How to #LiveBrighter through home décor and family activities!

Thanks to Direct Energy for sponsoring this post and encouraging everyone to #LiveBrighter!  

In conjunction with Direct Energy's #LiveBrighter campaign, I am going to share how you can live brighter through your home décor and family activities!

If you have been a reader of my blog for a while, you know how I adore bright colors and am never shy about using them to decorate my home! Why, you ask? Because bright colors make me happy!

My living room.

The seating area in my master bedroom.

My dining room.

My son's bedroom.

My guest bedroom.

Are you ready to #LiveBrighter through a bright and colorful home décor? I have compiled 5 easy ways to help you apply bright, happy colors confidently in your own home! 

#1. Seek and gather your inspirations. Find out what colors appeal to you through inspirational room images, your wardrobe, your fashion accessories or even a page off an advertisement that catches your eye. Chances are, you will see a consistent pattern of the colors you like. Pick those color combinations as your color palette for your upcoming decorating project!

#2. Think about the mood and effect you want to create in a room. If your goal is to make a space appear larger, go with lighter shades. But if you want create a cozy feeling, opt for rich, saturated hues.

#3. Know the decorating rules so you can break them! I am sure you have heard of this decorating rule, pick 2 or 3 main colors and combine them with neutrals (black, beige, white, gray) to create a color scheme. So, what are your options if you love more than 3 main colors and want to use them all in the same room?

My advice? Forget about those rules! If you repeat your favorite colors enough in a room, it will work! Trust me, just look at the rooms above, each spaces have more than 4 colors and yet, they still work. 

#4. Keep your color shades consistent! If have more than 4 main colors in a room, they will still work ONLY IF you stick to those color shades exclusively (plus other neutrals). 

For example, if you wish to incorporate red, blue, yellow and green in a room, determine which red, which blue, which yellow and which green to use in your room. Do not combine bright red with burgundy, lemon yellow with mustard yellow, navy blue with turquoise and emerald green with neon green together in the same room because the inconsistency of all the mismatched shades of colors will create a busy, overwhelming room. 

The only time you don't have to be consistent with your shades is when you have 2 or less main color in your color palette.

#5. Follow your guts! One of the most common decorating advice we always hear is using the same color scheme throughout our home to create a sense of cohesiveness. 

My advice? Just follow your heart. To be perfectly honest, I have never given any thought about creating cohesion throughout my own home but as you can clearly see in the pictures above, the color palettes are very similar in every room! It is actually not that surprising because chances as, we are drawn to certain colors and whether we realized it or not, we have a tendency to repeat the same color combo again and again. So in the end, everything works! 

There you have it, my lovelies! Give decorating some thought but don't overthink about it. These are some of the decorating rules I apply when it comes to my own decorating projects and my clients' design projects as well. Hopefully, you find them useful!

While we are at the topic of living brighter, I think quality family time is especially important to build strong family relationships. As a family, we like to incorporate fun, family activities during the weekends! Through these family activities, we hope to create a strong family bond and connection with each other! 

During colder days, my hubby and I would try to find wonderful family activities to do together by visiting the library and local museums. Occasionally, we would play pool and bowling. 

Reading at the library!

Having fun at a Science museum!

Playing pool for the first time!

Because we have such a long and dreary winter here in Illinois, we try to spend more time doing outdoor activities when the weather gets warmer. Sometimes we go to the zoo, to the botanical garden, boating, camping, kite flying, etc. Check out some of the outdoor activities we did together as a family!

Kite flying in spring!

We walked, we hiked, we barbecued and enjoyed nature to the fullest during our 4 day camping trip recently.

One of the absolutely stunning views we saw during our hiking expedition!

The highlight of our trip, the gorgeous waterfall!

Playing with the water at the waterfall!

Learning how to play miniature golf!

In the coming weeks, we will be having a picnic in a park and we will also be heading to the beach! Needless to say, my son is excited about our upcoming outings! My lovelies, so what fun outdoor activities do you do as a family during weekends? Any #LiveBrighter ideas to share?

While we are on the topic of living brighter#LiveBrighter don't forget to go to Direct Energy (under Get Educated) to check out their 25 quick and easy energy efficiency tips!

Speaking of Direct Energy, do you know that Direct Energy is the only energy provider to be a part of Plenti? 

If you are unfamiliar, Plenti lets you earn points at one place and use them at another, all within a single rewards program so keeping track of your rewards is simple. New customers will be able to earn 1,000 Plenti points at enrollment when they sign up for Plenti at www.Plenti.com and link their Plenti card number to their Direct Energy account. Existing Direct Energy customers will also enjoy the same benefits, please click here to find out more.

In other words, after you have signed up with Direct Energy and Plenti, you will be rewarded every time you use your electricity or natural gas. How fantastic is that?

So what are you waiting for? Sign up with Direct Energy now and receive a $75 pre-paid gift card using promo code: LIVEBRIGHTER75. Hurry, offer valid until Angust 15th!

What do you do to #LiveBrighter? I would love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks to Direct Energy for sponsoring this post and encouraging everyone to #LiveBrighter! 

Home tour- A designer's dramatic Alabama home!

Be inspired by globe-trotting designer, Andrew Brown's gorgeous and dramatic Alabama home below!

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Isn't this home absolutely stunning? It feels layered, collected and oozes elegance and personality! The designer's flair for mixing clean lines, bold statement pieces, vintage finds in a classic color palette is truly inspirational. I particularly like the way he drapes his walls to create a soft, enveloping, theatrical-like ambience. Such a talented designer! I really love this visually interesting home, what about you? Thoughts? 

Sponsor- Thank you!

I would like to take a moment to welcome my newest sponsor, Chameleon John!

Chameleon John: The best place for online coupons, promo codes and daily deals of your favorite products from well-known brands and stores you love. All online savings in one great place!

Don't forget to stop by and check it out when you get a chance. Happy shopping!

Favorite room of the week!

I am swooning over this gorgeous room designed by the talented Amanda Nisbet! With a fresh color palette and a mix of beautiful furnishings, what's not to love? I am particularly drawn to the lovely blue tufted headboard and the bold geometric rug. Is there anything that catches your eyes? Thoughts? 

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Photo credit: Tara Donne

Four Inexpensive Ways to Boost Your Property Value!

If you are planning to sell your home soon, you are probably thinking about home improvements. But the good news is that you do not have to spend a fortune to give your house an edge on the market.

Traditionally when we think of increasing property value, new kitchens and bathrooms immediately come to mind. And for good reason. According to the National Association of Home Builders, adding just one extra half bathroom to your house adds about 10.5 percent to your property value. But there are other ways. Ones that would not cost you thousands of dollars but will make a big difference for potential buyers.

Here are four inexpensive home improvements that you should definitely consider:

1. Clean and declutter

This may not have made your list of “home improvements” since it might seem a little obvious. But you would be surprised just how important this improvement can be. According to Consumers.org, cleaning and clearing out a home can increase its value three to five percent. And this cleaning process does not have to be expensive either. This checklist from Veterans Alliance breaks the work down room by room so you don’t forget anything. It is a lot of work, but no matter how much sprucing your house needs, put in the elbow grease and you are sure to see results.

Start by scrubbing down the entire house from top to bottom and removing as much clutter as possible. The goal is to make your house look fresh and roomy by clearing out the closets, removing any over-sized furniture, and decluttering all your shelves as much as possible. If you do have some money to spend, consider renting a storage unit or hiring a professional carpet cleaner. The cost will be worth it in the long run.

2. Improve your curb appeal

Yet another improvement that does not cost a lot but can boost your value between two and five percent. The old adage of not judging a book by its cover really does not go far in real estate because if your house does not look great on the outside, no one is going to see the inside. So make your house look like a million buck both inside and out.

Every house could stand for a good power washing to spruce up those windows. And having a well-mowed lawn is a must. Planting a few inexpensive bushes and spreading fresh mulch in the flower beds will go a long way too without breaking the bank. And be sure to make minor repairs to your sideboards and roof if necessary.

3. Paint those walls

Nothing updates a home faster than a fresh coat of paint, and repainting your house is not as expensive as you might think. A gallon of paint costs about $15–30, and it only took two gallons to paint the entire living room in my old apartment. Of course you can always pay someone else to paint your house for you, but if you are really looking to save some cash, reach out to your friends and family to figure out who can give you the best painting pointers. Then do it yourself.

A word of the wise: steer clear of bold colors. Neutral is your best bet when painting a house to sell, so if any of your walls are too dark or too white, paint those first. As a side note, investing in good lighting that shows off your new paint job is also a good selling technique. Even during the daytime, turn on all your lights when someone comes to look at your home.

4. Add storage space

And no, I am not talking about knocking down walls. I am talking about installing shelves in odd spaces and adding organizer solutions to your closets. Anything you can do to show potential buyers just how much they will be able to store in your home. Storage space is a top selling point for houses, so do whatever it takes to maximize yours.

If you have lots of wasted space in the tops of your closets, put attractive storage bins or low shelves. Hit up IKEA for some simple storage boxes or some organizers. They do not have to be fancy or expensive, but do pick something that looks clean, classy, and durable.

Owning property, or more specifically a home, is usually the largest asset any one person or couple will own. Since so much of your nest egg is tied up in your own roof adding value to it is a no brainer! What tips or DIY projects have you taken on other than these to make your house a home...a more valuable home!? 

Cool firm alert- Cullman & Kravis!

Introducing Cullman & Kravis, a New York based design firm. Established in 1984, C&K's goal is to redefine the traditional interior and give it a fresh approach. Let's check out their outstanding portfolio below!

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Their work is gorgeous, don't you think? I really love their modern traditional aesthetic! By combining modern artworks, refined furniture, exceptional textiles and amazing details, their designs often exude a complex, layered and inviting interiors. Such elegant and inspirational rooms, what's not to love? Are you drawn to these beautiful spaces as much as I do?

For more information about this firm, please visit: http://www.cullmankravis.com/.