design Archives - 3 Kids and Us

A Welcoming Design for a Guest Bedroom

February 6, 2022 by admin

A comfortable guest room conveys a sense of welcome like nothing else can. Taking some time to make the guest room functional and beautiful is well worth the effort.

Although a guest room seems to be nothing more than a bedroom it is so much more for an out-of-town visitor. This room represents a sitting room, quiet space, television-viewing area, dressing room, snack bar, and many other things to someone away from home. Creating space for each of these functions will make guests feel right at home.

Guest Room Basics

Since so many different people use a guest room throughout the year, homeowners have the freedom to decorate the guest room to their own design tastes. However, caution should be used when selecting a colour for such a space. Using gender-neutral tones will prevent the room from becoming too masculine or feminine.

Accenting the room with small touches of brick red or sky blue produces an enjoyable yet restful space. Colours such as calm, serene blue, and green, convey a sense of peace. Painting one of them on the walls creates a serene ambiance. A buttery yellow tone on the walls creates a warm, cosy atmosphere. Adding accents of warm tones, like gold or tan, keeps the room from feeling too cold.

Like in any room, the bed is the focal point of a guest room. In a guest room, bedding should be carefully considered. Choosing high-quality 100% cotton sheets ensure the comfort of all guests. A fluffy down comforter will keep visitors warm in the winter and cool in the summer while offering a touch of luxury.

Hosts should offer several different bed pillows, from the incredibly soft to ultra-firm, ensuring guests will find it just the right fit for their stay. The bedding ensemble can be completed with a few well-placed throw pillows for extra comfort and a luxurious look and a bed skirt to conceal any under-the-bed storage. An upholstered headboard or European-size pillows offers guests a comfortable place to read their favourite magazine or catch up on a late-night talk show.

Little Extra Details Guests Will Enjoy

If the guest room has enough space, a sitting area is a beautiful addition. A small lounge chair and ottoman, or a chaise lounge, creates an inviting, comfortable place for reading or watching a little television. A small stand placed near the chair and topped with a good reading lamp and a coaster for an evening cup of tea create a great reading nook. A basket of magazines or paperbacks near the chair gives guests something to peruse during their downtime.

Another nice touch is placing a small television nearby, so guests can watch their favourite movie without disturbing others in the home. This sitting area allows weekend visitors a place to escape from the bustle of a busy day, and they will enjoy having a quiet place to unwind each evening.

Guests who will be staying for more than just a day or two will need the option of unpacking their suitcases. Hosts should clear out a portion of the closet in the guest room and stock it with various hangers. A low dresser offers a place for guests to rest their suitcases and a place to stash their clothing.

You can use the dresser top to leave a little snack basket for guests, including fresh fruit, bottled water, granola bars, or chocolates. A small alarm clock will make a visitor’s stay easier, should they need to rise earlier than others in the home.

If the guest suite includes an adjoining bathroom, it could be stocked with fluffy towels, a robe, and slippers for an extra touch of home. Including a basket of travel-sized toiletries, a spare toothbrush, and other items a guest may have forgotten to pack is another welcome gesture. Homeowners may wish to leave a nightlight handy for visitors to use, as well.

A guest room does not be exceptionally large or elaborate. A few simple additions to the space will create a room in which anyone would love to stay.

If you do not currently own a headboard, you might be surprised at just how much difference this simple piece of furniture can make. Not only aesthetically, but also to help you feel cosier, and get a quality night’s sleep, which is when all is said and done is the most key factor we should be considering when deciding on bedroom design.

Clever Ideas for Small Baths

May 4, 2018 by admin

It’s true that small bathrooms can be a challenging design project, especially if you have a family. However, that doesn’t mean that you cannot make the most of the space you have, and still create something beautiful, relaxing and functional. There are various tips and tricks that can make designing a small bathroom a truly rewarding process with satisfying results. If you too are struggling to find the best possible solution for your bath, check out the following possibilities.

The question of storage

Usually, storage is the biggest issue when it comes to small bathrooms, but you can approach this task creatively. In the end, if you don’t have enough storage space such as cabinets, don’t feel the need to stuff your bathroom with more cabinets. If the space is small, this won’t look or feel good. Instead, you may utilize vertical space by installing floating shelves. Open shelving looks infinitely better in small bathrooms, and it allows you to grab whatever you need instantly. This is especially important for families with kids. What’s more, colorful towels or bath products can add a personal touch to the overall bathroom design. If you have a bit more space though, you can use storage ladders instead of shelves, or stack wooden/woven crates for an affordable cabinet alternative.

Functionality and order

Functionality and order are two most important features of a small bathroom if your goal is to make it feel pleasant and relaxing. Basically, everything in your bathroom should have its purpose so declutter and remove things that simply make a mess with no real use. Once you do that, it’s important that you create order in your bathroom. You should have a designated place for everything. For example, cleaning agents can be under the sink – if you don’t have a built-in cabinet already, you can use a crate, or any other type of container that fits the purpose. You can use a sink curtain to block these cleaning agents from view as well. Another example are your bath and beauty products. Instead of having everything in a total mess, you can get an angle suction cup shelf that will help you divide your shower products from hair ones, etc. If this is not possible, even a hanging door rack can be useful for this purpose. Just make sure that you keep only the necessities, and know where they are at all times.

Design around the bathtub

When you’re redesigning any room, you should determine a focal point and continue the process from that point. The same goes for your bathroom. Even if your bathroom space is small, you can benefit a lot from a nice bathtub when it comes to both functionality and looks. After all, there are plenty of small and stylish bathtubs available on the market today. What’s more, having a bathtub is very important for families with kids, as the tub allows you to have more control over the kids as you’re giving them a bath, or have to reach for something from the previously-mentioned open shelves. Once you deal with the choice of tub, the rest of design will be easier to plan out as functionally and beautifully as possible.

Creativity to maximize the space

Your choice of colors and other accessories can affect the size of your bathroom visually. So, why not make your small bathroom visually larger and definitely more appealing? In general, keeping the main palette theme in your bath clean and neutral is the best choice. White and other neutral shades are perfect, but you can always add a pop of color. You can do this with bathroom floor tiles if you’re up for a more striking look, or other details such as towels, shelves and hanging racks, curtains, mirror frames, etc. Speaking of mirrors, don’t hesitate to use one that’s as large as it can be for your small bathroom. It will reflect the light, making the space appear bigger. The same thing happens with glossy finish tiles, so if you’re planning to add retiling to the design process, keep this in mind.

Just because your bathroom is small in size doesn’t mean that you should automatically give up on making it as practical and pleasant as it can be for you and your family. The important thing is to work with what you have in order to create the best version of that space. As it’s one of the most important rooms in one’s house, don’t hesitate to put some effort into making your bathroom suitable and comfy.

Five household expenses worth investing in

March 6, 2018 by admin

When it comes to the home, it can seem like your list of jobs to do, and projects to fund is never-ending. While there are a few ways you can cut corners during a house refurb or update, there are some expenses that you don’t want to skimp on as investing in these purchases now may save you money in the future, make your house safer or add to the value should you choose to sell. To skimp on them now would be doing yourself a disservice.

Here are five household expenses you’d do well to invest in.

Double glazed windows

Installing double glazing in your home comes with a heavy price tag, but it also brings a host of benefits.

For one, you’ll see your utility bills drop dramatically once you’ve put in the extra panes, as your house will be far more energy efficient. Secondly, your home will be more secure as your doors and windows will be harder to penetrate from the outside. It is especially important if you’ve got a property on the ground floor. Another reason to invest in double glazing is the noise control. If you live in a busy neighborhood or near the main road, you’ll find much more peace and quiet with double paned glass.

Pest control

Now it’s not glamorous, or is it enjoyable to think about, but ensuring you pest control your home can save you big dollars in the long run. If left undetected, or untreated, pests such as ants, termites, roaches, wasps, and rodents can cause huge damage to your property. They can nibble away your building’s foundations and infrastructure, as well as cause harm to your family members. It’s certainly not worth taking the risk; if you suspect an infestation, get in touch with a specialist, like Go-Forth Pest Control of Raleigh, and get the problem sorted asap.

Landscaping your backyard

When summer rolls around, there’s nothing nicer than having a beautiful yard space to enjoy in the sunshine – the kids playing on the grass, long balmy evenings barbecuing with friends. Bliss!

However, have you ever considered the financial payoff of investing in your backyard? Hiring a landscape professional to spruce up your outdoor space can add significant value to the resale price of your property. A tidy garden will benefit you now, as well as in the future.

The Internet of Things

Wireless in-home sound systems, laundry machines that you can switch on when you’re out the house, tiny robots that clean up while you’re at work; yes, the Internet of Things is all the rage right now.

Beyond looking snazzy and futuristic, the greater control you’ll have over appliances in the home can save you money and make your home a little safer; if nothing else you’ll have fewer wires to trip over!

Don’t skimp! Save for the future

These are just some of the ways you can future-proof your home, adding security and saving (and earning) you money in the years to come.

How to Transform Your Garden into Something Beautiful Yet Practical

July 31, 2017 by admin

Gardens often perform many functions, they are a nice, quiet place to relax and enjoy the pleasant weather, and they are a playground for your children. However, they also have to house the shed for tools and garden furniture as well as have a cooking area for the barbecue.

With all these functions, it can be difficult to make your garden look beautiful while still keeping the practical side. However, there are ways you can adapt your garden to meet everyone’s needs.

Treehouse

For children, there is nothing more exciting than having somewhere like a treehouse to play and get together with their friends. If you have a large enough tree, you can have a house designed around the branches that can be as elaborate as you wish.

Some trees, especially some in cities such as London are protected, so you will need to seek advice before you proceed. It is also a good idea to enlist the help of professional builders to help you with the work.

Patio Area

If you don’t have a patio, or it is too small, you should consider enlarging it to accommodate a larger seating area. You can then add a barbecue area with perhaps a separate fire pit for the cooler evenings.

With some houses, you can install large patio doors or maybe a concertina door to open up the whole space between the house and garden. Speak with a qualified structural engineer London area who can help you with any extra support that may be needed.

A Water Feature

For the bigger gardens, having a nice pond or water feature can add another dimension to the overall look. You can even add fish to the pond and a nice bridge crossing over it to make it a real feature.

Combined with a flowing fountain and some elegant water plants around the edge, it will make the garden look serene and calm.

Raised Beds

If you have small children, then you might want to raise your flower beds to stop plants becoming damaged. It can be easy to add some wooden or brick walls which can also add a nice border to the garden.

You can also add some large planters or pots to keep small trees or larger plants along the edges. You don’t have to have square borders or planters; you can get creative and have them meander along the garden to break up the grassed area.

Lighting

Lighting serves two purposes, it allows you to see the garden even in the evening, and it also allows you to stay outside longer in the warm evenings. You don’t have to go for large standing lamps or halogen lamps that are very bright. You can use smaller lights along a wall or path to give a gentle illumination.

With just a few ideas, you can change the whole look and function of your garden and make it a great place to relax and play.

Adding curb appeal to your property – how to do it affordably and easily

May 31, 2017 by admin

Selling your home can be a stressful process. You want to try and get as much interest in the property as possible, in order to give yourself more chance of selling quickly, and of securing the best possible selling price. There are several things you need to take into account, when you selling your home. These considerations include choosing a real estate agent you can trust, or knowing the best way to deal with your own house sale.

One thing that you may not necessarily consider as a priority, can actually be very important; that is curb appeal. If your property looks good from the outside, you will be surprised how much interest you can get from people who are just passing by. There are ways that you can improve the curb appeal of your home, without having to spend a fortune to do so.

Consider cladding as an option

Cladding the exterior of your home is obviously going to cost you money. But you need to weigh this up against the amount of value that you could be adding. Cladding does not just improve the appearance of your home, it also offers protection to the exterior surface, as well as helping with home insulation.

If you speak to an expert such as Peter Bracey they can help you decide which type of cladding you should use. They can also advise you on how much of an investment you need to make.

Tidying and cleaning your outside space

If the front of your home looks untidy, dirty or overgrown, many people are not going to bother looking behind the issues. You could be putting off a lot of potential buyers. If you lead a busy life, and there is a house sale that is also complicating matters, it’s understandable that tasks may get neglected.

It’s important that you try and make time to tidy your outside space. You should cut back bushes and trees and ensure that dead plants are removed. If you have the time, it’s also worth adding a few fresh plants to give a splash of colour. You should also jet wash the driveway and get rid of any weeds that are present.

Painting and repairing

You may not think that a broken fence will be of much concern to people buying a property. The thing is that it’s not just about a broken fence. This type of issue can make it seem as though you are not bothered about the upkeep of your home; this is not something that people who are thinking of buying the property want to see.

You need to make sure that you fix broken fences, or other issues. It’s also worth painting the outside of the property, if the paint is peeling or faded. Do not forget to opt for a traditional or neutral colour scheme, as this is likely to appeal to more people.

All of these actions can help add curb appeal to your home. This can make selling the property easier and can help you to secure a better selling price.