Interview - Pretzl

Whenever one of our clients says, “what do I do with all this stuff?” one of our suggestions is to recommend focusing on experiences. This practice works especially well when it comes to feeling overwhelmed by children’s toys. We spoke with Olivia Leon from Pretzl about ways to easily find activities if you don’t want to add to the playroom.

For the busy person, what is Pretzl?

Pretzl is the OpenTable for kids’ activities, a site for parents to search through thousands of classes, camps and birthday party options and book on the spot. Without any fees ever, parents can search on criteria that matter most to them like the child’s age, location, activity type, day of the week/time, making it easier than ever to find just what they are looking for and discover new activities they didn’t know were out there.

Whether a parent is looking for a class or a camp for the summer, planning a child’s next birthday party, or just wants to try something new over weekend, Pretzl is here to help.

What is the company's origin story, how did you pick the name?

My co-founder and I were sharing our frustrations about how difficult it was to find new and different activities for our kids. We knew that there were amazing offerings out there, but no easy way to find them and compare options. We knew that there had to be a better way and Pretzl was born.

According to some historians, the earliest pretzels were dubbed “pretiolas,” meaning “little rewards.” We want to, “give kids the reward of amazing experiences and give their parents the reward of easily finding and booking those experiences.”

How is Pretzl different than calendar of event sites?

Most directory sites will list options, but parents can’t book the activity on the site. They have to go to the venue’s site or call the venue during the hours of operation. On Pretzl, customers can search through thousands of kids' classes, camps, birthday party options and events and book anytime day or night. Unlike man “calendar of event sites,” we don’t just list dozens of activities and happenings (which can become unwieldy and overwhelming for parents). We enable Pretzl users to filter and sort our thousands of offerings on criteria that matter most to them like date and time, location, age, activity type, etc. and then book on the spot. Lastly, booking through Pretzl also allows parents to keep kids' busy schedules organized all in one place.

What are some of the most popular events?

We are finding that there is no “most popular” event or class. Our bookings range all of the options one would expect - from Fine Art to Martial Arts to the Digital Arts and sports like Soccer, Tennis and Golf and all types of dance. But some our most popular bookings are the unexpected activities such as a Paleontologist Camp, an Earring Making Workshop and even an Ice Cream Making Class. We have also seen a spike in the demand for single day activities with the recent school holidays.

Guest Post - 5 Tips for Achieving a Cozy Family Room

The family room is the heart of every home. This is where the real magic of community happens: it’s where you and your loved ones spend time socializing, relaxing and having fun. So, if you want to make this special space even more comfortable and cozy, consider these 5 family room design ideas. They will certainly come in handy as the winter approaches!

Start with color

If you want to create an inviting, friendly and cozy space for your family, opt for soft and warm colors. Earthy tones are especially great in creating that homey feeling, so consider khaki, honey or clay tones. In order to break the monotony, you also need a few pops of bold color! You can paint an accent wall in brighter shades like yellow, pumpkin orange or brick red or find another way to introduce color. For instance, you can opt for eye-catching decoration or an interesting piece of art. These are great ways to spice up the space, because they are affordable and can be easily replaced when you need a quick change.

Shower it in light

There’s no better way to create a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere in a space that with appropriate lighting. So, ditch your old-fashioned boob lights and harsh beams and illuminate your family room with layered lighting. Combine general, overhead lighting with the task and accent lights for the best coverage. This way, you’ll always have just the right amount of light for all your family activities and your space will be showered with soft and pleasant light. No more dark corners and too-bright islands of light! Even though the artificial light is crucial, natural light is still the healthiest way to get some light into your family room. So, make sure to open up those curtains and regularly let the sunshine in.

Cozy it up!

Do your family members like to gather in the living room, watch a movie while curled up under a blanket? If yes, then you definitely have to boost comfort to make these moments even cozier for everyone! The best way to achieve that homey, casual vibe is with plenty of informal seating. Soft furniture with practical pillows will simply invite everyone to just flop on the couch and chill as a family.

Also, get a few throws for accent and extra warmth in the winter. And, don’t forget your floors! For the ultimate cozy atmosphere, you need to provide your toes with plenty of warmth and softness. If you can find a rug that’s soft and cozy, you’ll not only boost warmth in your family room, but also anchor the entire space and significantly improve the overall aesthetics of your room. Plus, your kids will love to roll around and play on their new, soft rug!

Make it organic

A great way to add both interest and freshness to your family room is to employ nature and natural elements. Indoor plants will not only add a touch of style, color and fragrance to your space, but also ensure your air is free of pollutants and even some odors! This is especially important in the winter, when we spend a lot of time indoors and tend to close our windows. So, don’t miss a chance to green up your family room. Also, outdoor elements add great interest to the space. Consider placing an arrangement of branches in a vase or driftwood on a shelf. These details will instantly boost warmth and style of your room, but also connect your family with the outdoors! If you want to go a bit bigger, you can embrace the eco-friendly trend and try some green renovation design ideas for a healthy and environmentally-conscious home.

Personalize your space

Little details are often what makes home…well, a home! So, don’t hesitate to add a few meaningful family items to your décor to add charm and character. Think family photos, vacation souvenirs, favorite books and art pieces. These pieces not only encourage conversation, but also trigger memories and tell a story about your family. So, ditch some of the store-bought decoration and replace it with personal items that will make your family room warm and inviting!

Hopefully, you’ll feel inspired to improve your family room and treat your loved ones to a space that is uniquely yours. Your movie nights, lazy Sunday mornings and family bonding times will be even more fun and relaxing!

Lana Hawkins is a young architect and a home décor blogger on Smooth Decorator. She enjoys writing about interior decoration and landscaping. Lana is interested in sustainability and green building, and that's where she gets most of her inspiration from.

The Dreaded Attic

Attics can be a nightmare. Often things have been stored in your attic for over 30 years.

Boxes untouched and filled with multi-generational items. Attics serve as a catch all, a great example of what is “out of sight, out of mind.” We have experienced many instances when a house is listed on the market we get the phone call that it is finally time to get in the attic and bring down the items to sort, review, donate or sell.

Here are some tips for properly organizing your attic:

Items stored in the attic should not be temperature sensitive. For example, photographs, paintings, and musical instruments should not be exposed to extreme temperatures.

Your keepsakes such as college mementos, awards and trophies should be kept in clear plastic bins. Label the outside what the bin contains without writing directly on the bin. The same goes for children’s keepsake clothing and toys. Often our clients ask us about turning t-shirts into quilts. Here is a link should you be interested in a t-shirt quilt.

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Try to get as much off the floor as possible. Inexpensive vertical shelving can be helpful. This way, you will be able to easily find what you are looking for and not rummage around the attic floor.

Holiday décor should also be stored in clear plastic bins. Plus plastic bags for oversized awkward items. Many households have large quantities of holiday items and gift wrap. Maybe store it in a separate area of the attic for ease of finding it when necessary.

Attics tend to be a “make it go away “ destination for numerous items such as old electronics, pet carriers, unused rugs, dated financial paperwork and other uncategorized items. Sometimes there are even boxes from previous moves which were never opened. Often we keep things with the intention that maybe someday they will come in handy. If you haven’t used something in many years it may be time to donate inexpensive, outdated and unused items.

Attics are a place where furniture can be stored away and forgotten. In fact, you may even want to bring it down but don’t want to hurt yourself (how did it fit up here in the first place?) If you think there is value to a piece of furniture there are people who can come appraise it for you. Certainly items can be repaired and sold, or donated to people who may have use for them.

However, if the attic is making you feel overwhelmed and you need help, feel free to contact us.

Guest Post - Tips for Cheap and Eco-Friendly Home Renovation

While in an ideal scenario you’d probably want to move to a bigger house, the economy is giving your two choices – remodelling and extending. So, you’ve set down the road of renovating your home to make it more interesting but also to better accommodate your current lifestyle and needs. Even so, while your and your family’s health should be your primary concern, staying on top of your budget is always welcome. Take note of these environmentally-friendly home renovation tips that won’t force you to take out a second mortgage.

Buy reclaimed materials

Reclaimed wood is not only eco-friendly, but also very appealing and increasingly popular in upscale renovation circles. It can be used with great success for countertops, flooring, even walls. It’s not a rare case to see it around the kitchen hood as well. Just think about the time, energy, and money you’d need to produce a similar product from scratch.

Choose locally sourced materials

Buying eco-friendly product is great, but if it has to be shipped from across the county, its greenness dwindles away. As a great alternative to buying reclaimed, purchase locally-sourced materials that require far less energy to get to your door. In addition, local professionals possess a vast knowledge of nearby communities, types of homes and even the local climate, all of which can be useful for your project.

Instead of demolishing – deconstruct

Before you go full sledgehammer and start tearing down walls and knocking down entire rooms, walk around your home with a notepad and see what can be salvaged and reused before it goes down. Not only is this an eco-friendly approach, but it saves money in the end. Although ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ rule doesn’t always apply here, there’ll likely be a ton of material you can reuse, such as light fixtures, flooring, tile, bricks, cabinets, and moulding.

Insulate on the outside

For the façade insulation, choose a quality product such as expanded polystyrene (EPS) which is relatively inexpensive yet durable, lightweight, non-toxic and 100% recyclable. On top of it, it has fantastic thermal properties, so by applying only 100mm of the EPS to a solid wall takes down the u-value to 0.3 W/m2 or better. If you want to lower the cost even more, instead of purchasing yours, you can look into some of mobile aluminium scaffolding rental companies and rent a product that suits your project.

Upgrade to eco-friendly windows

Draughty windows are the plague of eco-friendly homes. If you don’t take the problem seriously, before you know it, your electricity bills on heating and cooling will definitely remind you that something isn’t right. While cellular PVC is a popular energy-efficient window material, it’s produced in a process that releases toxins into the atmosphere. Consider a few other green solutions such as a double and triple pane glass, sustainably-harvested wooden frames, and fibreglass frames made from sand, which is virtually an inexhaustible resource.

Use low-VOC paints

The favourable smell of a freshly-painted room actually comes from volatile organic compounds (VOCs), chemicals that evaporate from painted surfaces at ordinary room temperature. Their presence in interior paints comes from petroleum-based solvents used in their production. Instead of these solvents, low-VOC paints use water, and produce no harmful emissions once applied to the walls.

Increase natural light with skylights

Reduce the time you use lamps during the day by adding skylights and illuminating your homes’ interior naturally. While installing them in every room isn’t very cost-effective, place them strategically in the rooms you most commonly use during the day, such as the living room and the dining room/kitchen. The scaffold you hired for the façade insulation can be of great help for this project as well. Remember to fit your skylights with automated blinds to block the sunlight when needed.

Renovating your home doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. And if you choose to take your project a step further and renovate your home in an eco-friendly manner, you won’t only be helping the environment, but also giving back to your community, while saving some money in the process.

Lucas Bergman is a real estate agent and renewable energy consultant with many hobbies and passions, but above all, he enjoys the most spending time with his wife – Mara. He also likes Lord of the Rings. He, actually, very much likes Lord of the Rings. He is a regular contributor at smoothdecorator.com.