Trending Houseplants to Bring the Outdoors In

March 13, 2013 by Leave a Comment

trending house plantsIf you are wanting to bring the outdoors into your home the easiest way is to grab a few houseplants and place them throughout your home. Houseplants are not only aesthetically appealing, but they can have both mental and physical health benefits too. People with houseplants often breathe easier and feel happier overall. The key is to pick the right plants and some happen to be trending right now for a variety of reasons.

Pines and Figs

Yes, you can have these right in your home. Obviously, the pine will not get to 20 feet tall like the one in your front yard. The Norfolk Island pine and fiddle leaf fig are among the most popular right now. These are not tiny, but they can be placed on tables, counter tops and other elevated surfaces. They make a great addition to a desk, especially if you spend a lot of time at your desk getting things done. They tend to be a very lush green color and will work well in any type of pot. You only need some plain dirt to cover the plant and water when necessary. This makes these plants incredibly easy to care for, so if you are busy, you will still be able to keep your plant alive. Adding some seashells or colorful stones are a great way to add a bit more panache to your new houseplant.

Colorful Flowers

There are some flowers that you really cannot go wrong with. These include orchids, peace lilies, amaryllis and hibiscus. These flower well and come in just about every color you could imagine. They do require a bit more care than the pines and figs, but the extra love is completely worth it. Of these four flowers, the orchid is the most delicate, but the serenity this flower brings to a home cannot be matched. You can choose to get one of each of these and place them throughout your home. These will supply rich pops of color throughout your home. Choosing a colorful vase will just add to this.

Cacti

Cacti are hardy and require very little care. There are so many great choices that range in color, such as Christmas cactus, sundew, cobra lily, Venus flytrap and butterwort. These are all very cool and with a bit of water can live for a very long time. If you have an issue with flies or fruit flies in the kitchen, then a Venus flytrap could be a neat plant that pulls double duty in improving how you feel in your home and taking care of pests at the same time. Cacti, as you surely know, can be a bit prickly so it is important to keep these away from children and pets. You will want to put them up higher will pets and kids do not go, or in rooms where they do not go. If someone were to attempt to eat cacti, it would surely need a visit to the emergency room or emergency vet.

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Quick Fixes for Your Boring Bedroom

February 15, 2013 by Leave a Comment

quick fixes for boring bedroom decoratingYou want your bedroom to be as comfortable as possible. One of the biggest components in being comfortable is ensuring that you absolutely love the design and decorating scheme. For example, you could have the most comfortable bed in bedroom history, but if you hate the style of your room you will never be fully comfortable in there.

Create Some Art

Art is something that only you have to enjoy for it to be good. So, put your creative juices to the test in creating things to make your bedroom more comfortable for you. Perhaps you like collages, or quilts or just funky paintings. These are all things that most people can pull off. Another benefit to DIY decorating is that it saves you a ton of cash.

Don’t Fear Patterns

Most people stick with a single pattern or only solid shades. Tons of patterns look really great together. You simply have to experiment to see which patterns you love and how they work together. Big, bold patterns can be saved for smaller items like pillows if you are timid and then use the smaller, less bold patterns for things like curtains, upholstery and bed linens. As long as you love it, it is not wrong.

Bright Colors

Many people have a very plain bedroom because they never really decorated it. Since few people see this room it is often pushed aside as you decorate the common areas. Well, a few bright colors can wake up your room in minutes. For example, a turquoise lamp, a bright red alarm clock or a bright green vase can bring some life into your room. You do not want to go overly bright because this is the room that you need for relaxation and sleeping, but a few bright accents are going to be a great thing when you wake up in the morning, especially on those cloudy, lifeless days.

Pillows, Pillows, Pillows

You can really never have too many pillows. Fluffy pillows not only give off the illusion of comfort, but they are really comfortable. Who does not want to lie back on a sea of feathers and cotton? These also give you a good excuse to play with patterns and bright colors because you can sneak some funky pillows in among your more conservative ones to wake things up a bit.

Mix and Match Your Furniture

There is no rule that says that all of your furniture must match. Now, if you are using wood furniture, you want the same color, but the styles can differ. With painted pieces, you can choose different colors to really do a funky design. For example, you may have a white dresser, light teal end tables and a sitting chair with red checkered fabric. These actually work very well together and give your room a very whimsical feel.

White Paint

If you are incorporating a variety of different colors and patterns, then a white wall is what you want. This will ensure that the room does not look too busy with all of the different elements you are bringing in with the furniture and accent pieces. An off white or a pastel color can also work if stark white is simply outside of your comfort zone.

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Creative Ways to Decorate Your Fireplace Mantel

February 8, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Fireplace mantle ideasIf you have a fireplace then you have the potential to make a masterpiece in your room. Sure, you could toss a few pictures and vases up there, but a little creativity can turn your fireplace mantel into the focal point of your room and it will be coveted by all of your friends. There are some ideas that can be done within minutes and with just a few extra bucks, making this an even more appealing quick room update.

White and Warm

Regardless of what your fireplace is made of, you can paint it an off-white color. Of course, you may want to make sure that your significant other is okay with such a big change, but you will likely get your way. You will probably need a few coats and make sure to use a paint that works with what your fireplace is made of, such as paint for brick. If your fireplace is made of wood, and the mantel piece almost always is, you should sand the wood before painting it.

Next, find some frames that are matte gold and silver. You want one smaller one and one a bit larger. You can place black and white photos in these. A small mirror and a few other small matte gold or matte silver items can also be placed on the mantel. This will provide a very soft and romantic look. If you are into the shabby chic look then this is a really good option to decorate your mantel.

Go Earthy and Modern

This requires two clear vases that are tall, exactly alike and able to hold a candle, a circular mirror and some seashells and rocks. You want the two clear vases to be near the sides of the mantel and spaced symmetrically. The circular mirror will go on the wall directly between these. Then, you will arrange a few seashells and rocks between the vases. Place the candles inside and then light them. This can be done with any fireplace color and any material. It is a very neat and modern look.

Bright and Leaning

This is really easy and works well for a bright, modern look. Take two pictures that are bright and cheery and put them into bright frames. Think orange, yellow, turquoise and bright green for the frames. You want one picture to be quite large and twice the size of the smaller picture. Then, you want a very little, white vase and a thin, clear vase that is about eight inches tall. You will put sunflowers into the vases. The pictures are just placed on the mantel to lean up against the wall. This will only take a few minutes and can be done for a few bucks.

Mirror, Mirror

This is a good look that works with modern, French country, traditional and just about any other design scheme. First, you want to take the entire area above the mantel and place a mirror there. This will cover this entire portion of the wall and you can frame it for a little something extra. You can also place a smaller circular mirror right in the center of this. It is quite interesting and will give the room the illusion of being larger.

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