How To Create a Minimalist Living Space

The goal of minimalism is to live simply by owning less and not having unnecessary expenses — debt included. The focus is shifted from owning physical items to having and creating experiences. While this looks different for everyone, the result is typically the same: greater peace.

There many benefits to minimalist living including alleviating depression, increased energy and focus, and reducing overwhelm and mental load. This is because the clutter around your space can start to clutter your mind as well. 

With so much talk about minimalism and its benefits, it can be hard not to want to take a step down that road. And while getting started can be difficult, knowing specific things you can do makes the process less daunting. To get you started, check out a few of these minimalist living tips.

1. Get Rid of Anything Unnecessary

The first thing you want to do is declutter your space. Getting rid of anything that isn’t serving a purpose will lead you to a more minimalist lifestyle. This can be difficult at times, especially for those things with some form of sentimental value. Ask yourself these questions when deciding whether to get rid of something: 

• Is it serving a purpose? 

• Do I have duplicates of this item?

• Does it bring me joy? 

• Does it tug at my heartstrings? 

Some people hold more sentiment to things than others. Having a friend there to support you as you make these decisions can prevent you from holding on to items you don’t need, thus halting your progress.

2.Clear Your Surfaces

A quick way to make your home feel more minimal is to rid surfaces of knick-knacks and other clutter. We’re all guilty of collecting random items at times, but removing them from surfaces like kitchen counters, coffee tables, and nightstands can help make your home feel clean and simple. 

3.Use Simple Decor

Choosing decorations can be difficult, especially if you’re unsure what style you like. With minimalist living, this becomes much easier. Stick to a few pictures hung on the wall — consider going frameless to complement your minimalist style — and maybe a few plants to add life to your space. 

4.Stick To a Color Palette

By keeping the colors you use simple and mostly neutral, you’ll ensure things look coordinated and clean. Painting your rental properties with white or light grey paint gives yourself freedom to decorate with one or two other complementing colors like blue or green, without clashing with the wall colors.

5. Make Everything Dual-Purpose

When you strive to live with the least amount of things possible, it becomes necessary to maximize what you do own. It’s important to focus on dual-purpose items: making the most of what you already have while only making purchases that will serve more than one purpose will help you stay on track. Even things that may seem simple can make a big difference. Building cubbies in closets or adding built-in shelves in small hard-to-use spaces are just a few examples.

Creating a minimalist living space can provide a calm, peaceful environment to come home to or work in. For more ways to create a minimalist living space, check out this guide from TurboTenant so you can achieve the clutterless lifestyle you’ve been looking for.

Design Ideas for Creating an Elegant Dining Room That Will Impress Your Guests

A beautiful dining room elevates every meal, from weekday dinners to luxurious Sunday brunches. Fortunately, you don't have to knock down walls or hire an interior decorator to get the dining room of your dreams. These design ideas will help you make the most of ordinary meals and fancy dinner parties alike.

Include Some Shine

Some sparkle and shine can light up the whole room. Metallic accents are an easy way to add some shine in the room. A shimmering, modern chandelier catches the eye, and floors or ceilings adorned with glossy or lacquered paint fill the room with light. Mirrors illuminate and visually enlarge a room.

Make a Statement

Adding a dramatic item or element into your decor wows guests and makes the room feel more special. Hand-painted floors, custom wallpaper, a handcrafted wooden bowl in the center of the table, or a unique piece of furniture can transform this often-overlooked room and spark conversations when guests visit. Designing the room around a fireplace, a window with a view, or a unique architectural element has the same effect.

The furniture you use can also make a statement. Dining room furniture is often thought of as being fairly basic and straightforward, but you can get creative with it to add interest. For example, a large or unusually shaped dining room table can draw attention to the center of the room. You can choose furniture that all matches or complements each other to make a cohesive look, or you can choose contrasting furniture for a more unusual design.

Go Eclectic

Blend old and new for a big dose of charm. Pairing modern dining room furniture with old-world art or accent pieces creates visual interest and makes the dining room seem anything but ordinary. The concept can also be applied to mixing formal and casual pieces. Using color strategically works here, too; try weaving a few bold colors into a pastel-painted dining room for a little contrast.

Emphasize Texture

Texture lends warmth and interest to almost any living space, including the dining room. From covering modern metal chairs with sheepskin or using chunky placemats to swapping out smooth lampshades for textured designs or placing a thick or sculptured rug under the table, the options are endless.

Add Dimension

A big, dramatic chandelier creates drama and adds "weight" to a room design. But hanging lights aren't the only option for adding dimension to a space. 3D wall pieces, sculptures, wallpaper with a raised design, crown molding, and rustic beams can all be used to create visual weight. Layering different shapes can also make the room feel less like a box filled with furniture and more like a cozy space that envelops you upon entering it. Try mixing rounded edges with square objects or placing antique books on a modern sideboard beneath a large mirror.

Almost any dining room can become a thing of beauty. From painting the walls or adding a few carefully curated pieces to giving the area an overhaul with new furnishings, an elegant dining room is within easy reach.

Guest Post - Wood Flooring Styles for Every Room

For the ultimate in style and durability, many homeowners can't resist installing beautiful, engineered wood flooring in every room. It helps to create a seamless flow throughout, enhancing your interior decor and providing your home with a pleasing ambience and sense of space. But what confuses many people is whether each room should have the same pattern. With bespoke engineered wood flooring that is made to measure and installed with the greatest care, you need to spend some time thinking about the catalogue of patterns that can add such a unique touch of style to every room, whether you are moving into a new home or remodelling.

Hallway

The hallway is the first part of your home that guests encounter. It's often one of the smallest spaces and can be frequently cluttered with coats and shoes. Wood flooring in a light to medium color will help to provide an illusion of extra space, but the pattern you choose is crucial in emphasizing the size of the floor. A simple Long Plank design with the timbers laid side by side is the best pattern to make floors look open and spacious. But a clever trick is to continue it into your living room.

Living Room

Your living room is usually the largest single space, but it's where your family and guests gather, so it needs to look spacious. Continuing a plain Long Plank style from your hallway into the living room symbolizes a warm welcome as it leads everyone directly to the heart of your home. Your living room is often the showpiece of your house and will usually undergo more redecorating than any other. Long Plank is a traditional, timeless pattern that is perfect for adapting to different trends and fashions over the hundred years or so that your engineered wood floor will last.

Kitchen

The Herringbone pattern produces a zigzag effect with short timbers cut at ninety-degree angles. This straight cut interlocking design is ideal for complementing the Long Plank of hallways and living rooms. Kitchens are frequently large, but the space is often occupied by island cabinets and breakfast bars that can make the room feel enclosed. The Herringbone creates a spacious appearance as the eye is drawn to the joints of the zigzags. It's also a tough, durable design that can withstand the heavy traffic endured by the average kitchen. Herringbone has been popular since the sixteenth century, so it should enhance your kitchen for years to come.

Bedroom

Your bedroom is a place of relaxation and privacy so you can be far more indulgent with the pattern of your engineered wood floor. An alternative to the Herringbone is Chevron. This beautiful pattern has each short length of timber cut at an angle to form a sharp 'V' as it zigzags across your floor. Engineered wood flooring adds an elegant touch of luxury to your bedroom particularly as it's suitable for cozy, underfloor heating. It is also extremely durable, ensuring the pattern of the floor will last for decades.

Another option in your bedroom is the Versailles Panel. It's a sumptuous design of square panels of interlocking timbers that appear to be woven together. The texture of each timber's surface along with its natural grain and color, increase the appeal of this luxury design. The Versailles Panel needs a room with a reasonably large floor space to highlight its intricate pattern.

A Perfect Finish

Bespoke engineered wood flooring is a beautiful addition to any room whichever pattern you choose. When choosing your design, consider how you use the room, its size and the footfall it might receive. But it's entirely up to you whether you choose to install your favorite pattern throughout your home or a different design in each room.

However, as mentioned above, certain designs are more suited to specific rooms. In the hallway, consider a Long Plank design in a light to medium color which will create the illusion of space. The Long Plank design will also work well in your living room. This is an important room for every home, so it is important that the color matches the interior design. 

For the kitchen, consider Herringbone. This is a strong and durable design that can withstand the heavy footfall. Finally, there are two main options for the bedroom. Chevrons beautiful patterns will add an aspect of luxury to any bedroom but if you have a larger space, Versailles Panels are worth considering.

Author Bio: This article was written by Martin O’Callaghan of Wood Flooring Ireland. Martin has over two decades experience designing bespoke Chevron floors for households and businesses.

Cool Ways To Improve Your Kitchen on a Budget

Brightening up the kitchen adds life to the whole house. Since we spend so much time working in this space, keeping it beautiful is crucial to our well-being. A well-adorned space makes the chores less of a drag as we enjoy spending time and immersing ourselves in a room. However, redecorating is often surprisingly expensive. Fortunately, there are still many cool ways to improve your kitchen on a budget.

Explore Fixture Options

Kitchens are full of little fixtures and hardware that wear out after so many years of interactions. These features include handles, doorknobs, and even flatware. For the most part, nice new fixtures don’t cost much to replace, and you can find many attractive, decorative, and relatively inexpensive options by shopping smart online. Lighting, too, is less expensive than most people imagine. Adding LED panels, changing out covers, or even adding a simple ceiling fan is typically possible for under $100.

Many stores supply discounted furnishings and fixtures. These might simply be older models or samples of stock that didn’t sell. Other times, resale stores carry a broad array of items salvaged from remodeled or even demolished homes and structures.

Splash in More Color

Adding paint is always one of the coolest ways to improve your kitchen on a budget. Of course, the easiest way is to pick a new color and go to town. Repaint the cabinets, walls, and even appliances with a new color or texture. You can also touch up your paint or accent it with cool weathering techniques—or sand it down and stain it for a more rustic look.

Nowadays, unusual and fun types of paint are incredibly accessible. Experiment with metallics, accenting, and more. Adding a section or wall of the paint-on chalkboard is also a fun project that can add a playful spin to a kitchen.

Look at Drawers and Shelves

As with previous examples, there are many ways to approach a complete change of cabinets, drawers, and shelves. However, after adding paint, a new countertop, or similar makeover options, you may decide to keep your original pieces. Give your furnishings an even fresher lease on life with an interior makeover.

Drawer interiors and shelf surfaces are easy to protect and decorate using affordable contact paper. Not only does it add more color and texture to a space, but it also protects typically unfinished interiors from dirt, grime, and stains. For cabinets and drawers, there are many inexpensive organizer tools. Spring-loaded wood inserts divide your drawer into sections in a more attractive way than the more common plastic dividers.