Image credit

Depending on where you live, it might feel almost impossible to maintain a nice-looking home when you’re dead set on feeling comfortable. Take the winter, for instance, having thick and heavy curtains over the windows and doorways and layers upon layers of blankets on the couches and beds. 

Even how you dress at home may have an impact, too. There needs to be this balance between having a nice home and being comfortable, and that goes for the summer months, too. Honestly, it can feel almost like it’s impossible. But it can very much be possible to have a stylish-looking home all while keeping comfortable, even in the summer. Can you be budget-friendly while doing this? Absolutely! So, here’s everything that you need to know!

It All Starts with the Window Treatments

Windows are your first line of defense against the sun’s heat. Choose window treatments that strike a balance between style and functionality. There are some things you’ll need to keep in mind, so it’s not really a good idea to pick just any window treatment and just immediately assume it’s going to do the trick. So, you’re going to want to keep in mind that light-colored curtains might be the best option- especially when it comes to being stylish in the summer months. Light-colored curtains are made from breathable fabrics like cotton or linen. 

They’ll not only add an airy, sophisticated touch to your interiors but also filter sunlight without trapping heat. It doesn’t totally end there, either, though. They need to be energy efficient, too, and not every window treatment is energy efficient. As already mentioned, breathable fabrics are stylish; if that’s what you want to go for, then go ahead, but they’re not energy efficient compared to thick black-out curtains or honeycomb shades. 

You’re going to especially need this to keep out the heat, especially during the limbo period, while you’re looking for an AC repair technician during one of those super hot summer days. It’s honestly about finding the right balance, something that, for the most part, can feel a tad challenging. 

Embrace Light and Airy Decor

In the summertime (and spring, too), you’re going to want to embrace airy decor. It goes with that summer theme; it feels all light and bright. It’s all about having that light-neutral color palette like whites, beiges, and super soft pastels. Minimalism is super important, too, since this helps with creating and airiness. 

The less is more when it comes to this concept, and that’s super important for airiness. Plus, in the summer months, more things retain heat, like rugs, so removing those can help with creating a cooler space. Lastly, just some natural materials will help keep up with the light and airy decor, but it technically doesn’t help with keeping the house cool (just makes it look cool instead). 

Consider the Airflow

Whether you’re using windows, AC, or fans to keep the house cool, you’ll need to think about the airflow too, like your furniture placement and how well everything is expanding. You want the air to flow freely and comfortably throughout the space.  Like, if you have a couch and it’s parked next to the AC, then, of course, your home won’t cool off.  Nowadays, even ceiling fans are basically known for helping out too. 

CC0 Licensed Image Courtesy of Pexels

Budget-friendly decorating isn’t impossible. It can cost a lot to decorate, and even a small room will run into the thousands. So if you are stuck for funds, you may have to come up with some savvy solutions such as getting what you can for free or buying preloved stuff for your home.

Think Very Far Ahead

On average, we decorate every three to five years and renovate around once every fifteen years. But you can save a ton of money by thinking ahead of how you go about it. For example, a new kitchen floor could set you back quite a few dollars. So why buy one that only looks great for a few years and then needs replacing? Play the long game with durable (and sustainable) flooring options such as Spanish tiles, natural hardwood, and stone or polished concrete.

Source Free Materials for Budget-Friendly Decorating

You can get a lot for free when you really try. One of the easiest ways is to just ask. Many people actually have new stuff lying around that they haven’t even used and just want to get rid of it. This includes things like extra paint, wallpaper, and brushes from the last decorating job they did. This also reduced stuff going to waste and landfills. Other sources of free stuff include Facebook Groups, sites like Freecycle in the UK, and just asking when you are at a family party.

Improve Instead of Replace

It’s nice to have new things at home. But many things actually don’t need replacing when you look. For example, your kitchen cupboards are probably fine and have good bones. So why rip them out for new ones? Maybe replacing the doors and the handles or even painting them will help. You can also do this with other things, such as couches, chairs, and bedding. Maybe your stuff isn’t new but isn’t too old either, and new upholstery can give the furniture a lease of life.

Try Some Interior Design Tricks

Have you ever been wowed by a room’s makeover, even though not much has really changed? That’s because interior designers are great at what they do, and they are almost like magicians when it comes to decor. They use certain tricks to fool you, some of which are as follows:

• Replacing old and tired colors with brighter and neutral tones to emphasize space.
• Picking quality items to place in a room and removing anything useless to the space.
• Placing things at the correct heights, such as artwork, mirrors, and even curtains.
• Using lower furniture to make the walls and ceilings look higher than they really are.
• Bringing in home-friendly plants to add freshness and vibrance to a room.

The insight of modern interior design isn’t easy, and it helps to know one when decorating. However, these quick tricks can enhance your room when decorating if you get them right.

Add Quick and Easy Fittings

Adding new fittings to a room can bring it back to life. Some can be purely decorative, such as moldings, and some offer new features. For example, you can revitalize your next bathroom decor project with some recessed lighting. This will bring your bathroom into the 21st century while giving you that luxury spa or hotel feel. You can also renew an office or living room with a simple and cheap but very effective feature wall, best placed around a fireplace for impact.

Buy Preloved Stuff for Budget-Friendly Decorating

Too much stuff just gets thrown away when most can be reused. There’s always someone you know getting rid of something, whether it’s a couch, TV unit, or a simple office chair. The point is there is no reason for most stuff to be tossed when you can use them. Of course, some repairs or a good cleaning might be needed. But there is life left in most things. You can visit charity stores in your local area and buy some cheap stuff there while also helping out a good cause.

How About Just Moving Stuff Around?

Interior design tricks are mentioned above. But one that is missed is that many designers simply move stuff around to make better use of the available space. The incorrect placement of furniture and fittings can really impose on a room. So before you even think of decorating, see what you can do by rearranging stuff. Empty the room of all clutter and items, and play with different variations of where your main furniture is placed. The results might surprise you.

Summary

You can think ahead and use sustainable materials for a budget-friendly decorating project. There are also some designer tricks you can use, such as rearranging the room’s furniture.

Pexels. CCO Licensed.

There are many parts of your home that could have money-making potential. A spare bedroom could be rented out to a lodger, while an empty area of your backyard could be used to grow vegetables to sell. You may have already considered these parts of your home, but one part of your home you probably hadn’t considered was your roof. Many of us never go up on our roof, but this unused space has a lot of potential. Below are just 3 examples of ways in which you can make money from your roof.

Provide solar power to your community

Many people install solar panels on their roof in order to enjoy a free source of energy for themselves. However, such solar panels don’t just have to be for personal use. Community solar projects have become very common in heavily developed urban areas – they consist of installing solar panels on a single property and sharing the power with neighbours who may not have access to a roof. Everyone who wants to get involved can chip in to help fund installation of the solar panels. Alternatively, you can charge energy fees for people to use your solar panels – which could be at a much cheaper rate than grid energy. You can read more into community solar customer acquisition here. 

Grow crops on a rooftop garden

If you have a flat roof, it may be possible to turn this into a rooftop garden. This could be used as somewhere to relax, or you could potentially turn it into a vegetable patch to grow some produce. Rooftop farming in cities is thought to become very popular in the future and is already starting to gain traction. It is quite expensive to build a rooftop garden – especially one with safe access. Crops can be grown in raised beds or in a greenhouse to reduce conversion costs. The larger the roof, the more produce you can potentially grow. You can check out this post to see some spectacular rooftop farms.

Rent your roof out as advertising space

If you’ve got a home located on a busy street, you may be able to take advantage of this by setting up advertising space for a billboard. Such billboards are more commonly found on the side of homes, but can also be added to rooftops. You get to choose which advertisers are allowed to rent out your advertising space.Just be wary that billboards may not be allowed in some areas due to restrictions regarding protrusions from roofs. In other areas, billboards may be allowed, but may have to be placed in certain locations on the roof and  may have to be a certain size. There are other inventive ways in which companies have used roofs of homes for advertising space that are less protrusive than a billboard that could also be worth looking into – check out this example of rooftop Coors ads that also double up as cooling features. 

https://unsplash.com/photos/1_yycyoMT6g

When your garden isn’t really looking as great as it could be, you may find that you don’t always want to be in it. Yet, any outside space really will have so much potential. It’s just about getting to work and seeing what you can do with the space. But in order to do that, you need to know where to start. So if you’ve found that you really want to be using your garden more, you can. In this blog post, we’re going to take a look at what you need to do to get it into shape.

Give it a Tidy Up

To start with, you’re going to want to make sure that you go around and give it a tidy-up. If you have things everywhere and you find that everything is overgrown, it’s going to always look messy. So, instead, by getting out there and looking to tidy it all up and getting into shape. If you’ve left it for so long that it’s all full of weeds and branches and all needs a tidy up, doing this will make a huge difference – even if it takes the most work.

Treat Your Lawn

From here, you’re then going to want to tackle the lawn. If you know that your lawn is looking quite sparse, then this is the next thing to work on. You may find that it really helps for you to invest in lawn care services in order for it to really come to life. But at the same time, you can take this on yourself. By nurturing your lawn correctly, it should start to take shape and really look beautiful.

Create a Dining Space

At this point, if you don’t already have an outdoor dining space, then you’re going to want to think about creating one. Having a really pretty space to sit and enjoy your garden, have your morning coffee, and even have a few drinks can be great. It will make all of the hard work that you’ve put into the space feel completely worth it.

Plant Something Pretty

At the same time, you’re going to want to take a look at what you’re planting in the space too. If you ripped out a ton of stuff during the clearout, then you’ll want to think about replacing it with something new. After all, having some pretty plants and flowers can really bring the space alive too.

Stay on Top of it

Ultimately, you’re going to want to stay on top of it in order for your garden to start looking the part too. If you find that you are not able to maintain it regularly, then it’s going to show. You’ll need to make sure that you’re mowing the lawn and trimming plants and bushes regularly in the growing season in order for them to look great. Plus, in doing so, you’ll find that your outside space becomes much more manageable all year round.

Your home is likely one of your favorite places in the world.

After all, countless memories are made within those walls. As a result, whether you live in a new build or are trying to look after an older home, it’s important that you work to protect it from damage. After all, failure to do so could mean that you’re spending a fortune on repairs.

While there are many different maintenance issues you may encounter as a homeowner, the most pressing tend to be those caused by adverse weather conditions, such as storms and floods. 

Photo by Luke Southern on Unsplash

With that in mind, here are some simple steps you can take to protect your home, whatever the weather! 

Seal any cracks. 

Cracks in window and door frames or exterior walls can allow air to enter or escape your home. Not only could this mean that your energy bills skyrocket, but it could also expose your home to the elements. As such, you must work to seal any of these gaps before bad weather hits. For example, you can use sealants or weatherstripping to achieve this goal. 

Be prepared for the aftermath. 

While it’s important that you make a real effort to protect your home from damage, you should also be prepared for the aftermath of adverse weather so that you’re able to repair any issues right away. For example, if your property were to flood, you should be prepared to reach out to companies that offer 

Water Damage Mitigation Services. This way, they can arrive on-site right away, reducing any long-term damage to your home. 

Maintain your roof. 

Maintaining your roof is a relatively easy way to weather and waterproof your home. After all, when tiles are damaged or missing, they provide a getaway from the elements, be that wind or water, to enter your home, which could lead to a wide range of maintenance issues. For example, the build-up of moisture within your attic space could lead to mold and mildew. As such, you should regularly inspect your roof for any signs of damage, working to carry out any repairs as quickly as possible. 

Shore Up Your Electrics 

Harsh weather conditions can wreak havoc on your home’s energy supply, especially if you live in an older property with an outdated panel unit. If your setup is too old, you risk flickering lights and blown fuses among other problems. Before storms or floods strike your home, research electrical panel replacements and fittings to help keep the lights on (and your family safe) during adverse or extreme weather. 

Clean out your gutters. 

Another way in which you can prevent weather damage to your property is by keeping your gutters clean and free from any debris. After all, when they become clogged, this stops rainwater from filtering away from your property. This could also cause both interior and exterior pipes to burst. Thankfully, cleaning out your gutters is a task that you can easily DIY – which means you don’t have to break the bank to protect your property. However, you should be careful when working at height in order to avoid accidents or injuries! 

Final thoughts. 

While we cannot control the weather (though that would be fun), there are plenty of steps we can take to protect our homes from adverse weather conditions. Doing so will help you to cut back on maintenance and repair costs while also giving you greater peace of mind. 

Source – Pixabay CC0 License

A winning garden space brings a whole new dimension to the home. However, it can feel like a daunting task if you have let yours go unloved for several months. Thankfully, with the right strategy, it will be possible to design the peaceful paradise that you deserve.

Whether you have a compact or large backyard space, it can become your favorite part of the home. Here are five simple steps that will lead you to success.

Choose The Right Plants & Trees

If you are eager to bring tranquility into the garden, the natural beauty of plants and trees will be the key to success. Pindo palm trees are the perfect choice if you want a tropical vibe but live in a location that lacks the climate needed for other palm tree types. Meanwhile, you should be eager to introduce vibrant flowers. When using seasonal blooms, you must plan ahead so that the garden shines all year.

The right plants will set the tone for your garden. Just be sure to consider the ongoing maintenance needs too. 

Declutter 

Knowing which trees you wish to plant is one thing but you also need to remove the clutter. Removing unwanted shrubs or stone features will make it far easier to begin work on the upgrade. Meanwhile, simple ideas like removing weeds can help you ensure that only the desired insects enter the garden. Their sounds can be very peaceful, especially when you’re not worried about them causing damage.

Hiring a skip may be necessary if you have lots of brickwork, broken furniture, or foliage to remove. Or you could hire a professional.

Source – Pixabay CC0 License

Build A Simple Deck

If adding a new dimension to the home is your goal, a garden deck is ideal. It is possible to build a simple one with help from an online tutorial. Adding backyard furniture, along with heating and lighting will take your enjoyment to new heights. You can enjoy it alone, with your family or when hosting friends. It’s certainly versatile.

Patios offer many of the same benefits. However, the natural materials of a wood deck will add to the peaceful atmosphere.

Add A Water Feature

OK, so a swimming pool is expensive and high maintenance. However, a simple hot tub is the perfect place to relax your muscles and mind. Alternatively, the sound of a small water feature can be very relaxing too. You will probably want to choose one that can be turned on and off as required. When you get it right, though, it will transform the garden into a calming setting for all the senses.

Of course, if you have children, you’ll need to consider the safety factors. In truth, though, only small adjustments will be required.

Lay An Artificial Lawn

For many homeowners, the problems don’t surface from completing a garden makeover. The main issues relate to maintenance. One of the easiest ways to overcome this is with an artificial lawn. You will no longer need to cut it. Instead, you’ll just need to vacuum it to maintain a pristine look. Given that robotic vacuums can be purchased to do this, the appeal is greater than ever.

Besides, it means that you can spend less time maintaining the garden and more time enjoying it. Perfect.