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Pool time! It’s summer and it’s sure been warming up (at least, here in LA!) - so why not think about soaking up a little pool time!? Actually, the only pool time I’ve had recently is researching pools. A long time client recently asked me to help with some selections for her pool renovation. I took to Pinterest to research concepts before diving (pun) into the actual selections + materials. Check them out at the bottom of this post!
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Last summer, I helped this client with her backyard and patio furnishings (left). On the right, is a concept board featuring three material and color scheme options for her pool coping, tile, & surfacing. It was fun to research ideas for pool selections!
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Arches are classic, synonymous with historical architecture dating back to periods, such as the Roman times. While modernist, contemporary architecture lends itself typically to more straight lines - think the more boxy structures - sometimes it’s refreshing to consider the softness and flow that arches can contribute to interiors.
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This arch between living and dining room creates a nice flow between the two spaces while still defining separation of rooms. The built in seating is a great idea too.
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This tall archway separating a bedroom by curtains is very beautiful, love the softness it creates.
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A living room with large double archways and accessories that play off them - such a chic vibe.
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An arched out desk nook and built in cubbies.
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Another great transition - a wide open archway from kitchen to dining.
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A pretty living room with tall, narrow arches.
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The echoes of repeated arches in a hallway.

​All images via Pinterest.
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Whether you own a bed and breakfast or an Airbnb apartment, the interior design of your vacation rental can make a big difference to your bookings. This is why boutique hotels are so popular and can charge a premium price. Here are some top tips for interior design for your vacation rental.
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Image - free for commercial use

If you’re going to spend money on decor, you might be worried about your property being damaged by guests and the expense of repairs. You can use this noise app to alert you to any issues and stop damage before it happens.

  1. Invest in throw pillows. Throw pillows are an easy way to add a pop of color. Look for pillows made of local or traditional fabrics for another nice detail.
  2. Don’t forget to trim any tags and loose threads from throw pillows. Messy or worn-looking pillows aren’t shabby chic and will put people off.
  3. Use local art and souvenirs on your walls. Support some local artists and small businesses and make your property look welcoming. Local souvenirs around your place could inspire guests to buy souvenirs themselves. Don’t fill up your property with any tacky ornaments you can find cheaply, but instead display smart pieces like wall hangings, independent neighborhood artists’ prints, or ceramics.
  4. Don’t use much small art. Large pieces, such as canvases or framed photographs, pull a room together easily and look fantastic in property photos.
  5. Hang your art at eye level. The way you place your art changes the way it’s seen. Eye-level is the best place to start but it’s a good idea to use removable hooks so you can make adjustments if it doesn’t look right.
  6. Hang hooks for your guests. Guests need somewhere to hang their robes, towels, jackets, and other possessions. Put in plenty of hooks. Guests usually want hooks in bathrooms, bedrooms, front halls, and kitchens.
  7. Let there be light. Guests will be reading books, maps, local attraction leaflets, and more. Put lamps or overhead lighting where people will need them, such as by the bed, near the chairs, and in the kitchen. A larger bulb won’t break the bank and your visitors will appreciate not having to peer at their book through the gloom.
  8. Provide lots of hangers in the closet area. Hangers are cheap and disposable, so provide plenty so your guests can unpack. To really impress, include a few skirt hangers.
  9. Don’t et the pillows get lumpy. Good pillows are a luxury that everyone enjoys when they’re on vacation, so invest in some good-quality pillows and replace them often. Settling down on a clean, fluffy pillow at the end of a long day of sightseeing is a wonderful experience that will help you to secure those all-important good reviews.
  10. Add some blue to your interiors. A huge amount of people say that blue is their favorite color. Blue is often associated with trust, friendliness, and a calm atmosphere. There’s a reason why the world’s most powerful corporations have blue logos. Use some blue in your decor.
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How to successfully redesign a house? The question bears many answers, because it is truly based on what you want to do with it and if you’re planning on selling it on. This may be the case if you are wanting to flip the home and make a profit. Today, you can look at fix and flip loans that offer you specific loans for the job. Once you have attained the home, the key goal really is to make it liveable and stylish. This all boils down to how you use the space.
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Photo: Unsplash
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More space to live
​In the last few decades there has been a trend towards larger rooms and fewer walls. The open living, dining and kitchen area has largely replaced the traditional layout of the living room and kitchen as the standard floor plan. More and more often, these rooms are also being merged in the course of renovating old buildings. More spacious living spaces can also be created by streamlining the floor plan by breaking up small rooms and niches. By doing this you're creating open-plan living.
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Only change the floor plan with specialist knowledge
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Tearing down walls or extended ceilings are interventions that can weaken the stable structure of a house. They must never be done without an architect or structural engineer. If a wall is removed, you must ensure it doesn’t interfere with another that could make the roof unstable. With load-bearing walls it must be a beam made of wood, steel or reinforced concrete. In addition, ceiling openings cannot be of any size. For example, if you have the wooden beams of an old ceiling they may be part of the integral structure.

Structural requirements for the floor plan change
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Depending on the construction time of a house, special challenges arise when you want to change the floor plan. Houses built before the Second World War are trickier to adapt. Dilapidated houses have the advantage that they are cheaper to buy. But renovation can be very expensive. So, when is it worth it? Renovation is always worthwhile if it is done properly and not just superficially. If it is just redesigned with a bit of paint and wallpaper, it is not a proper refit. If you’re flipping a home, you should be aware that it should be correctly done.

What advice can we give to people who come to you with the question. You can roughly answer this question according to a 3-point scheme. If you can answer two of the three questions with yes, a renovation is worthwhile.

  • Is the building functional?
  • Is the appearance such that it seems worth preserving?
  • Is the building structure in good condition?

Many owners renovate without having expert advice. If you refit a home but leave old rotting windows, then there is likely to be issues with ventilation. Therefore either consider new window frames, or at least a proper ventilation system for the house, such as a HEPA filter. You must counteract all the issues in the home, to make it liveable and modern.
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Complete Flat Rate Room Design via Online Design - $150 off!
*Limited time only

Need ideas on how to merge existing furniture with new? Want help with accessory & furniture selections? Paint color choices? Get a complete room design for just $350 (normally $500) with e-decorating. Email your room dimensions along with pictures of the room & any existing furniture you want to incorporate and receive a complete room design which will consist of:
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  • a furniture floor plan layout (two options)
  • furnishing selections (artwork, accessories, area rugs, furniture, & lighting)
  • paint color swatches
  • & a list of resources - all within your budget, which you can implement and purchase as your time & budget allow

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Please email for more info, questions, or to forward pics and measurements: JSInteriorDes@aol.com.
Payable via Venmo @jillseidnerinteriordesign

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If you have a rental property but you don’t yet have any tenants, rectifying that issue is probably one of your top priorities. Really selling your home to renters and making them want to move in sooner rather than later is a tough task. With so many other rental properties that you’re competing against, it makes sense to take the time and effort to present your property well and carefully. Here are some ideas for how to do that.

Tailor Your Messaging to Your Target Demographic

First of all, you should take some time to think about who you’re actually trying to sell to. You need to know who makes up your target demographic and why they might be interested in renting the property that you own. When you know which demographic you’re targeting, you can start to tailor your message to their specific needs and preferences.

Promote it on Social Media

These days, many people find their next home, whether renting or buying it, on social media platforms. So be sure to advertise and promote yours on these platforms too. Targeting tools on platforms like Facebook are very good, so you can make sure that your ads only end up on the feeds of the people who are most likely to be interested.

Use Word of Mouth

It’s also a good idea to use word of mouth. If you’re a local person looking to rent a property in that same local area, there are probably lots of people you can talk to about it. Ask around, see if anyone knows anyone else who’s looking for a place to rent. You’d be surprised at how successful this kind of strategy can be when you really work at it.

Image Source - CC0 License

Have a Professional Real Estate Video Made

Great photos are really important when you’re looking to show tenants what’s on offer. But what’s even better is video. If you can create a killer real estate video that people are going to love, you’ll find it much easier to find tenants. It’ll get across what your property really has to offer far better than photos alone could. So find a company that offers real estate video services, and make the most of them.

Sell the Community, Not Just the Property

It’s a good idea to sell not only the property but also the community around it. When someone chooses a home to rent, they don’t only care about the home itself. They also care about the location, the local community and the things they’ll be experiencing every day when they live there. So try to present these as part of the package and make the community a desirable asset in its own right.

Now that you understand a bit more about the process of appealing to prospective renters, it’s up to you to start putting these ideas into action. If you get it right, it shouldn’t be too long before you’ve got tenants beating down your door wanting to rent your property.


Stuck on your own room? I'll design it for you. See my online design services →

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Summer is here and it’s finally a long holiday weekend! That means taking the cooking and dining outside. If you’re looking for ideas to spruce up a backyard, patio, or any outdoor space - check out some of these affordable finds:
Outdoor Dining Table + Benches

Lounge Seating + Side Table

String Lighting

Placemats

Hurricane Candle Holder

Cutting Board


Planters

​If you’re looking for help with any outdoor design spaces, I offer a flat rate service for $450 per room. Details here
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Built-in closet with natural cane door panels and a robe hanging on the door
Closet door details are an all important consideration to take on when designing a closet space. The look and style of the doors, the hardware - all lend to the look and style of the room too. There are many options to consider if you’d like to get creative with choosing a closet door style. If you have the option to go custom, you’ll probably want to research some unique and interesting door styles.

I’ve rounded up some here and for more, check out my Pinterest boards here!
Fluted wood closet doors with round knob pulls
White wardrobe doors with cane insets and gold pulls
Arched built-in closet with open shelving and cabinet doors
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Above is a concept board for a young family’s living room / family room / great room area. We selected a comfy sectional sofa, ottoman poufs for the kids, a neutral area, and accessories to bring in warmth to the space. If you are looking for help with a room design, please check out the e-design services I offer!
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Storm season is among us and we are at the mercy of mother nature. Well, not quite. Our homes are tough and yet they are vulnerable. They kind of share the same condition we humans do in that we can endure much, but we’re still vulnerable at times. When a storm is brewing, it can feel as if you just have to hope and pray that all will go well. You don’t have to rely on fate to help you out, you can just take some simple proactive steps to protect your home. It's easy to get started and here’s how.



Trim your garden

Storm force winds are incredibly strong. Many of us just do not realize how powerful they are. Winds that are over 100mph are deadly. To protect your windows and your loved ones in the event of a storm, trim your garden trees, plants and bushes. You should also rake your garden for stones and take them out of the soil. Trimming tree branches can avoid wood landing on you, your car, your home and your pets.

Install storm shutters

Broken glass becomes more than just a hazard during a storm. It can be deadly if it falls on someone and it can be painful if you step on it. Not to mention, if you are cut by glass and you’re wading through dirty flood water, your open wound can become infected. So the first thing you may want to do is to install some storm shutters on the outside of your windows. These hatches can be shut from the inside if you have a latch or rope attached to them. Make sure that the latch is made out of steel and not iron.

Standby power

A simple diesel power generator stored away in your shed or loft, could be a godsend when you have suffered a bad storm. Your power might be out for a few days, and cooking and heating will become the two most sorely-missed things. A small power generator running on diesel can last for up to 20-30 hours. It can help you to stay warm, boil water to cook food and also, help you to charge and use your electronics. Some semblance of normal life can be restored and it can really boost your confidence.

Repair mindset

No matter how hard you prepare, sometimes mother nature just wins. So always have the contact details of a restoration company on your phone. They will restore flood, fire and storm damage. This can help with repairing walls, broken windows, wet carpets, broken slabs and wiring in the home. You should also devise a plan for how you will repair your home, such as clearing debris from outside the home first, clearing the lower flower and repairing the vital needs such as central heating, boilers, oven, etc.


Mother nature doesn’t take any prisoners, including your home. These are just some of the ways you can protect your home during a storm, which one do you think is the most effective.


Stuck on your own room? I'll design it for you. See my online design services →

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​Looking for interior design help? Offering design consultations and online design for anyone, anywhere. Happy to help with any of your design needs!

About

Jill Seidner is a Los Angeles based Interior Designer specializing in commercial & residential interior design, design consultations, & online design services. She is active in the design community & also the Los Angeles blogger for the Material Girls Blog. For media kit and blog sponsorship info, click here.

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