Blog about all things lifestyle, home, fashion and being a woman.

Renovations Can Be For Security's Sake, Too

 When talking about renovating a home, we’re often thinking about what we can do with it aesthetically, or how we can help it better fit our lifestyle, and not much beyond that. However, that can be a little short-sighted. Your home has to keep you safe and secure, as well. Here are some of the changes you can make, little and large, that can help with just that.


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Using security technology

Some of the biggest (and most expensive) changes you can make will involve using security technology. Traditional security technology, such as CCTV camera setups or home alarms, are very effective. However, smart home security, such as smart doorbells with cameras in them that link up to your devices like your laptop and smartphone, like Arlo, are not only potentially more convenient but are also becoming much cheaper as well. Thanks to the changes in digital technology, the kind of security features that might have once been saved for just the wealthy are becoming much more widely available.


Securing the entrances

When you consider the real security of your home, you need to consider how secure the various entrances are. This is mainly the doors and windows, though some homes might have large ventilation or crawl spaces that can be considered as well. For newer homes, sometimes all you need is the help of a team like Adlocks Locksmiths to change or upgrade your locks to more secure ones and you can rest easily enough. If you have older doors or windows, however, you might want to consider upgrading to their more secure PVC cousins which are much more resilient and harder to break into, so long as they have the right locks.


Giving the home some visibility

When you think of protecting the home from criminals, you need to remember that they are typically creatures of opportunity, likely to slink away from most challenges or risks. As such, they don’t want to get caught around your home, a risk that great outdoor lighting makes much more likely. Lighting companies like Universal Lighting can help you install outdoor lights that brighten the area around your home, making it easier for anyone lingering around it to be spotted and thus acting as a deterrent against would-be criminals.


Maintaining your privacy and boundaries

You can make it harder for people to both scope out and enter the home without your permission by erecting the right boundaries. Fencing teams like Simply Fences can help you find the fences that best fit your needs when it comes to securing the area. You can also improve your safety with the addition of things like green walls, even fake ones, that can block people from both seeing in and from hearing anything you might be saying or doing in the garden or when your door is open.


Your home’s safety and security are worth investing in. The changes mentioned above can help offer you much greater peace of mind, not to mention making your home legitimately much safer from any potential outside threats.


5 Innovative Ways on How to Brighten Up Your Bedroom

Brightening up your bedroom is the simplest way to make it feel more spacious and welcoming. Your bedroom should be a haven for relaxation, helping you unwind after the daily grind and settle down for a good night’s sleep.

Unfortunately, many of us struggle with lighting - a natural by-product of cramming lots of furniture into a small or oddly configured space.

Thankfully, there are several ways to brighten up your bedroom, which we’ll explore in this article to help you make the most of your space.

Let’s jump in!

1. Let your bed set the tone

Beds make or break the ambience of a bedroom. Light oak or pine works well for a natural look, but white and light grey also work well. You can offset a dark bed frame with light bedding but getting a light bed frame is easier.


Pictured: Nordic Mill Shake Low Wooden Bed Frame – White, Available from Bedstar Online.

The most reflective colour is white, so a white bed frame is an excellent choice for brightening up your bedroom. You can brighten up your bed even more with textured white bedding, but other bright colours like yellow and pastels work well.

Thinner bed frames give the illusion of more space and block less light, so if you have a small bedroom, consider a less chunky bed frame.


2. Interesting reflections


One of the best ways to brighten up your bedroom is to reflect light in interesting ways using mirrors and unique light fixtures.

An opulent chandelier will scatter light through your bedroom, and if you choose one with coloured crystals, it will spread different hues.

Mirrors are your best friend for making dark spaces lighter - try placing a mirror on the wall opposite your window to reflect light into your bedroom.

Pictured: The main bedroom with a mirror positioned over the bed, Mirrors create the illusion of space near windows, reflecting light into your bedroom. Available from Bedstar Online.

Other ways to brighten your bedroom without adding more light include metallic furniture, mirror stickers for wardrobes, and reflective art.


3. Pick a bold accent colour

If you follow the tried and true 60-30-10 rule (where 60% of your bedroom is a primary colour, 30% is a secondary colour, and 10% is an accent colour), you can choose a bright and bold accent colour to brighten your space.

The key with accent colours is to ensure they don’t overpower other design elements, hence the 60-30-10 rule. Try brightening up your bedroom with accent-coloured cushions, décor, and a rug - it should make a big difference!

A bright accent colour will brighten up your bedroom without adding more light, creating a design theme that you can play around with.


4. Ditch curtains for blinds

Curtains are either open or closed, while windows blinds can be tilted at an infinite range of angles to reflect light into your bedroom.

To maximise the reflective quality of the blinds, choose white or cream blinds rather than dark blinds, so they reflect light rather than absorb it. You can adjust your blinds throughout the day to increase light levels in your bedroom.


Pictured: The main bedroom with an ottoman bed and window blinds for more contemporary bedroom interior design, available from Bedstar Online.

Fancy a little bit of automation? You can get intelligent electric blinds that operate by remote, and some versions also work with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Imagine how cool it would be to open your blinds using voice control!

5. Upgrade to smart lighting

You can’t always have natural light flooding your bedroom, so you always need good artificial light to make the most of your space.

The most straightforward upgrade you can make is dimmer switches, which will help you finetune the ambience of your bedroom with adjustable light levels. Decorative
Pictured: Philips hue lighting can change the appearance of your bedroom to reflect your mood.

If you’re up for voice control with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, upgrading is also a great way to brighten your bedroom. You can create unique lighting arrangements activated using simple voice commands.

The most overlooked area of bedrooms with lighting is the floor, so consider installing LED light strips under your bed frame and more oversized furniture. LED strips can be made smart with a smart plug socket that connects to your smart hub. 
If this sounds like too much hassle to do yourself, enlist the help of electricians in London to do the hard work for you. 

If this sounds like too much hassle to do yourself, enlist the help of electricians in London to do the hard work for you.  

What Jewelry is Trending Right Now?

 

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We’re coming to the end of 2021 now, and as the year ends, it’s the perfect opportunity to look back at the trends and styles of the last ten months to see if there’s anything to add to our wardrobe for the festive season, or if the trends can hint at styles for the coming year. 


In the article below, you get an insight into the top fashion items trending right now. In addition, it gives you the chance to update your style just in time for Christmas nights out and festive occasions. 


Mis-matched earrings

Mismatching your clothing and jewelry has been super popular so far in 2021. It’s partly due to fashion trends evolving, along with an attempt to bring some creativity to your look and style. Mismatched jewelry can be achieved with odd pieces or by using a single earring. 


The great thing about mismatching your jewelry isn’t just that it’s on-trend and likely to impress your friends and influence people; it’s also super easy and lets you won’t with old jewelry in new ways. However, be careful you don’t lose any of your favorite pieces when you’re wearing them.   


Colorful Beads 

Colorful beads again add vibrancy and a contemporary look to your style in 2021. Colorful beads are available in various styles; you can have short necklaces or longer ones that drape. Either way, you know you will be trending this year and can’t go far wrong. 


Beads are amazing because they match with some outfits and mismatch with others. So, depending on your sensibility, you can create contrasting or matching styles. You can also wear beads formally or casually depending on the outfit you wear, giving you maximum flexibility.  


Baroque Pearls 

Pearls don’t just look amazing; they are also healing, according to some. In 2021, pearl jewelry is very much on-trend. It might be hard for you to find someone in your circle of friends, associates, or co-workers who aren’t sporting some pearl earrings or a necklace this season. 


Baroque pearls are ones that are non-spherical, making them look misshapen and therefore more natural. This is something that differentiates them from other pearl trends. IN addition to looking sophisticated, pearls are thought to have positive effects on the skin and other organs.    


Handcrafted Earrings

You would have to be living on another planet to have missed the trend in handcrafted items this year - and before this year, to be fair. The climate crisis coupled with the desire to be creative and useless is the motivation behind the rise of handcrafted items in many disciplines. 


In terms of jewelry, handcrafted earrings stand out. Expert craftspeople make handcrafted earrings; they are made from traditional materials like precious metals, diamonds, and gemstones. Many of the handcrafted earrings on sale are high-quality luxury items. 


Big Bold Necklaces

Another style trending in 2021 is big necklaces that give you a bold presence. Big and bold is popular right now in various departments. You will find big, bold patterns for clothing and oversized, bold earrings that set the stage on any occasion. Also, look out for thick chain-link necklaces.  


How To Make The Home Improvements We Hate Easier

 Many of us despise home improvement projects. While it is important in some cases, it is a duty that many of us despise having to undertake because of the potential financial costs, a lack of understanding about any repairs that are required, and a hectic lifestyle that keeps you from making the necessary repairs. Fortunately, there are actions you can do, so here are three things we all despise about home improvement and how to make them easier.


https://unsplash.com/photos/60krlMMeWxU 


When your electrics go wrong

One of your lights will most likely stop working at some point, and a simple light bulb change will not suffice. So, what are your options now? To begin, keep in mind that you should never touch anything electrical unless you have undergone professional training.


If you aren't trained to handle electricity, call an expert to come out and assess the situation. It could be something basic that requires a quick fix, and finding someone who knows what they're doing to do the work for you will be much safer. This website can help you find electricians, and you'll be able to get a quote before any work is done so you don't end up paying more than you should.


For future reference, have someone who knows what they're looking at come and check your electrical items at least once a year to see if they can identify any wear and tear. When something goes wrong, you'll be able to pay out little amounts rather than a massive payment.


Your heating stops working

Heating is an important factor to consider in your home, and do you have a plan in place if your boiler breaks down unexpectedly? Your local plumber can come out and install a boiler for you, repair your existing one, and even provide a ten-year warranty on your boiler.


While reaching into your pockets yet again may seem to be a hindrance, having a backup plan in place in case something goes wrong may save you from having to pay a large payment. Make sure your boiler and heating system are serviced on a regular basis, much like your electrical system.


Blockages and other water problems

Fortunately, there is a bit more you can do yourself with your plumbing before calling a plumber. If your sink isn't draining water fast enough, for example, you can purchase kits from hardware stores that will allow you to clear the blockage at home before calling in the experts. There are even tutorials available online that will walk you through the process of resolving your issue. You could do the task yourself before calling for help, as long as you're prepared for some water spillage.


Final thoughts

Home improvement might be stressful, but if you stay on top of things, you'll be more likely to do simpler repairs, which can save you money in the long run. For your home's peace of mind, try these ideas today, you’ll be surprised at how much money you save!

Creating A Healthier Home Environment In 5 Easy Steps

 

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If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that nothing in this life is more important than our health. Moreover, it has highlighted just how much time we spend at home. Therefore, the need to create a home environment that actively encourages good health should be considered a priority for all. 


So, how can you make that happen? Follow the five simple steps below, and you won’t go far wrong.


1- Embrace winning habits


Before thinking about the investments needed to create a better home setting, you must embrace winning habits. After all, there is little point in having the right surroundings if you are not prepared to make the most of them. It could be using an air fryer to get a better relationship with food. Or maybe you just need to adopt a better cleaning routine or create a space dedicated for home workouts.


When you establish good habits, you can then think about items to enhance the results.


2- Go green


Making eco-friendly upgrades doesn’t only help the planet and your finances in the long run. A conscious effort to go green can also aid your health. Origin windows, for example, can add insulation and remove drafts as well as aesthetic rewards. So, you’ll be less likely to gain seasonal illnesses. Choosing the right LED lighting can reduce the strain on your eyes while growing vegetables will aid your diet. 


When you go green at home, it’ll encourage you to make improvements elsewhere too.


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3- Sleep better


It’s very easy to overlook the fact that you spend at least one-third of your life in the bedroom. Sleep is also an integral part of the day due to its influence on your physical and mental wellness, both short and long-term. A Tempur mattress with the right firmness level for your personal needs is the best purchase you’ll ever make. Better than a TV, sofa, or luxury bath. 


Starting and ending each day in style can only help you live a healthier and happier life.


4- Remove stress 


A good night’s sleep is important, but you must do a whole lot more to stop the home from becoming a stressful environment. Adding houseplants sets a relaxed vibe. Most importantly, though, you need to know that the property isn’t vulnerable to intruders. ADT home security cameras are great for protecting your mental health as well as your assets. Fixing faults that play on your mind is advised too.


Reducing financial waste should also aid your frame of mind with quick and lasting results.


5- Use the garden


A healthy home isn’t just about cleanliness, green additions, and upgrades inside the building. Your external spaces are equally crucial to promoting a healthy body and mind. Gardening can provide a great form of exercise while also allowing you to get more vitamin D. Moreover, a deck can become the perfect outlet for hosting friends and family. With heaters and lighting, the enjoyment can last all year long.


When combined with improvements inside the home, your home life will look better than ever.


Is Your Home A Serious Liability? Time To Find Out

 

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We tend to think of brick and mortar as being the gold standard for secure assets. Nothing can harm our homes, we tell ourselves. They’re fixed assets - something that we can rely on for life. 


However, that’s not true. While our homes don’t change much from day to day, over the course of several years, they can deteriorate rapidly. 


Have you ever asked yourself how long it would take nature to fully reclaim your property if you just left it with no maintenance? The answer according to Alan Weisman - the author of The World Without Us - is about five years. Within 20 years, he says, all the major skyscrapers would start falling down. And within around 200 years, the whole surface of the planet where most humans live would be covered in trees. 


When you put it that way, you soon realize what’s happening here. Nature is continually looking for opportunities to reclaim our homes and establish its own dominance instead. 


So what’s the solution? Glad you asked. It turns out that you can prevent your home from becoming a serious liability. It all depends on taking the right actions at the right time. 


In this post, we take a look at some of the most common and expensive home liabilities and what you can do to prevent them. Read on to find out more. 


Wind Damage


Wind damage is a major issue in many parts of the world. High speed gusts typically roll in off the coast and make their way inland, causing extreme devastation along the way. In many cases, families can lose everything as, sometimes, insurers won’t cover the cost of repairing the damage. 


Fortunately, there are some things that you can do to prevent damage. The first is to prune back trees in anticipation of storms and strengthen your windows. Putting railings across windows, for example, stops objects from flying into them, causing smash damage. 


You can also prepare a plan for what to do if a storm hits. So, for example, you might spell out how you might protect your home in the event of a disaster in a sequence of steps. 


Lastly, if you can’t mitigate the damage, double check your insurance to make sure that it covers you against wind. Also check that it provides liability protection, just in case a part of your property damages someone else’s. 


Internal Water Damage


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Homes can also dramatically lose value due to internal water damage. Heaters, cooling units and washing machines (not to mention regular faucets) can all spring leaks, causing structural issues that are costly to repair. 


The best approach is prevention. Look for ways to replace worn out parts so that your units are unlikely to fail in the future. For instance, if you have a Whirlpool washing machine, use a Whirlpool spare part to replace any components that might lead to a leak. 


Second, prepare for disaster. Find out where your home’s stopcock is in the event of an emergency. This will let you turn off mains water, minimizing the damage that any persistent leak causes. 


Lastly, you’ll also want to insure against this hazard as well. Internal leaks are much more common than most homeowners realize, but can cost thousands of dollars to clean up when they occur. 


Hail Damage


Hail storms usually only last around five minutes. However, they can wreak dreadful devastation on homes, particularly as particle sizes grow. 


The problem with hail storms is that the hail itself forms high up in the atmosphere. It then falls for thousands of feet, often gaining mass as it descends. When it hits a surface, it imparts a huge amount of energy, leading to colossal damage. 


To prevent hailstorm damage, you’ll need to prepare well in advance. If you have shades and shutters, begin by closing them at the slightest sign of hail. Ideally, your home will have an electronic shutter closing system that you can activate at the touch of a button. Alternatively, you’ll need to run around the house, closing windows one by one. 


The next step is to bring all your patio and lawn furniture inside. Again, hail can seriously damage this. 


If you have vehicles outside, bring them under shelter - either a garage or a carport. If you don’t have either, you can try erecting a gazebo. Just make sure that you tie it down properly to prevent high winds from blowing it over. 


You can also invest in impact-resistant material for your roof. These materials won’t shatter like regular tiles - great for areas that see a lot of hail. 


Frozen Pipes And Leaky Roofs


While internal water damage is a risk, so is water that comes in from the outside. The most common entry point is your roof. Water can leak through into the attic by going around tiles and seeping into the surrounding woodwork. Over time, it causes damp, rot bad smells and structural weakness. It can also attract creatures. 


To prevent this, ensure that you adequately maintain your roof. Get a service once every five years so that a professional can check it for problems. Most roofs will last for at least 20 years in regular conditions. 


Frozen pipes are another big issue, particularly in the winter. When pipes freeze, water expands, damaging the surrounding pipework. Eventually, the pipes crack, so when the ice thaws, leaks occur. 


To prevent this, set your boiler to maintenance mode throughout the winter. Make sure that you set the minimum temperature for your home to 10 C. This way, you can stop freezing from ever occurring.


Another major issue is blocked and broken guttering. It is really important to keep all guttering clear of debris and damage-free. It is always worth booking in annual gutter cleaning and repair work have a look at Gutter Cleaning CEDAR RAPIDS for more information on this subject.


Theft


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Lastly, theft is another serious home liability that affects all too many people. Break-ins don’t just steal your possessions, they also put you in personal danger. 


To prevent theft, make sure that your home has plenty of lighting around the entrances. Also take part in neighborhood watch schemes and other programs designed to help local people club together and stop criminality. It is always recommended to install a home alarm on your property as soon as you move in. this is the best and most up to date way to protect your home from theft.


Lastly, you’ll want to insure your property’s contents against theft, should the worst happen.


Should I Have A Home Pond?

Photo: Unsplash


Regardless of whether it is a small oasis of water or a large, formal garden pond with a multitude of animals and plants. A pond in your own garden is definitely an asset. A garden pond not only enhances the look of the space but is also the perfect retreat to watch the fish and insects with their hustle and bustle on a garden bench, terrace or hammock. There is nothing more serene than lying back in your hammock listening to the pond lapping away. You can find hammocks online for reasonable prices these days. Just type in Hammockstore online and you will find one that will suit your needs.


Let’s look at what to look out for when creating your garden pond.

Which garden pond is the right one for your garden?

Basically, there is a choice between a pond with a prefabricated pond basin made of plastic or a classic foil pond. A prefabricated pool can be created quickly and is very practical, especially for a small garden pond.  However, if a slightly larger body of water is to be used, perhaps even a swimming pond, a garden pond with a flexible liner is more suitable. So you can determine the individual shape and size yourself. However, this type of pond construction is somewhat more complex than the one with a fixed shape. When creating a classic garden pond, at least two, better three, zones of different depths must be excavated. You could opt for using your water tank, if you have one. In this case, you should look at troubleshooting water pump problems and solutions.


Find the right location

At the beginning of every planning there is a suitable location. Therefore, consider which part of the garden is best suited for pond construction. Also keep in mind that there may be cables or other objects in the ground. If this is the location anyway, make sure that any disruptive elements are safely removed before or during the excavation. In addition, the soil should not be too penetrated by strong roots, as the pressure of the root system can lead to damage and therefore to leaks, especially with foil ponds.


The ideal location for a garden pond is a partially shaded place in the garden. Note that too much sunlight stimulates uncontrolled algae growth, but too little harms potential pond plants. There should be at least 5-6 hours of sunshine a day so that life in and around the pond can develop optimally.  Opt to have your garden pond away from too many overhanging trees or bushes, however. For this, there is a good reason! At first glance, as a partially shaded place, it may seem like a good choice of location for your pond. Shaded, and also cosy when you want to enjoy it. However, you should not forget that trees and large shrubs shed a considerable amount of leaves and needles all year round, but especially in autumn. These then fall directly into the garden pond and rot there. If they are not removed quickly and regularly, too much can throw the water out of balance. It is good to know in advance of this higher maintenance requirement for the pond.  Once you are aware of this, you can get to work on building your dream garden.


3 Ways You Can "Design Up" The Exterior Of Your Home, Right Now

 We spend a lot of time creating beautiful spaces inside our homes, and to be fair, here in Britain, with our fabulous weather (said no one ever), that’s perfectly acceptable and, in fact, desirable. But the exterior of our homes sets the tone for what’s happening on the inside, and if you’re planning on selling your home, well, it becomes vital that you pay some attention to what that looks like.


But (isn’t there always one?), in this age of “post-pandemic” economic recovery, money maybe a little too tight to mention, so we’ve found three simple but effective ways that you can improve the look of your home with a bit of effort, and a little cash.


Image By Mikes-Photography


LIGHT UP THE DARK


As we have those wonderfully short summer winter days in the United Kingdom, this could be of more import than one might have thought. Using creative lighting along pathways and around your front door, on balconies and in little hidden “nooks” can change the entire perception of your home at night. It goes some way to establishing the ambience of your home and how you experience your lived space.


If you install smart or intelligent lighting, you can interact with your home from an app that can turn on lights in specific places to increase security and monitor electric usage in and around your home.


UPGRADE YOUR MOAT. (OR JUST YOUR FRONT DOOR)


Remember that door in the hit movie Notting Hill? Our point exactly. A distinctive, custom made entry can completely change the exterior of your home and instantly add a level of personality that is uniquely yours. (and it may add to the value of your home too) If you have pets, you can install intelligent pet doors that interact with a collar on your pet to open and close automatically as they approach the door. Not just über cool but also a security addition.


WINDOWS ARE THE EYES TO YOUR HOME


Your home’s windows are its “eyes”, and dirty, scratched or unkept windows cast an awful impression over your house, and if you’re on the inside, looking out of them will literally change your view of the world.


If you don’t have it yet, then double-glazing can also go some way to keeping your home cool in the summer and warmer in the winter, and it’s a great way to add some value to your home as well.  If you happen to have a few extra quid lying around, consider installing outdoor blinds, awnings or shutters to increase your curb appeal and add some character to your house.


Our properties are not just homes or places to grow up in; they’re also instrumental investments in creating generational wealth. As the primary means of wealth creation and transfer in our societies, keeping our lived spaces as pristine as possible makes perfect sense. Not only does a clean and sharp common area inspire calmer, more serene spaces, but finding ways to increase the value of our homes has become something or a ritual and national hobby.


With a little creativity and elbow grease you can make an impressive difference to the exterior of your home, that lasts.