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Here are five outdoor lighting fixtures that might be an attractive addition to your exterior lighting needs.
Modern Style
Simple elegant design is the representation of the modern style. These 2 packs of trapezoidal prism outdoor wall lighting fixtures exhibit the modern feel with its geometric design and classic black color. Based on tge description, you can choose an LED bulb, Incandescent, or CFL bulb.
Wall Lanterns of traditional style can also be a good choice for useful and decorative outdoor lighting fixtures. These 2 pack solar wall lanterns have 19th-century European style--beautiful and symmetry designs but not extremely sophisticated or overly fancy. The lights are rechargeable with the four built-in solar panels on the top of the lanterns.
Are you looking for long string lights that can bring more light and decoration for your exterior space like a garden, backyard, porch, etc? The color of matte black and elegant and classical design of this 48 feet long LED outdoor string light makes it have an unique charm. You can use it as a regular lighting source and festive decorative lighting too.
Thanks for reading!
Written exclusively for JSID by Yaxin (Cindy) Guan
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It’s unfortunate that death has to be a big part of life. Everyone experiences the death of someone they care about at some point throughout their lives, and this can be extremely difficult to deal with no matter how close you are. Building strong memories can help to keep a person alive in your mind, but you can go further than simply thinking about someone to remind you of the things you love about them. To help you out with this, this article will be exploring some of the different ways that you can remember your loved ones through the interior design within your home. Let’s dive right in.
Photographs
Photography has become a lot more popular over the last couple of decades. More and more people have access to cameras that are easy to use and produce stunning images, and this means that it’s likely that you have countless photographs of the people you love. Hanging these around your home can be an excellent way to give yourself reminders of their presence. Using frames that match the rest of your decor should be nice and easy, with loads of options available to those who want to make their home beautiful with images like this. Of course, you should also look for professional printing companies to make sure that your photos look great.
Artwork
While many people don’t realise it, it’s incredibly uncommon to find people who genuinely have no interest in artwork. You may not like classical pieces or abstract modern art, it’s likely that you enjoy at least a handful of the styles found in the world. Once you find a style you like, you can explore ideas like having your loved ones ashes in art. You can find artists who will incorporate cremated ashes into their work, giving you the chance to create beautiful pieces that will always hold a piece of the person you love. Finding the right artwork for this can be a challenge, making it well worth taking the time to research the options available to find something that you love.
Ornaments & Little Touches
When an adult passes away, they tend to leave a lot of their possessions to the people they love. This means that you are likely to accumulate a lot of ornaments and other interior design elements when you are clearing out the homes of family members who have passed away. Incorporating these items into your own interior design work can be a great way to keep someone’s memory alive, providing you with constant reminders of the people you care about as you use your home. This can be one of the easiest ways to bring memories of people you care about into your interior design.
With all of this in mind, you should be feeling ready to take on the challenge of bringing memories of those you love into the design elements in your home. Many people find that this process can help them to keep the people they care about in their lives after they have passed.
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1 Ensure you can afford the property
This is one of the most essential steps for any first-time homebuyer. You can find a pre-approval from your bank or credit union to ensure you will be able to purchase that property! By knowing how much money you have available in order to make an offer, it helps keep things clear and concise.
2 Get a Pre-qualification from your bank
The bank will provide you with a letter certifying that the mortgage loan can be used for your purchase. This pre-qualification helps alleviate some of the pressure on yourself and can help make it easier when meeting with representatives from different banks or lenders!
3 Explore Various Mortgage Options
Before you make a decision, it's best to explore all of your options. There are conventional loans available for those with good credit scores and can meet the requirements needed through their bank or lender! Finding out what works for you is key when deciding on buying that first property! Before even looking for a property, you should have already saved up enough money for the down payment!
4 Use the best real estate agents
You want to work with the best! Find a real estate agent who has experience working with first-time homebuyers and can assist you during this process. They will be able to help navigate all of those confusing steps involved when buying your first home! They're also experienced in all methods, mortgage options, negotiations, property values, and much more.
5 Choose an Experienced Attorney
One of the most common mistakes for first-time homebuyers is not having an attorney. An experienced real estate lawyer will be able to help you navigate all these complicated steps and any questions that come up along the way! They'll also be available to answer any legal concerns or issues during your purchase process, which can always happen when working with a big company like banks or lenders!
6 Choose the right neighborhood for you
Choosing the right neighborhood for you is a big decision! Find someone who can help guide and assist with this process. There are many websites available to find listings of communities and information on area schools, commute times, and more! Choosing an experienced real estate agent will also be able to provide guidance during this stage in your home buying journey.
Choose The Best Schools For Your Children; This one differs depending on what city or country you're looking at purchasing property in. But there's no doubt that choosing a school district is essential when it comes time to make that final purchase decision!
Researching different areas into which you might want to buy property helps alleviate some pressure from any potential first-time buyer!
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For homeowners, this is a blessing. Managing a home is a lot of work. But it’s more than just labor-saving. Giving household items the ability to think improves your quality of life in ways that you would never expect.
How exactly? Let’s find out.
Noise-Cancelling Kennels
The holidays can be a traumatic time for your pooch. The sound of fireworks exploding can be confusing and alarming. It’s out of the ordinary.
But now, homeowners might have a solution: the noise-cancelling kennel.
Noise-cancelling kennels rely on the same technology that car manufacturers use to prevent engine sounds. They use layers of material that reflect incoming sounds, giving your pooch somewhere it can go to escape the noise.
Kettles That Boil As You Pour Them
Imagine being able to pick up your kettle in the morning and for it to instantly heat the cold water you left in it overnight. Impossible, right?
Well, not so fast. A company called Heatworks says that it has come up with a solution using a graphite heating element. The device allows water to percolate through multiple steps before finally emerging boiling hot at the spout. And there’s no delay - it happens immediately.
Automatic Toilets
Most toilets operate mechanically. But this puts users at risk. You have to physically interface with a button or handle, allowing germs to spread.
Automatic toilets, such as the Trone smart toilet, deal with this problem. They flush automatically when you leave them room. They also automatically operate the lid, apply deodorizing technology and will even warm the seat for you on cold days. Some models also come with UV lights that sterilize the seat every time a person uses it.
A Fridge That Orders Milk For You
Imagine if your fridge knew what it needed to remain fully stocked and ordered groceries on your behalf? It would be a miracle, right? Unbelievably, this technology actually exists and people are using it right now. Brands are fitting their refrigerators with cameras and image recognition technology that allows them to work out what stock they have and what they need to order. Then it’s just a matter of connecting them to the internet and getting them to order for you on your behalf.
Automatic Baby Soothers
Unsplash - CC0 License
Most parents have baby monitoring devices that they can use to keep an eye on their little ones while they sleep. But imagine if that same device could do your job for you?
Well, now companies are making products that can do just that. These surrogate “moms” can do things like turn on the night light, play lullabies and alert you if your child starts moving via a motion sensor. The idea is to allow the baby soother to try machine-based interventions to calm your baby, negating the need for you to get out of bed in the night,
Order Coffee From Bed
You can order coffees delivered to your home from meal delivery services. But imagine being about to tell your kitchen kettle that you’d like a coffee from your comfy bed?
Well, again, the impossible is now real in this crazy world of ours. Brands are making Alexa-connected kettles that you can heat up on command. So you just tell Alexa to boil the water for your coffee from bed and it’s ready for you by the time you get down to the kitchen.
Custom Scent Kit
If you want your home to smell different from everyone else’s, then a smart scent kit can help. These somewhat strange devices contain slots for multiple scent cartridges that you can mix and match. You can then use a companion app to determine the level of each ingredient in the box, picking the scents you would like to be strong, and which you would like to keep weak or in the background.
Burglar-Deterring Lighting
If burglars see that the lights in your home are on, they will often just move onto their next target. But creating lighting patterns that can trick them is difficult. If they notice that you’ve just left the porch light on to simulate being in, they might try their luck.
Smart burglar-deterrent lighting simulates a busy active household. It turns lights on and off to mimic people moving from room to room. And it doesn’t work on a timer, so there isn’t any way of identifying a predictable pattern.
Stuck on your own room? I'll design it for you. See my online design services →
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If you are looking for a safe place to live, then you must take the time to check for all of the building safety amenities before signing your lease. This blog will go through some must-haves so that you can make sure your new home has everything needed to keep you and your family safe.
Builder Maintenance
One of the first things you should look for is a reasonable amount of regular and routine building maintenance. If it has been documented that there are regularly scheduled maintenance updates, this means that your apartment will be kept up to code with safety standards more often than not.
This includes painting (interior and exterior) and a roof anchor to prevent falling accidents which you can outsource from Shine On Anchors for the best in the market. If you are not satisfied with the contractor in charge of these updates, you should look for another building manager because if there is an emergency that needs fixing right away, this could lead to a safety hazard.
For example, fire extinguisher changes or window repairs may need to be done, if not, this will make your unit unsafe for you and your family.
Intruder Alarms
Another building safety amenity is an intruder alarm. This will provide the unit with protection from any potential burglary or theft, typically in public areas of your home like hallways and common spaces, so that you can feel safe when returning to your apartment after work or school.
Fire Alarms
An additional must-have for a safe living space is a fire alarm. This will alert occupants of the building if there is an emergency, such as smoke or flames, in your unit so that you can evacuate quickly and safely without any harm coming to you.
CCTV
Another safety amenity that is a must-have for any building is CCTV. This will give you peace of mind knowing that an incident would get documented if it ever happened. This information can help the police find who committed the crime or identify what caused the emergency in your apartment.
Access Control
When it comes to building safety, an access control system is a must. This will allow only those who have the key or code to enter your unit and prevent entry to any unannounced guests that could potentially cause you harm.
Extinguishers and First Aid Kits
Along with the other building safety amenities, you must have fire extinguishers and first aid kits in your home. This way, if there is a minor accident or injury to one of your family members, they will react accordingly because these items are crucial for any household.
Sprinklers
Another must-have in your new building is sprinklers. This will help to put out any potential fires that may start because of an electrical or natural disaster, such as a tree falling on the power line and its short-circuiting, which could lead to small flames starting up in some areas of your apartment.
Emergency Exits
Lastly, any building should have emergency exits safely labeled and displayed for all occupants to know where they need to head if there was an earthquake or another natural disaster.
In conclusion, you must take the time to look for all of these building safety amenities before signing your lease so that when you move in, you will feel safe and secure.
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So, what could you do? Well, it depends on you and the people you surround yourself with. But here are a few suggestions that we hope you find useful.
#1: Add a swimming pool
If you have space in your outdoor space for a swimming pool, why not consider the option. For inspiration, take a look at these design ideas for your pool and look at those belonging to your friends and neighbors too. Admittedly, you will lose some of the space you might use for other things, but you might not mind the sacrifice once you start having pool parties at home. Of course, swimming pools are also great for exercise, so there is more than one reason to consider a pool renovation.
#2: Add a play area
For the young and the young at heart, a play area is a great idea. You could section off part of your outdoor space for giant garden games, water play equipment, swings, slides, and cornhole boards. You could even match the play equipment to your home's aesthetic, using colors that match your home exterior and garden. You could also add the personal touch with personalized cornhole bags and other pieces of equipment that can be tailored to your family.
And what about a treehouse or playhouse? These are great additions to any outdoor play area and they can be themed to match your children's interests. Let them escape into their own private enclave, with everything they need to have fun inside. Build your own if you have the know-how, hire a professional, or source something you can find online. If you are able to come up with your own creation, remember to add safety features and include flooring that can easily be cleaned.
#3: Create a space for entertaining
(Unsplash CC0)
A patio area is great for entertaining as is a summerhouse or a sheltered area under a pergola. There are things you will need, of course, such as comfortable furniture for your guests to relax in. A grill or an outdoor kitchen is a must if you want to feed your guests when they come to enjoy your company. You might want to add a fire pit too, as this will be something your guests appreciate, especially when the evening air turns a little chilly. And what about a hot tub? That will really warm your guests up when they complain about the cold. It can also be a great place to relax in, with or without other people to share it with.
#4: Create a reading nook
Remember reading? It's something people used to do before the advent of movie streaming sites and Facebook! We are being sarcastic, of course, but if you need an incentive to read more (by which we mean books and not social media posts), it might be that an outdoor reading nook will be ideal for you. Your kids might spend more time with a book in their hands too, which is great news if they're a little too involved with screen time.
All you need to do is set up a garden canopy with a comfy sofa or chair underneath. You could hang outdoor lights around your searing area too, which will be perfect for those late evenings when the sun decides to go to bed. And you could also add a water feature or some wind chimes to drown out the sounds of anything that could distract you from your reading time.
#5: Create a haven for local wildlife
Why visit a wildlife sanctuary when your garden can become the go-to place for local birds and animals? Of course, we aren't suggesting you set up your own zoo, as your neighbors wouldn't appreciate an elephant living next door (especially if it tramples over their fence and geraniums). But they won't complain if your garden is set up to welcome birds, hedgehogs, toads, bees, and other such creatures into your outdoor living space.
You could install birdbaths, nesting boxes, and feeders for your winged friends, for example. You could also plant nectar-rich plants to attract more bees. Hedgehogs might wander in if you provide areas of lush undergrowth, with decorative grasses, shrubs, and leaf piles. And if you add a pond or another type of water feature, you might see more dragonflies and frogs coming into your garden too. When you're relaxing in your garden, you will have a great time watching local wildlife going about their daily business. And your children should be thrilled too.
Check out the following advice if you are interested in creating a wildlife sanctuary in your outdoor space.
#6: Set up an outdoor movie theater
This may be something you have done already, as many people decided on this option when local movie theaters were closed during the pandemic. But if not, it's worth considering the option. There are certain things you will need, including a movie screen, speakers, and projector, so there will be a few costs involved. You might also want to pay for extra seating too, although you could always use your existing garden seating or a blanket or two. Once set up, you would be able to watch movies outdoors, be that a big Hollywood blockbuster or a nice rom-com with your partner.
There is information here on what you need for your movie theater, so have a read for advice on the best equipment to buy.
Let the fun times commence
So, there we have it, 6 fun things to do with your outdoor living space. Do whatever makes sense for you and your family and give everybody the incentive to spend more time outdoors in the coming days and weeks.
Thanks for reading!
Want help with your outdoor space? I'll design it for you. See my online design services →
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Looking to sell your home and want feedback, ideas, solutions to get your house showcase ready? I can help!
Offering interior design consultations for any of your home staging & interior design needs online or on-site!
Can help with:
Paint color selections for interior or exterior.
Remodeling feedback on design direction, layout, colors, finishes, materials, etc.
Room design functionality, layout, ideas, concept, direction, sources.
Staging ideas for home resale or new home buyer feedback / moving in help.
For home, office, retail, and any other design advice you are looking for.
Available for on-site meetings in the LA/OC areas and online for anyone, anywhere (by forwarding photos of rooms or space needing help with. Design ideas and direction will be provided in written feedback with ideas, concepts, links, color selections, solutions, etc.)
Design consultations are $100/hr.
Please email with any questions: JSInteriorDes@aol.com
Payable via Venmo @jillseidnerinteriordesign (link below).
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Pexels. CCO Licensed.
Are you continuously spending money on your home without making any return? You could be living in a money pit. Below are a few signs that your home is costing you more than it’s worth.
You keep having to make unexpected repairs
Home repairs are one of the unavoidable costs of being a homeowner. However, you shouldn’t be constantly making repairs to the point that you’re getting yourself into debt.
If you bought a fixer-upper or bought a very old home, it’s possible that you knew what you were getting yourself into. Unexpected repairs are the expenses that you should be worried about. This could include plumbing issues, electrical issues or cracks in walls. It’s possible that the home may have been poorly constructed and could be slowly falling apart (which means many more future repairs).
The bills are too high
Do you get shocked every time you receive an energy bill? Do you feel as if you’re paying way too much rent? This may be something you can negotiate with bill providers or your landlord. However, there could be cases where it is largely out of your control.
For instance, an old uninsulated house is likely to lose heat more easily - you may have to weigh up whether it's worth investing in insulation or not. A property in a popular neighbourhood meanwhile may have high rental rates due to its location - you need to determine whether the location is worth the cost.
Your home isn’t gaining value
If you’re spending a lot of money and your home isn’t gaining any value, this is also something to worry about. You should be particularly worried if home prices in your area are depreciating - you could end up selling your home for less than you bought it if you leave it too long. This could be the case if a neighbourhood has become less attractive due to recent events or developments.
Should you stay put or sell?
You should consider whether the continuous costs are worth it. A historic home may need constant repairs, but it may be worth it if the home has lots of character and is in a beautiful location. Dream homes don’t come cheap.
Of course, it is important that your income is able to cover the costs of your home. If home repairs are getting you into debt and this debt is growing, it could be a good idea to get out fast. Even if your home is seemingly falling apart, there are solutions if you need to need to sell a house fast. The sooner you get out, the sooner you can protect your finances.
It may be worth arranging a home inspection to determine what other costs may be around the corner. You may find that all the biggest repairs are behind you. Alternatively, there could be much bigger repairs to come. A professional surveyor will be able to tell you what the case is.
You should also consider whether you can invest in any preventative measures. As mentioned already with high heating bills, you can solve this by investing in insulation. If you keep having to repair flood damage or vandalism, you may similarly be able to put in place measures such as flood defences or security cameras.
Stuck on your own room? I'll design it for you. See my online design services →
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Enhancing your home's value is something that you will need to seriously consider, especially if you want to sell it in the near future.
Deciding on the right project is a combination of what is necessary and needed along with what will increase the value of your home. If you can strike a good balance you are well on your way to upgrading the value of your home with a few simple home improvement projects.
Here is a look at the most lucrative home improvement projects if you are trying to increase the value of your home.
Upgrade Appliances
Replacing old appliances with energy-efficient models is one of the best moves you can make to upgrade your kitchen. Upgrading your kitchen appliances to new energy-efficient models does not have to break the bank.
You can buy good second-hand items for your kitchen that are energy-saving. Bear in mind that major appliances such as refrigerators and freezers can last for twenty-five years.
People often change these refrigerators not because they are no longer working but because they want to upgrade to newer models.
If you can get an energy-efficient model that is second-hand but looks great and works great, then you will save yourself some money and upgrade your kitchen at the same time.
Renovate Your Bathroom
A bathroom renovation is a great way to improve the overall look of your home and add value to it. The renovation that you do can be moderate or elaborate depending on the style and your taste.
You can install new fixtures in your bathroom in order to give the room a whole new look. If the tiles are looking a bit worse for wear you can regrout them to make them look better.
You can also add mirrors to your bathroom in strategic places to make the room seem a bit bigger and to reflect light in the space.
Renovate Your Basement
Your basement is one of the places that you should consider renovating in an order to enhance the value of your home. You can put a moisture barrier under house to prevent excess moisture if this is a problem or you can renovate your basement to make it livable.
A lot of people have basement apartments that they rent out for extra cash.
Enhance Your Home
The ideas here can improve the value of your home in no time. All you have to do is pick out which projects are right for you and then decide on your budget.
Once you do this you should get started right away. If you have the skills to do it then doing a DIY project will save you a lot of money. However, you don't have the skills it is best to hire a professional so that you don't make costly mistakes
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Book an interior design consultation for any of your interior design or remodeling needs online or on-site!
Can help with:
Paint color selections for interior or exterior.
Remodeling feedback on design direction, layout, colors, finishes, materials, etc.
Room design functionality, layout, ideas, concept, direction, sources.
Staging ideas for home resale or new home buyer feedback / moving in help.
For home, office, retail, and any other design advice you are looking for.
Available for on-site meetings in the LA/OC areas and online for anyone, anywhere (by forwarding photos of rooms or space needing help with. Design ideas and direction will be provided in written feedback with ideas, concepts, links, color selections, solutions, etc.)
Design consultations are $50/half hour or $100/hr.
Can also be purchased as a gift with no expiration.
Please email with any questions: JSInteriorDes@aol.com
Payable via Venmo @jillseidnerinteriordesign (link below).
