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5 Home Decor Projects That Incorporate Nature Indoors

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When I think of nature indoors, the first thought that comes to mind is the mud that my kids track into the house after they have been outside with nature. Then, we clean it up. My second thought has me looking around to see what plants we have in the house. Of those, which ones are faring well and which plants needed watering.

Kara Masterson passes on five home decor project ideas that bring nature inside.

When you enjoy nature, you can bring it inside your home to improve your mental outlook and your physical well-being. Here are five home decor projects that will incorporate nature indoors.

Add Plants to Your Home

You can add beautiful planters to your home for a variety of lush and green houseplants, but today, some homeowners are creating hanging moss walls that create a natural appearance in a room. Instead of hanging paintings or photographs on a wall, you will have a special material where moss or other types of plants can grow.

Beautiful Water Features

You can bring artificial water features into your home to create a natural ambiance. There are large or small water features available that you can fill with water. These devices may resemble waterfalls or fountains. Some of these water features cover an entire wall while others are easy to place on a tabletop. These water features have pumps that require electricity to help the water flow.

Natural Window Coverings

Rather than using flimsy fabric curtains on your home’s windows, choose wooden window blinds instead. You can find blinds that are made from light or dark colors of wood that will match your home’s baseboards, doors or furniture. It is possible to select a variety of sizes of blinds for different types of windows. The natural color and grain of these blinds is beautiful, giving each room a special ambiance.

Stone Countertops

If your home has an ugly old-fashioned vinyl countertop in the kitchen, then have it replaced with stone. Each piece of stone countertop is unique, but you can find different colors to create a special ambiance in a room. There are granite, slate and quartz countertop materials available, and a technician can cut the materials to fit precisely in your home’s kitchen.

Skylight Windows

You can hire a contractor to add skylights to your home in strategic locations. This will give you additional natural sunlight that will help you to feel better. Instead of installing one huge skylight, you can have multiple small skylights installed. These are especially attractive in homes that have vaulted ceilings to add lighting to spaces that include kitchens or living rooms.

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How to Make your Home Smarter with these Smart Home Appliances

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In 2019, there are a lot of technology advances that make the home work just a little bit smarter. We have come along ways since the clapper came to turn our lights on and off.

James Stevenson gives us some highlights on making our home just a little bit smarter.

With technology developing, we now have so many gadgets and appliances which we can call ‘smart.’ The next step is to modernize our homes in the same style and make our lives that much easier.

A smart home is a place where appliances, lights, gadgets, security, – and pretty much whatever else you want – are all connected to one another.  You can also control them remotely using a simple app. This kind of home gives owners comfort, security, and convenience. It may sound confusing. That is why you should read on to get the image of your ideal Smart Home.

Getting a smart system for your home can save time, money, and energy. Most homes aren’t built with these appliances, though. The easiest thing to do is to introduce these appliances into an already made home. Let’s see which devices today have their ‘smart’ counterparts.

Hubs

If you want your doors to unlock, your lights to turn on, and your kettle to start working the moment you approach your house, this is the device for you.

A smart home hub is the first step towards a smart home and the heart of the network. It is a hardware or software that connects devices in a house and controls communication among them. Plus, it enables the user to control the entire place by a single app.

Another useful feature is that you can control your devices while you are away from home via this device so, you can go out anytime you want.

Speakers

Imagine the world where you don’t have to get up to play music, find the remote, and turn on the lights. Now you can say a command, and have it done in an instant.

Smart speakers are wireless speakers with voice-control. They tend to have artificial intelligence built into them. They are usually found in voice-controlled personal assistants.

This gadget has many applications, playing music being just the tip of the iceberg. You may set alarms, and have your questions answered, for example. It is able to interact with other devices in the house, making the possibilities truly endless. So amazing!

Lighting

Convenience, comfort, and looking cool are all connected by this device. Smart lighting consists of light bulbs, all connected to adjacent ones by a network, and controlled by a hub.

You manage smart lighting with a simple app. It allows you to change the brightness of the bulbs, and even the color if your light bulbs have LED lights. Now you can have the perfect lighting for every situation and switching between them is a tap of your finger away.

Some of these systems may also have useful features, such as dimming and motion detection.

Plugs

This is the perfect device to ‘smartify’ your non-smart appliances. It is an excellent investment, and a significant first step towards a smart home.

A smart plug’s function is to allow remote control over whichever appliance you have plugged into it. For instance, you may check on your oven from across town if you get anxious about leaving it on.

Besides letting you manage your devices, you get the option of creating a schedule. Wave the worrying away and get one today!

Doorbells

Now you don’t have to peer through the spy hole to see who is ringing your doorbell. This device’s first concern is safety, and convenience comes as a strong second.

You will get a notification to your smartphone when somebody is at your door. It has a camera and sends a live video recording of your visitor. Also, you can have a two-way conversation via a smart doorbell.

Sensors

Getting a smart sensor for your home means not getting up on every sound you hear at night. It also means not having to hire a house-sitter for your vacation.  Safety meets convenience with this handy new device.

Smart sensors have systems which perform specific actions as a response to environmental input.  They can notify you about an uninvited intruder, about a window or a door that is accidentally open, and to turn on the lights when you enter the room.

The main point of all these devices is to make your life easier. You can definitely live without them, but you don’t have to anymore. There are more and more affordable options. You don’t need to buy every single one, either – but it will be hard to choose with so many fantastic options!

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Purify the Air, Drown out Traffic, and Reduce Stress, All by Adding a Fountain

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Let’s face it. The steady sound of running water can be quite relaxing. Jaymi Naciri gives us the 411 on the advantages of adding a fountain to our yard.

We just got back from a lovely vacation to Costa Rica, and, truth be told, we’re already looking to go back. Being on vacation in such a tranquil environment is a pleasure, and coming back to “real life” is…well…all too real.

Until the day comes when we can surround ourselves with hammocks and tropical flora and wild monkeys and Pina Coladas on a permanent basis, we’re on a quest to make our home environment as peaceful as possible. And today we’ve got fountains on the brain.

While fountains are super pretty to look at, there are a number of additional advantages to adding one to your home. Here are a few reasons why you need one immediately.

They can help reduce stress.

Sitting outside watching the fountain bubble and flow is naturally calming. Bring it inside and you’ll get an extra dose of relaxation-inducing properties.

“How exactly do fountains decrease stress? Because not only are you providing soothing sounds of water flow, but you are also filling the air with negative ions, which can help to improve a person’s mood and energy,” said Kinetic Fountains. “Many fountain users report that simply installing a fountain nearby helps them to attain peace of mind, calmness and a certain ‘serene’ feeling.”

They can help drown out the sound of traffic.

If you live on a busy street or have other environmental noises that detract from your happiness or peacefulness, a fountain is a great solution. “You will be amazed at how even a soft flowing water sound can drown out other sounds around you such as traffic, voices in the next room, that dog that always barks at the same time every night and the neighbor in the upstairs apartment who walks loud,” said Serenity Health.

They improve the ambiance.

“An outdoor water fountain can turn any backyard into an oasis,” said Good Changes Now.

They can purify the air.

Add a fountain to your indoor space and it can work to improve the air quality. “In today’s electronic world there are many gadgets that emit negative ions in our homes and offices,” said Serenity Health. “Indoor water fountains can improve the air in your home with negative ions, reducing air pollution. Dust is attracted by the negative ions so your water fountain is actively working to purify the air. The continuous moving water in a fountain will not only relax you with its water sounds but will also rejuvenate you with negative ions.”

They are natural humidifiers.

Let’s face it. Humidifiers are ugly and loud, and can stand out in a room for all the wrong reasons. But, “Dry environments are a catalyst for poor health and irritating for those suffering from dry skin conditions,” said Water Gallery. A fountain makes a great—and much better looking—substitute.

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Save or Splurge? Where You Can Scrimp

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Once again Jaymi Naciri writing for Realty Times, has come with something new to keep us thinking about the best ways to spend or scrimp on our home.

Saving money is great. But saving money can also prove problematic. While a piece of furniture that’s not used a lot or a knickknack that is not prominently displayed might be fine, you want to be careful when pinching pennies if it means compromising on quality.

Furniture

This is a mixed bag. You can get away with an inexpensive coffee table, and you may be able to score a killer deal on a dining table that looks far more expensive than it is. But when it comes to upholstery, proceed with caution—especially with large pieces. Cheap textiles can pill, rip, wear out easily, and stain permanently. Plus, the material is often scratchy and uncomfortable.

“The sofa is one of the most significant items you’ll ever buy for your home. It takes up a lot of visual space, it’s important for comfort purposes, and it’s something you could have for two or even three decades,” said The Spruce. “Look for something made with high-quality materials such as kiln-dried hardwood and eight-way hand-tied spring construction, and purchase a classic style so that over the years it can be recovered if you want to update the fabric and give it a different look. Remember the rule that a high-quality sofa should last around 25 years while one of average quality should last about 10.”

Art

Many designers will tell you that money is no object when it comes to art. “Unlike a rug that may get dirty in a couple years or a glass that could end up breaking at your next dinner party, the art you invest in is likely to stay with you for many years, or maybe even a lifetime,” said Real Simple. “The key is to take your time finding art you love, that you’ll want to spend years living with, and that fits your style.”

We agree with all of that, except for the “need to splurge” part. It’s gonna be awhile before we’re playing with Picasso money. In the meantime, we love finding great new resources to buy inexpensive art—especially those that allow us to support emerging artists instead of buying stuff that’s mass-produced. From Society6 to Minted to to Etsy, there are a number of places you can find great stuff without a great expense.

Flooring

Skimp out on your flooring and you might find yourself having to redo it soon—or living with the consequences of a poor choice. Everything from a wood product that is made too thin, and therefore is damaged easily, to poor adhesive, to carpet that doesn’t have the quality to stand up to kids, pets, or everyday use can cause problems sooner than you may expect.

Rugs

“One of the best items to buy cheap is an area rug, Gen Sohr, one half of the husband-and-wife team behind Pencil & Paper Co., a Nashville-based interior design firm, said to Real Simple. “I think there are so many wonderful area rug options that are a complete steal. And really who wants to break the bank on something that’s going to eventually get soiled and need to be replaced?” she says. For an option that’s both affordable and durable, she recommends a natural sisal rug, which also hides the appearance of dirt. A flatweave wool rug is another popular option, and Sohr recommends finding deals on Overstock.com or Rugs USA.”

Mattresses

It can be tempting to go cheap on a mattress simply because it so expensive. But, if you really spend a good third of your life in bed, it’s worth it to pay for quality. If you can’t pay outright, it’s usually possible to get a zero-interest payment plan from a mattress stores if you have decent credit.

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How to Keep Your Home Clean When you Have Pets

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Jaymi Naciri writing for Realty Times gives us the tips we need to keep our home clean with pets.

Hairballs, tracked-in mud, and accidents, oh my! Picking up after a pet (or three if you live in our house!) is no joke. So how do you enjoy your place and keep it looking spiffy when you have pets, during this and every other season?

Unless you want to live in something resembling a pig sty, you have to be smart about your pet-cleaning tools and techniques.

Spring for the good vacuum

If you have pets that shed, you know the value of a good vacuum. But if you’ve been getting by on less, and dealing with vacuums that don’t have enough suction or just aren’t intended for pet hair removal, it’s time to trade up.

Pet Life Today likes the Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away TruePet Upright Vacuum, which it calls a “versatile upright vacuum easily converts into a canister unit to provide a powerful clean for your entire home.” This one came out on top after their study of dozens of vacuums thanks to its “power, versatility and efficient removal of pet hair. The ability to convert this vacuum from an upright to a canister or handheld makes it the perfect all-round choice for cleaning every area of your home. The reasonable price and high amount of positive feedback from Amazon users is another reason this vacuum takes our top position.” This vacuum is available for $263.99.

Personally, we’re partial to the Dyson V8 Animal vacuum. It gets up all the hair, it has tons of attachments and do-dads, and is also cordless, which makes it super versatile. The potential downsides: it’s pricey, at $399, and it has a small canister, which means you have to dump it out more often.

Stock up on lint rollers

We can’t decide if this giant-size, pet-themed lint roller is genius or ridiculous, but we’re definitely intrigued. We have regular-sized lint rollers stashed all over our house because they’re the greatest for removing dog hair from upholstery, rugs, bedding, and clothes. The 10-inch width of this one is enticing, and the pole sounds like a back-saver, frankly.

But the price seems a bit steep. At $21.99, we predict the 25 sheets will last us a day or two. Refills are as low as $10.49 and come with 50 sheets, but that still doesn’t compare to the five-roll (95 sheets each) combo pack for $10.79. So the real question is: How much is a pole worth?

Go for indoor-outdoor rugs

“They’ve come a long way since you last saw them in your grandparents’ basement. There are lots of stylish versions out there, and they’re available in a variety of color schemes,” said Architectural Digest. “Put a small one in front of each door—sort of like an indoor doormat—to catch any dirt and water your pet may drag in. I also recommend placing one under the sofa, dining room table, and any other place your pet likes to lounge. These rugs don’t let anything soak in, and they wipe clean with a damp rag.

If you don’t like the look or feel of indoor-outdoor rugs, look for something with a short weave. Hair will be much easier to get up if it can’t get stuck in the fibers.

Get a black light

If your pet does have an accident here and there (or even more often), a black light can help you pinpoint the urine so so you eliminate the stain and odor. “There could be urine or other waste stains your pet could be leaving around the house that you do not know about,” said Of Life + Lisa. “Once every week, conduct a sweep through of your rooms with a black light to find and eliminate these hidden stains.”

So why does this work? “Urine glows under a black light primarily because it contains the element phosphorus,” said ThoughtCo. “Cat urine, in particular, glows very brightly under ultraviolet light.”

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Craig Diez

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