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Guest Blogger: Reema – 5 Factors to Consider When Decorating your Living Room

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5 Factors to Consider When Decorating your Living Room

5 Factors to Consider When Decorating your Living Room

There are so many ways to spruce up your living room. However, just because you can decorate your living room a certain way doesn’t mean it’s going to look good. For example, you can’t put a bed mattress from the Philippines in front of your living room TV; that’d be weird to look, not to mention inappropriate.

Therefore, if you want to make sure that your living room is presentable, functional, and appealing for you, your family, and your visitors, there are factors you should keep in mind when you arrange the ornaments, furniture, and appliances in it. Here are a few of them.

Life in the Living Room

The living room wouldn’t be named as such if there isn’t any reason behind it. It’s called that way because it’s where people “live”. And by living, that means enjoying life, as it is usually where people do recreational activities, especially those that are shared with family and friends.

With that fact laid out, ask yourself: what do you plan to do, or what are you already actually doing, in your living room? If you plan to watch tv or play games in it, then it’s best that you put a tv and a game console in it. On the other hand, if it’s going to be where you’ll be reading novels most of the time, then make sure that it has comfy seats and ample lighting. Basically, it’s all about making sure that your living room fits your lifestyle.

5 Factors to Consider When Decorating your Living Room

Size Does Matter

Unless you designed the house yourself, you won’t have much of a say when it comes to the size of your living room, and size is an important factor when deciding what the activities you’ll be doing in it and how you’ll be decorating it.

For example, if you have a big living room, then it should be a no-brainer that you can put bulky furniture and appliances, and you can add a lot of decorations to boot. On the other hand, if your living room is quite modest, then it’s best that you stick to fairly-sized chairs, couches, TVs, and other things; and don’t try to put in too much stuff that only serve aesthetic purposes, as they would only serve as space-eaters.

The Cost of Living

A factor that perhaps weighs more than the previous two would be your budget. After all, let’s face it – without money, you won’t even have a place – be it your own house, a condominium, or an apartment – that has a living room.

Therefore, when you’re thinking how your living room is going to look like, how big it’s going to be, and what will be the things you’re going to put in it, try to consider how much money you have and how much you’re going to need in order to turn your plan into a reality. After all, you wouldn’t want to blow all your hard-earned dough to make a beautiful living room, only to have the rest of the house half-baked.

5 Factors to Consider When Decorating your Living Room

It’s Not A Dark Room

Another important but often overlooked and overshadowed factor would be lighting. If there’s too little lighting and the articles in your living room are dark-colored, your living room would seem gloomy even in broad daylight. On the other hand, you can have too much artificial lighting at night. In the end, it’s all about striking a fine balance. After all, you wouldn’t want your eyes to be strained when you stay in what is probably the best place at home.

Down to the Floor

One of the first things people usually notice in the living room, aside from the furniture, decoration, and appliances, would be the floor. After all, it’s where people step on – that means it’s going to be dirtied and therefore has to be cleaned on a regular basis. Therefore, what material it’s going to be built with is important, as that will determine how it will feel and look, as well as how it will be cleaned.

So, is it going to be tiles, marble, concrete, wood, or carpeted? That depends on your aesthetic tastes and how patient you are at cleaning.

The living room is going to be where you are at home when you’re not in the kitchen or your bedroom – that means you’re going to be in there often. Plus that’s where your guests will be staying. With those things in mind, it’s only right that it should look and be functional and comfortable in the best way it can.

Author Bio:

Yyanna Reema Marquez is a student- writer based in Manila, Philippines. She is a student of Interior Design and love to explore places that offers extraordinary experience. Connect with her on Twitter

 

The post Guest Blogger: Reema – 5 Factors to Consider When Decorating your Living Room appeared first on Plucky's Second Thought.


Tips For Choosing The Right Color Scheme For Your Decor

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Tips For Choosing The Right Color Scheme For Your Decor

Tips For Choosing The Right Color Scheme For Your Decor

Making the right choice for a color scheme for a room is one of the most important decisions to make in making a house a home.  Here we will discuss some tips for making the right choice.  You really do not have to follow design theories or the color wheel to come up with a successful scheme. Decorating is a subjective matter at best, and the one person you have to please is yourself.

For starters, do not select a paint color first.  You may know that paint is relatively inexpensive, and can be matched with just about anything you put in a room.   Start out your search for colors with items such as furniture, tile, wallpaper, and fabrics.  Make your color choice based on those. The scheme also depends on what kind of room it is, for example a dining room would require a different setting as compared to a bedroom.

Most experts will tell you to make a choice between clean and bright, or soft and subtle.  If you are unsure about color, you may want to test it first.  Make an overall plan of your home, and take note of what will be in each room.  Make special notes of the carpet, furniture, and color of the walls.  Get swatches that represent the colors of those rooms,and then grade them as to how much you like, or dislike them.

Now consider just how one room will flow into the next, and what kind of mood you want to set.  In short, plan your home one room at a time for the best results.

Take Lighting Into Account

You should never forget the impact of lighting.  Color is really nothing but a reflection of light, so the amount of light, and the kind of light carries a good deal of weight.  You can experiment with light from lamps, natural light, or other light fixtures to see the effect it has on colors, your furniture, and other surfaces in the room.

Remember light from the sun is the considered the ultimate source since it has uniform intensity over the entire spectrum of colors that are visible to the human eye.  Also remember that sunlight varies from the time it rises to the time it sets, as it moves through an atmosphere that varies.  So take a look at your rooms at different times during the day to get a true feel for how it will look.

Rooms with only exposure to the north will only receive light in the morning of course, so warm color palettes work well in them to soften shadows, and it also reacts well with artificial light.  Whatever choice you make, it’s not like you’re committed.  You can always make changes.

You can look at many colors before even picking up a paintbrush, but make sure you pick one that goes well with the overall theme.  You can also outsource the job to a professional interior decorator. These experts can give your house a whole new look.

Just remember to have fun while you’re decorating, and with these tips in hand, chances are your home will look stunning.

The post Tips For Choosing The Right Color Scheme For Your Decor appeared first on Plucky's Second Thought.

Plucky’s Home Christmas Decorations Tour

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Plucky’s Home Christmas Decorations Tour

Last Winter we did a HUGE home remodel (one in which I’m almost ready to show you the before’s and after’s of), so we were unable to decorate at all for Christmas.  And because of that, it didn’t even feel like Christmas.  However…this year we decided to really go all out and do it!  Since the home was remodeled, it was fun trying to figure out where everything goes (almost like decorating a brand new house)!  We also bought a new tree after last Christmas, some new decorations, etc.  It was totally fun decorating this year and the house really feels so cozy and cute!  The only weird thing?  It’s December in Ohio and we haven’t really had a snow stick to the ground!  In fact, as I type this post, it’s 50 degrees outside!  LOL  :)  ENJOY!

Plucky's Home Christmas Decorations Tour

The outside of our house looks so different this year as we’ve taken bushes out from in front of the downstairs windows as well as in front of the gas meter, so we didn’t have anywhere to place lights.  However, Home Depot had these cute snowflakes on sale that we thought would be a cute touch!  :)  The bad thing?  We had to buy 8 boxes of snowflakes!  LOL  :)  I also don’t know if you can see the bloomed Primrose behind the snowflakes?!  Haha…

Plucky's Home Christmas Decorations Tour

This is one of three trees in the house.  Simple, but festive and cute!  :)  This is in the dinning room (we’ve never had a tree in the dinning room)!

Plucky's Home Christmas Decorations Tour

These various pictures are decorations throughout the Kitchen/Dinning Room/Living Room area.  The Hallmark Snowmen of course are everyone’s favorite!  :)  And do you recognize the wreath and the mason jars?!  :)

Plucky's Home Christmas Decorations Tour

And this is our cozy dinning room table!

Plucky's Home Christmas Decorations Tour

These two photos were SO hard to take and I have NO idea why.  The lights above the vertical blinds were so hard to come out clear.  And above the cabinet that has the dishes, the lights there look super bright…but they aren’t.  LOL  Sigh…maybe next year!  :)

Plucky's Home Christmas Decorations Tour

Our stockings…hung by the front door?  :)  Sounds good to me!

Plucky's Home Christmas Decorations Tour

And THIS is our main tree…there are now more presents under it, but in this photo it actually looks more realistic!  Haha.

Plucky's Home Christmas Decorations Tour

You have to put something up in the bedroom hallway…so this cute light pole did the trick!  I so love this addition!

Plucky's Home Christmas Decorations Tour

This was a new craft that we did this year…the tutorial didn’t make it up, but it will next year (slacked a bit and ran out of time…oh well).

Plucky's Home Christmas Decorations Tour

Just some cute decor in the downstairs bedroom/office/hallway/bathroom.

Plucky's Home Christmas Decorations Tour

And don’t forget the Grinch tree!  :)  LOOOOOOOOOOVE!  :)

The post Plucky’s Home Christmas Decorations Tour appeared first on Plucky's Second Thought.

Penne and Ham Primavera recipe

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Penne and Ham Primavera

This Penne and Ham Primavera recipe has become a staple in our house.  I will admit that it sounds kind of weird, but the combination is delicious!  We have altered the original recipe a bit to fit our family’s likes, but I don’t see why you couldn’t add your own spin!  ENJOY!

Penne and Ham Primavera

Ingredients:

  • 2 c penne, uncooked
  • 2 red/yellow/orange bell peppers
  • 2 c ham, fully cooked and cubed
  • 1/2 c Italian dressing
  • 1 can of diced tomatoes
  • 1/4 c fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • 1/3 c Parmesan cheese
  • ground pepper, if desired

Directions:

  • Cook pasta as directed on package, adding bell peppers during last 3 to 4 minutes of cooking; drain.
  • Return pasta mixture to saucepan and add ham, dressing, and tomatoes.
  • Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until hot.
  • Sprinkle with basil, cheese and pepper.

source: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/penne-and-ham-primavera

The post Penne and Ham Primavera recipe appeared first on Plucky's Second Thought.

Make Your Family Home Brighter and Better with New Windows

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Make Your Family Home Brighter and Better with New Windows

Make Your Family Home Brighter and Better with New Windows

If you decide to buy an old house you also know this means lots of work for the years to come. There are things you’ll want to redesign and walls you’ll need to tear down so the place will look comfy and modern. Still, the biggest problem with old houses is light (if you don’t like living in a cave).

Old houses look beautiful, and it is tempting to restore a piece of history, but they come from another time when people didn’t put that much focus on big windows and lots of natural light in every room. Well, nowadays we know that natural light is important for our health and mental well-being so it’s absolutely normal to want new, bigger windows.

Let’s see how you can bring more light into your cave without ruining its old, beautiful aspect.

Best locations to add more windows

Well, adding new windows is the obvious thing to do, but it’s also one of the messiest. This is why it’s better to think about this before you start remodeling the house. This way, you won’t have to tear down walls and make holes twice.

The obvious places to add windows are the kitchen and the living room, but you should think out of the box and include some unusual places on your tearing down list. Places like the staircase or the landing are usually left out, but they have lots of potential for extra light.

Add a skylight

The skylight is a great decision when you have a room where you can’t add regular windows. Still, you’ll have to be careful as, if mounted incorrectly, skylights present a large risk of leakage. On the other hand, if everything is set right, the skylight will also bring inside a lot more heat than any other regular window.

Replacing the current windows with better ones

If you are somehow satisfied with your windows’ size and positioning you may consider removing them from the remodeling list. Still, keep in mind that they are old, cranky and completely out of style. If you’re not convinced yet, here is a list of signs that shows it’s time for new windows.

Another sign that you should consider is the level of noise. If you can hear every car passing by your house with your windows shut, then it’s time to include them in your renovation plans. If you want to enjoy those rare moments of complete relaxation inside your new home, you should consider solutions to reduce the noise pollution from outside.

Glass doors

One of the safest ways to improve lighting in your home is to install big, glass doors. It can be a regular type door with a big glass pane in the middle, or it can be a series of sliding glass doors that lead directly to the garden. The best part with glass doors is that they can be easily integrated into the general aspect of the house without attracting too much attention. Even more, they can actually improve your house’s elegant aspect.

 

So yes, replacing windows or carving holes to add new ones may be a difficult, expensive job, but the result is definitely worth it! You’ll have a brighter, better-looking home and, the best part is, you’ll be able to implement lots of windows decoration ideas!

The post Make Your Family Home Brighter and Better with New Windows appeared first on Plucky's Second Thought.

How to Clean Your Chimney in 3 Easy Ways

Risks of Malfunctioning Garage Doors

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Risks of Malfunctioning Garage Doors If you have a garage, then it is probably an often-used fixture in your home. It keeps your vehicle safe from inclement weather and it is a place where you can store a variety of household items. Yet you have probably also experienced an issue here or there that caused...

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The post Risks of Malfunctioning Garage Doors appeared first on Plucky's Second Thought.

Update Your Flower Beds

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Update Your Flower Beds Flower beds are so vital to your house and how you display it to others.  There’s a variety of things that you can do to your front flower bed to welcome all visitors and to just show off your home.  Our flowerbeds have gone through quite the transformations over the years, however...

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The post Update Your Flower Beds appeared first on Plucky's Second Thought: Easy Recipes.


How to Keep Your Child Safe During Halloween

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How to Keep Your Child Safe During Halloween As we all know, Halloween is right around the corner.  I know when I was younger, this was the one holiday I always got so excited for!  I mean, what kid doesn’t love candy and dressing up in costumes while going around the neighborhood with all their friends?!...

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Simple ideas to give your home a new look

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Simple ideas to give your home a new look What comes to mind when you think of renewing your home? Chances are you think of a hectic renovation where you have to knock down walls and such like activities. While you can take this route if you have the time and resources, you do not...

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The 3 Most Important Reasons to Clean Your HVAC System

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The 3 Most Important Reasons to Clean Your HVAC System The HVAC system in your house can become such a constant presence that you don’t think about its maintenance too often. When it gets hot in the summer time, you click on your central air, and it works. When it gets cold in the winter,...

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Renting Or Buying A Property. Which Is Best For You

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Renting Or Buying A Property. Which Is Best For You There are two schools of thought when it comes to finding a place to settle and raise a family. Is it better to rent or buy? This is an argument  that will continue to rage until the end of time. It is an argument where the reasoning is purely a matter of opinion. Each side of the argument has its positive and negative points. Sometimes circumstances may dictate which path a person takes and, therefore, the decision is taken out of their hands, and they can relax and enjoy it, instead of worrying. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of renting versus buying. Cost Renting – Renting a property has traditionally worked out cheaper than buying. At least for the first ten years anyway while mortgage repayments are stretching budgets to the limit. The rent is paid either weekly or monthly and will increase yearly. Rent will need to be paid while you live in the property, however, long that may be. If you live in the property for twenty years or more it is quite possible that the rent will be more than a mortgage would have been to […]

Crockpot Apricot Chicken recipe

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This recipe is so simple that anyone could make it!  The crazy part is that there’s so much flavor jam packed into his dish, you’ll think there’s 20+ ingredients when there’s only 5 simple things!  The best part?  It’s all made in the crockpot!  So just set it before you leave the house and when you come home, your house will smell simply amazing!!  ENJOY! source: https://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/slow-cooker-5-ingredient-apricot-glazed-chicken/f781c51b-5dcc-4821-a844-34b4424b0d55

3 Warning Signs of Building Foundation Problems

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3 Warning Signs of Building Foundation Problems As a home owner, your property is probably your biggest investment right now. If it is well looked after and well-maintained, your investment can accrue in value over the years. There might come a time when you wish to profit from your investment or are forced to sell due to a change in circumstances, such as reaching an advanced age and having to relocate to a more suitable abode. By that time you should have a good price in mind at which to sell. In order to make sure of this, you need to ensure that all aspects of your fixed property are more or less flawless and can match the sale price you have in mind. This article will be focusing on the foundations of your house. It will be highlighting at least three warning signs of foundational problems and reminds you at this point to take advantage of online resources such as FoundationRepairDFW.net which show you how you can proactively detect the tell-tale faults. The warning signs Door – As a result of uneven floor surfaces which are a direct result of uneven or shifting foundations, doors may be hard to […]

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Protecting Your Home From Bad Weather

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There’s a lot of things that will damage our home. Structural issues. Negligence. Criminals. Pets! And of course, the weather. Not one soul in a home is truly blessed with it being in a perfect environment that affords weather protection. From the snows in the north to the heat of the center and the rains everywhere else. There is plenty the weather can do to damage your home, especially when it turns bad. It’s important to employ common sense with the weather and the area you live in. For example, if you live on the coast you might, unfortunately, endure a hurricane, or a few of them. Do you have an evacuation plan? Is your basement safe in the worst case scenario? Is there anything you can fit to your home to ensure that it is made safer? Do you live in an area that experiences tornadoes? Ask yourself the same questions. What about snow? Equip heaters, rock salts and shovels to your toolkit to ensure you can dig yourself out of the worst blizzards. These are extreme examples of course, but if they apply to you, asking questions could save your life – and your home. (source) It’s all […]

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How To Tell if a House has Suffered Water Damage

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Before investing your hard earned dollars on a house, it’s important to ensure that the house is in perfect shape. If you are buying or living in an old house that hasn’t been inspected for a long time, there is a high possibility that it could have water damage. In the case of a real estate purchase, it’s your prerogative to point out such problems with the house owner before accepting a purchase deal since water damage can ultimately lead to extra expenses. If you are a novice, it could be difficult for you to identify water damage. In this article, we’re going to give you a few tell-tale signs that a house has water damage. Water Stained Walls Water damage in your house might cause dampness. This dampness might show up on walls and ceilings as water stains. In most cases, drain pipes and plumbing is installed inside walls and leaks in can be revealed through wall stains. In addition, if you notice soft, swollen patches on your walls, it is almost 100% certain that you have water damage or defects in the plumbing. Water damage can also lead to peeling-off of the paint on your walls. This is […]

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Home Accessories You Didn’t Think You Need

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We’ve talked about a number of home DIY projects these past few months, each designed to make our home more beautiful and sewing a lot more enjoyable. The DIY fabric stash organiser, for instance, can help make organizing different kinds of fabric easier and completely hassle-free. There are also accessories that can make the interior of your house more beautiful and functional at the same time. In this part, we’re going to focus on the home accessories you didn’t think you needed. Smart Lights At the top of our list, we have modern smart lights that are now very popular on the market. There are several brands that you can choose from, including Philips Hue and the more affordable set from Xiaomi. These lights have certain features that will make keeping a room beautiful and comfortable very easy to do. For starters, smart lights can be controlled using your smartphone. They automatically connect to the home network using Wi-Fi and can be accessed from your smartphone. Some smart lights also come with a controller that can be connected directly, so you can still operate the lights manually if you want to. Another cool feature of smart lights is the RGB […]

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Get your car prepared for winter

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There aren’t many things that are worse than breaking down in the middle of winter. If you are fortunate enough to have never experienced this before, then you won’t understand how awful it can be, and the trials and tribulations that follow. Of course, if you are a woman on their own, the breakdown company will make you a priority and get to you as quick as possible. However, the experience can remain scary. If you break down on the highway, you should never leave your car due to safety concerns and try to get onto the hard shoulder. This is why you should always make sure that you are prepared for all of the problems that you can face if your car does breakdown. For the winter months, make sure to invest in a winter survival kit that is full of the essentials. Here are some of the key pointers regarding getting your car prepared for winter and the eventuality of a breakdown: Recovery number Always make sure that you have your recovery assistance company’s phone number saved on your cell phone. Also, add your policy/customer number to the contact to save time. A few extra minutes when you […]

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Reasons why you should live or invest in a community housing

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Buying a house is almost every person’s dream, and it’s also one of the biggest investment anyone can make. When looking to purchase your dream home, you need to consider many factors, including price, size, location, floor plan, and type, among others. Choosing arbitrarily is something you shouldn’t try, you need to go for the best housing project available. To save yourself from multiple problems that come your way opt for community housing. It’s unique unlike traditional neighbourhoods and has designated areas to suit the needs of its residents. Here’re some of the reasons why you should live or invest in a community housing. You live in a unique neighborhood. In the past, community planners build homes with the neighborhood concept. But, this has changed in modern times. Present developments are now constructed with the surrounding area in mind. This means that social conveniences such as schools, parks, hospitals, banking, and other facilities are built around them. Also, schools,restaurants, grocery stores, and entertainment facilities are developed nearby or even along the community housing. Most communities are centred on a certain theme such as lakes, golf, tennis facilities, or any interactive feature. What makes community housingneighbourhood unique is the fact that […]

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Simple Tips to Help You Keep Your Laminate Floors Looking Great

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Laminate flooring is a popular choice with many people these days. This is because it is easy to maintain, can be quickly cleaned, and you don’t get the same risk of fraying and staining as with carpets. It can also really enhance your interior decor. Of course, you do need to ensure that you clean your laminate flooring in order to keep it hygienic and looking great. Cleaning this type of flooring can be a simple task as long as you have the right tools. You can then look forward to beautiful flooring that is fat better protected from damage. Quick tips to clean and maintain your flooring If you want to keep your laminate flooring looking its best, here are some quick and simple tips that can help: Don’t use a brush – use a vacuum If you have debris and dust on your laminate flooring you should avoid using a sweeping brush. This is because the debris and particles will simply get spread around or slide into any cracks and crevices. Instead, use a vacuum cleaner with a hard floor setting, as this will ensure that the dust and debris is sucked up without the risk of your […]

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