Daniel ShenSmith

Totally Chic And Affordable Tabletop And Furniture Finds For Your Holiday Dinners From Jet.com

November 19, 2018 by admin

This article is sponsored by Jet.com. The opinions and statements below are those of our writer’s experience. Freshome may collect a share of sales from the links on this page.

The holiday entertaining countdown is on! Thanksgiving dinner, holiday cocktails, Christmas roasts and New Year’s Eve parties are all coming up. Are you ready to host the best (and most fabulous) dinners and cocktail parties around?

We’ve got a secret for you – Jet.com is a great source for the urban dweller who loves modern style and a good deal. And we’ve found great prices on dining room furniture, table accessories and dishes. Check these out:

Table Settings

Let’s work backward and start off with the icing on the cake: the table setting. A good table setting of interesting colors and textured layers is the perfect backdrop for any event from a multi-course Thanksgiving meal to a Chinese takeout New Year’s Eve night.

Layers of browns, coppers and golds can work for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. Add pinecones or rustic twigs and berries for Thanksgiving or red accents for Christmas. All images: Jet.com

Get the look:

Other jet.com table setting ideas for the holidays:

Dining Chairs

Sometimes all you need to update your dining space is a striking dining chair. Mix and match yours or order the same style in several colors for a personalized look.

Best Jet.com Small Dining Sets

If you’re dealing with a small space, look for small-scale or multi-purpose pieces with storage or that can also work as a desk or kitchen prep table.

The LumiSource Sedona 5-Piece Industrial Counter Height Dining Set, $800, can also work as a bar, breakfast counter or kitchen prep table.

Modern And Farmhouse Style Dining Room Furniture

If you’re working with a regularly-sized dining room or eating area, you can add a table for six or more guests. For the ultimate flexibility, a bench can expand the seating area of a dining room. Jet.com has some good deals on these modern dining sets.

The Yumandale Teak Finish Acacia Wood 3-Piece Dining Set, $612, can be dressed up or down according to your table setting.

Turn your dining room or small eating space into an intimate, inviting place to gather this holiday. Start with the right dining furniture and dress it up with a fun and creative layered table setting.

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5 Ways to Make Clever Holiday Wall Decorations

November 18, 2018 by admin

We hope you like the products we recommend. Just so you are aware, Freshome may collect a share of sales from the links on this page.

When decorating your home for the holidays, key items to keep in mind are the holiday wall decorations. These work as strong focal points that set the seasonal design tone and help bring the whole room together. Alternatively, they can also work as small accents that add to the overall design scheme.

There are many different holiday wall decorations for sale. However, getting crafty and creative can help you make a memorable, personalized holiday season. Below are some crafty ideas for how to get homemade holiday wall decorations that will be sure to start some conversations this season.

Holiday Wall Decorations Using Chalkboard

Chalkboard walls are natural places to add a seasonal theme. Image: Katie Grace Designs

Using a chalkboard wall

If you have a chalkboard wall in your home, that is a ripe area for holiday wall decorations. The photo above shows some Christmas-themed drawings on a chalkboard wall. The added seasonal lights and the wreath complete the look. As the photo shows, you can add your favorite seasonal sayings, draw trees and make a Christmas countdown. You can get as creative as you want with this idea.

If you don’t have a chalkboard wall, you can achieve a similar look by hanging a large classic black chalkboard on a wall. Then add items like small wreaths and ornaments, along with Christmas-themed drawings and sayings. A traditional blackboard would be a great addition to a country, rustic or classic home style, too.

Sticks can make a stark, rustic tree design. Image: Robeson Design

Rustic texture holiday wall decorations

The neat idea in the photo above makes the most of some simple tree branches. It’s great for rustic or country Christmas styles. You can easily make a triangular frame with long, thin sticks. Then use wood glue to glue the branches into the tree shape. You could also drill small holes in the sticks and hang them together using twine.

A display like this is also a great idea for using seasonal lights and small ornaments. A present under the tree and surrounding seasonal items round out the festive look. The oversized ornaments surrounding the stick tree are a wonderfully whimsical touch.

Mirrors can reflect the themes and colors of the room’s seasonal design. Image: AMR Design

Making the most of mirrors

Another easy idea for holiday wall decorations is to angle mirrors so that they capture seasonal lights and colors. An example is the mirror in the photo above behind the Christmas tree. Because of the way it is placed, it actually captures the lights and colors from the Christmas tree itself. It’s basically a very creative cheat to make it look like the mirror is its own wall decoration, but it’s actually taking the colors from another element in the room. This is a good way to spread the seasonal colors about the room for easy design cohesion. Mirrors also really open up small spaces.

If you look closely, you can also see that the mirror has the decal word Christmas written on it. This is a good idea if guests are not facing the exact direction to reflect the tree. That way, the mirror still has a seasonal look, rather than looking out of place.

Holiday Wall Decorations Peacock Decoration

A gorgeous seasonal peacock is sure to draw the eye. Image: Robeson Design

Natural bird display

The idea in the photo above is a great option if you are designing a Christmas theme with a natural look or want an upscale seasonal home design. What makes this design so original is how the bird sits atop seasonal greenery and feathers. It makes it look like the seasonal greenery is part of the bird’s plumage. Crystal embellishments add a gorgeous sparkle.

Also, putting the bird on a shelf in front of the classy dividers gives the whole display a cohesive look that makes it one distinct element in the room. The dividers in the back frame the bird, making it a strong focal point against the wall, even if it’s not a traditional wall hanging.

This customizable option makes your space uniquely you during the holidays. Image: Louise de Miranda

Seasonal word decals

Another idea for holiday wall decorations is to find some seasonal decal words and put them on the wall. The words in the photo above give off a cultured feel. You can get black ones which would fit with the most modern of Christmas decorations, or you can go for a more traditional red or green display. It’s a great option if you want to personalize your space, but you don’t have the time to get extremely crafty.

A neat way to completely personalize this idea is a custom wall quote decal from Etsy. You can have the maker form any quote you’d like, making it a great way to create your own wall hanging without as much effort as the other ideas.

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National Kitchen + Bath Association Reveals Key Design Trends in U.S. Kitchens

November 17, 2018 by admin

Want to know the trendiest styles, colors, materials, finishes, appliances and lighting fixtures in U.S. kitchens? Sure, you do! The National Kitchen + Bath Association (NKBA) queried hundreds of designers, remodelers, architects, manufacturers and dealers to discover the most dominant preferences and the biggest kitchen design trends.

Freshome asked trend spotter Elle H-Millard, Certified Kitchen Designer and Industry Relations Manager at the NKBA, for photos and insights regarding the key U.S. kitchen design trends.

The 3 Most Popular Kitchen Design Styles

Farmhouse kitchen. Image: NKBA

Farmhouse kitchens have emerged as the most popular style. “A signature statement in a farmhouse-style kitchen is the apron-front sink,” says H-Millard. “But let’s not leave out the rugged wood beams and large dining table that give the space its charm,” she says. “Farmhouse style lends itself to a cozy atmosphere with a nostalgic flair.”

Transitional kitchen. Image: NKBA

The second most trendy kitchen style is transitional. “The transitional-style kitchen presents a juxtaposition of contemporary and traditional styles. You might see a mix of sharp lines and soft and delicate curves,” H-Millard explains. “The transitional kitchen evokes both charm and edginess.”

Contemporary kitchen. Image: NKBA

The third most trendy kitchen style is contemporary. “Contemporary lends itself to a minimalistic look,” says H-Millard. “Often, contemporary includes frameless cabinetry with slab front faces and stark, contrasting colors.” She explains that contemporary kitchens have larger surfaces and are more sculptural in shape and appearance. “Your eye absorbs the entire space as one unit.”

Trends in Cabinetry

Green cabinets and hood. Image: NKBA

Paint is the most popular choice for cabinet facing, followed by wood. Glass cabinet facing lags far behind in popularity. Full overlay doors are vastly more popular than inset or partial overlay door types.

Trends in Surfaces

White cabinets and ceramic subway tiles. Image: NKBA

The preferred choice for kitchen countertops is quartz, which is far more popular than granite and marble. Among backsplash choices, H-Millard says ceramic or porcelain tile is the runaway favorite, followed by glass, natural stone tile and quartz.

Regarding flooring, hardwood floors continue to reign. However, ceramic and porcelain tile are also popular choices. Engineered wood is the third most popular choice.

Trends in Sinks and Faucets

Stainless steel, undermount sink. Image: NKBA

While farmhouse may be the most popular kitchen style, a simple, stainless steel undermount is the preferred sink style. “Stainless steel is almost twice as popular as composite and fireclay materials,” H-Millard says.

Single handle and pull-down kitchen faucets are almost neck-and-neck, followed by gooseneck styles (no pun intended). According to H-Millard, “Stainless steel and brushed nickel are the most popular finishes, with satin nickel being the third most popular choice.”

Trends in Appliances

Stainless steel, French door refrigerator and double wall oven. Image: NKBA

While there is no runaway favorite in types of refrigerator/freezers, refrigerator column/freezer column combos are most popular, followed by single-door refrigerators and single-door freezers.

The French door style is the overwhelming favorite, followed by under-counter and bottom-mount styles.

Gas cooktops, convection ovens and microwave drawers are the most popular cooking appliances. In second place: induction cooktops, gas ranges and warming drawers. Double wall ovens are also popular.

Trends in Color Schemes

A mix of whites and grays. Image: NKBA

“The hottest kitchen colors are white and gray,” H-Millard says. These colors are almost twice as popular as the other kitchen colors listed by respondents: blue, black and beige/bone.

Emerging Trends

A look ahead reveals numerous new kitchen design trends. Image: NKBA

Several kitchen design trends are gaining traction, according to H-Millard. Some of them include space-within-a-space concepts, such as a homework station or a desk area in the kitchen. “Other emerging trends include custom hoods, island prep stations and French door ovens that open horizontally instead of vertically.” She says that appliances are taking center stage. “We are seeing jolts of color and varied metals and finishes.”

Technology will also play a larger role in the kitchen, thanks to the increasing ease of wirelessly connecting to smart devices via apps.

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Benjamin Moore Metropolitan: 2019 Color of the Year

November 16, 2018 by admin

Benjamin Moore Metropolitan is a soothing backdrop for any decorating style. Image: Benjamin Moore

Benjamin Moore Metropolitan AF-690 has been chosen as their 2019 Color of the Year. In a year when bold and bright colors have earned the Color of the Year spot for many other paint brands, Benjamin Moore chose a soft and sophisticated gray for the honor. “Metropolitan AF-690 emanates nuance, harmony and extravagant ease. Always adaptable, it softens to matte or shimmers with sheen. It’s neutral. It’s understated. It just is. This is color, off-duty,” said Ellen O’Neill, Benjamin Moore Director of Strategic Design Intelligence.

A gray like Metropolitan is the perfect canvas for your favorite blue and green accents. Because this is a solidly cool color, it works best with other cool colors or soft neutrals of any color temperature. “Comforting, composed and effortlessly sophisticated, Metropolitan AF-690 exudes beauty and balance,” O’Neill explains. “It’s a colour in the neutral spectrum that references a contemplative state of mind and design. Not arresting nor aggressive, this understated yet glamorous gray creates a soothing, impactful common ground.”

Metropolitan is the Key Ingredient in a Soothing Color Palette

Benjamin Moore Metropolitan is a relaxing color for a master bedroom. Image: Benjamin Moore

The beauty of Benjamin Moore’s Metropolitan is how it can enhance and elevate any color scheme. Though totally neutral, Metropolitan has enough presence on its own. That said, it’s equally stunning surrounded by a rich color palette or soft pastels. Bedrooms are the perfect room for cool gray neutrals like Metropolitan. Keeping your accessories neutral or in muted shades creates a dreamy retreat from a hectic day. You can carry that soothing gray into your master bathroom as the wall color, with your towels and rugs as pastel accents.

How to Decorate With Benjamin Moore Metropolitan

Benjamin Moore Metropolitan works well with muted pastels in a living room. Image: Benjamin Moore

Because it’s a neutral, you can use Metropolitan in any room. There’s no trying to find a way to squeeze a bold hue into your color scheme. As a cool neutral paint color, Metropolitan can help tame unwanted warmth from wood tones when you’re unable to make any changes to dated cabinets or flooring (this can be especially true in kitchens and bathrooms). If you are able to tackle a cabinet painting project, kitchen and bathroom cabinets painted in Metropolitan are a nice break from white or wood tones, especially paired with a navy blue color on a kitchen island or tile accents.

What Goes With Benjamin Moore Metropolitan?

Pair Benjamin Moore Metropolitan with muted pastels like pink or blue for a relaxed and on-trend space. Image: Benjamin Moore

Benjamin Moore chose a cool neutral that may just work with every other paint color. Cool neutral gray like Metropolitan suits both warm and cool color palettes. The coolness of some grays can soften an overly warm palette, or be the backdrop for a cool palette that needs a bit of light.

The 2019 Benjamin Moore Color Trend Palette

Benjamin Moore curated 15 gorgeous colors for their 2019 Color Trends Palette. Image: Garrison Hullinger Designer

Benjamin Moore also announced their 2019 Color Trend Palette. This mix of soft neutrals and cool blues and greens presents a true working palette — you could use any and all of these livable colors to create a peaceful and stylish home. Benjamin Moore chose a trend palette that works together in harmony.

The 2019 color palette is unique as a trend palette because it really can be easily used throughout your entire house. Layer the colors from room to room as wall and ceiling, furniture, and accessory colors. A muted color palette with both warm and cool shades can give your home balance and comfort.

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The Most Important Items for Any Kitchen

November 16, 2018 by admin

What room in your home could you absolutely not live without? With the exception of perhaps the bathroom, no room matters more to your family’s comfort at home than the kitchen. This room is often the heart of the home. And even if you don’t love cooking, your kitchen is still a room you’ll use a regular basis to grab coffee, a quick snack or a throw-together meal.

Whether you’re an expert chef or a have never stood over a stovetop, a well-stocked kitchen can make your life at home a little easier and more pleasant. We polled our team at Freshome to figure out which items we all agree are needed for a functional kitchen. Here are our kitchen must-haves.

A quality refrigerator is the cornerstone of a functioning kitchen. Image: Haven Design & Construction

Refrigerator

There is no shortage of kitchen appliance options. But none of them are as critical as the fridge. It might not seem glamorous, but the refrigerator is a superstar in any cooking space. If you’re just moving into your first apartment, a smaller, standard fridge is a great place to start. If you’re ready to upgrade, however, shop around. Glass door refrigerators are beautiful and trendy. They’re ideal for people who want a sleek, modern look to their kitchen. Or, if you like a more traditional look, you can panel the fridge doors in material that matches your kitchen cabinets.

Alternately, smart fridges are ideal for the tech-savvy family – or those who just want to save time and money. They can do everything from help you remember to use items before they expire to serve as a message board for the house. Whichever type of fridge you choose, be willing to invest. This is a staple appliance and it’s worth getting a good one.

Knives

Another important investment, a good kitchen knife makes chopping easier and can even help you avoid injury. The good news is that quality knives will last for years and years, so you can feel confident about investing in them. If you’re looking for something to get you started, our team loves this three-piece knife set from Williams Sonoma.

A coffee or tea station adds a fun touch to your morning routine. Image: Lisa Robazza Design

Coffee or tea station

Food isn’t the only reason to use your kitchen. Beverages can be equally important, especially if you’re looking for a quality way to start your day. Setting up a well-appointed coffee or tea station makes the ritual of enjoying a warm beverage easier and more pleasant. Stock your station with plenty of mugs you love and whatever equipment you need to whip up your beverage of choice. If you’re looking for a starter option, check out this extremely affordable coffee pot from Target. Or if you want to add a splash of color, try this vintage-style tea kettle from Williams Sonoma is aqua or red. Then, add other fun touches like stir sticks, a sugar jar and fun art.

Functional stovetop

Much like the refrigerator, a stovetop is a non-negotiable in a kitchen. Our team has a variety of preferences on the type of cooking surface; some of us prefer a gas range while others love a glass-top stove. The latter is easy to clean and adds a nice streamlined aesthetic to the kitchen while the former allows you greater control over your cooking temperature. Ultimately, either option will suffice as long as it provides you with a quality place to fry, sautee and stew.

Even if you don’t love to cook, a stovetop is still important. Our team loves meal prep services like Blue Apron because they take so much of the guesswork and headache out of prepping dinner. If you want to make cooking easier and more fun so you actually enjoy standing at your stovetop, we recommend trying one out.

Kitchen seating gives the room more usefulness and creates a space your family can enjoy. Image: JKA Design

Eat-in area

Even if you’re lucky enough to have space for a formal dining room, that may not be the vibe you want for all of your meals. Creating an eat-in area in your kitchen, whether it’s a few stools pulled up to your kitchen island or a sunny breakfast nook, gives the room extra functionality and creates a space where all your family members – even those who don’t cook – can enjoy the room.

Grab and go food

While the kitchen is a place to occasionally invest hours creating masterful meals, many of us are so busy that it also needs to offer quick-service functionality. Keep your kitchen stocked with your family’s favorite grab-and-go options. You’ll find our pantries prepped with cereal and granola bars (we love KIND). A bowl of fresh fruit on the countertop makes it easy to get in our recommended daily servings. Or we’ll throw some English muffins in a Cuisinart toaster for a quick, versatile breakfast base. Whatever options work well for you, keep them handy so your kitchen can serve you even when you’re in a rush.

What items could you not live without in your kitchen? Image: Lake Country Builders

Other kitchen essentials

Obviously, we haven’t even gone into some of the other, more straightforward must-haves like silverware and dishware. Choosing your ideal sets all comes down to marrying your needs (i.e. durable dishware is key with young kids) with your tastes. Have fun with it!

What items do you think are most important for a well-stocked kitchen? What did we miss? Tell us about your kitchen essentials in the comments below.

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35 Small Wine Cellars and Wine Room Ideas You Can Recreate

November 15, 2018 by admin

If you look forward to wine o’clock every evening, why not turn a spot in your home into a stunning wine room or wine cellar? You don’t need a large wine cave or hundreds of thousands of dollars to build one. All you need is a small area like a closet, pantry or corner to create your very own small wine cellar. Here’s how to emulate the most chic wine cellars out there.

Turn a section of your cabinets into a wine cellar by adding shelving backed with a mirror to expand and lighten the space. Glass doors add a high-end feel to your new wine cellar. Image: Interior ID

The secret to a successful wine room is climate control

Wine is delicate and doesn’t do well with big temperature and humidity fluctuations. The most important facet in your collection of wine room ideas is how you’re going to keep your wine in good shape.

It’s all about keeping the temperature and humidity level in wine cellars from changing too much. The ideal temperature is 55 degrees F, give or take 3 to 5 degrees.

You have two options to maintain the optimal temperature and humidity in your wine cellar:

Invest in a good wine refrigerator, cooler or cooling system
Choose a cool, dry, dark spot for your wine cellar, away from windows or exterior walls, where the wine doesn’t experience exterior temperature changes

Once you’ve got that sorted, it’s time to create a space that’s well-organized and inviting. Some things you may want to add to your wine room include:

Wine racks, shelving or custom cabinets
A wine glass caddy
A bar table and stools or some armchairs for serving and lounging
Good lighting that serves as task lighting and ambiance
Barware like corkscrews, glass decanters and other accessories
A small wine refrigerator for champagne or fragile aged wine

Homeowners converted a closet into an elegant wine room complete with ambient lighting, custom shelving and a wine refrigerator. Image: Perry Custom Homes

Now it’s time for the inspiration. Check out these small wine room ideas that rival the most amazing wine cellars around. Cheers!

Wine room ideas for under the stairs

An inexpensive wire grid rack and some shelving can turn the unused space under a stairwell into a small, inexpensive wine cellar. To add resale value, invest in a glass door. Images: Zooi Designs

Glass doors and lighting add a design touch to your wine room. Image: Volansky Studio

Walnut veneer pegboard and stainless steel rods create a contemporary wine room under the stairs. Image: Genuwine Cellars

One of the most unique wine room ideas features the industrial-style use of wood crates fitted with an iron grid and backlit with warm golden light. Image: Beyond Beige

Turn a closet or pantry into a stunning wine cellar

A closet was converted into a wine room. Part of the drywall was replaced with glass to display the wine collection. Image: DCI Construction

Two pantries that were converted into a wine room. In the first case, the door was removed and the alcove finished with decorative tile. In the other example, a wine shelf was fitted inside the pantry. Images: Chairma Design Group and Mark Lewis Interior Design

Lighting is essential in a wine cellar closet conversion. Images: RH Carder Construction and Safdie Rabines Architects

For the ultimate tasting room, add a bar table or lounge chairs

Add a small, intimate table next to your wine racks for a cozy tasting room. Image: Elle Decor

A small bar area and bar stools create a spot to enjoy your wine. Image: Moretti Interior Design

Turn a sitting room into a wine tasting room by adding vertical wine storage and a bar to the area. Image: Vintage View

A large recycled wood bar table next to a wine cellar can be concealed with sliding panel doors creates a minimalist wine room. Image: Studio Tramas

Innovative wine shelves and glass doors enclose and display your wine cellar beautifully

Glass doors add a high-end jewelry box effect to a wine collection. Image: Chambers & Stark

A custom glass display is the centerpiece of this contemporary loft. Image: Vin de Garde Cellar Systems

A designated glass enclosure in a high-rise apartment creates a contemporary wine cellar. Image: Flaunt Interiors

If you choose to enclose your small wine cellar in glass, be sure that the interior is artfully organized and well-lit. Image: IWA Wine

An artisanal wine rack system is accentuated by the custom glass enclosure. Image: Harwick Homes

Glass doors keep the wine collection cooler by insulating against temperature fluctuations. Image: Vintage Cellars

Custom kitchen cabinets make great wine cellars

Create a small but practical wine room with kitchen cabinets, a sleek countertop and a small wine cooler. Image: Dooley Custom Homes

Turn a small section of your kitchen into a custom wine room – just like this homeowner did – with some wall-mounted wine racks. Image: MIDMODERN Design

When you put your wine room together, take a cue from this small one on how to display your wine objects. Image: Collins Dupont

Lower kitchen cabinets paired with upper wine shelving provide plenty of wine storage, even in the smallest spaces. Images: Connecticut Stone and Sunflower Studio

Choose contemporary shelves or unusual wine racks that make a statement

Backlit floating ledges are the perfect wine storage system since wine bottles need to rest on their sides to keep the corks moist. Image: Made Studio

Wall-mounted wine racks make use of the vertical wall space that often goes unused. Image: SES Design Group

A wall-mounted rack against a cool, stone wall is all you need to create a simple wine cellar. Image: Atwood Custom Home

Mount floor-to-ceiling vertical wine holders on a hallway or basement wall to create an instant wine room. Image: Creative Design Construction

A store-bought wine shelf is given a custom look with red LED backlighting. Image: Brayer Design

Work a wine cellar into your kitchen

The latest design trend for wine cellars (and even refrigerators) is glass doors and glass enclosures. Image: Cell Art

This wine cellar has a state-of-the-art wine cooling system. But you can recreate the look at home, minus the cooling system, for a chic wine room. Image: Vintage Cellars

Designers added a commercial wine cooler into this contemporary kitchen. Image: Flynn Architect

With fall and the holidays coming up, it’s the perfect time to create a small wine room of your own. A well-planned one is the perfect place to gather with friends and collect your favorite wines for years of enjoyment.

Want to see more stunning wine cellars and tasting rooms? Check out these 20 Luxury Residential Wine Cellars And Tasting Rooms.

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See Chip And Joanna’s Hearth & Hand Holiday Decor

November 15, 2018 by admin

We hope you like the products we recommend. Just so you are aware, Freshome may collect a share of sales from the links on this page.

Chip and Joanna Gaines’ new Hearth & Hand holiday collection is out now. It’s modern, crisp and perfect. Black and white are their Christmas colors of choice. Their collection includes plenty of wonderful holiday decor as well as gifts for kids of all ages. Here’s the best of the collection, including two fab farmhouse-style doll houses.

Joanna’s favorite Hearth & Hand holiday picks

A selection of Joanna’s personal favorites include a blue and red tartan throw pillow with tassels as well as a wall-hung advent calendar. All images: Target

Holiday tabletop collection

Freshen up this year’s Christmas table with a black and white table theme.

Mantel decorating pieces

Black and white with green and grey are this year’s Hearth & Hand holiday theme.

Hearth & Hand doll houses

This updated-traditional wooden dollhouse also comes complete with furniture, $130.

Doll house lovers of all ages will want this modern farmhouse dollhouse, complete with furniture, $150.

Chip and Joanna’s new holiday collection blends vintage farmhouse style with modern design. The fresh black, white and green colors can work with the most traditional Christmas decor. What will be on your Christmas wish list?

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4 Ways to Get Holiday Home Cleaning Off Your To-Do List

November 15, 2018 by admin

Few people actually like cleaning their home. But once you start, you get into a type of rhythm. And as your home becomes more and more presentable, that feeling of accomplishment grows until you’re looking at a pleasant, spotless home. The trick is having the motivation to get started with your holiday home cleaning.

Having people over for the holidays is a pretty solid motivator. And by coming to your holiday home cleaning with a plan, you’re more likely to actually get started and stick to that plan. So below are some tips for getting your home clean for that next get-together or holiday event.

Make sure your carpets are stain-free by planning any professional cleaning they might need. Image: ProCarpet

Plan for Any Large Overhauls

Your first step for holiday home cleaning is to take stock of everything that needs to be done. There are the obvious cleaning duties like vacuuming/sweeping, dusting, cleaning up the clutter and possibly putting out holiday decorations.

However, you may want to take a survey of your home to see if there are any major parts that need updating. For instance, that stain on the carpeting could require scheduling a professional cleaner. The curtains could start looking faded and require replacing. Do you need a bigger table for all the guests you have coming over? By looking at these large chores ahead of time, you can have time to plan for appointments and bigger purchases.

Get rid of clutter fast with a systematic approach. Image: Habitat by Resene

How to Declutter Fast

For the next step in your holiday home cleaning, you’ll want to declutter. Cleaning out all the accumulated junk will make it easy to actually see the counter in order to clean it. So here are some tips for decluttering fast:

Your first step is to identify what is quite obviously garbage and throw it away: flyers for events from months ago, bottles, old newsletters, expired medicines in the cabinets, etc.
Next, take a look at what ended up in the wrong room and put it in its right room (for instance, that remote for a TV in the bedroom that’s in the kitchen for some inexplicable reason or books that should go back near a bookshelf). You don’t have to organize everything perfectly in this stage. Things should just be in the right part of the home.
Now organize the things you want to keep into neat piles that you can then file away. For instance, that pile of bank statements, the DVDs you left out or those books that should go back to the shelf.

Decluttering just looks intimidating because of how fast things can pile up. Once you have a system in place, decluttering isn’t that hard.

Don’t forget to clean often-forgotten places like under the counters. Image: Divine Design + Build

Tips for Holiday Home Cleaning

After you’ve got everything put away or thrown out, next comes that part where you actually have to get everything clean. Here are a few handy cleaning tips:

When dusting, don’t forget hard-to-reach places. You’d be surprised what your guests notice. Get an extendable duster for cobwebs in the high corners, dust the molding and around the vents, clean the top of the ceiling fans so no one has a dust shower when they go to turn on the fan, dust the top of picture frames, etc. Be thorough.
Remember to sweep or vacuum behind doors, under the sofa and other unseen places. Accumulated gunk in these places can be unsightly in the off-chance that someone spots it and cleaning these areas can reduce odors.
Don’t forget to give surfaces a once-over with anti-bacterial wipes. The holidays can be a time for colds and the flu, so keep everyone healthy with proper sanitation.
Wipe windows and mirrors with a window cleaner for a spotless presentation.
Don’t forget to clean the often-forgotten places like inside the microwave, inside the toaster (crumbs can create a fire hazard) and inside garbage cans.

After holiday home cleaning, you’ll feel like you’re in a new home.

For easy holiday decorating, use the tree as a focal point combined with subtle accents like lights around the mantel. Image: Chris Snook

Easy Ways to Decorate for the Season

Now that your home is clean and decluttered, you can get down to the fun part: decorating for the season. There are many ideas for getting a fun, festive home. If you want something on the low-fuss end after all that extensive cleaning, there are a few tips for getting a festive home the easy way:

Decorate around large focal point decorations, like the tree or large seasonal wall hangings. You can place these in the home and use only a few smaller items as accents.
Make use of holiday-themed throw pillows or blankets. They add festive cheer with minimal effort.
Use seasonal dishes and table runners. These are also easy to place and set the seasonal tone around the dinner table.
Take a look at these minimalist Christmas decorating ideas.

As you can see, a festive vibe is possible with just a few simple room additions.

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Landscaping for Fire Safety

November 15, 2018 by admin

Certain parts of the country used to have a fairly predictable fire season, but the times are changing. California, for example, now has to be on fire alert throughout the entire year. That means there’s no time like the present to prepare your house for a fire. And that doesn’t just mean buying homeowners or renters insurance. There are some fire safety steps you can take to make your home or apartment less likely to burn in a fire. By implementing these three landscaping fire safety tips, you can better protect yourself, your family, your belongings and your property from a wildfire.

Move combustible patio furniture at least 30 feet from your house. Image: Thom Filicia

Create defensible spaces

One of the top fire safety steps every homeowner and renter should take is creating defensible space. This is essentially clearing space around the walls of your abode. If you’re a renter, this can be a little trickier; get permission from your landlord first. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends removing vegetation, debris or anything else that could catch fire from the perimeter around your home. Generally, it’s considered best practice to maintain two zones of defensible space.

Defensible space 1

Imagine a 30-foot ring around your house. Now remove anything even remotely combustible from that ring. That means clearing out your gutters on a regular basis, removing fallen vegetation from your roof and trimming tree branches as needed. If you keep a wood pile, make sure you move it at least 30 feet from your home. Yes, it means lugging the wood a little further when you want to make a fire. But it also means there won’t be a big pile of kindling just waiting to go up in flames right next to your house.

If you have patio furniture that you store within the first defensible space, make sure it’s non-combustible. You may also want to upgrade your deck to a non-combustible material.

Defensible space 2

Keep up with your outdoor maintenance within 100 feet of your home, or up to your property line. This means regularly mowing grass and trimming any other foliage and clearing the ground of dead leaves and pine needles. Generally, any tree branch that’s less than six feet from the ground should be cut. If you have trees, shrubs or other plant life, think through the spacing. Trees, for example, should be at least ten feet apart so fire has a more difficult time jumping between them.

Even beyond 100 feet from your house, keeping your property thinned and pruned makes it less likely that a fire quickly reach your home.

Use hardscaping to create an area around your home where fire won’t find any fuel. Image: Eric Brandon Gomez

Use hard surfaces

Hardscaping has a number of benefits. It’s easy to maintain, adds architectural appeal to your outdoor spaces and is fire safe. A wide concrete driveway, for example, can protect the front of your house. Gravel, steel and stone are other great hard surface options that resist fire and can help you protect your home.

Whether you’re taking on a small-scale outdoor task like edging your planters or renovating your deck or patio, choose hard surfaces to literally build fire safety into the fabric of your outdoor space. You can also intersperse hard surfaces within your landscaping to break up large swaths of vegetation.

Succulents store water in their leaves, making them less likely to burn. Image: Debora Carl Landscape Design

Use native vegetation

Fires need fuel. Your landscaping can be just what it needs to travel right up to your home, putting it at immediate risk. Or, it can be a help. When you’re planting the areas around your home, it’s generally a good rule of thumb to choose native species. These plants are adapted to thrive in your area, meaning they’ll root deeply and retain water more easily, making them less likely to burn. On the flip side, non-native species are more likely to get dried out by the conditions to which they aren’t naturally acclimated, making them ideal kindling for a fire.

Most areas will have resources available about which native species are most fire-resistant. In general, look for plants with leaves that have a high water content and do not create much dry wood or leaves. Succulents are an excellent example since they store water in their leaves.

Planting wisely, leveraging hardscaping and creating defensible spaces are the keys to fire safety outside your home or apartment. Use these tips to help defend against this natural disaster so you can rest easier no matter what the seasons bring your way.

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Millennial Pink Christmas Ideas and Decor for a Blush-Worthy Holiday

November 14, 2018 by admin

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Pink is so hot in home design it even got a new name – Millennial Pink. And the MP trend continues into the holidays. It’s an easy pink to work with since the slightly muted tone is softer and earthier than some other pinks, flowing well with neutrals, blacks and whites.

These Millennial Pink Christmas ideas and decor will convince you of why the color is so popular for the holidays. Whether it’s a few ornaments and accent pieces or a Millennial Pink tree, this color is a great way to brighten your holiday season.

A Millennial Pink Christmas home is a combination of everyday blacks and whites with gold hardware and accents. The pink decor works perfectly with the existing decor. Image: Homegoods

If you have a grey interior, Millennial Pink Christmas decorations also work well with the modern neutral. Image: The Every Girl

millennial pink christmas garland and decorating

Pink garland strung with LED lights gives the white banister a candy-like holiday feel. Image: My Christmas

millennial pink christmas decorating ideas

This pink flocked Christmas tree setting looks wonderfully dreamy and whimsical. Even the gifts are wrapped in color-coordinated paper. Image: Summer Adams

Faux fur accents like the white throw pillows and lambswool rug add luxury to a Millennial Pink living room holiday setting. Image: Overstock

For a unique Christmas table, use candy-inspired colors and arrange pink and champagne-color Christmas ornaments down the middle of the table. Image: Birds Party

Check out this Millennial Pink Christmas decor

What do you think of a Millennial Pink Christmas? Let us know in the comments.

The post Millennial Pink Christmas Ideas and Decor for a Blush-Worthy Holiday appeared first on Freshome.com.