement, he loves to play chess, watch basketball, and play his guitar. More than anything, he loves to spend his time in his garage, repairing appliances and creating stuff from wood.

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