Creating Your Own Personal Spa Day

What woman doesn’t love the relaxation and health benefits of a day at the spa? The calming and rich aromas, quiet soothing music, and reviving skin moisturizers are all the ultimate in pampering for today’s hard working woman. Yet the cost of even a short time at a spa keeps many of us at home sticking to a budget. Why not indulge yourself in your own home with the same aromatherapy essential oils and bath and body products found in high-priced spas? You can create the same therapeutic effects to your body and soul for a fraction of the cost by purchasing the products online, turning on your favorite peaceful music, and sending your family out for the evening.

Aromatherapy Essential Oils

Aromatherapy refers to the use of plants for natural psychological and physical restoration. In the past few years, the use of these herbal aromas and essential oils has quickly grown as word has spread about their effectiveness and many uses. When these scents are inhaled, triggers occur in the brain and the benefits are numerous. Depending on the oils you choose, you can achieve sharper concentration, relief from depression or headaches, stress reduction, improved digestion, or an aphrodisiac to name just a few. You can find natural perfumes as well as insect repellents in these essential oils. Do a little research and find the best products for your spa day.

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Do You Really Need a Feng Shui Designer to Sell Your Home?

Feng Shui (pronounced “fong shway”) principles for staging homes and offices is growing ever-more popular. The overall goal of Feng Shui is for one to live in harmony with one’s environment and encourage “positive energy”. The way to this nirvana is apparently to arrange one’s living situation and entire life to fall in with the vagaries of “chi”.

Some of the advice that Feng Shui gives the home seller makes sense. It’s a good idea to clear out your clutter and air out the home to provide clean, fresh air. ”Green” or “eco-friendly” cleaning products can be another positive step – they often smell better and are better for you and the environment. Balancing the colors in the home can also be useful if you find a room is too “one color”.

However, what Feng Shui devotees attribute to positive energy may just be the result of clearing out clutter, cleaning your home until it sparkles and putting some touch of greenery here and there – things that most home stagers would advise be done anyway. It doesn’t take an esoteric expert to surmise that a home that is easy to move around in and that is clean will be more attractive to buyers.

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Bathrooms Are ‘Impact Rooms’

When it comes to making a house look good, there are certain rooms people should focus on first.This is according to home stager Carolyn Stieger, who suggested that bathrooms and kitchens are two of the most important spaces in properties, C&G Newspapers reports.So, by having luxury bathrooms, homeowners may be significantly enhancing their abodes.By investing in designer bathrooms, consumers are not only improving their own experiences while in the residence but they may also benefit financially in the long run.

While an initial investment is required, making changes of this nature could significantly increase the value of people’s houses or flats.Commenting on the issue, Ms Stieger said there are certain ways in which individuals can stage their homes that result in more effective selling.She claimed that so-called ‘impact rooms’ include kitchens and bathrooms.

The expert noted: “When [a home] looks good and people want to be able to move into a home quickly … those houses seem to sell much more quickly.”According to the specialist, properties that have been staged before viewings take place, including those with luxury bathrooms, sell much faster than those that have not.Meanwhile, when choosing designer bathrooms and other features of their home, people should pay particular attention to the colour they paint the walls in, she advised.She stated that warmer and more inviting paint can play a powerful role in a buyer’s psychology.

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My Options For Outdoor Chairs

Who doesn’t want to rest in comfort this summer season? As you decide on your deck and patio furniture for the season, there are several options to survey. From the ever popular Adirondack chair and wood outdoor furniture to fabric, wicker, or thick cushions, there is a chair for everyone out there. Each type has a purpose and history that has made it a favorite for buyers today.

Adirondack Chairs
Always a popular choice for those wanting wood outdoor furniture, these relaxing chairs were created in the early 1900′s as a family man sought to discover the most comfortable place for his children to enjoy the front yard. At his workshop in New York, on the edge of Lake Champlain, Thomas Lee nailed boards together in various fashions as his 22-member family sampled each design. The favorite was chosen, a chair with a slanted back and seat and spacious armrests. He took his plans to the town carpenter who loved the idea and set to work making a patent for today’s Adirondack chair. Now, 100 years later, there is no replacement for the feel of sinking back into these seats.

Wrought Iron or Aluminum
For long lasting, low maintenance furniture, you may want to choose a metal chair set. Most of today’s brands are fully welded, giving you extreme durability in almost any shape or color. Wrought iron and aluminum will not rust and both are able to resist any weather conditions. If you prefer a softer chair, you may want to look into a metal frame with quick drying textilene fabric seats, a perfect fit for your poolside.

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Try a New Regional Home Decor

We all know that any home can be transformed by the chosen décor. If you are searching for either a new home decor, or you would like to spruce up your current design, you may want to consider a regional theme. By following a country, Southwestern, or Western décor style, you will ensure the sense of connection between rooms and authentic feel. Your house will become a home with personality and warmth. Looking to integrate your décor with holiday decorations? This is a wonderful option! You can begin with a few pieces in one room and slowly add new decorations as time goes by, knowing your regional décor choice will be easily matched for years to come.

Western Home Décor
The Wild West is often depicted with cowboys, horses, and leather. Take a portion of the open-range and make your house a new place. The American West is a loved time period in our country’s history so decorations revolving around this exciting time are plentiful. You can add cowboy boots and hats, spurs, and horseshoes to any room and in almost any form. Warm tones tend to dominate the color scheme, often times with dusty browns, oranges, and rusty colors at the center of the color palate. Artwork in the Western theme is filled with picturesque cowboys driving cattle and riding horses. You may easily incorporate a few humorous decorations to provide a light-hearted feel to your home. This is a fun and classic choice.

Country Home Décor
Step back in time to the 19th century Midwest. Fill your home with baskets of flowers, country clad dolls, and jute throw rugs. You will see gingham curtains and tablecloths in maroon, navy blue, cream. The artwork generally depicts farm houses and rolling hills. You may want decorations with farm animals, including the classic dairy cow, rooster, or chicks. Take your family and guests back to a simpler time of homemade pie, gardens, and American pride. There is décor available for every room of the house that brings to mind the words “Home Sweet Home.”

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Nothing TO Lose, Everything TO Gain Through The Appeal OF Redesign

Forget about knocking out a wall or forking over cash for a bunch of trendy knickknacks that might not match your taste. With redesign, a lot of change can be accomplished without a lot of funds, and the results always match your personal style, because it starts with the belongings that already make your house a home.

Redesign isn’t remodeling. It’s a fast, simple way to give your home or office a bold new look and enhanced functionality by using the furniture and decorative objects you already own, and that’s why it has such a strong appeal. As the owner and redesign specialist of Visual Harmony, based in El Cerrito, California, it’s my job to help clients understand what redesign is — and what it isn’t — which can be a difficult task, given the break- neck pace at which home and design channels are bringing new redesign programs to TV. Every show develops its own twist on the theme. And with each twist, it gets a little harder for the main idea to get through.

As a certified Interior Redesigner and Home Stager I am thrilled with the awareness the shows have created, even if they have caused a little confusion in the process. Sometimes people expect us to show up with a painter, an electrician, a plumber — everything short of lights and a camera crew — because that’s what they’ve seen on TV. But redesign is really much simpler than that. It’s basically a skilled redesign professional working with the homeowner to determine the best usage of each room and arranging various elements to achieve that goal. And, while the process is amazingly quick and affordable, it can help homeowners solve a wide range of practical needs, providing a designer look without the designer price tag.

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Green-Staging Your Home

It’s a buyer’s market and selling homes for their maximum sale price is hard in these days of foreclosures and short sales. You’ve heard that home staging is the way to go, but you don’t want to rip out perfectly good fixtures in order to make your home shine. Is there a way you can improve your home’s appearance without putting a huge strain on the environment? The answer is yes!

Cleaning is the number 1 home stager’s weapon. Nothing can take the place of soap and water when it comes to marketing your home. Clean homes smell better – even if you or the buyer doesn’t notice it – and look better. Invest in some orange oil cleansers for a fresh citrus scent and scrub, scrub, scrub! Instead of replacing bathroom fixtures, clean and polish them. Have your home powerwashed if it is covered with vinyl siding.

You may want to repaint your home’s exterior and interior to give it a fresh, new look. There are low- and no-VOC (volatile organic compounds – bad environmental juju) paints available and recycled paint made from bucket leftovers. By carefully cleaning your brushes and rollers, you can make them last longer and be usable for more paint jobs in the future. Trays can also be cleaned and reused. Reusable dropcloths can be used for years instead of temporary plastic ones.

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Five Ways to Make Your Yard a Reflection of You

Do you want to make your yard a beautiful reflection of your unique style and character? Are you looking for easy ways to make your garden more than flowers? You can transform your outdoors into a personal space that inspires others in your neighborhood to be creative too. By finding the right yard and garden décor, you will discover simple and inexpensive ways to spruce up your home.

Garden Fountains
Many homeowners love the idea of having the relaxing sound and beauty of a garden pond or waterfall in their backyard. However, this is often difficult due to cost and space. You can gain the benefits of rushing water sounds and the soothing feel of nature by adding a small or medium sized fountain instead. A popular choice in garden décor, these pieces make a tremendous difference in the feel of your yard with little cost. The range of sizes, shapes, colors, and styles will fit perfectly into any garden theme. The addition of water will also draw birds and small animals, bringing yet another touch of nature and peace to your outdoors.

Wind Chimes
From the lovely tinkling sound of aluminum wind chimes, to the lower, mystical melodies of bamboo or wood chimes, this is a wonderful addition to your yard décor. Not only can you choose from a variety of sounds that add some of nature’s music to your yard, but the style you need to match your decor will be easy to find. Choose a standard chime with pipes, an all-American theme, a décor of crosses or pipe organ sounds, a country and barn piece, or glass chimes in almost any form. Add some melody to your life!

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The Importance of Staging an Older Home

It is surprising, even with all the information out there on how much easier it is to sell a decently staged house, that some sellers are still resistant to the idea. Every house, particularly older homes, should be staged before pictures are taken or any showing takes place. Older houses have to compete with newer homes that, due to style changes, may need far less in the way of renovations or upgrades. Staging can make these homes look a lot more desirable than they would otherwise.

First of all, staging involves de-cluttering both the inside and outside of your home. Many people living in older homes have been in residence for a long time. Every year that you live in a house makes for more stuff that you’ve brought in, adding to the clutter that you already had. One of the key ideas in home staging is that it helps a prospective buyer actually see what your house looks like because you’ve removed the clutter.

Another important aspect of home staging that is vitally important when you’re trying to sell an older house is repainting and wallpaper removal. Many older homes have outdated wallpaper or paint colours; these outdated walls will just accentuate how much work a home buyer will need to do if they buy your house. If you can repaint the walls and remove any horrible 1970s wallpaper, your house won’t scream out “fix me” to a buyer.

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