Are your closets overflowing with pictures and other framed goods that would undoubtedly look much better hung in a prominent location than hardly ever seeing the light of day? Hanging pictures is a great way to tie a room together and add some character and personality to your space.
Instead of simply hanging one picture here and another one there, you can work through your collection a whole lot quicker if you think outside the box and cluster pictures, creating a gallery wall.
But before you go grabbing for a hammer, nails and maybe even a level, assess the space and items you have lying around and come up with a plan. While you may not stick to it 100 percent once you get started-and that’s okay-having even a rough idea of how you envision the space when it’s complete will save you a lot of trouble.
Stick to Your Style. While you may have swooned over gallery walls in other people’s homes or in design magazines, trying to recreate something you’ve seen will most likely leave you feeling less than impressed with your own creation. Tune into your own personal style and incorporate photographs, artwork from your children, greeting cards, a favorite piece of fabric or any other trinkets that truly mean something to you. When creating a gallery wall, anything goes.
Mix and Match. Variety is key here. From various sizes of artwork to numerous textures and even different colored frames, don’t shy away from incorporating different pieces and styles to create a personalized, yet cohesive, look.
Plan It Out. The best way to avoid putting unnecessary holes in the wall is to plan out the entire design before you even think about taking a hammer to the wall. (If you’re a visual person, this step is even more important, so try to resist the urge to skip it.) While it’ll require some additional time, you’re going to want to trace each frame onto a piece of paper. Once the templates have been cut out, tape them to the wall in a pattern of your choosing. Then move them around as necessary until you find the perfect grouping.
Switch It Up. One of the best (or worst?) things about incorporating a gallery wall into your space is the fact that it’s never finished! Don’t be afraid to keep adding things or even swapping out certain pieces.
If you’re ready to finally cross that gallery wall off your to-do list, remember, the options are endless. And there’s no right or wrong way to go about it.
3 Tips for Low-Maintenance Landscaping
Having a beautifully landscaped property makes your home instantly more welcoming and can also increase your home value by boosting your curb appeal. However, unless you are willing to get down-and-dirty, or want to budget for a consistent landscaping team, a beautiful yard can seem like a daunting undertaking. Thankfully, there are some excellent options for low-maintenance landscaping for any home that you will love.
Go For Mulch
Whether you opt for an expansive lawn with easy to care for foliage surrounding it, or you opt for an even lower maintenance option to cover the expanse of your yard, you will no-doubt want to create a few planting beds to add visual appeal and variety. In these areas, keep it simple by covering the bed with a barrier cloth and mulch for weed control. You can opt to replace organic mulch (which will provide your garden with nutrients) annually, or select rubber mulch for a truly hands-off option. There are pros and cons for both options depending on your climate, so consult a local garden expert to find out what is best for your needs.
Choose River Rock
While river rock requires a larger upfront investment than mulch, it can be used in areas where mulch may have been used. Its benefits are similar to that of inorganic mulch-it will not decay over the course of the year and will not need to be replaced. Large river rocks can serve as an accent or focal-point in an otherwise plant-based yard, while smaller river rocks can take the place of full lawns.
Low-Maintenance Plant Choices
Native or Xeric plants are the perfect options to ensure that your yard has greenery without needing to be constantly tended to. Plants that grow locally are less-likely to need excessive care to flourish in your yard and climate, making them a logical inclusion in your landscaping. Alternatively xeriscaping your yard by adding Succulents like Aloe Vera, hearty ornamental sages, and Artemisia is an excellent way to add texture and beauty while remaining relatively drought resistant. This can allow you to conserve water and reduce your need to water often, but still have a visually appealing yard.
Having curb appeal doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your hard-earned weekends on the yard. A little knowledge of your local climate can do a lot to ensure that your landscaping is low-maintenance and lasts for years to come.
6 Items to Upgrade Your Backyard
Making your backyard perfect for the spring and summer seasons is more important now than ever. With social distancing still here to stay and outdoor gatherings remaining the best way to enjoy close friends and family, now is a great time to elevate your outdoor space. Upgrade your backyard with these six items.
Raised Herb Garden
Whether you have a large garden already, or no garden at all, adding a small raised planter on your deck or patio is an excellent choice. Keep shade-loving herbs close by for added appeal and greenery in your seating area. Not only will your space look lovely, but your outdoor dinners will get a huge boost of flavor with fresh herbs ready to be used.
Fire Pit
Stay out even on chilly spring or summer nights with a fire pit. Choose a gas fire table or pit that follows your municipal fire safety laws and your whole family will enjoy the warmth and ambiance all night long. Adults will enjoy the relaxing conversation focal point and kids will adore the promise of smores in summer.
Wall Decor
You would never call a space finished indoors before adding a few art and decor pieces on the wall, don’t make the mistake of thinking your outdoor space is any different. Whether your seating area is surrounded by a fence or your home’s exterior, add a few of your favorite outdoor-safe decor items to truly enhance your aesthetic.
Hammock
Few things are more comfortable on a sunny day than resting in a hammock with a good book or a glass of lemonade. Find a good spot for a hammock or do some research to select your favorite lounge chair and ensure that everyone has a spot to engage in a little relaxation outside this year.
String Lights
Whether you opt for large bulb string lights or classic white Christmas lights, give your backyard the feel of a tropical resort in the evening. Make sure that your evenings outdoors are truly magical with an assortment of lighting options to boost the appeal of your personal backyard oasis.
Extra Foliage
A good space will be well-landscaped, but a truly upgraded outdoor space will feature additional foliage for an oasis-like feel. In addition to your yard’s natural landscaping, add plants and flowers in your seating area in the form of hanging planters and nearby pots. Opt for vibrant flowers and cascading greenery to truly boost your outdoor aesthetic.
5 Types of Gardens to Beautify Your Home
Fresh spring lawn with blooming pink and white spring tulips flowers
These five gardens will add natural charm to your home…
Formal Garden
Though they require effort to keep perfectly manicured, they recall a bygone era of grandeur that always impresses.
Container Garden
A low-key option that works anywhere, fill pots, planters or reclaimed materials with greenery and flowers.
Japanese Rock Garden
Also known as a Zen garden, if you enjoy meditating, this will be your new favorite place.
Kitchen Garden
Grow your own fruits, vegetables and herbs right outside your home and live sustainably.
Flower Garden
From a classic rose garden to overgrown wildflowers, flower gardens can be designed to suit any personality.
Design Tips for Your Home Bar!
How Changing Wall Colors and Lighting Can Make Your Home Feel More Spacious
Small rooms can feel cramped and uninviting. Incorporating the right paint colors and selecting appropriate light fixtures can create an optical illusion to make a tight space feel larger than it really is.
How to Choose the Right Color for Your Walls
Lighter colors, such as off-white and light shades of green and blue, can reflect more light than darker colors. That can help you capitalize on natural light and can make a small space seem more open. In a room that receives a large or moderate amount of natural light, painting the walls in a shade of white, light taupe, grey or pink can create an impression of space.
A dark paint color can be overwhelming in a large room, but it may work perfectly in a tighter space. Using a darker color, such as charcoal or black, on the walls can make a small room seem cozy. If you decide to use a dark paint color, balance it out by incorporating furniture and accessories with lighter hues.
How to Use Accent Colors to Make a Room Seem More Spacious
You may want to paint one accent wall in a different color than the rest of the space or use a lighter color for the trim and moldings than for the walls. Painting the walls and trim the same color is another way to make a small room seem more spacious. The lack of a visual difference from one area to another will make the ceiling seem higher. Painting the doors, trim and ceiling in a single color can also unify a space and make it feel larger and more open.
How to Choose the Right Light Fixtures
Don’t rely on only one source of light in a small room. That can cause the room to be bright in the center and darker in other areas. Instead, use multiple light fixtures and lamps to illuminate the space. You can incorporate a combination of overhead lights, wall fixtures and lamps to brighten the area and make it seem roomier.
If the room has a relatively high ceiling, take advantage of the vertical space by installing a light fixture that will hang down. That will draw people’s eyes upward and take their focus away from the room’s small footprint. Recessed lights, backlighting and light fixtures that draw attention to artwork and other focal points can brighten the entire space and make it feel larger and more open.
Consult a Design Professional
Choosing the right paint and lighting for your home can be complicated. Many variables can come into play, including the size and layout of the space, the locations of windows, the amount of natural lighting, your personal preferences and how your family will use the room. If you need advice, get in touch with a local interior designer.
5 Design Ideas to Tackle Blank Walls
Nearly every home has one. Unfit for furniture, yet too conspicuous to leave bare, it’s the dreaded blank wall-dun, dun, dun!
Do you need inspiration to tackle this design disaster? These five ideas, suggested by the editors at Better Homes and Gardens, can help you fill that vacant space:
Book It. Draw inspiration from literature you no longer have a use for—matte the covers of books or periodicals with eye-catching artwork (National Geographic covers could be particularly striking), and arrange in groups to scale on the wall.
Float On. Floating shelves can help fill a void without weighing down the room. Stagger shelves of varying widths, and adorn them with accessories you already own. To really make the display pop, paint the shelves a color that contrasts with the shade on the wall.
Go to the Dark Side. Personalize the wall with shadowboxes or silhouette art—both can be customized to suit the overall theme of the room. You can repurpose old cookbooks into a gallery of culinary-inspired silhouettes, mount unused dinnerware in a series of shadowboxes, or do a reverse silhouette with silk plants and spray paint.
The Bigger, the Better. Center one oversized statement piece—think a typograph print, a floor-to-ceiling canvas, or an extra-large mirror—to define the space without adding visual clutter.
Take Up a Collection. Cluster together collections of small-scale prints. Look for ones with soft, muted palettes—think calm seascapes or tranquil forests—to add visual interest without overwhelming the space.
If you’ve just moved into a new home (or have stared at that blank wall for far too long), use these design ideas to fill it.
Short on Light? These 4 Houseplants Are For You—
If you’d like to add some greenery to your indoor life, but your home is lacking in natural light, don’t worry—there are many varieties of houseplants that thrive in low-light environments. Select wisely, and you’ll have an indoor garden thriving in no time, not to mention a host of natural air purifiers making for a healthier living environment. Here are some plants that will be healthy and happy in not-so-sunny situations:
Snake plant. This plant is known for its striking tall, skinny leaves, and small, fragrant lily-like flowers that bloom along a single stem. Snake plants also offer versatile design options for your home—ranging anywhere from 3-4 in. tall, to 3-4 ft. tall, they can perch nicely on a shelf or side table, or make a dramatic statement as a floor plant. An added plus—snake plants are very drought tolerant, making them the perfect option for busy (sometimes forgetful!) plant parents.
Peace Lily. While lovely peace lilies do require regular watering, they can thrive in less light than other plants in the tropical family. Place your peace lily close to, but not directly in front of, a window in a warm room in your house—North or West-facing windows are best for avoiding direct sunlight. Water your plant at least once a week or whenever you see the leaves drooping, and mist it from a spray bottle as well. You’ll enjoy both the peace lily’s stunning white blooms as well as its major air-purifying properties.
Philodendrons or Pothos. Also known as Devils Ivy, philodendrons or pothos, are one of the most popular, easy-to-grow, low-light plants. Known for their long, trailing stems that can reach 15-ft. long or more, these plants offer a variety of foliage options, from dark green to chartreuse or variegated shades of white and green. They’re perfect for positioning on a high shelf or from hanging pots in any room of the house.
Chinese Evergreen. If you’re looking to add a little color to your interior design, consider a Chinese Evergreen, which offers either multi-colored green or red-and-pink foliage. Another excellent choice for air purification, these plants can tolerate slightly dry soil as well. Certain varieties can reach 2 – 3 ft. in height, making for a striking statement in any corner of your home.
How to Choose the Best Houseplants
Just like picking paint and furniture, it’s important to spend time choosing the best plants for your interior space. Not only should you be considering the care your new plant friends will need, but also how they will impact your space as they grow to their full forms. Below are several tips for picking the best houseplants.
Understand sun exposure. The quickest way to shrivel a houseplant is by giving it the improper amount of sunshine. Take the time to get to know the sunniest and shadiest areas of your interior, and pick plants that thrive in that environment.
Consider maintenance. If you’re choosing houseplants that need a good amount of TLC—water, trimming, etc.—make sure you have the time in your schedule and bandwidth in your brain to take this on. If not, pick a plant that needs minimal attention, like a succulent.
Pick proper containers. Learn the root length of the plant you’re choosing, and how big it’s likely to grow, pick a container that can accommodate it—consider drainage, too!
Choose plants that compliment your space. Have tall ceilings? Consider a plant that grows tall, not wide like a palm. Looking to make your room look a little wild? Pick a climbing plant, like a golden pothos or some form of ivy.
Consider color. While varying shades of green can feel gorgeously lush, no need to stop there! Add color to your interior botanics, like orchids, peace lilies or prayer plants.
Dress Up Your Home’s Decor With a Gallery Wall
Are your closets overflowing with pictures and other framed goods that would undoubtedly look much better hung in a prominent location than hardly ever seeing the light of day? Hanging pictures is a great way to tie a room together and add some character and personality to your space.
Instead of simply hanging one picture here and another one there, you can work through your collection a whole lot quicker if you think outside the box and cluster pictures, creating a gallery wall.
But before you go grabbing for a hammer, nails and maybe even a level, assess the space and items you have lying around and come up with a plan. While you may not stick to it 100 percent once you get started-and that’s okay-having even a rough idea of how you envision the space when it’s complete will save you a lot of trouble.
Stick to Your Style. While you may have swooned over gallery walls in other people’s homes or in design magazines, trying to recreate something you’ve seen will most likely leave you feeling less than impressed with your own creation. Tune into your own personal style and incorporate photographs, artwork from your children, greeting cards, a favorite piece of fabric or any other trinkets that truly mean something to you. When creating a gallery wall, anything goes.
Mix and Match. Variety is key here. From various sizes of artwork to numerous textures and even different colored frames, don’t shy away from incorporating different pieces and styles to create a personalized, yet cohesive, look.
Plan It Out. The best way to avoid putting unnecessary holes in the wall is to plan out the entire design before you even think about taking a hammer to the wall. (If you’re a visual person, this step is even more important, so try to resist the urge to skip it.) While it’ll require some additional time, you’re going to want to trace each frame onto a piece of paper. Once the templates have been cut out, tape them to the wall in a pattern of your choosing. Then move them around as necessary until you find the perfect grouping.
Switch It Up. One of the best (or worst?) things about incorporating a gallery wall into your space is the fact that it’s never finished! Don’t be afraid to keep adding things or even swapping out certain pieces.
If you’re ready to finally cross that gallery wall off your to-do list, remember, the options are endless. And there’s no right or wrong way to go about it.
Family-Friendly Artwork Apps
In the age of apps, there’s more to preserving the masterpieces your children create than just sticking them on the refrigerator.
Eventually, the magnets will slip and something that’s dear to you—or your child—could fall off and end up in the trash. If you have the space for keeping their school artwork or homemade projects, you may keep them in plastic containers and sort through them at a later time. But if you’re running out of closet space or are worried that too many of these precious memories will be lost, there are some mobile options that can help you archive them. Here are a few:
Cloud Storage
If you don’t want to keep the physical papers around, take a photo with your phone and store it in the cloud or on your computer’s hard drive. To share them with relatives, put them in Dropbox, iCloud, Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive. Be sure to protect them with a password that you only give to relatives.
Digital Apps
Photos or videos are the most obvious ways to electronically store these projects, though mobile apps can help you organize and enhance them.
Keepy and Canvsly are two apps that help save and organize children’s art and school projects. Keepy allows audio and video commentary to be recorded while capturing images of a child’s artwork—grandparents and others can be invited to view the artwork, and can comment on it. They also have built-in tools to create and buy photo books and other gift items from artwork you’ve saved.
As with any company, assume it will go out of business one day and that your data will be lost. Keep a digital copy somewhere, or you can also print them out for a photo book.
Custom Printing
If you don’t want to print the artwork through apps, you can either have your smartphone photos printed at Costco or other stores, or go to a custom printing company such as Plum Print to have your photos professionally organized and printed into a book.
Make it Public
If you want to share your children’s art beyond friends and relatives, Artsonia is an online and worldwide student art museum. Upload the artwork to the Artsonia mobile app and you can share it with the world. Not only will your child’s grandparents be bragging about their artwork, but the rest of the world might too.