Understanding the Basic Principles of Landscape Design

Organizing your backyard garden or the front lawn of your home are tasks that will affect the value of your entire property. Other than this, it can also increase the quality of life in your household and give you a fun and relaxing hobby. Landscaping can:

Boost your home’s curb appeal

• Incentivize you to spend more time outdoors

• Create a personal oasis on your own property

In order for any or all of these to be true, you need to start by applying the right strategy. This starts by understanding your end goals and being honest about the impression you want your garden to make. Here are several basic principles of landscaping design that can help guide you through the planning stage.

The Focal Point

Organizing your backyard becomes so much easier when you have a focal point to work around. A focal point in the backyard can be anything from a single item to a whole thematic area.

A focal point needs to dominate the area that is lush and vibrant. This is not an easy task, and the best way to get there is with. This contrast can be achieved through:

• Size

• Shape

• Color

• Position

There are no rules regarding the size of the item that is supposed to serve as a focal point. You can go with something as tiny as a garden gnome or a Grecian urn. Others choose something bigger like a pond, fountain, or a pool. A watery element is a particularly good idea for a focal point, seeing as how it creates a natural contrast from a tactile standpoint.

When talking about proportions, it is usually a good idea to keep the place a bit asymmetrical. For a lot of people, landscaping is all about balance, but you need to understand that balance and symmetry are not one and the same.

Don’t Go Over the Top 

When you first think about landscaping, what probably crosses your mind is a freshly mowed lawn. Other than this, you might also think of a well-placed three or a nicely pruned shrub. If you think of a garden path, it’s also probably made of simple, natural material.

So, what do all of these things have in common?

They’re simple and natural-looking.

Remember that your garden needs to represent the combination of nature and order. This is why simple shapes, natural colors, and, most importantly, natural materials are probably the best way for you to get there.

So, whenever choosing an option, consider whether it has a simpler alternative that might be more elegant.

For instance, let’s say you want to add a fiery element to your backyard. For some people, the solution would be to go for an outdoor (possibly Mediterranean-styled) fireplace. However, it’s probably better to go for a classic stone fire pit instead.

The Contrast of Textures and Materials

A green cover made out of leaves, pine needles, and blades of grass is supposed to be the backbone of your garden. However, this green, vibrant cover is not the only material out there. When combining different elements and materials, you should probably go with something natural and natural-looking. Sure, going for vinyl around your pool is pragmatic but keep in mind that stone, wood, and materials that look like stone and wood are a better solution for the rest of your garden.

For instance, instead of just going for concrete, you can go for concrete pavers instead. These concrete pavers will look more like stone than regular concrete would. Concrete pavers can also come in different textures and colors, which may make them look like a specific type of stone like granite. They can even have the look of wooden planks, thus giving you a chance to create a more resilient and maintenance-friendly deck-like structure.

The cheapest solution to your problem is to use pea pebbles. This solution will probably cost you as little as $6 per square foot. Compare this to using stone pavers which could cost well above $20 per square foot, and you can clearly see the difference.

Naturally, if budget is not the issue, you should go for real stone. This will interact great with the rest of your property, especially for homes that use gray slate for their roofing.

Take Your Time to Plant Everything

There’s a saying that it’s far more efficient to plant a 50-cent plant in a $5 hole than a $5 plant in a 50-cent hole. While this is an interesting landscaping principle, it’s also a concept that you can apply to anything else you decide to do in life. Preparation is always the key to success, and if you take enough time to do the preparatory work, success is inevitable.

If you are willing to invest more time and effort, you could potentially consider the concept of raised garden beds. This will provide all your plants, vegetables, even shrubs with more nutrients, better moisture retention (for the soil), and protection from foot traffic. The number of benefits that it creates for your landscape is worth the extra effort/cost. The best part is that it doesn’t really increase maintenance by that much. In some scenarios, it will even make your maintenance slightly easier.

The majority of people fear this form of planning because they want their garden to give away the impression of wild growth. The key thing to remember is that these two principles aren’t mutually exclusive. You can have every inch of your garden planned out and still have it look spontaneous and wild.

In Conclusion

It will take a lot of strategy, planning, and effort to create a perfect landscape design. With the above-listed principles, you will have a general idea of the direction that you should take your plans. Also, keep in mind that gardening and landscaping are also affected by your budget.

The most important thing you need to understand here is that time is your greatest adversary. Once you achieve the ultimate landscape design, it won’t take long until the wild growth overtakes everything. This is why your job is never truly done. Once you have everything as you want it, the battle for preserving your design can begin.

Tips for making your living room the coziest place on Earth

There's nothing better than coming home from a long day at work and drinking a cup of coffee or tea wrapped in a blanket on your sofa. It's the moment of peace in a day everybody deserves to have. So, why not make the best of it by increasing the comfort of your living room? Whether you're dealing with a limited amount of space or simply want to give your spacious room a more intimate feel, there are a lot of things you can do to achieve just that. Just remember one thing - coziness is not only about aesthetics but also about appealing to all your senses at once. So, here are some great tips for making your living room the coziest place on Earth.

Rounded edges and soft shapes are the right way to go

If you want to turn your living room into a cozy nest, you'll need more smooth and curved shapes in the room. Solid and rough edges and many flat surfaces give the image of harshness and rigidity as if you need to sit up straight and take everything seriously. Allowing your living room to indicate a more careless style will help to create a more relaxing atmosphere. In a cozy living room, the furniture should practically embrace you and give you a warm hug, allowing you to sink into the sofa, snuggle up, and relax. Round corners on sofas and armchairs make them feel more tactile and welcome, while circular items, such as a round coffee table, invites you to gather around it. As a final touch, make the ambient even cozier by adding soft carpets under furniture and fluffy cushions on hard surfaces.

Adding some texture will make a huge difference

Even the most neutral homes can benefit from a touch of texture, and every home should definitely have some. Pursuing texture means you're one step closer to getting that homey vibe and making your living room the coziest place on Earth. For example, natural fibers such as lightly stained wood, jute, organic cotton, and linen should be used instead of synthetic materials and polished surfaces. To our eyes, a clean surface can appear dull and one-dimensional, but you can introduce some tactility and complexity so that it becomes appealing and intriguing. Just imagine relaxing on linen cushions and wrapping a wool blanket around you while reading a book. It already feels cozier, right?

Play with the scents 

Since coziness implies pleasing all of your senses simultaneously, let's talk about the sense of smell. Scents have a significant impact on our mood, so make sure to choose the scent that will make you relaxed and content. Use scents that transport you back to a moment when you were at ease. You can never go wrong with lavender and fresh green notes. The spa-like vibe these two notes create will instantly make you tranquil. Additionally, make sure to air the room regularly. A stuffy room can never be a cozy one as well. It's essential to choose more soothing scents in order to make your living room the coziest place on Earth.

Add a personal touch to your living room

One of the best ways to make your living room the coziest place on Earth is by adding a personal touch to the room. There's nothing more relaxing than that homey feeling of belonging. So, think about what makes you feel at home. For some people, that's a shelf full of books, a room flooded with plants, or a wall adorned with pictures of your family and friends. If that feeling lies in your favorite color, then make sure it pops in this room. We can design an atmosphere that is cozy and inviting on numerous levels beyond aesthetics by giving a room a deeper significance and thinking carefully about the things we surround ourselves with. After all, the home is where the heart is, so make sure to pour your heart into this room, and you'll feel cozier than ever.

Set the mood with the right lighting 

Lighting plays a big role when it comes to making your room cozy. Too much or too little light can never feel right. So, you'll have to set the mood with the just-right amount of lighting in your living room. Drapes have great mood-setting power - not only do they add flair to your room but also cast a natural glow upon the whole room. By layering curtains, you can experiment with the light level you allow in the room.

Additionally, to create a warm, inviting atmosphere, install a dimmer switch on your lights and layer your lighting with multiple light sources. Set the mood with a softer, more diffused light by using a lot of accent lights. You can use lamps to create focal points on side tables, sideboards, and bookshelves in a cozy living room. This way, your attention will be on these snug and comfortable areas of the room.

Pay attention to details 

You can't make your living room the coziest place on Earth if you don't pay attention to details. The secret of comfort lies within the little things we put in our rooms. However, we have to be moderate because adding those little details can turn into cluttering really fast, and we don't want that. Here are some great ideas for incorporating little details in your living room to make it cozier:

• Put mirrors on the wall: you can choose different sizes and go for fun framing. Displaying mirrors on the wall will give the room a warm depth and a more intimate vibe. 

• Hang some artwork: choose the picture from your favorite artist and hang it on the wall. You can visit a local gallery and buy some fresh art from new artists. This will add that extra layer to your living room and give it the homey vibe you seek. 

• Install a fireplace: if you want to go all the way, a fireplace is the right choice. This warm addition will take the coziness to the next level. After all, there is nothing better than drinking hot cocoa by the fire with your family.

Keep in mind...

If you have a bug for art and you already have a bunch of artwork you want to display on the wall of your living room, we recommend you don't go overboard with it. While art is precious, sometimes it can suffocate the place. So, choose a picture or two you like the most and display them. If you have many pieces that you don't know where to place just yet, you can always keep them safe in a storage unit until you decide. However, it's essential to store them properly and take care of them in the right way. After all, expensive pieces demand special care, so make sure you learn everything there is to know about storing artwork. This includes learning about what temperature you should store it at, what is the allowed level of humidity and lightning, how to pack them properly, etc.

What do you think about these tips?

After reading all these great tips for making your living room the coziest place on Earth, what are your final thoughts? We think if you follow these steps, your living room will be so comfy that you'll never want to leave it. And isn't that the dream?

Why Your Bathroom Might Not Be as Clean as You Think

Everyone has different ways of keeping the bathroom clean. Maybe you’re following bathroom organization tips to create more storage space. You might even start remodeling your small restroom so it feels less cramped. These methods are sure to keep your space neat and tidy, but what if the grossest part of your restroom were invisible to the eye?

Although stopping the spread of germs has been a major focus during the pandemic, Americans still aren’t doing enough to keep their bathrooms clean. From forgetting to disinfect the shower curtain to skipping hand washing, the thing making your restroom the dirtiest might just be your hygiene habits. 

To find out what’s really going on inside people’s restrooms, we looked closely at a recent bathroom cleanliness survey on American habits. Keep reading to learn the dirty truth.

How Often Americans Clean the Bathroom

Cleaning the whole bathroom can seem like a hassle, which might be why Americans don’t do it as frequently as they should. Here’s a breakdown of how often Americans clean their restrooms:

• At least once a week: 38% 

• Twice a month: 20%

• Once a month: 22%

• Less than once a month: 20%

Although the majority of Americans clean the loo at least every other week, 42% only do the dirty work once a month at most. 

Grossed out yet? Before you rush to scrub the bathtub and disinfect the toilet seat, you might want to know where most of your bathroom germs are actually concentrated.

The Shower Curtain Problem

Even if you think you’re cleaning every surface, you might be forgetting about the part of your bathroom that picks up the most grime: the shower curtain.

When compared to a toilet seat, a shower curtain holds 60 times more bacteria. The higher potential for germs isn’t helped by American bathroom cleaning habits. In fact, 70% of Americans wash their shower curtains less than once a month, and 51% wash them less than twice a year. 

If you fail to clean your shower curtain, the moisture in the bathroom can cause mold and mildew to develop. To avoid this gross buildup, experts advise washing your shower curtain every week. Keeping both your bathroom and your body clean means disinfecting the shower curtain often.

Other Common Bad Habits

In addition to the 29% who ignore the grime on their shower curtains, Americans have loads of other gross bathroom habits. Check out some of the most common ones:

• Reusing disposable razors: 35% of Americans keep their disposable razors longer than they should, which can lead to microscopic tears in the skin that might increase the risk of certain infections.

• Using towels for over a week: Even though experts recommend replacing your bathroom towels every other day, 33% of Americans use their bacteria-filled towels for more than one week.

• Using loofahs for over a month: 22% of Americans reuse loofahs longer than recommended, with women being 80% more likely to do so.

• Not washing hands: 22% of Americans also admit that they’ve skipped hand washing after using the restroom, and men are 40% more guilty of this gross habit.

• Brushing teeth on the toilet: Despite all the germs on a toilet, 11% of Americans brush their teeth while sitting on one.

Now the filthy secret is out — Americans really don’t clean their bathroom as often or thoroughly as they should. 

If you think you fall under this category, it’s easy to change your ways. To level-up your bathroom cleaning habits, be sure to steer clear of the nasty practices that lead bacteria to grow. While you’re at it, do a bit of bathroom reorganization and renovation. That way, you can keep your bathroom both upgraded and clean.

4 Ways Mold Can Grow in Your Basement and How to Prevent It

If you've ever had the unpleasant experience of seeing mold, you know how disgusting the substance is. Chances are that your first instinct was to quickly wash the mold away. Unfortunately, mold can grow in your own basement. As thus, you want to be aware of reasons why mold might form in the basement and how to prevent this occurrence.

Burst Pipe or Leakage

One reason why mold might grow in your basement is due to a leak or a burst in one of the pipes. Sometimes, these leaks can go undetected for a while. For example, if you're like many people, you may very well have a storage closet in the basement packed with items. A pipe could burst or have a leak, and that dripping water could lead to mold. Regularly checking the closet for signs of water damage or mold is a smart move. You can also call 1-800 BusyDog Basement Technologies to inspect the plumbing system in the house.

Flood Damage

Even if you don't live near the water or in an area where floods are a terribly common happening, you still could experience flood damage in the basement. A heavy storm could lead to water getting into the basement. You might think that the issues are over once the water is cleaned up, but mold could grow in those spaces. When you have any sort of flooding, hiring professionals to do the clean up is the right move.

Forgotten Food

Having friends over to watch the big game is certainly exciting, especially when you can escape down to the basement for a relaxing day free of the chores and other household hassles. However, food might get left behind. When you don't regularly spend a ton of time in the basement, you might not notice that the food has started to stink and grow mold. A thorough cleaning after parties is the way to prevent this issue.

Lack of Ventilation

A bathroom in the basement might not have the same ventilation as bathrooms on higher floors of the house. After you take a shower, leave the door open for a while so that the bathroom can air out. All of that moisture building up in the space can certainly lead to recurring problems with mold. Another option is to look into having ventilation professionally installed in the basement bathroom.

When you go down into your basement next, take a look around for signs of mold. Further, make preventative treatment a part of your maintenance routine.