Many alarm companies now offer these integrated systems that let you control all kinds of electronics within your home remotely. This actually sounds pretty amazing just from a practical perspective; can you imagine arriving home on a cold winter night to find the house already heated and the lights on, inviting you in? With a few keystrokes on your computer, smartphone, or tablet you can engineer this outcome as you’re leaving the office thanks to a “smart” security system that includes not only sensors on your doors and windows to alert you of security breaches, but also home automation and energy-management options for electrical systems in your house.

But there’s more to it than simply turning on the lights to welcome you home each night. Having these controls at your fingertips, on the go, could prove an extremely useful tool for home safety as well. For example, those that have to travel frequently on business may be hesitant to leave their home uninhabited and vulnerable to invasion during extended absences. You might shell out a lot of money to hire a service (or even a neighborhood teen) to stay at your home. Or you might beg family and friends to check in every so often to make sure everything looks secure. Instead, you can use your smart security to make it appear as though you never left, turning lights on and off randomly throughout the day and evening hours (rather than on an easy-to-spot timer).

In some cases, you can even attach your TV, stereo, or other electronics to remote access to make for a more convincing façade. And purely in terms of safety concerns, you might even be able to control small appliances. Did you forget to turn off the coffee maker or iron when you left the house? No problem if you have a smart home – simply turn it off with your phone. In this newly connected world the sky is the limit, and modern home security systems reflect that.

As for how to go about installing such a system, you can find all the options and information you’ll need via companies that offer such packages (ADT and Vivint, just to name a couple), or you can visit websites that offer packaging and pricing comparisons (www.securitysystems.net, for one). Since this technology is still relatively new to the consumer market you’ll probably find a wide variety of options and prices amongst brands, but a little shopping around will help you to choose the system that’s right for you so that you can have the level of home security you crave.

Check these out.

Choose a theme and build upon it. When it comes to getting what we want in this life, first we have to figure out what that exactly is. Like everything else, this fact applies to room design. As you look over your living room or bonus room, what theme do you see in your mind? Do you want it to look art deco? Maybe you’re someone who has a flair for the 60s and 70s era. Or perhaps you want a look that’s a bit more Victorian. Once you have your sights set on the look that fits you best, it will be easier to look for pieces to complement that particular style.

Give your current furniture a facelift. Many of us have some pretty cool furniture that’s also in pretty good condition. It’s not so much that we think it’s trash bin worthy, it’s just that we’ve had it for a few years now and we’re a bit bored. There are plenty of DIY websites (like DIY.com) and television programs (like HGTV) to support you in the endeavor to update some of your house piece on your own. Maybe it’s staining a piece of wooden furniture, reupholstering a chair or even something as simple as adding some new (or vintage) knobs to your kitchen cabinets. It will take a bit of work, but it can also be a lot of fun.

Add a mirror. Some people only think that a mirror is for doing your hair in the morning, but it’s truly one of the best interior design tricks of all time; especially if you want to make a room appear larger than it actually is. There are many things that you can do with a mirror being that it’s all about strategic placement. You can purchase a large one for one of your living room walls and place a chair in front of it (it literally will look like there are identical chairs in the room). You can put a vanity mirror in the hallway to bring about an added light dimension. You can even hang one on the opposite side of the wall of the one that’s currently hanging in the bathroom to double the space.

Go hotel style in the bedroom. You may not be able to afford the hotel bed (the mattresses alone cost a small fortune!), but you can definitely dress up your bed to look like a four-star suite. If you’ve spent a considerable amount of time in a hotel before, you’ll notice that the rooms tend to be very clean and sleek. To mimic this effect, pick some solid color bedding (you can find some pretty good thread counts at Target and K-Mart) and add a bedspread that is either similar to the shade that you selected or a stark contrast to it. Remember to add some throw pillows and for a touch of glamour, either purchase some floor-length curtains or buy some of your own silk fabric (in a couple of blending shades) to create some drapes of your own. Hotdealsboard.com and Overstock.com are two sites that have some great deals on this kind of bedding.

Create focal points (or zones). This is a wonderful decorating tip when you have less than $50, but you want to do something as quickly as possible. You can totally change the appearance of a room, first by removing any clutter in it; secondly, by selecting a piece that you would like to get the most attention when people walk into it—a focal point of sorts. It it’s your favorite chair, reposition it, perhaps to the center of the room and make sure to add an eye-catching rug under it. If it’s your entertainment system, consider putting a piece of art above or beside it. The more people look at what you like the most, it will take their focus off of what you don’t…until you can make some more desired changes to the space.

1. Bright colors. If you love the colorful lemons, limes, apples, and oranges that fill your fruit bowl, then you’re already headed in the right direction when it comes to this timely trend. Now you simply need to apply these colors to your walls, cabinets, and even countertops. The walls are the easy fix. But if you want to take it to the next level, turn the volume in your kitchen up to eleven with a bright pop of shiny shellac on your cabinetry. And if you’ve got the money, consider replacing chipped or outdated tiles on your counter with brightly colored Coriander or even Formica (this glittery retro look is once again back in style).
2. Mixed woods. Traditionally, kitchen cabinets tend to display only one type of wood, with all the cupboards stained the same color. But what’s hot these days is utilizing both dark and light tones. This could mean staining your lower cabinets in a darker tone or painting them different shades of the same hue. But either way a mixture will signal that you’ve adopted this sophisticated trend.
3. Colored concrete. Whether you’re redoing floors or countertops, you might be surprised by all of the options available to you when you choose eco-friendly colored concrete. It can be made to look like any number of other materials, from marble and granite to wood and even leather. Or you can stain it with complex patterns to create a mosaic tile effect. The long and short of it is that you can create just about any aesthetic with this modern material (and probably at less cost).
4. Open cabinets. You might not want to expose your mish-mash of mismatched dishware by removing the cabinet doors, but this open look is definitely on trend. And all you really have to do to implement it is subtract the doors from your upper cabinets, and then paint the inside in a color that will offset your dishware (although perhaps it’s time to upgrade to a matching set should you choose to tackle this kitchen trend).
5. Matching appliance facing. You don’t need to purchase new appliances online if the ones you have are still working fine and saving you money on your energy bill. Instead, simply consider replacing the panels and trim to match your new kitchen (or to match each other). These days the trend is to skip the brushed metals that dominated the last decade and opt for panels in bright colors or even a faux wood grain that blends in with your cabinetry.

Do you want to update your windows to look more modern, but you’re not sure of the latest trends? Here are five great ideas that are sure to inspire the home designing novice and pro alike:

Neutral hues. If you have a room that has an earth-toned base, then why not follow the same theme by selecting a curtain palate of a similar shade? For instance, if the room is eggshell and the furniture is a variation of that color, consider some linen tan curtains or some faux wooden (or even bamboo) blinds to bring just a bit more depth and warmth to the room without overdoing it. You can use accessories like pillows and plants to break up any monotony in the space.

A bit of shade. The fun thing about window shades is that they come in a wide variety of styles, colors and patterns. One look that’s really popular right now is the sheer window shade (so you definitely don’t want to use this in a room where there’s lots of outside traffic). Sure they’re sheer in color, but they provide lots of personality to any room. And one of the best parts about them is that you can find them for a really economical price.

Drapes, anyone? It used to be that when people thought of curtains, they thought of the traditional fabric that you buy from a store hangs from a curtain rod as displayed in a magazine or furniture showcase room. Now people are definitely getting more creative by using several different pieces (and colors and sizes) of fabric to layer over one another as they hang from the rod. This is a great look especially for the dining room and master bedroom, places where you don’t mind material hanging down to the floor and children and pets won’t be tugging on the material.

Try some roller blinds. Interchangeable with the term “roller shades”, these are basically fabric shades that range in texture from sheer to opaque in virtually any pattern that you can think of. They’re nice because they provide a crisp and clean look to every room, which is definitely something to consider for the kid’s bedrooms or the bonus room. Speaking of blinds, being that a lot of them look so casual, if you want a uniform look throughout the house for your windows with the use of the blinds, but you would like to dress up some of the rooms (like the living room or guest room), another big trend is to frame the blinds with fabric (similar to draping) or a set of curtains. A window treatment that remains open, showcasing the blinds, are a nice touch being that you can also open and shut the blinds themselves for privacy.

Wooden shutters. A lot of times when people think of big bay window treatments, drapes come to mind, but something that’s just as classy is a set of wooden shutters. They’re great for controlling how much (or little) light you want to let into your space in a way that no other kind of light treatment really can. Plus, the wood look is one that surpasses all of the trends. It’s truly classic.

If you don’t have a lot of money to work with, one easy way to upgrade your space is by simply staining your concrete to give it a different look. You can do it on your own or hire a crew to do it for you, but either way you can utilize a variety of colors in order to create patterns that make your concrete slab look like natural stone, wood, leather, or any number of other materials. And you can even transform it to resemble tiles and inlay or complex mosaic patterns. Of course, this will require either time or money (or both), but if you opt to go it alone you can definitely save some scratch and take as much time as you want creating the beautiful faux flooring you desire in your exterior space. Adding a few planters and perhaps a table and chairs will finish off your renovation.

But if you’ve got a bigger budget you can definitely do more. For example, you could haul away the old slab and put in pavers of some sort. In fact, concrete pavers come in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes for you to configure (as do stone, slate, marble, and myriad other materials), and you can fill in the spaces between them with grass, moss, sand, gravel, river rocks, or pretty much any other small object you can conceive of. But before you simply replace the patio space off your back door, think about the placement. You may be happier moving the patio away from the house to make it more central in the yard (or more secluded, by contrast) and adding strategically placed pavers to create a pathway.

You could also consider putting in some decking. There are a few options for materials, from hardwoods to durable composites like Trex, and you can create all kinds of configurations, from a floor that is close to the ground, to a raised platform complete with a railing and built-in benches, to a complete structure like a gazebo or open-sided pagoda. All will help to create the warm and inviting atmosphere that you crave when you entertain family and friends in your outdoor space.

And whether you’re looking to buy durable pavers in sunny Riverside, California or you want to create an a custom outdoor space that will stand up to the elements in Gloucestershire, England courtesy of Riverside paving, you can have the gorgeous patio you crave with either a little money or a little elbow grease. And once you know your options you can make an informed decision about the materials and design that will best suit your space.

When’s the last time you took your eyes off of the screen to see how the room looks? Is it time for a makeover? If so, here are some modern media room design tips that will have your media room slick and sheik in no time.

Think about a theme. Just like with any other room in your house, it’s easier to create the look you want once you center in on a theme. For instance, do you want it to be a room where the family can hang out on Sundays to watch some football (sports them)? Is it the place for where kids can play video games with their friends on the weekends (kiddie theme)? Or is it more of an adult setting where you can stage a place for couples to meet for movie night? Narrowing down those options will help you to select the right color for the walls and flooring and even the kind of furniture that would be most suitable.

Check out some design ideas. One of the greatest design tips you can ever get is to outsource places that provide them. Sure there are interior design magazines like Martha Stewart Living, Interior Design and Luxe, but these days, there are television stations like HGTV (and HGTV.com) and online sources including DIY.com that will not just provide you with cool ideas, but also step-by-step tips on how to implement them.

Add a piece at a time. Once you’ve narrowed down the kind of look that you want, it’s now time to make some changes. Let’s say that you want a traditional movie theater setting. One of the quickest things that you can do is change your window treatments. Big curtains over the windows and even in front of the door/doorway leading into the media room is a way to both block out the light and to make the room instantly feel like a day at the cinema. From there, you can purchase a few theatre chairs. They’re not the cheapest investment, but a couple of leather ones will virtually last a lifetime. TheaterSeatStore.com has a variety of options to choose from.

Play around with the ceiling. Do you remember taking a field trip to the planetarium as a child? What was the best thing about it? It wasn’t really the film, but the stars that were on the ceiling, right? It’s definitely a creative route to go to either paint a night time mural onto your ceiling (there’s even paint that you can get that will glow in the dark. Check out GlowInc.com) or just by adding some glow in the dark stars. Hobby Lobby, Target and WalMart all carry them. If you really want to go all out, paint the entire room navy or black and have the furniture in it the exact same color too.

Update your equipment. When you’re picking out a new cell phone, one of the main things that you look for is who provides the best broadband service, right? What broadband is to a phone, surround sound is to a media room. Another great thing that you can do for your media room is to make sure you have some modern equipment from the size of the television monitor and quality of the speakers to projectors, Blue-Ray kits and the right cables. For starters, you may want to write down a list of what you would like to go into your dream media room and then take it to your local electronics store (like Best Buy) to get some of their expertise on how much it will cost and what else you may need. A stellar media room doesn’t happen overnight, but the work that you put into it will be well worth every movie and game you watch in it once you’re done!

In this article, we will give you some tips and ideas on mixing white furniture with wood. Such a combination creates a nice, zen like atmosphere in your home, especially if you used dark colored wood. Let’s look at some examples below on how to mix white furniture with wood furniture.

Mixing white living room furniture with wood

In the image below, the room uses light colored wood to bring about a modern and yet natural like feeling. Using a dark brown rug enforces the wooden colors and is a nice touch by the designer. Noticed that the predominant furniture is still white. The wooden colors are used as a accent, rather than an all out full color.

Mixing white bathroom furniture with wood

Below is the mixing of white furniture with dark wood furniture in a bathroom setting.  Again, the white color is predominant while dark wood furniture is only used as the cabinet and foot steps. However, this simple addition makes the bathroom less ‘cold’ and more ‘warm’.

Mixing dark wood furniture with white

You can also reverse the color scheme and have wood colors as the main theme. Below is what you will get. The feeling is quite different. There is less sense of space but more of a tight and angled room.

So, you just love your new place. It’s conveniently located, the rent is reasonable and you like the neighborhood. Matter of fact, if you had access to your own personal Jeannie, the only other thing that you would ask for is a bit more space.

Of course, having our own private magician to be at our beck-and-call is a fairytale and we all live in the real world. The good news is that there are things that you can actually do to provide the illusion that you have more room in your rooms than you actually do. Here are five of ideas on how to make a small living or bedroom look bigger:

Add some color. OK, if you’re renting an apartment, you should definitely discuss this with your landlord first, but if s/he is fine with it, this is a great way to make a room, or series of rooms, in your place seem much bigger than they actually are. You can either paint an access wall for depth or use the same color for two connecting rooms to widen up the space. Just make sure to not use dark colors. Pastels, neutrals or bright shades are definitely what’s best. Paint small room to look bigger is a easy idea that everyone should use.

Rethink your furniture placement. If you live alone or you and your partner only have one bedroom, one of the best ways to “double up” a living room space for company is to purchase a sofa bed. Overstock.com, SleepersofaStore.com and BuildaSofa.com are all websites that have a variety of sofa beds to choose from (plus if you use a promo code from RetailMeNot.com or CouponCabin.com, you might even end up with free shipping!). But whether you choose to purchase one or not, make sure to put big items like couches against the wall or at an angle; it lengthens the space. Another cool tip? Buy some furniture that actually matches the walls. It keeps from breaking up the symmetry and makes the room appear bigger as a direct result. Be especially conscious about not placing furniture in the middle of rooms or where it will block doorways. It looks “in the way” and more times than not, it literally is.

Mirror, mirror on the walls. Mirrors aren’t just for bathrooms, nor are they just for looking into when getting dressed in the morning. They are actually really inexpensive and highly effective tools for providing an expanded effect in a room. By purchasing a decorative mirror and placing it somewhere on the wall where natural light can be reflected, it can add dimension to any space; especially if it’s reflecting another room or a window.

Get a couple of ottomans and a vertical bookshelf. One of the greatest furniture inventions, especially when it comes to compact spaces, was the ottoman. They are cost savvy items that you can sit on, use them to recline your feet with or simply utilize as decoration. But, being that you can open them up and store things, it’s good for magazines, books or even the “extra” stuff that you either don’t have room to display or can’t find the right placement for yet. And a vertical bookshelf? Virtually everyone needs one in at least one room of their home. IKEA has some for under $50 that makes it well worth the assembly time.

Less is more. When it comes to making smaller spaces appear larger, the Feng Shui principles should definitely be applied. Lots of pictures and knick knacks simply provide the look of clutter; therefore, in each room, try to have one major thing be the focus and purchase items that will complement it. In the dining room, perhaps consider a glass table. In the living room, chairs or sofas without arms, frees up the space. And if you’re fortunate enough to have tigerwood decking out back, a small table and chair with maybe a plant or two are probably all that you’ll need.

Hope you enjoy this article on making a small room look bigger.

Sure, you could simply drive to the closest furniture store, but that doesn’t automatically mean that you’ll get some of the best prices. If you want to find a great deal, here are some ideas to help you with your search.
Look online for franchise chains. Here’s the thing: Popular national chains like Ashley’s Home Stores, Ethan Allen or even stores that feature certain furniture pieces like Target and Big Lots have prices that are listed in their stores, but oftentimes, there are special rates that are offered to those who wish to purchase furniture online. Some of them are ones you will see on the sales floor, while others are “website specials”. If you notice something in one of those stores that you like, take out an hour or so one evening to compare the prices online. You might end up with a far greater discount.

Look online, period. A lot of people consider online stores like Overstock.com or even Amazon.com for things like clothes, electronics, jewelry or books. But there are actually some really good deals that you can find for your entire house when it comes to furniture. The added bonus? You might be able to find a promo code (basically an online coupon) that could give you an additional discount, sometimes it may even include free shipping.

Don’t underestimate the power of a warehouse/closeout/liquidation sale. It’s funny how you only really notice this when you’re not looking for a dining room table or sofa bed, but there are warehouses like Sam’s and Costco’s that sell relatively inexpensive furniture, so while you’re getting toilet paper in bulk, be sure to stroll over to their furniture displays. And when it comes to local furniture outlets, it seems like there is at least one closeout or liquidation sale that’s going on all of the time. Just because a store is closing down, that doesn’t mean that their offered items are not good buys. 50-80% off of anything that you’re looking for is a good enough reason to take a peek or two.

Go used. From Craigslist and eBay to thrift stores and (if you’re in Santa Rose) checking out a few Santa Rosa garage sales; from FreecycleAmerica.org to FreeSharing.org, when it comes to gaining access to used furniture, the possibilities are endless. And don’t let your desire for modern furniture deter you. Especially when it comes to Craigslist and eBay, you’d be amazed how many things are for sale that are actually still in their original packaging. Besides, if there is something that you like that could use a bit of work, there are a myriad of DIY (Do It Yourself) websites to show you how to turn that “pumpkin” into a “stagecoach”.

Be into the details. You may have gotten a cherry wood sleigh bed for $450 and that’s great. However, what you didn’t factor in was the sales tax and that there wasn’t a warrantee. Or, if you purchased it online how much the shipping cost would be along with the fee that you would be charged to assemble it. In other words, don’t assume that the price listed is all that you’ll have to pay. When you find a piece of furniture that you like, both for the style and its affordability, be sure to dig deeper to find out the actual total and make your final decision from there.

Start with proper planning. Transforming your garage into a home office requires much more than putting in a desk and a couch. You’ll want your new office to be modern and inviting; the sort of place you could bring clients for a meeting if the need arises. So take the time to meet with an architect and properly conceptualize the space. A licensed architect has done this sort of thing many times before, and will have tons of ideas for how best to structure and design your new office. You’ll also need to check in with the local Planning and Zoning Department to see if you need any sort of permit to have an office within the home. Additionally, you may need a permit to do the work. Any time you make capital improvements to the property, the work needs to be permitted. If you’re adding walls or windows, making any exterior changes or upgrading the electrical system, you’ll need that permit. Make sure you’ve got all your bases covered so you don’t have to quit the project before it’s complete.

Wiring your new office. The simplest way to handle internet connectivity is creating a wireless network through your existing internet plan. Purchase a wireless router if you don’t have one, and make sure it’s set up to cover the new square footage necessary. Plan out any new electricity needs with the architect, and check in with a general contractor as well. The closer you can place the new outlets and wiring to preexisting hardware, the simpler the job. A modern office space should not be cluttered with extension cords, so make sure you’ve got what you need set up close to your new desk, to cut down on unsightly cords.

Design. You’ll want the design of your home office to fit within the overall design of your house, but with some subtle changes to differentiate the space. Consider a sign outside, or a change in the landscaping to mark the difference between work and home spaces. Modern offices are also energy efficient and environmentally sustainable. Do as much as you can to incorporate sources of natural light. Have a skylight or windows added to the garage, and you’ll save on energy while giving the space a clean, inviting tone.

If you’re concerned about pricing, think about starting with movable walls and temporary furniture until your business is further along. Any plumbing, electrical, insulation or HVAC alterations will certainly be expensive, so consider them carefully, and get a range of quotes before choosing the contractor. When it comes to everything else it will take to finish the space, expect to pay somewhere in the neighborhood of $150 per square foot. Sure, it’s an investment, but for the daily rate of car hire Spain, you’ll end up with a modern, comfortable space for your business to mature and expand. In the end, it will be worth it.