Shopping Tips For Your Bedroom - To make sure that we're on the right track in searching for furnishings to create our dream bedroom, here are some basic tips and advices: Decide what best expresses your personal style. Contemporary or traditional, European or American, big or small.
Does Your Home Have America’s Most Inspiring View? - Whether they look out their windows at a beautiful natural landscape, a dramatic city skyline or a garden they planted with their children, many people are inspired by the view from their homes.
When it Comes to Doors, Homeowners Want Privacy, Light - What do homeowners want in window and door blinds? Ease of maintenance and operation, privacy on the main living floor and window and door treatments that enhance their lifestyle and the look of their homes.
What’s Old is New Again - Without a doubt, traditional style remains at the top of the popularity charts in America’s home decorating. Gracious and inviting, traditional design evokes images of understated elegance and the grand style of the 18th and 19th century -- and the warmth and classical comfort many of us remember from our childhood homes. But if you equate “traditional” and “grand” with “old and stodgy,” it’s time to take another look. While elegance and history still personify this style, a definite and growing movement to bring traditional design into a fresher, more relaxed realm is well underway.
Three Steps to an Environmentally Responsible Home - More and more homeowners are interested in having their homes built in an ecologically conscious manner. But what does that mean? What makes one house more environmentally sound than another? Whether you are buying a new home or upgrading your current residence, here are three simple ways to go green...
Why Fuss about Flooring When You Love to Entertain - If you do a lot of entertaining, keeping your house clean is probably one of your biggest challenges. Every time you turn around, it seems like you’re picking up clutter, putting things away, and cleaning the floors.
Dimmers Set a Lighter Mood - What’s the fuss? You walk into a room; flip a switch. Light. You walk out; flip. Dark. Sure, it works, but you are missing the big picture. Lighting isn’t just there to make sure you don’t trip over the rollerblades in the middle of the floor.
Add Some Pizzazz to Your Powder Room! - It’s a room with a toilet and a sink. Maybe a window, if you’re lucky. The average size is a tiny four feet by five feet. And if it can’t get any worse, it’s probably the most frequently used room in your house -- especially for guests and visitors.
Make Space for a Pool Table in Your Game Room - Whether it’s a cottage or a chateau, advance planning makes room for pool and other pastimes in your dream home. The initial planning process of building a custom home or semi-custom residence offers a chance to incorporate the features that best suit your lifestyle.
Renovating a Kitchen? Get a Kitchen Designer Now! - If you’re renovating a kitchen, don’t skimp on the one thing that will make or break your experience and potentially your kitchen -- a professional kitchen designer.
To Upgrade or Not to Upgrade: That is the Question - You’ve found the perfect neighborhood, selected a home plan you adore and chosen a reputable builder. So you think all the stress and decision making in building a new home is now over? Think again! With so many ways to customize a home today, there are hundreds of upgrade options from which you will have to choose . . . cabinetry, countertops, carpets, faucets, appliances . . . the list goes on and on.
Don’t Let Sink Shopping be a ‘Draining’ Experience - It’s one of the most used items in your home, but how much do you really know about kitchen sinks? Which materials are the most scratch or stain resistant? Which can withstand hot pots and pans from the oven or stove? Are there certain sinks that will chip and others that don’t? Which sinks perform better -- stainless, composite, cast iron or solid surface?
Homeowner Demand Sparks Innovation in Hardwood Flooring - The results are in: When asked what flooring material they want in their kitchen, halls, bedrooms and entryway, homeowners say that wood is the way to go. Realtors agree -- a national survey by real estate agents conducted by the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA), found that 90 percent believe homes with wood floors sell faster. Despite all the alternatives available today, genuine hardwood continues to attract admirers with its timeless appeal and warmth.
Indulgences Make Bathrooms Complete - In a world fascinated by reality TV and constant connectivity, the bathroom may be the last safe haven from the prying eyes of cameras and the incessant buzz of cell phones. Privacy, comfort and “unplugging” (however briefly) are alluring aspects of the bathroom, often in contrast to other living spaces in the home.
“No Rules” is Latest Decorating Trend - Trendsetters pride themselves on having the latest and greatest before other people have ever heard of it. They buy a new wardrobe every season, snapping up hip and of-the-moment clothes which they just as quickly relegate to the back of the closet when the fashion winds change.
A Timeless Classic, Wallpaper - There are more home owners than ever before in the United States due to a long period of low interest rates. With incentives such as low down payments and manageable monthly payments, singles and families alike are opting for their own piece of the American dream. Every homeowner, naturally, wants to create a warm and inviting home, a personalized space. This can be a daunting task with so many walls to decorate.
Design Savvy Consumers Tackle Bathroom Decor - Practically everywhere you look these days there’s a TV show or a magazine article devoted to home makeovers, decorating tips or remodeling. Not just for the professionals anymore, home design has entered the mainstream and consumers are a lot more sophisticated than they used to be.