The House

These Home Decor Tips Can Make a Big Difference in Your Small Home

How big does a house have to be to satisfy your needs? There are people with children who have adopted the tiny home lifestyle. That fact might not inspire you to move into a tiny home, but it should inform you that it is possible to live in a much smaller space than you might have thought was feasible. It is usually not a necessity that decides the size of the house we buy, but culture. Small homes are a reality for many people but seldom held up as the desirable thing to have. That needs to change.

Americans have come to associate the size of their home with the outward sign of their success. That has left a vacuum with regard to good ideas and methods for making small homes not just livable, but enjoyable. The average size of a house in the US is roughly 2,500 square feet and pushes above 3,000 square feet at the upper range of the average. For the vast majority of the world, that would be considered too much house. People in other parts of the world know what to do with a house more along the lines of 1,200 square feet. If you find yourself in a smaller home than is typical for your culture, here are some tips that will give that small home a big home feel:

Utilize Bigger Spaces for Non-Traditional Items

If your kitchen is too small for all the gadgets you like to use, move some of them to other parts of the house. If you mostly use the microwave for making popcorn while watching TV, move it into the TV area of the house.

The same goes for your coffee station. What kind of coffee do you prefer? Are you a French press drinker, do you favor a Chemex-style setup, or are you more of an espresso lover? You drink your coffee in the dining area or office. Move your equipment to that location and make a station out of it. Find the best coffee subscription service and keep it stock with your favorite hot beverage. Now that it is out of that cramped kitchen, you can make that happen. Not every house is encoded with a restaurant-sized kitchen. So don’t overload it with things just because they traditionally go in the kitchen. Find the underutilized spaces in the other parts of the house and use them to extend the smaller spaces. By doing it that way, no one space in the small home gets overloaded.

Make Different Furniture Choices

Culture not only dictates the size of houses. It also has a say in the type of furniture that goes into those houses. Although not conventional, decorating a living room without a sofa is not a bad idea for any number of reasons. One of the most obvious reasons is the size of the furniture. A sofa is one of the largest pieces of furniture you will own. A good sofa is also heavy and hard to move, even with two people.

We are also living in a time when even family members don’t want to be pressed together in a single chair. That time has certainly passed for friends and casual acquaintances. The couch is one of those pieces of furniture most often used by one person lying down rather than by three sitting shoulder to shoulder. There are more space-friendly ways to get that benefit such as a smaller reclining glider chair. Get your space back by getting rid of large furniture pieces you don’t need.

Create Usable Outdoor Spaces

You don’t have to put all the pressure on the inside of your house. If you have a porch or patio, extend your living space to the outside. There are economical ways to create comfortable spaces for sitting, reading, and general lounging about. On warm days, you can move your morning coffee habit to the outside and take in the sunrise. The key is to stop thinking about the inside of the house as the only place that can contain your domestic tranquility. You don’t need a large outdoor space to give yourself a cozy retreat.

You don’t have to buy a McMansion for a small family unit. If you are starting to feel a bit cramped in the space you have, Make it feel bigger by repurposing unused space for non-traditional items. Get rid of the couch and other large pieces you don’t need anymore. And utilize whatever outdoor area you have to extend your living space. Using these tips, you can make a small home feel larger and more comfortable.

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How To Make Your Yard Look Amazing Without Much Effort

Karen · Leave a Comment

If you want to make your yard look amazing without much effort, then this is the guide for you. If you don’t have a big budget or if you don’t know what to do with the space you have, then this is certainly the guide for you.

Grow your Own Topiary

Geometric topiaries help to add drama to your garden design. On top of this, it also adds a nice contrast to some of the looser-looking grass. It also helps you with your border planting as well. Ideally, you should try and add a mixture of foliage, texture and even color. It’s also a good idea for you to add movement, as this will help to add liveliness to your space. Hedges and strong architectural shapes really do give you the perfect design and if you want to take things to that next level, then you can easily add some roses, holly or yew.

how to make your yard look amazing without much effort — Source: Pexels (CC0 License)

Seasonal Flowers

If you want to try and extend the flowering life of your garden in general, then why not opt for bedding lobelias? Cornflowers, rotundiflora and more are also very good options. Castor oil plants are also ideal, along with dahlias. If you add these to your garden, then you will soon find that everything comes to life. You would also be surprised at how much it livens your space if you are on a budget, so keep this in mind if you can. If you want to water your plants, but don’t want to waste too much water, then look into Plastic-Mart water tanks, as they can be used to store rainwater.

Light up Everything

Light helps to add atmosphere, so try not to overthink it. Bare branches that are wrapped in fairy lights are a stunning thing to say the least. One of the most effective ways for you to try and extend the life of your garden overall would be for you to try and add a lot of lighting. The main reason for lighting is to try and show you where the paths end. There is nothing much more dramatic than having a stark tree that is lit beautifully. The branches form a tracery against the shadows that your fences are casting and when it is frosty, you may find that the whole thing sparkles. This is a fantastic way for you to really add life and luxury to your garden.

Let the Grass Grow

Let your lawn go wild and opt for a much more natural look this year. If you know that you need to cross the lawn so that you can access another part of your garden, then why not mow a section through the longer grass? If you do this, then you will soon find that your space comes together nicely and that you can easily create a space that attracts tons of wildlife. This is a fantastic way for you to make sure that your garden becomes a sanctuary for animals that reside naturally in the area.

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3 Amazing Ways to Transform Your Backyard

Karen · Leave a Comment

Urbanization has reduced building sizes to make way for more dwelling places. As a result, developers have had to reduce backyard sizes in some cases. For instance, reports indicate that homes are now built on smaller areas, causing a 13% land downsizing since 1978. However, this doesn’t imply that some homeowners can’t purchase property with expansive yards. Regardless of the size, you can use these techniques to transform your backyard.

Create a beautiful landscape

amazing ways to transform your bacyard — Image credit

Landscapes add to the curb appeal of a home. Therefore, if you desire to boost your backyard’s outlook, this is for you. Contrary to misconceptions that landscaping can only look good on a large land, the opposite generates the same effect. If you have some background knowledge of landscaping, this can be a DIY project for you – so all you’ll need to do is order your landscaping supplies. However, for best results, please leave it to the professionals to handle it.

You should consider the following factors before altering your landscape:

Soil type and topography of the site
Structure of the plants
Project into the future (maintenance, foliage growth, etc.)

Furthermore, add ornamental garden pieces to boost the appearance of your newly landscaped backyard. If you can afford it, install a carved stone water fountain that functions without electricity. Water fountains come in different shapes and sizes, so it should be easy to choose one that complements your backyard and increases its beauty.

Build a flagstone deck in your backyard

Traditional decks are great additions to your backyard but can be quite cumbersome to maintain. Remember that you have to keep it in shape all year round and probably add a fresh coat of paint when it begins to look dull. Fortunately, once you set up your flagstone deck or patio, that’s all there is to it. There is no need to change worn-out flooring or follow through with cumbersome maintenance practices. If you opt for the flagstone, it is usually recommended to use limestone, slate, or sandstone. These materials are excellent choices because they are natural and fit in well with the outdoor surroundings.

Swap dull-looking grass with paving material.

amazing ways to transform your backyard — Image credit

Having well-manicured grass around your home adds to your property’s appeal. But really, how many people have the time to stick to the routine work that makes the grass look lush? Secondly, even though healthy-looking grass adds value to your property, what use will be it if you are not interested in mowing, watering, and seeding? For persons like that, it’s no surprise when the grass will begin to lose its lush appearance and dry out in the short or long term. You are better off swapping your dull-looking grass with well-laid cobblestones or any other paving material in this circumstance.

Lastly, do not allow your backyard to look bare and unattractive when there are several amazing ways to transform it into a fashionable space. The most important thing is to budget for it and stick to what you can afford. Hopefully, you will follow these tips for an appealing backyard.

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4 Ways To Bring Beautiful Lighting Into Your Home

Karen · Leave a Comment

Light can make a huge difference to the feel of your home. No matter the size or style of your place, it always makes sense to use light to your advantage when you’re tackling the challenge of interior design. There are loads of ways to bring beautiful lighting into your home, and this article is going to be going through four of the best methods available today. Of course, though, you can always work to be creative with this aspect of your decor.

bring beautiful lighting into your home — (Image Credit)

RGB LED Lights

RGB LEDs have been on the market for a good few years now, and this type of product has become extremely popular. From light bulbs that are able to change color to strips that will make whole areas in your home look great, LEDs like this can give you a lot of control over the way that each of your rooms feels. It’s well worth exploring the options on sites like Amazon when you’re shopping for items like this, ensuring that you know exactly what you have access to.

Lithophanes

Lithophanes have been around for a very long time, but they have seen renewed popularity since the rise of 3D printing. Coming in the form of a 3D image, lithophanes will create the appearance of a black and white photograph when they have light behind them. You can buy lamps online that incorporate this type of artwork, and you can even get your own photos printed like this to build your own light. This is an excellent way to bring artwork into your home using a style that is rarely seen in the modern world.

Chandeliers

Chandeliers need no introduction; they used to be the single most popular lighting option in luxury homes. Unfortunately, though, many people neglect this sort of option when they are working on decor for their own place. A Murano chandelier is a stunning addition to just about any property, giving your rooms a feel of opulence and grandeur. You just need to make sure that your ceilings are high enough to accommodate an option like this. Many people are choosing to adopt this sort of lighting with websites like Instagram making it more popular.

Natural Light

Finally, as the last option to consider, it’s time to think about natural light. It can be very easy to make a room look dull and drab during the day, especially if you use dark decor. Allowing natural light to flow in your home will require light colors, along with windows that don’t have nets or curtains in front of them. Of course, though, you can always look for new ways to bring natural light into your place if you want to improve this.

With all of this in mind, you should be feeling ready to upgrade the lighting throughout your home. Many people find this sort of work tricky, though there are loads of options available on the market that give you plenty of choices. You just need to find the ones that appeal to you the most.

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How To Have A More Elegant Home

Karen · Leave a Comment

Your home can be many things. It can be relaxing, entertaining, comfortable, aesthetically pleasing…the list goes on. Sometimes we’re pushed into having one type of property over others. Most people are pretty good at getting the technological setup that makes their home entertaining, for example. Others you need to work on. Take elegance, for example. It can be so nice to have an elegant property, but it won’t end up that way on its own. You have to make it happen. In this blog, we’re going to run through some of the most effective ways to bring a touch of elegance to your home.

how to have a more elegant homexxx — Pexels – CC0 Licence

Hang Some Artwork

Why not have some artwork in your home? It can add so much to your property, and what’s more, is that the work of art does all the heavy lifting — all you need to do is choose the work that’s right for you, and that’s it. Of course, choosing the right one can be a bit tricky. In general, it’s best to opt for something that is, at the very least, unique, rather than buying a work from one of the big box stores.

Opt for Timeless Pieces

You’re going to fill your home with furniture, so why not choose an elegant style? There are certain materials that will have to give your home a luxury and elegant atmosphere. Marble furniture, for instance, will provide a timeless look, one that you’ll get to enjoy now and well into the future. Other timeless pieces to choose from include a grandfather clock or decorative items such as chess boards and statues. You don’t need to make the entire home elegant and classic; all of these suggestions will look just at home as off-set pieces in modern properties.

Intimacy Through Lighting

You can help to ramp up your home’s elegance credentials by focusing on your lighting. Lighting is the key that brings so much to a home, yet oddly it’s an element of home decor that people overlook. There are three different types of lighting styles, all of which can be used to create an elegant home — ambient, accent, and task. The trick is finding how to overlap and weave these styles. The goal is to create a place that looks and feels cozy yet also spacious. Good luck!

Big on Comfort

Elegance is luxury, and luxury is comfort. So don’t be afraid to add as many comfort levels as you like! Big pillows, decadent throws, and plush cushions for your couch and bed will all help to make your home feel as comfortable as can be. No one ever regrets investing the time and money into making their property extra comfortable! To help your comfort purchases improve the aesthetics of your home, look at layering different materials together, and play around with color.

Conclusion

As we’ve seen, there’s no shortage of ways that you can help to drive your home’s luxury credentials in the right direction. And the best part? None of these are particularly difficult!

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Make Your Garden More Low Maintenance

Karen · Leave a Comment

There are a lot of reasons you may want to spend less time and effort working in your garden. Perhaps, you are too busy with work or family life, or maybe you have a larger yard that is just getting a bit much for you as you age. Maybe you just want to spend more time enjoying your garden than working in it? However, no matter what the reason, we have some simple and easy ways to make your garden more low maintenance. Keep reading to find out what they are.

Plant in tubs

One of the most simple ways to make your garden more low maintenance is to plant in tubs rather than beds. Indeed, there are many advantages to this type of planting. The first of which is that tubs are easier to work on than in-ground beds, as they require less bending. Additionally, if you have a tub that isn’t doing so well you can easily move it to a more suitable spot, or empty it out and start again, something that is much harder to do when it comes to working with flower beds.

Finally, tubs can be used to grow all sorts of plants for your garden including flowers, shrubs, and even vegetables. In fact, they are particularly great for low maintenance vegetables, because tubs make collecting your crops super easy as well, no hard digging with a fork required!

Reconsider your lawn

Most gardens have some kind of grassy lawn area, and when they are well maintained they can look really great. However, lawns often require a great deal of work if you want them to stay healthy and green. Indeed, there is not only the mowing that is involved but the trimming, seeding, feeding, and weeding as well. The good news is there are some alternatives to consider here. The first is to replace your organic lawn with a fake replica. Such replicas have become increasingly authentic-looking and feeling, and they require barely any upkeep at all.

Another option is to reduce the size of your current lawn. You can do this by adding other low maintenance features to your harden such as a larger patio or sitting area. Finally, you always have the option to keep the majority of your grass, but get a lawn care service to take care of it for you. Indeed, lawn care professionals will ensure your grass is cut regularly, with you having to lift a finger, offering you the very best of both worlds.

Choose perennials

Finally, when it comes to making your garden more low maintenance why not consider planting perennials? These are plants that tend to be hardier, and last throughout the year, something that means you don’t have to care for them differently depending on the season. You can even grow delicious fruits and vegetables that are perennial such as sorrel, artichokes, some kale, and wild garlic. Not to mention create beautiful texture and color with perennial shrubs that don’t require nearly as much maintenance as seasonal plants.

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Spruce Up Your Living Space For Summer

Karen · Leave a Comment

Now that the warmer seasons are upon us, the way we see our home changes. Rather than wanting a cozy and warm space to curl up in by the fire, we are now looking to brighten up the home and allow as much air and light through it as we can. There are many ways you can spruce up your living space for summer. Here are some ways you can change up your home for the warmer months.

spruce up your living space for summer — Image

Use sunlight

It is crucial for you to use sunlight to your advantage in the summer and bring as much light into the home as you can. There are several ways to do this such as adding bigger windows or swapping your winter curtains for lighter linen ones. All of these things will help light penetrate the home and will make your house feel brighter and bigger.

Take advantage of the sun

As well as using natural light to brighten your home – you can consider harvesting the sun to power your home. Research solar installation cost and consider installing some solar panels on your roof this summer to help you use the sun’s rays as energy and save on your energy bills.

Cleverly place mirrors

One simple trick that works wonders for smaller homes is to strategically place mirrors around your house to bring as much light into the rooms as you can. You can place mirrors close to windows and point them in the direction of darker spots and this will allow more light to reflect into the home and brighten it up.

Add fresh flowers

In the summertime, one of the best assets we have in our homes is flowers. Flowers bloom throughout spring and summer and add stunning colors and textures to our gardens. But why not bring some of that magic into the home, too? Bring a bunch of fresh flowers into your home today whether it be on the mantlepiece, the kitchen table, or in your foyer. It will brighten up the room instantly and make your home feel more fun and exciting.

Repaint a wall or two

If you are looking for a way to bring more life to your home this summer, consider repainting some of the walls around your house. After a while, it is easy to get bored of the same old wall colors and it does you and your home good for a change. Consider what colors are in style a the moment or get some inspiration from Pinterest and play around with new colors throughout your home. A color can change the whole look and feel of a room in minutes so have some fun here and play around with it!

Try some of these ideas to help you spruce up your living space for summer and make some positive changes to the space. In no time you’ll be able to have a home fit for summer fun.

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