More Than A Number

If you are interested in new décor for your daughter’s room - the themes and resources available are endless. Keep things simple and try not to go overboard with the project. Most importantly, go with a theme that your daughter will like. Here are ten great ideas for decorating a ‘girly’ room:

Paint - Let her pick her favorite color. After all, it is her room. If you want to add more depth to the room, paint the opposite wall in a lighter shade. Let your creative juices flow, and decorate the ceiling? A couple of ideas would be glow-in-the-dark stars or perhaps even, a kaleidoscope of butterflies…

Bedding - If you are keeping the walls simple, then pick out interesting fun prints and colors to accentuate the room.

Use accents - Another way to brighten up the room is by adding in little things like pillows, rugs and bookshelves. Your daughter would love them if you can get these items in matching and bright colors that will stand out and give the room a unique look and feel.

Curtains and Blinds - A solid color is best for curtains and blinds. You do not want to overdo it, especially, since you already have prints for your bedding and other accents.

Mirrors - Girls love mirrors. Include one with a funky frame above her dresser - she will love it.

Chairs - Add in a little stool, floor cushions or even beanbags. Create a little reading corner.

Lighting - You must ensure that the room is well lit. Reading lights next to her bed and at her reading corner must be put in.

Soundproofing your room, be it the ceiling, walls or floors can be easily done. Most of the material is available online or at stores. Commonly used material for soundproofing includes vinyl mats, cotton batting, quilt, thick foam and acoustic panels.

Acoustic panels are easy to install and are only fitted on the outside of the wall. With acoustic panels, you also do not have to worry about hiding them, as they are made of material that looks good on your walls. They come in a range of designs and styles and vary from fabric-based panels to printed fabric as well as the micro-suede type.

The acoustic panels are made out of fiberglass and then framed in a fabric of your choice. If you want them to be made moveable, that too is possible. All you need to do is use a stand and put them up wherever you need it. The panels come in varying thicknesses to suit your sound proofing needs. Remember, the thicker acoustic panels can absorb bass a lot better than a thinner panel.

Installing acoustic panels in any room will ensure that sound is absorbed, while noise is controlled. Used in recording studios, the panels ensure that the sound in the room is clear and crisp sounding while home theatres with acoustic panels create the atmosphere of a cinema, ensuring good sound quality.

Sizes of acoustic panels vary from the minimum standard size of 2″x 4″ and the maximum size is 48″ x 120″. The thickness of panels range between ¾ inches to 3 inches.

Carpet stains can be quite a bother. There are quite a number of methods around on how to get rid of stains on the carpet. Below is a list of the most effective ones.

Lemon juice - This is one of the best stain removal assistants around. You can use store-bought lemon juice, put it in a spray container bottle, and spray quite liberally on the stained area. Try not to wet the padding as this could cause more problems later on. Allow the lemon juice to sit for a few minutes and then slowly blot the stain out.

Rent a carpet cleaner - Most carpets should be cleaned with proper equipment. Do not even try to do so with things that are not suitable. Your best option would be to rent a little machine to professionally clean your carpet. While this is reasonably priced, it should also be able to tackle any stains that are heavily set into the carpet.

Hire a company - If you do not have the time to professionally clean your carpets on your own, why not hire a company to do it for you? This is something you should consider doing at least once a year, as it not only ensures that your carpets get thoroughly cleaned, but also saves on time and energy.

So the next time someone spills a drink or some sauce on your carpet, do not fret. You have quite a few methods under your sleeve to get out of trouble, and not worry over a little stain in your carpet.

Love thy neighbour! You must. Otherwise things could get very frustrating. Take the time to be friends with your neighbour, or at least try to establish good terms with them. This has numerous benefits, making your neighbourhood more pleasant, safer and more comfortable to live in.

- Welcome new neighbours with a basket of goodies, a note or even a friendly chat
- Make sure your house and garden is kept neat and pretty
- Try not to be too noisy and disturb your neighbours. Loud music, talk, barking dogs must all be taken into consideration.
- If having a party at home, try to end them at a reasonable hour. Otherwise, invite your neighbours to it.
- If you borrow anything from your neighbours, make sure you return it as soon as possible. Do not forget to say thank you and maybe a little of token of appreciation.
- If your children or pets break or soil something that belongs to your neighbour, make sure you replace it, soon.
- Respect your neighbour’s privacy - in turn they will respect yours.
- If you neighbour is going away on a trip, why not offer to collect their mail, water plants and watch their pets.
- If neighbours are from a different cultural background, it might be interesting for you to take time to learn a few things from them as well.
- Invite neighbours over for a cup of coffee to discuss problems or for just a friendly chat.
- Throw an annual party/dinner to socialize with neighbours.

Hobbies are wonderful ways of spending your free time constructively. Clay modelling is lots of fun. Even if you’ve never tried it before or think yourself artistically challenged, that’s ok. It’s a relaxing hobby and when you do create something funky, you can show it off to your friends!

An inexpensive hobby, clay modelling requires a lot of patience. Practice makes perfect rings true to this hobby. Things you’ll need to start include:

- Clay
- A bucket
- A mug
- Needles
- Forks
- A thin wire
- A wooden spatula
- A knife
- Water colours
- Paint brushes

There are so many different ways to model clay. Just keep experimenting. If your first attempt ends up looking like a lump of clay and nothing fancy, don’t be disappointed. Each attempt will only make you better. Once you’ve got the hang for it, try making clay models with delicate features. These models are supported by wires, and are slightly more complicated to make. Small, stuffed, solid clay models are really the easiest to make, while a hollow model is also possible.

Once you’ve mastered the art, you’ll realize how this hobby is wonderfully relaxing. Watching the clay take shape in your hands is a great feeling. Get creative with it. Turn your creation into a work of art. Paint it, give it some character. This is a ‘must-try’ hobby. Take it up and soon, you’ll be turning out pieces of fine art.

Like many industries, the real estate business has grown and changed over the years, particularly with the rise of the Internet and the widespread availability of information that can be accessed by people from their own home.  These days, almost anyone can browse through pictures and even video footage of possible homes.  This means that first impressions are more important than ever, and staging is becoming a serious part of the business.

Some people believe that staging is simply interior decorating, but that isn’t correct.  Rather than redesigning, the purpose is to create the appearance of a model home through depersonalizing and decluttering, making it a blank slate that buyers can imagine filling with their belongings and themselves.  It’s possible that, in the future, home staging will become a standard much like the home inspection has.  For now, it is simply an excellent way to get an edge in a tough market for sellers.

With spring just around the corner, there are many simple ways to enhance your kitchen décor without spending a lot of money. Seasonal decorating provides the opportunity to mirror the natural hues, patterns, and textures of the current season, creating a harmony between the indoor and outdoor areas.

If you have windows in your kitchen, consider swapping your winter-style window curtains for light and fresh springtime curtains. Winter typically calls for heavy fabrics that are meant to keep the cold out and the warmth in. Winter-style curtains also usually reflect the dark, warmer shades of the season, and often feature busy intricate patterns. On the other hand, springtime is all about lightening things up. Consider lighter fabrics such as cotton and linen, which gently flutter in the soft breeze. To evoke a cheerful mood, choose soft pastels or crisp colors such as canary yellow, lilac blue, and classic white. Select floral or tropical motifs to celebrate the springtime bloom. The same lies true when it comes to other kitchen accessories, such as tea towels, table linens, and napkins.

If you are ready to invest in heirloom-quality wicker furnishings, make sure you take the time to view the various furniture collections by Lloyd Flanders at Wicker Paradise.com. The company has been creating fine woven furniture since 1906 and has a great reputation for producing luxurious yet practical furniture pieces.

Lloyd Flanders introduced three new styles in 2008 offering something for everyone in its Oxford, Sedona, and Princeton collections. The Oxford collection offers deep club style seating with comfortable cushions. The collection includes swivel rocker gliders, an ottoman, loveseats, sofas, lounge chairs, various end tables, and a dining set. All pieces feature soft rolling arms and custom bun feet. The Sedona collection features a contemporary look with crescent shaped pieces. In contrast, the Princeton collection is inspired by 19 th century Spanish blacksmiths and includes hand-forged aluminum. With the option to choose from 17 different finishes, 230 all-weather acrylic fabrics, and a wide variety of furniture pieces, it is easy to create a luxurious collection that is all your own.

Wicker Paradise is pleased to carry the entire line of Lloyd Flanders wicker and rattan furniture, including the Grand Traverse collection and the Reflections collection. At Wicker Paradise, you can guarantee that you are purchasing quality wicker furniture at affordable prices.