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Areas Of A Home Most People Overlook When Decorating

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If you’ve been a homeowner for quite some time, then you can probably relate to just how much a room can change with the help of a few minor tweaks. Those new blinds and freshly painted walls can take a room from feeling outdated, to exciting and new. However, there are some areas of your home that you may be neglecting without even realizing it. While you may feel you’ve thought of everything possible to make your home look exactly the way you’d like it, at least one of the items we mention today has probably slipped your mind.

Putting Focus on the Not-So-Minor Details

Locked

While most home-improvement gurus are going to tell you about the importance of color, wall and yard decor, what many of them fail to mention are the upgrades that make a home look more aesthetically appealing. Sure, that perfectly themed bedroom may be stunning on the eyes, but can you imagine how much nicer the room would be if the doorknob matched as well? What about those towel holders in your bathroom? They’ve been there for quite some time and stick out like a sore thumb. These days, there is what seems like an endless number of possibilities because not only is shopping around easier than ever but so is having items custom-made.

Simplifying the Day

Warm Books for Cold Days - Chicken Soup for the Soul Books

The smallest changes can make the world of a difference. Not only that but they can make your life easier. Not have a place to hang your jackets near the front door? Why not install a barely-noticeable rack on the wall? You can choose to have it match the picture frames located on the same wall so even when they aren’t in use, they still blend nicely with the scenery. What about those books that always seem to fall over underneath your coffee table? A few matching bookends can not only give your guests another object to enjoy, but you won’t have to worry about falling books day in and day out.

Safety and Beauty Can Go Hand in Hand

When many adults think about safety, the last thing on their minds is design. A safe home means less time worrying about the children, the pets or any guests you may have staying the night. While you’re making upgrades to improve the security of your residence, why not do a bit of research and figure out if you can’t locate options that are not just going to offer the functionality you’re looking for but also the visual appeal that you’ve worked so hard to create throughout your home?

You Don’t Have to Go with the Majority

A perfect example of this would be household locks. It can be so easy to grab the first solution you come across, install it and go about your day – as most homeowners do. However, there are a wide range of good-looking solutions. Instead of sticking with the medal door handles you currently have and the mismatched deadbolt, why not spend a few extra bucks and get a completely new set? A lever may be more up your alley than a standard knob. While silver and gold are two of the most common colors, don’t be afraid to experiment a little. Choose a style that will compliment the rest of your home. The same goes for your deadbolt. Have you considered one that allows you to peak outside before completely unlocking your door? These are great when trying to keep little ones inside, while still being able to speak with the mail man or see if company has arrived.

Let Your Imagination Run Wild

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Once you begin noticing the items you typically didn’t offer a second glance, ideas are going to begin forming. Even something as simple as adding new hinges on your doors can mean a much better overall design. Walk through your home and take note of what objects you use but maybe haven’t truly ‘looked’ at in a while. Install a new towel holder or change the style of your blinds so they better match the rest of the home. Try not to reach for popular brands or companies because these are often going to offer the most expensive prices. Locate discount shops and ask local home improvement stores if they know where you can find different solutions. Much of the time, they are more than happy to work with you and potentially even offer you discounts in order to have your purchase with them, instead of the competition. Ask them if they would be willing to sit down with you and draw out room plans while you’re at it.

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Ron Gatting is a Interior dseigner by profession and also the author of today’s guest post. A fun loving guy, he likes to reinvent himself through his work by trying out new design ideas. He believes in compactness and effciency and trusts none other than adh.com.au for providing building materials. He has written several articles upto now on various topics and this is his latest one on home decor.

3 Ultimate Chill-Out Zone Ideas For Your Home

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Ah, the woes of modern life! We all seem to be caught up in an endless sequence that involves juggling work pressure, dealing with financial issues, family, and other social obligations, all at the same time. All these factors cause a lot of physical stress and mental strain, majorly due to lack of adequate sleep and poor eating habits – basically, a rather unhealthy lifestyle. In such situations it is imperative to take some time out to relax, unwind and refresh yourself. But once again, by the time your weekend off approaches, you’re hardly left with any energy to go for an outing, isn’t it? You’d rather stay indoors and laze around. Not a problem. If you don’t have the energy to step outdoors to loosen up a bit and indulge in some fun and recreation, why not bring the fun and recreation home to you instead? Yes, it is possible. Have a look at the following few home recreation ideas to build your very own chill-out zone at home!

A bar in the basement

Have you got a basement at your property? Has it been lying neglected and abandoned for as long as you can remember? Why not give it a brilliant makeover and turn it into an amazing bar! Imagine chilling in your basement with your mates over the weekend, enjoying a few pints and watching your favorite sport on television. You could utilize your personal bar to host small parties and gatherings to socialize with family members or close friends. Or maybe on a weekday, after a tiring day at work, you could just unwind in the bar with a soothing glass of wine. Sounds tempting, doesn’t it?

Swimming pool in the yard

Swimming in color

If you have a large backyard or even if you have an extended terrace, you could consider getting a swimming pool constructed. Depending upon the amount of space available there are plenty of interesting swimming pool designs you could choose from. Whether you want to relax in the pool on a hot Sunday afternoon, have a pool side barbecue party with your friends in the evening, or just have a fun session in the pool with your kids and wife, getting a swimming pool constructed at your property is one decision you will never regret. Moreover, it will also go on to add to the aesthetic value of your home.

A gaming room – up in the attic or out in the garage

wall invaders

When it comes to relaxing and unwinding, nothing comes close to the ultimate chill-out zone – a gaming room! How about cleaning up your attic and turning it into a fantastic gaming room? Or maybe you could take up the same project in your garage instead, if that’s more convenient. Having a personal gaming zone at home can be epic – an ideal way to escape from daily stress, office tensions and pesky partners! The main things that could go into your game room would be a pool table, darts, a television set for gaming and movies, a couple of cozy sofas, a mini fridge to store soft drinks, milkshakes or beers, and a few table games like Checkers, Uno, Jenga and Monopoly.

So say goodbye to stress and anxiety by investing in these incredible home relaxation and recreation ideas – a permanent solution to all your modern life woes.

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Jennifer Atkinson is a house wife and loves to keep her home neat and tidy. Along with the usual activities that she undertakes to keep her house clean she also has a chill out zone i.e a swimming pool in her house where she unwinds after the days work. She suggests using the services of Sunbreaker pools if you want to construct a swimming pool at your place. She also likes to blog about various household issues.

Quality Gift Ideas To Buy For Your Friends

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Your best friends seem to always be there for you when you need them the most.  They have seen you at your best of times and they have refused to leave your side through the worst of times.


Therefore, it is truly not surprising, then, why so many people around the globe vigorously search each year for something to give their best friends as a gift and overall token of their appreciation and gratitude. The main problem enters into the equation when the potential gift giver has no idea what gift to give to the recipient.

Here are some quality gifts that your friends will more than likely enjoy coming from you as their friend.

A Gift Card to Their Favorite Store

There many people that may disagree with offering a gift card as a gift, claiming that it is a tacky idea.

However, this dynamic completely shifts in the opposite direction if the gift card is chosen wisely. How is that even possible? Buying a random gift card from the first store that pops up into your head as the closest store available is tacky.

However, buying a gift card from the store that you know your friend shops at all of the time is pure genius and truly is a great gift idea.

A Day for Spa Treatment and Massages

Another great gift idea for your friends is to treat them to the relaxing and peaceful experience of having a trip to a high quality day spa that also specializes in giving body massages to their clients. Your friend more than likely works hard day in and day out to make sure that their family is provided for and that they are there for their friends, such as you.

However, many people feel neglected and overlooked in this regard because they never get a chance to relax on their own. By inviting them to a day spa and massage therapy, you will be able to give them the gift of relaxation that they probably have been craving for months and even years.

There’s Always Jewelry

You can never go wrong with choosing to get your friend a beautiful, quality jewelry item. When it comes to women, diamonds are a girl’s best friend but women do seem to be more flexible in this regard. Do not think that women are the only ones that appreciate receiving jewelry items as gifts, because there are many different quality providers at the mall that can further assist you.

If you want a great deal on a great ring for a man, many customers and critics alike have highly recommended Mens Tungsten Online.

Mens Tungsten Online has a wide variety of rings and ring designs to choose from in order to maintain your masculinity while wearing the wrong but still adding a touch of class and style to your wardrobe ensemble.

There are just so many different gift ideas that you can use in order to come up with some great gifts for your friends as well as lovers. You just need to match what you can afford with what you know your friend will greatly appreciate.

Adam is a content writer that writes articles, blogs, reports and eBooks for such topics as entertainment, relationships, finance and fashion. He is an expert when it comes to providing helpful tips in regards to quality gift ideas and recommends Mens Tungsten Online for most jewelry purchases for men.

Why You May Want To Hire A Professional Painter Instead Of Taking On The Job Alone

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We lead extremely busy lives these days and because of this, finding time to do those little projects around the house, such as paint, can prove to be quite difficult. Instead of trying to cram your days to their maximum capacity, why not find someone else who can get the job done for you? This will give you more time to focus on what’s most important in life; such as your family and staying healthy. While DIY jobs can be fun, never feel as though you need to take on everything on your own because there are always plenty of options to choose from. Sometimes spending a little more cash now is more beneficial to you in the long run.

Save Yourself Time

As we touched on above, hiring a professional to do something you may technically be able to do on your own is going to save your household quite a bit of time. It can actually save you money as well, if taking on a job for the very first time. Typically, mistakes are going to happen. At least if you hire a professional, you are going to be able to rest assured knowing they have completed similar jobs hundreds, if not thousands of times before. If you so choose, you don’t even have to be home during the entire paint job. You can enjoy your family, go on vacation or take that much-needed hiking getaway; knowing the entire time you are away that everything is being taken care of effectively and efficiently.

Preparation: Avoid It

Did you know one of the most time consuming aspects of most DIY jobs is the preparation? You need to make sure you have all your proper tools, your safety gear, etc. When you aren’t the one taking the task head on, you don’t have to worry about any of this. An experienced painter will always have everything they need with them. For someone who is new to a particular type of project, organization may be tricky, causing much more time to be wasted.

Keep Your Family Safe

Staying safe is one of the most important things in life. Not only do you want to protect yourself but you want to protect your family as well. By hiring a professional painter to do the job, you are keeping yourself and your family away from the toxic fumes that paint work exposes those in the surrounding areas to. If you are looking for ways to keep the kids out of the house, why not take them to the park or to a friend’s house and let the magic happen while you’re away?

If heights are a fear of yours, as they are with many people around the globe, then you’ll probably be pretty excited to have someone else climb up on your roof if the paint job requires doing so. Even if you aren’t worried about it and have done it many times before in the past, it really isn’t worth the risk. A paid painter is going to have all the right safety equipment to get the job done without putting anyone at risk and since they’ve probably done similar jobs often, they are going to know which precautions to take to keep them the safest as well as the most productive. On a side note, it’s very important to make sure the person or company you hire has documentation to prove they have insurance just to be on the safe side. Even the most experienced of painters can have accidents, so verify coverage and you should be golden.

This guest post is authored by Matthew Jennings. He is one of the finest house painters in Melbourne. When he is not busy working, he likes visiting art galleries and museums to find inspiration for his work. He says highlighting one wall of the room with a dark shade makes it look more stylish.

5 Gardens In Australia To Visit With Your Kids

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There are few things more relaxing and cheerful than taking a stroll with your family through a beautiful Australian garden on a sunny day. Australia offers a wide variety of gardens to choose from. Let’s take a look at some gardens that are ideal for a family outing:

1. Ballarat Botanical Gardens

Ballarat is generally regarded as one of the best cool climate gardens in Victoria. It springs to life in March during the yearly Ballarat Begonia Weekend. With many activities for the kids, entertainment, workshops and tours, it’s a celebration that you shouldn’t miss. The tradition dates back to 1889, when tuberous begonias were first planted in the garden. This was shortly after their initial discovery in Bolivia and northern Peru. You will also encounter plenty of roses, dahlias, camellias and azaleas.

2. The Ian Potter Foundation Children’s Garden

Located at the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, this is a wonderful place to begin teaching your kids about plants. The garden is loaded with interactive places for children to explore and play. The Bamboo Forest is an area that is totally defined by bamboo. The qualities of texture, sound and light all change here. The Wetland Area is a natural pond that is full of life. Kids can use microscopes, aquaspheres, nets and a library to learn about plants and insects.

3. Castlemaine Botanical Gardens

Journey around this 19th Century garden and take a look at the original features including Lake Joanna, the rows of oak and elm trees and the carriage drive. The gardens have recently been subject to a massive refurbishment that cost several million dollars. Improvements have been made to the picnic area, parking area, amenities and the garden’s lake. In addition to this, a new playground has also been installed. The gardens date back to 1860, when 25 hectares next to Barker’s Creek were allotted for the botanic gardens. Many exotic trees can be found here, many of which have been registered with the National Trust. In 1867, the Duke of Edinburgh planted an English Oak here. The tree is still very much alive all these years later. As you might imagine, it is quite massive at this point.

4. Morwell Centenary Rose Garden

Located in Morwell, Victoria, the Latrobe Council and a group of volunteers have created three beautiful acres of roses that reside in a park setting. Roses climb on walls and create splashes of color, while the paths below go through beds of Austin, Floribunda and Hybrid Tea roses. Roses that were bred in New Zealand reside at the southern end.

5. Friends of Geelong Botanic Gardens

These gardens were created in 1985 with the goal of promoting the community’s appreciation and awareness of the Geelong Botanic Gardens. In addition, they aim to support the Gardens as a place for recreation, conservation, horticulture, scientific research and education. Volunteer guides give tours for groups and individuals. The Friends Teahouse is available for light refreshments during your visit.

Stacey is a young stay at home mother who enjoys spending time in the outdoors with her 3 young children. She recently employed the services of Premium Pools & Gardens www.premiumpg.com.au to enhance her own backyard in the hope that her children will one day inherit her passion for gardening.

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