The Home Interior Blog

As seasons change from one to the next, the urge to decorate comes with it. Everyone loves changing up the look of the inside of their homes. But, have you ever considered doing the same outside? Typically we become so involved in interior work that we ignore the possibility of outdoor decorating. Outdoor decorating makes your home look good not just to use, but also to people simply passing by. These five tips can help you get started.

1. Paint. Depending on your needs, you might want to cover the whole house and its trim in paint or you might want to just touch up or change the color of the trim itself. Either option can make a huge difference in how your home looks from the outside.

2. Porch or Patio. If you don’t have a porch or patio, you might want to consider buying one if you can afford it. However, if you already do have one, it can be easy to spruce it up. Add some new furniture, or, if you like what you have, simply add some new cushions or covers to it. You can also set up flowers, gnomes or other statues, or a water fountain.

3. Walkways. If your walkway looks warm and inviting, it will have the same effect on your home. If you already have a plain, straight walkway, add solar walkway lights or some flowers to either side to make it more interesting. If you don’t have a walkway at all, consider one made of stones. Installing a new walkway also gives you the option of having it curve or wind a bit on the way to the door, which adds to its visual appeal.

4. Yard ornaments. A birdhouse, a lantern light, or even just flowers planted in a wheelbarrow can all be used to decorate outside the home. Match the items to your tastes and you will help give your yard a bit of your own personality. With these touches, you make it look different from every other home on the block.

5. Flowers, Plants, Vines & Bushes: One of the easiest and most popular ways to add color and life to your yard is to plant any of these options. This is a great time of year to buy annuals, which will grow quickly, but add some more green by planting perennials as well. These will pay off over time as they continue to sprout year after year.

You love all the furnishings available in your local stores and catalogs, but chances are looking at the price tag quickly puts a damper on things. Don’t despair – with creativity, you can spruce up the look of your home to have Hollywood style without spending Hollywood-level amounts of money.

First, look at your walls. Painting them is cheap and easy and makes an instant dramatic difference. Give a new feel to any room of your house with paint, or even use wallpaper. Don’t bother with a contractor on wallpaper, though – try using it on just one wall or on borders. Wall sconces are another great idea, especially when easy to install yourself.

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Lighting is another easy way to bring in a new feel to your room. Try lamps instead of overhead lighting to create a more inviting atmosphere. However, stay away from halogen bulbs unless you are going for a more modern theme in the room.

Accessories add depth and interest to a room. A few small spurges like silk pillows, chenille blankets, or candles can give a whole room a sophisticated feel, as can an elegant centerpiece on your dining room table. Photos and paintings give the room a personal touch. You can find many pictures or prints at flea markets and thrift stores along with frames to put them in.

Also turn to these stores, as well as garage and estate sales, to find cheap but stylish couches, lamps, tables, entertainment centers, and more. If the idea of buying second hand is unappealing, your next best option is to either shop at big sales or look online. Buying over the internet allows you to avoid getting costs passed on from the high overheads other stores might have to pay.

If you’re too budget-pressed to buy a new couch anywhere, a little effort can change up the one you already have. Try sewing new covers for your couch or armchairs or making your own cushions. If you can’t sew, you can also buy slipcovers in many places. If you don’t want to spend any money, try just rearranging your furniture – you’d be surprised how much of a difference it can make. For one of the most effective home improvement projects which makes a great difference try interior shutters comparison
All the suggestions can be used to spruce up your home without breaking the bank. Your friends and family will be impressed at your ability to do so much with so little. You deserve a bit of excitement, so go ahead and make your home your own and keep your paycheck as you do.

Houseplants first made their appearance in Victorian parlors, where they rubbed shoulders with tufted furniture and bric-a-brac. Today, they flourish in minimalist apartments, sleek office buildings, and homes everywhere. Good for the spirit and good for the indoor environment, they delight us with their fascinating forms and flowers while replacing oxygen in the atmosphere. In return, they ask for adequate light, enough water – but not too much – and temperatures that approximate their desired range. Keep the following in mind.

Light

The most important consideration in growing houseplants is light. Light is vital to the process of photosynthesis by which plants manufacture food. On the whole, flowering plants need the most light. Some demand full sun in a south-facing window. Others need only a few hours of filtered or indirect light. Many tropical foliage plants can make do with even less.

When buying indoor plants, be sure to ask about their light requirements. If you have a plant that requires more light than your window admits, by all means supplement the daylight with a grow light and leave the light on from 12 to 14 hours during the day.

Water

More plants are killed by over watering than by neglect or any form of misplaced kindness. A good rule is to water thoroughly, then let the surface of the soil dry out before watering again. While water should drip through the hole in the pot after a thorough watering, it should never accumulate in the saucer. Roots immersed in standing water will rot.

It would be inconvenient if houseplants could be watered a specific number of times a week, but the amount of water required is affected by many factors, including the variety and size of the plant. Because a large plant with broad leaves expires more water than a small plant with diminutive foliage, for example, it often needs more water frequently. On the other hand, a large container holds more soil than a small one and therefore retains moisture longer.

The material of the pot has to be taken into consideration. A porous clay pot loses water more quickly than a plastic pot. Room temperature is another variable that affects the amount of water needed. The warmer the room, the faster moisture evaporates. The best way to water is with common sense and a finger poked into the soil. If it is dry half an inch down, it’s time to water.

Fertilizer

You can use either a full-strength water-soluble fertilizer for houseplants once a month, according to the package directions, or a very diluted solution of fertilizer every time you water.