(Image Souce)

Artwork comes in a lot of different forms. Unlike in the past, just about every type of art can be found in the modern world, and there are very few restrictions on the pieces that you can use to decorate your home. Of course, though, most people will stick photos, prints, and paintings when they are decorating their place. To help you to break away from this, this article will be exploring some of the best ways to use interesting artwork in your home to make it look extra special. This process is nice and easy, but you will need to be creative to find the very best options for your home.

Water Features

Water has long been a popular decor choice for large businesses like hotels, giving them the chance to create a unique feel with their spaces. In recent years, though, this sort of option has become far more accessible for those looking to make their own home look more interesting. Many people assume that this sort of option can only work outside, but there is a huge market for indoor water features. Many of the options you find don’t require any special plumbing, as they use a reservoir and power source to keep themselves running.

Kinetic Sculptures

Kinetic sculptures have been around for a very long time, with examples like a Newton cradle being extremely popular. This type of sculpture incorporates movement into its design, often using no electricity to create hours of fun. A wood sculpture that has been designed like this can make a wall look far more interesting than it used to, giving you the ability to start it at the beginning of the day and enjoy movement for the rest of it. As time goes on, more and more products like this are being added to the market, giving you access to a wealth of options when you are looking to improve the look of your home.

Clothing

Fashion has changed dramatically over the last few years. Across the world, people from all walks of life are being able to embrace the chance to indulge in clothing that they wouldn’t have been able to afford in the past. Of course, though, how can this be something you decorate your place with? Sports memorabilia, music merchandise, and a huge range of other clothing options can feel too good to wear but will look awesome hung on your walls or kept in display cases. This sort of idea is becoming increasingly popular as the years go by.

Plants & Animals

Plantlife has long been used as one of the main decor options for gardens and other outdoor spaces, but this idea can be taken inside, too. Plants can look great in loads of different forms, from being kept in simple pots to being hung on your walls in vertical gardens. A lot of work will need to be done to maintain the plants you keep in your home, but this can be worth it to make the whole place feel lush and fresh. You can find websites that can deliver plants to your door.

This next idea can be somewhat controversial, though it can be perfectly fine if you approach it correctly. Animals like fish can thrive in a home environment, with beautiful tanks that can be decorated with loads of different features. Of course, though, if you decide to go down the route of using fish or other animals as part of your decor, you have to make sure that you are willing to put the time into caring for them properly. This sort of idea can easily be achieved in most homes.

Clocks

As the last idea to explore, it’s time to think about clocks. In most cases, you probably won’t want to have more than one clock in each of the rooms in your home. This doesn’t mean that you can’t use this sort of decor option to make your rooms feel interesting, though, as there are loads of different types of clocks on the market that can make your place look great. It’s well worth exploring websites like Instagram and Pinterest when you’re looking for products like this. Social media can be a great source of inspiration.

With all of this in mind, you should be feeling ready to start moving away from the standard artwork ideas people have for their homes. Of course, there is nothing wrong with pictures, but it can make a lot of sense to be more creative when you’re choosing the look and feel of the place you call home.

Home Maintenance
Make sure that you know who to call if or when the time comes for an air conditioning repair or inspection. Do not let that be another unfortunate item on your to-do list, but if it happens, call the experts in air conditioning repair. Once you find a 24/7 quality expert in this field, place the contact information both in your phone contact lists and near the unit if it is indoors. This will be helpful so that you do not need to search for both the number and reviews when you are dealing with the summer heat.

​Gutter Cleaning
When spring arrives, the rainy season follows. Even if you took the time to clean out your gutters and downspouts before winter arrived, make time once again to clean them out. Any errant leaves or debris from winter may have landed on your home leading to the possibility of clogged gutters. Allowing the rainwater to run through the gutters and downspouts will keep water away from your home’s foundation.

Foundation Inspection
Once the snow has melted, walk around your home and any outlying buildings to inspect the foundations. Look for shifting, new cracks, and any noticeable activity from animals over the winter. Sometimes it is difficult to remember what your foundation looks like from one season to the next. Take photos every year to have a point of reference that will aid in determining if there are any problem areas. If you find any issues, consult with a professional to assess damage or prevent it from occurring.

Exterior Cleaning
Another area that can use annual cleaning is the outside of your home. You can rent or purchase a pressure washer or hire professionals to service your home if it will be unsafe for you to do so. Pressure washing will clean off all of the dirt and dust that may have accumulated on your exterior. Sometimes mold and mildew collect on the outside as well. Keeping the outside of your home clean and in good repair preserves the beauty and aesthetics that you have worked to attain.

​Here is a quick video showing items you can clean with a pressure washer and how to do it.

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Lamps Plus has long been my go to lighting source for all things lighting when it comes to sourcing for design projects. Whether I’m looking for a stylish bathroom sconce, the perfect kitchen pendant, a chic ceiling light - or, for example, as was the case recently, well functioning ceiling fans.

A 1920’s Craftsman house in Silver Lake was in need of adding ceiling fan lighting, for the functional purpose of both lighting and cooling of rooms. Given the relatively low ceilings and the house retaining heat during warmer temps, ceiling fans were the ideal solution to help keep cool.

Identical Lamps Plus ceiling fans were installed in the living and dining room of this quaint Craftsman home. It was ideal to feature a matching pair with the adjoining rooms. The white fans blend nicely with the white ceiling. Since the ceilings are low (characteristic of Craftsman style), one challenge was finding a ceiling fan that did not have too low of a drop or a long stem, which in researching, many did. The ideal find was the 52” Casa Elite White LED Hugger Ceiling Fan. After seeing it installed, it’s perfect - I really like how closely mounted it is to the ceiling.

The close to the ceiling mounted ceiling fan doesn’t obstruct views nor hangs too low for the relatively low ceilings, like in this living room. A Craftsman house, such as this one, has modest size rooms and less of an open floor plan. The ceiling fans help to circulate and cool the rooms. They’re also a huge energy saver to racking up a costly AC bill during the summer months.

For the bedroom, we opted for the 56” Casa Endeavor White Finish LED Ceiling Fan. A larger ceiling fan was the best choice for what is consistently the hottest room in the house. There was a bit more flexibility in the drop down space, so this particular ceiling fan has a stem. More fan blades were preferred to amp up the cooling affects and this ceiling fan has five blades, compared to four with the 52” Casa Elite White LED Hugger Ceiling Fan.

After months of working on the interiors and remodeling of a client’s home, my Simi Valley client was ready to tackle her backyard and outside patio, just in time for summer! Of course, we were in the midst of our stay at home restrictions, but as most of our design collaboration has taken place over online design, this project wasn’t much different: she emailed me photos of the space along with existing furnishings she was interested in incorporating (wrought iron loveseats, coffee table) along with those dimensions, and in addition to that I helped put together concepts and selections, then formatted into the concept board above for one flat fee. From there, she did the purchasing and implementation. Recently, she forwarded me photos of the completed space - and the progress looks great!

Her backyard patio includes multiple seating groupings, great for entertaining and accommodating a lot of people. There’s a firepit with seating for four, a dining table with benches, a sitting area with loveseats, and an outdoor kitchen with pull up stools.

The pedestal base dining table is ideal for benches and pull up seating.

Love these classic Adirondack chairs.

Outdoor accessories and planters all tying in with the chic neutral color scheme.

The covered patio areas offer shade for both the dining and sitting areas.

Moving onto a phase two of the outdoor space, my client requested additional sourcing for chaise lounges, umbrellas, and throw pillows. I merged the new selections with some of the previously selected items on the concept board above.

Looking to makeover a room in your home using your existing furnishings & accessories? Want to transition a room to a better arrangement but can’t quite figure out what to do? I can help! Email photos of your space along with measurements of the room and existing furnishings and receive:

• a new furniture floor plan layout (incorporating your existing furnishings)
• a concept board with ideas & direction for a new look
• paint color swatches (as an option to repaint)
• overall ideas & feedback provided in a written format to improve the look of the space and provide consultation feedback to any of your design dilemmas

Just $225 per room makeover

Happy to be included as a contributor to the recent post from Fixr.com on the subject of designing a home office.

You can read the full article here: Designing A Home Office in 2020 and Beyond: Expert Tips to Create the Best Workspace

Flat Rate Outdoor Patio Design via Online Design for anyone, anywhere.

Looking for ideas on how to design an outdoor backyard, deck, patio, courtyard, or balcony? Want help with accessory & furniture selections? Get a complete outdoor room design for just $450 with online design. Email dimensions along with pictures of the space along with any existing furnishings you would like to incorporate and receive a complete design package which will consist of:

• a furniture / exterior space plan layout (two options)
• furnishing selections (accessories, decor, furniture, etc)
• a concept board featuring the overall look & selections
• & 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 JSInteriorDes@aol.com for more info, questions, or to forward photos and measurements.