Even though a lot of homeowners focus on refining and redesigning the interior of their houses in order to keep the property value high and to keep up with changing trends in the world of interior design, the truth is that you should never neglect the exterior of your house either. After all, this is the first impression you make on people, as it’s the first thing they encounter about your home. An unkempt property may make someone think that you don’t really care about your house, and they’ll also assume that the inside of the house must look just as bad.

Thankfully, there are plenty of easy ways to maintain the look of the exterior of your home. Continue reading for a few solutions you can implement to spruce it up.

Add Pavers Instead of Concrete

Concrete driveways are unattractive and they can even crack and begin to look even worse over time. As a result, many homeowners are now transforming their concrete walkways, driveways, and backyard patios with attractive pavers that come in a variety of colours and shapes. These blocks are set down into the ground and provide a long-lasting option that will add colour to the exterior of your home and make it look clean and modern. Be sure to properly maintain your pavers with sealer so they’ll withstand the elements and continue to look like new for years to come.

Add a Bright Front Door

You can take the door that’s currently on the front of your home and repaint it, or instead purchase a brand new one, but making it a bright door is a great way to spruce up the exterior appearance of your home and make it even more welcoming than before. Go with a bright colour, such as yellow or turquoise, to really stand out and make your home appear fun and clean.

[Photo courtesy of Kristina Paukshtite /pexels.com]

Add a Fence and Flowers

A white picket fence is a great way to instantly add curb appeal to your home. But planting colourful and fragrant flowers and vines along the edge of the fence will add even more beauty to it and make your lawn even more inviting. Plus, you will get to see these plants as they change from one season to the next.

Reinvent Your Siding

If the siding on your house is beginning to look aged and dirty, you do not necessarily need to completely replace it, which can be a costly renovation that you may not have the budget for. Instead, there are many DIY approaches that you can take to repair your siding, whether you have aluminum, vinyl, or any other type of siding. This simple step can be the most dramatic change you make to your home’s exterior, and it can make it look years younger.

Updating the exterior of your home should not be something that you neglect. Instead, take the time to keep your property clean and looking beautiful. This will make your home more welcoming and more valuable.

Home makeovers can be costly, but it is possible to make your home more appealing without splashing out a premium. How can you achieve this?

1. Throw out the clutter

This is a totally free way to make the space in your home look more inviting and presentable. All you have to do is throw away the junk and donate anything in your home that is no longer useful to you right now; or in the foreseeable.  Why keep that old typewriter you’ve not used in a decade? Do you really need to keep the hundreds of CDs stacked up in the corner? What of old, worn out toys? You will be surprised how much space you can free up by doing this.

[Photo courtesy of Andrea Piacquadio/pexels.com]

2. Refinish your mismatched furniture

Mismatched furniture is guaranteed to make your home look disorganised.  If you have all-black furniture and a couple of blue wooden pieces around, you can even things out by painting the wood pieces black as well.  Most of the time, the colour combination you feel great about may actually be upstaging the aesthetic balance of the space.  Primer Magazine has a great piece on dealing with mismatched furniture. The piece is aimed at young men, but the ideas can be implemented by anyone.

3. Bring in some nature

Go to any public park near you and get some pine cones you can put in a bowl. If there are no woods around you, simply pick a few pine branches anywhere and put them in a jar or vase.  If you still can’t find any, head off to B&Q, or any shop selling house plants, and buy a couple. The plants will not just give your home a beautiful relaxing ambiance, they can also improve the air quality.

[Photo courtesy of Samson Katt/pexels.com]

Similarly, look for beautiful rocks that can be placed strategically around the house. Instead of having broken chairs as door stops, interesting rocks will make more aesthetically appealing alternatives.

4. Remove decaying hardware

Replacing that wooden shelf that is already bent to the side with a lovely but simply constructed steel shelf can instantly lift the mood around the space.  A bent shelf paints an uncomfortable picture- bad Feng Shui no doubt too. A good steel shelf can be bought for relatively little, and will not just beautify your home, it will comfortably carry the weight that has bent over your old wooden shelf.  Apart from the shelf, look around to see any other hardware that needs replacing. Picture frames, wine racks, etc. are the major suspects.

5. Loft Conversion

[Photo courtesy of Efecan Efe/pexels.com]

You might be surprised how affordable a loft conversion may be. You may need to reinforce with steel from a company like cannonsteelsltd.co.uk but overall the price should be very reasonable, especially considering the increase in home value you achieve through the process. So this really isn’t a cheap process but is certainly one that can be great value because of the appreciation you receive in your house value. Give your guests a room of their own, nay a floor of their own, is a wonderful way to make them feel at home. Just make sure you don’t put all the clutter from the loft downstairs.

6. Reorder the space

Consider moving some of your big items to new positions. You’ll be surprised how much difference you can make just by rearranging your living space. A good tip is to put items of a specific colour together. This clustering can develop a theme to a specific area. For instance, you can have your blue books on one part of the shelf and the red ones on the other part. Grouping items by theme or colour will help you achieve a unified look free of charge. Just make sure that you don’t create too many themes to a single room, or you pull everything together with an individual theme. Nothing looks messier than a room that is disjointed and without flow. You can get some great ideas for theming your living space on pinterest.

With these tips, you can quickly enhance the appeal of your home without spending too much money.

Wardrobe doors can be one of the most frustrating parts of home décor. In most cases if the doors are not installed correctly they stop working, or worse still fall off. The secret to having functioning and good looking wardrobe doors is in the hardware used to set them up. Many DIY enthusiasts and carpenters make the mistake of cutting corners by using low quality wardrobe hardware.

There are a number of different types of door that are commonly used, and all come in high and low quality varieties. Depending on the type of door different hardware needs to be used to make them function properly. If the unit is a stand alone wardrobe it will need to use cabinet hinges instead of traditional door or wardrobe door hinges for folding or sliding doors.

[Photo courtesy of Max Vakhtbovych/pexels.com]

Folding Wardrobe Doors

One of the most popular and cost effective types of doors installed in houses these days is folding wardrobe doors. When high quality versions of these doors are closed they not only cover up the clothes and anything else in the wardrobe they look like real doors consistent with those found in the rest of the house. It is important to choose a heavy bi fold door and use high quality Stanley hinges on both the folding portion of the door, and to link the doors into the track. These doors will take an afternoon and a few hundred dollars for a do it yourself carpenter to install.

 Standard Doors for a Wardrobe

Putting standard hinged doors on a wardrobe is one of the best ways to make that wardrobe look great. The doors look like the doors to the various rooms in the house; you can match up perfectly. Since they are hung with high quality hinges these doors open and close like a regular door as well. The only draw back to hanging a regular door in your wardrobe is the amount of space they take up when they are opened, so the rooms must be larger in order to allow the doors to swing.

[Photo courtesy of Max Vakhtbovych/pexels.com]

 Sliding Doors

A popular modern alternative is to install sliding doors. These sliding doors use track hardware to open and close. They have the disadvantage of being more difficult to install than a conventional door and the advantage of being much better looking than folding closet doors. Though they look good it is important to caution that if they fall off the track they can be quite dangerous, so it may be best to leave their installation to a professional.  

 The door style you choose and the hinges you use are important decisions. Don’t settle for a look that doesn’t fit your room, or poor quality fittings that are going to be falling off within a couple of years of use. Fit for the future by investing a bit more and getting high quality products; products into which you have put a little thought.

You spend a third of your life sleeping, and even more than that physically in your bedroom. While many of us keep a desk in our bedrooms for space-saving reasons, it’s still best to keep your bedroom as comfortable and tranquil as possible, so that it can help you get a healthy, rejuvenating night’s sleep.  Many people ignore the colours of their walls, perceiving them as permanent or hard to change, whilst some people aren’t allowed to because of their contracts with landlords.  However, the colours of your walls can play a vital role in the atmosphere your room provides and the resulting level of rest you can obtain in it.

Imagine if the walls of your room were painted bright red.  You would probably have a hard time falling asleep, knowing such a shocking colour was waiting to assault your opening eyes.  While neutral colours won’t have the same effect as bright red, they don’t help calm you like some other colour combinations can.  Read on to see how these different colour combinations can create a tranquil yet modern atmosphere, providing you with the best night’s sleep you can get.

Browns and Greens – Deep Forest Relaxation

Imagine chocolate brown walls, cream-coloured trim, and emerald-green accent furniture. Sounds bold, but people often feel most comfortable in nature, and using browns and greens to mimic nature’s most common colour combination is one way to bring the wild inside.  Line the windowsill with plants and put a ficus tree in the opposite corner, and voila, your bedroom has been transformed from a drab cube to a tranquil, natural sanctuary, where even the most unsettled mind can enjoy deep rest.

[Photo courtesy of bottlein/pixabay.com]

Light Blues and Pastel Greens – Ocean Breeze Tranquillity

Some people may not want bold colours like chocolate brown and emerald green, but that doesn’t mean nature doesn’t have a palette to fit.  While not everyone has a sea-facing, wall-sized window, you can appreciate the calming effect of sea can have on the mind and harness that effect in your own bedroom.  Light sea-green walls with white trim (imagine cresting waves), with light blue furniture and sheets can provide a calming, oceanic atmosphere.

20 Shades of Grey – The Colours of Night Itself

Really only two or three shades will do the trick – a light shade of grey around the entire room, with one accent wall deep and luxurious, opposite the bed, and a large black and white print of a calm empty street at night.  Grey can be very calming and accenting it with a light green can bring in a little more nature as well.  Such dark colours wouldn’t be recommended for a home office, for example, but in the room in which you sleep, muting sources of background light can help you rest and even be good for your health.

Whatever colour combination you choose, be sure it is one that fits you. Searching online can help you get the right furniture, accents, and accessories to make your tranquil natural bedroom come to life.

While you love your family and would do anything for them, you know that your home life isn’t always going to be perfect. It takes hard work and dedication to create a happy and healthy environment for you all to live.

Learn what you can start doing today to help ensure everyone’s on the same page and you’re getting along with each other best you can. Your life will become easier and less chaotic and stressful when you’re wise about following through with actions that will help build a stable and thriving household. It’s worth your time and energy, and you’ll thank yourself down the road when you’re all living in harmony.

Clean Regularly

Create a happy and healthy home when you stick to a regular cleaning schedule and choose not to slack in this area. Dirt and grime have the potential to increase the number of germs in your home and make people sick. Come up with a cleaning schedule you can follow to help you stay on track and make sure you’re hitting all areas of the house on a consistent basis. Ask your family members to help you out if it becomes too much for you to handle by yourself.

[Photo courtesy of ErikaWittlieb/pixabay.com]

Spend Quality Time as A Family

You’ll be able to grow a deeper and closer bond with one another when you’re proactive about organizing activities and events you can participate in as a family. Spend quality time together such as going to the park after dinner or purchasing NBA tickets and getting out of the house for a fun family outing. Mix it up and keep it fresh by always thinking of new ways for how you can all get together and enjoy yourselves and each other’s company.

Get Your Finances in Order

Financial troubles can quickly leave you feeling frustrated and cause unwanted arguments between you and your spouse. It’s a wise idea to work hard to get your finances in order and discuss a plan of attack for how you want to save and spend your money going forward. Get organized and come to an agreement about your future goals, so you’re both on the same page. Your home life will be a lot happier and healthier when you and your spouse have this matter under control.

[Photo courtesy of sathyatripodi/pixabay.com]

Learn how to Communicate Effectively

Yelling and screaming at one another isn’t an effective way to communicate and will likely cause a lot of friction in your household. Learn to talk to your loved ones using a compassionate tone and try to get your point across without raising your voices. Hold family meetings and encourage everyone to practice being good listeners if you want to create a happy and healthy home life. Try to understand where each other is coming from and ask questions to clarify anything you’re feeling confused about.

Conclusion

Improve your home life using these tips so you can create a happier and healthier atmosphere to live. Remain patient because these types of changes will take time to implement and adjust to. Get the entire family onboard, so you’re not the only one putting forth an extra effort at home.

It isn’t easy to maintain a home, and it isn’t easy to keep it nice and modern. Through one reason or another, it can actually become a little boring. But we’re here to change that for you. The home should wow your guests, both inside and out. You don’t even need to do that much! All you have to do is think outside the box and go for something you’ve never gone for before. If you’re still struggling for inspiration, read on to find out more.

Inside

A lot of people consider the inside to be the most important, so we’ll start with that first. When people first walk in, you want them to be wowed. The best way to do this is actually a lot easier than you think. Smell is the most important sense here. Have a nice candle burning, or even one of those scented plugins that releases amazing smells all day long. It isn’t necessarily about making your house look good! Then, for a bit of decoration to spruce the place up. First we’re going to suggest a whole new colour scheme. It is the only way to truly wow your guests. Think of something you’ve never gone for before. Even if it is just switching from the usual white in the hall and landing, to maybe a mink colour. It isn’t too dark, but it isn’t too light. But it does change the mood of the house. Then for the living room, we’re really loving the white and grey contrast look. Paint the walls the brightest white you can ever find. It’ll help to draw in the light as well as look good. Then for the sofas, try and get yourself some grey, to dark grey either leather or other material. It’ll contrast against the white so well. Now, we know white carpet is a nightmare, so you’re going to have to go for grey as well, but it really does look nice. Get yourself some white or black coffee tables and a TV stand and you’ve transformed the room.

[Photo courtesy of wolfields/pixabay.com]

Outside

The outside is easily as important as the inside. All you need to do is wow them from the minute they enter your drive. The first step is the driveway, line it with Italian cypress trees. It is a bold statement that really does set off the driveway, and we guarantee people are going to love it. If you have a front lawn, make sure it is nicely trimmed all year round. If you want to get that extra bit of green out if it, throw down some grass seeds and fertiliser every so often. As for the back garden, you need to make it as colourful as possible. Plant some of the most vibrant colours you can find, and again, make sure the grass is lush and green.

So, after following our tips your guests truly should be wowed. All it takes is a bit of dedication to get your home looking perfect again. If you’re struggling for more ideas on the interior, just check out this link!

One of the things that a lot of people struggle with is being able to turn their home into the kind of stylish environment that they see in magazines and online. It can often feel as though, no matter what you do, you can never make your home into the kind of place that you want it to be. However, the solution to this problem might be much simpler and more straightforward than you think. The truth is that the way to make your home feel more stylish can be summed up with a single word: simplicity. Most homes are simply too complicated when it comes to the way that they’re designed and decorated, and by stripping much of that away, you’re able to make the things that you want to stand out really pop. Here are a few things that you can do to bring a sense of simplicity into your home.

Get rid of the clutter

The truth is that most of us simply have too much junk in our homes. It’s a natural part of being a human being to want to hang on to things because of sentimental value, but there is a point where that can go too far, and when you start holding onto absolutely everything, no matter how insignificant, it can start to cause a problem. Having every single surface covered in knick-knacks and junk can make any home feel cluttered and cramped. If you really want things like decorations and ornaments to stand out, it’s best to contrast them against the simplicity of the rest of your home.

[Photo courtesy of Skitterphoto/pexels.com]

Pick the right furniture

If you don’t have a sense of consistency among your furniture at home, you’re never going to be able to give it a distinctive sense of style. This is a trap that a lot of people fall into, but it’s easy to get out of. Picking the right furniture and coordinating different pieces together can make a huge difference. Things like Stag furniture bring a stylish simplicity to any home and being able to use that throughout the house can immediately make the place more effective in terms of design. Sure, you don’t want your home to be totally uniform, but having a consistent throughline can give it a much stronger identity than it would otherwise have.

Learn how to coordinate colours

Colour theory is something that everyone should have at least a decent understanding of. If you don’t, you’re going to end up falling into the trap of using colours that aren’t right for each room and that clash with each other in an ugly and overbearing way. Don’t try to use too many different colours throughout your home. Pick a specific palate and then work from that as much as possible to create a sense of consistency.

Of course, it’s always possible to go too far. The last thing you want is to end up with your home looking like a bare prison cell or a showroom. Striking the right balance between simplicity and personality isn’t easy, but when you do, you’re really going to be able to feel the difference in your home.

With the colder weather setting in, now is the perfect time to switch up your sleeping area to suit the season. Chilly evenings and mornings can feel so much easier to cope with if you have a warm and peaceful haven to hibernate in during your daily downtime. By adding just a few simple touches, you can transform your bedroom into a warm and snug spot to relax in until the warmer weather comes around again. If you’re looking for some inspiration, here are our top five ways to make your bedroom a cosy retreat this winter.

1. Get Your Glow On. Your bedroom should always be filled with really good lighting, even if the lights are off. Whether you’re bedding down for the night, or waking up gently in the morning, soft, natural light adds a natural cosy feel to any room. Place small lamps on either side of your bed and replace your existing pendant lights with low watt bulbs to create an ambient and inviting glow throughout the room. If you really want to create a winter wonderland, drape string lights from your bedstead, around a mirror, or across your windows to add a magical touch to your bedroom this winter.

2. Go With The Throw. Throw cushions and blankets always add extra depth and interest to any room. The winter months are perfect for creating a super soft sanctuary using faux fur throw cushions, velvet bedspreads, and sumptuous brushed cotton sheets. Not only will your extra cushions, bedspreads, and blankets come in useful as the mercury plummets, they will also make your bed feel extra inviting.

3. Choose Your Winter Hues

The colors we use in our rooms help to set the mood in our homes. Warmer tones like reds, golds, and oranges are a surefire way to generate a bit of heat. If you don’t fancy a complete redecoration, simply look for accessories in rich deep hues to help fuel the warm feeling in your bedroom this winter.

4. Sleep Comfortably. Investing a lot of time and effort into dressing your bed becomes irrelevant if you are sleeping on a worn out mattress. A good night’s sleep feels better than ever when it is cold out, so make sure you have a high quality mattress that is not only comfortable, but also made from natural materials. LA based sleep and mattress specialists Brentwood Home offer finely crafted natural latex mattresses, made from 100% fully natural materials.  Comfortable and eco-friendly, the all natural latex layers are computer-designed to cut into zones of pressure relieving comfort. Their natural latex mattresses are perfect all year round, but feel doubly delicious when it’s cold out.

• Tread Softly On Sumptuous Floor Coverings. Rugs are an awesome way to keep the drafts at bay. Used for many centuries as a way of insulating houses, they still do a great job of keeping us cozy even in modern times. If you have natural wooden floors, exposed boards, tiled or laminate floors, rugs add softness and help to keep you feeling toasty.

Home improvements are great to add value to your property, but they can be a pain to finance. In fact, most homeowners tend to focus on personal loans or an FHA 203k loan – they can be used for refinancing and repairs instead of buying a new home – when they look for financing options. But, believe it or not, there is more than one way to finance your home improvement project without taking a personal loan. Below, you’ll find 5 ways that should do the trick for you.

Build an eco house

#1. Let the home raise money for the improvement

If you already have a first mortgage on your home, homeequitylineof.credit can be a valuable option for you. You can draw out money as it fits and choose to pay it back when you can, as long as you keep the minimum monthly payment. You don’t even have to pay interest either until you use the money. But beware, though: If you can’t make the payment, you could end up homeless.

#2. Go green and get funded

If you decide to go green and add eco-friendly transformations to your home, you might not even have to pay for it by yourself. According to archive.epa.gov you can find funding opportunities for green buildings, including grants and tax-credits. There is a variety of national and local programs available. For an updated list, you may want to get in touch with your local authorities.

#3. Find a construction loan

Construction loans are rare and they are difficult to obtain. But this short-term loan option allows you to pay for the construction or extension work. You will need to need to make major renovations to be eligible for this kind of loan. At the end of the construction process, you will need to get the end loan, which is a loan to pay off the first loan. However, construction loans are very cumbersome in terms of application and funding, as the money is only released at specific stages of the project. Finally, if the work can’t be completed within the agreed scheduled, you might have to pay additional costs until you can move in.

#4. Borrow your 401(k)

It’s common for 401(k) programs to let you borrow from your account and pay back the loan over a number of years – generally five – via payroll deduction. However, you can only borrow up to 50% of your account balance, which limits the amount you can get. Additionally, if you leave your job or change company, you will need to repay the loan earlier. In that case, the loan becomes a withdrawal on which you owe taxes and penalties.

#5 Reverse mortgage for 62+

If you are 62 or older, you can get a reverse mortgage on the percentage of equity that you own in your property. While a reverse mortgage is expensive, you don’t have to repay it until the home is sold or you’ve changed address.

Each way of funding your home improvements presents specific advantages and disadvantages. Unfortunately, unless you inherit a bunch load of money from a rich aunt, you will need to pick the most suitable borrowing option for your situation.

The rod pocket curtain is a variation of tailored curtain giving each window the best covering treatment to protect the entire home from the prying eyes of Peeping Toms. It is designed to enhance the appearance of your home no matter how large or small your windows are. Rod pocket curtains are manufactured with different sizes of pockets enough to insert the rod for easy installation. You can have a header to turn your window look elegant and fabulous.

These curtains are available in floral, geometric figures, plaids, checks, or stripes. You can pick a width of 68 inches to as much as 84 inches depending on the size of your window frame. Bold colors are perfect for the living room where most family members gather for their bonding moments. The polyester rod pocket curtain is the best option for your home office so that the light cannot distract your working mood. Striking colors in nylon or taffeta could add more inspiration to your kid’s study room.

[Photo courtesy of Markus Spiske /pexels.com]

Before you purchase the curtains, decide which size is suitable to your window length and size. Most notable lengths for curtains range from 84”, 96’’ and 108.” If you want elegant looking windows, the 108 inches is suitable for your home. A large window and sliding door need 120 inches length rod pocket curtain. If your house has Mediterranean or European features, try to have faux silk or silk curtains. They give your window the best treatment.

Stripes are a big no if your window is too tall while checkered is discouraged for short windows because it makes the window look stouter. Rod pocket curtains are effective in giving an illusion of width so be careful when you hang them on the window. If your window is short, you need to hang the curtain rod very close to the ceiling while the hemline should be floor length. Wide windows need curtains rods to be extended in few inches from the window frame while the entire curtain could cover them.