10 Ways to Cozy Up the House for Fall

Article By: Laura Gaskill

From the first crisp morning and the first leaves that change colors to the first night you need to put an extra blanket on the bed, signs of fall beckon us to spend more time indoors. Satisfy your urge to nest while sparing your wallet with these 10 easy, elegant and, of course, cozy touches for every room. Whether you are looking for an instant change (toss a plaid blanket over your table) or something more permanent (install DIY shelving), here you'll find inspiration to get your creative juices flowing. 

Traditional Dining Room by Miami Interior Designers & Decorators GIL WALSH INTERIORS 

1. Give an old quilt a new purpose. While you wouldn't want to eat on Grandma's priceless heirloom, vintage quilts picked up at thrift shops can make fabulous tablecloths. Spot clean it between uses and give it a full wash only when really necessary.

Modern Living Room by Hemet Media and Bloggers The Brick House

2. Craft DIY shelving. Why spend big bucks on a fancy industrial-style shelving unit when you can make your own with basic supplies from the hardware store? Check out the tutorial for the piece shown here on The Brick House and thissimilar industrial shelving project.

Traditional Hall by Other Metro Media and Bloggers Designs by Gollum 

3. Use a plaid blanket as a tablecloth. A small, round table is the perfect spot for showing off your favorite fall colors and textures in the form of a cozy blanket. Let the blanket drape to the floor — imperfect is what you are going for here. Top it with a cluster of small picture frames or place one large item, like an urn or a lamp, in the center.

Contemporary Dining Room by Cedarburg Photographers Edmunds Studios Photography, Inc. 

4. Display fall gourds the elegant way. Want to try something different from the usual piles of pumpkins this year? Pick up at least five or six big decorative gourds for an abundant display — look for the kind with elegant, swan-like necks — and line them up down the center of your dining table. What could be easier? 

Spaces by Los Angeles Home Stagers Madison Modern Home

5. Scour fall flea markets for original art. Vintage portraits and landscapes from unknown artists are often affordable. Choose just one to spotlight, or collect art around a theme and make a gallery wall. 

Asian Staircase by Los Angeles Photographers Marcia Prentice Photography 

6. Paint your stairs a daring hue. Who says stairs have to be boring? If you have plain wooden stairs, especially if the wood is not in particularly good condition, consider painting them magenta, navy, mustard ... or any color you love.

This is a bold look, so if you are feeling wary, try it on a back stairway or in a tight stairwell — not on the front-and-center entry stairs.

Contemporary Living Room by Portland Interior Designers & Decorators Jessica Helgerson Interior Design 

7. Use vintage textiles as upholstery. Although the sectional shown here was custom made, you can draw inspiration from this look to revamp your own sofa, chair or cushions with colorful vintage textiles, including rugs. If you're DIY savvy, you could attempt to re-cover cushions or upholstery yourself, make cozy pillow covers or simply wrap seat cushions in textiles for a temporary change.

If you want to use vintage rugs on your furniture, have them professionally cleaned first. Or you can carefully clean vintage textiles yourself by gently agitating them by hand in a bathtub of lukewarm water with a mild soap. Rinse and air-dry them before using. 

Contemporary Spaces by New York Interior Designers & Decorators Chango & Co. 

8. Get beautifully organized. Bring a touch of glamour to your morning routine by setting the items you use daily atop pretty trays. There's no need to buy new trays — just peek into your kitchen cabinet or china hutch, and grab a few pieces you haven't used in a while. 

If you really want to go the extra mile, scoop up a few little glass containers at the craft store and decant your favorite toiletries.

Eclectic Spaces by New York Architects & Designers Scout Designs 

9. Style your kitchen. Corral jars of pretty preserves and artisanal cocktail makings on a tray, bring in a real table lamp for a soft glow, and put something sculptural and a little unexpected (like the antler shown here) atop a high shelf. 

We tend to cook and congregate more in the kitchen during the fall and winter, so why not make it a place that feels just as warm and cozy as the rest of your house?

Traditional Entry by San Marino Interior Designers & Decorators Charmean Neithart Interiors, LLC. 

10. Paint your front door. It's the first thing you see when you come home each day — why not make it gorgeous? A few coats of a rich hue that complements the color of your siding, plus a shiny new door knocker, can completely transform the front of your house for less than 50 bucks.

18 Ways to Allergy Proof Your Home

If you're itching to reduce allergy symptoms, this mini guide to reducing allergens around the house can help!

 Photo Credit: Allergy Season via naturallyfreerd.com (blog | Kristen)

If you or someone else in your house suffers from allergies, you'll want to get the house as allergen free as possible. Whether you are allergic to dust, pets, mold, pollen or all of the above, it can be hard to know where to begin. These 18 ways to combat allergens and create a cleaner, healthier home, will get you started. 

#1 - Stick to a Regular Cleaning Schedule

Keeping dust and pet dander at bay is a continual process, and it's especially important to stay on top of cleaning when allergies are a concern. Be sure to wipe surfaces with a damp rag rather than dry dusting, which often just brushes dust back in the air.

Ideally, members of the household without allergies would take on the dustiest jobs, but if you have bad allergies and must clean, wear a dust mask - or hire a cleaning service if you can. 

#2 - Start a No-Shoes Policy and Beef Up Doormats

Keep dust, pollen and more from entering your house in the first place by encouraging visitors to slip off their shoes at the door. Provide ample interior and exterior doormats to trap shoe much and a basketful of slippers for guests.

#3 - Upgrade Your Vacuum Cleaner

Get one with a HEPA filter to trap allergens - these filters work wonders. Also be sure to choose a vacuum cleaner with a bag that can be changed easily (that is, without spewing dust everywhere).

#4 - Swap Out Heavy Drapes

Thick drapes with lots of folds and pleats are masters at trapping dust and other allergens. Instead choose blinds you can wipe down or machine-washable curtains.

#5 - Remove Carpeting

Traditional wall-to-wall carpeting is notoriously difficult to get and keep clean. Whenever possible, go with hard flooring (wood, tile, linoleum) instead.

#6 - Steam Clean! Don't Shampoo Carpets and Area Rugs

If you really want carpeting, vacuum it regularly with a vacuum that has a HEPA filter and deep clean with a steam cleaner. Most rented carpet shampooers do not get hot enough to get rid of allergens, so consider making the investment in a real steam cleaner to keep at home. 

#7 - Store All Food in Airtight Containers

Don't tempt bugs and mice - every time you open a package, put the contents inside an airtight container in the cupboard or fridge.

#8 - Green Your Cleanup

Harsh chemical cleaners may irritate those with allergies. Luckily, it's quite easy to find safe and effective natural cleaners, so you can cut back on the synthetic stuff.

#9 - Cover Mattress and Pillows

Zip on dust mite covers to protect your sleeping area. If you have kids, be sure to get covers for their mattresses and pillows, too.

#10 - Keep Under the Bed Free of Clutter

Clutter attracts dust bunnies and makes it more difficult to reach the entire space to vacuum. Keep this area clean and clear, and be sure to reach under with a hose attachment to vacuum regularly.

#11 - Streamline Kids' Spaces

Children's rooms accumulate stuff like nowhere else in the house. But if allergies are a problem, having lots of toys - especially soft toys - everywhere will only make things worse. Try rotating out toys to keep things fresh (and neat), and store extras in an out-of-the-way closet. Washing stuffed animals when possible can also help keep dust at a minimum.

#12 - Wash Linens in Hot Water

Bedding, towels and kitchen linens should be laundered in hot water - remember that when you are shopping and choose fabrics that can stand up to the heat.

#13 - Store Only Clean, Dry Items in Closets

Putting away clothes or linens that are still slightly damp can create the perfect environment for mildew and mold to grow, while dirty clothes and blankets attract fabric-eating moths. Keep your closets fresh and bug free by washing and thoroughly drying items before storing them for the season. 

#14 - Clean and Ventilate the Bathroom Regularly

Frequent cleaning and plenty of fresh air should keep mildew and mold at bay. But if you do see mold, be sure to use a cleaner that says it kills mold - not all of the do.

#15 - Replace Filters in Fans and Heating and Cooling Systems

This is key for keeping the air in your home clean. Each time you change the filter in your bathroom exhaust system or air conditioning or heating system, mark the next change date on the calendar.

#16 - Keep Pets Out of Bedrooms, at a Minimum

No matter how sweet and cuddly your furry friend is, if he's making you weeze, it's time to set some boundaries. Keeping pets in a protected outdoor area would probably be ideal, but at the bare minimum enforce a no-pets policy in bedrooms.

#17 - Detox Your Home

Harsh chemicals can aggravate allergies, so do your best to avoid bringing them into your home. Swap out chemical cleaners and air fresheners for natural versions, and air out new furnishings and freshly dry cleaned clothes to give toxins a chance to off-gas.

#18 - Keep the Air Fresh

Open the windows to let in fresh air, unless you have seasonal allergies, and consider using a room air filter to clean the air. Avoid using fireplaces and definitely do not allow smoking in the house.

18 Ways to Allergy-Proof Your Home

(You're reading 18 Ways to Allergy-Proof Your Home originally posted on houzz.com)

Spring Decor: Season Change, and so Can Accessories

If you're like me, skin-tingling excitement occurs as you pull the box of summer clothes out of the storage, and put away the sweaters for the season. Spring, summer, it's like the whole world comes alive. Leaves sprout, flowers bloom, the laughing of kids playing in the streets returns. 

Photo Credit: Traditional Family Room by San Francisco Architect Gast Architects

This year, consider projects that allow you to bring the changing seasons indoors. Think "convertible decor". With smartly-chosen palettes for draperies, pillows and accessories; you can bring summer out of storage in a big way.

"Oh look. Summer. Time to pull the other pillow cases out, put the other curtains up, and..."

It's great to clean seasonally. Freshen the place up, get rid of clutter. Wash those decorative pillowcases and get the dust out of draperies. Why not change them up at the same time?

Transforming Spaces with Accessories Colors

Depending on wall colors and other surroundings, you have a lot of accessory choices. Maybe in hectic summer months you want light, cool pastels in simple designs without flashy bold patterns. 

Maybe in winther when you're more likely to be walloped by oppressive weather, you might want to embrace boldness and brightness, to liven up your indoors since you know you'll be stuck behind the windows more often.

Think of what the seasons mean to you. Do you need a winter pick-me-up? Is summer about relaxing? Imagine what colors and designs might be appealing to you.

Love Affair with Your Home

I bought end-of-season items before Christmas so I could get a fresh look when the spring came around. My director's chairs on my deck have been given the Caribbean treatment and my living room pillows are soon getting bright florals for summer.

Convertible room schemes aren't about impressing your guests or staying up with the times. It's about making your space bright, fresh, fulfilling, and keeping things interesting. It's about keeping the love affiar with your home alive and fun.

You don't need to blow your wad on expensive pillowcases or drapes, since we all know they're even more enjoyable when you score them on sale. They just have to be attractive, work together and offer a nice change of scene. Go ahead, keep them for more than a single season's use, as they'll feel "new" when you take them out after six months of hiding. It's not like the trend police will beat down your door because you're using 2012's look.

Photo Credit: Contemporary Living Room by Dublin Architect Optimise Design

Accessory Swap

The accessory-swap is a smarter way to go than redecorating every couple of years. It's budget-friendly, environmentally friendly and you can always easily donate or sell pieces you tired of.

If you've got convertibility in mind, you need to pick a great paint color that isn't going to disappear from the market after a season (like when teal or orange have been "the color of the year" and then you can't find a thing made with those palettes after the season passes).

An interesting neutral or classic tone on the wall will be the backdrop to a world of patterns and color combinations for your accessorizing. This doesn't mean only using "shades of beige". Olive green has been a popular color since the '70s. So have shades of blues and earth tones and pastels. Is it a color that'll work for the next five years and that you see fabrics and accessories in regularly? Then great. It'll do.

Seasonal Artwork Framing and Area Rugs

There are other places you'd be best off remaining neutral, too. Like when you're framing artwork. Getting vibrant mats or frames that play off the artwork rather than simply defining the art may wind up working against your being able to easily transform the look of your space by switching out pillows, drapes, and other accessories.

An area rugs' flexibility is also a consideration when you're making a rug purchase. Sure it goes with your stuff now, but will it be easily adapted to other schemes down the line?

If you'd like to be able to swap your space as seasons arrive, a mix of ongoing neutrals can act as a nice foil for a variety accessory looks is the way to maximize your paint choices and investment pieces for the long-haul while never getting stuck with just one look year-round. 

Don't just live in your space, love it. Have fun by keeping things fresh and embracing change every few months. 

(You're reading Spring Decor: Seasons Change, And So Can Accessories originally posted on Build Direct Blog)

Spring Gardens Are Blooming! Here's What to Do in April

Colder climates may still be shrugging off winter, but most gardeners are excited to be back to work by April. Dry summers in California and the American Southwest call for drought-tolerant plantings and water-wise practices. Butterflies signal spring's return in the Great Lakes region and elsewhere,while flowering native trees make their presence known in the Northeast. In Texas and the Southeast, warming temperatures mean everything from herbs to vegetables to annuals can be sown from seed. Here's what to do in your garden, by U.S. region, this April.

 

Rocky Mountain Gardener's April Checklist

Photo: Lake Irene Trail in Rocky Mountain National Park via Flickr user KrossbowPlanting is the name of the game in the April garden. Plants in all forms can be installed as soon as the soil is warm and workable. In the meantime attend to the last of the spring cleanup chores and get your lawn in shape for the coming season. Enjoy the symphony of greens that's being played right now by all of the emerging new foliage.

Plant bare root plants. Roses, clematis and young fruit trees are commonly available for sale in our region this month, as well as asparagus, rhubarb, strawberries and grapes.

Bare-root planting is an economical option that comes with a small window of time to implement, so take advantage of the opportunity. Select plants that have not leafed out yet with a well-developed, healthy root system (not dried out or rotted). Plant them as soon as possible - if not immediately - after purchasing and keep them moist until the root system is established. 

Transplant or divide crowded perennials when new growth emerges. Summer and fall bloomers like asters, hummingbird flower (Zauschneria spp), Maximillian sunflower (Helianthus maximiliana), gayfeather (Liatris spp), tall garden phlox (Phlox paniculata), coneflower (Echinacea spp) and ornamental grasses may need attention.

A plant with a dead center or a lack of blooms last year may indicate that it needs to be divided. Here's how:

• Use a sharp spade to dig out the plant with as much of its root system as possible (6 to 12 inches beyond the drip line).
• Remove some of the soil from the root ball and pull or chop it into large sections that include both stems and roots.
• Replant the divisions - or share them with a friend - and water thoroughly.

Plant cold-tolerant annuals in containers as a colorful welcome to spring. Good flower choices include pansies, violas, English daisies, snapdragons and sweet alyssum. Prep any previously used containers by cleaning them thoroughly with a solution of one part bleach to nine parts hot water. Fill your pots with a growing medium made specifically for container gardens, one that's lightweight and well draining yet moisture retentive.

Cut back woody perennials and subshrubs to within a few inches of the ground. These include Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia), Powis Castle Sage (Artemesia), bluemist spirea (Caryopteris spp), butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii), leadplant (Amorpha canescens), rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus) and St. John's wort (Hypericum spp). 

Sow cool-season vegetable crops directly into the ground once the soil temperature is at least 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant potatoes, peas, Swiss chard, kale, turnips, carrots, spinach, radishes, onions and lettuces. Keep frost blankets and cloches handy to protect seedlings from the inevitable April snowstorms.

Get your lawn off to a good start.

• Core aerate your lawn before fertilizing it mid month. Leave the plugs on the lawn to decompose and add nutrients to the soil.
• Overseed thin lawn areas with high-quality grass seed when the soil temperature reaches 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Rake the area to be seeded to expose the soil, then scatter the seeds in a dense, single layer. Cover the seeded areas with a scant ¼ inch of compost and water thoroughly. Keep the area evenly moist until the seeds germinate. 
  • Note: do not use preemergent weed controls, such as corn gluten, in areas that have been newly seeded.
• Tune up your lawn mower and sharpen the blades. Sharp blades not only make your job easier (especially if you're using a push or reel mower), but a crisply cut blade of grass is less susceptible to disease infestations than one that is torn and ragged from a blunt mower blade.

Install plant supports - such as circular cages, loop stakes and grow-through grids - to support tall, floriferous perennials once they come into bloom. Placing supports now will allow the plant to grow into and through the structure with a more natural appearance. Peonies, catmint (Nepeta spp), baby's breath, delphiniums and tall varieties of yarrow (Achillea spp) are all good candidates for support.

April Checklist for a Smooth-Running Home

Spring has arrived! Wake up your home and prepare for the season ahead by deep cleaning, sprucing up outdoor areas and simplifying your living areas, one shelf at a time. And when you are finished, pour yourself a nice glass of something cold to drink and toast your lovely, freshly cleaned home.

Freshen patios and porches.

The lengthening days never fail to draw people outdoors onto porches, patios and decks to savor the longer-lasting light. Make sure your outdoor spaces are ready for the season by cleaning away cobwebs and leaves, washing floors and refreshing outdoor furniture.

Clean the exterior and inspect window screens for tears.

Increasing your home's curb appeal is as easy as turning on the hose(or a pressure washer) and giving the siding a quick blast to remove accumulated dirt and debris. Also be sure to check window screens for small tears that can let bugs in, and repair or replace the screens as needed.

Clean ceiling fans and overhead light fixtures.

Grab a tall ladder and (carefully!) get to work. Use a duster or soft rags to remove dust from fans and light fixtures - wet rags will only make the dust harder to remove. For caked on grime, start with a dry duster or microfiber cloth and then move on to a fresh damp cloth if needed.

Deep clean the kitchen and prep for seasonal meals. 

Give your kitchen a fresh spring start with a thorough cleaning. In addition to your usual cobweb clearing and floor mopping, wipe down walls and doors and vacuum behind the fridge and stove. Encourage healthy seasonal eating by cleaning out the fridge and pantry, and stocking the space with fresh local produce and other healthy picks.

Organize one shelf.

If an organized home is a goal you want to reach this year, set yourself up for success by starting small. Working on a single shelf, drawer or cupboard at at time will help you build momentum. Try starting with the spice rack, a bedside table or a frequently used desk drawer.

Simplify the living room.

Pare down books and media to create a more relaxing space. Donate used books, movies and music to your local library or sell them. Organize what's left, hiding anything unsightly (gaming, equipment, I'm lookat at you) behind closed doors. To keep things from getting out of hand in the future, pencil in a date about a month from your paring-down date to spend an afternoon culling unwanted media.

Streamline files.

Since you will likely be digging through your old paperwork this month as you prepare taxes (ugh, I know), take the time to toss junk as you come across it rather than stuffing everything back into the files. A slimmed-down file drawer will make it easier to find what you need, so it's worth the extra effort now. 

Lighten up tablescapes.

If you've had the same arrangements on your tables for months, now is a good time to shake things up. There is no need to spend money - simply look around your home and see what can be moved or repurposed from another room. Try displaying flowers on the dining table in vintage tea tins or jelly jars, or put fresh herbs in your vases instead of flowers. Streamline the decorative objects you choose to keep out, and store the rest to rotate in at a future date.