Finding the focal point I’m a space is one of the features of good interior design. Where is the eye naturally drawn and what does the room do to enhance that natural inclination? Here are some ideas for how to find or create a focal point in your most important living spaces.

Architectural Features

First of all, look at your extant architectural features. There may be a pre-existing focal point to work around or enhance. A fireplace can be enhanced with a decorative fire screen and further embellished with mantlepiece ornaments. Windows can be framed by curtains and other styles of window treatments. Antique features or exposed beams can be lit to draw the eye. Look at what you’re working with before you decide what the focal point should be. The room may have something to say about where the eye is naturally drawn.

Artistic Features

Now you can think about art and expression. Do you have artistic friends or family who’ve given you unique pieces that you want to feature in your design? Maybe you have a favorite or meaningful piece of art that you want to use as a focal point in your room. You can coordinate whole rooms around a single art feature, whether it’s through strategic placement, clever lighting or even the colors you use in your furnishings and decor. The focal point should bring the room together, uniting all the various design elements.

Activities

The focal point of your room might be the main activity you do there. Odds are the focal point of your dining room will be the table and the focal point of your living room will, realistically speaking, be the television. Work with that, not against it. Make the function of the space part of its form, and highlight the usefulness by incorporating that into your design.

Living Spaces

It is important to remember is that these spaces are not just for show. These are spaces you love and live in. There will be clutter, especially if you haven’t included adequate storage spaces. There will be people, so think about where the chairs are placed and how they are angled.

Once you’ve found the focal point, your life becomes substantially easier. Mess and clutter that draws attention away from your focal point is a distraction from your design. Either stash it away or get rid of it entirely. Now you can enjoy a harmonious, attractive, well-designed interior

The process of selling a house is long, tiring, and expensive. You have to prepare your house well to attract interested potential buyers. Here are some ways you can do before selling your house:

1. Work with a real estate agent

Working with a real estate agent could actually save you more than trying to sell your house by yourself. Although you might think otherwise considering that you have to pay commission to the listing agent and the buyer’s agent to get the house sold, but in general, working with an agent could save you more than $1000 compared to doing it DIY.

The reason behind this is simple. Most of the time homeowners tend to price their home too low or too high and then drop the price drastically during negotiations in the course of selling. They end up selling their home lower than what they originally planned for. Even lower than working would with an agent would’ve cost in total.

For example: If you try to sell your house and you think its value is $350,000, you would then put it out in the market for $350,000. But if the market analysis tells that your listing price is too high, you would then cut it down little by little until it gets sold. You might even end up getting it sold for $300,000 which is much lower than what you have expected.

But if you work with an agent, your house could likely be sold at $330,000 which is $20,000 lower than your perceived value of your home, but still higher than the price you can sell it for by yourself even with the commission and other expenses already deducted.

2. Improve your curb appeal

The way your house is viewed from the street is the first opportunity to make the best impressions. The exterior of your home should be inviting enough to attract the home viewers and make them want to go inside and see more.

You can make some landscaping, plant colorful flowers and upgrade your porch—add some fluffy and clean throw pillows in your outdoor chairs. Make some pathways, add a trash bin, repaint the front door, and make sure your doorbell is working. You can also add a low fence to give that exclusivity feel in your property.

If you are unsure what else to do, talk to your real estate agent to give you an idea how to improve your curb appeal.

3. Declutter, depersonalize, deep clean, and repair

Sort out your stuff. Box those that are not in use anymore and let go of sentimental things that which you can, and then do a garage sale, or sell them in local thrift shops, online sale platforms like eBay. The rest that you are unable to sell, you can donate to charities, or you can recycle and create DIY artworks.

Remove all personal stuff like bills and family pictures because they are distracting clients from projecting themselves living in your space. Secure them in a box and keep them out of sight. Your home should be like a blank canvas which makes the buyers easily imagine what to do with it. The lesser the things on display, the better.

Deep clean your home and get rid of all of that aged cobwebs on the corners. Dust the windows, the furniture, and all the surfaces. Make it a point that wherever the client may lay a finger one, its dust free.

Hire a handyman to do all the fixes needed because handymen are jack-of-all-trades and hiring one can save you a lot.

4. Replace the wall colors

Repaint the walls and choose neutral tones. If you have bold walls like striking red or playful orange, that might turn off potential buyers who are possibly not into those colors. Choosing neutral colors is the safe way to do it because nobody hates neutral colors. This way, buyers can easily imagine how they would want the walls to get decorated.

5. Do home staging and consider scent 

Reorganize the furniture and make a little decorating of your home. You can hang your DIY artworks from your recycled stuff. Add some flowers, vases, throw pillows, wall arts, and some succulents, clean towels in the toilet, and others that will attract the potential homebuyers more into buying your home.

Do not forget the scent of your home. Good smell, fragrant and clean, can make anyone happy. Make sure your throw pillows and others smell clean and you can also light scented candles during the home viewing. But make sure it is subtle and not overwhelming. There are a few more steps that you can do to sell your house fast Los Angeles. But always remember, don’t overdo it. And if you don’t really have the time and money to take on the task, know that you have another option. Sell it to Candid Property Solutions. They buy houses as-is and can close in days!

One of the prime important factors to attract potential buyers is a wonderful and very welcoming home exterior. The moment a homebuyer steps into your property, how it looks on the outside will set your client’s impression—and first impressions matter the most.

Here are some ways you can take your home’s exterior design to the next level.

1. Put big, bold house numbers. Depending on the font and color of your house number, it echoes the design of your home and creates an impression on how keen you are to the details which makes a great impact for homebuyer inspectors. Like for example, stainless steel sans serif fits a modern home design while aged copper is for a Prairie-style theme, and so on.
2. Make attractive landscaping. Add structure to your front lawn with low stone walls, concrete planters, or new brick paths, and plant beautiful flowers. A brightly colorful flower garden in your front yard will make a great impression to your guests. Here are some plants that are perfect for your front lawn: Boxwood, Nandina, Hydrangea, Azalea, Rose, Hosta, Daylily, Annuals, Deutzia, inkberry hollies, coleus, lantanas, and other annuals and perennials. Don’t forget to dress up your mailbox as well with colorful plants.
3. Level up your front door. A repaint job will do the trick. You can watch YouTube videos for tutorials on how to do it correctly and not mess it up. Do not forget to also repaint your doorknob, hinges, and door knockers. Fresh and brand new looking door, gives your house an expensive feel. If you have a doorbell, make sure it is working. Since you are already on your repainting job, you might as well not miss the garage door and use the remaining paint to recondition it.
4. Give life to your porch. Put outdoor rockers and gliders on your porch, or maybe a tea table for two. Also, add clean, fluffy, and colorful throw pillows. Stick to the motif of your desired design theme. Put some accents or colors that are common from the architecture of the paths, the landscaping, to the porch and until you are inside the house. This gives a feeling that no design element is out of place. Everything should relate with each other.
5. Add a low, minimalist fence. Oh yes! Just like your dream house when you were a kid complete with white fence. Make that dream come true and install a low fence that is just minimalist and not overpowering. A fence gives a feeling of security and sense of detachment from the busy street. It is almost as if when you step on in a property with a fence, you are seemingly in a completely different world from the outside and it becomes your safe haven. Also, a low fence adds depth to your front yard making it look larger.
6. Repaint the exterior walls of your home. That is if the exterior walls of your house are in bad condition, you may want to do some repainting. However, this could take a lot of time and could be a very tiring job, so unless you have the right skills, right tools, and enough time, don’t do it yourself. But if you are determined to do so and save money from paying a professional fee, you can always research the internet for references and watch tutorial videos to do the job decently.
7. Install outdoor lighting. People tend to take little consideration of outdoor lighting in their plans. Lights can greatly improve the curb appeal of your home. Installing some lightings in your porch, in your garden, or garage, not only beautify them and provide classy ambience or drama, but it can also deter intruders. A well-lighted house on the outside when viewed from the street would look and feel very warm and welcoming. This will definitely add value to your house.
8. Repair the roof and gutters. Faulty and damaged shingles and gutters are definitely an eyesore. In the long run, if you choose to disregard them, they may cost a lot when you finally want to fix them. So it’s best that you do repair the moment you notice any damage on your roof.

These are things that you can certainly do by yourself. However, if you are not confident at all, it’s better to hire a handyman before you mess it up and end up spending more fixing the damage. Handymen can do a lot of things and hiring one can save you a lot of money paying fees to different professionals working in your home exterior. Or, better yet sell your house to us. Maintaining a house can be very exhausting, if you want to just get rid of it completely, you have options. Selling to a “we buy homes Los Angeles” company is the best way to go. And Mrs. Property Solutions is your best bet if you ever need a company that can close fast and buy your house as-is!

A soldier is someone to be respected and reverenced. They are the men and women who put their lives on the line to keep their nation safe. One of the most important things about a soldier is his uniform. While it may seem unimportant to some, here are some facts about a soldier’s uniform.

Implications

A military uniform does more than put clothes on a soldier. It gives each one a distinctive mark, showing all who see it what they do, who they are, and what they stand for. Each branch also has its own design, distinctively setting each of them apart. Commanders, generals, special forces, and other soldiers can also be recognized by the uniform that they wear.

Accessories

Because each branch is different, there are different things each soldier’s uniform will have. Almost all of them can be seen as having military name tapes telling who the soldier is. The location of their work and what they are doing will also determine what they must wear. Combat mission wear will differ from their base inspections. The various medals, patches, and pins that can be seen on various uniforms signify an act of bravery, accomplishment, or honor that was rewarded to them.

Styles

One may notice that a soldier has several different style uniforms he wears. There are three primary uniforms every soldier owns. Dress uniforms are for formal events such as ceremonies and balls that require a soldier to look their best. The more commonly seen attire is the service uniform. This should be worn by soldiers who are interacting with the public and attending meetings or office type events. They also have combat attire which is worn when going into battle, as well as for training and daily duties.

Every soldier is given a uniform with a story to tell. While many wonder about what they will wear every day, a soldier puts on his uniform knowing the significance behind it.

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Home renovations are exciting, but they can also be stressful. There are so many decisions to make. If you’re looking for a timeless countertop design element, think about quartz. Its luxurious, smooth surface complements virtually any room. As you search for quartz countertops Pittsburgh PA, keep the following considerations in mind.

Shapes, Patterns and Edges

Quartz is a transparent, crystal-like rock. The different shapes and patterns found in a quartz countertop can affect the overall appearance of the room. For example, its naturally occurring lines and/or swirls may influence the type of edge you select during the countertop finishing process. Beveled, mitered and square edges are all common techniques for quartz. The mitered and square methods are similar in shape, while a beveled treatment has an angular look and is used quite often in bathrooms. No matter which style of edge you prefer, make sure it works well with the patterns in your counter’s surface.

Lighting

Choosing the correct lighting is important when you install quartz countertops since they’re reflective. Incandescent light is often a popular choice for kitchens with quartz countertops, for example, because of the warm, welcoming glow it gives off when it glances off of a polished surface.

Cleaning Procedures and Materials

Quartz is a stalwart countertop material that’s unlikely to crack, chip or stain easily. Still, you should exercise care during cleaning and maintenance. While it’s primarily rock, it typically includes resins, pigments and polymers as well. Quartz countertops are best cleaned with gentle soaps such as hand soap or dish soap. Avoid acidic cleaning products or any products that are vinegar-based, as they may degrade the finish.

Quartz countertops are a durable and attractive investment. They come in a variety of colors, tones, patterns, and edges, making them a versatile option for several areas of your home. With proper maintenance, they can add a level of sophistication to your home for decades to come.

When that small graduation gettogether blossoms into a full-fledged extravaganza, there is no need to panic. Moving the festivities outdoors can be a great way to accommodate the extra guests. Following a few tips can help you make sure the party goes off without a hitch.

Secure Any Needed Permits

You may need to obtain a permit to host a large outdoor event. Check with the local zoning office and apply for any permits that might apply to your situation. Also get a clear, written copy of any regulations that must be followed. Remember that the rules aren’t in place to thwart your planning, but rather to ensure a safe event that does not disrupt the neighboring community.

Dedicate Someone for Parking Lot Management

You may be required to do this, but, if not, it is still a good idea. Have someone directing guests on where to park. If that is far from the actual party, you might want to have someone ferrying guests back and forth on a shuttle or cart.

Provide Enough Restrooms for the Masses

You really don’t want your friends remembering the time they spent standing in line to use the bathroom when they look back at your party. Festival restroom trailers are a great option. They provide an upscale appearance and a sanitary restroom experience. Plus, with multiple units in each trailer, you won’t have to worry about guests waiting for their turn.

Have Sufficient Shelter in Case of Bad Weather

Tents, canopies and enclosures provide relief from the sun and shelter from any rain that might show up on the day of your party. There are plenty of party tent options. Depending on the size of your gathering, you can use several smaller canopies or rent a large tent to cover the whole area.

Plan for Extra Food and Beverages

Plan for at least 25% more food and beverages than you think you will need. This can make up for any mishaps like dropped plates and gives you peace of mind knowing you don’t have to ration servings.

By thinking of situations that could cause issues and being proactive, you will help ensure your party is successful. Considering convenience and comfort will make your guests feel welcome and let them enjoy the celebration.

Lakes have a thriving ecosystem from plants to animals to bacteria. When the habitat is great, life thrives. Depending on the species of plant or fish, small changes in the environment can have huge repercussions. To keep the habitat thriving, lake owners can implement a few strategies.

Water Quality

Lake aeration helps improve the water quality for the animals and plants in the lake. By improving the oxygen flow in the lake, wildlife and plants can grow. Toxic gases have less chance of causing problems for the ecosystem. Circulated water helps maintain temperature which is ideal for many types of fish. In addition, lake owners will want to control water runoff into the lake. Runoff can contain a variety of harmful chemicals that can damage the water quality including fertilizers and herbicides. Cleaning up the area regularly can help reduce the effects of these substances that can affect the habitat.

Underwater Structures

Many types of wildlife rely on hiding to survive. They need structures to hide behind and build their homes out of. While many lakes already feature many of these structures, not all lakes do. Lake owners can increase the number of underwater structures by sinking old Christmas trees or creating artificial reefs. These structures allow phytoplankton and algae to grow, facilitate fish spawning and create resting spots for fish. Other items such as boulders, logs, brush bundles and rocks can help change the lake bottom for the benefit of the lake food chain.

Helpful Plants

Not all aquatic plants are helpful. In fact, some species of plants are invasive causing more harm than beneficial oxygen and water cleaning. Even beneficial plants can overgrow the population and choke out the wildlife. By limiting runoff, plants receive a natural reduction in artificial plant food creating by fertilizers and sewage. Helpful plants provide feeding and nesting grounds for the local wildlife. Their foliage attracts food providing cover for some and opportunities for others looking for a meal. Plants are a necessary part of the habitat. Controlling their growth and removing invasive species can create a healthy environment for the entire lake ecosystem.

Lake Habitat

Focusing on these core areas allows lake owners to facilitate a healthy lake environment. Owners can then enjoy the spectacles of a thriving ecosystem right in their backyards. Go fishing, check out the local wildlife or explore the newly created structures. A healthy lake is clearer with a growing and diverse wildlife. With a little work, the lake may become your favorite outdoor adventure.