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Friday, March 10th, 2017
Universal Furniture Dining Room Round Table 409657-C
Why wouldn’t you want an Italian inspired home? Italian style is quite popular and for a good reason. It is gorgeous, ornate, elegant and it presents the loveliest quality furnishings. Say Italian and you actually mean luxury.
Based on history, Renaissance architecture and interior design dates all the way back to the 15th century. This started in Florence, Italy and was dominated by baroque style furnishings and stone columns. These days, Italian interiors show the most amazing craftsmanship.
Italians definitely know how to design a home with elements that never fail to amaze. Their homes are simply luxurious and they have layers from ceiling down to the floor. Have you noticed how every corner has layers to offer? That’s just the way Italians work.
Italian interiors feature lacquered kitchens, unique chandeliers, glass crystals, and streamlined furniture. While other pieces may be modernized or have a minimalist look to them, you could still not deny the elegance of Italian style. The refined taste of the master artisans and architects show just this.
Italian Also Means Gold
Italian is always described as luxurious or elegant because it is a style that is often gilded with gold. The gilt trim is quite popular in both traditional and modern Italian designs. It can show up practically anywhere such as mahogany furnishings, mirror frames, even on inlaid tiles. Marble stone veining could also reflect a little glamorous gold from time to time.
Italian Stone, Marble and Tiles
From terra cotta to marble, and stoneware of every kind, Italians have everything to do with these. Ancient Italians worked with these rustic stones and created beauties out of them. Italian flooring even reached a point when it became the decorative standard for many homes throughout the world.
These stones also exhibit the loveliest geometric designs, inlaid art and designs. These make them a must-have part of many homes. Today’s elegant homes cover their floors and walls with the gleaming beauty of marble while others simply take shiny stones as an added glamour in a minimalist setting.
If you want to showcase the Italian design in your home, then you must be ready to use some marble tiling at the entryway, most especially in the bathroom. If rustic is the design that makes your heart beat, though, then you can always use some terra cotta on your floors and walls.
Universal Furniture Dining Room Buffet 409680-C
Modern Italian
If you want to embrace the modern Italian look, then this is also a unique way to stand out. Most of the furnishings that have been described as Italian are traditional. Some interiors these days, though, show modern designs that are still attributed to this ornate style.
The furnishings might be sleeker to look at but their level of luxury and comfort are, nonetheless, supreme in quality. The modern Italian look offers a lot of black and white with some unexpected chandeliers from time to time.
Modern enthusiasts are sure to find a glamorous piece or two with the latest Italian pieces. These also have high quality materials that add elegance in any room in your home. Or you could choose to go all Italian and embrace the concept in every room of your home.
From the 15th century design of Florence, Italy, to today, Italian style remains to be an exquisite look for homes. It makes good use of ornate, quality furnishings, tiles, artistic stones, and gilt that remain popular for many, many years. The final look that these design elements achieve is truly elegant so there’s no way to question your style.
So, whether you’re a modernist or a traditionalist, you are sure to find joy in Italian design. Now it’s time to decide if you’re altering the look of your home soon.
Tags: Italian design, Italian interior design, Italian interiors, Italian style, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, modern Italian, traditional Italian
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Themes | Comments Off on Italian Interiors: Layering in Luxury and Elegance
Friday, March 10th, 2017
FFDM’s Hyde Park Collection: The ambience achieved here is the perfect setting for the night owl to catch some sleep.
A lot of people admit to being night owls. If you’re one to stay up late and prefers this lifestyle than rising up early, then you belong to the group of people that are genetically predisposed to be more productive at night.
Several animal studies have proven that our genetic makeup has a lot to do with whether we prefer to sleep early or late. This is pretty much like having a set of blue or brown eyes.
So, if you recognize yourself to be night owl, then it’s time to consider what needs to be set up in your room.
The Serial Night Owl’s Bedroom
Okay, so being an early riser has its benefits but it definitely isn’t a lifestyle for everyone. The greatest minds are actually renowned to sleep in. There are other factors, apart from genetics, that play a huge role on whether or not you are an early or late sleeper.
Since late night TV programs have an appeal to you, it might also help if you look into other diversions that would help you sleep earlier (perhaps).
There might be this hush as all other family members have already gone to bed but when you’re on your own, it’s time to start doing something that will help bring the yawns.
Set up a reading corner by having an armchair and a lamp by the corner. These should give you hours of reading enjoyment or you could feel a little sleepy as you go through some deep reading.
An alarm clock is also a night owl’s best friend. Being a late sleeper does not mean that you have to do away with the required seven hours of sleep each day. Your nocturnal hobbies means you find it difficult to wake up at 7:00 in the morning so if you really have to go someplace during that time, then be sure to set up an alarm – or even two.
You might also want to consider collecting some DVDs. These could serve as great companions during those long nights. The 23rd hour spells the worst TV shows so you might as well find movies that you have always wanted to watch.
The Hooker Furniture Bedroom Sanctuary Nightstand is perfect for those nighttime readings.
The nighttime is also your perfect opportunity to spend some time by yourself. Staying up late could also mean observing some night life. You could perch by your window and gaze at the skyline or you could go out and party with your friends.
Breakfast might not be your favorite meal of the day but this does not mean that you should forego on dining room setup. You should also carefully consider the dining table and chairs that would make you feel comfy during brunch time.
Since you won’t have the pleasure of eating your breakfast in the morning, you might want to have the breakfast nook in a spot where the afternoon sun won’t cause glare.
You might also feel rebellious as you choose to stay up late. As children, we have often been told to go to bed early. The night owl is the ultimate rebel as he stays up late, watching TV, reading, or doing anything that he finds pleasurable.
Since you have confessed to being a night owl, you might as well squeeze out some creativity out of your admission. There is, after all, a wonderful magic during nighttime that can boost what you do. Early birds may profess to be productive but you have an extra hour or two during the night as no noise is present to disturb you.
Okay night owl, it’s time to indulge in hours of creativity and productivity. Let the early risers do their stuff, do yours and try to exceed what everyone else is doing.
Tags: late sleeper's bedroom, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Bedroom Design, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on The Night Owl’s Bedroom
Thursday, March 9th, 2017
The Uttermost Accessories Mela Tall Decorative Vase 1931 could be traditional or unique. Just choose what goes with it.
Okay, so you’re getting married and just looking at the traditional gifts at the gift registry makes you woozy. So what do you do then?
Wedding traditions have changed a lot since the days of our progenitors. A noticeable change is that couples now marry when they are truly ready and that they now have their own sets of tableware, linens, furniture, even knickknacks.
Since these things are common inside a couple’s home, this is the reason why gift registries have offered these exact same things for many, many years. Gift-givers, took the cue and just bought what was common or ordinarily used inside homes.
This needn’t be the case with your wedding. You have to let your guests understand that you are exploring new territories and would like to have something that’s uncommon.
If you already have the basic housewares, then you should look into other wedding registry options. Look into other areas in your life such as owning a new home pretty soon. Setting up gift registry that has the tag – new toilet – could easily give your guests a hint but is not the best choice for a title.
Believe it or not, guests are actually excited to give something that’s not ordinary. Others might feel awkward at first but it’s not something that you can’t move on from.
A garden registry, for instance, requests for living, potted plants and flowers, seeds, perhaps and a small tree that can be easily planted. That honeymoon fund request is fast becoming a traditional wedding gift now so you might want to look into other suggestions.
To make things easy for you, you may set up a handful of items for your traditional registry and the rest can be a venue for creativity for your guests.
Here are some unique – bordering bizarre – ideas that you might want to request from your wedding attendees –
Gift Baskets
Cash may seem to be the preferred wedding gift these days but this is a mindless gift for most people so you might want to veer away from this. As the bride or groom, you need to feel special during your day and that includes being given the gifts that matter to you.
Small registry items such as new china and coffeemaker are also no longer new and unique so ask for those modestly-priced gift baskets for new couples. When you do this, the guests have better control of their money and they will have more options to look at. Also, as the happy couple, you get to keep vases, measuring cups, placemats, and the usual cups and cutlery while there are nice additions such as a supply of shampoo, lotion and soap.
Embroidered Items
You can also buy pillowcases, towels and bed sheet that are embroidered. Machine embroideries are more affordable but if the guests want to give hand embroidered items, then let them. These may be a bit pricier but they are more unique and much more memorable.
Dinner for Two
Rather than the usual honeymoon fund, why not ask your guests to prepare a dinner or dessert basket? There may be some who could not afford a pricey dinner in a restaurant so just ask for a simple dinner basket with dried pasta, pasta sauce, colander, bread and candles. That should do the trick.
A dessert basket, on the other hand, could contain measuring cups, spatula, brownie mix, a small mixing bowl and a pair of mittens.
Framed Wedding Invitation
Who would think of this, right? You can have your best friend give you this simple yet memorable gift. All that she has to do is to place the invitation in a shadow box, add some embellishments, and voila – it’s done.
Tags: gift registry, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, picking a wedding gift, wedding gift, wedding gift registry, wedding gifts
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on The Best Wedding Gifts Are Non-Traditional
Thursday, March 9th, 2017
Uttermost Accessories Bright Foliage Canvas Art 32214: Place a lovely piece of art in the guest room to make the space a lot homier.
Inviting family or friends over is a wonderful way to spend time with them. What better way is there to relax and have fun with them than right in your own home? Allowing other people to share your life through sleepovers, though, also demand a lot of planning time. After all, your visitors should have the time of their lives when you welcome them to your lovely home.
Who’s Who
First, you need to know who among your family or friends are coming over to visit. This should give you an idea on how to personalize their temporary space for them. Ask also if your guests are bringing children and pets with them.
If parents are bringing their teenage son, then you would want to prepare for that, too. A gaming console would be a nice addition to the entertainment center that you set up in the guest room.
Set Expectations
You need to let your guests know that they have some rules to follow. After all, this is your home so they need to respect some do’s and don’ts. Be sure to spell out which rules matter the most so that your guests will know how to behave accordingly.
More than anything, though, you need to make your guests feel warmly welcomed. This does not just mean accepting some of their habits but also learning to compromise. While your guests need to respect your space, you must also be ready to do a little rule bending from time to time.
Be sure to go with the flow, as the saying goes, so that harmony is maintained at all times.
If you like eating breakfast as early as 7:00 in the morning, then don’t force your guests to do the same thing. There are people who just take their brunch and they’re good to go.
Specify the Duration
Welcoming guests over does not mean that you are welcoming permanent house mates. Let them know how long you are expecting them to stay. No one wants guests who overstay so welcome them but be firm about the time that they should depart.
While you may like playing the role of a host, it pays that you don’t fully throw open your home to all of your friends and for as long as they would like. If a friend stayed for a week in the past, then you might want to suggest something shorter this time.
Define Your Guests’ Needs
You need to be a considerate host so be able to define whether your guests would need to work while they’re staying with you or if they are bringing their kids or pets with them. Provide ample entertainment
Offer a House Tour
It is also your role as a host to show your guests around. Be sure to explain where the bathrooms are (in case the guest room does not have a bathroom of its own), where the dining room is, the living room, basically the layout of your home.
This is so they would know where to go to during mealtimes and where to take their supply of shampoo and soap.
Hooker Furniture Dining Room Skyline Bar Cabinet: Who wouldn’t want his own bar inside the guest room?
Prep Your Family
If you still have small children in your home, then be sure to prepare them also. Tell them that it is important that they play the role of a good host to a T. Encourage each one of the kids to share their toys and some of their space to any kids that might also be brought along with the guests.
See if the bigger kids can also help tour the guests around.
Preserve Your Privacy
Try to avoid the scenario where you have to share your bedroom with some guests. It is always best to still be able to retreat to your private space as the day ends.
Tags: guest room, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Special Rooms In Your Home | Comments Off on Relax, There Are House Guests
Wednesday, March 8th, 2017
Imagine plopping into the Tommy Bahama Home Living Room Port Douglas Tete-a-Tete 1675 while reading your favorite book – it’s just the most amazing feeling.
Compared to watching TV or engaging in a shallow conversation, reading can give your brain an effective workout. Whether you are deep into a romance novel or just the manual for an electronic device, your brain gets involved in functions such as associative, visual and language learning.
For the bibliophiles out there, is there anything that’s better than reading a good book as you are curled up in your fave chair? This is that time when you take yourself away from reality and soak into the wonderful adventures brought about by reading.
There are just too many reasons to set up a reading nook. This corner needs to have ample light whether the source is natural or artificial. Also, you need to consider the level of comfort that you would need there.
A reading nook is supposed to be attractive, too, apart from being cozy and comfortable. This has to be a nook that encourages you to read more books rather than to wish the time that you’re away from it.
Take a look at these 10 essentials in creating your very own reading nook –
A Dedicated Nook
Before you get to set up a reading nook on your own, you have to delegate a specific place where you’re going to put it. This could be that unused corner in your living room or the window sill by your bedroom window.
A Comfy Chair
Of course, every reading corner needs a seating unit. Would you like leather or cotton as a material for your reading nook chair? The chair could take the natural form of your body or it could be depict the style that you want.
Ample Book Storage
Are you an intense reader? Then you may have to use more than a nightstand for your nightly reads. Choose from a dedicated shelf or a nightstand depending on your needs and reading mood. It helps a lot to have a bookshelf that is close to your reading nook for utmost convenience.
Ample Table Space
Apart from the chair and the book storage unit, it is also essential that you have table space for your miscellaneous reading needs. What are these needs? Say, a cup of lemon tea or a jar of your favorite lavender aromatic candle.
You also need a space for your special lighting especially when your reading corner is at a dark part of your room. You might want to put your reading nook near a window if you can’t have ample lighting during the day. For nighttime, be sure to have a lovely lamp to light your book during your reading hours.
A Place to Prop Your Feet
What could be a more comfortable position than to have your feet resting on a cushioned pouf or an ottoman?
How about some throws and pillows all around you? Amp up on comfort so that you get to maximize your reading during the evening.
Lovely Plants
Whether these are small or big potted plants, just place a green thing near your reading space. These are conducive to deeper thinking which you want when you are deep into your reading.
The Hooker Furniture Bedroom Retropolitan Two-Drawer Telephone Table is perfect for those who like to take their sweet time in reading a book.
Accessories That Are You
What person would be happy in a space where nothing describes him? Have your reading nook come to life with the right kinds of accessories that reflect your style and personality.
Other Reading Corner Ideas
Tags: McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, reading corner, reading nook
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Special Rooms In Your Home | Comments Off on The Cozy Reading Corner and You
Wednesday, March 8th, 2017
FFDM’s Fusion Collection features this Panache Panel Cal King Bed that’s suitable in a homey guest room.
One of the best things about having a wonderful home is that you get to have a space of your own. Also, you get to share it with family and your loved ones. Whether this family member is someone that you see every day or someone who is just visiting, you have to be able to present your home in the most welcoming manner.
So what are the elements that could categorize your guest bedroom as at par with what’s ideal?
A Personalized Guest Bedroom
Always consider first impression. An uncluttered and stylish space is a must but you must include a surface upon which you can leave welcome messages to your guest(s).
You can also paint a feature wall using chalk paint. Empty frames can also be placed in the guest bedroom where you can leave beautiful quotes or where the guests can pin their own notes.
Flower-Inspired Guest Bedroom
Wouldn’t it be nice to sleep in a room where fresh flowers are displayed? In fact, flowers are often seen as a gesture of genuine hospitality. For just a few dollars, or even for free, you can show your guests the most beautiful flowers that are in season. This will also tell them how much you looked forward to have them over.
Unpacking and Storage Made Easy
Provide racks for your guests’ luggage. Just take a cue from the hotels that you checked into. It helps that your guests won’t have to stoop to unpack.
Be sure to provide a storage chest or chest of drawers in that room. This is your versatile addition where the guests will be able to store their stuff and where they can also find extra pillows and blankets.
Be sure to provide a place where clothes and hats can be hanged especially when you have a guest bedroom that has limited space. A closet or an armoire are also the best additions to any guest bedroom.
The Hooker Furniture Bedroom Auberose Five-Drawer Chest offers just enough storage space for your guests’ limited stay.
Luxurious Wrapping
After a particularly active day, especially when your guests enjoyed going around the city or town, it’s just proper to make them feel pampered and welcome in their guest bedroom. As much as you can, have a guest bathroom that’s been especially set up for the guest bedroom.
Have an ample stock of washcloths, towels, hand towels and bath sheets.
Bedding Options
Your guests will surely appreciate a room that’s filled with bedding options. Comfort must be your primary concern so be sure to dress up the guest bedroom with thin bed covering and some extra blankets with varying warmth.
Begin with thin bedding layers then let the guest decide how much warmth he or she will need. The guest will be the one to layer additional blankets should the room feel cooler in the evening.
Prepare a heap of pillows which they can opt to use. This will give the guests a chance to customize their temporary nest according to their liking.
Prepare for Kids Guests
There are families that travel with kids so such guests would surely appreciate an extra cot or bed for their little ones. A sofa bed will also make a huge difference should the idea of adding another bed becomes an impossible idea.
Set Up Climate Control
Bedtime should be a time for comfort and relaxation. This means you have to mind the room temperature. A few people want cooler temperatures during the evening while others like to have their evenings warm.
Mount an easy-to-use climate thermostat so that your guests will know that you care about what they want.
Make the Most Out of Everything
Lastly, have a luxury hotel style type of coffee station for your guests right inside their room. This will surely be appreciated.
Tags: McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Bedroom Design, Guest Room Design, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on Why Dress Up the Guest Bedroom?
Tuesday, March 7th, 2017
Cynthia Rowley for Hooker Furniture Varick 2 Over 2 Sofa spells modern at every angle.
Homeowners could spend hours talking about things that one could add to home remodeling such as what tiles to use on the shower floor, what furniture to use and where to properly place them. Are you going to use wallpaper or paint? There are so many things to consider that can make remodeling projects a real pain to deal with most of the time.
If you want to remodel minus the headaches, then you have to learn some fundamentals.
Begin by Knowing Your Tastes
A remodeling project is all about you. If you want this project to become a noteworthy experience, then you should be able to tell a story about yourself. This is about how you present your preferences and tastes using interior design.
Let’s pretend for a moment that budget is not an issue. So now you’re free to take in any design element that you want. You can begin by decorating with your culture (or at least your preferred culture). Express your lifestyle and beliefs with culturally specific stuff like rustic elements for people who come from the South. Asians can embrace Japanese, Chinese or Indian design elements.
Or you can choose to go astray and just embrace a Nordic interior design even if you’re a Caucasian.
Add decorative elements like tapestries, rugs and wall accents. If you’re an artist, then create a home that celebrates your artistry.
Be More Patient
Home remodeling projects will surely test your patience – it’s inevitable. There will be unforeseen issues that you need to deal with, even busy schedules to manage, so you should learn to keep your sanity during the renovation project.
You might want to take a timely vacation, too. Rather than mope inside the same place where workers are rushing in and out, why not take that much-needed family vacay? If you don’t want to temporarily reside elsewhere, then you must be amenable to stay at a different space, say, the guest room while the rest of the home is being renovated.
Still about the downside of remodeling, if you can’t live without a kitchen even for just a single day, then learn to minimize the inconvenience. Set up a temporary food preparation area which includes a microwave oven and a mini refrigerator so you can still prepare light meals during the renovation project.
If you want to keep the traditional look of your home, then this Hooker Furniture Bedroom True Vintage Chest can surely help.
Learn to Adapt
Apart from patience, you must also learn a little adaptability. Most kitchen and bathroom remodels are not needful. If truth be told, who really needs a full kitchen? Most of the time, all you need is a little adjustment here and there to meet your growing needs.
Plan for the Long-term
Think about energy loss, long-term maintenance and eventual repairs. Be sure to include these during the time that you calculate probable renovation expenses. If you want your home to last through the years, then you must be ready to hire remodelers who have design experience of no less than three years. More importantly, this remodeler must be someone that you fully trust.
Be sure to visit the past projects of your shortlisted remodeling candidates. The best ones keep an organized work site, have a safety-conscious team, and know how to keep a low profile while finishing the remodeling project.
Mind the Papers
Every remodeling project requires some legal papers. A remodeler must be able to provide a contract that contains the right address, start and completion dates, as well as the details of the renovation project.
Remain Calm
While you are encouraged to be fearless in your designs, you must learn to manage stress. Just think that at the end of this project, you and your loved ones will finally live at a home that’s customized to meet your needs.
Relax and wait for the project to unfold.
Tags: McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, remodeling, remodeling guidelines, remodeling project, remodeling tips
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on 6 Indispensable Home Remodeling Lessons
Tuesday, March 7th, 2017
The Hooker Furniture Dining Room Sanctuary Spindle Side Chair is as casual as it gets.
In an ideal world, every family should spend quality time together, every evening, while sharing a hot, mother-prepared meal. The conversations there would be bursting with energy and excitement. No one will be looking at their smart phones or even try to sneak a peek at the TV. Everyone would be relaxed and calm and laughing.
Now the reality – family members have different work and school schedules and they come from last-minute activities that leave mealtimes with fidgety kids and distracted teenagers.
Turns out, taking a simple meal as a family is important no matter how difficult it is to establish one. Studies have proven that kids do a lot better in school when they eat together with their moms and dads. Also, they are physically healthy and psychologically well-adjusted as compared to children or teens who display risky behaviors.
Since family mealtimes are such as important activity, it pays if you spend time planning for this daily event. This may not mean an enjoyable experience each time but it is worth trying. So how do you do it? Here are some useful tips –
Plan
Failing to plan is just like planning to fail – as the cliché goes. You need to take part in planning the dinners. Don’t just resort to heated pizzas or chicken nuggets. Kids would surely love to come home to meals that have been carefully planned.
Weekends are a great time to plan for the meals during the week. Use meal planners that can be bought in bookstores or the downloadable types that you see online.
Make Special Meals
To make people want to come home for dinner, you have to make sure that they are going to enjoy something great.
Use the best dinnerware, a decent tablecloth and if you can eat outside with your family once each week, then family members would have a wonderful memory of your shared meals.
Don’t be cheap. Eat with real spoons and forks and not the plastic ones that you can just throw after. It may take a while for everyone to get used to the wonderful dining experiences but you’ll find out that, pretty soon, everyone’s simply enjoying the meals.
No Gadgets on the Table
While everyone’s dining, it would also help if an unspoken rule is respected by everyone – this is to have zero gadgets while dining. Never allow TV, laptops, smart phones or tablets get in the way of meaningful conversations shared with family.
It is okay to watch the TV as a family if you’re eating dinner while watching the Academy Awards or the Super Bowl. A pizza and popcorn night once in a while also won’t hurt.
FFDM’s Summer Home Collection features this display cabinet that could also feature conversation starters.
Everyone Must Participate
As much as possible, ask everyone to get involved in planning and especially in cooking the dinner. Encourage the smaller kids to smell the spices and pick one that they love. The more that family members feel that they contributed to something, the more that they would want to attend the next meals.
Get everyone to talk as well. Ask the kids about school and don’t let their statements stop at it’s okay. Don’t just talk to your spouse, make time to listen to everyone who wants to share their experiences. You can have your convos in the form of formal interviews or a game. It’s up to you.
If there are topics that need to be discussed, then there are also those that you need to veer away from. Avoid berating a kid for not eating vegetables. This will only result in dreaded family dinners rather than the enjoyable ones that you want them to remember.
Get crazy, be more creative all in the name of family dining.
Tags: casual dining, family dining, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Dining Room Design, Interior Design 101 | Comments Off on The Casual Family Dining Experience: Positive Tips to Sitting Down and Dining with Family
Monday, March 6th, 2017
The Hooker Furniture Living Room Melange Bondurant Cocktail Trunk serves as an empty nester’s fashionable storage unit.
Are you at a point in your life when all your kids have grown and have turned into independent adults? Then you are now officially an empty nester. What this often means is that you are left with a big, empty home. Retirement is also looming around the corner so this is the best time to consider downsizing – and this is for you and your spouse’s own good.
Downsizing an Empty Nest Means Right Sizing
This is your big step towards your journey to a more suitable home. A single or a couple should look forward to finding the right remodeling project or even another home that will provide their needs beyond retirement.
This means you have to find a smaller and more manageable home where you won’t have to sacrifice your lifestyle. This must be a home with features that meet your design requirements as well as other amenities that will help you as you age gracefully.
You might have a smaller home soon but it also means less time cleaning it up. Look at it as a chance to finally have ample time to check into more meaningful activities.
A downsized home must still have ample storage. This is a desirable element that you must first consider. Abundance of storage means you won’t have to worry about where to store the linens, the bedding, towels, shoes, etc.
You can have a walk-in closet built especially for your clothes, shoes and other accessories. You can also invest in a double vanity and expansive counters for the bathrooms. Just adjust the size since you won’t be sharing it with the children anymore or that you won’t be needing a lot of surface space.
Of course, clutter must never be an option in your new empty nester’s home.
Another feature that you also need to consider is the kitchen where you will be cooking your gourmet dishes. Still another is the entertaining area where you will receive family and friends (especially your toddler grandchildren).
Since you are transitioning into retirement, you must also seriously consider the safety features of your remodeled or new home. Your habitat must offer ample space but at the same time, it must have quiet spots where you can spend time reading or simply meditating.
Another feature that you need to consider is how safe your home will be. There are several factors that you need to look into such as properly installed smoke and heat detectors, burglar alarms, deadbolt locks, some fire extinguishers, updated electrical wiring systems, heating or cooling systems, lightning rods, and firewalls.
The stairs (if your new house has any) need to have safety handrails.
If you chose to move instead of remodel your home, it is also wise to check the neighborhood where you’re moving into. People tend to discover some rather nasty things about their neighbors only when they have already moved in so you might want to make a difference there.
How loud your neighbors might be often depends on factors such as a shared wall or the thinness of the material used for the window treatments. No matter, it pays to increase your privacy and to use screening plants so that your backyard would feel like a getaway and not a place where other people could pry.
Your retirement is also a great time to start a new hobby. You can begin collecting the things that you never had time to collect back in the day. Make room on your walls for artworks – perhaps even your own.
It is also beneficial for you and your partner to plan activities together while also attending to separate hobbies.
Tags: empty nester, empty nester's home, empty nesters, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, retiree's home, retirement home
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Themes, Tiny Homes | Comments Off on Designing the Empty Nesters’ Home: Why It’s Beneficial to Downsize
Monday, March 6th, 2017
Cozy up in the plush yet simple beauty of this English Sofa from the Biltmore Collection of FFDM.
Dark nights, the coldest days, even the flu, bring even the most positive people down. This is a great time to soothe away the winter blues. Here are some ways to make your home more exciting till spring finally arrives –
Schedule a Family Movie Night
Many homeowners dream of being able to travel once every year. But if this is not possible on your itinerary, then you can still take a vicarious trip through movie nights.
Have you seen The Tourist starring Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie? You can bask under the Italian sun without actually going there as you see the scenic beauty of the Venice canal. Another movie that features a popular vacation spot is Diane Lane’s Under the Tuscan Sun.
Take your culture trip farther by viewing Julie and Julia starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. In that movie, you can enjoy the beauty of Paris along with some of the most scrumptious French meals.
Force Open Branches
Who says you have to wait for spring before you can see lovely blossoms? There is a way of opening up blossoms coming from your yard to be used bouquets in your home. The flowering branches can be taken from trees and woody shrubs, be cut and forced open.
To do this, look for nice, big flower buds then use your pruners to have the branches cut.
Hammer the branch bottoms or slit an inch for each one then place them in a bucket of lukewarm water complete with floral preservative.
Place the bucket in a cool, dark area in your home then change the water each day. You should be able to see a change within the week. These can then be arranged as colorful branches in ceramic or glass vases.
Visit the Farmers’ Market
If you have been postponing your visit to the local farmers market, then this is the perfect time to do so. Be sure to pull out a spring recipe that you have been keeping before you go. You’ll find out that you will soon be inspired to keep the kitchen warm and to entice everyone’s senses with your home cooked meals.
Prep for Daylight Saving Time
Spring ahead means getting ready by slowly adjusting your bedtime and nightly rituals back a few minutes every evening. You can also choose to get up earlier a few minutes each morning.
This may sound like work to most people but you are already making adjustments which will give you an extra hour to spend on a bike ride or even an evening stroll with a loved one. You can even spend the nights in front of a fire pit with your friends.
Open Your Windows
It is sometimes easy to feel depressed when your work schedule does not allow you to get as much sun. if you happen to have a workspace right by the window, then open those shades and be sure to angle your work desk towards the sun. Be sure to bask in it for a few minutes at least.
If you’re not blessed to have this office space by the window, then be sure to eat your lunch as you sit on a bench soaking under the warm sun. If this is still not possible, then ask your boss to have a faux LED skylight installed. This is known to make employees’ moods more pleasant and also helps in improving productivity by up to 15-percent.
Go Out and Shop
And what better way is there to beat the winter blues than to go out and shop? Check out our latest inventory close out sale here.
Tags: getting rid of winter blues, goodbye winter blues, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, preparing for spring, prepping for spring
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Spring Season | Comments Off on Chasing the Winter Blues Away: 6 Cozifying Tips to Follow
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