Building a home is considered one of the best and most important decisions of one’s life, while for others, it is buying their first home. It’s always exciting to design and decorate a new home as it offers the opportunity to create a home personalized to one’s taste, functionality, and requirements.

However, it may sometimes be quite challenging if you do not know where to begin. Do not despair, as this guide will provide tips to make your new home interior as attractive and comfortable as possible.

Start with a Plan

Sometimes, you may feel ready to go out and start purchasing furniture and decorations. However, it is advisable that you give yourself time and come up with a clear plan that will help you avoid future regrets.

Consider the need for each room. Do you require an office, a spare room for accommodating family members or friends, or a spacious living room for hosting guests? Set a budget for spending on house furniture, lighting, and other decor.

Prioritize Key Furniture

One must ensure that only pieces of furniture that will give a home its foundation are purchased. These are the things that have to be used on a daily basis, and they will also define the appearance of the house. Buying furniture for the home does not have to be done all at once. Start with the basics and purchase additional pieces as you find the funds in the future.

For instance, a sofa is considered the most significant piece of furniture in the living room, so this item should be comfortable, long-lasting, and suitable for the family. More importantly, given the fact that about a third of your time is spent sleeping, the bed you choose should also be of good quality.

Use Color Wisely

Interior colors can really transform the mood of any space in your house. Proper color selection is one way of making your home more welcoming, spacious, and balanced. If you select colors that blend well, then the interiors of your home will be inviting and trendy. If you are still not sure what colors to apply, choose neutral colors that will go well with a touch of colorful cushions, mats, and paintings.

Alternatively, colors such as beige, gray, and white allow your furniture and accessories to have a versatile backdrop. If you wish to make it more fun, perhaps choose one of the walls to be painted in a particular Pantone hue of navy, emerald, or deep red. This helps to create a reference point without crowding the space with too much stuff.

Make Use of Skirting Boards and Architraves

In interior design, skirting boards are fitted where the wall and the floor meet for decorative and protection purposes. Items such as furniture and vacuum cleaners are potential threats to your wall, hence the need for protection. Skirting boards can also effectively cover imperfections such as gaps or uneven floor levels.

Architraves are also used to encase doors and windows, giving them an attractive touch and refining the outlook of any room. They are helpful in concealing the gaps between the door or window frames and the walls and are also used for aesthetics.

It is essential to shop and compare the designs and costs from various local manufacturers, which will reflect the rest of your house’s architectural features. For example, the products from Skirting World are high-quality, sleek, and available in different designs to match your interior finish. You may also select a variety of other fittings, such as plinth blocks, rosettes, and window sills, to match the skirt boards and architraves.

Maximize Natural Light

Lighting can play an incredible role in changing the general ambiance of your home. Lighted rooms look more spacious, welcoming, and full of energy. If more natural light is to be allowed inside the house but privacy has to be retained, then sheer or light-colored curtains should be used. When there is little natural light, use artificial lighting, such as floor lamps, table lamps, and ceiling lights, to enhance the look of the space.

Add Greenery

Bring life and freshness to your interior by including suitable plants in your home décor. In addition to purifying the air, houseplants bring a touch of life and calmness into the home. For example, snake plants are popular due to their long and thin leaves. They are ornamental plants and are easy to grow as they do not necessitate regular bright sunlight or watering. On the other hand, succulents are small kinds of plants that preferably grow under direct sunlight and require very little watering.

Taking proper care of your garden is not a debatable act, rather, it is compulsory. Caring for your garden requires consistency, skills, determination, and many more. If you are looking to maintain a beautiful garden, you need to ensure that you have what it takes to do so.

Read on to learn about some of the best ways to care for your garden.

8 Guides To Modern Garden Care

Create a garden care Schedule

The first step to caring for your garden is by creating a care Schedule for it. Creating a garden care schedule is helpful in so many ways. One of the most helpful aspects of having a schedule is that it makes it easier for you to attend to all your garden needs without missing anything. Having a working schedule for anything is a good way to handle a task at the required time and also avoid procrastinating.

Constant Watering is necessary

A plant or flower can barely survive when it is not constantly watered. A growing child needs adequate food and water to survive and maintain healthy growth. The same thing applies to plants and flowers. Your garden needs constant watering to achieve a healthy look. Ensure that you water your garden with the right pressure from the host to avoid damaging your plants and flowers.

Use the right garden maintenance tools

You cannot care properly for your garden without using the right tools. Garden maintenance tools come in different sizes and shapes and they all have their various uses. The first step to choosing the right maintenance tools is knowing what your garden needs. Once you know what your garden needs, you can easily choose the right tools to help you maintain it. Ensure that you invest in high-quality equipment while choosing the right tools. If you are worried about where to get quality power tools, you can easily get them in garden equipment stores both online and offline. They sell high pressure cleaners, mowers, brush cutters, hedge trimmers, and other power tools in these stores; all you have to do is ensure that you have the available funds to get what your garden needs and deserves.

Proper lighting

The overall goal of having a garden is to create a beautiful space or view in your yard. Your plants and flowers require proper lighting to grow. If you are looking to maintain a beautiful garden, you need to ensure that it has proper lighting. The importance of photosynthesis in plants cannot be downplayed.

Weed management

One role you cannot escape as a gardener is weeding. Allowing your plants and flowers to grow together with weeds is disastrous. Aside from creating a tacky look for your garden, weeds can interfere with the growth of plants and flowers. Weed management is one of the most important care steps for your garden. The longer you leave the weeds in your garden, the more they grow in height and multiply.

Pruning and deadheading

Pruning Is the process of cutting away dead stems and branches to encourage the growth of a plant. Deadheading, on the other hand, is the process of removing dead flowers from plants. The process encourages blooms. As a garden owner, it is your responsibility to ensure that adequate pruning and deadheading are carried out on your garden when necessary.

Pest control

One of the most dreaded fears of gardeners is pest attack. A serious case of pest infestation in a garden is often difficult to overcome. The best way to ensure that your garden is free from severe pest attacks is by enforcing adequate pest control measures. Your entire garden can get destroyed within a short period if you neglect the importance of frequent pest control.

Hire professional help

While gardening is often viewed as a fun and relaxing activity, it is quite a handful especially when you have little idea of how to maintain it. The best and easiest way to maintain a beautiful garden is by hiring the help of a professional gardener. Sometimes, passion and dedication are not enough to get a situation handled; rather, skills and experience play a higher role.

Conclusion

While caring for your garden, always ensure that you do so correctly. Plants with flowers are delicate and they require a lot of care and soft handling. You can employ the help of a professional to assist with the more serious task. Lastly, always ensure that you handle high-power garden maintenance tools carefully. Get the professionals to help you with tools that are above your expertise.

Moving into a new home is always an exciting adventure. And is undoubtedly a cause for celebration. There is no better way to break in your new home than with a housewarming party. A chance to invite your friends and family around to help you mark the start of your new chapter in life.

Throwing a stellar housewarming party is no easy task. There are a lot of things you need to consider. Luckily we have put together these 7 tips to ensure your party is a memorable one. Because your new home deserves to be celebrated in style!

1) – Delay The Date

It is all too tempting to throw your housewarming party the first weekend of living in your new home. But we would advise against this. Moving home is a huge undertaking. Undoubtedly you will still have a fair amount of unpacking and decorating to do. You should spend the first two weeks getting to know your new home. Filling it up with all those personal touches that will make it uniquely yours. Then, when you finally do throw the party, you will feel more comfortable within the space and it will be better decorated.

2) – Decorations

Speaking of decorations, a good party needs a good atmosphere. You have two choices when it comes to decorations. You could go for some basic supplies such as balloons, bunting, and the normal decorations of your home. Or you could make the party a themed night. If it is summer you might go for a beach themed party and add some beach umbrellas or inflatable balls around the house.

3) – Amazing Food

A good housewarming party should be an informal, fun thing. So you don’t need to worry about providing a proper sit-down meal for everyone. But, you should still have to provide your guests with something to eat. Which is why I usually like to get different types of disposables/recyclables from a range of serving platters and lids that I find online which are durable and will last for long time. These often come with a mixture of sandwiches, nibbles, healthy snacks, and can be fully customized to your guests dietary specifications.

If you’re still adding final touches to your new space, consider elevating the aesthetic of your home with quality materials, like from a supplier of timber flooring in the Philippines, or from other Asian countries where in the quality of wood is much cheaper. This can give your home a polished and welcoming feel just in time for your party.

4) – Drinks And Cocktails

What party is complete without something tasty to drink. You will want to get a few of the basics such as non-alcoholic options, beers, and a few bottles of wine. But why not push the boat out and design a speciality cocktail for the evening. There are hundreds of amazing recipes that can be produced in large quantities. Long Island Ice Tea, for example, can be made up and served in a giant pitcher.

If you are worried about the cost of drinks you could always ask your guests to bring their own booze. Chances are a lot of your guests will bring a bottle of wine as a housewarming gift anyway.

5) – Party Activities

A housewarming is the perfect time to make use of your new space with some party activities. I personally like playing social games such as Werewolf or Heads Up! These are a great way to get your guests socializing. Or, if you are hosting a smaller affair, why not bust out one of your favorite board games. If you want something that everyone can play with their phones you should consider buying one of the Jackbox Party Pack games. These contain a myriad of fun minigames. With enough variety that there is something for everyone.

6) – The Guest List

A housewarming party isn’t just a chance to show off your home to your friends and family. It is a chance for you to enjoy your new space with those you care about the most. To make it feel more like a home rather than just a house. So you want to pick your guest list with care.

Make sure all your guests get along with one another. There is no sense inviting someone who is just going to cause problems all night. And try to stick to people you know very well. Your work acquaintances might not be the best choice for an evening like this.

7) – Plenty Of Photos

No night is complete without plenty of photos to remember it by. We are lucky enough to live in an age where our phones can take stunning pictures and record high quality video as well. But why not take it a step further.

A mini polaroid camera is a great way to create some amazing memories that also serve as beautiful decorations for your new home. The photos are produced instantly and you could even give some to your guests as mementos of the evening.

Fires are known to be very destructive to properties, especially when they are out of control. However, the loss of lives or injuries to the body is considered the worst effect of house fires. Property can always be replaced in a matter of time, but lost lives cannot be restored. Hence, when a house goes on fire, the first asset to save is your life and that of your family and others.

However, when this unfortunate accident happens, few people know what to do to be safe. While some won’t leave without their personal effects, others panic and get trapped. Hence, we shall take you through the process of getting to safety if a house fire breaks out to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.

Hence, in case of a fire, here are the important 4 steps to take immediately after a home fire to keep yourself and your family safe.

Do not Panic, But Call for Help

A house on fire can easily make those inside too afraid to know what to do next. It’s easy to get worried that you won’t be able to get out, and that can put you in panic mode. Most fire marshalls insist on keeping calm during training and fire drills when in a fire situation. Avoiding panic makes you think and reason accordingly. It also allows you to move faster and in the right direction towards safety. Otherwise, panic can overshadow your judgment and limit your ability to make the right decisions.

From where you are located, you should take a deep breath, look around briefly to understand how the fire is behaving and decide on what to do next. While at it, ensure that your decision takes priority for your safety and the safety of others who may be in the house.

Once you have spotted how to get out, alert everyone in the house who may not have noticed the fire by calling out for help. Shout out the word fire to gain their attention or, if it’s at night, wake them up. If the exit route is still clear and the fire hasn’t spread, wait to guide them to safety since your judgment is much sober. Additionally, If there is a fire alarm switch, push it on or use a loud whistle to alert the neighbors for help.

Using Fire Exit Get to Safety

If you can safely do so, call the emergency services, such as the fire fighting department or the police, by dialing your national hotline or local emergency number. Be loud and specific about your address and details about the fire. Where you are using your mobile phone, do so as you head towards the fire exit and leave the house as quickly as possible.

Avoid areas with dense smoke or burning materials. To continue breathing adequately, walk while bending low or even crawl on the ground to avoid inhaling too much smoke. If you find any doors locked on your path, feel the door and its knob for extreme heat before opening. A very hot touch would mean the other side has more fire spreading than where you are. Hence, seek an alternative escape route.

Close Doors, Head Towards Meeting Point

As you leave the house, close the doors behind you as long as no one else is left behind you. The idea is to limit the amount of airflow into the house, which facilitates the fire’s growth. Thus, preventing oxygen flow and stopping the fire from spreading or slowing its progress allows firefighters to arrive and manage to put it off before it causes more damage.

Once you are safely out of the house, move to the designated fire assembly point if any, outside your neighbor’s house or across the street. Take the role or appoint someone to ensure every member of your family is safely outside and inform the fire fighters of any missing persons. Nobody should be tempted to go back to the house in an attempt to do a rescue mission.

Seek Medical Checkup

In case it took you long to get out of the smoky house or sustained injuries during a house fire, allow the medics to have a look at your health condition as soon as possible. Even if you have got minor burns or mild smoke inhalation, you may get serious implications in future if not treated. In some cases, if a family member is traumatized by the events, consult a professional counselor to help them recover quickly. Otherwise, one may have a hard time living with nightmares or hallucinations, especially if a loved one is lost.