Category: Uncategorized

  • Types of Home Improvement Business You Can Start Without Degree

    Types of Home Improvement Business You Can Start Without Degree

    There are some types of home improvement businesses that do not need a high training level. Without a college degree, you can start up your own home improvement business. Furniture repair, painting, lawn care, deck building are good business ideas for those who want to venture into home improvement. Let’s consider some types of home improvement businesses you can start without a degree.

    Home Improvement Business Ideas

    Artificial Grass Installation

    Backyard with lawn and olive tree
    Used with permission of Breeze Giannasio

    Artificial grass installation is an easy home improvement business. The business is profitable as homeowners are now installing artificial grass to natural grass. It is a good home improvement business a person can start without having a degree. The business requires minimal training as all you need to do to install the artificial grass correctly. If you want a simple yet profitable home improvement business without a degree, consider artificial grass installation.

    Deck Building Business 

    Deck-building is a good home improvement business you can start without a degree. It requires having basic skills in carpentry as you will be working mainly with woods. Deckbuilding is a lucrative business as there is a huge increase in deck installation in homes. Homeowners are upgrading their flooring leading to an increase in deck builders. The business is simple to start and manage. Deck builders can search decking design websites for decking design ideas.

    House Painting

    Minimalistic living room wit couch, coffee table, TV and cabinet
    Used with permission of Millhaven homes

    House painting does not require a degree. It is a business you can earn money from if you don’t go to college. House painting service is in high demand as interior and exterior painting is important in home upgrading. The business is easy to manage as you don’t need a lot of capital for a start.

    Lawn Care Business 

    A lawn care business is a good home improvement business you can start without a degree. The business includes lawn mowing, cutting of the grass, weed control, pest control and more. Lawn care is a profitable business as there is a high potential for earning money. To start the business, you need lawn care equipment like a mower, trimmer wheelbarrow, rake, leaf blower, shovel, and so on.

    Cleaning Services

    A cleaning business is easy to operate. It is a profitable home improvement business you can start up without a degree. Cleaning business involves cleaning and maintenance of homes, offices or industrial buildings. The business is easy to start and requires low entry capital. 

    Furniture Repairs and Finishing Business

    Furniture repairs and finishing business requires basic carpentry skills. It is a home improvement business that does not need a degree. You can start up furniture repairs and finishing services with little capital. The business is also a profitable one as people seek to refurbish their furniture instead of replacing them. Homeowners, business owners, schools, government offices are potential clients that will need the service of a furniture repairer. If you have basic skills in carpentry, consider starting your furniture repair and finishing business.

    Fence Repairing

    Sideview of the white house and front yard
    Used with permission of Blackband Design

    Fence repair service is a cool way of earning money. These home improvement businesses do not require the use of a degree certificate to start up. It is a simple means of earning cash as fences do get damaged and will need repair. The business is not difficult to start as it does not require huge capital. If you have minimal skills in carpentry, you are good to go. Homeowners, gardeners are potential clients that will need the service of a fence repair.

    Moulding Installations

     If you want to start up your own home improvement business, you can venture into moulding installation. Moulding installation is an easy way to make money as homeowners are upgrading their home interior. A good thing about starting a moulding is that it does not require a degree. 

    Conclusion

    There are several home improvement businesses you can start without a degree. Consider starting up a moulding, furniture repair, deck building or artificial grass installation business. And for home improvement needs, you can check out Home Essentials Direct. Thanks to all the companies linked above.

  • 5 Most Essential Rooms in Your House and How to Make Them Functional

    5 Most Essential Rooms in Your House and How to Make Them Functional

    If you want a perfect house, it is necessary to have as much space as possible. It is likewise excellent to enjoy living or using different rooms in your home. Many people can afford to buy or rent houses with various rooms. It is seen mainly with people with large families. Every room in your home can be essential for different reasons. The standard rooms ought to be functional for the house to become livable. Let’s look at some of the rooms and how you can make each of them practical.

    1. An office

    Designed home office with desk, plant and chair
    Used with permission of Breeze Giannasio

    There are cases when working from home can be necessary. It is a significant space you can use to handle most of the office duties. Your office can be in a separate room or just inside your house. If you inherit a house, you need to know all the documents in your office cabinet are accounted for before changing the office around. Here, ensure all the details in the letters of testamentary are up to date. 

    For the office, it is appropriate to make it as favorable as it can be. You can start by incorporating a comfortable desk and a table. The same room must be free from distractions. The best thing is to select a far-end space to continue working in a good environment. Another idea is to let the office have some good lighting to enable you to work at any time. You may settle for the artificial or natural lighting features here. If the space is small, it is advisable to have vertical storage facilities.

    2. The kitchen

    Your cooking place is a great area to start preparing meals or drinks for the family. It is among the most valuable rooms in any house. When looking for a home, you must consider the space of the kitchen first. It is because this is the central place where you can spend a lot of time. For it to be functional, it is great to look at your personal needs in advance. You can likewise invest in appliances that will not take all the space in this place. 

    3. The master bedroom

    Bright designed bedroom with king size bed
    Used with permission of Breeze Giannasio

    A master bedroom is a comfy room in your house. Most of the master bedrooms are large enough to fit different things. They will include a bathroom, bed, some furniture and maybe an entertainment unit. Yet, this room should be as clean as possible. Here, you can now comfortably your items in a safe place. It is suitable to add some storage in this room for more space. The idea of buying the right thing for this room can be significant. For instance, if you like to read in the bedroom, buying a coffee table with some shelves for your books is excellent.

    4. The living room

    After a tiresome day at work, it feels good to come for some relaxing time. One room that you can enjoy doing this is the living room. It is similarly the room where your family can gather for some talk or entertainment things. For the living room to be functional, it is superb to choose incredible furniture first. The interior decoration in this space should be on point since it is the room to relax. You can as well mount the television on the wall to add more space in the living room. For your books, you can choose some floating shelves for extra space.

    5. The bathrooms

    Bathroom with designed bath tub, mirror and sink
    Used with permission of Melanie Gowen

    A good bathroom is quite crucial in the house. Bathrooms are great for personal grooming and other things. For your bathroom to be efficient, it is time to add some accessories. These are items to use in your day-to-day bathroom activities. The color of the bathroom’s wall can also determine if it will be functional or not. For a more spacious look, get to use white or cream colors. When picking the lighting fixtures, it is decent to opt for simple designs. It is to avoid too much attention to the lights. Another good idea is to choose quality storage and will come in handy for your accessories while using this room.

    These different rooms in the house can be outstanding with the right ideas. Sometimes it is hard to decorate each room to match your imaginations. If this if the case, it is relevant to call in experts for ideal interior designs. Thanks to all the companies linked above.

  • How to Make Your House More Homely

    How to Make Your House More Homely

    Your home is your sanctuary. It’s your space to wind down after a long day, enjoy time with your loved ones, and channel your inner interior designer.

    Whether you have recently moved into a new property or you’ve lived in the same place for years, it’s always nice to add lots of personal touches to your home. And these touches don’t need to be anything extravagant and expensive.

    Even the small touches contribute to making your home feel like home! They help your house feel like more than just a building where you sleep and eat.

    Photo by Tolga Ahmetler on Unsplash

    For those of you who are renting, it can be particularly challenging trying to find ways to personalize your living space. Your landlord might not allow you to decorate and you might now own the furniture that you use on a daily basis. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t add your own style to the property.

    Homeliness isn’t defined by the color of the walls or the layout of the house. It’s defined by the unique accessories or homely designs that add to the coziness and inviting character of the place.

    So, whether you are a homeowner or you are renting, you still have some creative control over the way your home looks and feels.

    If you need some inspiration on great ways to transform your home into a relaxing space that reflects your character perfectly, here are some ideas for you.

    Don’t Be Afraid to Accessorize

    Whether it’s a handmade ornament or some Irish gifts for the home, the world of home accessories is huge. There are endless designs and styles of homeware being released every month, meaning you can easily find something that suits your home aesthetic.

    You could go for a bold bronze sculpture for your living room or a dainty dreamcatcher for your bedroom. Maybe the dining room would look great with some miniature fake plants or a set of stylish food storage jars.

    Even if you love the minimalistic look, your home can still benefit from some accessories here and there. Go for some items that use neutral tones and minimal designs to place subtly throughout your house to add an extra special touch.

    Photo by Tolga Ahmetler on Unsplash

    Get Cozy

    Nothing says ‘homely’ more than lots of fluffy blankets and woolly throws. Surrounding yourself in softness is a cost-effective way to increase the serenity of your home.

    Place a large throw over the couch or throw one over your duvet on the bed so you’re never going to feel cold. You may also want to get a cozy weighted blanket to enhance your sleep quality. This will make your bedroom feel like a safe haven where you can happily drift off into a deep sleep every night.

    Rugs are also a great way to increase the homeliness and coziness of your property. Not only do they feel amazing under your feet, but they also add to the cozy look of your home. Whether it’s a thick, fluffy rug for your living room or a thinner, waterproof mat for your bathroom, rugs are the way to go!

    They are also helpful to cover up any cold hardwood flooring that you might have in your home. If you’re renting and you can’t pull up the boards to replace them with warm carpets, rugs are the perfect temporary solution.

    There are so many different types of rugs available in different sizes, designs, and materials. You can use a different style in every room to keep it exciting and varied too.

    Display Childhood Memories

    For many of us, thinking about childhood brings back amazing and happy memories. If you’re looking to make your current property more homely, consider displaying items that bring back these memories.

    This might be some of your treasured family photos from a childhood holiday or old ornaments that your grandparents gave to you years ago. Maybe it’s an old board game that you used to play as a family every Christmas or a small plastic car that your brother loved to play with when you were younger.

    There are so many small items that you can find a place for somewhere in your home. By placing your favorite nick-nacks in each room, you’ll be able to reminisce whenever you like!

    Photo by Svitlana on Unsplash

    Keep Your Home Clean and Tidy

    It’s difficult to feel relaxed and cozy in a place that is full of clutter. Giving each room a quick tidy will leave your home feeling open and inviting. If possible, tidy things away as you go along to avoid things getting out of hand. Try to stay on top of cleaning the floors and kitchen countertops as well as regularly washing your bedsheets.

    However, with life being extremely busy for many of us nowadays, it’s understandable if your home gets a little messy sometimes. You might get home from work and want to snuggle up on the couch for the rest of the night. Cleaning and tidying is probably the last thing on your mind!

    If you struggle to find time to regularly clean and tidy, setting aside a full day each month to perform a deep clean and get everything tidy and organized within your home will make a huge difference to its level of homeliness.

    Adopt a Pet

    Coming home to a furry friend that excitedly greets you at the door is one of the best feelings. Adopting a pet has amazing benefits to your mental health and it’s the way to give your house a homely feel. Even the soft touch of an animal’s fur can calm you down by reducing stress and increasing the levels of positive neurotransmitters in your brain.

    Of course, your pet also provides social support. They become part of your family!

    If you have the time, money, and energy to properly care for a pet, you should definitely consider adopting! Remember that if you currently rent your property, you will have to run it past your landlord first! Thanks to Creative Irish Gifts for consulting.

  • Unique Decor Clock Ideas For Every Home Interior Design Theme

    Unique Decor Clock Ideas For Every Home Interior Design Theme

    Every home needs a few clocks to keep track of time throughout the day, ensure you wake up on time every morning, or simply add to your exquisite interior design theme.

    Clocks are functional decor items as well. However, when choosing the most suitable clocks for your home, you might be wondering what options are out there. So, we’ve listed some of the more unique options for you to consider. Instead of opting for a regular bland option, these clocks will add to your interior appeal.

    Nautical Clocks

    A nautical clock is most suitable for a breezy beach-themed home interior. However, they can also be used for vintage home themes. These clocks are exceptionally intricate in terms of design. Because they hold a vintage element, they are generally great decor investments that can be used as statement pieces in various areas of your home.

    You can consider using nautical clocks in the living room, entrance hall, or best yet, in your home office for a professional yet vintage sea-side vibrance.

    Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash

    Vintage Grandfather Clocks

    Grandfather clocks are undeniably one of the most vintage types of timekeepers out there, and they are excellent accent pieces for your home as these large clocks are great for drawing attention.

    These vintage clocks can be pretty pricey, though, so if you are hoping to save a bit when purchasing this unique and age-old clock design, you can consider shopping around at second-hand markets, online vintage stores, or even asking around the family. If you find an affordable grandfather clock that’s not working, repairing and refurbishing the timekeeper will still be more affordable than purchasing a pricey authentic grandfather clock that’s in perfect condition.

    Oversized Wall Clock

    Oversized wall clocks have become quite a prominent trend in home interior design in recent years. And the best part of this trend is that it can be used in most interior themes, although you should select the clock style with care.

    Photo by laura adai on Unsplash

    These are ordinary wall clocks, just much larger and attention-grabbing than standard size options. You can consider modern minimalist designs, vintage roman numerals, or even contemporary unique designs depending on the theme of your home.

    The oversized wall clock is available in so many different styles and designs, and better yet, they’re one of the more affordable timekeeper options on the market.

    Digital Modern Clocks

    Of course, there are a ton of modern options on the market as well. And some of the unique options include digital word wall clocks. These work differently from regular clocks, as they don’t have hands but rather digital words that light up according to the time.

    They are both affordable and practical for modern interiors, and you’ll have several options to choose from as well. So, you can consider minimalist modern clocks with no numbering and a chrome finish frame. The options to consider are just about endless when it comes to modern digital clocks.

    Photo by Logan Cameron on Unsplash

    Creative Wall Clocks

    Creative wall clocks can be created with a DIY approach if you have a knack for creating unique items. And if you enjoy DIY projects, you should also consider other great DIY decor ideas such as chunky knit throw blankets, fun cushion creations, metal wall art projects, and many others.

    However, you’ll also find several options on the market that are pretty unique and creatively artistic. So, if you aren’t too fond of DIY projects, you can still find something in this category of clocks to suit your preferences.

    These clocks are generally unusual looking, with knives and forks used for tracking clock numbers or a series of different-sized wall clocks hung on the wall like a clock collage. Mirror clocks are also pretty creative. However, the options are endless when choosing innovative artistic clock designs, as there is genuinely no limit to art and creativity.

    When picking the correct clock for your home, you should consider a few essential factors before you start shopping around. First, you should consider your budget, as this may dictate what kind of clocks you can afford. Next, you should consider the general theme of your home; you want your clock additions to fit in just right without seeming out of place.

    And lastly, you should consider how many clocks you would need. It’s never a great idea to have multiple clocks of the exact same design, so if you have a larger home, you should shop around for different home clocks of a similar design to keep things unique. Thanks to Chelsea Clock for consulting.

  • 7 Tips to Deliver the Perfect Wedding Toast

    7 Tips to Deliver the Perfect Wedding Toast

    Do you want to add a touch of class to your wedding speech? If so, consider ending with a wedding toast, which is perhaps one of the most memorable gifts you can give to the newlyweds. Why? Because it honors the couple and celebrates the latest chapter in their lives. When done properly, your toast can be very moving, and guests will remember your words long after the event.

    But delivering a speech can be daunting for anyone, especially if you’re not keen on public speaking. So, we recommend you prepare in advance. In this article, we give you some tips to help you give a meaningful, heartwarming (and even funny) speech.

    Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

    Wedding Toast 101

    While some guests simply offer warm wishes, a wedding toast is made after an encouraging speech by raising glasses to the newlyweds and taking a drink, wishing them good health, wealth, and success. You, as the speaker, should invite the guests to lift their glasses, to offer the new husband and wife their affection and joyful hopes for the future. You do this after either a hilarious story, a clever statement, or some inspirational words.

    How to Deliver the Perfect Toast

    Introduce Yourself

    Chances are, most of the guests know you, but even so, one of the most important wedding toast tips we can give you is to let the crowd know who you are and how you are related to the couple. But make this introduction as short as possible. You don’t want to end up talking about yourself when you should be highlighting the couple’s qualities! So, keep it short, sweet, and on point.

    Photo by Jordan Arnold on Unsplash

    Show Gratitude

    Regardless of the event, being thankful always warms people’s hearts. Therefore, do not forget to mention the people who made it all possible. Crowds love to hear it when the first words that come out of your mouth are words of gratitude. It shows you appreciate their effort. So, pick some of the couple’s best qualities and highlight specific moments when they demonstrated such attributes. Getting this part right will mean the guests will be talking about your wedding toast for days or even weeks to come.

    Address Both Newlyweds

    Some of the best wedding toast examples are those that involve both of the newlyweds. Even if you only know one of them, you shouldn’t focus all your energy and attention on your friend while completely ignoring their new life partner. Whether you have known your friend’s new spouse fairly recently or not, you should find a way to say some beautiful words about them. To do this, you can simply ask your friend to tell you a story that shows the unique, admirable characteristics of their new spouse, and find a way to recount this in your speech to good effect.

    Think About a Theme

    Your wedding toast should have a single defining thought. If you can’t find quite the right words, try thinking about your friend and pay attention to the first word that comes to mind. Whether that word is funny, witty, or compelling, use it as the anchor of your speech. Doing this will help organize your thoughts, making it easier for your speech to stay on course.

    Photo by tabitha turner on Unsplash

    Add Some Humor

    If you want to please the crowd and keep their attention, add a short, inoffensive, funny statement, like: “To keep a marriage working well, admit when you are wrong, and when you are right, shut up!” Keep in mind that when trying to be funny, do not overdo it and stray into being annoying – ensure the celebration of the couple remains the focus. Adding a little humor is one of the wedding toast ideas you shouldn’t miss.

    Go for First-Hand Experiences

    You can add value to your speech by relating something you have a personal experience of, that ties in with the theme of your words. Let the crowd see another side, or a part, of the bride and groom (either individually or as a couple) that maybe they haven’t before.

    Conclude with a Toast

    To congratulate the couple and offer them well wishes are the two main elements of a wedding toast, so don’t forget to conclude with words along these lines. As you wrap things up, ask everyone to share a toast with the newlyweds. If you want to put a nice tagline to it, incorporate a one-liner that defines the new couple.

    Pro-Tip for Couples!

    You will also give a wedding toast to your partner with a beautiful speech. Yet, there is another aspect to be addressed. Sometimes, part of giving an impactful toast is also to make sure the audio and sound check are in order. It wouldn’t be pleasant if half of the attendees cannot hear you nor your best man or maid-of-honor, right?

    Furthermore, make sure you have a beautiful backdrop, especially with lighting, to have a greater impact and elevate the toasting moment. You can basically do this yourselves, just DIY pipe and drape backdrop for wedding and set the tone. Actually, you can find various rentals from Ship Our Wedding that will complement your ambience and heartfelt words perfectly!

    We hope that with these wedding toast tips, you can deliver the perfect speech. Need more hacks and advice to tailor your epic day? Browse our other articles! Thanks to the folks linked to above (except for the photographers) for consulting.

  • A Guide to Getting Your Christmas Village Just Right

    A Guide to Getting Your Christmas Village Just Right

    Every home has a Christmas village. It is difficult to say where the Christmas village trend started, or even when you got your own first tiny Christmas house. But, by now, you probably have enough to make a good-sized ceramic town in your living room, and it is important that you set up your village in an attractive and functional way.

    Getting Christmas Village decorations right takes patience, a good eye and quite a bit of equipment. Here are the steps you should follow to ensure your Christmas Village looks good all season long.

    Stick to a Village Theme

    Photo by Jacob Padilla on Unsplash

    Is your village celebrating rural Americana, or is it straight out of Dickens’s Victorian England? Does your village look like it belongs in the North Pole, or is it a tropical Christmas village? Or, do you integrate all of these elements and more into a single village scene?

    As fun as it is to find and collect all manner of Christmas village accoutrements, a village that includes too many disparate elements looks haphazard. You should survey your current village to see which theme dominates and investing in other pieces to flesh out this main village concept. You can get rid of your buildings and accessories that don’t fit in, or you can set up multiple disparate Christmas villages around your home, even building one outside amidst your other outdoor Christmas décor if your regional climate allows.

    Measure out the Size of your Village

    Before you start buying every Christmas village item that fits your theme, you should think critically about where you are going to display your village. Many people move furniture in their homes to make room for their village during the Christmas season, while others use existing horizontal surfaces, like credenzas, bookshelves and mantles, to showcase their village. Regardless, you should measure out the space you want to fill with your village, so you know how much area you have to work with.

    Then, you should consider creating a platform for your village to rest on. Even if you are using existing furniture as the stand for your village, having a wooden platform to place on top of your furniture has its benefits: It will protect your furniture from being scratched by the unfinished ceramic underneath your village buildings and accessories, and it will keep your village organized from year to year. Most hardware stores will cut large pieces of wood for you, so you can get a platform made to the right dimensions even if you don’t have power tools at home.

    Lay the Right Foundation

    Williams Street room with firework
    Used with permission of Katie DeStefano Design

    No Christmas village is complete if it doesn’t have some kind of artificial ground. Even the most impeccably curated Christmas village that is perfectly themed with gorgeous, expensive accessories will fall flat if it is resting on regular furniture.

    You can find all manner of artificial ground sold alongside Christmas village decorations; sheets of cottony fake snow are common, but this ground often makes it difficult for smaller accessories to stand up. Other solutions include large pieces of white leather or cardboard painted white and spritzed with fake snow. Then again, if your village isn’t in a snowy environment, you might use sand, artificial turf or some other foundation.

    Accessorize

    A ghost town is not particularly festive for the winter holidays. Though the buildings of your Christmas village are undeniably the largest and most eye-catching elements of your display, they shouldn’t stand alone. You should dress up the spaces around your buildings with all sorts of little details that bring the village to life. At the very least, your town needs people to mill around shops or between houses, but an even better village scene will include streets, cars, lanterns, trees, animals and other bits and bobs you might see in a real village during the holidays. These elements you can shift around from year to year or even throughout this Christmas season to make the village feel more alive.

    Remember the Setup for Next Year

    Photo by Giacomo Alonzi on Unsplash

    Because a Christmas village takes a good amount of time to set up, you should try to minimize the amount of energy you need to expend in coming years by taking extensive notes on your village once it looks the way you like it. You can use your platform to draw out where each building goes, but you might also want to take pictures of the setup to store with your village decorations. However, if you acquire new buildings between this year and next, you might need to shift your plans around to accommodate the new structure.

    Your Christmas village is totally unique because no one else has collected the exact same buildings and accessories. You can celebrate the season with a beautifully planned Christmas village that could be nowhere else but inside your home.

    Thanks to all the companies linked above.

  • The Handiest Porch Swing

    The Handiest Porch Swing

    Porch swings are charming and functional additions to your homes, it can give you that picturesque and unique look that every house needs to have. In the past porch swings are quintessential pieces of furniture that every home should have. It allows people to sit and relax outside of their homes but not going far from their homes, neighbors seem to drop by while walking past homes with porch swings since it gives that inviting atmosphere and openness.

    Porch with swing and sofa
    Photo by Francesca Tosolini on Unsplash

    We all need porch swings at some point in our lives, most especially with these trying times, it is comforting knowing that there is a space in your home where you can put your feet up, think about your life and your dreams or plans for the future or even to remember a distant past life. Whatever your interests are, a porch swing can do wonders for your home and porch.

    Traditionally porch swings were made from wood and rattan, and covered with huge cushions in floral print and painted white with ornate carvings. It was chic and cottagey to have a porch swing and almost everyone in your neighborhood had one or wanted one. Porch swings became a permanent addition to the homes and sometimes a few members of the family are against putting up a swing on the porch. Since a porch swing comes with complete fixtures that are attached to the porch or other parts of the house you want it to be.

    Most porch swings come in a predetermined size and are according to the standards set by the building code. Thus, you need to have ample space in your home where you can safely install it. A lot of people have tried fitting in a porch swing without carefully measuring the size of the swing and the porch and some have ended up not using what they ordered since it would entail too much work.

    The Newest Porch Swings

    White swing in the room
    Photo by Jessie McCall on Unsplash

    Porch swings used to be heavy, bulky, and had either cottage designs or ornate woodwork and it was just mainly made from wood. The old porch swings were a thing of beauty, but it was also an icon of the past. Even the houses in the suburbs have taken out their porch swings because it does not seem to go with the modern home designs that are sweeping the country. It seems that everywhere you go, minimalistic designs, industrial and modern are all the craze right now, and the porch swing does not seem to fit in all of that new home designs.

    However, the functionality and the symbolism that the porch swing have has not escaped the attention of some designers and inventors, that a new porch swing has recently hit the market. The newest porch swing does not look anywhere like the old porch swings, it is made from a steel frame and then fitted with planks of real wood. It quickly fits into the new modern home styles and it has an added functionality in that it can be used in outdoor porches and even indoors. It is lightweight when compared to the old cottage-looking porch swings, but it does hold very large people with weights up to 200 pounds or more.

    It is still suspended from the ceiling and has additional support from the floor to the swing mechanism. The most interesting aspect of the new porch swing is that it has removable seatbacks which you can detach and takedown or place in the given slots around the seat so that it can face whichever way you want it to be. You can use it as a side border if you want to sleep in the swing, or you can place it at the opposite sides if you want to put your legs up while sitting in it. This new design will surely capture the interest of many, as it is the handiest of all porch swings.

    Ordering Porch Swings

    Terrace with firework, table and chairs
    Used with permission of Jenny Keenan

    Finding a modern porch swing for your porch or backyard or even in your dining room or breakfast corner is as easy as pie. Since this is a new modular design, it is only manufactured by one company and they also have only a handful of suppliers. The best way to find them is to go to the internet and search their website or online store. You can use your favorite search engine for this and as soon as you go to the results page, you can check the top three results and find out whether they do have the new design of porch swings that you want.

    At the moment, the size of the porch swing is a standard one, and make sure that the space you want to have it installed can safely accommodate the swing without really having to tear down a wall for it. The newly designed porch swings will fit right into the modern and minimalist home design and you can still even add a throw pillow or cushions to make it cozier and more appealing. There are not many options available at the moment owing to the limited materials and designs, so the only one you can get is the first and only design.

    Once you are ready to order, just go to a website or online store that you have already identified earlier and make your order from them. This would entail knowing the size and shape of the space and being able to communicate it to the customer service personnel. After making a successful order, then you can wait for it to magically appear in your immediate environment

    Caring For Your Porch Swings

    A porch swing is a must for homes that have ample space in their floor area and these can even be placed in various areas and may have different functions as a swing as it should be. The thing is, when it comes to any appliance or furniture, you need to take the necessary steps in making sure that your new porch swings will last for a long time. You need to ensure that it is safe to use and clean and that it is in excellent condition all the time. You can use a damp cloth with a soap and water solution to clean it and then leave it to dry and buff with a cotton piece of clothing.

    Thanks to organicswings.com for consulting on this post.

  • Why Should You Invest in Pre-Sale Property Styling?

    Why Should You Invest in Pre-Sale Property Styling?

    As a homeowner, when you decide to sell your house, you want to ensure that it’s sold at the best price possible and gets off the market within a few months. The longer your home is on the market, the lesser the chances are for it to be sold at your offered price.

    You can invest in staging your property and getting a stylist service that enables it to look better with no permanent modifications. Opting for services like Novari Collective property styling can give your home a better chance of being sold successfully. Here’s why.

    Enhances Your Home’s Appearance

    White house with front yard
    Used with permission of Blackband Design

    Property stylists can maximise your home’s potential and enhance its appearance through their expert and tasteful recommendations about the ideal furnishing that will help reflect your home’s advantages.

    They keep up to date with the recent trends and popular choices for interior design, which enables them to make informed choices when decorating your home with the best decor items and furniture.

    When property styling is done correctly, it can add character and warmth to an otherwise empty home. It creates an inviting atmosphere that people would love to visit. The service will also increase the expected sale price of your property by showcasing it as more liveable than most other houses on the block. 

    Get More Offers for Your Property

    Many people can’t imagine living in an empty home with no or little furniture. When you put your home for sale with sparse styling, you may receive no offers because potential buyers can’t envision the idea of living in such properties.

    Make your home appealing and attractive to all kinds of buyers when you get it professionally styled through services like Novari Collective property styling. A home can look larger when it has stylish and well-proportioned furniture.

    In a market full of homes up for sale, you can give your property a fighting shot when you make it unique from other listings. Investing in pre-sale property styling can help it truly stand out.

    Can Help Save on Expensive Repairs and Renovations

    Living room with coffee table, armchair, couch and firework
    Used with permission of Kira David Design

    Pre-owned homes are not perfect, and each comes with its set of flaws and quirks. You may have peeling paint or yellowing appliances that need to be replaced or renovated completely.

    Property styling can help you hide the unsavoury elements of your home and maximise its benefits to buyers. The peeling paint can be covered by well-placed furniture. At the same time, aging accessories and appliances can be hidden by adding bright accessories and furniture nearby to draw away the potential buyer’s interest.

    When you hire a property stylist, you will be receiving curated and informed selections about elements that can add to your property value. These ideas can be more affordable than expensive repairs and renovations.

    Sell Your Home Quickly

    Experts like Novari Collective property styling services can offer you a range of styles that best cater to your home. With the ideal styling, you can feel less stressed about making an effort in selling your home.

    Couch in the corner of the living room and windows in the background
    Used with permission of Lisa Furey Interiors

    With vast experience, most property stylists are experts in getting your home off the market as quickly as possible. They know what potential buyers may be looking for and ensure it through their services. You will get maximum value for your property and sell it faster with their recommendations.

    They can help create value additions throughout your home that may lead it to be sold for higher than the asking price. Not only will they give an objective assessment of your home from a buyer’s standpoint, but they also ensure the presentation is attractive enough to cover any disadvantages.

    Stylists can help you create a home with a style that is attractive to a wide variety of potential buyers. Take the hassle out of property selling when you invest in getting property styling for your pre-sale home.

    Thanks to novaricollective.com.au for consulting.

  • How to Elevate Your Dining Room Décor

    How to Elevate Your Dining Room Décor

    Whether you organize a casual brunch or host a formal dinner party, the dining room décor sets the vibe. The décor lets guests and anyone else at the table know the expectation for food, conduct, and conversation. Ideally, your dining room decorations will elevate the atmosphere, making it feel as warm, luxurious, and stylish as possible.

    Few homes have the perfect dining room by default. It takes effort to create an inviting ambience in the room, achieved through a combination of furniture, decorations, and lighting. Even if you’re on a budget or limited by space, there are still ways to decorate the dining room with simple touches of sophistication. You can elevate the dining room décor by being creative and making the most of what you have.

    Dinning room and kitchen
    Used with permission of Jack Gardner

    Follow this guide on how to use dining room décor to establish a picture-perfect space.

    1. Set a theme

    A dining room generally sticks to a theme with its décor. To elevate the décor, try to settle on a broad theme and narrow down the sort of materials you might need. Trendy dining room décor themes include a modern minimalist look, a rustic farmhouse vibe, or a cottage country aesthetic.

    2. Wall art

    When you walk into any restaurant, you’ll notice most use wall art to craft a specific vibe. You can replicate this same look in your home. From maps and imagery to abstract paintings and signage, wall art can elevate the appearance of a dining room. If an art canvas doesn’t interest you, you can choose to mount sculptures instead. However, avoid installing them too close to the dining room table, as you don’t want anyone to hit their heads accidentally.

    3. Artificial greenery

    Dining room with big windows, table and chairs
    Used with permission of Meg Lonergan

    Artificial plants, flowers, leaves, and vines work as exquisite centrepieces in dining rooms. They go splendidly alongside candles and décor accents. If you have a large, long table that needs decorations in the middle, a collection of faux greenery is a suitable choice. The greener, the better. The occasional flower is okay, but most dining room décor arrangements use a simplified pattern of green over bright colours.

    4. Figurines

    In between your plants, figurines are fun and eclectic additions to your dining room. Built with steel, aluminum, or glass designs, they help decorate your table setting and create a unique focal point. The figurine can appear as an animal, a mythical figure, or any other item of interest.

    5. Table materials

    There are many stylish dining room table fabrics and materials that you can use for all different occasions. Tablecloths, runners, placemats, and napkins are the four basics. A set of sophisticated neutral-toned fabrics work just as well as bold prints. You can remove any tablecloths and other materials at the end of a meal. Switch to another set for the next time you host a gathering.

    6. Chandelier Lighting

    Used with permission of Blackband Design

    Your dining room lighting should create an impact. The lights shouldn’t be overly bright, but they must provide enough illumination for people to see and walk around safely. A classy décor choice is chandelier lighting. Stylish yet functional, the chandelier radiates warmth, elegance, and sophistication into the dining room area. 

    7. Candlelit centrepieces

    Create ambient lighting with an elegant candlelit centrepiece on your dining room table. There are some excellent wholesale home décor deals on various candles, candle holders, and lanterns. However, be careful with their placement as candles pose a safety risk in the room. Avoid open candle flames in small dining room setups, as they can get knocked over and create fire hazards.

    8. Coffee mugs

    Purchase a set of after-dinner coffee mugs. Have them ready to go in case someone wants a coffee or tea after the meal. These items are not only functional, but they are also pleasant touches of dining room décor. If possible, try to match the colours and patterns as your tablecloth to create a harmonized aesthetic.

    9. Personal touches

    If you are decorating the dining room for an event, add personal touches to the décor. You may include handwritten place cards, custom menus, and personalized napkins. Usually, anything handmade will resonate with guests the most. A few artful flourishes will create a welcoming atmosphere in a way that run-of-the-mill décor cannot.

    Thanks to abbottcollection.com for consulting on this post.

  • 4 Top Gas Fireplaces for Your Home

    4 Top Gas Fireplaces for Your Home

    Fireplaces are synonymous with the idea of home, comfort, safety and warmth. Simply mentioning the word conjures up an image of a cosy setting where you get to grab a snack, curl up on a sofa, queue up some entertainment and just enjoy yourself. It is undoubtedly a visceral reaction, and it plays a significant role in the popularity of fireplaces. Perhaps that is why more and more homeowners are looking to buy and install a heater in the home.

    Bright designed living room with firework
    Used with permission of Lisa Furey Interiors

    When they were first invented, fireplaces primarily used wood as a source of energy. However, with the advent of technology, there are now four primary types of heaters: wood-burning, electric, ethanol and gas. While wood stoves are still widely used today, the other types continue to grow in popularity. This scenario is more so evident in the case of gas fireplaces.

    There are many benefits of using gas fireplaces for your home. Other than efficiency and cleanliness, they are also easy to use. Design is another particular advantage of opting for a gas fireplace. One reason for the reluctance to switch away from wood heaters is an unwillingness to let go of the aesthetic appeal of burning wood. Therefore, to speak to this preference, fireplace designers have managed to develop gas heaters that can mimic the appearance of a wood-burning stove. Such advancements have proven so welcome that hesitancy continues to drop.

    If you have done your research and have concluded that a gas fireplace is the right type for you, here are 4 top gas fireplaces for the home that you can choose from.

    Lopi 864 Clean Face 40K GS2

    Terrace with firework, table and chairs
    Used with permission of Jenny Keenan

    This fireplace is built for maximum output. The Lopi 864 Clean Face merges the traditional type of gas fireplaces with high heat levels – such power makes it ideal for use in large spaces. However, if need be, you can turn the heat output down to accommodate a smaller area, making it suitable for a wide range of places as well.

    In terms of design, Lopi 864 Clean Face 40K GS2 is certainly not lacking. You have the option to decline using louvres or grills for a minimalist aesthetic. Additionally, it features a large ceramic glass frontage that allows for a greater viewing area and more radiant heat being released into the room. Finally, for the coup de grace, this gas fireplace has multiple levels of flame control to facilitate flame variations to suit both the temperature and the mood. If you wish, you may even use the accent lighting without turning on the flame.

    Lopi ProBuilder 42 Linear GSB

    The ProBuilder 42 is a model created with value for money in mind. It provides more heat to the home with lower overall energy costs. Furthermore, this model avails you of more perks and features than most other fireplaces of the same type in the market today. Additionally, the ProBuilder is built to last so that you can get years of use out of it.

    If your ideal design style falls into the sleek and contemporary category, then the ProBuilder 42 is the fireplace for you. Its face is made to showcase the dancing flames within while providing ample amounts of heat. As a bonus, you can ask about including the CoolSmart Wall. It is a handy piece of technology that allows you to mount a picture, painting or television at a lower point above the fireplace without risking damage.

    Lopi Radiant Plus Large GSB

    Room with library, sofa, coffee table and firework
    Used with permission of Jenny Keenan

    The Lopi Radiant Plus Large GSB is your solution to making that switch from wood burning to gas. It is an insert that is designed to fit into an existing fireplace. This model works very well in large spaces; the engineering behind it enables the heater to provide both radiant and convection heat to warm every corner of your home. It also features a GreenSmart Basic System that facilitates easy ignition.

    The Radiant Plus embodies the philosophy that you can have a practical fireplace without losing the compelling visuals of a wood-burning fire. Its display gives a stunningly realistic imitation of the conventional wood fire making this fireplace a great addition to every room.

    Lopi Cypress GS2

    This model is a freestanding type that is a departure from the typical wall mounted fireplaces. However, this difference does not make it any less effective. It still gives off plenty of heat using an Ember-Fyre burner that will not disappoint. What’s more, it is fitted with three glass panes that allow for a great view when it is on.

    As you can see, choosing a gas fireplace does not have to be an exercise in settling for what you can get. You can always find something that suits your tastes while simultaneously meeting all your heating needs.

    Thanks to lopi.com.au for consulting.