A laundry room may be one of the spaces that you use the most, but cramped quarters and clutter can hinder your productivity. Eliminate the excuses and get your laundry room under control with these tips to add function to your washing routine.How to Create a More Functional Laundry Room![]() (Family Features) A laundry room may be one of the spaces that you use the most, but cramped quarters and clutter can hinder your productivity. Eliminate the excuses and get your laundry room under control with these tips to add function to your washing routine. Use space wisely. Your laundry room may not have a big footprint, but you probably have more usable space than you realize. Install shelves or storage units on the walls and consider the ceiling as a spot to hang a floating drying rack. Don't overlook the back of the door, where you can mount a storage system or use an over-the-door alternative. Maximize storage. Many laundry rooms suffer from a lack of storage, which hinders space to fold and manage laundry while making the room less pleasant overall. A durable, attractive organization system like Dimensions by ClosetMaid can add instant organization and style to your laundry room. The system provides numerous design options, convenient accessories and configurations of cabinets and drawers, accommodating virtually any space.
Promote ventilation. Another common issue in laundry rooms is limited ventilation, which can promote mold, affect air quality and hinder air drying for special garments. A clever way to enhance ventilation while increasing your storage space is ventilated shelving that helps keep air flow moving. For example, ClosetMaid's Premium Wood Kits feature sturdy slatted shelves to stash your laundry essentials and can include accessories like hanging rods. Create a folding station. One of the biggest laundry pitfalls is folding and putting away clean clothes. A clear, clean space in the laundry room can help nudge you toward completing the task more efficiently. If you have front-loading machines, it may be as simple as adding a counter or sturdy shelf above them. If you use top-loaders, you may need to get more creative. If there's room, a laundry sorter with a flat top is a good solution. Or if floor space is at a premium, you might consider a shelf that mounts to the wall and folds down when you need it. Get inspired with more ideas to make your laundry room work for you at ClosetMaid.com. Photos courtesy of Getty Images SOURCE:ClosetMaid
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Transforming your bathroom into a personal home spa allows you to come home to a relaxing environment every day. By making space and removing clutter, along with adding decorative touches, you can achieve a stylish spa-like atmosphere in the comfort of your own home.Creating a Spa Oasis![]() (Family Features) Transforming your bathroom into a personal home spa allows you to come home to a relaxing environment every day. By making space and removing clutter, along with adding decorative touches, you can achieve a stylish spa-like atmosphere in the comfort of your own home. Whether you enjoy the understated, nature-inspired colors or the calming atmosphere, a spa-like bathroom can be beautiful, welcoming and relaxing. Escape the ordinary with these cabinetry ideas from the experts at Wellborn Cabinet. Float your vanity Although the aesthetic benefits often come at the cost of limited under-sink storage space, this potential pitfall can be overcome with a customizable U-shaped drawer option designed to fit around the sink plumbing in your bath, allowing you to use all that under-counter space. ![]() Clever, concealed storage To get the spa-like bathroom look, consider adding organizational solutions like a tiered spice rack, sliding shelves and vanity appliance pullouts from Wellborn Cabinet. A tiered spice rack keeps your cabinets organized and makes your morning routine easier. Sliding shelves can make your mornings less hectic with a gentle pull that brings bath essentials right to you. Conveniently store hairstyling tools in one location without compromising design or space with a vanity appliance pullout. Incorporate ample lighting Lighting in the bathroom is essential; illumination for everyday tasks can make your bath appear larger, add warmth and set the right mood. It may also be designed to tuck cleanly inside and under cabinets to provide well-placed light without visible fixtures or distracting wires. Infuse natural elements For more bathroom remodeling ideas, visit wellborn.com. Wellborn Cabinet
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Homeowners and interior designers alike are always seeking distinctive visual touches to make each home special. Here are five ways tile design can enhance a room.(BPT) - Today’s tile trends extend so far beyond their traditional use as a staple of bathroom design that you may not recognize them. While once the most attractive and innovative tiles had to be imported, contemporary handcrafted tile and stone products for home design are now being made right here in the United States. Homeowners and interior designers alike are always seeking distinctive visual touches to make each home special. Here are five ways tile design can enhance a room. Elevate small spaces. Use tiles interchangeably to create a unique design. The Ann Sacks Radius Collection by designer Barbara Barry has five distinct modular designs that can be used independently, or combined to create patterns to delight the eye. Creative use of a variety of tile shapes like these can easily elevate small spaces such as baseboards, fireplace surrounds or backsplash areas in a kitchen. Make a color statement. Whether you choose a single color or mix colors to create a pattern, the choices can overwhelm. “I enjoy the soft juxtaposition of watery blue tones, soft green tones and the neutral colors of gravel,” explained Barry. While Barry is known for her love of soft colors, you may choose colors that best complement elements already in the room. If you’re not working with a designer, consider traditional complementary color pairs when making decor choices, such as red-green, blue-orange or yellow-purple. Create a calm mood. The latest trends in interior design reflect the desire for homes to be sanctuaries. Inspired by the clean lines, appropriate scale and exacting proportion prevalent in Midcentury Modern architectural design, Barry describes her collection as “soft modern, defined by a curved edge for a sensual feel.” Barry adds, “In this busy world, I want to come home to calm rooms and quiet spaces.” Choosing colors, lines, shapes and scale with simplicity in mind can help contribute to a feeling of calm. Personalize your space. Find what appeals to you, and work with a designer or manufacturer who can meet your requests. In her collection, Barry provides tools for consumers or designers to customize patterns. Designed to spark the imagination, five distinct patterns in varying scales punctuate interiors with personality. Smaller manufacturers can personalize your project with their flexibility, customizing color choices and resurrecting a retired pattern or color, or even by recreating tiles present in a home refurbishing or renovating project. Make your space your own. Create visual interest. Choose different textures through materials like wood, glass or tile to break up an otherwise ordinary surface in a room. Radius is available in all Made by Ann Sacks matte and gloss colorways, which can be installed as a singular color statement or mixed to evoke a unique, personalized design, whether to create a captivating statement-making wall or to cover an entire floor. The choice of tile adds a textural element to a room that can’t be duplicated by any other material. Ann Sacks fell in love with tile while on a family vacation to Mexico when she was 13, and later used that passion to create a business inspired by those Mexican tiles. She hired gifted artisans to grow her business into a true American success story. Ann Sacks, founded in 1981 in Portland, Oregon, draws talented craftspeople to create inspiring designs in tile, stone, plumbing, lighting and accessories. These creations are traditional in terms of craft, but aligned with contemporary design trends. Today, the company includes the work of 15 designers. Whether you choose to use tile in a more traditional way in your bath or kitchen, or to elevate another space inside a home with a more innovative style, use a customized design and select colors to create a unique environment anyone would want to call home. KEYWORDS
A fresh coat of paint is one of the easiest ways to upgrade your home. Whether you’re revamping a main living area or freshening up your home’s curb appeal, some planning and preparation, plus the right painting tools, can go a long way toward helping you achieve a professional-looking finished project. Execute your paint project flawlessly with these tips and tricks.Refresh Your Space![]() 5 steps to simplify your next paint project(Family Features) A fresh coat of paint is one of the easiest ways to upgrade your home. Whether you’re revamping a main living area or freshening up your home’s curb appeal, some planning and preparation, plus the right painting tools, go a long way toward helping you achieve a professional-looking finished project. Execute your paint project flawlessly with these tips and tricks from Jennie Kitchen, product manager, Valspar Applicators at The Sherwin-Williams Company, Consumer Brands Group: Step 1: Choose Your Color Step 2: Pick Your Tools “The quality of your paint rollers and brushes is just as important as the paint you use,” Kitchen said. “For a smooth finish and easy application, I recommend Valspar’s line of applicators and accessories, which are now available at Lowe’s and work well with all paints and stains. Our quality painting tools make it easy for DIYers to bring their projects to life.” Step 3: Prep Your Space Step 4: Apply Your Paint When you’re ready to roll, start at a corner of the room in a 2-by-4-foot section at the top of the wall. Then roll downward into a narrow V shape, filling in any unpainted areas as you go. Once you are done with the top section, move down and repeat until you’ve reached the baseboard. If you’re painting standard height ceilings or taller, it’s helpful to use an extension pole. For a seamless finish, it’s important to always keep a wet edge and let the weight of the loaded roller do the work. Some pressure can be applied as the roller cover starts to run out of paint, but if you hear a “sizzling” sound, that means it’s time to reload with more paint. To finish, use the roller and roll straight down all the way across your walls. Step 5: Clean Up Your Mess Find more tips and tricks for your next paint project at valsparpaint.com/applicators. SOURCE:Valspar KEYWORDS
Just as filling your plate with colorful foods is typically good for your body, filling your kitchen with color can be good for the soul. In fact, color is an important element in interior design not only for its aesthetic value, but also because it can shape perceptions and emotions. Consider these design tips, which take into consideration the psychology of some of the most popular colors for the kitchen.Bring New Life to Your Kitchen with Color![]() (Family Features) Just as filling your plate with colorful foods is typically good for your body, filling your kitchen with color can be good for the soul. In fact, color is an important element in interior design not only for its aesthetic value, but also because it can shape perceptions and emotions. “Color is powerful – when you walk into a room, you can instantly feel its subconscious effect on your mood, your heart rate and even your appetite,” said color trend expert Janice Fedak. “That’s why it’s important to choose colors that ‘speak to you,’ express your unique personality and truly make you feel at home.” The experts at Elmira Stove Works offer these design tips, which take into consideration the psychology of some of the most popular colors for the kitchen. Red White ![]() Blue One way to bring blue into the kitchen is through 1950s-inspired appliances from Elmira Stove Works in Beach Blue, a hue that takes its cue from days spent lazing by the pool or at the seashore. From refrigerators and ranges to microwaves and dishwasher panels, retro appliances can bring a fun, welcoming vibe to kitchens. “Color – whether bold or on the subtler side – can really make a kitchen come alive,” said Tony Dowling, vice president, Elmira Stove Works. “Appliances are a great way to introduce color while also creating the foundation for the rest of the space.” Yellow “Whatever colors you choose for your kitchen, the most important thing is to trust your intuition and to wrap your kitchen in hues that make you feel good,” Fedak said. Explore more colorful ideas for your kitchen at elmirastoveworks.com. SOURCE:Elmira Stove Works KEYWORDS
(BPT) - The words home improvement usually conjure up images of major undertakings like tiling your bathroom or kitchen or tearing down a wall, taking hours and hours to complete the project. The fact is there are some meaningful home improvements you can do that can be accomplished in under two hours. First, have you ever wished your home had more daylight? Maybe you want to bring in daylight to a small place like a closet or laundry room. Or maybe you have a room with a window but still not enough light. One solution is a daylighting system from Solatube. This product can be installed in under two hours and floods the interior with natural light. For more information, visit www.solatube.com/residential. Concerned about security? Installing a Ring doorbell takes just a few minutes and you can monitor visitors at your front door on your smartphone through an app. This is a way to add some security to your home. You can be anywhere with your phone but answer your front door and see who’s there. They have no idea where you are, home or otherwise. For information, visit https://ring.com/. Indoor air quality can be poor. The upstairs can often be hotter than the downstairs. Air can be humid and wet. House odors from cooking, pets, etc., can hang around. A Whole House Fan is quiet (with a light white noise) and can be installed without reframing. When you open the windows with the whole house fan on, it strips out the heat from the home as well as the unwelcome smells. In summer months it keeps the house cooler and eliminates stale air in the winter. For information, visit http://www.solatube.com/whole-house-fans. Another product that installs quickly is an upgraded bathroom fan. It comes with a variety of options such as heaters and lights. An upgraded bathroom fan can dramatically reduce bathroom humidity and odors and run more quietly. For information, visit https://na.panasonic.com/us/home-living-solutions/ventilation-indoor-air-quality. An easy home improvement project is to swap out light bulbs for LEDs. Even CFL bulbs can’t hold a candle to LED bulbs, which, while more expensive, last up to 20 years or more. One source for LED bulbs is 1000 Bulbs, www.1000bulbs.com. This gives you an idea of some ways to spruce up your home in under two hours. But the changes will be long-lasting! KEYWORDS
A home is often a family’s single largest asset, so making investments with upgrades and home improvements is almost always a good idea. However, knowing when and where to make those improvements isn’t necessarily a simple decision. Budget and space most often dictate the direction, but keeping function and your lifestyle needs in mind can help create a space that makes for an all-around smart investment.Home Upgrades that Make ‘Cents’![]() Improvements to boost your home’s value and enjoyment (Family Features) A home is often a family’s single largest asset, so making investments with upgrades and home improvements is almost always a good idea. However, knowing when and where to make those improvements isn’t necessarily a simple decision. Budget and space most often dictate the direction, but keeping function and your lifestyle needs in mind can help create a space that makes for an all-around smart investment. For expanded control over the amount of light and warmth that enters or leaves your rooms, solar-powered skylight blinds are available in more than 100 designer colors and patterns. Like the skylights, Velux solar-powered blinds are operated with the remote. The solar products and installation costs are also eligible for a 30-percent federal tax credit. Learn more at whyskylights.com. Finish the basement. A basement is the perfect location for expanded room to live and entertain, and if you have egress or other windows, adding extra bedrooms may also be an option. When making plans for finishing a basement, keep function first. Adding features like bathrooms can be costly if the plumbing isn’t already in place, but having ready access to those facilities may pay off if you plan to spend lots of time downstairs. Also keep climate in mind; in many parts of the country basements tend to be damp, so be sure to use materials that can withstand the conditions during the rainy season. Create outdoor living space for all year long. This is another area where climate will play an important role in your plans; adding a well-constructed enclosure to a patio can make it usable during all but the coldest months, while a pergola or other shading can lend necessary relief to an area that bakes in the summer sun. Aside from the hardscaping, look at other ways to soften your outdoor space and enhance livability, such as functional shade trees and flowering vegetation that attract birds and butterflies. Add curb appeal. Choose the Right Skylight Fresh Air Fixed Energy Performance Velux KEYWORDS
Tackling your home cleaning and updating checklists does not have to be a chore – try taking inspiration from sight, sound, smell, touch and taste by utilizing the five senses to keep spaces clean and inviting.
5 Easy Ways to Refresh Your Home(Family Features) When it comes to finding the time to refresh your home, there is truly no time like the present. Tackling your home cleaning and updating checklists does not have to be a chore – try taking inspiration from a few of your favorite tastes and smells by utilizing the five senses to keep spaces clean and inviting.
For more tips to freshen your home, visit Filtrete.com. Photo courtesy of Getty Images SOURCE: |
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