Mr.Andrew Caxton our expert of the day, writes:
It can be a fun experience planning and decorating a kids bedroom, but the problem is that kids often want to have their say when it comes down to it. Usually if they got their way, the room would be turned into a zoo or some kind of child fantasy and this certainly does not fit into the whole feel and d
Sue Atkins our expert of the day, writes:
“Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment
Benjamin Franklin 1706-1790, Scientist, Publisher and Diplomat
Do you feel like you’re always wading knee-deep through your teenager’s piles of discarded clothes, dirty glasses, crisp packets and magazines?
Does it drive you mad to see the constant mess in your teenager’s bedroom and if you do go and tidy it up do you find that instead of being thankful, your teenager is actually annoyed that their personal space has been invaded!
Well, you’re not alone!
Nagging and harassing your teenager about their untidy bedroom, is exhausting, stressful and generally doesn’t work!
I know it’s tough to see your once beautifully decorated, tidy and organised delightful child’s room untidy, dishevelled and a tip but it’s not life threatening. Learn to take a deep breath and press your imaginary pause button and think - “Is this remark or argument going to bring me closer to my teenager or further away long term in our relationship?” It helps you to step back from the immediate scenario. Then forget about the mess, close the door and save your breath for more important arguments with your teenager. It’s important to choose your battles!
But that is not to say that you totally let them get away with it! It’s important to tell your kids what your minimum standards are clearly, specifically and categorically and to compromise by maybe choosing a day when their room has to vacuumed, dusted, tidied up and straightened out every week.
Link it to their pocket money or the lifts into town that you’re prepared to give them and stick to your guns and expect that standard from them.
It’s also helpful to make a distinction between their space and the space the family shares.
Most teenagers like their own space so let their bedroom be that private space. It’s a place to relax, chill out, study and be alone and if you think “Their room, their mess, their business.” It helps you cope with all the untidiness.
Try not to intrude but make it clear that the rest of the house is everyone’s space and be clear and specific on how you’d like that family space to be treated. Sometimes a messy room can be a health hazard or a fire risk. So set clear boundaries and say what you expect, and although it’s probably far below your usual standards, be clear about no smoking in their bedroom, the food being cleared up and binned and glasses brought down. Also make sure hairdryers, curling tongs and straighteners are kept in safe places to avoid the possibility of fire.
Don’t make general pleas for help, always be specific in the tasks you ask them to do, set a time limit to when you want them done by and check they have done them and have sanctions ready if they haven’t!
Work out rules they can accept, which meet your minimum requirements and don’t have too many of them.
For example,in the kitchen, state clearly your expectation that when they have made themselves something to eat, they clean up after themselves, (including the pots, jugs, lids and utensils) and wipe down the surfaces. Stress that the kitchen is everyone’s space and each person has the responsibility of keeping it clean. Ask who will clear up their mess if they don’t.
You make a rod for your own back if you give in and do it yourself. If you always tidy up after them, they get used to it. Let them take the consequences of their untidiness. If your son can’t find his football shirt because it’s still in washing machine or on the floor, then so be it. If your daughter’s favourite top has been chewed by the new puppy because she left it on her bedroom floor for days, serves her right! Consequences are always the best and most remembered teacher. They will appreciate what you do for them all the more, when they realise the effort it involves to do it themselves.
Remember you are guiding, teaching and encouraging them to be independent and to take care of themselves long term and you are also teaching them life skills, respect and responsibility.
Ask yourself:
What changes can I make this week that will make a big difference to the way I feel? What do I need to remember to do regularly? So what difference will this make to me, to my relationship and to the whole family? What’s stopping me making those changes? What hurdles may I come across this week? How will I get over them, round them, or through them? What will happen if I don’t make some small changes in my attitude, approach or mindset?
Just relax and daydream how you’d like it to be regularly before you fall asleep and notice the changes that happen naturally.
Lynn Cressy our expert of the day, writes:
Are you looking for an easy and simple way to add style and beauty to your home? Wrought iron wall décor is the answer. Metals have been a part of our world for centuries because they are attractive, useful and bring us closer to nature. Let’s consider how you can include wrought iron wall décor in your home decorating ideas.
Wrought iron is an excellent material for furniture and home decor. It lends itself to both graceful scrolls and straight lines. Furniture and home décor can be entirely created out of wrought iron, or it can be used as a decorative touch on wood and other materials.
Wrought iron wall décor is versatile because it can be found in various finishes. You will see traditional wrought iron finishes in black or brown. However, you can alter wrought iron to complement your room’s décor by adding a coat of paint. You will also find wrought iron in distressed white and verdigris finishes which are unique and add a different dimension to your décor.
Geometric-shaped decorative wall grills are very popular wrought iron wall décor objects. You will find various sizes to use in any room—large or small. Large decorative wrought iron wall pieces are an excellent way to fill up wall space in large, spacious rooms with tall ceilings. They also work well on the wall of a stairway—the trick is hanging them! You will find them in the shapes of spheres, crosses, rectangles, squares and half circles.
Wrought iron candleholders are mainstays in home décor. They harmonize with almost any decorating scheme and are a backdrop for beautiful, unique candles. They are especially inviting on the wall near the entrance to your home and in the guest bathroom.
Wrought iron mirrors as well as other wrought iron wall décor can be moved from room to room as your decorating tastes change. A mirror by your back door is a “must” as you rush out into the world! Don’t forget to put a mirror in the guest bedroom as a convenience for your guests.
Consider the possibilities when decorating with wrought iron wall décor—it is versatile, will never wear out and will add style to your home for years to come.
John Pawlett our expert of the day, writes:
If you have a child, you have to deal with your child’s room. You may remember being yelled at as a kid to keep your room clean, and you may have wondered what the big deal was. Today, I totally understand why my mom was always on my case to get my room cleaned up, and why she would get so upset when I let it go.
For parents, seeing messed up kids bedrooms is something that will never be acceptable. When you spend a lot of time keeping the rest of the house clean, chaos in the bedrooms seems to make it seem like you have done nothing at all.
Kids bedrooms are a place where many kids play. If you can, you should have a separate room for toys, and if you can do this, the bedrooms will remain cleaner for longer. Most of us don’t have this extra space, and if we do, we have to use it for something else.
If at all possible, you should give your children the bigger rooms when moving in to a new house if you don’t have room for a toy room. That way, they can keep a better handle on the toys they have.
If you find that your kids bedrooms are always a disaster, you have to come up with a plan to keep it picked up. This will be hard, and I have to tell you, I have failed on every attempted. My kids bedrooms have always been a disaster, and no matter how hard I try, I cannot get her to pick up the toys and clothes. We can help her, but the mess is back the next day. Short of cleaning her room for her, or moving, I am at a loss as to what to do next.
You may want to get storage units to put into your kids bedrooms if they seem to have too many toys on the floor all the time. This hasn’t worked well for me, but maybe it will for you. My daughter is spoiled rotten by my family, and I don’t know how to get them to quit. As a result, she just has too many toys. Before each holiday I must go through her stuff and throw things away, and give away the good stuff to charity. Otherwise, she’d be living in Toys R Us.
The very best thing to do if your kids bedrooms are driving you nuts is to close the door and try to forget about it. It works for me.
Jayson Pablo our expert of the day, writes:
A good home decoration can give an entirely new look to one’s home. These days, people often employ professional home decorators to give that unique look to the interiors of their homes. Let us have a look at some of the intricacies of this emerging field.
Interior decoration is the art of decorating a room so that it becomes attractive and functions well within the existing architecture of the house. Although, the terms home decor and interior designing are often used interchangeably, they in fact show a distinct difference in their scopes. Home decor typically focuses on the appropriate selection and presentation of the house’s interior items like furniture, accessories and room layout. On the other hand, interior designing involves the manipulation of the architectural integrity of the interior space of a house.
The first professional interior decorators were probably employed in Western Europe during 1720s. William Kent is often cited as the first person who took charge of the interior decoration of an entire building. In London, the work of home decorators was earlier done by the upholsterers while the same job was done by merchand-mercier or “Merchant of Goods” in Paris during early nineteenth century.
Syrie Maugham, Dorothy Draper and Sybil Colefax are among the prominent eighteenth century interior home decorators. The two prominent London based modern interior home decorators are Lenygon and Morant. The present day home decor themes do not belong to a specific period or style. The job of interior designers have become more specialised over a period of time. The modern interior designers choose floor plans, light fixtures and wall paintings for the houses.
The goal of home decor is to provide a certain “feel” to the home. These days, many people take the services of professionally certified interior decorators (C.I.D.) to give a all new look and feel to their homes. The home decoration has become a popular television subject in the UK. Changing Rooms (BBC) and Selling Houses (Channel 4) are the two most popular home decoration programs that have widely been appreciated by the Britishers.
Lynn Cressy our expert of the day, writes:
Are you thinking about redecorating your home but are limited on time and money? If so, here are several quick and easy home decorating tips to add a refreshing sense of style to your home.
*Flowers and Plants – Every room of your house can benefit from the freshness of flowers and the beauty of green plants! Flowers and greenery bring immediate life to any room and prove to be a popular home decorating tip. Whether you prefer fresh, silk or dried flowers and greenery, choose (or create) arrangements that complement the overall décor of each room.
*Window Valances – Dress up bare windows or windows with blinds with valances. This home decorating tip is a simple way to add a decorative touch of color to any room; you will find a wide variety of ready-made valences in department and home decorating stores.
*Throw Rugs – What a great way to add color to any floor even if your floors are carpeted. A throw rug with vibrant colors or unique patterns gives a room a different look and is an “easy-to-do” home decorating tip. Throw rugs can be used as wall tapestries as well as area rugs!
*New Lighting – Combine direct light from a new light fixture or table lamp with the indirect light already present in a room, and you will add an inviting atmosphere to any room.
*Candlelight – Consider the home decorating tip of adding the magic of candlelight to a room by creating a “candlescape.” While one glittering candle adds a warm radiance to a room; a grouping of several candles creates drama. Choose from a cluster, a row or a collection of candles in different shapes, sizes, and colors to create a mesmerizing allure.
These easy home decorating tips are aimed at everyone that strives for a comfortable, stylish home without spending too much time or money in the process. Take a bit of time over the weekend to get started with these easy home decorating tips.
For ideas on keeping your home organized, download a free copy of the ebook “The Essential Guide to Organizing Your Home”. This ebook has many practical, easy-to-use tips to make home organization a reality. Click here for your free download.
Jude Wright our expert of the day, writes:
There are many styles of decorating one’s home. One of the most popular ones today is “country home decorating.” Country home decorating involves a casual friendly lifestyle, much like the country lifestyle is often about.
To make your home reflect country home decorating, you should have each room of your home incorporate the theme. The main elements of this theme are the following:
- Using harmonious colors that do not clash with each other in your rooms, which helps to make the whole scheme come together.
- Achieving balance with the main pieces of furniture you place in your rooms;
- Carefully placing each piece of furniture so that the purpose it was made for can be fully utilized and you gain the most benefit from owning it.
You want the rooms to exhibit simplicity and restfulness, much like what the country life revolves around. This is why you should only have the pieces of furniture in a room that you truly will use. You also should not use many colors. In addition, the color scheme you use should be based on the same family; you should not mix shades, as this will totally distort the image of country home decorating.
Your home should also provide an atmosphere with quality objects that have good shapes and color-combinations. You should take your time in furnishing your home with the “right items,” as rushing on what items to put in your home will likely lead to wrong choices and wasted money. After some time, you’ll learn what pieces of furniture and furnishings you aren’t using, and can therefore get rid of and replace with pieces that have colors and shapes that are congruous with your room’s theme and are provide a more useful purpose.
You should make sure that the lighting fixtures and picture frames all blend in well with the style of furniture you furnish your home with. You should also hang appropriate pictures that match up with your furniture style as well.
It’s very important to have a unified theme when you’re decorating the interior of your home using a country home decorating style.
Another main element of country home decorating is that warmth and charm are evident in all the furnishings. Using natural-tone furniture, like oak or pine, constructing your floors from natural wood, flagstone, or tile, and using wood blinds or cafe curtains with checkered or floral patterns can help show this element of warmth and charm you’d expect to find in a country home setting.
Other main elements you want to emphasize in your country home include comfortable sofas and recliners, open fires in fireplaces, many books, and the lighting where you have as much sunlight as possible during the day and many lamps that provide good reading light at night.
A country home emphasizes simplicity, balance, good harmony amongst all the furnishings of a room, and the warmth and charm that such elements bring to the room. Using natural-toned furniture like oak and pine and natural substances to create your floors, like natural wood or flagstone, will also add to the country home atmosphere. When these elements are combined together in a pleasing manner, you’ll experience the country warmth, charm, and tranquility in your home.
L Chan our expert of the day, writes:
You’re finally ready to update your home after decades of neglect and now you’re thinking about improving the function and appearance of the kitchen. The kitchen is a favorite room most homeowners first think of when an upgrade is needed.
Kitchen remodeling can get quite expensive, but it is the best investment in your home because it is the room used most often and when it is time to sell the house, the upgrades done to the kitchen usually keeps its value.
Before you hire the contractor or do it yourself, you might be wondering what to do with the kitchen you have now. You can find ideas for your kitchen in a variety of ways. Here are a few suggested ways to fire up your imagination.
Visit Open Homes
Many owners put up their house for sale near your area. You can visit these homes when they are open for viewing. You can dash straight into the kitchen and take notes of the layouts or floor plans you like. This is a chance to see what other people’s kitchens look like. Be sure to look at such things as cabinetry, proximity of the stove, sink and refrigerator, countertops and flooring. You should be able to get a feel of what your neighborhood has by visiting several of these open homes. Naturally, the quality will vary in each home you visit, but you will get a firsthand look that will help you find the features or the styles most appealing to you.
Visit Showrooms
Complete kitchens can be viewed in home improvement retail showrooms. They have arranged them to include cabinets, appliances, sinks, stoves, refrigerators, tables and chairs to help you get a feel of how a new kitchen will “almost” look like in your own home. You are sure to find a few of these retailers within your neighborhood. Don’t just limit yourself to the well known chains such as Home Depot or Lowe’s. Look in your phone book to find the smaller dealers were they could give friendlier and cozier service.
Home Improvement Shows
Each year, a gathering of leading suppliers will set themselves up at booths under one roof to present their home improvement products or services. In these fairs or shows, you will see the newest kitchen remodeling products available today. They usually hold “how to clinics” or workshops that will teach you how to do certain remodeling or home improvement jobs. There may be a small entry fee, but it would be worth it, considering what you will learn by talking to the experts.
Kitchen Remodeling Magazines
Many kitchens are shown in magazines that focus on home improvement such as kitchen remodeling. You get to see the newest designs and appliances. Sometimes you might think these kitchen designs are out of your price range, or your home isn’t big enough, but it is a good source for fresh ideas and you might learn a thing or two about what’s new. Many of these periodicals can offer you how to information and reviews you can use to help you decide what to look for in a design, materials and more.
Last Thoughts
These are just a few sources to help you get some ideas for your kitchen remodeling project started. Don’t forget to talk to anyone you know about their kitchen, such as your family members or relatives, friends and co-workers. Find out if they had a remodel job done lately and ask for their experience or advice. Good luck in your kitchen remodeling.
Copyright 2006 by Leroy Chan
Rob Muller our expert of the day, writes:
Energy efficient homes that go easy on the environment are turning heads in Georgia with their low-maintenance appeal, cost efficiency and natural good looks. With Georgia Tech’s recent success in the 2007 Solar Decathlon and world-class community projects like Atlantic Station, Metro Atlanta is well on its way to being a model of eco-building in the Southeast.
Georgia’s green power was most recently demonstrated by Georgia Tech at the 2007 Solar Decathlon. The innovative contest, sponsored by the US department of energy, is a green building competition with an emphasis on solar energy. Twenty teams from universities all over the world were handed the task of building the most attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered home they could imagine.
Over the five day judging period, the Decathlon Homes had to demonstrate the ability to use nothing but solar energy to power a washer dryer, oven, TV, computer and generate hot water. The homes also had to be architecturally sound, marketable and they had to look good.
Though it was their first year to participate in the contest, the Georgia Tech team won 6th place for their innovative light-house, a completely off-the-grid solar powered home. First place went to a team from Darmstadt Tech in Germany. Though the Georgia Tech team didn’t take home first place this year, the house is part of the significant contribution that that Atlanta’s architects and engineers are making to what we know about building smart.
“Many of the advances that are demonstrated in this house will come to the mainstream,” said associate professor Russell Gentry of the Georgia Tech house, “they will have to come to the mainstream if we’re going to save the energy that we promised to.”
The innovations in the Georgia Tech house set a new standard for energy efficiency and eco- friendliness for Atlanta homes. Atlanta already has a number of model solar projects like the EcoManor, the Southern Living Idea House, and the Brookhaven Zero Energy Home.
“35% of the energy consumed in the US is consumed in buildings. It’s important for us to develop technologies that save that energy,” says Gentry. “Everything we do here is about making buildings more energy efficient and smarter.”
The Georgia Tech Light House is steel and wood construction with a modern open floor plan, hardwood flooring, and a semi-transparent solar roof that subtly lets lights into every room in the house while it insulates and generates power. Designed to be easy to build, expandable and accessible, the plans accommodate from one to three bedrooms and up to two baths. The cost of the prototype is $280K.