Ways to Achieve Farmhouse Style

Farmhouse style evokes a homey feeling with free-flowing interiors, comfortable furnishings and the juxtaposition of warm and cool tones. And the classic farmhouse design has only gotten more popular with eclectic twists, rustic interpretations and contemporary furnishings.

This classic look never goes out of style, so here are seven ways you can bring a farmhouse feel to your own home.

Exposed beams

Typical farmhouse kitchens combine several unique finishes. Exposed beams are one classic detail that adds texture.

Sneaking Storage into Small Spaces

Whether they live in large or small homes, most people wish they could find a little “extra space.” This is especially true of those whose closets, cabinets or rooms are on the small side.

One way to create more space is to practice the new trend called minimalism, which involves a clear and decisive focus on keeping what we most value and eliminating anything that distracts us.

To live like a minimalist demands rigorous review of our purchases, as well as what we create, receive and keep. Because we live in a world of “Free, free, free!” and “Buy, buy, buy!” it is very difficult to avoid collecting more things in our homes.

Some segments of our population have turned to a new kind of “forced” minimalism — living in what are known as tiny homes. Popular television shows on multiple networks cover this new lifestyle where, in some cases, folks are moving into spaces no larger than 300 square feet.

What if you’re not moving into a tiny home anytime soon and you don’t think the minimalist lifestyle is a fit for you, but still want to make the most of your small closets and storage spaces? Try using these small space organization tips to make the most of what you have.

Think vertical

For all the spaces in your home, think vertical. Tall bookcases and shelving can be the answer to your organizing dreams.

Use this prime real estate to store anything from cleansers to neatly folded clothes, knitting projects, or organized craft bins. You can double your available storage space by going up.










Go behind-the-door

It may not be the trendiest design option, but if you’re pinched for space, install behind-the-door storage with pockets or hooks to hold just about any small items you can think of, from fashion accessories to hair dryers, dog leashes, cosmetics, cleaning supplies and more.
Put it on wheels

Small homes and apartments often provide us with unique storage spaces, like closets located underneath a set of stairs.

Whether you have a normal closet or a unique storage space, using a wheeled moving dolly or storage bins with wheels allows you to store items and access them with ease.

Rather than climbing into a poorly lit closet under the stairs, where you can’t even stand up or move freely, you can create a convenient experience by opening the closet or cabinet door and sliding out the rolling storage piece to greet you — at your height, with room to move and view your belongings in plenty of light.


Adopt the dorm room approach

Bathrooms can be the most difficult space when you have no storage, but one super idea is to implement the use of a shower caddy.

Remember the days when you went to college or camp? You usually had a toilet kit or small shower caddy to carry your toiletries to and from the bathroom. Why not try this at home?

If multiple people use the same bathroom and there’s not a lot of counter space or storage, have everyone take out what they bring in. It allows each person to keep track of their favorite toiletries, and the bathroom stays more organized.

Keep it simple

Finally, you will create more space in your home by simplifying your life. Start by making a quick list of what you value most in life. I call this “organizing by your values.”


Keep it simple

Finally, you will create more space in your home by simplifying your life. Start by making a quick list of what you value most in life. I call this “organizing by your values.”

When you set priorities in your own life, your home and belongings will reflect your choices, allowing you to eliminate the less important or less valued items.

As part of this exercise, you may want to evaluate how you spend your time. Take a look at your commitments, from work to kids’ activities, volunteer projects, and friends who need favors.

Evaluating your priorities and possibly eliminating commitments which no longer make you happy may just give you the extra time you need to review and organize the items in your home.

Those small spaces may not be so small after all. They may just need a little focused attention from you to create the optimal space you need.

Foolproof Tricks for Brightening Any Room

Are you experiencing the winter doldrums? You might try adding a little more light at home. Plenty of tricks can help brighten your space through color, accessories and a mirror here and there. If you’re feeling a bit in the dark this season, check out the following uplifting tips to brighten your outlook.

Go white

While many shudder at the thought of all-white walls, the simple hue can be effective at transforming your interior and keeping a space light and bright. Prevent your room from appearing too monotone by accenting white walls with artwork, area rugs and furniture pieces that are saturated with color or pattern. The fresh white walls will also serve as a gallery wall backdrop to emphasize the styling of your furnishings.

Tips for Making Any Room Seem Larger

Plenty of people live in tiny homes, small rooms, or just diminutive spaces. No matter what your reason for living in smaller quarters, you’ll undoubtedly have to make some compromises in your decorating.

To live happily and efficiently in smaller square footage, you’ll want to get organized and make some adjustments to your lifestyle. By making the most of color, strategic furniture buying, space planning and interesting lighting, your place can feel wonderfully “you” — with all the space you need.

Expand your square footage to the outdoors

If you have large windows with beautiful views, add those colors to your room to unify the outside world with inside space and expand the look of your rooms. With the wonderful patterns and colors that outdoor fabrics offer, there is no reason to stop the “pretty party” at your interior.

Personalize Your Rental Without Painting

Trust us, we know it’s not easy to express yourself in a space that’s only décor is “renter’s beige” walls and muggy apartment-grade carpet. We’ve all been there. That’s why we’ve come up with some creative solutions to personalize your rental, all while embracing the ‘blah’ walls. From adding color elsewhere to bringing in versatility, you can easily spruce up your space, no matter the landlord.

1. Artful accents

Just because you can’t paint a wall, doesn’t mean you can’t exactly cover it up. Now that gallery walls are all the rage, it’s easier than ever to create an accent wall strictly using sticky strips and your favorite art. If you want more color, choose bright and pattern-heavy photos and paintings. For a more sophisticated tone, select black-and-white stills and abstract art uniformly hung in black frames.

Organization Trends for Fall 2015

Looking to get organized this fall? Check out the season’s biggest closet trends below.

Top closet trends for 2015

Transparent storage materials. Transparent storage materials such as frosted doors and see-through drawers will gain popularity among homeowners and in big-box stores this year. “Closets, especially bedroom closets, are becoming more like clothing exhibitions to display purchases more as collections, making transparent materials key,” says Nina Magon, Zillow Digs designer and principal of Contour Interior Design.

Split or his-and-hers finishes. Split closets with contrasting finishes and color palates will become all the rage, especially in bedrooms. Expect to see a rise in warm white paint tones and metallic accents contrasted with dark wood or leather finishes for a clean, but personalized, look.

Customizing Your Closets

Closets seem to be an all-or-nothing area of the house: Either head-to-toe wire shelving that organizes your stuff within an inch of its life, or everything crammed and stuffed in willy-nilly. But both of these are no-go’s in today’s modern closet.

Forget wood paneling, wire racking and behind-the-door storage that only makes the door impossible to open. Instead, create a boutique in your own home — a functional space that inspires your day. Here’s how to get started.

Create a room

8 DIY Ways to Redo Your Bathroom

The bathroom is probably the best room in the house for a mini-makeover. When you realize how dramatically, quickly and inexpensively you can completely update the space without an actual renovation, you’ll wonder why you’ve waited so long.

Before you dive in, take a minute to consider what you’re going for in terms of style. Your bathroom should be a peaceful, relaxing space. Are you more soothed by rich, dramatic tones and style, or are you going for a more simple and serene spa-like space? Once you know what you want, take a look at these simple tips for getting the bathroom upgrade you’ve been dreaming of.


Paint

This is obviously the place to start, since doing it yourself results in such fast and dramatic change. For the simple and serene look, choose soft and soothing tones to give you a greater sense of space and light. If you’re looking for a rich, dark hideaway, choose warm saturated tones to strike the right mood.

Home Renovations That Could Hurt Resale

Unlike the homeowner of 25 years ago, today’s typical buyers plan to live in their homes for just five to seven years. So it’s more important than ever to consider resale when making home improvements.

Even if you’re a buyer, it’s important to think like a seller, too, from the time you sign the purchase contract through any home improvement or renovation projects. The goal: Think about how your improvements might affect the sale of your home down the road.

Below are five home renovation/improvement projects that could actually hurt your home’s resale.

1. Going overboard on landscaping or gardens

A homeowner/seller may have a green thumb and be really proud of the time spent on the garden, the hedges or landscaping. But the next buyer might see it as too much maintenance, especially if you went overboard with your green thumb. Potential buyers may not be willing to pay for it (as part of the home’s overall price), hire a gardener or do the work themselves. This is especially true with Millennials and Gen X-ers. Of course, your property needs curb appeal, and nice landscaping does sell. But it could be just as easy to do a quick, inexpensive yard once-over before going on the market.

Classical Architectural Designs Of The Last Century

Like political trends, architectural preferences swing on a pendulum.

For a while, people wanted the spindles and elaboration of the Victorian era. Then they gravitated toward colonial columns and symmetry.

While the vagaries of personal taste make U.S. architecture more a potpourri than a linear progression, certain styles have gripped homeowners’ imaginations more than others over the past century.

Colonial revival (1900-1950)

Coming off the gingerbread of the long-lived reign of Victorian homes, Americans were in the mood for something more, well, American. Their patriotic and economic engines revving, home builders and buyers launched a colonial revival, hearkening to the boxy forms of the founding Colonies.

Each new colonial home bore the distinct look of one type of home from the earlier era — for example, Georgian, Dutch, French or Federal — but with modern amenities such as toilets and, eventually, garage doors.