How to Use Colors to Your Advantage When Decorating Your Home

As studies have shown, different colors can elicit unique human reactions. Before tackling your next redecorating project, it can be of great benefit to brush up on the psychology of colors and learn how they can be utilized to promote wellness in our homes. Take a look at the guide below on how to effectively use colors in the main living spaces of your home and hone in on the role they play in our day-to-day lives.

Living Room Nine times out of ten, people go to the living room to relax. Cater to the laidback atmosphere here by instilling colors that match this relaxed vibe. Green is a color renowned for being a calming mood-neutralizer that people have surrounded themselves with for centuries because of its tranquil-provoking benefits. Balance green with other earthy tones such as tan and grey to create an earthy, inviting zone where friends, family, and new guests can all together feel at home.

 Kitchen Hues of red, yellow, and orange are among the most popular colors to garnish a kitchen in. Although potentially intimidating due to its striking presence, reds are enjoyed because of the sense of vitality, strength, and passion it naturally instills. Pale yellows are valued for emitting a warm, revitalizing glow and for raising self-esteem levels, which might not be a bad option considering it’s the first place we start our day. Alternatively, peach colors nurture feel-good energies such as joy and creativity.

 Bedroom The bedroom is your personal dojo to unwind, so it’s essential to furnish it with none other than peaceful, relaxing qualities. While reds and yellows are empowering, they may not provide the appropriate mood for a space like the bedroom where winding down is top priority. Instead, narrow your selection to tones that make you feel safe. Subtle shades of blue are excellent at achieving this; also, diversification is key so make sure to incorporate other harmonious elements such as creamy whites, soft greys, and a gentle black.

 Dining Room The dining room is all about connection and conversation. Blue is the color of clarity and communication, thus is an effective choice for encouraging honesty in family discussions. Another renowned preference is orange, as it is a powerful in eliciting pleasure and high-spirits.

Bathroom Generally, the bathroom is the only other private quarters in a house other than the bedroom. Taking the role of where we bathe and freshen ourselves up, a fresh and wholesome tonality is most appropriate whereas dark, intense shades should be done without. Overall, a “clean” ambiance that complements the room’s essence is the most fitting approach to picking your bathroom’s coloration.

How to Improve Lighting in Your Home

The way lighting is used in our home impacts the mood, visibility, and quality of the work and activities we do. Consider these techniques below for inspiration on how you can enhance the lighting in your home.

Provide Balance with Table & Floor Lamps It’s not unusual that there may be areas of a room that are noticeably dark when the room's attention is focused in the center around a dining table. Even if there is no furniture, a quick fix to this is add a table or floor lamp in the predominantly dark section of the room. If there is a natural surface or counter to place it, use a table lamp; if not, a floor lamp will work just as well. Additionally, rooms with recliner chairs or couches should have at least one lamp next to them for sufficient visibility.

Introduce Overhead Light Fixtures There are a multitude of overhead light fixtures, each of which shed light in varying directions and volumes. These are three of the most popular lighting fixtures, all of which offer unique functions for directing light.

• Track lighting: a row of fixtures that hang from a track installed in a ceiling. These specialize in showcasing pottery, artwork, and other decor by distributing light via a row of separate fixtures; best fit for kitchen and living room spaces.

• Recessed lighting: fixtures installed into the surface of a home’s ceiling; installed with a custom trim. These fixtures offer a sharp glow that can be directed to highlight specific aspects of a home’s interior. Commonly used in kitchens, bathrooms, entrance halls, and workspaces

• Pendant lighting: Makes for a decorative counterpart to hang above a kitchen table, cooking area, dining table, or any space where a large concentration of light will be needed - areas where conversation and activity are highest.

Dress Your Windows Up Shades, drapes, sheers, and blinds are all practical types of light-limiting decor that can be used to control the lighting in a room. Get creative by combining drapes and shades to maintain multiple variations of lighting and keep pesky glares away from your television or computer.

Set the Mood with a Dimmer Switch Incorporating a dimmer switch to a room is superb way to influence the space’s tone and atmosphere, and can be utilized best for dinner, watching movies with family or friends, and working in office environments. To install a dimmer switch, you will have to replace the basic switch already in place. Watch the video below for a step-by-step tutorial.

[embed]https://youtu.be/7n0AIGK68Ac[/embed]

Use Candles for Ambiance Serving a double package of subtle lighting and pleasant fragrances, candles illuminate a minimal amount of the surrounding area they’re placed in and are a top choice when it comes to setting a natural, relaxed mood. Candles are great in calm parts of the house like the bedroom, bathroom, and living room.

Household Cleaning Tips 101

In today’s age, life moves pretty fast. It always seems there is some errand or responsibility to take care of, thus many of us find ourselves in a never-ending rush. By the time the weekend arrives, we enter a whole new slew of to-dos. Amidst this hectic weekly schedule, our home spaces can become, admittedly, pretty dirty. Whether it’s shower mold or a pile of scattered laundry, everything adds up faster than we think. To prevent mold from sprouting in the shower and avoid last minute clean-sprees before hosting company, maintain a consistently scrubbed, decontaminated home at all times by brushing up on these simple yet effective housekeeping tips.

Make a Schedule Designate a block of time for each week to take stock of any parts of the home that require upkeep. Each aspect of the home dictates a unique time frame of its cleaning frequency, so you will want to take this into account while constructing your routine.

 Fridge & Freezer Discard all old foods that are outdated such as milks and cheeses. Apply a vinegar-based cleaning solution to wipe all grease and food residue. Finish with disinfectant wipes.

Oven, Dishwasher, & Stove Use a vinegar-based solution to cleanse the surfaces, making sure to remove all debris, grease, and excess food.

Garbage Containers Sanitize your garbage, trash, and recycling bins to keep insects such as flies and ants at bay.

Floors Wash the base boards and surface area of the floor with the proper solution dependent on the type of flooring like wood, ceramic, granite, marble, etc.

Window Giving your windows a routine cleansing is mandatory for their appearance, visibility, and longevity. Gather standard window equipment: a scrubber, bucket of warm water, detergent, and paper towels to dry. Squeegees are also particularly useful at swabbing away clumps of grime. If any of your home windows are weathered and older than fifteen years, you may want to consider installing replacement windows.

Carpet In addition to vacuuming (which should be done on a weekly basis at minimum), carpets should be shampooed to maintain the quality of the carpet’s material and remove any soiled spots or stains. You can always freshen the house by sprinkling a carpet spray or powder prior to vacuuming to provide a fresh scent throughout the house.

Cabinets Wipe down cabinets with appropriate cleaning solution to remove any grease or food from cooking activity in the kitchen.

Furniture Dust collects everywhere on a constant basis. It seems to be most noticeable on glass-top and wood furniture, which is found throughout the dining room, bedroom, office, and study rooms. This furniture should be dusted with the appropriate cleaning solution at weekly intervals. Doing so will sustain a clean, fresh appearance throughout the home and support a healthy home environment.

Bathrooms Uh-oh, the bathroom. Thorough cleaning should be done on a weekly basis at minimum. There are not enough words to explain how important it is to maintain a clean and germ-free bathroom. This includes a thorough cleanse of the sink, toilet bowl, mirrors, and tub or shower. You will want to keep a disinfectant toilet bowl cleaner, toilet bowl scrubber, and a mold and mildew cleaner.

Four Home Renovation Projects for Spring

Now that spring is in session, it's the ideal time to brainstorm ways to spruce up your home. Don’t wait another minute to give your home the makeover it needs; get your creative juices flowing by trying these fun, easy-to-do weekend projects that will breathe fresh life into your home for the spring season.

Revamp a Room’s Color Scheme The color a wall is painted in plays a large part of influencing the mood of a room. Sharp colors like deep red and yellow elicit an exciting feel, but can be overwhelming. If you're looking to give a room an overhaul in design, consider incorporating earthy tones into play with dark greens, light browns, and sky blue hues if you want a more natural vibe.

Update Your Landscaping There’s nothing quite like relaxing outside when it's warm and the sun is out. Get ready for these days by adding sleek improvements to your landscaping. This can be done by building a fire pit, starting a garden, installing new mulch or sod, and building a deck or patio.

Decorate Your Windows Curtains, blinds, and interior shutters are all excellent additions that can add personality to your windows while also providing control over airflow, light, and privacy -- particularly in the kitchen, living room, and bathroom. But before deciding on the style of window treatment you want, consider the color scheme and aesthetic of the room that the window is in. From this, you will have a good feel for the fabric, design, and length that will complement the room best.

Make Space by Cleaning Up Excess Clutter Homes have a tendency to get piled up with tangled wires, old magazines, and disheveled furniture. By taking just a quick fifteen minutes or so to assess a room’s organization -- putting everything in its proper place -- and re-arranging appliances back to their original positions, you'll be amazed by how much more spacious the room is (and how less stressed you are) compared to its state before you tidied it up.

The time needed to complete these projects and the budget they necessitate vary, but with the right time and effort given, they're very doable modalities to enhance your home's look and foster a cozy environment for both the friends and family.

Four Hacks to Make Spring Cleaning Less of a Drag

It’s that time again. Spring is upon us, and in addition to the budding trees and flora it brings, is the inevitable cleaning to prep for the warm weather. Spring cleaning can be an all-day, sometimes even weekend-long venture, which can make it a daunting task. Make the process less burdensome with these helpful tips!

Hunt For Missing Belongings Motivate yourself by hunting for old items that went missing over the years but were never found, like an old sweater or watch. You will be much more motivated to clean the dirty basement you have been avoiding for so long if there’s a possible reward to be had. A little change in perspective can go a long way!

Get Organized Compile a list of what needs to be brought out of your basement or storage. Categorize tasks and chores based off of what room they’re related to so that you can tackle them at separate times and in an orderly, efficient fashion. This beats the alternative of an overwhelming, disorganized list that will scare you just by looking at it.

Out With the Old Create a “throwaway” pile for all the clothes, toys, and electronics that you no longer want or have use for. In addition to clearing up space, these goods can serve a greater purpose than simply being tossed away -- they can be sold! Once you accumulate a hefty collection of goods you’re willing to part with, sell them at a garage sale or over the internet. Looking at it this way, spring cleaning could make you richer! I guess “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure” after all.

Jam Out Build a playlist of feel-good songs to get you in the right mood and rhythm. Let’s be honest, cleaning isn’t exactly as fun as something like golf, so by throwing on some of your favorite tracks you can make the process less of a painstaking chore and more of a way to reacquaint yourself with some tunes that you have been meaning to listen to.