Looking for Fast Home Cleaning Tips? Get Them Here!

Posted on August 13, 2015 by Jeremy Leake

Cleaning your home is a never ending process. In order to help you out we found this article with with some time saving cleaning tips. We hope they help!

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From the article:

These easy habits will save you serious elbow grease down the road.

Place a couple of dryer sheets (even used ones work) in the bottom of the trash can to absorb spills and mask odors.

Eradicate hard-water stains in the toilet by pouring in a cup of distilled white vinegar once a month. Let sit overnight, then flush.

Wipe down tile walls and glass doors after showering with a small flexible squeegee to curb soap scum.[/quote]

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Looking to have a clean home? Checkout this article about spring cleaning guide that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/cleaning/everyday-cleaning-tricks?xid=soc_socialflow_twitter_realsimple

Love the Idea of Secret Rooms in Homes? Take a Look at These Ideas!

Posted on July 20, 2015 by Jeremy Leake

Hidden and secret rooms can be a lot of fun. They can be used for a variety or reasons. In order to help you decide what kind of secret room you’d like we found this article with ideas. We hope it helps you design your perfect secret room!

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From the article:

If these walls could talk, the secrets they could tell.

Builders are getting requests to create hidden rooms in private homes, to serve as home offices, reading rooms, home theaters, wine cellars, children’s play spaces or security zones.

“People are realizing they’re not just for the movies, anyone can have one,” said Steve Humble, president of Creative Home Engineering in Arizona.

His company designs and creates disguised entryways to hidden spaces — everything from stone walls that open up, armoires with a trap back door, and of course, the bookcase that unveils a concealed room.

Entry into a clandestine spaces can vary, including pulling off the homeowner’s favorite book from a shelf, touching the right spot on a wall, or even having to play the right series of notes on a piano or moving chess pieces in the right order to get a wall to move.

Adding a custom secret room can be pricey, but it can also boost a home’s value when it increases square footage.

A simple bookcase that conceals a hidden room runs around $3,000 to $4,000, while a more shelter-like space could cost $10,000-$15,000, according to luxury home builder Greg Alford of Alford Homes in Texas.

Homes listed and sold that included a secret room from 2010-2014 in 48 markets had a median sale price of $409,400, well above the $235,000 for homes without a clandestine space, according to Redfin.

Wine cellars are also going underground — literally. The ground helps keep the cellars at the right temperatures and humidity levels for wine storage, according to U.K.-based Spiral Cellars.

Hidden spaces can also be used to protect other collectibles like a guitar or gun collection, to keep children’s play spaces out of sight or to create extra space in a smaller home.

Alford recently constructed a 10×15 walk-in gun vault with a hidden touch-open door that held 2,000 guns.

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Looking for kitchen storage ideas? Then checkout this article about kitchen storage ideas that could be of interest to you.
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Look at all the ideas here: http://money.cnn.com/2015/03/20/real_estate/secret-hidden-rooms-homes/index.html?section=money_realestate

Love the Idea of a Mud Room? Take a Look at These Ideas!

Posted on June 25, 2015 by Jeremy Leake

Mud rooms are rooms that some people find a must have and other people don’t really give it a second thought. In order to either help open your eyes to what a mud room could do for your home or to give you ideas on what to include in your mudroom we’ve found this article for you. We hope it helps your design your perfect mud room!

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From the article:

When asked people to share their best mudrooms, we were surprised by the outpouring of love for a room whose most important function is storing and organizing boots, coats, gloves ??? basically, the things we shed as soon as we enter the house. Readers and design pros offered their ideas for making the room work harder by configuring it to suit everything from pets to gift wrapping.

Byron Haynes and Andrew Garthwaite of Haynes & Garthwaite Architects say that mudrooms are more than a luxury in New England ??? they are essential. In this one the clutter is hidden in a wall of cabinets. ???The owners are very active,??? says Haynes. ???They ski, climb, snowshoe ??? you name it. The cabinets allow them to stow all that stuff and still have a space that looks tidy.??? Their big idea was to outfit the doors with slatted windows, allowing air to circulate and dry damp gear.

The other life-bettering move was to install radiant heat under the tiled floor. Haynes says the heat not only feels good on the feet; it helps dry wet boots.

Designer Diane Gordon calls her new mudroom no less than a life changer. ???For 10 years we trekked across the patio from our garage to the house,??? she says. ???I have two teenagers, and there were wet boots and coats all over the place.??? The designer created an addition that bridged the space between garage and house ??? she describes it as a covered breezeway. ???On a day like today, when the temperature is 0, you really appreciate it,??? she says.

There is radiant heat under the terra-cotta tile floors, but the designer says it???s more for comfort than for drying. ???The space is a bit chilly,??? she says.

Right now, in the dead of winter, she puts out boot trays under the row of hooks. Old metal locker baskets in the cubbies are assigned to each family member.

The bench has drawers that hold regular shoes. One is for the designer and her husband; the other is for the kids.

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Looking for more ideas for your mudroom? Then checkout this article about mudroom ideas that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/37283060/list/mudrooms-that-really-clean-up

Designing a Home and Not Sure Where to Put the Laundry Room? Find Out Here!

Posted on June 1, 2015 by Jeremy Leake

A laundry room is important in every home. The placement of it is very important. If you’re lucky enough to build or redesign a house the placement of the laundry room should be given ample consideration. In order to help you out we found this article. We hope it helps you design your dream home!

From the article:

Unlike the typical 10-foot by 10-foot kitchen or the 5-foot by 8-foot bathroom, laundry rooms have no standard size. That???s why many laundry rooms end up in awkward places or banished to a dark and dingy basement. ???They become afterthoughts,??? says designer Amber Linse.

But if you???re lucky enough to have space for a washer and dryer in your home, it makes a job that everyone hates a bit more manageable. So homeowners and designers are always looking for the best solutions for where to put the laundry room. Should it be near the bedrooms? Or should it be off the kitchen? What about in a bathroom?

The truth is, it depends on a variety of factors, including your lifestyle, how much laundry you do and whether you care if guests see your piles of dirty clothes come laundry day. ???There???s never one be-all, end-all best spot,??? says designer Joanne Padvaiskas.

With that in mind, we wanted to explore the pros and cons of putting the laundry room in the kitchen, bedroom, closet, bathroom and more. Here???s what to know to help you decide where you should put yours.

Off the Kitchen
Let???s start with what many designers say is the best location for a laundry room: off the kitchen in its own room.

Pros: The logic is that most people spend the bulk of their time in the kitchen, and kitchens tend to be on the main level of the house ??? also where most of our time is spent. So locating the washer and dryer near the kitchen makes sense. That way if you???re cooking, cleaning, watching TV or helping your kids do homework, you???re within earshot of that dryer buzzer and can quickly stay on top of the loads. ???You do it where people live, so you can actually use it,??? Padvaiskas says.

The laundry room shown here is right off a kitchen and includes a pantry, mudroom and powder room.

Cons: If your home has two or more stories, then putting your laundry room on the main floor off the kitchen means that you???re a flight of stairs away from the bedrooms and hampers. On a busy laundry day, that means a lot of trips up and down. A laundry chute could cut down on some of those trips. But you???ll still have to carry the clothes back up. (Why haven???t more people turned those laundry chutes into dumbwaiters?)

Also, washers and dryers make a lot of noise. If your kitchen is near a room where you enjoy quiet time, watching movies or entertaining with friends, you could have some noise issues. To get around that, you could install sound-insulation batting.

In a Bathroom
For this family home in Virginia, Stubb was tasked with finding space for a laundry room where there wasn???t any space before. The family had already added a second floor to their one-story home and didn???t have the budget to add a laundry room to the reconfigured space downstairs, where they really wanted the laundry to be located.

Stubb came up with the solution to tuck stacked units into a new guest bathroom off the kitchen. ???Being from Scandinavia, they were used to the European philosophy of utilizing more than one space for two different uses,??? the designer says.

Pros: A guest bathroom can be a really cost-effective option, because you already have water running to the space. If you???re doing a powder room, this option also puts the laundry on the main floor, where the bulk of activity happens.

Con: If you???re opting for a guest powder room or bathroom, you might not want to let laundry day fall on the same day that you???re entertaining. Also, if you???re thinking about this option for a main bathroom, consider what you???ll do when another family member is using the bathroom, or the shower in the bathroom. Waiting to switch loads could be frustrating.

Bathrooms also tend to get wet, so you???ll basically have to fold your laundry elsewhere. And some homeowners won???t be able to cope with having clean laundry in a space that also contains a toilet. ???There???s just that clean-dirty mix that creates more of a yuck factor,??? says Carter.

Finally, if you like your bathroom to be more of a calming, relaxing, spa-like experience, then you probably don???t want to be staring at a pile of laundry or hear the dryer going while you???re relaxing in the bathtub.

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to where to put the laundry room. It all depends on your family size and lifestyle. In the end most people who have a washer and dryer in the home are just thankful. ???We will all just appreciate anything, because to have them in our home is a huge convenience,??? Linse says.

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Looking for bathroom design trends? Then checkout this article about bathroom design trends that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/35155424/list/where-should-you-put-the-laundry-room

Do You Know What Design Principles Are Important When Designing? Learn Them Here!

Posted on May 7, 2015 by Jeremy Leake

Designing can be challenging unless you have someone doing it for you. In order to help you out we found this article with some design principles to implement. We hope it helps you design your dream home!

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From the article:

Some people are born with a great eye for decorating or design. Others learn the skill and are able to apply it successfully. And then there are the rest of us. If you don’t have much of a knack for design, a few basic techniques can go a long way.

These decorating rules and principles are simple enough that most anyone can apply them. Your home might not look like a West Elm catalogue, but it’ll look presentable.

Follow The Rule of Odd Numbers
You might already be familiar with the rule of thirds for photography. Designing with odd numbers as a foundation can create harmony and visual interest, explains designer

Cecilia Walker:”The basic idea of the rule is that details and objects that are arranged or grouped in odd numbers are more appealing, memorable, and effective than even-numbered pairings.
It helps to have groupings of objects in varying heights, shapes and textures. At the same time, there should be something similar about them. This advice seems to contradict itself, but the point is, there should be something that groups your items together, but also something about each of them that is slightly different.”

Look at the image above as an example. Three vases, all different heights. The main materials are similar???wicker and glass. But there are subtle differences in elements???sand, water, and the texture of the limes.

Walker points out that this is just a basic rule, and it might not work in every instance. But if this grouping doesn’t look right to you, go with your gut. The goal here is to make sure everything isn’t uniform, and by extension, boring.

Find Your Room’s Focal Point
A room’s focal point is its most emphasized feature. It’s the thing your eyes are naturally drawn to when you walk into the room. And everything around the focal point compliments it.

If you’re lost with how to start decorating a room, finding its focal point is a good start. Many rooms have built-in focal points: a large window with a view, for example, or a fireplace. If your room doesn’t have a built-in focal point, here are some tips and options for creating one:

Paint one wall a different color, then accessorize with artwork or shelves, says interior designer Coral Nafie.

Decide what you want to use the room for, then create a focal point around that, says The Inspired Room. For example, if you want to use a room for reading, you’d make a bookshelf your focal point.

Nafie also suggests simply using a large piece of furniture as a focal point.

You could use a large piece of artwork as a focal point. A large mirror also works well.

Once you find the focal point, decorate around it. Use its main color in elements throughout the rest of the room. In the above example, the focal point???the fireplace???is white. The red walls make its color stand out, and the white candles, orchid and vases all around the room compliment the fireplace.

You can also frame it. In the photo, the vases, windows and sofas serve this purpose. A fireplace is easy to frame, as it usually comes with a mantle. You can add decor on or above the mantle. If your focal point is a large window with a view, you might arrange your furniture to frame it.

Once you have a focal point, a center point helps balance the room. Apartment Therapy explains:

“The center point is the core of your room’s layout. It doesn’t have to be the exact middle of the room, although that’s the case in many homes. The center point of a living room is where the coffee table or center table will sit, with seating arranged around it.”

Think of it as the room’s anchor.

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Looking for more design principles? Checkout this article with design principles that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: http://lifehacker.com/how-to-use-basic-design-principles-to-decorate-your-hom-1687607782

Building a Home? Learn What Questions to Ask Your Builder Here!

Posted on March 9, 2015 by Jeremy Leake

Building a home can be one of the most stressful things you’ll ever do in your life. In order to make the process go smoother most people hire a builder. In order to help you hire the right builder we found this article with questions to ask a potential builder. We hope that it helps the experience be less stressful.

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From the article:

When you’re thinking about buying a new home, selecting the right home builder is a key step in creating the home of your dreams. You should feel comfortable asking a potential home builder every question that you think is important. And, a professional builder or sales representative will want to make you a happy and satisfied home owner.

Besides the questions of “How much does it cost?,” and “When can we move in?,” here are some other questions you should ask:

Will the builder give you references of recent buyers/occupants?

Does the builder have a financing plan established?

Are there options in the floor plan ??? for example, can a basement or deck be added?

Can a room such as the basement be left unfinished?

How much “customizing” can be done versus standard features?

Can appliances be up- or down-graded?

Are there any additional fees relating to the home or development?

Will there be a home owners??? association? If so, what will the dues cost and what do they cover?

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Debating between an open and closed kitchen? Then checkout this article about open vs closed kitchen that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: http://www.nahb.org/generic.aspx?genericContentID=238592&fromGSA=1

Are You Always Tired? Learn Why Here!

Posted on January 19, 2015 by Jeremy Leake

As parents it’s normal that we run tired most of the time. We are busy people with a lot of things going on and a lot of things pulling at us. Being overly tired is a different story. In order to help you out we found this article with reasons why you might be tired. We hope it helps!

From the article:

Lack of sleep isn’t the only thing sapping your energy. Little things you do (and don’t do) can exhaust you both mentally and physically, which can make getting through your day a chore. Here, experts reveal common bad habits that can make you feel tired, plus simple lifestyle tweaks that will put the pep back in your step.

You don’t drink enough water
Being even slightly dehydrated???as little as 2% of normal fluid loss???takes a toll on energy levels, says Amy Goodson, RD, a dietitian for Texas Health Ben Hogan Sports Medicine. Dehydration causes a reduction in blood volume, explains Goodson, which makes the blood thicker. This requires your heart to pump less efficiently, reducing the speed at which oxygen and nutrients reach your muscles and organs. To calculate your normal fluid needs, take your weight in pounds, divide in half and drink that number of ounces of fluid a day, Goodson recommends.

You’re not consuming enough iron
An iron deficiency can leave you feeling sluggish, irritable, weak, and unable to focus. “It makes you tired because less oxygen travels to the muscles and cells,” says Goodson. Boost your iron intake to reduce your risk of anemia: load up on lean beef, kidney beans, tofu, eggs (including the yolk), dark green leafy vegetables, nuts, and peanut butter, and pair them with foods high in vitamin C (vitamin C improves iron absorption when eaten together), suggests Goodson. Note: an iron deficiency may be due to an underlying health problem, so if you’re experiencing these symptoms of iron deficiency, you should visit your doc.

You have a glass of wine (or two) before bed
A nightcap sounds like a good way to unwind before falling asleep, but it can easily backfire. Alcohol initially depresses the central nervous system, producing a sedative effect, says Allen Towfigh, MD, medical director of New York Neurology & Sleep Medicine, P.C., in New York City. “But it ultimately sabotages sleep maintenance.” Alcohol creates a rebound effect as it’s metabolized, which creates an abrupt surge in the adrenaline system, he says. This is why you’re more likely to wake up in the middle of the night after you’ve been drinking. Dr. Towfigh recommends stopping all alcohol three to four hours before bedtime.

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Want to have a more peaceful home? Then checkout this article about peaceful home ideas that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20818045,00.html

Thinking About Having a Tiny House? Checkout These Ideas!

Posted on December 25, 2014 by Jeremy Leake

Having a tiny home is something that appeals to some people. If you are one of those people then you’ve come to the right place. We found this article for you on different tiny house ideas. We hope it helps!

From the article:

What these small houses lack in square footage they make up for in clever design and savings.

Think you could live in a house that???s not much bigger than an SUV? Tiny homes are becoming a practical and affordable option for buyers ranging from young singles looking for a starter home to empty-nesters and retirees looking to downsize.

Typical tiny homes are well under 500 square feet and range in price from as little as $20,000 to more than $150,000, excluding land costs. Most homes are prefab, so there might be an additional charge for delivery.

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Interested in tiny homes? Then checkout this article about tiny home idea that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: http://www.kiplinger.com/printstory.php?pid=12843

Know That Baby Boomers Aren’t Moving Out Of Their Homes? Learn Why Here!

Posted on December 1, 2014 by Jeremy Leake

Did you know that most baby boomers are choosing not to move out of their homes? In order to help you understand why we found this article from CNN. We hope you find it as informative as we did!

From the article:

Instead of flocking to sunny beach havens or downsizing to a condo in the city during their retirement years, a majority of Baby Boomers say they’re just going to stay put in their old home.

In a survey of 4,000 Baby Boomer households conducted by the non-profit Demand Institute, 63% of Boomers plan to stay in their current home once they retire.

Much of that has to do with the recession. The financial crisis put an end to years of rapid wealth accumulation, causing the typical Boomer household’s net worth to fall to $143,000 in 2013 from just over $200,000 in 2007, according to Federal Reserve data.

Not only that, but this generation is also carrying a lot more mortgage debt. The survey found that the median outstanding mortgage balance for 50- to 69-year-olds was $118,000 in 2013, up from $48,743 in 1992.

“Boomers’ nest eggs have shrunk dramatically in recent years,” said Jeremy Burbank, vice president at The Demand Institute, the non-profit think tank run by the Conference Board and Nielsen. “Financially, this generation is not necessarily ready for retirement, and half of their assets are tied up in their homes.”

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Want to live in your home forever? Then checkout this article about design ideas to never move that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: http://money.cnn.com/2014/10/30/real_estate/baby-boomers-homes/index.html

Looking for Sneaky Storage Ideas? Start Here!

Posted on November 7, 2013 by Jeremy Leake

Storage. If your home is like most people’s home then there isn’t enough of it. Depending on the size of your home you have to get pretty creative with storage solutions. If you could use a little help in that department then you’ve come to the right place. We found this article that we hope will give you some ideas on how to increase the amount of storage in your home!

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From the article:

A built-in tub surround typically provides enough space to house tilt-out storage for extra cleaning sponges, shampoo, and soap. Stash your favorite bubbles here, so the kids (and guests) don???t get to them.

No one would ever expect a wall safe to look like an electrical outlet. This hidden mini vault is big enough to secure valuables such as rings, credit cards, and cash.

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Looking for storage ideas in the laundry room? Checkout this article with storage solutions laundry room for busy homeowners that could be of interest to you.
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For all the ideas click here: http://www.bobvila.com/use-every-inch/12281-11-sneaky-storage-ideas/slideshows#!1