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Thursday, August 15, 2013

Guest post- Design ideas for compact bedrooms!


This article is provided by Simmone Vickers.


Since we spend around a third of our lives sleeping, it is understandable that we want our bedrooms to look good. From triple door wardrobes to beautiful laminate flooring; from elegant vanity tables to handy beside tables, a bedroom provides plenty of scope for great designs.

But what if you have a bedroom where space is at a premium? Luckily, there are some clever bedroom furnishings out there that are very effective at maximising the space in more compact rooms, so read our guide and create a stylish bedroom, regardless of its size!

Savvy Storage Solutions

Opt for a select few storage solutions that are as chic as they are useful. Keep an eye out for the foldable, stackable, roll-able and flexible and you can transform your room into a trendy space that has more than enough space for your belongings.

Go for sliding doors on wardrobes to eliminate space issues with doors that open out. Make the bed the central feature of the room and place bedside tables either side but be sure to leave space between the tables and bed to create the illusion of space.

You can also get bookshelves which you attach to the walls to stack books upwards as opposed to buying a separate unit. These make great stand out design features and give your bedroom a unique twist.

Beds with Storage


If space is limited in your room, it is worth investing in a bed with storage facilities. Multi-functional divan storage beds are perfect for smaller rooms, are available in a wealth of sizes and shapes and come with a diverse range of storage options.

Usually, divan beds come with storage drawers at the base of the bed, which are designed to be durable; meaning you can store heavier items such as shoes and books without a problem. They can also be used to store spare bed linen and children’s toys, helping you keep your rooms tidy and minimise clutter.

There is a vast array of divan beds on the market, so there is plenty of choice available. Top notch divan beds are crafted with high quality materials, have plenty of pocket springs (look for four figures for ultimate comfort) and combine practicality with style.

Walls and Floor

Since there is not much floor space, it is worth focusing on the walls, which can be decorated to really open up the room. Choose a bright, fresh colour scheme for the walls so that they make the most of the natural light – a natural base works well with a cool, light blue for example and will create a trendy, shabby chic bedroom.


Painting the walls with vertical stripes creates the illusion of space or you can break up the space by creating a feature wall using wallpaper, which will fool the eye into thinking the room is bigger than it actually is.

Using mirrors to create the illusion of space in a small room is a long-standing trick that really works so be sure to invest in a decent sized mirror that will immediately get to work, which will bounce the light around your room, making it feel spacious and airy. Use the light streaming in through the window to its full advantage by investing in curtain tiebacks too and let more light in.

Alternatively, try floor to ceiling curtains to give the illusion of height. For an additional light source, hang bedside lamps from the ceiling to maximise space or opt for freestanding light units with thin branches that distribute light throughout the room without taking up much floor space.

With the right furnishings and a bit of creative flair, a small bedroom can be both functional and stylish.



Disclaimer: I have received compensation in return for publishing this article.


Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Product review- Native Union iPhone 5 case!


Recently, I was contacted by a representative from Native Union for an iPhone 5 case review.


For this review, I get to pick a CLIC Wooden iPhone 5 case in a color of my choice. The collection comes in 5 stylish colors.


From left to right: Soft touch black, soft touch green, soft touch orange, soft touch aquamarine, high gloss white.

Very chic phone cases, don't you think? Which color is your favorite? I picked the high gloss white case for this review (although I also have a crush on the green! *wink*). 


My CLIC Wooden iPhone 5 case in its original packaging!


The back of the case.


The phone inside my new case.


A close up of the case.

This is a really unique phone case. I have seen a lot of wooden phone cases on the market but rarely one that combines natural materials with an accent color. I love this case for its simple design and stylish good looks. I like that it is handmade from solid cherry wood and provides a unique wood grain, a lovely contrast against the white accent color. The case is really easy to use and the quality is excellent. Highly recommended!

 *I received this product to review for free but the views and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

This fabulous iPhone 5 case retails for $39.99. You can get yours here. Happy shopping!

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Fabulous finds- Modern White Desks (In Every Price Range)!


I have been thinking about getting a glossy, modern white desk for the longest time. I have delayed my desk purchase because I really wanted to have a 'proper' home office before getting the 'perfect' desk. 

After many years of waiting, I have decided to get a desk pronto whether I am getting a designated room of my own or not! Since our home is short on space, I decided to move some furniture (with hubby's help, of course) to make way for a spot in our house to call my home office. 

I have been checking out a lot of white desks, from the super affordable to those that are out of my price range just to see what is on the market. If you are looking for a modern white desk with a sleek design as well, I hope you find today's post helpful. Below are my favorites:


THE CHIC AND PRICEY











THE AFFORDABLE








THE BUDGET FRIENDLY














Personally, I am gravitating towards white modern desks with interesting legs particularly those with x-bases, trestle legs or chrome bases and gorgeous hardware details. In a fantasy world, I would be getting one of the desks from the 'pricey' range. However, in reality, I will probably get a desk in the "affordable" range. 

The super chic and elegant 'Polished Brass & Lacquered Campaign Desk', is my most favorite! Every single detail on that desk makes me swoon. What about you? Which desk are you drawn to?

Guest post- Wonderful Ways To Add Value To Your Home!


In today's housing market anything you can do to add value and allure to your home will help you when it comes time to sell, home improvements can be daunting and take time, effort and yes; money, but it all pays off in the long term. Improving your home should not be simply about benefiting the next occupier, it should be about improving your lifestyle while you are still inhabiting so choose home improvements that you can benefit from too and make your home everything it can be.


Home additions increase the functional space of your property so you have more room to relax and enjoy your surroundings, adding extra rooms through home extensions and investing in a conversion to space you do not use will give you a great return on investment in the future and improve the look and feel of your house in the present.

1.      Convert Current Space

Defy convention and convert your space; your attic can be so much more than a space to store old clothes and your garage need not be the place where broken bicycles and empty paint cans go to die. Adding an extra bedroom is one of the most effective ways of pushing up the price of your home when it goes to market and an attic is a beautiful blank canvas, if the structure of the attic or loft is already sound all you need to do is add to it. Invest in skylight windows to make the most of the location of the room and turn it from a dark and musty hide-away to a light, airy master suite or guest bedroom.

Have a close look at your garage, then close your eyes and let your imagination soar. Take note of the amount of space available and you might come to find it is more than the other rooms in your house (can you fit a car or 2 in your front room?) and then consider what you could really do with it. If you have no need for a ground floor bedroom you could turn the space into a sprawling home office, dining room or living room, before you know it your house will feel twice the size. Your garage is a blank canvas waiting for you to imprint your style upon it, the first step is to open it up and let the light shine in with well placed windows. Large windows and bi- fold doors bring natural light flooding into the whole of your new room so there is no dingy spaces and no one will know it is where you used to park your car.

2.     Open Space Up With A Conservatory & Bi-fold Doors

Conservatories marry your home and your garden beautifully; they give you a stunning space where you can sit and enjoy the serene tranquillity of your garden in the peace, quiet and warm they are a versatile addition that can be used for whatever you wish. You can choose a style of conservatory that compliments the style, era and ambience of your house, go classic with Victorian inspired designs or be modern and chic with a Garden Room, they can be adorned however you wish and the only decoration you need is taken care of with the beauty of your landscaping.

One of the great benefits of a conservatory is you do not require planning permission to build them and experts suggest they can add up to 15% to the value of your home! By making sure they suit the building type and making sure they have the same flooring as the rest of your property you can ensure they fit seamlessly into your home design and do not feel like bolted on space.

If you are worried a conservatory will take up too much space then bi-folding doors have the same aesthetic impact of opening up your home to your garden. Bi-fold doors are a space saving innovation that is still relatively rare in UK homes, they give your room the feel of a Mediterranean getaway where your home rolls gorgeously into your garden.

3.   Revamp Your Bathrooms

How far you choose to go with your bathrooms is entirely dependent on your budget, if you want to save money on a re-design, simply investing in modern fixtures and fittings and a lick of paint can give your bathroom a whole new look without breaking your bank. If you have a bigger budget, you can completely remodel your bathroom to bring it soaring into the 21st Century in style, potential customers would not make the change from a contemporary bathroom with all the mod cons to a throwback to the 1960's so if you want the best price possible make sure it is modernised.

If you have the space and the time, adding a second bathroom or an en-suite gives your home an extra touch of luxury and an extra injection of space.

It takes time, effort and patience to make affective adjustments to your home but when the end result is outstanding you will wish you had made them sooner. Stay ahead in the housing market and take pleasure and pride in your new and improved space.

This post was written by Emma Smith on behalf of Abbey Windows, the experts in revolutionary windows and creative, classy conservatories.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Product review- The Snugg iPad case!


Recently, I have received a nice leather iPad cover from The Snugg. Have you heard of it? In case you haven't, allow me to do a short introduction.


The Snugg offers quality accessories for electronic devices such as iPad cases, tablet casessmartphone caseskindle covers and more.

For today's review, I have selected this iPad case.



Here is what mine looks like!


Front


Interior


Interior (with my credit cards, business card, iPad and a pen)


Standing position


Back

I love my brand new iPad case! Out of the 10 wonderful colors, I picked the blue denim for its good looks, uniqueness and hard-wearing benefits! The quality and workmanship is marvelous. I like that the case is thoughtfully designed as well. The case holds my iPad securely, thanks to the Velcro tab in the interior and a built-in magnet in between the case that closes firmly. I also like that the camera, switches and buttons are easily accessible when the iPad is cased. The case also includes a small cutout at the bottom so the iPad can be easily charged without having the case removed. The elasticated hand strap, the stylus holder (small loop) and the card storage are great touches. I find the flip stand works well for screen viewing and typing, the 2 stand positions that are specifically designed for this purpose.

Overall, I am very satisfied with my new Snugg iPad 4 Blue Denim Case Cover And Flip Stand. Oh, and did I mention that it comes with a lifetime guarantee also? I highly recommend this fantastic product!

*I received this product to review for free but the views and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

You can get yours here. Happy shopping!

Thursday, August 1, 2013

And the winner of the giveaway is ..........


I am happy to announce the winner of the recent giveaway brought to you by Coton Colors.










I used random.org to draw a winner and here it is! The lucky winner to win a $50 Cotons Colors gift certificate is



is Mary Beth Hamilton.


A big congratulations to Mary Beth! We will keep in touch soon. Thanks to everyone who participated in this giveaway. There will be more exciting giveaways in the near future, so don't forget to check back regularly! Have a lovely day, everyone!

Guest post- Eco friendly doors!


This article is provided by Lucy Kempton.


Eco friendly doors are one of the latest editions to eco friendly buildings. New regulations mean that we will all be seeing a lot more of this type of environmentally friendly solution within new and existing homes. So what makes a door eco friendly? There are in fact different ways in which a door can be considered kind to the environment, the most obvious of which is keeping the warm in and the cold out.

The pressure on all sectors to become more environmentally friendly has been steadily mounting over the last decade or so, not least in the building and construction arena. This pressure, whether it is coming from customers or the government, is palpable. The latest building regulations mean that doors must be as energy efficient as windows. The U-value of an eco friendly door should reach 1.8W/m2K, this value coming in line with windows makes a great deal of sense. 

For instance, double glazed sash windows will make a big difference to energy consumption, but cold air will always find a way out if there is one to be found. The cost of an eco friendly door, even if slightly more than a less air tight option, will pay back handsomely over the years thanks to marked reduction in heating bills.

A second way in which a door can be counted as eco friendly involves the chemicals used in its construction. Some companies are now using calcium zinc based compounds in the extrusion of the door frame. This replaces lead based additives which in the wrong place, can be an environmental and health hazard. Lead itself is a neurotoxin and the less we use of it the better for everyone.

Another way in which doors can be considered eco friendly is the use of recycled off cuts of PVC and/or making sure that the constituents can be recycled at the end of the door's life. Many are concerned that old doors and windows will end up in land fill, or even worse being incinerated. Thankfully, there are now numerous companies that can and will recycle and recreate new windows from old. The process is fairly labour intensive due the multiple components that make up a door. Firstly, the windows or doors are stripped down into their constituent parts. The chopped down PVC can then be turned into chip granulate, micronized powder or compounded pellets which are then used in all manner of places, from coating swimming pools to making the soles of shoes.

So whether you are refitting your old doors and windows or getting your sash windows double glazed, it is well worth considering the energy you could save with an eco friendly door. It is also well worth considering which chemicals have been used to produce it and how it can be reused once you have finished with it. Green attitudes are growing and flourishing in business and at home, and that can only be seen as positive for your pockets and the good of the earth we are sitting on.

Disclaimer: I have received compensation in return for publishing this article.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Guest post- Tips To Design A Living Room!


This post is brought to you by Adrian Barrett.

The living room is undoubtedly the most important and used room in a house. Whether you are watching TV, having a family dinner or a get-together, the living room is the preferred room to be in. An ideal living room should be spacious and yet should have an engaging design.


            Plan the overall layout

You need to consider how you want to use the room and what is important to be included in the room (keeping in mind its size). Allocate different areas of the room with respect to its shape and proportions. If the room is long and narrow, it can be divided into different sections, with one part being used for watching TV and the other to relax. An L-shaped room can consist of the dining area at its shorter side. At the same time, it is important to plan the layout of the room with respect to the furniture to be used.

      Make use of a focal point

It is always recommended to plan and design a living room around a focal point. It can consist of anything; TV, a fireplace or even a wallpaper or a painting. You can setup sofas or chairs around the focal point. It is important to ensure that the furniture around the focal point does not obstruct movement in the room. It is preferable to have the focal point somewhere in the center of the room.

      Plan the storage

Whether you have a large family or a small one, you will always have stuff to store like books, DVDs, equipments and crockery. It is important to plan accordingly and have furniture that will be used for storing these items. Use floor to ceiling cupboards with ample space to ensure all the items are stored, with no clutter outside. At the same time, ensure that these cupboards are placed or fitted along the walls and do not eat up space in the living room.

     Ensure the right lighting

You will need a mix of different lighting arrangements to match up with different purposes and areas of the living room. For background lighting, you can use discreet or recessed lamps or lights. For reading and writing purposes, it is advisable to use portable table lamps. Lights should be chosen and placed strategically such that the beam falls where required. At the same time, take care to avoid the formation of shadows or bright glares. The size, shape and wattage of the lamps will depend upon your personal taste and requirement.

Select the right window arrangements and coverings

There are a wide variety of designer windows to choose from in the Calgary market today. You can either opt for etched glass windows with unique designs or go for plain sliding windows with a translucent black film. Even though you may have a gorgeous view of the countryside or the sea from your window, it is always recommended to cover up the windows. Not only does it block the sunlight when not required or offer some privacy, but it can also enhance the looks of the windows. Some options that can be considered to cover up the windows are:

·         Shutters

·         Roman Blinds

·         Roller Shades

·         Draperies

It is important that the window sills you choose complement your living room furniture. If you have a lot of wooden furniture, it is always more fitting to use wooden sills for the windows. Also, the windows or blinds should never be blocked by furniture.

      Choose Proper Flooring

You can lay a carpet that suits your taste and fits well with respect to the theme of the room. It is warm and comfortable to walk on a carpet especially in winter, and offers a relaxed feel to the room. You can also go in for wooden or laminate flooring to match with the theme of the room and the furniture; it is also recommended if you have small kids in the house. Another option is to choose limestone or ceramic tiles. Not only do they look graceful, but they are also cooler to walk on during summers. As a precaution, select tiles that have been scrubbed a bit on the surface; this makes them less slippery to walk on.

These are some valuable tips that you can use to design or even redesign your living room. Your living room is the first room that someone enters when they are visiting your home. Thus, it is worth the effort to spend a fair amount of time on the planning and design.

Disclaimer: I have received compensation in return for publishing this article.