1.) Window treatments aren’t just for the inside of your home: One misconception of having window treatments is that it only needs to look nice from the inside of your home. Have you ever driven by a home that had sheets or broken blinds hung up that you could see from the outside of their house? This doesn’t mean you have to please the neighbors with your drapery! It means to take into consideration your curb appeal from the outside of your home when hanging window treatments.

2.) Decide your purpose and aesthetic you want to achieve: If you are a college student or on a tight budget your window treatments main purpose may be for privacy and that’s it. While if you want a decorative feel to your rooms you have a different purpose. For those that want an economical and effective privacy treatment, blinds are a good option. They come in a variety of materials such as aluminum, wood, plastic and PVC. Metal blinds tend to bend easily but are very cost effective. PVC blinds can be made to look like wood blinds for half of the price. Wood blinds are typically the most expensive but will last for years to come.

3.) For decorative window treatments, your imagination is the limit: Look at the décor of your individual spaces, and the style of your home. More traditional homes may prefer long billowing fabrics with intricate curtain rods to accessorize them. For windows that look out on beautiful vistas, valances that only adorn the top of the window could be an option that works better. Valances can be made from fabric, wood, metal, or a combination of alternate materials. There are many do it yourself valance and cornice kits for those who want to create a custom look, without paying a professional to make them.

4.) Protect your furniture and control the temperature: Aside from the aesthetics, your window treatments help protect the inside of your home from the elements outside. Furniture, carpeting and home finishes can fade over time because of sun rays penetrating through your windows. If you live in extremely hot climates, such as the desert, consider using black out curtains to help redirect the harmful sun rays from entering your home. Thermal curtains are also available for conversely cold climates and help keep cold air that seeps in from windows into your room. If you don’t live in an extreme climate consider using decorative curtains with drawback ties, and using sheers below. Sheers keep help diffuse harsh light, and give a pleasing indirect lighting glow to a space.

5.) Alter the feel of your space with window treatments: Do you have small windows that you want to give the illusion of being larger? Hang window treatments closer to the ceiling, and let treatment fabric extend to the floor, to elongate the feeling of the room. Do you have a wall of sliding glass doors and don’t know how to cover them? Consider visually breaking up the long horizontal view with coordinating window treatments placed at equal intervals along the sliding door area. In the daytime these can be pulled back, while at night the coordinating materials will give a decorative flair to what could be a long, boring wall of fabric.

Use window treatments to enhance your home décor, but also to protect your home and its belongings. Consider different types of materials, and textures to compliment the décor and architectural style of your home. For ideas look in home décor magazines and books to grab inspiration!

[Freshome]

1.) Determine where the tile will be installed: Before you select a material you will need to decide what surface the tile will be applied. Tile can be placed as a backsplash behind a stove, or on the wall to the underside of the upper cabinets. Tile is a popular countertop material, and can also be used on the kitchen floor.

2.) Decipher the difference between ‘tiles’: The word ‘tile’ refers to a resilient material that can be laid in rows over a surface. For kitchens, this could include: quarry, stone, cork, vinyl, bamboo, ceramic, porcelain and glass. Applications like vinyl, cork and bamboo tiles are most commonly used in flooring. While quarry, ceramic, and porcelain can be used for counters and floors. Glass tile is commonly reserved for walls and backsplashes.

3.) Determine your budget before getting sold on the look: Kitchen tile can be inexpensive, such as vinyl and linoleum tiles or they can be expensive, such as custom designed ceramic tiles. Do your homework before getting married to an envisioned look in your head! Tile and home improvement stores can help you estimate the amount of product that will be required for your kitchen.

4.) Consider your household’s lifestyle: Although kitchen tile is resilient, it still requires up-keep and the longevity of each material differs. For countertops, ceramic tile is durable and will hold up to heat from hot pans, and is easy to clean and maintain. Unfortunately a ceramic tile surface can be uneven and it can easily crack or chip. Determine if your family’s lifestyle will match the tile finish you choose.

5.) Choose a floor tile that can withstand your family’s habits: When choosing floor tile it has to be durable enough to withstand heavy traffic, pets, spilled foods and cleaning supplies. Ensure that you purchase floor tile that is called ‘floor tile’. If you choose a wall tile for a floor the coefficient of friction (COF) will be too low, which in turn means it’s too slippery for walking. Instead choose floor tile that has a slight raised pattern, or texture to it to allow for a safer kitchen floor. For a more refined and elegant look consider using quarry tile. The clay and limestone based tile is fired to look like natural stone. Quarry tile is more expensive than the traditional ceramic tile, but is gorgeous in the right application.

6.) The sky is the limit for your tile backsplash: Well, to a certain point the sky is the limit. Since your backsplash doesn’t take direct heavy traffic, glossy, and painted tiles are a perfect fit for your backsplash. Although they still have to withstand, hot oil splatters, grease and daily cleaning. Choose from porcelain, ceramic, glass, metal or stone materials for a backsplash that can subtly or boldly bring a decorative flair to your kitchen.

Your kitchen floors, counters and backsplash have a variety of tile styles to fit your budget, and taste. Consider these tips when choosing tile for your kitchen. Research your tile options and then make your kitchen the one you’ve always dreamed of!

[Freshome]

Whatever work you can do yourself will save you money! Your home office space is probably not going to be too big, so consider painting the walls yourself. Adding a fresh, lively color or a sedate, calming color will set the tone for your work space. And if you’re not a pro at painting, never fear. Most of the space will be covered up with furniture anyway. If you’re feeling really creative, stencil a border around the desk. Or wallpaper one wall to define the space.

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