Home Decoration

Most landlords do not allow you to make drastic changes to their homes or install new cabinets and shelves, according to your needs. Organizing homes remain a priority for busy students or office going people or even housewives with scores of other work to take care of other than children. Small apartments often have lesser space and if we are not organized, the clutter and chaos can make out very lives overwhelming, as we seem to spend most of our time finding for one thing or the other. Allergies to dust and bugs may make our life a living hell too. Here are some top-class ideas and tips to face the challenge of making better use of small rooms and areas in our rented apartments and homes and live more efficiently:

• Buy some storage units and keep things in the place they are needed. After using things, put them in their place immediately.
• Clutter or things to be discarded occupies much of our usable space and make our homes look disorganized and makes us loose our precious time in finding little things that keep disappearing in it. So get rid of it now!
• Don’t leave things undone. Pay those bills, file paper properly, do the dishes on time and mend the leaking taps and squeaking doors. Work finished helps us to relax better and avoids much of the clutter.
• Remember the lesson - ‘Make a place for everything and keep everything in its place.’
• Transform your junk drawer into a neatly organized storage unit by removing all items from it and lining it with a newspaper. Toss aside the things that are useless and categorize other things into families such as nails and screws, hammer and screwdrivers, wires of all types and other such categories. Make compartments in the drawer using separators such as ice cube trays, small boxes and containers and keep your things as categorized before.

Using space effectively is an important art, especially when you are living in small apartments. Know the difference between not having enough space to store your things and not making the best use of your space. Here are some ideas that you can use to keep your home organized and make the best use of available space:

• A sliding drawer or a shelf can be added underneath a cabinet, furniture pieces or a dresser for greater hidden storage area.
• Desk full of papers and files make your work seem overwhelming. So keep it clear with the help of a full-suspension filing cabinet strong enough to hold all your files away from your view.
• For kitchen cabinets, you may use plastic multiple-level shelves that can be readjusted easily.
• Furniture pieces with hidden space and storage are an asset for those living in small apartments such as coffee tables and ottomans with storage area underneath or under bed boxes, which are great for keeping your quilts and linens.
• If some of your shelves have too much of space, while others are too full, you may want to readjust them according to the space required. Move them a little or add another shelf in between to make more use of the space.
• If you do not have enough space to display all your collectibles at once, rotate them. Put some of your things on display, while you store others safely, and then bring them out once a month and replace the things you have displayed already. This will make your home seem new every time someone visits you.
• It is very important that you get rid of all the things that you don’t like or are not of your use anymore.
• Make best us of your wall space by adding shelves, pegboards and corner shelves that can be used to hand up your utensils and tools or display your prizes and collectibles.
• Make use of corner shelves for keeping picture frames or small things in the living room or soap, shampoos, toothbrush and other accessories in the bathroom. They acquire less space and look great.
• Storage units are great when it comes to saving space and being organized. Spices on a spice rack, canned goods in racks, earrings and other small items in cheap ice trays, pens and pencils in a pen stand not only avoids clutter but are also easier to find when you need them.
• To make more space in the closets, add one rod to hang longer clothing on one wall and two or more rods on the other wall to hang shorter clothing.
• Use your common sense and keep things where they are needed most. Your china, utensils and spices belong to kitchen, toilet paper, napkins and towels to bathroom, lines and quilts to bathroom, videos and CDs in your entertainment area and scissors and glue stick to your work area. Make space for the things needed in the area there itself, so you don’t have to ransack or run over the entire house to search for a thing you need frequently.
• You can also use portable file boxes to hang the file folders, on-the-desk trays and caddies to keep your papers and storage accessories to keep your diskettes and CDs.
• You may also want to rearrange the rooms and customize them according to your needs. If you are used to read or work in your living room, with your TV on, you don’t need a separate office or study that can be used for other purposes while your living room needs to be rearranged to serve both as an entertainment area and work area.

Living in an apartment that does not have adequate storage space is not a juggling circus anymore. Today, there are many types of accessories and furniture available in the market that allows for versatility and flexibility in their use and help us to make most of the space available to us for storage and work. Here are some of the tips to live big in a small home and maximize our storage space:

• A sofa or a futon that can be unfolded to become a bed is a great asset to accommodate any guests or visitors.
• Bathroom storage units and cabinets are great for keeping napkins, towels and other bathroom accessories.
• Bookcases and armoires are great for storing up things from clothes to books to files to entertainment centers.
• Instead of heavy, bulky chairs, you may use ottomans with storage area underneath or a bar stool set that can be stacked in the corner when not in use.
• Tables and dressers with slide-in drawers or shelves can give more space to keep your magazines, newspapers and other accessories and even pet-feeders.
• Use under-sink area for maximizing storage area in bathrooms and kitchens.
• Vertical slide-in shelves in the kitchen can be used to hang pots and pans.
• You can mark out different sections in the same room, simply by using room dividers or privacy screens.
• You may find some great deals of shabby chic or recycled furniture pieces in garage sales that can help you to keep things hidden from view and yet easily accessible at fraction of the cost.
• You may use cheap colorful PVC pipes as curtain rod, a rack to dry your clothes on or a coat rack.

Space in home and apartment décor is not just about physical dimensions. It is about the visual impression too. So, use these wonderful tips to transform your small apartment or home into a luxurious, lavish, airy and spacious home:

• Arrange the largest piece of furniture on the longest wall of the room and keep the focal point easily visible from the place.
• Buy small pieces of furniture that have open designs and can be rearranged easily such as a love seat with exposed legs instead of big bulky sofa sets, two small side chairs and a small glass top coffee table.
• Ceiling lightings should be avoided as it cuts off the height of the room.
• Ceilings lighter than the walls and furniture of the room make room look brighter.
• Mark out a conversation area in the living room by placing the loveseat on the longest wall, coffee table in front of it and the side chairs facing the table on both its sides.
• Place your furniture in the room in such a manner that people don’t stumble into it while coming in or going out of the room or to reach cabinets and closets.
• Soft incandescent lights placed evenly throughout the room that eliminate shadows make room look larger.
• Soft monochromatic color schemes make rooms look bigger.
• Stick to simplistic minimalist lifestyle and keep your home clean and well organized.
• Use accessories sparingly and use mirrors and shiny reflective surfaces abundantly so that it reflects more light and makes the room look bigger and more spacious.
• Use smaller patterns on walls and big pieces of furniture. If you do use large patterns, stick to small accessories, pillows and small areas.

Adding a skylight is one of the quickest and easiest ways to make any room of your home lighter and brighter, adding an open and airy feeling. Skylights produce a kind of top-lit architectural drama that windows often can’t match. Moreover, dollar-for-dollar, they’ll usually bring in more light than windows. Installing a skylight in a room that has a finished ceiling with an attic or crawl space above it involves planning both a ceiling opening and a roof opening. Our skylight section takes you step-by-step through how to install a skylight. Plus some useful information on the efficiency of skylights. Check out the feature article on the pro’s and con’s of skylights versus windows.Skylights and windows are often mentioned in the same breath as a fix for dark rooms, as if poking a big hole someplace is all that really matters.

Yet these aren’t interchangeable solutions for the same problem. Skylights and windows have very different daylighting characteristics, as well as a radically different aesthetic both inside and outside. A closer look may help you make the right choice for your home.

First, a rundown of basic differences: A window is placed vertically in a wall, while a skylight is mounted parallel to the roof plane or else raised above it on an extension known as a “curb.” While windows are almost invariably fitted with glass, the majority of modern skylights are glazed with acrylic or polycarbonate plastic in tints ranging from clear to translucent white to a dark smoked color. One exception is the so-called roof window, which is a type of flat skylight glazed with glass and usually arranged to open.

In terms of solar efficiency, a well-oriented window will generally be better attuned to seasonal changes than a skylight. Since window openings are vertical, they admit more of the low-angled sun in winter when it’s most welcome, while blocking much of the high-angled summer sun to prevent excessive heat gain. In fact, with the proper external shading, a window can be “fine-tuned” to admit full sun on the shortest days of winter, yet be completely shaded on long summer days.

Your typical low-pitched skylight, alas, has just the opposite trait: In winter, when the sun is low, it cuts off a great deal of desirable sunlight, while in summer, it lets the high-angled sun come blasting in, potentially overheating rooms. Using tinted glazing and deep, light-diffusing wells can help to compensate for this shortcoming, though neither is really a remedy.

Despite these shortcomings, skylights produce a kind of top-lit architectural drama that windows often can’t match. Moreover, dollar-for-dollar, they’ll usually bring in more light than windows. So which is right for your home?

If the object is simply to brighten a room for the least expense, or to provide some dramatic toplighting, a skylight will do the trick. On the other hand, if you’d like to fine-tune a room to be brighter and warmer in winter while keeping it cooler in the summer, a new or enlarged window or glass door may be a better choice.

Aesthetically, deciding between windows and skylights is more clear-cut. Today’s ubiquitous plastic bubble skylights weren’t in general use until the early 1960s; hence, they invariably look “wrong” on earlier homes, and should be a last resort. If you have a home predating the 60s and still have your heart set on using some form of skylight, consider using roof windows, which have a lower profile, and place them where they won’t be visible from the street. Better yet, challenge yourself by adding light the way the era’s architects would have—with a generous, well-placed window or set of glass doors.

If your home postdates the 1950s, a carefully-placed skylight will probably blend in reasonably well with the overall style. Still, for the sake of a clean front elevation, you should avoid installing skylights on roof surfaces that face the street. Note that a few generous skylights are better than a lot of small ones, both in ease of construction and in the daylight you gain per dollar. And of course, consider the orientation of the units before you install them, so you’ll have some idea of their daylighting value—or lack of it.

It’s Time to Get Outside
Summer is here in the United States, and everyone is thinking about getting outdoors. The season may be short if you live in the east or Midwest or mountain states, or it may extend almost year ‘round if you’re in southern states or California. But wherever you may find yourself, it’s time to get outside and enjoy the wonderful weather and beauty of nature.

Vacations are a wonderful time to get outdoors, enjoy hiking, do some outdoor cooking, or just lie around reading a good book. But you don’t have to reserve those wonderful activities for those too-short times. Read here for information on some wonderful new products and suggestions on how to make the most of your outdoor time.

One of the wonderful things about summer weather is that it lets you expand your living space without a costly home renovation or addition. In many cases, you don’t have to do much decorating at all. All you really have to do is sweep off the front porch and move a comfortable chair outside. Others of you may want to create a ‘room’ outside, and the newest products for outdoor living can help you do that at a minimal cost.

Comfortable outdoor furniture is a must, but doesn’t have to be expensive. Two lounging chairs and a table with four chairs for eating will really make your outdoor space comfortable.

Many products are available in a wide range of prices and come ready-to-assemble. You can go to your local discount store and find very inexpensive pieces that will last a year or two and give you good wear. Or you can make a modest investment in cast aluminum or wrought iron pieces that will last longer. Any of these needs to be brought inside in the winter to give you the longest life, but they’re made to stay outside for the summer months.

More substantial furniture pieces made of teak, redwood, or the new, less-expensive eucalyptus will give you many years of service if treated properly.

If you’re looking to save on the pocketbook but not the quality, you can put some models together yourself with glue and a dowel system.

No matter what kind of wood you select, you should have a place indoors to store it through the winter.
Wicker furniture looks wonderful and classic outdoors, but does not wear well in the elements. Cushions must be brought in from the rain and the wicker will deteriorate in the hot sun and humidity if not cared for properly. New all-weather wicker furniture may be the answer and is made by a number of companies.

A glass- or porcelain-topped table will hold up well throughout the season.
Top it with an umbrella to keep the sun off. You may want to look at a fade-proof umbrella. Some new umbrellas are enhanced with solar-powered LED lights strung up the inside on the spine. They give a wonderful light for 8 hours after dark and are easy to maintain.

More Outdoor Necessities
To enhance your outdoor space, flowers and plants are a must! Classic terra cotta pots can be put anywhere to create a border around your outdoor space. New materials are being used to make pots lighter and easier to move around. Lightweight metal, PVC and plastic can be made in any size and shape, are lighter than terra cotta, and can be moved more easily. If you don’t like the exterior finish you find, try rag painting or spray painting them to the color and finish of your choice.

Some new planters have an integrated watering system or a bottom water reservoir.
They’re the answer if you are going to be away from home a lot and you don’t have any neighbors to water your plants.
What are you waiting for? The season is short, and if you don’t get outside, you’ll regret it later. Enjoy the outdoors in your new-found outdoor living space.

For efficient small space living, you have to keep in mind the area available at all times and need compact multi-functional furniture pieces and furnishings that optimize usable space quite effectively. Here are some tips from us:

• An elevated loft bed is a great item to make use of vertical room space while open shelves instead of chest of drawers can be used to accommodate more books and magazines.
  Display your handmade quilts and throws that make the bed look warm and elegant at the same time.
• Fashionable bright-colored washable slipcovers can make your mismatched furniture pieces look coordinated and in harmony with each other.
• Keep things you want to hide away from view in containers that can be stored under the bed.
• Make your tiny bedroom look comfortable and inviting by adding soft pillows of all sizes and shapes.
• Maximize the use of vertical wall space by adding bookcases and shelves.
• Nail some hanging wall shoe pockets at the inside of your closet door, where you can keep your shoes, socks, gloves and even your handkerchiefs.
• Use bright colors and make use of fabrics complimenting your bed linens, throws and pillows, to add a romantic touch to your tiny home, apartment or dorm décor.
• Use filing cabinets and decorated stackable crates as a cheap option for keeping your place organized.
• You can also use your large storage trunk as a table.
• You may like to add a personal touch to your tastefully decorated tiny home by selecting a color scheme for your walls, furniture and furnishings beforehand.
• You may utilize space underneath the loft bed by accommodating your entertainment area or work desk underneath it along with a beautiful floor lamp and ottoman to rest your tired legs. Even this ottoman can have the storage area to hide away magazines and bills to be paid.
• You may want to add a small futon for an additional seating area.