1. Revamping the bathroom

Updating the whole bathroom can be an expensive job which when you are on a budget is not ideal, however, most of the time there is no problem with the suite meaning that the bathroom can easily be revamped. What you could do is have large porcelain wall tiles put in (not even in the whole bathroom just near the sink and shower and then paint the rest of the room) and then change the flooring using either cheap ceramic floor tiles or even vinyl flooring. The large porcelain tiles will instantly make the room feel more contemporary and up-to-date.

2. Update your home with new flooring

By Wonderlane (Contactct)

Changing your carpet can make a large difference, especially if it is a vibrant colour such as blue. You could opt for a nice neutral colour like cream or even put in wooden floor. Now if you are very lucky your floor boards may be in perfect condition so all they would need is to be sanded and then you could just simply varnish them or go for a shabby chic look and paint them a white/cream colour.

3. A lick of paint

By Megan Allen (Contact)

A new coat of paint can do wonders to a room, making it look nice and fresh. Once again you could go for a nice neutral colour making the room look bigger. Also if you have a small and dark room there is specific paint available with a light-reflecting sheen, which gives the impression that the room is light and spacious.

4. Quick Fixes for the Kitchen

The kitchen normally will all need to be updated which can be a large expense. If your budget does not reach, you can tile the splash back with ceramic tiles which are cheap and the space is small so this will also keep the cost down. As well as this once again just painting can help the appearance of the kitchen.

5. The easiest solution for the bedroom

The simplest way you can transform your bedroom is by changing the bed linen. There is a whole range out there so you are bound to find one that complements your room as well as fits in with your budget.

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In the mind of a teen, the bedroom is a personal space that reflects independence, individuality, social status, dreams, and so much more. The bedroom is the one place in the universe that adolescents can call their own.

When selecting unique beds, decor and accessories to update your teenager’s bedroom, a collaborative approach is the one most likely to lead to a successful makeover – price, design and functionality – that will allow everyone in your household to rest easy. You may not be able to afford those glossy black Versace designer tiles but, at least, you will have worked together with you teen to find the next best thing.

As you set about working with your teen, keep in mind that 13-year-olds soon become 18-year-olds and their tastes will change much faster than their shoe size. That means building flexibility into every choice, from the colour of paint or paper for the walls to the size of the bed and mattress. Today, your teen daughter may still need space for her dolls and stuffed animals. In the blink of an eye, shoes, makeup, personal electronics, and photos of friends and rock stars will become her dominant companions.

There is an as-yet unnamed law of nature that directly correlates the age of your teen to the ever-expanding amount of storage space that will be required to maintain all of your son’s or daughter’s stuff. Thus, early in the planning for your teen bedroom renovation, you should give ample consideration to not only where you’ll put your teen’s current accumulation, but also where you plan to deposit the inevitable sprawl.

Begin With Storage

For starters, consider buying a hardwood, American-made platform bed from Stuart David Home Furnishings. These durable beds, available in a variety of woods and finishes, can accommodate as many as 12 spacious drawers without encroaching on floor space.

A blanket chest need not be used for bedding alone. Chests make for great catchalls, capable of digesting oversized sports equipment, school art projects, exercise paraphernalia, and memorabilia. When grandma and grandpa drop in unannounced and your teen’s room is a disaster zone, grab whatever is cluttering the floor or the bed and dump it in the chest. As they say, “out of sight, and no one will be any the wiser.”

To stay ahead of the inescapable storage wars that you and your teen will face, Stuart David Home Furnishings offers a selection of uppers and bridges. While those may sound like apparatuses that your orthodontist will recommend along with your teen’s braces, they are actually solid wood, handcrafted hutches and add-on furniture that are designed to frame your teen’s bed, providing ample extra storage and display space. Paired with bookcases and storage towers, all available in multiple woods and dozens of finishes, this collection of furniture for teenagers can make order from just about any teenage jumble.

Experiment moving your teen’s current bedroom furniture around and engage your son or daughter in helping to plan the new layout. Doing so makes for a memorable parent-child experience and also transmits a message of trust in your teen’s judgment.

Furniture for Teenagers

Beyond the bed and storage units, if the available space is large enough parents may want to consider other furniture options for their teenager’s bedroom.

An obvious first choice is a desk, where your teen can focus on homework and other creative undertakings. Investing in a custom quality desk in your new home sends your teens a message of encouragement; that as they grow up and prepare for college, you entrust them to take their studies seriously. For smaller bedrooms, you may wish to add a more compact library table, available with one or two-drawers.

A bedroom loveseat or even a full sofa is optional furniture for teenagers. These provide teens a casual place to read, watch television, listen to music, and chat with their friends. Your teen can focus on style and color while you pay attention to durability and stain resistance.

Accessories can go a long way towards personalizing your teen’s bedroom. Step stools, benches, stereo cabinets, lamps, and rugs all allow your son or daughter to bring a distinctive style to the bedroom. Throw pillows are inexpensive and easily double as floor seating. Like bed linen, you can swap out the pillows to give the bedroom a fresh look as your teen’s tastes mature.

Decorative Ideas

With the major components of your teen’s upgraded bedroom in place, you and your son or daughter can focus your attention on decorations. If your teen is artistic, framing hand-drawn art, paintings, or photography is always a wonderful way to show support for your teen’s creative side.

For those adolescents who excel elsewhere, think about framing and hanging awards, poetry they’ve written, or photos of them with family members and friends. A bulletin board comes in handy for posting to-do lists, a photo calendar, and cards or letters they receive from family members and friends.

Framed posters can totally transfigure your teen’s bedroom. Younger teens may favour actors and other entertainers. But the wall space can also be a great way to introduce your teen to fine or decorative art by purchasing quality, framed reprints.

Not all families have enough rooms in their home to let their teens have their own bedroom. If that’s the case in your house or apartment, it’s no reason that each child sharing a single room can’t make the space reflect his or her individuality. The bookcases, bridges, and uppers from Stuart David Home Furnishings allow parents to specify individual shelves or cubicles that each child in the room owns and decorates. Likewise, giving each child a dedicated nightstand can save lots of squabbling over whose stuff belongs where. Even the bedroom’s walls can be ‘zoned’ for the exclusive use of each child.

Limited on space but want that bookcase look and storage space? A bookcase headboard can always be attached to a footboard to give you the custom look you want without sacrificing your favorite style choice.

Also consider a twin-queen convertible beds for your teen’s bedroom whicht is both practical and able to adapt with constantly changing tastes. Accent it with companion bookcases on one or both sides; you can even attach a return desk to either side!

The usefulness of a convertile bed doesn’t stop there however. Even after your bird has left the nest, you can continue to use it as a guest bed for your new office or sewing room.

If parents could peer into the future, they would see themselves some years from now when their children have moved out and they are standing at the doorway of their teen’s old bedroom, reminiscing about days gone by.

The years do pass quickly, but the furnishings and decorations can bring back a flood of happy memories. Indeed, the time and money you invest now remaking your teen’s bedroom will frame your memories well beyond your children’s teenage years. What you are really designing is not simply a bedroom with accessories. It is a lifetime legacy – both yours and theirs.

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Decorating your living room, even on a tight budget, is doable. Decorating does not necessarily mean buying new stuff to beautify your space with, a few arrangements and do-it-yourself (DIY) tricks would suffice! Just take a look at the following ideas below:

1. DIY Wall Art

Geometric wall art and gallery gives off a cozy, artistic feel to any home. This is actually quite common in coffee shops and restaurants, but you can also create your very own at home too. What you need here are family photos, frames, block monogram letters or words, paintings and canvas that you can either create yourself (if you are an artist), or buy from the nearest thrift shop (yes, you don’t have to get them at a posh art exhibition).

To achieve a sophisticated, artsy wall art, you need to pick and stick to a certain color palette or theme, and use different frame sizes that will eventually balance and complement the overall look. You can take a look at the step-by-step process here.

2. Wall Shelves

If you cannot afford to buy another bookshelf, or if your space is too small to add one, your answer to that is to install a wall shelf. Wall shelves can be designed your way – it can be shaped like a honeycomb, it could be ladder-like, or just in simple straight lines.

The good thing about wall shelves is you can further decorate it with your existing stuff such as books, lamps, figurines, small potted plants and the like.

3. Use Monochromatic Color Schemes

Achieving a sophisticated, cozy look for your living room can be done by simply choosing the right color scheme. Warm, neutral and earthy tones are the usual choices if you are going for a nordic, minimalist effect for your living room. You can also choose perky, bright colors if you want to liven up a rather gloomy space. You can learn more about monochromatic themes here.

4. Mason Jars, Rustic Cans and DIY Vases

If you have empty cans and bottles lying around, you can DIY them to add a rustic feel to your living room. These can be used as flower vases, pen holders (for cans) and just as general decorative stuff. You can pattern your DIY jars, cans and vases from Pinterest.

5. Hanging Plants

Like wall shelves, hanging plants are great if your living room needs the extra space. It is also the perfect decorative solution if you want your ornamental plants to be out from the reach of children and pets.

You may however need extra rope tying skills to pull this off though, so you might need assistance and heaps of professional guide to ensure that the support system of your plants (and their pots or containers) are safely secured.

Each decor idea could go a long way depending on your resourcefulness and creativity. Moreover, you will find loads of inspiration from the Internet and with some DIY skills, you can probably afford to redecorate and liven up your living room with different colors and themes each year.

Author Bio:

Joanne Davidson is a seasoned writer who enjoys creating helpful articles and interesting stories. She has worked with several clients across different industries such as advertising, online marketing, technology, healthcare, family matters, and more. She is also an aspiring entrepreneur who is engaged in assisting other aspiring entrepreneurs helping property owners who encounter problems with the vacancy of their buildings.

Check out her company here: http://loweguardians.com/

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But, do you ever look at your home and wonder how you can use it better? With some small changes here and there, it could become an even better place to live. Updating your home, giving it a modern tweak on it looks inside and out maybe something you would love to do – but stop short because you think – or you know! – that it is a big job and you have no idea where to start or how.

In this article, we offer five tried and tested steps to getting a modern twist on your home without necessarily taking out a second mortgage, moving home or engaging in disruptive, expensive work. Making changes starts with small steps, one room at a time.

Step 1 – De-clutter

De-cluttering is a time-consuming but cathartic process. You will come across things long forgotten, enjoy some of the memories that they bring flooding back but also sad and anxious about other memories they recall.

De-cluttering is no one’s favourite job because it can take so long, as well as feel like an enormous task. But, if you want to make changes, whether it’s decorating a room or making big, structural changes, you need to begin with the process of decluttering.

It is a job that once started, can overwhelm you. When it comes to de-cluttering, there are a few tips that can help you de-cluttering more effective:

• Don’t start BIG – if you decide to de-clutter a whole room in one go, you may find that a few hours in to the task, you run out of steam. Start small: de-clutter the items in a cupboard etc. Deciding to declutter the whole house will only mean you run out of energy and determination sooner rather than later.
• Don’t forget you need to remove and recycle – de-cluttering can be a cathartic process but only if you see it through from start to end. You may be left with a de-cluttered lounge or hallway but, if the stuff is piled up in another room ready to be recycled etc. – and stays there for months – you have only completed half of the task.
• DO set aside plenty of time – you might think it’ll take half an hour to de-clutter the sideboard but it can take three times as long. Set aside plenty of time; even half an hour is better than not doing anything.
• DO have an idea of what you want to keep – there is no hard and fast rule about what to keep and what not to keep but if you haven’t used it in the last six months or more, then consider recycling, upcycling or donating.

Step 2 – Organise storage

De-cluttering your home is a great process and once you start to come to the end of it in a room, you can start to really see what space you have to work with.

However, there is a common, often forgotten issue when you have sorted through everything: storage. Once you know what you have and what you want to keep, you need to look at effective storage options.

Storage is not just about buying plastic boxes and hiding them away in cupboard; it is about prioritising access and using the space you have in the most effective and efficient way possible; using storage units that work in your space..

Prioritising and ordering items can be a useful way of ensuring that you can find what you want when you need it:

1. Eye level – keep things at eye level that are the most important things and ones that you will access on a frequent basis. This is especially true in wardrobe and cupboard space. Finding things quickly and easily usually depends on your eye being able to spot it amongst a sea of things.
2. Below the knee – the bunch of things that you will want to access from time to time is given storage space ‘below the knee’. This could be in cupboards or the lower portion of a wardrobe. There may be more effort involved in finding something but if you order your things correctly, you won’t need to access them as often.
3. Above the head – and finally, anything that you want to keep but will access infrequently should be kept above your head. This means making more of an effort to access – like climbing a small step ladder. Storing things like winter blankets etc. in the space above your head in the top portion of a wardrobe is a prime example of this.

One way of updating to the look of your home is to use parts of it that are hitherto ‘wasted’. Small nooks and crannies, under stairs spaces and so on can, with shelving and lighting become great storage spaces. Have a look online for inspiration on how to include bespoke and unique storage solutions in your home.

Step 3 – Snag list

Now that you have de-cluttered and started to deal with storage solutions, you can now spend some time looking at the space or the room. The objective is to create a snag list of what you want changing, followed by how you will go about doing this.

Consider these questions;

• What do you really use the room or space for? What would you like or need to use the space for?

It may be a dining room but is this what you really need it to be? It might a space that for the next few years, would be better used as a playroom or kid’s hangout. The best use of your home will depend on how you need to use it, so don’t think you have to follow a prescribe list or set of traditional ideas.

• What tasks can you complete yourself? Which do you think needs professional input?

Some changes are structural so before you start knocking walls down or ripping fireplaces out, it is a wise move to have a professional check for any structural changes or modifications that need to be made. You may feel able, willing and skilled with the right tools to take on certain tasks. Many people find it satisfying to be able to take on a project and complete it.

Step 4 – Create a mood board for each room and project

Updating your whole home is a mammoth task, especially if you decide to take it on all at once; this is why, taking it as a room by room project is a great way of completing it.

Once you have a snag list, you can set a budget for the updating the room or space, as well as deciding on the final look and uplift you are looking for.

In some cases, it may be as simple as painting and decorating or laying new porcelain tiles in the kitchen  but you want it to be stylish and practical. There are many ways of doing this, including creating a mood board.

A mood board is where you gather all the ideas you have about the final look of the room all in one place. Some people spread it out over a poster-sized piece of card but other people keep theirs in folders or a scrap book.

Your mood board will contain important information:

• Measurements and dimensions – measure the floor, as well as height of walls and the windows. These measurements are handy for when ordering curtain, blinds, flooring and so on. If you have these to hand, it makes the whole process a lot less stressful.
• A floor plan of your room – drawing an accurate floor plan, with fireplaces, and any other features can also be a great way of understanding how some things may or may not work in a space.
• Photos – clippings from magazines or from internet sites of colours, patterns and ideas are all kept on your mood board. This way, you can start to visualise how the finished room will look. Many people find visualising the final room difficult; if you are one of these people, a mood board is essential.
• Samples – if you are opting for new furnishings in a space, textures and colours are important. Keeping samples of these in a book is a great way of being able to compare how certain paint or wallpaper could work with them and so on. All too often, in our mind’s eye we may think that the carpet is a perfect match only to find that once laid, it makes the room look smaller or clashes with the décor and so on.
• Inclusive – everyone should have a say in how communal spaces in your home look, and mood boards are a great way of bringing ideas together and how they will work (or not!).

Step 5 – Maintenance of your ‘new’ home

You have worked really hard. You have a de-cluttered home, great storage solutions, a feeling of space and you and your family find that the house is once again, versatile and responsive to your needs.

Keeping it this way is not as tough as you think and this is why;

• Identify your buying ‘patterns or rituals’ – have you noticed how some people’s homes seem full of trinkets without it feeling cluttered? This is because these purchases are considered and thought out ones. This is how you need to be with every purchase you make in the future. Think carefully before every purchase – and never shop when tired – it’s so much harder to resist things.
• Visualise the coming months– you have come across a beautiful, hand blown vase. You must-have it! But, think how it will look in your home in six months’ time. Will it still fit with the décor? Or, if you change the look of that room, will the vase still have a place in it?
• Compulsive buys rarely work out… – everyone has had some kind of impulsive buy. Sometimes they work but more often than not, the item becomes an object that is passed around from room to room, and then put in a cupboard and forgotten about. When it comes to buying something for your home in the future, you need to be confident that it is a well-thought out purchase.
• Regular de-cluttering – staying on top of clutter is important. It doesn’t take long for it to all start to mount up again. Recycling and upcycling are a great way of reusing stuff that you no longer need, or no longer need in its current format. If you do want to recycle items, take advantage of the kerbside collections. Local authorities are now collecting a wider range of items as part of their weekly collections, from clothing to small electrical items. Many local recycling centres also offer collection for larger items and don’t forget that your ‘rubbish’ or unwanted stuff could be just perfect for someone else.

Updating your home takes a little effort and organisation but, get the basics right and you will soon see the fruits of your labour – remember the below and you won’t go far wrong.

• De-cluttering is great but only if you make arrangements for items to be moved/recycled/upcycled and reused.
• As well as budgeting, you also need to plan your time; some aspects of updating your home can take longer than others.
• Mood boards or books are a great way of gathering inspiration and ideas so that you get the final look that you want.
• Not also changes are DIY tasks; structural changes should be OK’d by a builder first or by a structural engineer.
• Get the whole family involved and remember, just because a room has ‘always been used as a dining room etc.’, doesn’t mean it has to stay as one. If you need a play room, then make space for one. It can always be changed back when you no longer need a play space.
• Awkward places make great storage solutions, especially if you use the space available creatively.

The post How to update your home, one room at a time appeared first on Twits Guides.

Get the kids involved in the bedroom design

The trick is to involve the children as far as possible – ask them for their bedroom design ideas and inspiration, what would make them love their room and be happy to share it? Obviously, this will depend very much upon age and stage of the children but even the very youngest can have input on colour and décor. Bear in mind you may need to adjust some of their suggestions, though, especially teenagers who might want radical decor such as black walls and gold designer tiles on the floor.

Celebrate their differences

One of the easiest, quickest and most cost-effective ways of visually dividing the room is to decorate according to each child’s taste to give them a real sense of ownership of their half. This can be done with toning or complementary colours, or feature wallpapered walls in papers from the same ranges – an easy weekend’s DIY for anyone. If you’re a little more ambitious or nifty with a paintbrush you could attempt a personalised mural in matching colours to their décor choices as part of your bedroom design – keep it simple with their name, or a favourite sport reference. If you’re not that confident, a mural artist could design something for you.

Think about flooring too – if it’s a wooden floor, it could be painted half and half, or choose different coloured lino, laminates or carpets. Just don’t go over the top with different elements – keep certain things simple and the same to make the whole scheme work. For instance, use the same good quality white bed linen on both beds and plain, neutral curtains or blinds.

Divide and conquer

For a more physical division, buy a screen – or perhaps make your own room divider with three cupboard doors hinged together, or a simple, hinged wooden frame and kid-friendly fabric – a different print each side or you could even let them loose with plain fabric and specialist fabric paint or pens. Older children might like the industrial vibe of a screen crafted from pallets or salvaged (unglazed) window frames. Maybe they’d like a noticeboard, or blackboard style one to display their own photographs and artworks? For a sturdier barrier, try customising furniture to do the job. Shallow bookcases set back to back could work well (providing they’re correctly secured to avoid toppling accidents) as could modern, modular open shelving, allowing access to books and games from either side.

High sleeper beds can really make a difference!

Possibly the best way to clearly designate each child’s side of the room is to construct a custom high sleeper bed which can accommodate a desk and wardrobe, ensuring that each child definitely has his or her own space and storage whilst also maximising usable floor space for playing or studying.

Let your imagination – and skills, whatever their level, run wild and your children will thank you for their funky and creative room of which their friends are so envious. We can’t promise it will prevent all bickering, but it should definitely make a difference!

The post How to Create a Bedroom Design your Kids will Love to Share appeared first on Twits Guides.

1. Clean as you go

Yes, it’s obvious; yes, it’s common-sense – but that’s because it really works. Keep a cordless vacuum cleaner – so vacuuming is absolutely effortless and doesn’t involve plugs and wires – and a portable ‘cleaning kit’ with sprays, polishes, dusters, cloths and wipes. Don’t leave anything out once it’s finished with. As you walk out of a room, or up the stairs, take stuff with you. Nipping to the bathroom or having a quick coffee? Wipe a surface. Put used crockery straight into the dishwasher. Train the family to do so too – no one should be allowed dinner/internet/to play until they’ve tidied up. It’ll soon become habit and nobody will even notice.

If you’re pushed for time, just clean the kitchen and bathroom. In those rooms, hygiene is a must, so prioritise. If your wall and floor tiles are clean and gleaming it’s easy to overlook the odd bit of clutter elsewhere. Let’s face it, your house is lived in! A quick polish everywhere else should suffice – the scent of polish gives the illusion of a clean house anyway.

2.Storage, storage, storage:

Everywhere. When everything has a place there’s no need for mess. Many stores specialise in storage solutions which you can customise or build up to fit your space and requirements but you could also choose to create your own to perfectly suit your rooms. Any odd spaces or alcoves are crying out for made-to-fit cupboards, shelves or other storage systems, but everyday furniture can offer storage space, too – cabinets with hooks and rails attached underneath; fireplaces with pigeonholes, tables with drawers… the list is almost endless.

3.Stack it up, but decoratively!

Are you a stacker? You know, someone who seems to collect stacks of… stuff. All sorts of stuff, all over everywhere. Catalogues, books, magazines, recipes and the like? Make a feature of them, again with useful storage. There are some really attractive and stylish office or kitchen storage systems which could actually make a lovely feature. Again, customise them or even make your own – fabric covered boxes and files, or prettily-lined baskets will keep the house neat-and-tidy as well as attractive.

4. Lose the clutter

Keep surfaces clear and the house will look cleaner (plus you won’t need to lift things in order to dust). Plants on windowsills and mantelpieces look fresh and clean and will prevent you from adding yet more clutter.

Now, treat yourself to a bunch of fresh flowers – really, they’ll help the house look clean and smell good, too!

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