Liven up your living area for less!

Love where you live! Some of us, during the fall and winter seasons, spend a lot of time in the house. Even if you live in a part of the country that is warm all the time and you can go outdoors more often, we all need to liven up our living areas from time to time. We've found some great ideas you can use to bring some new life to your living areas for less, whether you rent or own!

Redecorate with what you have! 

Craft an instant end table or unique stand with a stack of your favorite books. Not only does it look inviting, but gives you a warm memory every time you see one of your favorite reads.

Use vintage bottles, vases and jars to bring some pizzazz to your mantle.

Use flowers, wrap your glass goods with twine or use paint to color.

Mix in a bold accent—like a zebra print or a bright color—to add some contrast to a low-key sofa. Mix in a bold accent―like a zebra print―to add some contrast to a low-key sofa.

Bring in the sunshine.

You can purchase cafe curtains and rods fairly inexpensively. Using a cafe rod allows the sunlight to shine through the top of the window.

Update wall decor with fun surprises.

Purchase teardrop vases like these for as low as $5.95. Don't have access to fresh flowers? You could use colored-stones, colored water or simply display as is!

Add a few reflective surfaces to make a plain room look brighter and larger. 
Use the mirrors to decorate walls, tables and other glass goods to bring light to certain areas.

Add color!

If you can’t paint your walls, paint an old piece of furniture to bring a pop of color and life!

Use lighting!

Give your room a boost with fun, decorative lamps that bring light and character. Lamps like this one from IKEA cost as little as $15!

Thank you to Today.com for content.

Green Cures All Your Winter Blues - The Best Ways to Use Plants in Your Home

With the temperature suddenly dropping like a stone, we can no longer plausibly deny that fall is upon us. But if, like me, you dread those winter months being stuck inside, there is good news:

PLANTS!

Indoor plants boost morale, productivity, concentration, and creativity. They reduce stress, fatigue, sore throats and colds. Plants improve air quality, absorb toxins, produce oxygen and humidify that dry winter air. And most importantly for our purposes - they look great! They improve the aesthetic of any space and soften the sterile indoors.

But if you are thinking, "Yes, Linda, but I have a black thumb and have killed every plant that has ever been unlucky enough to come into contact with me," I have more good news:

We are not only going to talk about how to use plants to beautify your home and create a serene reprieve from all those gray skies, slushy sidewalks and bare branches looming in our future BUT we are also going to talk about the 10 best houseplants for natural born plant-killers like yourself.

Talk about a Win-Win! So let's start with -

Using Houseplants in Your Decor

Re-purpose old goblets, chipped enamel mugs, or other charming containers as planters.

 

Keep fresh herbs close at hand in your kitchen to enjoy them all year round

Look for unique vessels for your plants, like a re-purposed light bulb
or this cool glass bulb your little plants 

Go all out - Fill a corner or a whole room with a lovely little potted garden

Or keep it simple and subtle with little splashes of green here and there.

So there's a little spark for your creative plant inspiration :-)

Now for those of you who are looking at these pictures and remembering all the plants you've killed, Here are the Top 10 Easiest Houseplants to care for.

POTHOS

Why you want it: First of all, this indoor plant has an air-purifying quality that can absorb and strip toxins like formaldehyde from materials in the home like carpet. How neat is that? It has trailing stems and works well in a hanging basket or as a climbing plant with some training onto a trellis or whatever object you like that will support it.

How to care for it: This indoor house plant can produce stems that trail eight feet or longer, so just cut them back when they get too long and your plant will continue to look full and healthy. It can thrive in an array of lighting conditions, but low light may diminish the leaves' variegation. Allow soil to dry somewhat between watering. Pothos does well in an array of normal room temperatures.

ALOE

Why you want it: This succulent with long pointed leaves has medicinal properties you probably well know from product labels. It can grow three feet high for big impact indoors. Smaller varieties like the popular aloe vera, work great in small, sunny indoor spaces.

How to care for it: Aloe likes room temperatures around 70 degrees and a lot of sunlight. As you might expect for a succulent, this indoor house plant prefers dry soil, so avoid frequent watering for the best result.

SPIDER PLANT

Why you want it: These unusual-looking indoor plants add visual interest to a room, and they haven't fallen out of fashion after years of popularity in the home. Spider plants come in a number of varieties, and work well as hanging plants.

How to care for it: Spider plants do well with evenly moist soil and bright or medium lighting conditions. Room temperatures of 60 to 75 degrees keep them thriving.

ENGLISH IVY

Why you want it: There's a real timeless elegance to ivy, and it trails down furniture for a pretty effect. Plus, it's super easy to start a new plant for yourself or a friend by cutting a section of the stem. Instant hostess gift! (OK, not really instant, but give it just two weeks or so.)

How to care for it: English Ivy likes moist soil and cooler room temperature conditions, ranging from the mid-50s to about 70.

JADE PLANT

Why you want it: For those who love the look of a succulent—not to mention the ease of care—a jade plant offers thick, lush leaves and visually interesting branches. It grows slowly and has the potential to live from your kids' birth until their high school graduations— at least! It also looks great in a pretty pot when paired with other succulent varieties.

How to care for it: Jade plant does not require a lot of water, so keep soil somewhat dry. It prefers bright light and ordinary room temperatures.

RUBBER TREE

Why you want it: This easy-to-grow indoor house plant will grow into an eight-foot-tall tree for a major pop of greenery in a room. If you prefer a smaller plant, just make your rubber tree into a shrub shape by pruning any long stems. The dark green leaves have an attractive shine to them.


How to care for it: Allow the surface of the rubber tree's soil to dry out in between watering. It thrives in lighting conditions from medium to bright, and a range of room temperatures between about 60 and 80.

DIFFENBACHIA

Why you want it: The leaves of this pretty indoor plant can grow to a foot long, and provide a tropical-looking accent to home decor. The whole plant can grow six feet high for a cheery room focal point.

How to care for it: Diffenbachia thrives in normal room temperature not colder than the mid-60s. Keep the soil evenly moist, and provide medium or low lighting conditions for the best result.

PEACE LILY

Why you want it: Surely you've seen this indoor house plant in many homes, since it has such pretty, curving white blooms and dark leaves—and it's super easy to grow.

How to care for it: This house plant favors low humidity and also low light, making it great for rooms with few windows. It prefers moist soil throughout the pot and tolerates standard temperatures ranging to about 85 degrees.

SNAKE PLANT

Why you want it: It doesn't get much easier than this indoor house plant—also sometimes known as mother-in-law's tongue! It has variegated leaves that grow upright, and some varieties' leaves have yellow or white edges. It has small white flowers that bloom only rarely.

How to care for it: This indoor plant grows well in a whole range of lighting conditions. The air should be somewhat dry, as should the soil. Any normal room temperature should suit it just fine.

FICUS

Why you want it: This indoor tree has shiny leaves to add cheer to any indoor space. Its stems can be braided for a tidy topiary effect we love.

How to care for it: This tree likes full sun, or at least bright filtered light. Most varieties (there are about 800!) prefer several days of dry soil in between thorough watering. Room temperatures between 65 to 75 degrees work best.

Plants make every space better. With these great tips and ideas, you can create your own little indoor paradise to enjoy throughout the winter and all year round.

Thank you to Today.com for content.

Get a Luxury Bathroom Inexpensively

We spend quite a bit of time in the bathroom. Not including the "half-hour with a magazine" times, we are showering, getting ready for the day and for bed, and if we're lucky, relaxing in a bath every now and again.

And no matter how nice your sitting room may be, guests will get a much more accurate picture of your lifestyle from the bathroom. 

Also, if you are thinking you might sell, the bathroom is also one of the most important value-adding aspects of your home.

It's important that your bathroom is nice, but that does not have to mean that it has to cost a small fortune. There are simple ways to make your bathroom look classy and expensive that are easier and cheaper than you may think. Here are some how-to's for how to class up your bathroom on a budget.

We'll hit this from two sides:

1. Surface Remodeling - you can change structural aspects of your bathroom without a major remodel of the floor plan or layout
2. Decor - Little superficial changes that can make a huge difference for the overall look

Surface Remodeling Tips 

Anytime you are dealing with plumbing, electrical, flooring, etc, it's going to be complicated, dusty, and expensive. However, if your bathroom is structurally sound and just needs a new look, here are tips for how to do that well.

1. Cover, Don't Replace

This is the guiding principle of any surface-level renovation, with the caveat that you never want to cover anything because it needs to be replaced.

For example, there is no better way to cover up the lower potion of walls than with easy-to-install wainscot. It's a pre-fab board that extends as high as 48" and will eliminate the need to fix any unfortunate wall dings and minor holes. But should that wallboard be speckled with mold and mildew, the last thing you want to do is cover it up. Unfortunately, you need to track down the source, stop it, and replace affected portions of wallboard.

2. Refinish Tub Instead of Replacing It

Bathtub or shower refinishing is a prime example of "cover, not replace." If the problem is mainly cosmetic--a yellowed surface and some cracks and nicks--you can refinish your shower or bathtub .

Bathtub and shower liners--a staple of infomercials and the hidden secret of many nice-looking bathrooms--are actually not as cheap as they seem. Never a permanent fix, they will carry you through a few years. Liners require professional installation.

3. You Don't Need That High-End Flooring

You think you want that radiant-heat granite floor but we are talking about a relatively small space here - a durable and highly cost-effective option is Vinyl Flooring.

Vinyl looks better than ever these days with innovations such as luxury vinyl flooring (LVF) and plank vinyl. Give it a try; you'll never look back. Trust me. 

4. Install Your Own Toilet

Don't call in the plumber to switch out the old toilet with the new. Install your toilet yourself . It's much easier than you can imagine following the step-by-step guide at this link.

5. Paint It Yourself

Bathroom walls are taken up with mirrors, showers, tile, bathtubs, etc. You're only dealing with a few square feet. You can paint the bathroom yourself in two days using this great step-by-step guide.

8. Install Your Own Bathroom Vanity and Top

Because bathrooms are small, it's possible for you to buy nearly or fully assembled bathroom vanity units and vanity tops and have them in place within a couple of hours.

Vanity units come in certain sizes ranging from 24 inches to 60 inches wide. Coordinating tops (counters) can be purchased that even have sinks fused into them--no sink installation and caulking woes!

Remember, these are SURFACE solutions. If you are doing anything more complicated (moving plumbing or electric, changing the floor plan, etc.) hire a professional. 

Decor Tips

If you already like the blank canvas of your bathroom, there are lots of inexpensive options for improving the decor and making it look much more expensive than it was.

1. Light It Up

Bright lighting makes your bathroom look bigger and cleaner. You try lighting fixtures like bulbs fixed into the bathroom sill or the false ceiling. You can also have mood lighting in the bathing area.

2. Keep it Clean

Even expensive bathroom fittings are of no use it is dirty and drab. Keep the sink, the tub and the tiles spotless clean. Your bathroom will automatically look classy.

3. Classy Mirrors

You must use mirrors that look expensive (but are not). 
For example, try covering an entire wall of your bathroom with a mirror. In this way, you will be saving on tiles.
Or, you can find unique used mirrors and re-purpose them to create the personalized look you want.

4. Bathroom Fixtures

Fixtures are like your bathroom's jewelry. They must be functional, of course, but there are so many options and looks that they are a great way to add a bit of pizzazz. Remember also that if you have furniture-like vanities, the drawer pulls and handles are included as fixtures.

5. Shower Curtains

This is the biggest piece of fabric in your bathroom, so this could be your gorgeous focal point, a splash of color, or just subtly blend with your other decor. Good quality shower curtains are not expensive and they really impact the look of your bathroom.

6. Bathmats

Chances are, if you are ready for a new shower curtain, you are also ready for a new bathmat. Remember from our Decorating Mistakes Blog that toilet rugs are no longer acceptable, but there are many options to add interest and class to a bathroom from the ground up.

7. Details

What is around your sink and on your shelves? These details make a big difference in the overall impression of your bathroom. Pour your favorite products into decorate pump bottles.

8. Artistic Touches

Dried flower petals and scented candles can give your bathroom a relaxing feel. Wall art and photos add you personality into it. But your bathroom decor could be anything from vases and lamps to themed decorations - there is no limit to what you can do.

Whether you are changing out a counter top or changing out a bathmat, there are many ways to get a gorgeous and classy bathroom for not a lot of money. You spend at least an hour a day in the bathroom. Your guests see it. Your family bathes there. Make it the beautiful bathroom you deserve.