Lifestyle

 

According to a recent poll, more than three-quarters of Americans value their yard as one of the most important parts of their home.

Having a private outdoor space has never been as desirable as it has been in the past few years. If you have a yard, it’s time to put it to good use.

Why vacation away when you can create the perfect summer escape right in your backyard?

Keep reading to learn more.

Do Some Refreshing

Before you start crafting your backyard getaway, you need to do a reset. Clear away any debris, overgrown plants, leaves, and weeds.

Get rid of old patio furniture you no longer want to use, unused outdoor tools, and anything else that doesn’t bring a feeling of joy.

Once your backyard is refreshed, you can begin making big plans for your summer oasis.

Upgrade Your Lighting

Lighting is everything, especially when it comes to an outdoor space.

Depending on the type of space you want to create, you can match the lighting to exude that ambiance.

You can add fairy lights, oversized lanterns, or rope lights if you want the lighting to wrap around your backyard oasis. Adding lighting to flower beds and gardens can make your backyard feel magical.

Install a Pool

Okay, so most people don’t have the space or money to install an underground pool. If you do, then you should!

However, if you can’t, consider adding an inflatable pool or installing an above-ground pool. Having a private outdoor space with some water that you can relax in is invaluable, even if it isn’t the largest.

Create a Zen Garden

Creating a zen garden can bring a place of relaxation to your space.

This should be a separate corner of your yard, ideally blocked off from the rest.

To block it off, you can use potted plants as a barrier or buy a garden partition. If you have trees in your yard, it’s wise to choose a space that is shaded.

Add a Fire Pit

No yard is complete without a firepit, especially when you’re creating a backyard summer escape. This doesn’t have to be fancy, but it can be.

The crackling and popping of the firewood is the essence of vacationing and camping, and it’s a simple element that you can easily add to your outdoor space.

For more backyard ideas, click here to learn the difference between landscaping vs hardscaping.

Create an Epic Summer Escape in Your Yard

The perfect summer escape can be in your yard; it just takes a little bit of work and vision. Clean up your yard and take a good look at your space.

What do you find are the essential elements to add? Is it the fire pit and zen garden?

Make your plan, and then execute it. You’ll be glad you have the perfect yard to escape to all summer.

If you’d like to read more home and garden-related content, check out the rest of our blogs!

Many parents may find it difficult to decide what the most challenging aspect of parenting is depending on their child’s age. It’s tempting to say that raising an infant is the most demanding because they’re always dependent on someone else. The truth is more surprising—the teenage years! Raising a teenager is extremely demanding and most often seems impossible. Understanding your teen and relating to them at their level can be tasking, and this leaves many parents and caretakers breathless—physically, mentally, and emotionally.

One of the most popular reasons for regular consultations with professional psychics is life path work. While one-off readings are frequent for queries about career progress or romance, destiny psychics need to form an ongoing relationship with clients to guide them through the process of locating and then charting their life paths. Psychics who focus on this work frequently use every divination tool available, and most of them depend on numerology systems. That is why life path numbers are so vital to understanding the direction you are headed.

#1 Angel Numbers

When you see frequent repetitions of the same three to four numbers in the same order in different areas of your life, you are probably looking at your angel numbers. Most people only have one sequence that repeats periodically until they decode it, but persistent destiny work could lead to more strings of numbers if you realize the goals of the first message. These numbers could show up in many different ways, and they seem random until you delve into their meaning. Angel numbers have been spotted in:

• Repeated coincidental price totals when shopping
• Frequently re-occurring address numbers for different locations on different streets
• Important dates, especially if many people in your life hold the date as important for different reasons
• Repeatedly catching the clock at the same time
• Random number generators like lottery ticket instant picks that frequently share the same string of digits

The key to decoding the messages in angel numbers is finding the right numerological system for the task. Most people tend to receive angel numbers in their native system. That means if you use tarot a lot, the number meanings from tarot are relevant to your interpretation. By contrast, if you rely on a contained system like the Hebrew Gematria, you want to use the symbolism and meaning that is most relevant to your life. The best tarot readers and psychics understand this and keep it in mind when advising clients.

#2 Staying On Your Life Path

When you work with the best psychics in the profession, they have the resources to identify the proper numerology governing your angel numbers and to decode it. Top psychics learn multiple systems just to cater to the cultural meanings each client brings to the table with their number messages. This allows their advice to be as consistent as possible, helping you to stay on your path by following through with the destiny those numbers are urging you toward.

Following your path with intent is simple when you have the right advice and the right information about messaging from sources like angel numbers. It’s just a matter of identifying where those messages are and then decoding them to see what they are urging you toward.

Is it a life of service and dedication to those you love? Or is fortune in your destiny? Talk to a psychic today to find out for yourself. Just remember, life path work is about the journey, not the destination.

 

Metal is a hard-to-work medium for most of the artists. But artist Jon Allen from Statements2000 managed to turn this hard and tough metal into something elegant and artistic. Statements2000 is all about shaping metal in different forms. The unique style of each piece of work brings a modern look to any indoors and outdoors space.

Jon Allen loves working with metal. The wide range of collections give customer a lot of change to choose from. Each metal sculpture and metal wall art panel are carefully crafted to create a different look. Metal wall art panels and wall accent décor are designed to match different interior design.

Also, Jon focuses on metal sculpture. These sculptures come in various sizes including smaller options for indoors and larger versions of outdoors. Sculptures can be used as the focal item for the room. Or metal sculptures can great your guests as they walk through your front yard.

Artist Jon Allen wants to combine his experience and passion for art for creating amazing pieces. Metal gains a new perspective and craftsmanship. There are also limited addition collections for special commissioning and orders. With his team, Jon is now shipping his amazing works to different countries.

New Style in Metal

Metal can sometimes be a hard to work material. This is why it requires expertise and understanding. Without understand how you can use metal; you cannot create the works of art you want to do. Jon understands how to work with metal and how to give it an elegant form. His style is inspired from his experiences and his passion for life.

Currently, Jon is working on metal wall décor and metal sculptures. Each of his creations express a different feeling. He emphasizes the beauty in hard to shape things. Also, he embraces the elegant forms of creating different sculptures.

Jon’s works can be used in almost all settings. For example, he creates special designs for indoors. Also, there are options for outdoors use as well. The main different between indoors and outdoors sculptures is the size. The outdoors metal sculptures come in greater size. This is because of the need for a larger work of art to decorate a large area such as gardens and home entrances.

Metal Craftsmanship Combined with Artistic Views

Jon always cares about creating something new, challenging, inspiring and beautiful. He has been working in his Florida studio for this sole purpose. What is more, he is willing to get all the help he can for inspiration. He and his wife are the perfect team when it comes to combining metal craftsmanship with an artistic view. They are working as the perfect team to create the artwork and to deliver it to people around the world.

Although Jon often follows his instincts when it comes to creating a metal work, he sometimes completes special orders as well. He is willing to give his customers what they want. For this reason, he creates amazing metalwork when he receives a special order.

Have you ever wondered why we always aspire to have a place of our own? It is because we want to keep everything the way we want it, how we want it. It is a territory where we have full control over everything, where we can make any arrangement. We do it to develop a sense of association and familiarity with the place. However, it is not as easy as it may sound. It is because every desirable thing comes at a price, or better said, with some challenges. When we’re searching for a new home, we keep affordability on top, so we compromise on the size. It is when the space constraints come to the fore. We realize that we cannot stuff everything in residence or resort to hoarding as a solution. So, we come up with strategies to deal with the issue.

The first strategy is to overcome the challenge of dealing with the immediate stuff. We do not want to discard these things but also need some time to decide about them. They may include the old vehicle’s parts, decoration boxes, or merely some of the children’s stuff. We don’t want to carry the worry of handling them while moving. The solution to opt for in this critical situation is self storage, enabling us to manage the issue. With it, we can decide to deal with the stuff at a later stage.

Once we are free to deal with the rest, we can do so creatively. It means we can choose some worthwhile and rewarding space-saving ideas to give the small house a new look. Let’s find out exactly what those ideas are.

• Utilize the Walls

Regardless of the size of any home, the arrangement makes it look big or small. Believe us, even a large home may look like it has fallen short of space if it has the furniture arranged wrongly. The same goes for decoration. The interesting fact about the decoration is it can do wonders if done the right way. Consider utilizing as much space around the walls as possible. In this context, get as tall bookshelves or choose multiple shelves, all placed vertically. Another great way to use your wall is to put up hooks. It is where you can hang a lot of stuff, from your books to even your bike.

If you are a planting fan, get unique plants on those hooks, arranging them in an interesting order. Who could forget clothes? You can use the clips to hang your clothes too; make sure a cloth hanged does not look untidy.

• Leverage the Doors

Doors are the second most crucial component of making your home look big. Take some hooks and install them behind the doors of every room and the hallway. Install the ones that can bear the weight of the items you hang on them. What you choose to hang on them depends entirely on you and your preferences. Most people would stuff towels and utensils of sorts that they can use promptly.

When we say doors, we also mean the doors of the cabinets. If you have, you can easily accommodate a lot of things in an orderly and smooth way. Moreover, you can also use a doorway. It can be a great place to make a few things ‘disappear’ and look pretty clean. Just put up some shelves and use them to place the books or some of the baskets.

• Get the Furniture

As mentioned earlier, whether or not you have adequate space depends on the arrangement. Your furniture has a significant role in it. At this point, you have to opt for furniture that has many double or side shelves. You can put them next to the bed or wherever you see them fit. The idea is to select some of the furniture that can be of multiple uses so you can minimize them. Likewise, you may get foldable furniture or sofa beds to save a lot of space stylishly.

Another great way to space is to bring in some skirted furniture. When you have a skirt over the sofa, you can store as much as you want underneath. On the outside, it is as stylish as anything. On the outside, it is your secret place for adequate storage.

Final Word

Space-saving is not as easy as changing a light bulb when you are dealing with a small house. It takes a lot of pondering and trials. The key is to think smartly by using the smaller, awkward space to accommodate personalized shelves. It does take some effort, but at the end of the day, it is all fruitful.

 

For years, many companies have been in charge of building and designing the finest custom homes in Vancouver. Their desire to bring out exquisite and luxurious designs are becoming popular, and many homeowners want to have a share of these beautiful houses.

Some of them have understood buyers’ needs, and they want their homes to have distinctive personalities that match those of their clients. Aside from the luxury, the houses are built according to the owners’ lifestyles and the number of families that will be living inside the house.

You can get to know other information about luxury custom homes Vancouver has to offer. For more information about how to start building your dream house, research is the key.

Meanwhile, here are some of the top features of custom homes that you may want to have.

Features of Custom Houses

A Complete and Well-Equipped Kitchen

Nowadays, it’s more challenging to prepare meals because of work, children, and businesses. However, there’s still the need for the whole family to eat 3x a day, and this is where a well-equipped kitchen comes in. Gathering into this is a focal point of many families, and they can talk about their days while being nourished from pot roast, steaks, fruits, and veggie salads.

Whether it’s for baking cookies or cooking super scrumptious meals for the grandchildren and their friends, many homeowners want a kitchen that’s complete. They want a place that is full of commercial-grade appliances, equipment, silver, granite islands, and seating arrangements. Some can prepare meals while others are eating hot rolls fresh from the oven, and this is what you can get with custom homes.

Outdoor Lounge and Amenities

Many homeowners dream of having their swimming pools, spa, lounges, and kitchen outdoors. For many who are trying to build a custom property that’s according to their specifications, they usually choose a plot of land that is more than enough for their needs of having a pool or a garden. You can read more about buying houses with pools on this site here. This way, the guests can become more entertained, and there are enough seats for everyone.

After all, you can always take advantage of the beautiful weather that Vancouver has to offer, and it’s a shame if all the time is spent indoors. Many homeowners opt to have the top-of-the-line grills, fridges, and sinks outside of their homes to make cooking a more enjoyable and more manageable task. There are also seats near fireplaces and fountains outside their living areas when guests chose not to lounge beside the pool.

Many options are out there, like water features and other living spaces. Some have courtyards where they grow rose bushes or oranges. Others have strategically placed their fountains and other elements in a more tranquil spot for relaxation.

More Rooms for Family Members

In a custom-built house, it’s not only the bedrooms that are taken into consideration. There are also game and theater rooms that can provide hours of entertainment to the children and teenagers. The theater can be darkened, and speakers accompany the wide screens to get the full effects.

Many homeowners want to have a good time and want to relax after work. They discover that there are specific spaces that many children and babies love so that the visit will be more fun. Others want full customization of wine storage areas and bars where they will have to drink to their hearts’ content.

Home Office and Lavish Studies

Unfortunately, home is not just for games and movies all day. Everyone must have to work at some point. Whether it’s a full-time job or a business, one must have a place to work and study. The home office is often equipped with computers, laptops, gadgets, and other high-end technology where it’s peaceful and efficient to work.

There may also be soundproofing in place for a quieter area. This way, concentration is much better, and the businesses’ loose ends are being tied up to successful conclusions. The study or home office is also well-equipped with air conditioners and heaters so that you can be comfortable regardless of the weather outside.

Master Suites

A custom home should have a master bedroom for the king and queen of the house. The right designers will lay out every critical aspect of the room, resulting in a slice of heaven where everyone can relax and sleep soundly.

There are the usual refreshing views and the cozy armchairs that are included. The king-sized beds should be comfortable, and others provide access to the courtyards with terraces. Read more about the master suites here: https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-a-master-bedroom-and-other-rooms-in-the-house.

Spa Baths

You may have traveled the world and seen opulent spas in other countries. The good news is that you also deserve a luxurious bathroom. You need to combine your relaxation with a rich experience with the help of the right spas. You can replicate the walk-in showers, Jacuzzis, heated floors, dual vanity, and huge tubs that will make a soothing atmosphere.

These are just some of the things that you can add if you decide to get a custom home in Vancouver. With the right team’s help, you can always incorporate your ideas into the house and make everything a reality.

Many people all over the world have been on another round of lockdown as the Covid-19 pandemic returned with a 2^nd or 3^rd wave of infection that does not seem to abate. With home-schooling, online classes and WFH for many of us, the reality might seem pretty daunting knowing that the pandemic may not die out so easily or quickly.

Keeping children busy and happy and making sure they’re not glued to their screens for long periods is a tall order! Ask any parent and they’ll give you the same frustrated answer. We know that it might seem like a futile battle with no end in sight yet, fret not as there is a whole range of educational and out-of-classroom stuff that you can plan into their day. Don’t beat yourself up if you can’t fill every moment of your kids’ day with activities. We are all in an unprecedented situation and it’s all about balance. Here are three fun activities that your kids can do during their home quarantine:

1. Indoor games

Teach your kids fun board games and indoor games that we used to play when we were children. Playing board games like Uno, Monopoly, Scrabbles, Business, Snakes And Ladders, etc. used to fill up all our free time decades ago when computers, mobile phones and tablets were not heard of yet. There are also several games you can print off the Internet.

2. Get them involved in cooking

Cooking is one of the best ways to bond with your kids. And your kids will appreciate the food more as they were involved in the preparation. You could get them with cleaning groceries, peeling, kneading dough, mixing batters, etc.

3. Fun art activities

Most kids love art activities such as oil pastel painting, coloring with crayons, vegetables stamping, blow painting with straws, making miniature figurines from clay, paper origami, designing handmade birthday cards, salt puffy paint, playdough modelling, marble painting and the list goes on and on. Exposure to art and craft will help children to act and think like designers and artists, working intelligently and creatively.

As it may not be easy for you to go out to get your art supplies in unique times such as now, thankfully with the convenience of online shopping, buying your art and craft supplies has never been that easy and quick. No matter which part of the world you’re in, eCommerce has made shopping for your art materials as easy as a few clicks on your mouse.

The current popularity of online shopping has led to speedy and affordable delivery for e-commerce orders. When you purchase your art materials online, you can choose different carriers on the seller’s panel to ship the items to you. However, if you wish to explore other shipping methods, Shiply is an excellent online platform for you to explore.

At Shiply, there is a vast range of licensed and insured movers ready to give you personalized international transport rates, often up to 75% cheaper than usual rates. All you have to do is to enter a few simple details about your shipment and hundreds of rated shipping companies will send you quotes. Thus, you can compare quotes and get cheaper rates through Shiply. Through this platform, you will be able to find a courier company that offers the best rate for your online purchase of art materials.

 

From throwing BBQ parties to relaxing in the evening sun, decks let you do so many great things. They can also add value to your home. In fact, according to Remodeling Magazine, the right wooden deck can increase the value of your home by $9,000.

But if you’re looking to build a deck, it can be difficult to know which decking options are right for you. Which deck types will let you make the most out of the space you have?

Keep reading for a guide that’ll explain some of the different types of decks, as well as which types of houses they pair well with.

Wraparound Deck

If you’re a fan of old-fashioned porches that extended around most or all of a house, a wraparound deck could be the perfect choice for you. Yet unlike a porch, you can extend different parts of it out. This creates ample space for you.

Aside from large amounts of space, you’ll also get to decide between whether or not you want to bask in the sun or lay in the shade at any point during the day. You’ll also enjoy excellent air circulation that’ll prevent things from ever feeling stuffy.

Multi-Tier Deck

If you have a large property, a multi-tier deck can be a good way to take advantage of it. It can also be great if your lot has many different elevations.

Multi-tier decks let you maximize the space you have. The different levels also allow you to create areas with distinct feelings. One area of the deck can be a sitting or lounge area, while another section can be for cooking and dining.

Attached Deck

An attached deck is a type of deck that extends off of your house. In this sense, it’s like a patio. However, it’s made of wood in most cases.

An attached deck can increase the amount of living space your home has, but you need to make sure that you give it the necessary deck care and repair for it to look its best.

Detached Deck

A detached deck, as its name suggests, is the opposite of an attached deck: it’s a deck separate from other buildings and constructions. In many ways, it resembles an island or oasis.

You can position detached decks on rocky areas, uneven terrain, or areas with poor drainage. This makes them flexible for different situations. Adding shrubs, flowers, and other landscaping will make them pop. As detached decks will draw the attention of people visiting you, make sure that it looks its best.

Types of Decks for Every Home

When you decide that you want to build a deck, it can be difficult to decide from the many different types of decks. Yet after reading this guide and considering your own situation, you’ll be able to choose the perfect one to complement your home.

Do you have a better understanding of the different deck types now? What style will you build? Leave a comment and let us know!

If you enjoyed reading this article, check out some of our other blog posts to find some other home-related guides and tips.

When it comes to keeping your house tidy, some people can admit that they have more room for improvement than others. It can be difficult to keep up with housework when you’ve got multiple members of your family leaving behind trails, particularly if you’ve got a busy schedule. An untidy house isn’t doing you any favors, however.

Not only is it unsightly, but it can even lead to a pest infestation. Additionally, statistics show that people who have well-kept houses are less susceptible to stress. A clean house means a clean state of mind.

So, how do you start tidying your house so that you can start reaping the benefits? Take a look at some of the best tips for keeping your house clean.

Always Make Your Bed

It may seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things; however, making your bed is one of the most effective ways to make your house look much cleaner than it is. Since your bed is the center of your bedroom, an unmade bed will make your entire room look messy.

Get into the habit of making your bed every morning. If you hate tucking in your sheets, then consider only using a duvet. A duvet makes it much easier to change the cover each week rather than having to worry about sheets.

Once you get into the habit of making your bed every morning, it will start to become like second nature. You’ll start to appreciate it over time and won’t even remember life before a made bed!

Clear Out Your Sink

It can be tempting to leave your dishes in the sink after eating and telling yourself that you will worry about it later. However, the reality is that leaving your dishes until later can lead to much more work.

Rinsing your dishes off immediately after eating is much faster and less messy. A sink full of dishes isn’t only unpleasant to look at, but it can be downright smelly.

If you don’t want to attract critters or scare away your guests, then get into the habit of always keeping your sink clear.

Do Laundry Every Day

If your laundry basket is frequently overflowing, then chances are you’re not doing laundry often enough. Try to get into the habit of doing your laundry at least once a day. This is especially important if you have multiple members in your family. The more laundry that gets piled up, the more that it is likely to get neglected.

If you hate doing laundry, then don’t leave it until the last minute. Small daily loads are much less exhausting than having to do it all at once!

The global outbreak of the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a health crisis that has been an unprecedented obstacle for people who aspire to start a small company and experienced business owners. Social and economic conditions caused by COVID-19 have been uniquely challenging for people who plan to enter or are already in the foodservice and restaurant industry. For many restaurants across the United States, business may be slow because fewer people go out to eat, as they’re afraid they may contract the virus if they go out in public.