Caribbean Appeal: Make Your Home an Exotic Haven By Lana Hawkins

Posted on October 22, 2016 by Jeffrey Scott Thomas

Caribbean Appeal: Make Your Home an Exotic Haven

Embrace the exotic appeal of the Caribbean, let your household be imbedded by colorful designs, natural fabrics and the complete bohemian rhapsody of the Costa Rican appeal. Dive into the alluring tropical vibe of this sensual design and create a true lush getaway, right there in the serenity of your home. Let these ideas inspire you to redesign your home in an enthralling manner:

Lots of Color

One of the most distinctive features of the tropical design is definitely its use of color. The areas such as Costa Rica are used to colorful motifs and an extensive use of bright and vivid tones in their home design. The more the merrier they say so do not be afraid to give your household a fresh splash of color. Earthy and natural tones such as light orange, beige, turquoise, white and brown are greatly appreciated as background colors or mere foundation, as it is expected to enliven the space by adding various colorful details.

Add Some Texture

Another thing that can help you keep things interesting is introducing certain textures and patterns in your home design. Animal prints, foliage patterns and leather wall tiles can help give your home the tropical flair it desperately needs. Using natural objects such as feathers, horns, shells and stones as decorative pieces can also play a huge role in adding texture to the space. It is also a good idea to implement different kinds of lighting, as illumination can interact with certain objects and create wonderful illusions of texture.

Go Natural

In order to achieve that true tropical appeal, it will be necessary to rely on natural fabrics and materials. You will surely notice that wood is one of the materials that prevails in these tropical home designs, while the use of wicker, rattan and teak furniture is also quite praised. The use of these materials has the ability to capture the true coastal vibe of seaside countries and create a sense of tranquility in the space. Handmade quilts from natural wool, fur covers, grass roofs and handicrafts made from straw are some of the most praised characteristics of this lush appeal and are known to bring that distinctive rustic vibe to the whole setting.

Let It Thrive

Costa Rica is widely recognized as one of the countries with an enthralling biodiversity, where you can find a high amount of endemic plant and animal species. It is not surprising to realize that their homes are usually embellished with countless of tropical plants, native for this area. These tropical beauties create a majestic blend of colors and captivating scents that form a lush rainforest in your household. Native ivy can be used in various forms in home design, while nothing can beat the oversized, luscious foliage of the cheese plants. Begonias, lilies and dieffenbachia plants are also native to Central America and will surely transform your home into a tropical getaway.

It’s All About Art

Art is quite a significant part of the Costa Rican culture and as such has found a place in home design. Most of their artwork is focused on native motifs such as the ocean, local people and endemic animal and plant species. This is why it is not uncommon to embellish their homes with colorful paintings or even handmade sculptures and statues. Stained glass is another art form quite popular in Costa Rica and is defined by earthy tones and sensuous lines.

Get Inspired

Inspiration comes in many different forms, but if you are willing to embrace the majestic appeal of Costa Rica in your home, it is a good idea to seek ideas from various sources. Internet has plenty of blogs and websites where you can draw inspiration from, especially if you search for images of local properties and homes in this Central American country. There are all kinds of properties and houses you can actually buy in Costa Rica, if the opportunity arises for you to visit this rugged country.

Aren’t you tired of the same old sterility and minimalism of today’s home design? Neutral colors, clean lines, geometrical shapes and a completely depersonalized space. It is time to give your home a refreshing makeover that will turn it from a minimalistic manor in a true tropical sanctuary.

Author’s Bio: Lana Hawkins is a student of architecture from Sydney. She enjoys writing about inspiring home décor and landscaping ideas. Lana loves cooking for friends, and spending her time outdoors.

Toy Display Crate For Disney’s Tsum Tsum’s

Posted on October 16, 2016 by Jeffrey Scott Thomas

If you have a Disney fan in your home, odds are you know what these super cute little toys are. If you don’t, you still may have seen them! These cute little c…

Find out the details here: Toy Storage Crate | Hometalk

How To Craft The Perfect Home Office By Diana Smith

Posted on October 14, 2016 by Jeffrey Scott Thomas

Having a full time stay-at-home job or simply telecommuting seems like truly great idea. Working in a friendly environment while your loved ones are just few steps away, taking a break whenever you want – this particular kind of job arrangement does offer tons of advantages. But what about disadvantages? Well, it should be mentioned that, while pleasant, your home is not really the environment that allows you to unleash tons of productivity. No problem here. All you need to make it work is an isolated home office. Let’s see how to set one up.

Find a Proper Space

Ideally, your home office should inhabit the space of some abandoned room or a basement with the door that will physically separate you from all the other household activities and cut the noise to the minimum. If you don’t own such space, you can separate a part of another room with a folding door or simply set up your office in the corner of some of the less populated areas of your home. Alternatively, you can solve this problem by buying a shipping container and using it as a backyard office.

Take Care of the Essentials

And by the essentials, we mean chair, desk, and any other thing you can’t finish your job without. As for the desk, its only requirement should be to provide you enough space to get the job done. If you are short on space, you can get away even with a wall mounted table. The chair, on the other hand, is a whole another story. You will spend a lot of time sitting there, so find the one that is comfortable, adjustable, and offers great lumbar support. Other home office essentials may include PC, printer, scanner or a separate phone line.

Make the Office Pleasant and Inviting

The more appealing and inviting your home office is, the more time you will want to spend there, and rest assured – that time will translate to increased productivity. That is why you should ditch the utilitarian mantra and make your home office as relaxed and cozy as possible. Hang the pictures of the places you would like the visit, fulfill your childhood decorating dreams or do whatever you want to make the office your little piece of Heaven. It would also be a good idea to use full-spectrum lighting if your office does not receive too much natural light.

Storage, Storage, Storage

Clutter is poison to productivity. The best way to put an early end to it is to pack your office with enough storage space. Fortunately, various shelving solutions can fit into virtually any space, so you don’t have any excuse for keeping the papers scattered around the office. What you should do instead is to organize storage into distinct sections, mark them with different colors or signs and keep the empty walk and document scavenging on the bare minimum.

Lose Distractions

We already mentioned that your office should be inviting and pleasant. However, if you go overboard you may hurt your productivity. The first thing you should do to prevent this from happening is to clean your office of all the media you like to consume (If music gets you going, you can make yourself a playlist on the PC, though). Second, lose the unnecessary furniture. Your chair may be comfortable but the sofa will always look more inviting. Third, if you have chosen some gimmick (e.g. music, cottage, industrial) stick to it. Odd elements will constantly distract you.

If you follow these few tips, your home office will become a neat and well-organized piece of space that will strike the perfect balance between pleasant and productive. You will finally be able to use all the advantages of stay-at-home jobs without worrying that the household will consume you. Enjoy, and have a pleasant day at work.