Designing your house is the best part of owning your own home! Who doesn’t love to
get creative and turn a room with four simple walls into a masterpiece? Your home
speaks volumes about what type of person you are, and when someone walks into
your house, the first thing they do is take in their surroundings. They will look at every
nook and cranny–and first impressions matter. And even if you don’t care what others
think about your home, the quality of your home can impact your mood, helping to
free your mind from a day’s worth of stress. Our homes are where we go for safety and
shelter; they are our own little sanctuaries. The more your home reflects your inner
character, the happier you are to be there.
Let’s start with the room that is most important and used the most: our bedrooms!
First thing to consider is color, because every color has the ability to affect our moods
and is more important than most people realize. So let’s take a look at which colors do
what:
- Red: Stimulates a quick pulse and increases your breathing rate. It can inspire
romance or violence. It pushes people to act. It’s warm and radiant to a point
that your mind can’t ignore it. It’s true even in the darkest forms. It’s great for
workout areas and rec rooms. - Blue: Very calming. It puts you into a peaceful state that is easy to be in for an
extended period of time. It’s often used in study areas and bedrooms to make
them comfortable. The calming influence helps people become more
productive in their environments. - Yellow: The epitome of happiness. It helps people be more optimistic. It is joyful
and also pushes people to act. In oppressive quantities, it can cause babies to
cry and make people lose their cool faster. - Green: Similar to blue, green is also calming. It’s a natural color that you see
everywhere in nature. It refreshes the viewer. It’s difficult to get upset in such
an environment. - Purple: You know purple is royal. Since before the industrial revolution, purple
has been associated with royalty, because it was rare. Rare things are expensive
and only kings could afford them. Hence, purple is royal. That meaning still
sticks. - Black: There’s an argument circulating really doesn’t count as a color. That
argument is merely a distraction, because whether or not it’s true, black very
much exists in fashion and in design. It evokes the feeling of authority and
power. Many technological gizmos come in black because it’s awe-inspiring,
sleek, and neat looking. Use black to stimulate that feeling. - White: Just because black is the opposite of white, the meaning for white isn’t
the direct opposite of black. It simply shows innocence and purity. It’s a happy
color that makes you feel free.
Now that you can decide which color is best for you, it’s time to think about decorating.
Picking a bed spread that matches the color scheme of your walls helps to add an
extra touch of mood to the room. Throw pillows and rugs to match also add creativity.
Curtains are also a great addition—they help to keep the room dark during sleep and
are just simply cute!
Your living room is the second most used room in a home and the place where guest
usually spend the majority of their visit. Here are some must-haves for your living
room:
- Get the sofa that fits your lifestyle the best—comfort, quality, and design are the
three things to consider - Make sure the sofa and chairs are all “talking” to each other (make sure they’re
facing each other so that everyone can talk to each other) - If your sofa is a neutral color, try throw pillows that accent the color scheme of
the room - Hardwood flooring? A rug will soften the room and can even lower heating
costs! - Pictures and artwork can add excitement to a room but also can help make a
room bigger and express your personality - Larger furniture laid out just perfectly creates the illusion of a larger room
The kitchen is where the best things in the house happen—food making and eating!
When guests are over, you want it to look nice, AND when you’re spending time in it
cooking, you’ll enjoy it more if you enjoy the space in which you’re doing it, especially
when you’re making lasting memories with your family.
- Adding an island can help include extra counter space and free up clutter
- Putting seats at the island gives you even more functionality
- What if you made it into a little baking center that would be perfect for your
family that consists of over-the-counter open shelves with plenty of room for all
your cookie sheets and pans and lots of space for baking! - Add floating shelves above the stove area to store spices and herbs
Wait! Don’t forget about the bathroom! When you have guests in your home,
chances are, they’re GOING to use the bathroom.
Pick a theme—this can be one color or scheme of colors, beach theme, jungle
theme, sunset…you name it, you can make it happen. Make sure the shower
curtain, rugs, seat covers, waste can, toothbrushes, soap holders, towels, etc. all
match the theme to really give it the look you want.
- Add shelves above the toilet to store extra towels and hygiene products
- Add more shelves INSIDE the shower. This reduces clutter and gets your
shampoo and body washes off the sides of the shower.
Now that you have some fun design tips, you can implement into your own home it’s
time to get creative and get moving. See what you can create and how you can turn
any ordinary room into a masterpiece all your own. For more fun tips and tricks or
furniture needs call or visit Donna France today at Levin Furniture.
Now that you have your list and know what you’re able to afford you want to start looking into a good place to purchase your furniture. Certain items can be purchased second hand but do not carry a warranty as brand new appliances or furniture may. If something may break, tear, or become defective you will appreciate that warranty that came with the new purchase. Professionals at a furniture store can help you plan out furniture to your specific budget. Whether it’s a complete refurbish, a bedroom, living room, or any other room you are working with, buying a new set up with the advice of a professional can work wonders for your home.
You can also think multi-functional when you purchase your items. Make one piece do the work of two. If you rarely use the dining room, for example, use the table as a desk, or a work area until a regular desk or workspace fits into your budget. Find an ottoman that doubles as a cocktail table. Find a sofa that is a sleeper sofa, to immediately turn the living room into a guest room at any given time. Multi-functioning pieces give you the ability to buy just one piece instead of spending more money on another specific piece.
Although there may be super bargains available on multiple pieces, you may only have a budget to buy a piece at a time. Well thought out and chosen pieces can work extremely well instead of a complete set. Look for items in your price range that complement each other and are color coordinated, similar patterns and colors. Typically individual pieces from various sets may cost less and stay within your budget. Lamps, area rugs, and other accents tend to be a little more budget friendly, have a long life span and can be moved from room to room relatively easy.
Reading the care label or instructions is the first thing you should do after you have placed your furniture, tested it and know that it is the right piece. The care label is specific to the item you have purchased and it can give you the do and dont’s associated with it. The care label will tell you what cleaning products can be used on it if it can be steam cleaned, or what is safe to wash or clean it with. If you are familiar with the basic care needed for that specific piece it can stay looking new for a very long time. If there is not a care label, or instructions attached to your item, or came with it, ask the store or associate you have purchased it from.
Avoiding sun exposure is another crucial task when your perfect furniture is set. Sun exposure can cause fading over time, paint or stains may peel, or other conditions may occur from prolonged sun exposure. Conditioning leather furniture often will slow down any cracking from the sun, and give it a longer lifespan. Rotating furniture often, or consider adding window film that will keep harmful sun rays out to allow your furniture to stay like new for a longer amount of time.
Rotating pieces or parts of furniture is another great way to keep your furniture comfortable and whole for a longer amount of time. We as people tend to find a spot we always sit, and use it daily for sometimes prolonged periods of time. A chair, or a certain spot on the couch that we should rotate cushions or change our seating arrangement every once in a while. Vacuum under cushions on the couch, sofa, chairs or any other sitting furniture to slow down the signs of aging. Your mattress should also be rotated, usually around twice a year.
Protect those fragile surfaces. Tabletops and other surfaces tend to receive a lot of wear and tear due to extended usage. There are many ways to protect these surfaces. Coasters, placemats, table clothes, slipcovers, or runners can all be used to protect surfaces from pets, your “artist” children, food or beverage stains, and overall general use. Cleaning with a mild soap on a damp cloth, dusting or polishing wood surfaces is also a way to help preserve surfaces.
GREEN
According to the ASPCA, in the United States alone, approximately 44% of households have a dog and 35% of households have a cat.
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