Guest Post - Bringing the Outside in with the Help of a Landscape Gardener

It's easy to make your home more comfortable and relaxing. You simply connect it to nature by bringing the outside to the inside. Plants and natural materials instantly create a calm, serene atmosphere. Their effect can be remarkably therapeutic and can help alleviate stress. They'll also make your home look cozy and welcoming.

Spring Color

It's exciting to plan upgrades for your house as the winter months fade away. Spring is the perfect season to choose a new color scheme for your rooms. To provide a soothing backdrop for your plants, you should choose natural, earthy colors. Take your inspiration from the plants and views outside your windows. If there are nearby bushes with dark, evergreen foliage, choose a color to complement them. A pale gray-green or pastel yellow ochre could be ideal. Light blue can make your room connect with the sky outside. Remember that pale colors make a room look larger while dark tones make it appear smaller.

Indoor Jungle

You'll need to use plants that are suitable for indoor spaces. There are many evergreen varieties such as tropical palms and vines. They'll love a warm, sunny location near a window. You can add an exotic elegance with pots of flowering orchids in beautiful colors. They are relatively easy to grow and have a fragrant aroma. Amaryllis is a large, colorful plant that can create a striking focal point in a room. Jasmine with tiny white flowers is perfect for climbing around a window frame to highlight the plants outside. A landscape gardener can advise you on which plants will thrive indoors and how you should care for them.

Natural Shelves

A large plant in a heavy, clay pot is safer standing on the floor. But many smaller bushes and flowers may need to be placed on shelves. Natural materials can complement your collection of plants and give your home an environmentally-friendly appearance. Shelving made of reclaimed wood is always popular. It can often look weathered with rough edges and have intricate grain patterns. But your home doesn't have to be rustic in design to appreciate plants. If you adore industrial chic, you can install shelves or tiered racks made of metallic girders. Adding your plant collection to them should demonstrate how effectively nature can harmonize with man-made objects.

Maintenance-Free Plants

It can sometimes be difficult to care for living plants. Many of them need to be given different amounts of water. It's an easy mistake to place a potted plant in the wrong location where it may receive too much or not enough sunlight. Choosing artificial plants is a convenient alternative. There are many realistic versions that can provide the same effect of harmonizing with nature, but without the hassle. A current interior design trend is a living wall where you fill an entire panel with foliage. It's an impressive feature to have in your living room, but you need to be dedicated to maintain it properly. Maintenance-free, artificial plants are the perfect answer. They look realistic and could give your home an incredible appearance.

Seamless Harmony

It's important to make your exterior space harmonize with the inside of your home. A landscape gardener can help you create a seamless transition between the plants in your backyard and those in your rooms. Spring cleaning and maintenance for the exterior of your house is an ideal starting point. It gives you an opportunity to redesign a patio or porch to incorporate new planting schemes. Floor to ceiling doors can be opened to show similar plants both inside and outside. Hanging up potted plants on your porch and inside your home gives a coordinated look.

Floral Fabrics

Soft furnishings such as drapes and cushions are another easy care solution. Beautiful textures and designs include fabrics with prints of flowers and foliage. It's easy to connect inside and outside by using the same fabrics for covers on chairs on your porch and in your living room. Rustic kitchens look very stylish with floral accessories. Sophisticated home interiors should aim to balance patterns full of flowers with striped or textured fabrics.

Conclusion

A landscape gardener can help you bring nature into your home. You'll create a tranquil atmosphere that's restful and soothing. Painting your walls in neutral, earthy colors provides a calm backdrop for your collection of plants. Natural accessories such as wooden shelving and colorful, floral fabrics help to complete a design of harmony. Flowering plants also add a beautiful scent to the air. Genuine or artificial foliage and flowers can transform your room. It should become a peaceful haven where you'll love to relax.

Author Bio:

Ray Brosnan is the co-owner of Brosnan Property Solutions, a property maintenance company who have helped many homeowners with their landscaping and home interior needs. 

7 Surprising Benefits of Hiring a Professional Window Cleaner for Your Home

First impressions count a lot. When it comes to our home or even business establishment, our building’s exterior is probably the first to be noticed. Before anyone comes in, he has already made an impression about you or the business based on what the outside looks like. Dirty or smudged windows because of accumulated dirt and debris will not wow your guests.

Are you struggling to keep up with your window cleaning regime? It might be time for you to consider having a commercial window cleaning done. Here are seven surprising benefits of hiring a professional window cleaner for your home.

1. It enhances the aesthetics of your home. 

As windows are a part of a house exterior, clean windows make your home look better. Whether you are trying to impress your neighbours or you simply want to make your house shine, a professional window cleaning service can make your abode look appealing and well maintained. They are guaranteed to add value to your home and improve its quality.

2. It extends the life of your windows. 

Unattended dirt and other debris accumulating in your windows can cause permanent damage. They can etch the glass and result in scratches that are unsightly. To protect your windows, you should have them professionally washed regularly.

Cleaning the windows by professionals will make windows last longer. These cleaners can remove corrosive substances from your windows which reduces the likelihood of having cracks and scratches, as well as glass degradation.

3. It uses the right equipment for the job.

Soap and water are not the only tools needed to make windows clean. Different windows may require different cleaning methods, cleaning solutions and even cleaning equipment. When you hire a professional window cleaner, you will not worry about all of these. You won’t need to spend extra on these cleaning needs. Their cleaning service company surely invested in the right equipment for the job. 

4. It’s more effective than washing them yourself.

Professionally washed windows are cleaner and clearer. These experts leave no marks or smudges behind. They have the right tools, techniques and equipment to make sure that your windows will be sparkling clean when they leave. If you do the job yourself, streaks and specks of dirt are still probably somewhere around the corner. Your personal tools and cleaning method may not effectively remove them. 

5. It saves you time.

With the pandemic, most of us are probably working from home. This setup is not as ideal as it sounds. We may become tempted to do tasks unrelated to work, or we may be distracted by the grimy window facing us. We tend to clean up while working which ends up in tasks piling up.

Cleaning windows can be more complicated than having a bucket of water and a bar of soap ready. It may consume more time than you think. Instead of doing it by yourself, outsource your window cleaning needs to the professionals. It will save you time from doing tasks not related to your job and even increase your productivity.

6. It keeps you safe.

A professional window cleaner can deep clean your windows, their frames and everything around them. They can get rid of molds, clouds of dust, debris and other allergens that may have accumulated. You can then breathe better without the worry of inhaling any of them.

When you clean your windows by yourself, there is also a high risk of breaking the glasses or falling from a ladder while reaching for the top of the window. The cleaning solution may also pose a hazard to you. When you get your windows professionally cleaned, you won’t have to think about these risks. They are experts in what they are doing, and they know how to protect themselves from these hazards.

7. It reduces fatigue and stress.

Balancing work and home life is already overwhelming. A home to tend after a day of work can leave you exhausted and without extra time to clean windows. 

When you let the professionals do the cleaning for you, you can relax and bond with your family while they clean. You won’t need to spread yourself too thin. You will not stress out from all the house chores you need to do. You can have downtime to rest and take care of yourself or be with your loved ones instead.

Are you ready to hire a window cleaner?

Window cleaning is as important as cleaning the other parts of your house, yet it may not come naturally and frequently like how you sweep the floor. We tend to clean only when we see dirt building up on the window surface.

However, we should remember that our windows also deserve regular cleaning. If you want to maintain the beauty of your glass windows, book a professional window cleaner. You will be surprised by the value it can give to you and your home. 

How Basements Differ in Varying Areas of the United States

We partnered with a home improvement company. for this post. The opinions in the post are honest. All reviews and opinions expressed in this post are based on our personal views. We are excited because we know you will love it.

If there is one part of many homes that is somewhat of an enigma, it is the basement. While many older homes have partial or full basements, the trend in recent years has been to leave off a basement when constructing a new home. Considered great places for you to have extra storage or to finish and thus create additional living space for your friends and family, they can also be prone to high humidity levels and flooding after a heavy rain. While found in homes throughout the United States, basements do differ in varying areas, based on a number of factors.

More Waterproofing

While basements can be found in homes in all areas of the U.S., some are located in areas that are much more prone to flooding. This is particularly true of states in the southern U.S., such as Texas, Louisiana, and Georgia. As a result, whether you have a walk-out basement or simply a crawlspace, you likely make waterproofing a top priority. From using professional services for crawlspace encapsulation or sealing walls with waterproofing paint, these methods are very common with southern basements.

Coastal Crawlspaces

Though basements can be found in many homes on both the East and West coasts, more and more newer homes are now opting for crawlspaces. Done so based on such things as potential flooding, costs of building supplies, and other related factors, crawlspaces allow for access to plumbing lines and other components of the home, taking up less space in the process.

Bigger House Often Means no Basement

Oddly enough, in all areas of the United States, owning a larger home often means you will have no basement whatsoever. A large home, which is defined as one having at least five bedrooms, will rarely have a finished basement, or even an unfinished basement.

Daylight Basement

In areas such as the Midwest, which is generally viewed as the heartland of the United States, daylight basements are very common. In fact, this area of the U.S. is thought to contain the most basements of any area in the nation. Thus, if you live in or are planning to purchase a home in such states as Missouri, South Dakota, Nebraska, or other neighboring states, you'll probably have a daylight basement. Featuring no external doors and having half of it above-ground and half below, most are left unfinished.

  Whether you want an unfinished basement or one that is made to look spectacular, New Key Construction can help create it in almost any area of the United States.

Guest Post - How to Choose the Right Flooring for Your Remodel

Whether you’re looking into redecorating your home or making improvements, choosing the right flooring is an essential step of the process. Floors receive your foot traffic and help to tie together the overall design of the room.

Here are some things to consider when choosing the flooring for your next remodeling project.

Know Your Budget

You must keep in mind the budget for your remodel and settle on a figure before you even start looking at any type of flooring options.

Along with the cost of the flooring itself, be sure to save money for other expenses, such as the cost of underlayment, delivery, and installation.

Also, you may need to spend money on additional material such as baseboards, stains, or adhesives. Having a well-planned budget will keep you from overspending on certain flooring materials.

Define Your Design Style

When choosing the right flooring, consider what style appeals most to you. Think about the different colors or textures you like.

For example, do you like the classic, slightly worn look of hardwood, or the smooth, glossy feel of tile flooring? Also, be sure to keep in mind how the flooring will complement the furniture and decorations you already have in your home. You don’t want to have to get new furniture just to match the new esthetic of your flooring.

Keep in Mind Your Current Lifestyle

Another important thing to keep in mind when looking at flooring options is how you will use the space you’re remodeling. For example, if you are remodeling the bathroom, you will want to pick water-resistant flooring, such as tile.

The type of flooring you choose should be not only aesthetically pleasing, but also capable of withstanding the everyday wear and tear of the different activities performed in that room.

Flooring Material Options

Hardwood

Hardwood flooring is a popular choice. This is because it can be cleaned quite easily, it’s more durable, and it lasts longer than carpet. Consider adding wood floors to your living room or kitchen, which receive higher foot traffic and are where spills are more likely to occur. Having wood flooring also increases your home’s resale value.

Engineered hardwood flooring is another option. It consists of floor planks made of layers of wood, called “piles,” bonded together using high heat pressure. They can provide more versatility than solid hardwood floors and are more affordable. Consider adding this type of flooring option to kitchens, bathrooms, or basements.

Vinyl

This type of flooring is both durable and relatively inexpensive. It is made from plastic and available in planks, sheets, or tiles. The durability of this option makes it the perfect choice for kitchens or hallways, which receive lots of activity.

It is also waterproof, stain-resistant, and scratch-restraint, as well as easy to install. Consider this flooring option for your home if you have younger children or pets.

Tile

Tile flooring is versatile, it can last for many years, and it requires little maintenance. It works well in rooms that have higher moisture content, such as bathrooms. Some types of tile include, ceramic, porcelain, and natural stone.

Carpet

Carpet is perfect for any place where you want to add extra warmth and comfort. Carpet is perfect for your bedroom or den to make the space feel cozier, and the material is soft underneath your feet.

When choosing a carpet type, keep in mind the level of foot traffic in the room so that it matches with the duralty of the material.

Alternative Options

Bamboo

Bamboo is typically more moisture-resistant and hard-wearing than wood options. It’s often cheaper, too. Consider adding this flooring option to any type of entertaining space to enhance the overall design and uniqueness of the room. The lighter tones will easily blend into the room and not distract from the other decorations and design elements already present. Bamboo is also an environmentally-friendly option.

Cork

Cork is durable, comfortable, and resistant to mold and mildew. This makes it the perfect option for areas with higher activity and where water is more likely to accumulate. Consider adding cork to your bathroom or kitchen. Cork is also a relatively inexpensive and uncommon option.

Choosing the Right Flooring

Deciding what type of flooring you want when remodeling certain areas of your home can be stressful. While making this decision, it’s essential to know your budget, design style, and lifestyle influences. There are so many choices of flooring material out there! Which one do you think suits your personality and your space?

Author bio: Rose Morrison is the managing editor of Renovated, where she offers advice on home renovation, maintenance, and organization.