The 8 Things You Need to Design an Amazing Bathroom

If you’re thinking about redecorating your bathroom (or starting from scratch and designing the best bathroom you can imagine), you’ll want to take a look at the 8 tips below to start. Designing a bathroom can be a daunting task, but with the right ideas, wherewithal and resolve, you can design an amazing room with moderate effort.

  1. Geometric shapes

Geometry is a great design element because it plays tricks on our eyes and creates optical illusions that we can use to our favor. For example, designing a white bathroom with an overlapping square pattern that starts on the floor and moves up the walls can promote continuity in the room and create the effect of receding walls. In addition to having a very “Alice in Wonderland” feel, it creates an illusion that makes a small bathroom appear larger than it is.

  1. Rethink the sink

The sink is probably the most-used feature of any bathroom. The one you choose doesn’t have to be run-of-the-mill or standard or boring. There are plenty of vintage sinks available at local garage sales or secondhand hardware shops that you can refinish or even repurpose for your unique bathroom. You can get commercial sinks or even repurpose an old metal wash tub to get an earthy rustic vibe.

  1. Go elegant

The bathroom is not always the most glamorous of rooms but that doesn’t mean it can’t be. You can add elements of class, glamour, style and elegance to any bathroom by adding a few significant accent pieces. For example, adding an oversized mirror or one with very ornate framing can add a Victorian-esque flavor to the room. An added benefit is that a large mirror can also make a small bathroom appear larger.

  1. Get artsy with it

Adding a bunch of art to the walls (or floors or ceiling) can add a lot of personality to your bathroom. Choosing different – or similar – frames can be fun and an easy way to complement the rest of the room, regardless of the overarching style you choose. Another idea is to save shopping bags from your favorite designers (Chanel, Prada, etc.), cut them into squares and then frame them. Voila! You have custom art that oozes class.

  1. Embrace regional style

Give your bathroom a style of its own by assigning a regional décor. You can add southwest flair with some terra cotta flooring, a clay vanity and warm colors throughout the room. If you can wrangle up a steer skull decoration from a local vendor, it also adds that southwestern style.

  1. Neutralize

Neutral tones are often an overlooked element that can add a cool, calm and collected look to any room. Browns, tans, greys and beiges are a nice touch to keep things simple yet stated. Making beige or an eggshell tone the base color and then accenting with deep browns and greys can add flavor to your bathroom without going overboard.

  1. Bring the outdoors in

There’s no better place to merge outdoors concepts with inside design than in the bathroom. Whether you add wood-framed pine branches, a majestic palm tree or just some maple branches in a vase, adding some green to the room literally freshens it up. Don’t be afraid to get creative with the types of plants and flowers you feature in your bathroom.

  1. Mix white with light

The best combination for any bathroom is white and light. While adding color is never a bad thing when designing a room, keeping it all white can be a nice touch, too. This is especially true if your bathroom gets lots of natural light. By pairing that natural light with a white background, you are actually emphasizing two elements that can make a small bathroom appear larger.

Choosing the style in which to redecorate your bathroom doesn’t have to be difficult. Use one or all of the ideas above to transform a blasé bathroom into an amazing space. If you have a cramped bathroom, some of these tips can make that bathroom look larger. If you have a basic bathroom that needs sprucing up, you can use more than one of the tips above to add character and class.

Smarter home with a smarter phone service Ooma #HelloOomaSavings #ooma

Smart homes are all the rage right now.  Having your lights connected to your thermostat, microwave and coffee maker can make you house run a little smoother and futuristic.  With a few knobs and pulleys, breakfast can be made using a skateboard a chicken some eggs and a rubber glove.  Kidding!

But in all seriousness smart houses are getting more and more complex and more interesting.  Today we looked at the home phone plan known as Ooma.  Ooma works in a unique way, you but the unit itself, $99.99.  Then after words all you have to pay is a one time phone number port fee and monthly taxes and fess and such adding up to less then $10 in most areas, even less then $5 in others.

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In our house we use a Voice over IP phone line which is similar to Ooma but ends up costing quite a bit more then it, $40-$45 per month compared to Oooma’s $7.

This ends up saving us ,pre then $400 per year.  This adds up quickly and is a nice to actually have some money tucked away.

Ooma can also interface with your smart home devices including Amazon Echo, Nest, Phillip Hue and LIFX smart light bulbs, and others, making your home safer and more convenient than before. Some exampled of what Ooma can do with your smart home are:
Receive a call when smoke or carbon monoxide is detected with the option to connect to local emergency services.
Initiate a call or check messages with Amazon Echo’s Alexa voice assistant.
Automatically turn on call forwarding when you leave home.
Get incoming calls and voicemail notifications on an Apple Watch or Android Wear Watch.
Get alerted of incoming phone call or voicemails visually with lights and know if it’s someone you know (Green) vs. someone you don’t (Red).

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What most surprised us is the quality of the phone calls and the service provided to a bare minimum of charges.  For simply taxes and fees you can receive:

Free U.S. Calling: Only pay taxes and fees, no long-term contract required.
#1 rated home phone service for five years in a row by leading consumer research publication
Superior voice quality and reliability
Caller ID and call-waiting
Free Ooma-to-Ooma calling anywhere in world
30-day money-back guarantee and extendable 1-year warranty with live customer support
911 Calling and Text Alerts
Free Mobile App
15 minute, easy set-up
One-time $39.99 transfer fee to keep home phone number or choose your own number in most any available area code for free
My Ooma online portal: Play messages, check call logs and control preferences online, from anywhere

There is also a Premiere service which better help with smart home integration as well as some more nifty bells and whistles, costing $9.99/month.
Block telemarketers and other unwanted calls with personal, community and expanded blacklists
Free calling to Canada
Instant Second Line
Voicemail-to-email forwarding
Ring your home and mobile simultaneously
Call forwarding
Anonymous call blocking
Enhanced caller ID
Smart Home integrations (except Amazon Echo, which is part of Basic service)

@miraclegro Gro-ables #GroablesProject #ad

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Miracle-Gro Gro-ables for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

There is a new way to grow a garden and it couldn’t be simpler or smarter at the same time. Gro-ables are a garden starter kit, in simple pod form.

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Each pod is planted int he ground and watered. Then before you know it, it sprouts and you have garden full of fresh vegetables. Is this an over simplified explanation? No, it isn’t. Each pod contains growing material, plant food, and a seed. The growing material nestles the seed perfectly, and when watered, delivers the perfect amount to bring about root growth which then grows into the plant food giving the plant the boost it needs to grow big and green. It brings you the most delicious garden greens and vegetables. From herbs, to vegetables, and even lettuce- there are lots of choices to pick from.

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In addition to the pod itself, there is also a Gro-ables app which helps you remember to water and cultivate your new garden and makes sure your Gro-ables do grow.

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“At Miracle-Gro®, we believe that there’s a lot to learn from even the smallest plants. So we started The Groables® Project: a movement to share the joy of growing herbs and veggies while giving kids truly hands-on learning experiences. Join us by planting your own Groables, taking part in the activities below and sharing your story!”

Gro Ables are available everywhere plants are sold as well as online. They are available as Jalapeno peppers, basil, cherry tomato, cucumber, globe tomato, lettuce, sweet peppers, watermelon, zucchini, and broccoli.

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Pardon the mint! He loves it, and won’t pull it out unless he’s using it.

These are prefect for those of us with a less then green thumb, and little kids who want to help in the garden. My son loves gardening, and these are a welcome addition to our annual vegetable garden. Every year we try to grow some new things in addition to our regular garden, and these will be fun (now that the weather has finally started to cooperate!)

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Why Won’t My Garden Grow? Gardening When You Don’t Have a “Green Thumb”

My son and I love to garden, and dad gets in on it as well- at least on the vegetable gardening portion. I’ve always wanted one of those amazing, fragrant rose gardens (of course, with other flowers in the mix as well) and my son shares this dream, perhaps oddly.  He loves to run around in gardens, and now that he’s older, take photos of all of his favorite flowers. Roses top that list.

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We plant seeds inside each year as well, and transplant the ones that can live outdoors outside when the weather is right.  My son loves watching his little greenhouses grow.  They are also fun 4H projects for the end of the year now that he’s old enough to participate in those clubs.  There are all sorts of cute kits we like to try, as well as the traditional seeds and dirt.

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We also grow a fruit and (mostly) vegetable garden every year.  We don’t have a large yard, and neither of our gardens are huge- just rows along the fences. But we enjoy it, and that’s what matters. Some of the plants we grow from seeds, others from “starter” plants from home stores, and this year from these interesting pods from Miracle Gro. (Read about them here if you want.)  I hadn’t seen them before, but he likes them, and most of them are growing pretty well so far.

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We are also going to pick up some hanging baskets this year for strawberries and hulaberries- which are similar, but have a pineapple flavor. We usually grow them on the ground, but thought we’d try something new this year since we are growing both blackberries and blueberries this year as well.

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Last year, I didn’t do much with the garden.  It has quickly become over-run with weeds and growth.  My bushes, plants, and flowers (bulbs too!) have just not been doing well, and it’s frustrating.  The bulbs have been rotting in the ground, 2 out of 4 rosebushes have died over the past 4 years, 1 out of 2 azaleas have died (and the other won’t grow), and neither hydrangea is growing or doing well. I’ve been composting, tilling the soil, fertilizing, and winterizing the plants- and with no luck.

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This year, as gardening season finally gets started here in NJ, I’m really making an effort to figure out what’s going on with my poor garden.  Is it the soil, the sunlight, some kind of bug- or just a terrible gardener?

We started with 2 days of garden cleanup, weeding, tilling, etc, and put a few new plants in.  Let us see how this season progresses.

Wish me luck, please!

 

Ghostbed leads to a supernaturally good sleep

Disclosure- We received a sample to facilitate this review.  All opinions are my own and honest.  For more, see “I Disclose”.

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Ghostbed is the newest innovation/invention from the minds behind Natures Sleep.  They decided to make a mattress that is both supportive of your neck and back, and also comfortable which would lead to a great night’s sleep.  The Ghostbed is made from top quality materials and uses the latest in sleep technology.  As a result, it provided the perfect balance of supernatural comfort and total body support.

What really separates the Ghostbed from its competitors is three fold- one, the mattress is thicker, so therefore more comfortable and provides more responsiveness to the body.  Two, the price- it is more affordable (as much as 25% savings passed directly to the customers).  Third is the chill factor, using latex and gel the bed keeps you much cooler at night which helps keep you sleeping deeper and longer for a more relaxing rest.

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The mattress itself is made up of multiple layers each with a different purpose:

1½” Continuous aerated latex foam is naturally responsive, plush and does not retain heat

2″ Gel memory foam uses a proprietary formula with larger cells to make it more reactive to the body for cooler nights

7½” High density base layer for increased support and longevity

11″ Total Height of the GhostBed Mattress

On top of the mattress is a luxurious cover with a blend of viscose and polyester for stretch-ability and a plush feel cover which easily zips off and is machine washable.  Also it is handcrafted for durability and long-life and is CertiPUR-US certified.

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We got this great mattress for the little guy.  He has always been a difficult sleeper ever since birth, and as such he needs all the help he can get.  At first, the height made him a bit leery (his last mattress was very low) but after laying down on the bed itself he was pleasantly surprised, and wanted to hit the hay right then and there.  The bed fully fluffed within a few hours and was the perfect fit for him.  He also enjoyed helping with the setup, as we can see.

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The Ghostbed mattress is available online and includes a 20 year warranty, a 101 night sleep trial, and free shipping.  It is available in sizes including twin, twinXL, Full, Queen, King, and Cal King.  Prices range from $495 for the twin size up to $925 for the Cal King.

Visit https://www.ghostbed.com/ for more info and to order yours.

For more info and to order yours or visit this Ghostbed review for more information. Their detailed inspection will surely convince you that this is the best mattress on the market.

Is dealing with termites yourself an option?

Many people ask whether it is possible to deal with termite issues themselves. If you have a termite problem, or you want to prevent one from happening, it may seem like a good option to try and deal with the issue rather than calling on professionals to help. If you are thinking of doing this it’s worth remembering that dealing with termites is not easy and that if these pests are not handled properly they can cause a lot of damage.

You may feel more comfortable calling a professional like an Aurora exterminator to control your termite problem. If you do decide to try and deal with the issue yourself then you need to know that there are two different methods available to deal with termites; barrier treatments or baits. It is possible to use a combination of both methods.

Using barrier treatments for termites

This type of treatment helps to deal with termites in two ways; it can help prevent termites from entering the structure of your home and it can help to prevent termites that are already in the structure from reaching the soil from which they get the moisture they require. Using a liquid termiticide enables you to treat your property close to any termite infestation you have. The problem with doing so is that you may have to drill through concrete in order to get the solution to where it needs to be.

This can be a difficult task to complete. It’s a lot easier if you can apply a termiticide directly to the area where it is needed. If you have a crawl space around your home then you should be able to do this. It’s worth noting that the barrier treatments you can use to help control termites only last for between five and eight years on average.

Using termite baits

Many people use termite baits as an alternative to barrier treatments; many also use both methods at the same time. Termite baits are placed into the ground with the aim of having termites eat them. Once the termites are attracted to the baits they eat and they are poisoned. It’s fairly simple to lay baits where a colony of termites has been discovered. You can also lay baits in order to keep an eye out for termites around your property. This type of treatment is ideal if you are worried about using pesticides or if you have previously used barrier treatments and been unsuccessful.

If you suspect you may have termites on your property, or if you want to try and prevent a termite infestation, then you can use either of these methods. As you can see there can be issues involved with doing the work yourself and you are certainly not guaranteed to be successful. You should also remember that termites can do a considerable amount of damage to your home if they are not dealt with in the correct manner. Often people find it easier and more successful to hire a professional to deal with a termite problem in their property.

6 Mandatory Guidelines When Storing a Mattress

You spend a lot of your time with your mattress, so when it’s time to move or go on a long trip, it’s important that you take the necessary steps to store it properly. Some people think it doesn’t matter how they transport or store their mattresses, but if you don’t take the proper care, you could end up warping or damaging it, rendering it unusable. Here are six mandatory guidelines when storing any mattress.

1. Store in a Cool, Dry Place

A temperature-controlled storage unit is the ideal place to store a mattress if you are moving, going on a trip, or simply not using the mattress anymore at this time. Damp places can cause odors to soak into the materials and damage the mattress surface. Keep it dry and cool.

2. Cover It Up

Before you move your mattress at all, clean it thoroughly with an upholstery cleaner or baking soda (just sprinkle it on, let it sit for an hour, then vacuum it up). After it is cleaned, be sure to cover it by stretching plastic over it or using sheets. Avoid storing your mattress simply as it is. Covering it up will keep out bugs, critters, and dust.

3. Stand the Mattress Up for the Short Term

If you are only storing your mattress temporarily, stand it up. This helps it to retain its shape. Storing it flat on hard ground could cause it to lose its shape thanks to the effects of gravity. Storing it up on its side is ideal.

4. Lay It Flat for the Long Term

If you will be storing the mattress for a long time, then it may be fine to store it flat—but only if you plan on setting up everything. This alleviates much of the damage and gravity effects the mattress is likely to experience in the long term. Ideally, store the mattress up on its side. If you have the space to set up your whole bed frame, then it may be okay to lay it flat on that.

5. Keep Everything Off of Your Mattress

Do not put anything on your mattress while it is in storage. This will damage it over time, and you will be left with a warped, wonky sleeping area. The only thing that should be on your mattress in storage is the protective cover.

6. Transport It Properly

Move your mattress from place to place in a covered moving truck. Transporting it on top of a car, van, or SUV is likely to lead to a warped form, damage, and strange odors. As long as you follow these six essential steps when it comes time to store your mattress, you should be able to keep it in great shape until you’re ready to use it again.

Moving House: How To Make That New Home A Home

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When you are moving house, there are many different difficulties and challenges which you need to face. One of the problems which a lot of people find occurs only after they have moved.  Too many people move and then find themselves worrying that their new house is not right for them! This is an experience which many of us have been through. The truth is, it can come as quite a severe shock. However, all is not lost; there are a number of things you can do to make that home yours. Most of it will simply come in time, and you need to just be patient and let it happen. But there are some steps to take from day one to make sure that it actually happens, so you may as well! Let’s have a look at some of the things you can do now.

Decorate

A lot of people end up not getting around to decorating for a long time. That is perfectly understandable; after all, it seems like a lot of effort. Often, when you have just gone through the stress of moving home, you just want to relax for a while. Personally, I’m of the opinion that you should just carry on and get it all done as soon as you possibly can. That way, you can relax fully knowing that your home is yours. Re-decorating is the quickest and simplest way to make a new home your own. If you don’t do this, you are missing a trick. It can even be a fun activity to share with those you live with. If you have kids, it can be a really therapeutic way to get them involved in the entire house moving process. You need not decorate the entire house to give it your own flavour. Just the living room and bedrooms will do to start with. You can always do the rest at a later time.

Cut Costs

Part of the stress of moving is the worry involved in living costs. That’s why I think it’s a great idea to just get it sorted as quickly as you can.  As soon as you move, check your energy suppliers.  In terms of peace of mind, there are few companies who can offer you more in such a short space of time. They have a long history of helping their customers reduce their energy costs.

Experiment
Last but by no means least: experiment! This is your new home, after all, so you may as well have fun with it. So many people simply accept what they are given, without bothering to change anything. Personally, I think that’s mad. As soon as you have settled in, do yourself a favor and start moving furniture around. Just play around with what you have, and what out what works. Remember that you will be living there for a long time, so you may as well make it as comfortable as possible.