Author Archives: Jeffrey Scott Thomas

4 Interior Design Trends to Follow This Year

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Everyone has their own unique preferences when designing their living spaces, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t common trends that come and go from year to year. Over the past few years, as many have found themselves spending more time at home than usual, creating a welcoming environment has become even more of a focus. Let’s take a look at four interior design trends you may want to consider as you update your home’s decor.

1. Bold Colors and Patterns

These days, many homeowners are replacing neutral tones and minimalist designs with more visually stimulating colors and patterns. Primary colors—red, blue, and yellow— are certainly having a moment, as well as green, often in the form of plaids, checks, stripes, florals, and other playful patterns. Retro-inspired designs provide a sense of comfort and familiarity, and these bigger colors and patterns offer a mood-enhancing aesthetic.

Especially worthy of note, Pantone’s color of the year, Very Peri, is quite a versatile shade, combining the boldness of blue with the softness of periwinkle, and can be used equally well as an accent or focal point. From subtle decor like throw pillows and lighting fixtures to main pieces like furniture and bedspreads, this lovely shade can both excite the eye and calm the mind—two key elements in maintaining a healthy home.

Another simple yet effective way to add a splash of color to any room (with windows) is to apply diffraction rainbow decal stickers to windows. When the light shines through, it creates a gorgeous pop of rainbow colors akin to a prism, only with more exciting patterns. The combination of natural light with morphing rays of color is truly a magnificent feast for the eyes!

2. Vintage and Antique Pieces

This year, designers and homeowners are enjoying the comforting allure of vintage and antique decor. Besides looking beautiful, many well-aged pieces are also functional. For example, a vintage record player complete with your favorite albums and vinyl accessories can provide entertainment while looking quite dashing to boot.

Additionally, the prospect of hunting down and acquiring these types of goods is a fun and rewarding hobby in and of itself. Scouring the internet and local shops for the perfect piece is a modern treasure hunt, and you’ll enjoy the fruits of your labor for many years to come. You can even turn the hobby into a business if you play your cards right!

3. Personalized Spaces

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As people spend more time at home, they gain a new appreciation for surroundings that tell their stories. For example, while everyone has their own preferences when selecting types of art prints, many designers and homeowners are choosing to support their favorite artists by purchasing or commission artwork that speaks to them, rather than picking up mass-produced art from big-box stores. Showcasing a collection—be it art, knick-knacks, musical instruments, or anything else that ignites joy— is a fantastic way to surround oneself with meaningful beauty.

Besides displaying collections, there are plenty of other ways to truly turn a house into a home that represents its inhabitants. Framed family photos, or even painted portraits, are a great choice, and they serve as a reminder of what’s truly important in life. Similarly, decor with inspirational quotes and images can serve as reminders of one’s beliefs and goals.

4. Elevated Home Offices

As working from home becomes increasingly common, many homeowners are choosing to upgrade their home offices. In the past, many home offices were used rarely—often only on sick days— so a simple desk, chair, and computer did the trick. As people find themselves spending more time in these spaces, they’re naturally gravitating towards better decor and equipment.

Even those who don’t have rooms solely dedicated to their home offices may find that upgrading their bedroom, basement, living room, or other auxiliary room with hybrid furnishings is a great way to differentiate between time spent on and off the clock. For example, a laptop table with wheels can be rolled out when it’s time to clock in, or a lift-top coffee table can be converted to a desk.

Beyond functionality, decorating a home office makes working that much more appealing. While some homeowners prefer a cohesive aesthetic throughout the home, some remote workers enjoy treating their home offices like an entirely different place, helping to replicate the feeling of waking up and going to the office—even if that office is just a few feet away!

Beauty Is In the Eye of the Beholder

Whether you’re just incorporating a few interior design trends or completely renovating your home, this year looks to be all about comfort and personality. Consider thinking outside the box as you shop for new decor. You might be surprised by how a subtle or drastic change can really add excitement to your living space, and in turn, your life.

At the same time, if you prefer minimalist, clinical, and utilitarian design, there’s certainly nothing wrong with that! It all comes down to your preferences, so go ahead and embrace your inner designer, regardless of what the latest trends may look like. It’s your home, and only you know which interior design choices will bring the most joy.

Author Bio:

Carolyn Mitchell is a freelance writer and content strategist with a passion for home décor. She can often be found re-painting and updating the furnishings in her home, and she is also a dedicated cat mom to two adorable kitties.

Keys To Decorating With Flowers

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Flowers have been used as a decorating tool for thousands of years. Ancient Egyptians made bouquets for the dead, Chinese Buddhists have practiced ikebana since the 6th century, and formal flower arrangement became extremely popular in France during the reign of Louis XV.

Today, most of us decorate with flowers by purchasing a bouquet from the local grocery store and displaying them on our dining room table or in a window.

However, there’s so much more that can be done with flowers as a decorative tool — both in your house and outside. So, here’s a quick guide to help you make the most of your flowers.

Themes and Seasons

The best home makeover plans revolve around clear themes which are emboldened by floral decorations. Whether you choose a bohemian style with rooms full of pampas grass and hanging amaranthus or a more understated pastel theme with roses and lavender, there are flowers to suit your theme.

If you want to start decorating with flowers but don’t know where to start, then you might consider theming your displays and designs around the seasons. Theming your floral choices around the seasons is always a fashionable choice and can give you a sense of direction if your options seem overwhelming.

The best way to find season-appropriate flowers is to simply walk around your local garden center. Many garden centers are open year-round and have folks on hand to help you make decisions about the flowers that would suit your home. You may also find some professional help from florists who specialize in creating your perfect bouquet for a feature-piece flower arrangement.  

Artificial and Preserved Flowers

Sometimes a flower arrangement would look best in an impractical place for watering and maintenance. For example, if you have your heart set on a bursting bouquet of peonies, but you want them to drape above a window or around some artwork, then you should probably consider an artificial or preserved alternative that won’t need watering.

Artificial flowers can look a little gaudy, but if you choose the right flower, you might find that the illusion holds up to inspection. Alternatively, you can do as the Victorians did, and create your own flowers from fabric and cloth materials that you have lying around.

If you don’t have time to sew your own artificial flowers, you can take advantage of preserved flowers which are typically made using silica gel. You can do this by gently submerging the flowers you wish to preserve in a tub of silica, and leaving them for around 4 days. You’ll want to check in on the flowers every day, though, as some flowers dry quicker than others.

Fragrant Flowers

The best flower arrangements do more than look nice — they smell great and waft a fresh scent through your whole house. However, most folks forget to consider this element when deciding upon the flowers. This is a missed opportunity, as great smelling flowers carry a range of benefits, and help you keep your home healthy.

Start small when bringing fragrant flowers into your home — the lavender that smells fantastic on your back porch might be overwhelming if you plonk it down next to your office desk. Small pots of Arabian jasmine will do well in larger rooms like living rooms, and citrus plants that smell fresh may suit your workspace.

Fragrant flowers can also help you overcome an afternoon slump. Most people’s energy dips in the afternoon, and the fatigue caused by a heavy lunch, poor sleep, or raised stress can interfere with your plans for the day. Flowers alone won’t mitigate this fatigue, but you can do things like water your plants after lunch as part of your break to boost your focus. When you return to your workspace, the fresh scented flowers may help you clear your mind and retain a greater level of focus.

Outdoor Decorations

Most of us associate flower decorations with indoor spaces. However, outdoor spaces like patios and porches will look that much better if you commit some time and effort into decorating them with flowers.

The key to decorating with flowers in these spaces is to ensure that you maintain continuity between indoor spaces and outdoor spaces. So, if the room which leads to your garden is themed around a delicate palette of pastel colors, then you should consider following suit in your outdoor space and can consider decorating with things like lavender or carnations.

However, for most folks, the garden isn’t a purely decorative space. More often, it’s a shared space for the whole family to enjoy and play in. So, when planning your flower decorations, you must ensure that your garden is accessible for everyone. This is fairly straightforward, as you can rely on things like raised planters and hanging baskets which add a vertical dimension and won’t be trampled on.

Conclusion

Decorating with flowers is a great way to bring the natural world into your interior design plans. Try to choose flowers that fit your overall design theme, and feel free to experiment as the seasons change. If you want to bolster your flower arrangements, consider visiting a florist who can create a beautiful statement bouquet, and may teach you a few floral tips along the way.

5 Aesthetic Lighting Techniques

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Lighting your home interiors should be approached as an artistic endeavor. The way you use light shifts the ambience, affecting your mood and how you experience your domestic spaces. Employing light as an element of decor is as sophisticated as it is simple.

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Whether electric, USB, or solar, lighting in the home should impart feelings of nurture, comfort, and the intimacy of personal space. Even the kitchen needs to feel cozy, while you’re in there slicing and dicing.

For all the areas of the home we’re going to discuss, lighting is about function as much as it’s about form. The function needs to be calibrated to its purpose, while illuminating the action in an aesthetically pleasing way.

Let’s discuss 5 aesthetic lighting techniques that impart both ambience and luminous functionality.

Technique #1: Layered Lighting for your Home’s Warm Heart

Overhead light in the kitchen is the default because it’s where we prepare food. You’re cooking, so you need to see what you’re doing but you’re also unwinding from your busy day in the sanctuary of your home.

While overhead lighting lets you see clearly, it can be oppressive and intense. Our first aesthetic lighting technique solves the problem by positioning light where it’s most needed—over the countertops, hidden under the cabinets.

Layer lighting in your kitchen with overhead, recessed lights. Positioned intelligently, these provide lighting which is both unobtrusive and miles more functional, focusing on the action.

Over the dining table, a low-slung chandelier creates warmth and intimacy, while lighting your evening or early morning meal. The idea is to deploy light for specific purposes that serve function while creating the soothing mood that makes your home’s warm heart even warmer.

Technique #2: Purposeful Lighting for your Home’s Hub

The living room is where most people spend the bulk of their time at home, hosting friends and family, relaxing with a book or movie or just hanging out. A lot goes on in living rooms, so your lighting needs to acknowledge that multi-functional intent.

The living room is the repository of beloved decor like paintings, often elevated to the status of heirlooms with fine art framing. Accent lighting showcases your treasures attractively. As in the kitchen, recessed lighting illuminates without breaking the mood. The light deployed has a specific purpose: to give pride of place to that heirloom painting or your collection of handcrafted swords.

Strategically placed task lighting provides illumination you can read by. With a standing lamp or a minimalist table lamp fulfilling a specific purpose, the mood of the room is enhanced, honoring function while maintaining the calm aesthetic you desire.

For entertaining, wall grazers add drama, highlighting architectural elements and revealing beautiful textures on walls, floors and even your furniture. Grazers tell an aesthetic story about the space itself, bringing it to life.

Technique #3: The Transforming Bathroom

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In the morning, it’s “go time.” You’re transitioning from sleep to the busy day ahead, so you need lighting that’s energizing but gentle. Choose lighting that’s diffused and more closely resembles daylight.

Wall sconces on either side of the mirror with a third sconce positioned over the bathroom mirror create this effect, especially when positioned close to the mirror. Another solution is a mirror equipped with LED lighting, casting an even, diffused light.

But because the bathroom is also the site of relaxing evening baths, a dimmer switch is in order. The daylight illumination of your busy mornings can be readily transformed with a dimmer, creating two moods that align seamlessly with your lifestyle.

Technique #4: The Intimate Bedroom

Ambient lighting that imparts a soothing environment is ideal for the home’s most intimate space. While you need to see while dressing and perhaps to read before bed, the bedroom is a sanctified space, demanding a unique lighting approach.

Those who read before bed will appreciate the presence of task lighting for that purpose. This is best achieved with small, wall-mounted fixtures or pendant lights that leave the bedside table clear for a stack of books.

The ambience of your bedroom is enhanced with moody lighting that provides illumination without bringing daytime intensity into your sacred sleeping space. Light which is soft and adjustable may be provided by a statement standing lamp, or an overhead fixture that emits a calming, low light. The primary goal of bedroom lighting is keyed to its purpose, which is sleep and, of course, intimacy.

Technique #5: The Right Bulb

Once you’ve selected your aesthetic lighting schemes, choosing the right bulb for the light fixture and its purpose is your next task. With ecologically-sound solutions readily available and bulbs for all purposes, the bulb is the finishing touch, providing exactly the right intensity and mood.

Thinking of lighting as an element of decor pushes your interiors to the next level, recreating them as functional oases of domestic beauty and bliss.

Author Bio:

Carolyn Mitchell is a freelance writer and content strategist with a passion for home décor. She can often be found re-painting and updating the furnishings in her home, and she is also a dedicated cat mom to two adorable kitties.

Ultimate Checklist For Renovating Your Home

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Photo by Max Vakhtbovych from Pexels

The New Year has just started and this may be the best time to change things in your life. If you weren’t happy with your figure, you could try changing your diet and start a new exercise regime. If you weren’t happy with your home, give it a makeover! Remodelling your home can seem overwhelming, but the truth is that a good plan can simplify this process significantly. A renovating checklist could be exactly what you need to create your dream house. This way, you can be certain that you’ll remember everything and that you’ll get it done in the right order!

Make a plan 

Firstly, you should create an idea of what you want to achieve. Before you start gathering the materials, you should know which direction you’re headed in. You should start by examining your home – both the exterior and interior. 

Make sure that the floors, the roof, the plumbing, and the electricity are all properly inspected. Then, try to figure out what you want to do with the space and determine the possible duration of the renovation. You should also set the budget at this point. 

Start from the outside

You could do the home renovation in any way you’d like. However, starting from the outside and working your way in could be the most efficient and neat. You could start from your roof. Make sure to repair everything broken or get a new roof if necessary. 

Another thing that could need repairing or replacing is the material. Check out the paint and the materials on your house. If your doors and windows have an air leak, invest in them as well. Don’t neglect your garden either and increase your curb appeal with a simple makeover. 

Kitchen and bathroom 

The two rooms that usually need a complete transformation are the kitchen and bathroom. When it comes to these two, you should pay attention to both functionality and aestheticism. For the kitchen, you should take care of the lighting and storing options first. 

You could invest in a kitchen island if you have the time, space, and money! As far as the bathroom is concerned, you should upgrade the shower and the faucet. Good ventilation and storage space are the key parts of a functional bathroom. 

Floor plan 

If you don’t want to upgrade the existing room, but you want to add new ones, you should take this even more seriously. Nothing can increase the value of your home as professional home extensions. You can add a room or knock some walls down efficiently and inexpensively!

If you’re unhappy with the current layout of your home, you don’t have to put up with it. You can add a whole floor if you wish. Installing a built-in storage space or converting an unused space such as a basement into something else are also your options. 

Electrical items 

Electricity is more than an important part of a modern home. To keep everything functional in your home, you may want to upgrade your electrical appliances. For instance, integrated kitchen appliances are always great additions.

Next to integrated fridges and cookers, you should also install some electrical sockets and a new lighting system. With some home assistant, you can create a smart home. This will allow you to enjoy the benefits of smart home security, for example. 

Flooring 

You should be aware of the importance of flooring in interior design. Flooring won’t just affect your home design, but it will also make your house more functional and affect your health. If you have allergies, you should carefully pick your flooring options. 

When it comes to the flooring remodelling, you could update your current options or you could enhance their beauty with some carpets and rugs. You could also lay some tiles in the kitchen or bathroom and you could consider underfloor heating. 

Waterworks

When it comes to the plumbing system, it’s important to update it in older properties. If your property is of a recent date, you could simply have a maintenance check. Look for worn and old pipes and replace them. 

You could install new taps and other fixtures. If the bathroom is old, you could invest in a new bath, toilet, and shower to modernise the space. Make sure to have your sewer system checked and cleaned if necessary. 

Décor 

Finally, you can focus on making your home more personal and unique. When buying furniture, look for timeless classics. Make sure to hang some art and a lot of mirrors on the walls. Think of colour schemes for different rooms and start painting!

Get some blinds and curtains for your windows and try to match the vibe with each addition. Buy some lamps and put some flowers throughout the house. Use throw pillows and blankets to create comfort and give texture to the rooms!

Conclusion 

Home renovation is a challenging task. If you plan it carefully, though, you could make it a fun and interesting project. Make sure to create your checklist and work your way to your dream house!

Tips For Keeping Your Home Healthy

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If you want to keep your home healthy, your top priority should be to keep your home clean. Here are efficient ways you can maintain your home to create a safe and healthy living environment. 

Declutter your Space

So, the first and most important thing you need to do in order to keep your house clean and healthy is to declutter your space. You have to start with bigger stuff to get to the finer cleaning tasks like dusting and vacuuming.

Efficiently done decluttering process will free up a lot of space. Clothes that are lying around for no reason will only make you trip every time you try to walk around. That kind of clutter will only limit your space for movement and it will make you stressed and anxious whenever you look at it.

On top of all of that, having dirty clothes and wet towels lie around just about anywhere is very bad for your health. This kind of clutter creates perfect conditions for bacteria to grow and spread around. So, take your time to properly declutter, do your laundry and maybe go through your wardrobe and see if there are any clothes you no longer wear. You can either donate it or get it recycled. 

Keep the Kitchen Clean

Kitchen should be one of your top priorities. This is the space in which you prepare your food and eat. The last thing you want is to have all sorts of bacteria and infections running around freely where your food is. So, take your time and be very thorough when it comes to cleaning your kitchen.

Firstly, make sure to clean your kitchen sink regularly. Unclog the pipes, switch to new sponges regularly and wash everything off. The kitchen sink can get stinky if you don’t maintain it. Make sure to clean out your fridge every once in a while and don’t forget to clean your stove since stains can dry out and cause a whole mess that is hard to get rid of. 

Don’t Forget the Bathroom

The bathroom is tricky because this is where you take care of your hygiene. It needs to be clean and sanitised. That means to wet towels lying around to collect bacteria. Change your towels regularly and make sure to wipe off any excess water off the surfaces in the bathroom. 

The wet and moist environment is the best for bacteria. That is why you need to take extra care of your bathroom and prevent mould from developing on the walls. Making sure to ventilate or let enough air in is very important.

Let the Fresh Air In

Speaking of which, if you want to live in a healthy environment you need to let some fresh air in. make sure to open your windows in the morning when you wake up and let the fresh breeze inside. The fresh air will help clear your mind and breathe with your whole lungs. It’s good both for your physical and mental health.

Get some Houseplants

Another great way to get some fresh air is to simply get some houseplants for your home. Firstly, they look amazing ad can create a whole new aesthetics in your home. Secondly, they will quite literally bring life into your living space. They will produce more quality air for you and make a better living condition for you and your family. Just make sure to take care of them well. Water them as much as they need and let them sunbathe. 

Take care of Pest Control

In order to prevent infection growth and spread, you need to take care of pest control. If you haven’t already, you need to consult experts and get them to check your home to see if there’s any need for pest control. In case you live in a flat, in a bigger city, chances are that you sometimes might have cockroach outbreaks in the pipes. In that case, getting professional cockroach pest control services is simply a necessity if you want to keep your home clean, safe and healthy.  

Sanitize your Home

This goes together with the previous statement. Keeping your home sanitised will prevent all sorts of bacteria and infections from spreading around. You are also less likely to get any pest-related issues in the apartment if you clean and sanitise everything correctly and thoroughly enough. Just make sure there are no wet spots around the house that will attract the pests.

Use a Doormat

Lastly, if you want to maintain your home and keep it clean with almost zero effort so that you don’t have to vacuum every day, use a doormat at the entrance. It will make sure that most of the dirt, dust, debris and water stay outside; or you can start wearing slippers around the house. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, keeping your house healthy means you have to keep it clean and sanitised. Hopefully these tips were enough to help you organise your cleaning check list.