Article by Jennifer Adams

Congratulations, you’re moving in together! You just got married! Or, you’re in a committed relationship and are ready to take it to the next level. Or you’re moving back home, or having a child move back in with you. Or, getting a roommate. Whatever your circumstances are, a little planning before combining households will help keep things smooth.

There will be plenty to discuss than just décor. Talk about chores, pet responsibilities, child care if necessary, curfews, splitting finances and errands. Many potentially relationship-ending misunderstandings come from sharing finances and different preferences for cleanliness, entertaining hours and events. Food and beverage separation is another big topic!

Here are a few of my favorite tips for successfully sharing a household, especially if you’re engaged or in a committed romantic relationship.

Talk with a lawyer to work out some of the financial logistics, or at least talk with each other and write down your ideas before moving in. Some questions to address are whose name(s) go on the lease, agreement, loan or title, and how will the utilities be split up.

 “Purge before you merge.” If you have less stuff to move in the first place, you’ll have fewer items to deal with later. For some really interesting information on how to handle things if you have a different attitude toward stuff than your partner, read “11 Ways to Merge two Households into One: a Must for Newlyweds!” by Rivka Slatkin, published on Yahoo! Voices.

Keep the best and toss the rest. Donate the ratty pots and pans, keep the nicer ones until you can shop for new stuff together. Allow each other to keep a few sentimental objects or favorites, especially if they’re small. If there is truly something you cannot agree whether to keep or toss, literally put aside your argument. Unless it’s alive, like a plant or pet, box it up and save it for a year. Open it up again later and see what you both think.

Try hard to blend your décor styles if they’re radically different. Keep the public areas of the home neutral, though private areas like bedrooms and baths can be more personal. If you have duplication of furniture, for example, two sofas, put the nicest one where it will get the most use. Be creative, if you have two dining tables, use the smaller one as a desk!

 Look for similarities in your furnishings such as wood tones and color. Use those together for a cohesive look, and accent with contrasting items. Take turns choosing what art goes where if you’re struggling. Flip a coin to see who goes first!

If possible, choose your new home together so you’ll start fresh, as equal partners. If that’s not feasible, start by cleaning out the clutter and starting with a clean of a slate as possible. Paint in neutral colors, choose important pieces like your bed together, and have fun putting it all together.

Lastly, make sure you each have a corner or whole room to call your own. A desk, a "man cave," a hobby center, something, someplace in your new house that you can express yourself will be rewarding. As much as you may now have a life together, try to indulge in a separate interest. 

Share your personal stories! We want to know what went well or what went wrong. For more information, see the “Tips for Combining Households” here, from Apartment Therapy.

Photos courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens website.

Wedding guest books were originally a functional souvenir for the wedding couple that helped them remember who attended their big day event, organize thank you notes and even start a formal address book.  This format has evolved into more of a memory keepsake for the newlyweds with signatures or little love notes from friends and family.  Some people even incorporate Polaroid or photo booth snapshots into a "love note" collection.  There are even wedding day-versions of "Mad Lips" to help loved ones share their thoughts on the newly-wedded couple.

Unfortunately, these keepsakes usually get stored away with other mementos and without a second thought to the sentiment stored within it after the wedding day.

Guest books are really meant to be a long-lasting memento of the big day and of those who made it complete with their love, laughter and support. Why not create a guest book that will serve as a keepsake to be viewed over and over again?

That was the thought process behind my "Guest Book Canvas" idea.  My husband and I wanted something that went beyond just signatures in a book or "love recipe" cards.  We wanted something that we could hang on the wall and cherish long after the wedding.
Read more »

Summertime is a great time for moving. Kids are out of school, people are getting married, houses sell well, plus the weather is usually good so your vintage leather sofa won’t get destroyed in Uncle Bob’s pickup during a rain storm or on the way out to the moving van.

No question about it, moving is a chore. Here are some ideas on how to make sure you get your stuff safely from here to there, whether you’re hiring it all out or moving it all yourself.

1. Declutter as you pack, room by room, shelf by shelf. Have some boxes set up for “Recycle” and “Donate.” If you haven’t used it in a year, get rid of it. Save yourself time and only carefully box up the stuff you’ll move. Have your kids do the same thing. It’s OK to get rid of books!

2. Use what you have as packing material. Wrap your dishes carefully in your clean dishcloths, kitchen towels, and pillowcases. Use your bath towels, sheets and blankets for the big stuff: planters, lamps and accessories. Not only will you save money by not buying extra packing materials, you’ll save time by not needing to wash all your dishes after wrapping them in newspaper (the ink can be very difficult to remove from glassware) or going to buy more wrapping paper. Fill the voids between stacks of dishes and at the top with other clean towels, clothing, socks, etc.

Save or scrounge boxes. If you have room, keep them together to save time, or flatten them to conserve space until you need them. Uline, UBoxes and Office Depot sell new boxes, you may be able to find used boxes for sale near you. Alien Box and Rent-A-Green-Box rents these green reusable, stacking plastic containers, there may be a similar company near you.

3. Label all your boxes as you pack them, with the room name they’ll go into and the date. Add important details of the contents like “pots and pans” or “living room books” so you’ll know what you need to unpack immediately.

4. Box everything, even if it’s lightweight. Lampshades, baskets, fake flowers, lamps, fans, throw pillows, etc. are all awkward and often fragile, so they need protection. Nest the lampshades and baskets to save room. Boxed items can be stacked to save room in the truck or trailer. Nothing slows a move down more than tiny loads of ungainly items.

5. Use small boxes for books and heavy stuff. Trust me. These get ungainly fast.

6. Don’t wrap stuff that doesn’t need it. You do not need to wrap each utensil, fork and spoon separately. Do keep them together. Wrap the sharp knifes carefully for safety.

7. Clean and repair stuff before you pack it. Keep dusting rags and tools handy and if you can’t fix it, get rid of it.

8. Keep similar stuff together. Chances are you’ll find stuff easier if they share the same space in your new house. Unpacking will go faster, too. Take the contents of each drawer, pull out stuff to get rid of and pack the rest into a single pillowcase, including the organizers, after you clean them of course! Put all these pillowcases into a single box marked “Under Kitchen Sink,” “Her Dresser Top Left,” “Pet Grooming Stuff” or whatever.

9. Don’t throw away menial stuff that you think you’ll replace when you move, such as cleaning supplies, yard tools, etc. Even if it’s nearly worn out. If you don’t pack it, it’s likely you’ll need it right away when you get to your new house, after you forget to replace it.

10. Do throw out old makeup, lotions, shampoos, etc. Move only the stuff you’re using now. Also use the opportunity to get rid of all the old foods and samples in the back of your pantry, the old batteries, pens, outdated coupons, maps and phone books.

11. Pack up essentials separately, as if you’re going on a trip. Toiletries, a few changes of clothing, a few towels, medicines, your pets’ food and dishes, what you’ll need for a few days until you get everything unpacked.

12. Only open and unpack a box if you need something in it. Store these less essential boxes, and in a year or so, if you haven’t opened a box, you probably don’t need it.

13. If you’re moving within the same city, consider loading up your car with the most fragile things each trip even if you’re hiring professionals. You won’t need to stress out yourself or your friends.

14. Don’t try to do everything in one day. Start weeks early. Packing takes time, especially if you need to clean and de-clutter as you go. Start with the least used stuff first, and don’t get into a box again until it’s in your new house!

15. Use the right tools for the job if you're doing it yourself. In addition to trucks and trailers, U-Haul rents or sells moving blankets, hand trucks, dollies, appliance straps, water bed and aquarium pumps, and a huge variety of things that will make your life easier. 

16. Enjoy. Take breaks, moving is hard work but it can be fun. It’s an exciting change, make the most of it!

Let us know your ideas, we’d love to hear what you think. Horror stories are fun too.

Until next time!

-Elaine Bothe

Photos courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens website, Alien Box, U-Haul and UBoxes. For more moving tips, see “Moving Tips” on TLC’s “How Stuff Works” website.

Article by Jennifer Adams

You spend more time on your mattress than on any other piece of furniture you own. And because quality sleep means so much in how you feel during the day, it’s critical that your mattress is comfortable and works really well for you. If it’s not, it’s time to find a new one.

If you’re like most people, you should expect to replace your mattress at least every ten years, no matter how much you paid for it. Get a new mattress every five to seven years if you have back problems, allergies or other medical issues, or if it’s simply no longer comfortable. Our bodies and sleeping patterns change over the years, so something that is comfortable now may not be down the road, even if there’s nothing wrong with the mattress.

And, with June weddings, graduations, people moving after the school year and many other reasons, many mattress stores hold additional sales in May, particularly over Memorial Day Weekend. The new models come out in the summer, so the stores want to reduce their inventory.

Tip 1. Relax. Don’t get hung up too much about hitting the sale. It’s easy to get carried away with the crowds. The critical thing is to get the right mattress. If you’re not sure, don’t buy one. Come back another day when it’s less crowded.

Tip 2. The best mattress for you is the one within your budget that you find the most comfortable. Once you find it, stop looking! You’ll only find ways to spend more money. If you find a comfortable bed within your budget, you should be fine for a few years with all but the very least expensive mattresses. If they’re comfortable, even cheap ones may be perfectly fine as guest beds or for other infrequent uses.

Tip 3. Give yourself an orientation to the industry and what’s out there. Do some research before you set a budget. Like shopping for a car, don’t buy one right away. Look at ads and visit several stores to get a general sense of the price ranges and the sales pitches. Lie down on a few. Ask about warranties. Some require you to purchase a new box spring or platform and a mattress protector, some don’t.

Don’t count on actually being able to compare mattresses store to store. Unlike car dealers, mattress manufacturers send differently labeled products to each store. You can, however, find something comfortable and that’s what counts.

Some retailers offer protection plans, find out what it covers and how much it costs. Consumer Reports’ website has a great Mattress Buying Guide as well as a lot of extra information. You may need to have a subscription to see all the ratings, but it’s worth poking around to see what’s there.

Tip 4. Know your sleeping habits. Just because a mattress is labeled “firm” doesn’t mean it’s the best mattress for you. Do you and your sleeping partner, if you have one, have similar tastes? Do you sleep on your back, side or stomach? If you sleep on your stomach, you’ll need a firmer bed. If you’re a side sleeper, look at softer beds. If you sleep on your back, or back and sides, you’ll probably like something not too firm and not too soft, but “just right.”

Tip 5. Box Spring or not? “Box springs” are the foundation on which the mattress sits. Box springs are usually sold with a paired mattress. Sometimes, however, the same box spring with different colored ticking is sold with many different mattresses from the same manufacturer.

With less expensive mattress sets, the “box” may have no springs at all, it might be just a wood box with a light layer of padding and a matching cover. It’s helpful to know what you’re getting, and a quality box spring can make a difference in the way your bed feels.

And some mattresses, such as the “memory” foam beds may not need a box spring at all, so are good options for a sleek and contemporary platform-style look. You may need more support for a mattress of this type, however.

Tip 6. All beds need air circulation around them so never place mattresses or box springs directly on the floor. Many mattress stores have very inexpensive metal frames, some may even give you one with your mattress purchase. Use it if you don’t have anything else. Because of humidity changes, and the heat you emit at night, your mattress needs to dry out. 

Prevent mold and mildew growth and allergens, protect yourself and your investment. Also use water resistant mattress protectors, sometimes the warranty will require it.

Tip 7. Strategies for saving money include starting at the back of the store. The most expensive mattresses are usually closest to the front, says Consumer Reports. Other ways to possibly save some money are to shop special promotions at major retailers, such as “year-end closeouts” and “mis-match sales” where the box spring fabric doesn’t match the mattress. Be aware that these may just be marketing ploys or may even be returns or refurbished mattresses or they may not be really any different than any other sale. Just make sure you know what the return policy may be and what the warranty covers. As long as you know what you’re getting, it’s comfortable and in your price range, go for it!

Manufacturers’ showrooms and outlets may also be a less expensive option. Also, less-familiar regional factories, such as Parklane Mattresses, based in Vancouver,Washington, often build mattresses for hotels, resorts and as in-house brands for department or warehouse stores. Many of these have factory-direct stores either at or separate from their factory.

Sometimes they build mattresses in custom sizes or for special needs. They might have some special one-off that got refused, or a close-out line that they need to unload.

Send us your thoughts and stories! For additional information, see Consumer Reports, and the Ask.com article “Best Time of Year to Buy a Mattress” by Brendan Gibney. Photos courtesy of Jennifer Adams Home and Parklane Mattresses.

Every few years the cycle starts all over. Seems like my friends talk to each other and coordinate all their weddings and house warming parties together in the same year. Then, there’s a space of a few years -- nothing! Until the babies start to show up.

So, every year I go through the same thought process, what makes great gifts for weddings, engagements and house warming. Beyond a blender, tired, I mean tiered canapé tray or a framed wedding invitation (the first one is lovely, the second goes great at the office, the third or fourth, well...) I like to buy useful things that are nicer than what someone would ordinarily buy for themselves, but not so fancy they won’t actually use it. You need to be specific and yet generic at the same time.

Trust the registry. Find out if the couple has one and stick to it to make it easy on yourself and them, or buy a gift card for the same store.

Bedding sets! It’s amazing how many people skimp on their bedding or use hand-me-downs, especially if they are setting up a household. Shameless plug: our Jennifer Adams Home sheet sets are not only luxurious and beautiful, they’re easy care and not that expensive. Check out the website for special bridal sets and basics, and watch for our rotating schedule at a Costco near you.

Nice kitchenware. If you have some money to spend, heavy duty pots or pans like this one from All-Clad, quality knives, or a sturdy ceramic coated skillet set are gifts that will last a lifetime. If you’re on a budget, a stack of matching kitchen dishcloths and towels will be useful and appreciated. Or, a set of glass mixing bowls, Or, buy gift cards for places like Target or Costco so they can fill in their own collection.

Support their hobby. Buy a gift certificate at REI if they like to camp, bike, ski or hike, Bass Pro Shops if they hunt or fish, Kitchen Kaboodle if they like to cook. That way they can spend money on what they need. If they’re serious about their hobby and you’re not, it’s likely you’ll pick the wrong thing or choose something they already have.

House parts. Any new home or rental will need some personalization, even if it’s a simple as tools, paint if allowed, throw rugs, lamps or yard and garden stuff. Gift cards for Home Depot or Lowes will come in handy for most anyone!

What are your favorite wedding and house warming gift ideas? Share with us!

Until next time,

--Elaine Bothe

Photos courtesy of Kitchen Kaboodle, Jennifer Adams Home, and Home Depot .

Article by Jennifer Adams

Entertaining outdoors, festive barbeques, kids playing croquet, summer memories are particularly fun. Whether in your backyard or a picnic in the park, keeping everyone happy outside isn’t any more difficult than indoors, with a few considerations.

Here are some things I recommend when someone asks me about entertaining outdoors.

1. Holiday lights aren’t for only for Christmas any more.

 Remember being sad when the holiday lights come down? Merchants and shopping districts first figured out that leaving the lights in the trees look festive year round. They will look nice at your house, too. Hang from the fence, around your patio cover, from a tree or even around retaining walls and other outdoor structures.  Checkout these beauties from Target.

2. Dishware should be durable.

Even if you don’t have kids, dishes seem to get banged up more often outside. And, plastic ware has come a long way from the ugly stuff we had growing up. Plastic wine glasses and barware come in as many sizes as the finest crystal, and this outdoor collection from Pottery Barn rivals the prettiest china!

Paper plates have come a long way, too, but it’s more elegant to go with something reusable. Trays and carts keep drinks, food and bar ware handy, and make it easy to carry in and out of your indoor kitchen.

3. Accessorize just like you do inside.

Lanterns stand in for electric lamps, though those are available too. Lighting Universe has about a hundred! Some are battery operated, some plug in. Most look like ones you’d use indoors, too.

Throw pillows look inviting and add color, and throw blankets are useful when the evening chill comes on.

Candles, shells, trays, artful pieces of wood and stone, anything that can be outside make great decorative items on tables and as centerpieces to feather out your patio as nicely as your living room.

4. Heating and cooling, patio style.

Even though you’re outside, it’s nice to be comfortable regardless of the weather. Costco has a nice collection of patio heaters fueled by propane, many can heat an area up to ten feet away.

Shade is the ultimate way to stay cool. Umbrellas, trellises, large trees and patio covers all help add shade. Vines or panels of fabric hung like airy draperies at the edges of a structure will also help keep the sun from being too bright.

Misters help you stay even cool if it’s really hot and dry. Misters can be attached to umbrellas or at the perimeter of your patio or trellis. Target has a nice selection of misting kits.

  

If you have humid weather, add a ceiling fan for an architectural look if you have a patio cover or trellis. Contact a professional electrician for proper installation and fixture selection.

What are your favorite outdoor entertaining tips? Share them with me, I'd love to hear about it!

Photos courtesy of Target and Pottery Barn. 

Mother's Day is Sunday, May 12th.  We've been checking out a few DIY projects and ideas on Pinterest and we've found a few that will make the perfect gift for any mother.  From "hand"made cards to customized coffee cups, here are just a few of our favorite finds!

Read more »

“Would you like to eat indoors or out?” is a question we hear in restaurants everywhere, and lately, at home as well. With options available today, outdoor kitchens not only can function just as well as indoor ones, they can look like them too.

And, with the right planning and weather protection, you can enjoy an outdoor kitchen year round in many areas of the country. We’ve seen appliances migrate from indoors to out from grills of course, but also warming drawers, refrigerators, sinks, ice makers, wet bars and even ventilation from manufacturers such as Viking and Subzero-Wolf and many others.

Televisions can be outdoors, too, if you buy the right one built for the heat and moisture. SunBrite TV makes them, so does Seura and Skyvue. They’re expensive, but probably cheaper than replacing your indoor TV if you take it outside. For more information on this topic, see this article, “Can I use an indoor TV outdoors?” by Geoffry Morrison, published on Cnet.

My money is on outdoor dishwashers next. Since if you can do everything else outside, why take your dirty dishes in? Until then, rolling carts like this one from Pottery Barn and large trays work well to tote food outside and dirty dishes in. Just make sure you think about food safety and don’t put clean food on a dirty tray.

You can also use a warming drawer to warm the towels for the pool, according to the Subzero-Wolf website!

Cabinetry has also been upgraded from simple stainless steel boxes to wood and even steel painted in wood tones and color. Danver makes special cabinets to withstand all conditions, even salty coastal regions. This green colored outdoor kitchen is actually steel but looks like painted wood.

I hope you get to enjoy the outdoors this year, even if it’s a simple grill setup with an ice cooler and a couple of chairs. No matter how nice the furnishings and appliances, food seems to taste better in the fresh air.

 

Share your photos of your outdoor setup, we would love to see it!

Until next time!

Elaine Bothe

Photos courtesy of Viking, Danver and Pottery Barn. For another interesting article resource, see "Outdoor Kitchen Trends" by John Riha on the DIY Network website.

Cinco de Mayo originated in the American west in the 1860s as a way to commemorate the Mexican army’s victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.  As the event grew in popularity, Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage.

We’ve been checking out Cinco de Mayo recipes and ideas on Pinterest and we’ve found a few that have sparked some celebration excitement.  From guacamole recipes to DIY Taco seasoning, here are a few of our favorite finds.

Read more »

by Jennifer Adams

Summer is almost here and your pool is calling out to you! If you haven’t done anything to it in a while, it’s time to think about upgrades to not only the pool itself but the landscape and areas around it for better entertaining, safety and looks.

Here are some of the things I think about when planning a backyard entertaining area with a pool.

Upgrade the finishes! Turquoise or white are not the only colors for swimming pools. If you haven’t resurfaced your pool in 10 to 15 years, it may be due. If you’re seeing chips, cracks or other damage, it’s definitely time. Check with your pool professional for a thorough inspection or for more information.

New plaster finishes with aggregates including pebbles, quartz or crystals look more natural and blend better with the landscape. They may also last longer than paints or other types of plaster.

Tiles of ceramic, terra cotta or stone are also attractive for not only the deck but the pool itself. Again, the structure of the pool needs to be in good enough condition for the tile to adhere.  Choose a rough surface to prevent a slippery surface when wet.  Contrast the color like a border to help delineate the edge of the pool from the rest of the deck area.

Colors and materials should match or at least coordinate with your home to make the pool area and decks look integrated with the whole design rather than an afterthought. Pool edges may be made of the same stone as retaining walls or fireplaces and chimneys, plaster finishes can match the paint on the house if it’s an earthy color. If your house is colorful, go for naturalistic poolside finishes and accent with colorful tiles for a cohesive look that won’t overpower.

Add lighting around the pool as well as inside the pool itself. This is a chore for the professionals because of the electrical hazards. You can have the whole pool lined with colored lights for a festive and dramatic nighttime glow. Twinkling lights, changing colors or other effects can even be programmed by a computer for a magical quality.

Lighting around the deck should also be installed by professionals. Illuminate all steps and changes of level for safety, including the edge of the pool if it rises above the level of the ground.

Fire pits and outdoor fireplaces make beautiful counterpoints to water. Plus the flickering glow adds warmth and drama, as well as heat on chilly evenings. If you’re concerned about ashes landing in your pool or smoke, consider a natural gas or propane fire.

Furnish poolside seating areas similar to interior rooms. Of course the materials may be different, such as sturdy and chic fabrics by Sunbrella that can handle the elements. Their fabrics are so attractive and durable that sometimes I even use them indoors!

Woods should be finished to withstand the weather. Teak, in particular, is a sturdy wood often used in decking and outdoor furniture. For your furniture’s longest life, store, refinish and clean according to the manufacturers’ instructions, and protect the furniture indoors or covered during bad weather.

Recover or replace outdoor cushions to keep up with the latest trends and for a fresh look. If you purchased your furniture recently, chances are good that the vendor has replacement cushions in new colors.

For a social area, use a sofa, two or three chairs, a big coffee table and end tables so that everyone has a place to set their drinks. Chaise lounges are lovely for relaxing at the side of the pool, but aren’t very comfortable for sitting to talk unless they’re sturdy enough to act like a bench. You can even get an outdoor TV like this one from Frontgate for the ultimate exterior living room!

If you have a lot of space, add seating areas for variety, such as four armchairs around a coffee table. Add small end tables for drinks.

Add shade with a trellis, umbrella or a tree, so the outdoor seating area is cool when the sun is fierce. Shade part of the pool too, if you live in a very warm climate and enjoy swimming during the day.

Outdoor kitchens are extremely popular but can be expensive. If you’re planning one, include a sink and beverage center. A cheaper and more flexible option is a portable bar cart like this one from Frontgate which keeps drinks, ice and snacks on hand, and a gas grill lets you cook for a crowd. Your guests won’t be picky, as long as the food is good and the conversation is better.

What do you think? Send me pictures of your pool and what you’ve done. I’d love to see it!

Images courtesy of JenniferAdams Design Group, LLC, Frontgate and Sunbrella. For more technical information and more ideas, see the article “Swimming Pool Renovation Ideas – 5 Best Upgrades to Consider for Your Swimming Pool” by ChrisCipriano on ezinearticles.com. For more information on pool safety, see the “Poolside Safety Tips” by Marie Elizabeth Oliver on Better Homes and Gardens’ website.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Swimming-Pool-Renovation-Ideas---5-Best-Upgrades-to-Consider-for-Your-Swimming-Pool&id=5272522

http://www.bhg.com/health-family/activities/games/poolside-safety-tips/?rb=Y#page=1

http://www.sunbrella.com

Springtime, Memorial day, June weddings and July 4^th… all are great reasons to start thinking about outdoor furniture. With the kids off from school and the relatives visiting by the busload, oh, and, the weather finally being nice, seating for everyone, or at least your family for a casual al fresco dinner is a lovely idea.

All the stores are well stocked with iron, wood and wicker. Some of it is beautiful, some, not so much, where do you start? What kind, what pieces to buy and what should it be made of? Tania Anderson, the shopping expert at The Washington Post wrote a helpful article called “Tuesday Tips:Buying Outdoor Furniture” that appeared online on April 8, 2008 that is still relevant.

Gloster, a manufacturer of high quality outdoor furniture has a wonderful website that has a useful planner and cleaning tips, as well as beautiful furniture. It’s worth visiting, even if it is expensive.

Here are our five tips if you’re trying to save money on outdoor furniture:

1. Teak and plastic resin that looks like wicker are among the most durable materials, but they’re also the most expensive. If you’re on a budget look for aluminum or another wood. If you’re on a really tight budget, shop garage sales and thrift stores for either regular wood furniture that you don’t care won’t last long or for secondhand outdoor furniture.

2. To save a ton of money, shop later in the summer. This sounds like no fun at all, because you don’t get to enjoy the furniture all season. But since everyone else is thinking along these lines as well, they get to pay full price. Once the big summer holidays are over, the sales start. You may not find as good of a selection, but who cares if it’s cheaper!

3. Protect your investment. Keep your outdoor furniture out of the direct sun and rain during the summer unless you’re using it, and cover it or put it indoors over the winter. The sun will fade bright colors in a few months, cushions will get dirty and the elements will change the color of wood. Ever seen a weathered fence? That happens to furniture too.

If you have a well-protected porch, you may get away with just covers for the winter. This will help keep it clean. Bring cushions inside during rainy seasons to prevent mildew and rot. Who wants to sit on that, even if it’s nice out!

4. If you want sturdy furniture that will stay outside, consider concrete benches, wood you don’t mind aging, or recycled plastic. You still may need to clean it come spring, and buying or making your own cushions will keep things comfy.

5. Mix and match! But make sure whatever you buy is sturdy. You will be able to assemble a fun collection if you don’t care if it’s a matched set. But saving money is pointless if your chairs tip easily, tables break and cushions stain easily or crack. Inspect the furniture often and tighten bolts if they’re loose, replace the piece if it’s damaged.

Send in your favorite ideas! We would love to see what you picked out.

Until next time!

Elaine Bothe

Photos courtesy of Gloster Furniture,  DWR and Restoration Hardware.

Article by Jennifer Adams

Entertaining friends and family outdoors is a favorite activity at my house year round. What better way to create a focal feature, and literally, a warm glow for your outdoor seating areas than a beautiful fireplace?

Just like indoor fireplaces, outdoor fireplaces draw your eye and anchor a seating arrangement or dining area, especially if you don’t have a view, water feature or a big dramatic planting in your yard. 

We ran across the article “12 Amazing OutdoorFireplaces and Firepits” on the DIY Network website, and we were inspired to share!

In spite of what you might think, fire and water do go well together. A fire pit next to the pool is dramatic and attractive, like this beauty shown above. The matching finishes make for a lovely look. Using natural gas or propane lowers maintenance and mess, and prevents ash from landing in the pool.

Do you love pizza? Add a pizza oven above or in place of a wood burning fireplace for a fun entertaining option, especially if you have kids. Enjoy the fireplace while you wait for your dinner. You can also cook bread, roast meats and much more. Los Angeles Oven Works’ website is full of some wonderful ideas, recipes and photos, be sure to check them out for portable, freestanding and site built wood burning options.

Choose a fireplace style that matches your home. If your house is wood or brick, a coordinating outdoor fireplace will look like it was built at the same time your house was. If you have stone, adobe or stucco fireplaces inside, consider matching the material on the outside, though the elements may affect the color or finish.

Locate a wood burning fireplace downwind to keep smoke out of your house and eyes. Outdoor fireplaces generally have lower chimneys that the ones on your house, so smoke can be a problem. Figure out which direction the winds usually come from during the summer, or use natural gas or propane to eliminate the smoky problem.

Photos courtesy of the DIY Network website.

Think beyond a picnic table and umbrella. Now that the days are finally getting longer, it’s time to explore one of the latest trends in home decorating: the great outdoors. Whether it’s just a charming chair under a tree or a full-blown outdoor kitchen and family room complete with lamps, rugs, a sound system and TV, the boundaries of your home’s walls are getting thinner.

 An outdoor room is a metaphor for an indoor room. We still want walls, a roof and windows to make us feel safe and comfortable, even though we are outside. When creating an outdoor room, no matter how big or small, keep these things in mind.

1. Provide or build around a major focal feature to anchor the space, just like any other indoor room. A fireplace or fire pit, a fountain or water feature, a beautiful specimen plant, a large stone arrangement or a sculpture are all suitable outdoor focal features.

2. Add a sense of enclosure. Just because it’s outdoors, doesn’t mean you don’t need walls or a roof. But when the enclosure is outdoors, it shouldn't necessarily be solid, or even complete. A large shade tree, for example, provides both a “roof” and a “wall.”

One wall (a fence or a building) and a hedge in an “L” shape provides a corner to anchor a seating arrangement. A trellis, gazebo, porch ceiling, large umbrella or foliage can all feel like a roof. And it doesn’t even need to cover the entire seating arrangement.

3. Provide views into other parts of the yard or beyond. This relates to windows and doors, but can actually be a break in a fence, an open gate or less dense foliage. Pairs of matched plants or pots frame a view or give a sense of a doorway, for example.

4. Change the ground to help identify the space as different from the yard. Like an area rug, a different material than the lawn, such as stone pavers, gravel or brick, defines the extent of an outdoor room.

5. Outdoor rooms should be accessible from indoor rooms. Think of how a party flows from the kitchen into the great room, the outdoor room should be similar. If space does not allow an outdoor room to be physically adjacent, then it should be very visible. Or if you have a large yard, and want several outdoor rooms, they should all link with visual “hallways” or paths, so people can stay connected.

Have fun planning and shopping for your next great outdoor space!

Until next time,

--Elaine Bothe

Photos courtesy of the Decorating Gallery at the Better Homes and Gardens website. You may need to register to view, but the information is well worth your time.

By Jennifer Adams

Luxury in today’s high end homes is getting higher tech by the moment. Gone are the days when a home just had to be beautiful to be high end. Now, far beyond the programmable coffeemaker, today’s busy luxury homeowners are looking for easier, stress-reducing living by way of electronics. 

Forbes Magazine’s online site recently published a wonderful article, “Incredible High Tech Homes” that describes a lot of amazing ideas used worldwide.

From ultramodern looking buildings to refurbished historical houses, modern conveniences add a high tech edge to anything as long as you can afford it. 

Here are a few of our favorites.

Automatic lighting systems and window shades are now throughout the house, not just reserved for the media room. Preprogrammed lighting situations are controlled with a central panel or remotely through an iPad or cell phone.

This house, pictured above, has automatically controlled panels at the exterior of the home to help shade the hot sun. Another house, built in Germany and featured in the article has rotating solar panels to track the sun for maximum efficiency.

Another home mentioned in the Forbes article has electronic glass at the windows. It behaves like sunglasses that go from light to dark automatically, but on a much larger scale. For privacy, thermal protection or sunlight control, there are several technologies that help window glass do more than normal. Read more about this technology at the Consumer Energy Center of California’s website.

Similarly, security systems, fireplaces, heating and cooling, swimming pools, water features, showers, sound and more can be programmed for entertaining, quiet evenings alone, vacation modes, you name it. If you can think of it, it has probably already been done! Wireless isn’t just for handheld land lines and internet any longer.

Heading out to your vacation home? Press a button on your phone, and your charming rustic cabin’s invisible butler will do practically everything but open a bottle of wine for you.  Have a bath drawn, set temperature, lighting, sound, your favorite TV channel and fireplaces going, all ready for you. You can even have the door unlocked for yourself!

If you love the idea of automatic lighting but don’t want to re-wire your whole house, check out these remote controlled LED light bulbs from Insteon! You can convert the lamps and light fixtures you already own to a centralized system by just changing the light bulbs and setting up the system.

Go over the top with electronically adjustable seating in your media room in addition to lighting and sound. The old-school La-Z-Boy lever won’t cut it in this New York home!

Wine cellars are not immune either. A centuries-old tradition can go modern with automated temperature, humidity and security controls, not to mention digital inventory systems as well.

The future is here and it’s only going to get better. High tech systems will be fully integrated and easier to use. If cars can drive themselves, houses should be able to keep us coddled and warm.

What do you think? Let us know what you’d like to see automated!

Photos courtesy of Forbes Magazine website.

You don’t just watch TV anymore. It’s a media experience. From the simplest TV on a shelf in a corner of the kitchen to a fully automated home theater system, TVs are bigger and better than ever before. Even though they’re skinnier than old fashioned TVs, they sure take up a lot of wall space.

Incorporating that massive black rectangle into a nicely designed room is a tricky design problem for all of us, professionals or not. Depending on your décor style, you may celebrate the technology of your TV and equipment, disguise it or hide it altogether.

Important safety considerations: Install all appropriate wall mounting and safety hardware properly, and anchor to suitable wall studs. Metal studs may not be strong enough. Though flat screen TVs are thin, even small ones are still very heavy. 

These TVs can easily fall over, especially if a child or pet tries to climb onto the furniture. To help prevent injuries from use safety straps like these available at Home Depot with your TV, as well as all bookshelves and dressers. Follow the manufacturers’ directions, or hire a licensed contractor to help you install the straps.

  

Is your space sleek and modern? Show off your technology with glee. In any room, your TV’s clean lines and shiny finishes will blend well with ultramodern styles. The entertainment factor and usefulness of TVs and computers is a huge part of our modern culture, so why not enjoy it in the open.

This "Muro" media hanging system from DWR is a brilliant way to proudly display your TV and equipment without tearing into your wall to install supports. You will need to mount this system to the wall properly, however. And you can paint or wallpaper it to match your wall for a sleek look. If you’re not into DIY, hire a licensed contractor to help.

Ironically, the highest tech innovations are growing smaller and more invisible, such as wireless features and remote controls through your smart phone or tablet! So, in the future you won’t need to worry about where all those wires go.

Want to minimize your TV and all the equipment? For both modern and traditional homes, or in any bedroom, disguising the TV and equipment with built in or free standing shelves is a great way to go. If you don’t mind your TV out in the open, but want it to blend into the décor, use dark wood tones such as this shelving system from Crate and Barrel, below.

Or, compose your artwork and décor around your TV so it doesn’t stand out as much. This composition above, courtesy of Pottery Barn, shows a nice way to accomplish this, especially if you like a busy, rustic look to your decor.

For fully hidden solutions, you can hide the TV in a cabinet or within wall colored paneling, behind a roller shade with an artful design or installing systems that electronically raise or lower your TV from a piece of furniture or the ceiling. Projector systems are also a viable option, particularly in home theaters.

If your TV will move out from its storage space for viewing, be sure to finish off the hole, so it looks nice when it is empty for an intentional and refined look.

Provide adequate ventilation for your TV and equipment. If everything is all cooped up inside airtight cabinetry, the electronics could overheat.

Keep in mind the ideal height of the TV for comfortable viewing. TVs are often mounted too high. Try to position your TV at eye level, but if your room is large, or if your TV is huge, you could go a little higher.

Choose a TV that is in scale with your room. Yes, our TVs are getting larger, so our sense of what feels right is changing, but a 60 inch TV in a tiny bedroom will be overwhelming. Save that for the family room and get a smaller one  for the bedroom.

For more ideas, check out this article with dozens more ideas on Apartment Therapy’s website.

Until next time!

Elaine Bothe

Images courtesy of DWR, Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrrel.