Apartment Makeover

May 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Apartment buildings lining the south side of E... 

Image via Wikipedia

An apartment is an occupant’s personal space. From the time a tenant moves in, the four walls become a home. From the furniture that is chosen to the art on the walls, apartments tell a story about whoever lives there.

There always comes a time for an apartment makeover, time to move the story forward to reflect where the tenant is today. Whether it is New York, San Francisco or Chicago apartments, a good place to start is the furniture. Is it time to get new furniture, or can the old comfy couch be rehabbed? Do you entertain more than when you first got the apartment? Perhaps you need to update the layout for company. Or, perhaps, this is chance to redo to the garden…

Do the research. Take time to browse through stores that catch your eye. Match up the colors, choose the art work, perhaps even replace an appliance or two. Maybe it is just a simple piece of new furniture or a new rug that your apartment needs…

Or it might be time to redo the bathroom, and even the bedroom as well, giving the feel that one is in a whole new apartment. A new shower curtain and a new set of towels can transform the bathroom. Perhaps a new headboard and a coat of paint on the dresser is just what the bedroom needs.

A few new plants can give your outside space a quick “Summer is here” face-lift, creating a tranquil place to spend warm nights.

Once the transformation has taken place, invite friends over and play hostess as if you have just moved in.

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Spring Home Improvement Tips

March 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The dark and dreary days of winter are coming to an end.  The urge to run outside in the sunshine and soak it up is overwhelming.  Then you notice that your yard and house look a little battle scarred from the harsh blast of winter.  Ah, the beauty of spring cleaning and maintenance.  What a wonderful way to enjoy the beautiful outdoors and get your home and yard looking snazzy for the warmer months.

One of the first things you should look at is your gutters.  When leaves fall and wind blows, your gutters get pretty funky, unless, you are lucky enough to have gutters that do not require cleaning.  If you do not, then those gutters need to be cleaned thoroughly.  Otherwise when it rains, it will not be able to escape down the downspouts on the corners of the house and can lead to rot around your eaves.

The next thing to do in your spring maintenance list is to inspect your roof.  You should do this while you are standing on the ground.  Give the roof a good look on all sides to make sure that no shingles are missing.  If there is some missing, you will want to go ahead and replace those.  This can cause your roof to leak in those places.

Take a little time to spruce up your yard furniture.  Give the furniture a good washing to get rid of that winter funk that has built up.  If you have wrought iron or any paintable surface on the furniture, give it a face lift, paint it a different color.  This is the time to get your yard furniture looking good for those spring and summer parties you know you will be having.

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Outdoor Entertaining

February 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Antique garden furniture

Image by Crinklecrankle.com via Flickr

When springtime comes around and the warm weather has you dreaming of warm summer nights, it time to move your entertaining from indoors to an outdoor space, such as a garden or patio.  When entertaining outside, your can keep things simple.  Eating outdoors in a warm peaceful setting can be very satisfying and make your guests feel relaxed and comfortable.  The food even seems to taste better when served outside.
The openness of the backyard gives you the opportunity to be creative and design a space that will fit your entertaining needs.  The deck or patio space can be ideal for setting up a bar, buffet, or tables for your guests.  Comfortable outdoor furniture will make your guests feel welcome and large colorful umbrellas will add shade for daytime gatherings.  An outdoor space allows for free movement of your guest without the constraints of walls.
If you are planning an event for a large crowd, you may need to rent furniture to accommodate your guests.  You can also rent party supplies, china, stemware, and linens.  You can install speakers outside to add music to your entertainment.
To prepare you outdoor space, mow your grass a day or two before the event.  Trim hedges and flowerbeds, and place tables and lounge chairs strategically around the space.  You can use floral or garden themed table coverings to enhance your outdoor theme.  If you will be entertaining after dark, you can use citronella candles to ward off uninvited flying guests.
To make it easy on the cook, most likely you, serve your guest from a buffet.  This offers the most variety, is self-serve, and guest will be able to eat at their own pace.  Have plenty of beverages available, with non-alcoholic choices for you non-drinking guests.  Deserts can be served after the buffet from a dessert cart.
Springtime and summer parties are welcoming events after a long winter.  Using your outdoor space for entertaining offers many opportunities to be creative and to serve your guests in an inviting and relaxed environment.

Filed Under: Green Home Decor Tagged With: , , ,