Posts Tagged ‘design tips’

10-Spring Cleaning and Design Tips

Saturday, March 13th, 2010

Spring cleaning and making modifications around the home go hand in hand.  As spring approaches, a slew of household chores and design tips serve as an affordable home makeover. Use the following checklist of spring cleaning and design tips to make around the home:

  • Create a realistic cleaning schedule for each room. From dusting to organization, devise a checklist of tasks.
  • Inventory the necessary cleaning supplies: paper towels, gloves, broom, mop, dust clothes, antibacterial household cleaners garbage bags, storage containers, et cetera.
  • House Plans and More advises three effective ducting tactics: 1) Since, dust or fine particle matter moves down, begin spring cleaning on the highest floor of the home. 2) Start by using a  dry dusting cloth to clean surfaces and then move onto using cleaning solutions and water. 3) Sweep, vacuum and mop are the order for cleaning floors. The idea is to alleviate any floating dirt from resettling. 
  • Don’t forget to clear, clean and reorganize those out of the way spaces, which are often dust magnets. 
  • Once each room is dusted and vacuumed  change air filters more than six eight weeks old. 

Design Tip: Give rooms an update, rearranging furniture, improving lighting.

  • In the refrigerator, be sure to remove all containers, jars and contents to clean each shelf with an antibacterial all-purpose cleaner. Place a box of baking soda to prevent refrigeration odors.
  • Throughout the home, reorganize drawers, which contain a mélange of items. Find  a new place to store similar items.

Design Tip: Conduct a design assessment of each room. Remove outdated decorative accents.

  • Remember to recycle or donate any household items that do not belong in a landfill.  
  • In each room, start cleaning at the point furthest from the door. For a thorough clean, chart a cleaning path that does not require an traversing back and forth.

Design tip: For a refreshed look, reassign household embellishments, pictures, candles and such to other rooms.

 Click design tips to read more spring cleaning and home décor ideas.

Guest House Plans – Design Tips and Ideas

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

How to create an idyllic space for company. Design information for embellishing the guesthouse plan

Guest house plans acclimatize company with accents emblematic of a spa. Imagine a luxurious space that feels like a peaceful respite from the rest of the home and accommodates guests. Designed with the elderly parent, visiting children or other frequent houseguests, guest house plans are the blueprint to unwinding company and promoting relaxation.

We gleaned several guest house plan tips at HousePlansandMore.com. Here are the findings:

Privacy. Although the House Plans and more points out that “a guest house can also be converted to a home office,” Best House Floor Plan considers an in-home spa, tucked away from the main action as the utmost alter ego for the guesthouse.

Closet Space. To get away from the traditional closet space, we went to House Plans and More to shop for a built in storage space, which appears as a cabinet. The one that appears in this photo, about organizing closets, departmentalizes coats, shoes, hats, and miscellaneous items. The storage cabinet is comprised of deep drawers, cabinets and shelves.

If the guest house floor plan is stocked with a large closet, House Plans and More reminds us that real guesthouse hospitality means not using the space to store household inventory, clothes and exercise equipment. Also, we learned that two-tiered closet rods maximize hanging space.

Based on our research, we decided to incorporate these design ideas to the guest house plan:

-    We chose earthy tones of sienna, sea green and a light turquoise to instill a sense of natural tranquility.

-    Replicating a spa-like ambiance, we opted for guest house plans with genuine timber, marbles, and sustainable materials.

-    To decorate with multifunctional amenities, we chose various sized pillows in divergent patterns, but the same color scheme to add tangible comfort.

-    Intensifying a tranquil environ, aromatherapy, infused soy candles were thoughtfully displayed to evoke a sense of calmness.

As for additional guest floor plan ideas, review these luxury mansion house plans.

Related Articles:

Guest House Decorating Ideas

Thinking Pink

The Guest House: A Visitor’s Home Away From Home

Interior Design tips: Inspiring a Hospitable Entryway

Monday, November 16th, 2009

Entryways don’t require all the decorative details that other rooms of the home demand. It doesn’t take much effort to transform dismal into a stunning entranceway.

Step 1
Starting with the basics, remove everything in your entryway, including pictures, plants and wall ornaments. Clean the ceiling, walls and floor.

Step 2
Next, now that the room is empty, allow the imagination to run wild. Consider the type of mood you hope to evoke when visitors enter.

Step 3
Consider your wall alternatives. To make your entryway appear expansive, select light colors, offering iridescence. Light greens, pale blues, beiges, and canary yellows are a few hues, which inspire a sense of cheeriness.

Floors can make or break any entryway.  Between tile, wood finishes, and bamboo, there are several floorings to consider.

Step 4

Select the best accents. A mirror, pedestal, magnificent vase, distressed cabinet coat rack, pendant lighting, cabinet, bench and or plants are the usual entryway objects of attraction. While it’s acceptable to intermingle eclectic accessories, country and modern furnishings, be sure to pool decorative accents that maintain the entryway’s design continuity.

Step 5
Keep the transition from the entryway to the rest of the home as seamless as possible. In other words, an ultra modern entryway does not bode well with the elegantly designed great room.

Optional Entryway Home Design Tip:

For the walls or floor of your entranceway, consider mosaic tiles of various colored hues. The visual appeal presents an element of texture and depth. Using a favorite theme (nature, abstract or whatever), make this the focal point on either the wall or the floor background. This design tip alleviates the need to use other decorative embellishments.

Related home design tips articles:

Tactics Keeping the Laundry room and Mudroom Green

Home Office Design Tips and Considerations

More design tips

Foyer and Entryway Decorating Tips and Ideas

Decorate Your Entry or Foyer