CENTURY 21 MarketLink Realty - SMARTER. BOLDER. FASTER.

You are here: Home / Archives for decor

5 Home Improvements on Your Dog’s Wishlist

August 26, 2015 By

In honor of National Dog Day, we’ve asked the cutest (or at least the furriest) members of your family what they really want in their home. Your dog may really dig these paws-itively great updates.

Invest in a fetch robot: Is fetch getting a little too repetitive for you? It never gets old to a dog! Save up for a robot that can keep up with your pup’s non-stop energy and love for the game.

Deck out the outdoor dog house: A stylish dog house would not only look great in your yard, but it can also provide much-needed shade for a tuckered out pup.

Upgrade your reward system: Did someone say “treat”? With an automatic treat dispenser, you won’t even have to say the word. Instead, dogs will get a rewarding snack whenever they want one!

Install a crate surround sound system: Dogs shouldn’t miss out on movie night just because they’re in their crates. Set them up with perfectly crafted doggie speakers, so they can really experience the show.

Add a video conferencing unit: You know how excited your dog gets when you get home from a long day at work? It may be because they miss you. Let them call and chat you all day long. Who knows, Fido may share some good advice at your next team meeting. He’s always working like a dog.

Unlimited closet access: Your closet is a wonderland for dogs filled with tasty shoes and handbags. What your dog really wants is permission to chew! Open up your doors and let your dog have free reign, because your dog’s “I’m sorry” eyes are cuter than any new trend.

So throw your dog a bone and indulge in one, or all, of these home improvements. Your pet may just sit, speak, and jump for joy!

For entertainment purposes only. It’s ruff, but some of these things may not exist.

Syndicated via Century 21®. Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/century21/wAvv/~3/zLUAMBUoREU/

Here’s How to Grow a Garden Indoors

August 21, 2015 By

Summer is coming to an end and fall is right around the corner. But that doesn’t have to stop you from enjoying gardening. According to a study in Psychology Today, there are multiple benefits of having house plants. They have been found to lower blood pressure, increase attentiveness, lower anxiety, and improve well-being. Furthermore, a NASA study found that plants purify the air. Need another reason to grow plants inside? Pasta, pizza, and other delicacies taste better with fresh ingredients. Ready to get started? Here’s how to grow a garden indoors.

Give yourself some space: An indoor garden can take up as little or as much space as you are able and willing to use. Most plants (even something like tomatoes) can be grown on a windowsill. Consider using a table, bench, or shelves designated for your little garden.

Pick your plants: Choose wisely. Smaller plants that require less direct sunlight will do better indoors. Here are some good choices: carrots, lettuce, kale, peppers, onions, beans, parsley, basil, oregano, lavender, cilantro, rosemary, chives, strawberries, blueberries, and citrus.

Let there be light: Some of your plants will survive in a sunny window, while others will need more help from special lighting. There are several types of lights you’ll have to choose between, including: incandescent, fluorescent, compact fluorescent, and High Intensity Discharge bulbs. The wattage needed will vary based on the size of your garden.

Keep up with maintenance: Tending to your plants indoors involves regulating temperature, humidity, and water. Plants generally prefer a temperature range of 65-75 degrees. Look for signs like the tips of the leaves turning brown, plants losing their leaves, and plants looking withered. To counteract this, mist plants regularly or run a humidifier. Plants grown in containers may dry out more quickly and require more watering.

Move things around: If you decide to move your plants outside, give them about a week to prepare. Leave them outdoors for a few hours each day, gradually decreasing their time indoors to get them acclimated. And if, at the end of the growing season, you decide to move plants from your backyard garden indoors, give them the same acclimation period.

Go ahead, get growing!

Syndicated via Century 21®. Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/century21/wAvv/~3/cf7TQep8yaE/

6 Home Improvement Projects to Tackle While Your Kids Are At Camp

August 13, 2015 By

While your kids are playing tag, making friendship bracelets, and enjoying s’mores, you can get projects done around your home. These home improvement projects may increase the value of your home. Not looking to sell right now? These projects may make your home more enjoyable in the meantime!

Design a Kitchen Backsplash: Protect your walls from kitchen messes in a stylish way. Backsplashes can be made with all kinds of materials, such as glass, stone, tile, or metal with the versatility to fit any type of design preference. Whether you want something muted or vibrant, plain or intricate, you may be able to create a look you love.

Plant a Garden Path: Embrace your green thumb, and enhance your time spent outside in the sun. Clear a space through a garden or grassy area and lay down stones or tiles to create an easy way to maneuver through your yard. There are countless creative ideas for setting up a charming and unique garden path.

Replace Showerheads: There’s nothing better than cooling off after a hot summer day. Enjoy a refreshing shower with new showerheads. You may want to choose a showerhead with features such as water conservation, stronger water pressure, or even speakers!

Restore Your Deck: Protect your deck so you may be able to use it for many summers to come. Consult with a paint specialist to pick the right finish — make sure to get something waterproof and UV resistant. Clean the entire deck beforehand, and apply the finish with a paint roller or brush.

Paint a Room: Pick up a paintbrush, and change a room’s aesthetic. Read up on color psychology to choose a color that may suit your intended mood. For example, you may want to paint a bedroom or bathroom blue because the color has been associated with feeling calm and tranquil.

Create a Family Organization Station: Getting out the door may be a little bit easier when the entire family is organized. Create a station with a calendar of family activities, a spot for keys, hooks for backpacks, and any important papers like school permission slips or baseball game tickets. Once you do this maybe everyone can sleep in for, “Just five more minutes.”

Get started on these home improvement projects while you still have the house to yourself.

Syndicated via Century 21®. Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/century21/wAvv/~3/XzxOaqpoJOc/

4 Essential Outdoor Oases

August 10, 2015 By

Listen to crickets, feel the cool breeze, bask in the warm sun, and enjoy the scenery. It’s summertime, and there are countless reasons to spend time outdoors. Transform your outdoor space into your go-to spot. Here are five creative ways to create functional outdoor oases.

Outdoor Living Room: Add comfortable patio couches and chairs. Set out end tables and a coffee table so people can prop up their feet or put down their drink. Buy outdoor lighting fixtures in case you want to read outside under the stars. If you are revamping your backyard, consider adding an outdoor fireplace. It’s the perfect place to gather around for a night of spooky stories and s’mores. Worried about bugs? Place a few insect repellant candles in your yard.

Outdoor Dining Room: Dine alfresco! Set up a patio table and chairs. It’s important to choose patio furniture because it is weather-resistant. Add a string of lights for a romantic (and practical) touch that will literally light up the room.

Outdoor Kitchen: If you are remodeling your outdoor area, add a small island counter with a fridge and cabinet space so you can prep your meals outdoors. Now all you need is a grill and, in a dream outdoor kitchen, a brick pizza oven.

Outdoor Bedroom: Buy a bed frame and set it up in a flat section of your yard. Keep a bookshelf with your favorite reads nearby. Add a nightstand, lots of pillows, and a light. Just make sure that this room is covered so rain doesn’t interrupt your reading!

We have a hunch that these hideaways will be your new favorite spots for spring and summer.

Syndicated via Century 21®. Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/century21/wAvv/~3/ZjsAgpNLSi4/

Your Guide to Hosting a Backyard BBQ

August 6, 2015 By

Some spectacular summer memories are made outdoors with family and friends. Skip the restaurant this summer. Invite friends and family to your home for a scrumptious summer BBQ. This guide may make your summer BBQ a smashing success!

Set the Stage: Get your backyard BBQ ready. Read your manual to learn how far your grill should be from your house, patio, trees, and other potentially flammable spots. Get your table ready and consider bringing another table outdoors to set up a buffet. Add plenty of seating options and extra light sources for when the sun goes down. If your neighborhood allows it, build a bonfire and roast s’mores! Looking for more creative ways to arrange your space? Read our post, “How to Decorate for Outdoor Entertaining.”

Choose Your Foods: Will you be serving hot dogs, hamburgers, veggie burgers, grilled chicken or all of the above? Choose staples and sides. Consider asking guests to bring their favorite appetizer or dessert.

Plan Activities: Keep everyone entertained with fun lawn games. Set up games like cornhole, horseshoe, croquet, touch football, and wheelbarrow. Some people may choose to play and others may choose to chat. Stuck on games? Read our post, “10 Fun Family Lawn Games for Summer.”

Decorate: Assemble festive decorations like lanterns, string lights, and centerpieces. Get creative and set up DIY stations with assorted toppings for salads, corn on the cob, and ice cream sundaes. Add a condiment bar with different types of condiments and dressings. You may also want to create a drink station and a photo booth with fun props like cowboy hats, sunglasses, and boas.

Now that the planning is done, pick up the phone and start inviting friends and family. Get ready to grill and chill.

Syndicated via Century 21®. Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/century21/wAvv/~3/GrOHz3X5Jzw/

5 Swoon-worthy Hammock Hangouts

July 20, 2015 By

Spend the summer swinging and snoozing in these swoon-worthy hammocks. Hammocks aren’t just for the backyard. There are countless places to set up a hammock. We’ve rounded up some serene spots.ThinkstockPhotos-481486264

The Pool Hammock: Set up a hammock beside a pool. Seamlessly switch from snoozing to swimming.

ThinkstockPhotos-77146387

The Ocean Hammock: Let your concerns drift away in a beautiful ocean hammock. Lay out in the sun, cool off, and curl up with a good book.

The Indoor Hammock: Hammocks aren’t just for outside. Set up an indoor hammock so that you can read, relax, and snooze even when the weather is dreary.

ThinkstockPhotos-480392662

The Backyard Hammock: Set up a hammock between two trees in the backyard and swing under the stars. Add some snacks at arm’s reach, pillows, and blankets, and you may never want to go back inside!

ThinkstockPhotos-478314506

 The Beach Hammock: Read and recline on the beach without getting sandy. Bring light blue pillows, blankets, and towels to stay in line with the beach theme.

Set up your hammock, then visit our Pinterest page for more home decor inspiration!

Syndicated via Century 21®. Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/century21/wAvv/~3/af42Knvilxw/

How to Make Your Lawn Look Like a Baseball Field

July 10, 2015 By

It’s time to take throwing the ball around with your kids to the next level. Advance to the big leagues by getting creative with backyard landscaping. Here are our tips for how to make your lawn look more like a baseball field.

It’s all in the stripes: Professional stadiums have those clean, beautiful stripes in the grass. This pattern is created by bending the blades of grass: blades that are bent toward you look dark and blades that are turned away look light.

Refine your mowing technique: Pay careful attention to your mowing and make sure to stay in a straight line. Always look a good few feet ahead of you while you mow. Try to cut the grass long, as long grass bends more. The longer the grass, the better the stripe.

Roll it out: After you’ve mowed, you’ll need to intensify the stripes by going over them with a roller. This will really bend the grass. If you have a gas-powered rotary lawn mower, you can attach a roller to the back (found at your local garden care center or home improvement store). You can also go the DIY route and either attach weights to the rubber tail on the back of the mower, attach a heavy welcome mat to the back, or build a roller yourself.

Choose your grass: Different varietals bend differently. Northern grass may bend best. And of course, make sure to fertilize well to increase the likelihood of a full, healthy, green lawn.

Pick your pattern: You have three standard stadium patterns to choose from: the basic stripe, the checkerboard, and the diagonal. To get the basic stripe look, first mow around the perimeter of your lawn, then mow in alternating directions to create the stripes, and finish by mowing over the perimeter again. For the checkerboard, do the same as the basic stripe, but add in a step traveling in the opposite direction to create perpendicular stripes. The diagonal look is achieved by creating a checkerboard pattern but in diagonal directions.

There you have it, a few ways to make your yard look more like a field of dreams. Batter up!

Syndicated via Century 21®. Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/century21/wAvv/~3/SGSwyIex23o/

5 Interior Designers to Follow on Pinterest

July 6, 2015 By

Summertime can be a great time to reinvigorate your home decor! Redecorating isn’t always as easy as it may appear. If you find yourself stuck in the redecorating rut, it might be time to turn to Pinterest. We’ve gathered a list of five inspirational interior designers. No matter what kind of design ideas you’re looking for, you’ll be likely to find it on one of these pages! For even more interior design ideas (and a splash of DIY projects and house cleaning tips), be sure to follow us on Pinterest!

K.D! Designz, Inc.

42ca30d5f73f6d0fa41cd51428058775

This Pinterest pro has over sixty boards dedicated to interior design ideas, covering everything from bed crowns to entry halls. So whether you’re looking for a new bathroom design idea (like the elegant and modern look featured above) or some inspiration for a new wall backdrop, you’ll probably find it here!

Dorothy Durbin Interior Design

9d141f5abbe8fb4e5e5144c41c9e2566

One glance through Durbin’s Pinterest page and you just might find yourself wanting to redo your entire home and your garden! In addition to innovative ideas for kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom designs, Durbin also has boards organized according to color scheme. So, if you find yourself inspired by a certain color, check out her boards and get ready to do some redecorating!

Georgica Pond

af26ffa4ef053052b99ee2ceea53fab7

Pond features beautiful, modern bathrooms and kitchens. But, no need to fret, if you enjoy a more traditional or rustic look for your home, she has plenty ideas for that as well. Scroll through her thousands of pins to get inspired!

 

Mark Sikes

a2f8a433ab917a78653e15e200ada52a

Whether it’s people or homes, Sikes’ Pinterest page is a spot for all things stylish. With different boards for different rooms of the house, Sikes offers up some interior design advice on everywhere from the entry, to the bedroom, to the pool.

 

Gary Inman

8b49a2d053e6d4011772d0df2785de48

Inman’s page is full of classy and elegant looks for all rooms of the house. He even has a whole board dedicated to mudrooms — and his pins prove that a mudroom doesn’t have to be that ugly room where people put their shoes. Check out his pins for some redecorating motivation!

 

 

Luckily for those of you who love interior design, these are just five of the thousands of interior designers on Pinterest! One scroll through these Pinterest profiles might just be all the incentive you need to get started on that summer redecorating project you’ve been thinking about. Time to change things up!

Syndicated via Century 21®. Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/century21/wAvv/~3/OvMERHkKVxA/

How to Decorate Your Backyard for a 4th of July Celebration

July 1, 2015 By

The 4th of July is fast approaching, so it’s time to break out the sparklers and all things red, white, and blue! If you’ve agreed to be the host for this year’s 4th of July bash, we’ve got you covered. Here are some quick and easy some tips that will help turn your backyard into the a place to celebrate Independence Day. Time to get decorating!

Spice up your table with patriotic centerpieces: Running out of time to decorate? No sweat. Fill some mason jars with red, white, and blue gumballs and put a small American flag in the middle for an extra patriotic touch. Who needs bouquets as centerpieces when you can have flags?

Create a candy bar: It’s a surefire way to keep the kids happy and entertained, and it doubles as decoration. Keep it red, white, and blue themed; fill mason jars or vases with gumballs, jelly beans, and all the other colored candy you can find!

Provide extra lighting with 4th of July themed lanterns: Having an evening party? Decorate luminaries with cardboard paper and ribbon for an easy and festive decoration. You can even enlist the kids’ help in this one!

Get your game on: Fill your backyard with games that both adults and kids will enjoy! Cornhole is a classic, and you can look for a set with red, white, and blue beanbags if you really want to stick to the theme. Three-legged races, frisbee, and outdoor badminton are some more games that will ensure your guests will be entertained at all times!

Get fired up: If your celebration is extending into the night, a bonfire is the perfect addition to the party. After all, nothing says summer like a campfire and some s’mores! Plus, it’s one less dessert for you to prepare!

There you have it—five quick and easy ways to get your backyard 4th of July ready. These ideas can work for any other outdoor summer party as well—just change the decoration theme according to your preference. Happy celebrating!

Syndicated via Century 21®. Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/century21/wAvv/~3/lpkvIb3uI4A/

How to Set Up an Outdoor Movie Theater at Home

June 26, 2015 By

If you’re nostalgic for the drive-in days of the past, you may be able to easily recreate the experience right at home. These warm nights are perfect for enjoying a movie screening under the stars with family and friends.

Get permission: Before you start setting up, check to make sure that your brilliant idea is actually permittable. Run the idea by your neighbors to find out if they have concerns about noise levels at night (and if they’d like to attend the screening). The last thing you want is the police knocking on your door right when you’ve gotten to the good part of the movie.

Consider the space: Where will you be projecting the show? Your driveway is a great option because it provides a level surface for equipment and is likely close to a power source in the garage. Otherwise, look for a flat surface anywhere around your home. If you’re putting the screen in the backyard, you’ll likely need a lengthy, heavy-duty extension cord, and a power strip.

Arrange the seats: Seating options vary based on location. If you’re setting up on the driveway, you’ll need lawn chairs (or perhaps a comfy old couch). If you’re in the backyard, you can simply spread out a few picnic blankets and throw pillows.

Gather your equipment: The essentials are: a screen, a projector, and speakers. When choosing a projector, focus on brightness and throw distance rating. For audio, go with an all-weather, two-channel system. If your theater is far from the house, make sure you have some form of lighting.

Bring on the refreshments: No movie experience is complete without snacks. And nothing beats an old-fashioned popcorn machine! But of course, since you’re running the show, anything goes: ice cream floats, s’mores, popsicles (or healthier options). The options are limitless.

Now just call up some friends, family, and neighbors and plan a star-studded evening under the stars.

Syndicated via Century 21®. Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/century21/wAvv/~3/Io_G7-MqjqM/