house — Home and Garden Diva

Top Tips: How To Create The Ideal Bedroom

Creating the ideal bedroom can often prove a difficult challenge. In the past I have struggled massively when trying to perfect the most difficult room in the house. Yes it’s true that only you and your partner stay in there but there is still a sense of competition that surrounds the bedroom.

You want to have the biggest bed with the comfiest mattress accompanied by the greatest mirror anyone has every laid their eyes on. I’m not really sure who you are competing with but if it helps you create a beautiful bedroom then go ahead.

This article will attempt to show you three simple ways in which you can transform your bedroom into the most beautiful room in the house and that will leave your friends jealous. Not only will it look better and make your house more aesthetically pleasing as a whole it will add a bit of spice to the physical side of the relationship.

It’s incredible what clean sheets and a lock on the door can do for your love life.

Think Big

You have got to have vision, it is very important that you know what you want from your bedroom and don’t stop until you achieve what you want. If you are going to take the plunge and create the ideal bedroom then you have to make sure you do it properly, no half hearted efforts will do.

My advice is if you are not going to do the job properly then don’t bother doing it at all, if you don’t put your all into it, it will be noticeable. Having a vision and chasing it is important, it can prove to be extremely rewarding if you execute the design of the room as you desired.

If you have visitors round you want the master bedroom to be the centre piece of the house, after all it is a reflection of you and your partners personality.

Be Brave

Don’t be afraid to break the mould, if there is a particular theme that you want to execute then go for it, there can be no repercussions as it is your personal room. Think outside the box and choose a theme for your room, there are countless examples online so have a shop round, see what tickles your fancy.

Make sure you add some vibrant colour to the room, so many people have boring paint colors and this just brings down the whole mood and vibe in the room. Ensure that you both agree or make a compromise if necessary but please have colored walls; it will make all the difference and set the mood.

Be Selfish

This is your bedroom and nobody else’s so do be selfish, decorate it how you like and don’t scrimp on cost (if you can afford to). Superglide is a great example of a potential company that could help fit your wardrobes. They custom fit their fittings and plan their design around what you want and what kind of vibe you are going for in the room.

Check out their website for some examples, the same applies for the bed frame, mattress and flooring. All of these aspects need to be researched and mastered in order to ensure your new bedroom is perfect.

Featured images:

License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://officeimg.vo.msecnd.net/en-us/images/MB900448496.jpg

Andrew is an author with 7 years industry experience. He has a very specific style of writing and likes to focus on articles about family life.

Hassle Free Birthday Fun – How To Throw Your Child A Birthday Party Without Wrecking Your House

by Trish

Some parents love having their homes full of happy, laughing kids and planning fun party games, but for others, the kids’ birthday party can be something of a nightmare. Whether you don’t have the space, get nervous when other people’s children are tearing around all your expensive furnishings, or simply don’t know how to keep a gaggle of children entertained, the idea of having a more professionally organized birthday party for your child on somebody else’s premises can be an appealing one.

Here are some ideas to help you come up with a fun day out or party for your son or daughter and their friends without having to spend weeks covering furniture in plastic and planning games!

A Family Friendly Restaurant

One of the easiest things to do is simply take everybody out to a family friendly restaurant where there are already games and entertainment for the children. This can be really fun for your child because they always make a big fuss of the birthday boy or girl, and if they’ve been to parties like this for their friends, they may well have been just waiting until it was their turn to be the one in the spotlight! These places are very used to dealing with large groups for birthdays, and you will probably just have to reserve an area for your group. However, in some cases you may have to give your food orders in advance from a specific menu.

An Activity

There are all kinds of great group activities you can organize as a birthday party event. Whether it’s going to a water park, bowling, skating, dancing or even something more high octane like go-karting, paint-balling or zip lining (for older children), you can usually get good rates when you book for a group and may get some special gifts or discounts because it is a birthday. Of course, it can be tricky finding an activity all of your child’s friends will like, but the most important thing is finding something your son or daughter really wants to do.

An Organized Event

Depending on the timing of your child’s birthday, you may be able to make a trip with all of their friends to an organized event. Whether it’s a show, a circus, a concert or a sporting event, group bookings can be heavily discounted and there may be some special things thrown in for the birthday boy or girl. Baseball teams especially often give out a lot of great freebies to people (both kids and adults!) who come along on their birthdays, so make sure you make it clear it is a birthday celebration when you make the booking.

Depending on what your child is into, there are fun events going on all year round, so even if they can’t go and see their favourite sports team or a show they want to see because the season is wrong, with some creative thinking you may well be able to give them a really fun and special day by looking out for something appropriate that is going on at the right time.

Attached Images:

License: Creative Commons image source
License: Creative Commons image source
License: Creative Commons image source

Today’s feature writer, Arnold Rebello, is an expert in organizing charity events. In his spare time, Arnold likes to share tips on how to raise funds for charity events.

How To Dog-Proof Your Apartment

by Trish

Are you starting to get puppy fever? If so, you’re not alone. Spring time is one of the most popular times of the year to adopt a pet! While it’s a very exciting time in a person’s life when you can finally take the step to caring for a dog, you have to make sure that you’re 100% prepared for this type of responsibility. After you’ve made the decision, here are 5 steps to follow in order to prepare your apartment for your new furry friend.

Get secure lids for trash cans

One of the biggest mistakes dog owners make after getting their first dog is not ensuring that they have quality garbage cans with secure lids. Dogs love to get into the trash, and if you have a swing garbage can or one without a lid at all, you’re pretty much setting yourself up for disaster. Look for the garbage cans with pop up lids or if your new dog is known for being mischievous, consider buying a lid that you can lock when you’re not home. This way you never have to worry whether or not your dog is going to dig through the garbage!

Buy gates

Gates and crates are essential when you adopt your first pet, but you don’t necessarily need to invest in both. When you first bring your new puppy home, it’s important to consider how often you’re going to be around and whether the environment is more apt for a crate or gates. If you have a full time job and you’re not home most of the day, a crate is probably your best bet. On the other hand, if you have the time to stay home with your dog and train them consistently, then you could probably just handle training with gates.

Tape down cords

One of the most notorious traits of puppies is chewing. Whether it’s on a baseboard, on your favorite pair of shoes or your electrical chords, they will find them on the ground and they will try to chew them. The good news is, you can easily prevent this by taping down chords throughout your house to ensure a puppy can’t get to them.

Move plants

Be aware that while plants help bring life to your living space, they aren’t necessarily good to have around puppies. Not only could the plants be dangerous for your pet to eat, but they could be easily knocked over and can create a mess that you will have to clean up later on. To play it safe, just move plants to higher areas that your pet would not be able to access!

Invest in towels – lots of them

When you think you have enough towels, buy more. If you’re not already aware of this, dogs tend to get pretty dirty, whether it’s from playing outside in the rain, jumping into ponds, or simply just walking through mud. Having ample towels around to clean off your dogs paws will definitely come in handy. Also a good thing to remember is that during potty training, you’re going to be cleaning up a lot of messes. Rather than spending all that extra money on paper towels, re-use towels and wash them between each accident. You won’t only be saving money but you’ll be saving the planet, too!

Attached Images:

License: Creative Commons image source

Felicia Walkins is a freelance writer and dog lover. After moving into her first apartment with her pet, she has been dedicated to finding dog-friendly communities for others to live in. She looks forward to the Jackson Twenty One community and hopes her and her pup can live there in happiness!

5 Tips To Ensure Your House Is As Beautiful On The Outside As It Is On The Inside

by Trish

home exterior With the property market stagnant many homeowners have opted to improve their existing homes rather than endure the stress and inconvenience of selling and buying. However it is often too easy to concentrate on improving the interior of your home and, if you are one of those seeking to sell your current home and to move, the importance of creating the right impression on the outside cannot be underestimated. Whether you are looking to sell your property or simply to give it a facelift, the warmer weather and longer daylight hours create the ideal time to concentrate on renovating the outside of your home for maximum kerbside appeal.

Smarten up the entrance

It’s the focal point of any home so it needs a little care. Front doors are unwelcoming if they are dirty, paint-peeling or faded so apply a coat or two of paint or varnish (and don’t be afraid to experiment with vibrant colours, unless you live in a street of period properties where a neutral black be more befitting). Polish the door furniture or better still replace it and ensure house numbers are visible, sparkling and straight.

Upgrade the windows

Window technology is improving all the time and if your existing windows suffer from rotting woodwork, leaking draughts or the unsightly aluminium frames of the 1980s, then now could be an ideal time to upgrade with modern uPVC replacements. New windows will not only offer improved sound and heat insulation but will also give your property an immediate facelift. Do take care to choose a style in keeping with the age of the house; the position of the glazing bars is crucial. With a wide range of windows at Wickes and expert advice on hand, you can be confident of choosing the perfect design to add a touch of class to your home.

Brickwork and Cladding

In older properties in particular the mortar between the bricks may need repointing to give your home improved protection against the elements and also a fresh appearance. Small areas can be completed by a competent DIYer but large expanses should be tackled by an expert who will also ensure the mortar is colour-matched to the brickwork.

Cladding was fashionable in properties from the middle of the last century and requires considerable and regular maintenance in the form of staining. One alternative is to replace them with a uPVC equivalent which will offer durability as well as being attractive to the eye. Cladding half of your home with horizontal cedar boards is a current fashion trend but consider whether your property would stick out like a sore thumb if your neighbours’ homes are more traditional.

Grow some plants

The modern trend for lawns to be uprooted and replaced with hard standing or ornamental stones can be sterile and unattractive. Simple borders or flowering beds can add a vital splash of colour, window boxes can add an instant homely touch and planters with leafy shrubs will help to enhance your home. Such improvements need not cost the earth but can transform a tired exterior quickly.

Clear up the clutter!

It may sound so simple that it’s almost daft but clutter around the outside of your property is unsightly. Find a new home for the bins and endless recycling boxes, put the kids’ toys and bikes in the garage and sweep the drive. It’ll make a world of difference!

Improving the exterior appearance of your home needn’t break the bank and with a little time, effort and well-planned budgeting your property can be as attractive on the outside as the rooms within.

For more inspiration visit http://www.channel4.com/4homes/build-renovate/building-renovating-advice/transform-your-homes-exterior or http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/renovatinganddiy/6254848/Kerb-appeal-10-ways-to-improve-the-appearance-of-your-property.html

Attached Images:

License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-16674940-contemporary-colonial-home.php

John is a freelance feature writer based in London, England.

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

by Trish

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 h ouse 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.

Top Tips: How To Create The Ideal Bedroom

Think Big

Be Brave