Archives for July 2016

The Do’s and Don’ts of Decorating a Small Bedroom

samll bedDreaming your tiny bedroom had space for more than a bed? Or your guest room was more

than a dumping ground? Then read on

Small bedrooms can be tricky to decorate. They often end up as unloved spaces with little personality because we’re worried that too much stuff will “shrink” them visually. Conversely, small spare rooms can end up as dumping grounds for old fitness equipment, packaging or clothes-drying racks.

While a typical master bedroom is usually large enough to accommodate cabinets and chests of drawers, a second or third bedroom may be big enough only for a bed and little else. How can you make the most of every square inch, and ensure that a small bedroom is both stylish and functional? Here are some do’s and don’ts for making a small bedroom look good and work hard.

7 Reasons to Trim Your Home in White

white trimWhite trim is multifunctional, and it can do amazing things

Trim makes an appearance in just about every room we walk into. Sometimes it stands out and catches our attention right away. Other times it seems to fade into the background and we hardly notice it. Whether it’s impressive and fancy or run-of-the-mill ordinary, every variety of trim and molding gives a room that finished look.

White trim in particular is timeless, and it provides a clean, chic appearance that always looks new and fresh. If you’ve ever had the white trim touched up in your home, you know how it can renew an entire space. Trim is also super functional in ways you may not realize. Here are some of the amazing things you can do by using white trim.

Heads-Up Hues: 10 Bold Ceiling Colors

Screen Shot 2014-10-27 at 12.45.38 PMVisually raise or lower a ceiling, or just add an eyeful of interest, with paint from splashy to soothing

It’s standard operating procedure to paint your walls a color while keeping the ceiling white. We’ve been told this makes the room feel larger and brighter. While there’s no doubt a white ceiling will brighten a room, certain ceiling colors can actually make a room appear more expansive. The key to using a bold or dark color on the ceiling without the space becoming cave-like is to make sure you have adequate lighting or limit the adjacent wall colors to white or another light hue.

Warm colors tend to advance, and cool colors recede, so if you are looking to visually raise your ceiling height, stick to cooler hues. On the other hand, if you have high ceilings and wish to make them feel lower — for a more intimate vibe — use a warm hue, such as red, orange or yellow.

Check out these 10 rooms that feature a bright or bold ceiling color, along with suggestions for how to use an unusual color on a ceiling of your own.

How to Calculate a Home’s Square Footage

sq ftUnderstanding your home’s square footage requires more than just geometry

All square feet are not created equal. Even Thomas Jefferson would have agreed. There are basements. There are attics. There are garages remodeled into living spaces, and there are oversized storage rooms locked in remote, poorly accessible corners.

But when it comes to calculating a home’s square footage, we are left with a number — a simple number often relied upon to estimate a home’s value, cost to construct and overall livability. So it is worth understanding exactly what those simple digits represent. How are they calculated? What rules are used to figure it accurately, and what are the potential flaws in the venerated number known as the square footage of a home? Here’s how to calculate square feet.

10 Principles of Organizing That Work in Every Room

organize themb 2Feeling overwhelmed by your stuff? Here’s how to make your things more findable and easier to put away

Getting your home organized is a great feeling, but figuring out where to start can be overwhelming. Keep the process simple by zeroing in on these 10 principles of organizing, which can be applied to any space, anytime.

Prep Your Yard For Summer [video]

Chances are, your yard can use a little post-winter pick up. Here are 3 tips in 30 seconds that’ll help prep your yard for spring.

One: Dethatch and rake. Too much thatch prevents water from penetrating to the soil level and weakens turf root systems.

Two: Evaluate your lawn. Does it have a few bare spots? No problem. You can use an all-in-one seed and fertilizer mix to promote growth and get those areas off to a strong start.

Three: Don’t forget to clean out your flower beds by removing any weeds, dead annuals and other debris. The soil will warm up and your perennials will love the sunlight!

There you have it. Three tips in thirty seconds. Now get out there – It’s time to spring!

25 Big Ideas for Smaller Patios

small patiosMake the most of your patio’s shortcomings by playing with scale, color, texture and location

Expansive patios with built-in outdoor kitchens, fire pits, fountains, bars, living room-style furniture and even big TVs seem to dominate articles about backyard decor. That leaves some of us with smaller patios throwing up our hands with no idea of what to do with our petite spaces. But there’s a charm to these small, sometimes awkwardly shaped patios that those party-size outdoor areas cannot replicate. If you’re struggling with how to outfit a smaller patio, here’s some inspiration to help you breathe new life into it and make the most of your outdoor space.